Having come across a bit of disgreement as to the difference between 80's Hi-NRG, Italdosco and Eurodisco, I thought I would start this blog to try and focus on these distinctions, beginning with Hi-NRG.
Hi-NRG was a term mostly used in The United States and The United Kingdom in the early to mid 80's. It referred to a higher BPM form of electronic dance music. Whilst some if it had its roots in 70's soul/funk, and especially Northern Soul, it blended the those sounds with the synthesizer sounds of late 70's Eurodisco and Space Disco, as produced by the likes of Giorgio Moroder and Cerrone. The early exponents of the sound were Patrick Cowley and Bobby Orlando in the U.S., who became the god fathers of the genre. The early cuts became known as "Boystown" in '81 and '82, but evolved into Hi-NRG during 1983, once record companies has latched the genre's possible commercial success. Although there were productions coming from Continental Europe which closely mirror HI-NRG at this time, most fans of the genre separate those productions into "Italodisco" for Italian productions, and "Eurodisco" for other, non British, productions.
So, here are my suggestions of 100 all time Hi-NRG classics form the U.S.A, Canada and the U.K. The songs are not in any particular order, and whilst they are not my personal 100 best picks, these tracks give a great reflection of 80's Hi-NRG.
Hi-NRG was a term mostly used in The United States and The United Kingdom in the early to mid 80's. It referred to a higher BPM form of electronic dance music. Whilst some if it had its roots in 70's soul/funk, and especially Northern Soul, it blended the those sounds with the synthesizer sounds of late 70's Eurodisco and Space Disco, as produced by the likes of Giorgio Moroder and Cerrone. The early exponents of the sound were Patrick Cowley and Bobby Orlando in the U.S., who became the god fathers of the genre. The early cuts became known as "Boystown" in '81 and '82, but evolved into Hi-NRG during 1983, once record companies has latched the genre's possible commercial success. Although there were productions coming from Continental Europe which closely mirror HI-NRG at this time, most fans of the genre separate those productions into "Italodisco" for Italian productions, and "Eurodisco" for other, non British, productions.
So, here are my suggestions of 100 all time Hi-NRG classics form the U.S.A, Canada and the U.K. The songs are not in any particular order, and whilst they are not my personal 100 best picks, these tracks give a great reflection of 80's Hi-NRG.
HIGH ENERGY, Evelyn Thomas (UK 1984)
DO YOU WANNA FUNK, Patrick Cowley & Sylverster (USA 1982)
SEARCHIN’, Hazell Dean (UK 1983)
SO MANY MEN, SO LITTLE TIME, Miquel Brown (UK 1983)
PASSION, The Flirts (USA 1982)
GUILTY, Lime (Canada 1983)
HIT ‘N’ RUN LOVER, Carol Jiani (Canada 1981)
SAVING MYSELF, Eria Fachin (Canada 1987)
IT’S RAINING MEN, The Weather Girls (USA 1983)
MALE STRIPPER, Man 2 Man Meet Man Parrish (USA 1986)
IN THE NAME OF LOVE, Sharon Redd (USA 1982)
LOVE PAINS, Yvonne Elliman (USA 1982)
I AM WHAT I AM, Gloria Gaynor (USA 1983)
NATIVE LOVE (STEP BY STEP), Divine (USA 1982)
MY FORBIDDEN LOVER, Tapps (Canada 1983)
IN THE EVENING, Sheryl Lee Ralph (USA 1984)
BODY ROCK (JELLYBEAN/PETER SLAGHUIS REMIXES), Maria Vidal (USA 1984)
ROCKET TO YOUR HEART, Lisa (USA 1983)
YOU SPIN ME ROUND (LIKE A RECORD), Dead Or Alive (UK 1984)
DON’T STOP THE TRAIN, Phyllis Nelson/Viola Wills (USA 1981)
MEGATRON MAN, Patrick Colwey (USA 1982)
SHE HAS A WAY, Bobby ‘O’ (USA 1982)
I’M LIVING MY OWN LIFE, Earlene Bentley (UK 1983)
RIGHT ON TARGET, Paul Parker (USA 1982)
CATCH ME (I’M FALLING IN LOVE), Marsha Raven (UK 1983)
I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, Pamala Stanley (USA 1983)
CAN’T LIVE (WITHOUT YOUR LOVE), Suzy Q (Canada 1986)
TAKE A CHANCE (ON ME), Waterfront Home (USA 1983)
VENUS, Bananarama (UK 1986)
LOVE’S GONE MAD, Seventh Avenue (UK 1985/1986)
TWO OF HEARTS, Stacey Q (USA 1986)
FASCINATED, Company B (USA 1987)
GLORIA, Laura Branigan (USA 1982)
DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY, The Communards (UK 1986)
WHISPER TO A SCREAM, Bobby ‘O’ & His Banana Republic Featuring Claudja Barry (USA 1985)
JUMP SHOUT, Lisa (USA 1982)
THE VISITORS (GREG SILVA HOT TRACKS REMIX), Abba (USA/Sweden 1981)
YOU THINK YOU’RE A MAN, Divine (UK 1984)
WHERE IS MY MAN, Eartha Kitt (USA/UK/France 1983)
UNEXPECTED LOVERS, Lime (Canada 1985)
I BELIEVE IN DREAMS, Jackie Rawe (UK 1985)
LET THE NIGHT TAKE THE BLAME, Lorraine McKane (UK 1984)
MENERGY, Sylvester (USA 1984)
I CAN FLY, Rainey (USA 1985)
HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT, Bronski Beat (UK 1985)
HOMOSEXUALITY/THANK GOD FOR MEN, Modern Rocketry (USA 1985)
(THEY CALL ME) QUEEN OF FOOLS, Jessica Williams (Mexico/USA 1983)
LAST CALL, Jolo (USA 1984)
EAT YOU UP, Angie Gold (UK 1985)
DANGER, The Flirts (USA 1984)
LOVE IN THE SHADOWS, E. G. Daily (USA 1986)
EARTHQUAKE, The Flirtations (UK 1983)
HE’S NUMBER ONE, Fantasy (USA 1985)
I LIKE YOU, Phyllis Nelson (USA 1985)
LOVE REACTION, Divine (USA 1983)
I’M ALIVE (LET’S MOVE ON), American Fade (UK 1983)
THEY SAY IT’S GONNA RAIN, Hazell Dean (UK 1985)
LOVE EVICTION, Quartzlock (UK 1987)
DELIVERANCE, People Like Us (South Africa/UK 1986)
YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON, Kim Wilde (UK 1986)
RELAX, Frankie Goes To Hollywood (UK 1983)
SINDERELLA, Betty Wright (USA 1985)
THE BOYS COME TO TOWN, Earlene Bentley (UK 1983)
PISTOL IN MY POCKET, Lana Pellay (UK 1986)
I’M GONNA MAKE YOU WANT ME, Gina Lamour (UK 1985)
SOMEBODY TO LOVE, Cafe Society (South Africa/UK 1984)
TUNNEL OF LOVE, Carol Cooper (USA 1985)
SATELLITES, Ellie Warren (UK 1984/1985/1986)
JACKIE, Blue Zone UK (UK/USA 1988)
SMALLTOWN BOY, Bronski Beat (UK 1984)
SHATTERED GLASS, Laura Branigan (UK/USA 1987)
MY HEART’S ON FIRE, Patrick L. Myles (Canada 1987)
BOTH SIDES NOW, Viola Wills (USA 1985)
NO FRILLS LOVE, Jennifer Holliday (USA 1985)
TIE ME DOWN, Romance Featuring Jessica Williams (Mexico/USA 1981)
LOSING MY MIND, Liza Minelli (UK 1989)
BREAK ME, Charade Featuring Norma Lewis (UK 1984)
TAKE ME TO HEAVEN, Sylvester (USA 1984)
OH L’ AMOUR/GIMME GIMME GIMME, Erasure (UK 1986)
IT’S A SIN, Pet Shop Boys (UK 1987)
IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY, Barbara Doust (Canada 1987)
JUMP (FOR MY LOVE), Pointer Sisters (USA 1984)
I LOVE MEN, Eartha Kitt (UK/USA/France 1984)
DESIRE, Paul Parker (UK 1984)
REFLEX ACTION, Louise Thomas (UK 1986)
COMING OUT OF HIDING, Pamala Stanley (USA 1984)
THE FIGHT (FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY), Norma Lewis (UK 1984)
WORK ME OVER, Claudja Barry (USA 1982)
GUILTY, Hotline (USA 1984)
I DON’T WANNA TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN, Karen Silver (Canada 1984)
TIME BOMB, Jeannie Tracy (USA 1984)
WHATEVER I DO, WHEREVER I GO, Hazell Dean (UK 1984)
I’M ON FIRE, Kelly Marie (UK 1984)
OVER AND OVER AND OVER, Michelle Goulet (USA 1987)
I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN, Pamela Nightingale (UK 1985)
WHY?, Bronski Beat (UK 1984)
I LIKE PLASTIC, Marsha Raven (USA 1982)
WORKING GIRL, Girly (USA 1985)
SO MACHO, Sinitta (UK 1985)
LOVE TRAP, Astaire (UK 1984)
I will be posting my top 100 80's Eurodisco and and Italodisco soon!
