Inhaltsverzeichnis für May 2026 in Classic Pop

Now, Bill Shankly would have been speaking about my beloved football team, Liverpool FC, when he came up with the oft-quoted phrase “Form is temporary, but class is permanent.” However, that sentiment could equally be applied to our cover stars Duran Duran. Following a rather sticky end to the 80s, the band were faced with the not inconsiderable challenge of navigating the next decade amid a rapidly changing musical climate. As Nick Rhodes explains to CP this issue: “We were in a time when grunge was rising up to take over the world and rave was enormous. We liked both those genres, but clearly we’re not part of either of them.” Duran’s solution was an eminently sensible one – go back to basics and, regardless of the current fashions, make…

The never-before-seen film George Michael: The Faith Tour is coming to cinemas around the world later this year. Directed by longtime collaborators Andy Morahan and David Austin, its 35mm footage was assembled from a 14-camera shoot filmed over two nights at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in the French capital during the European leg of Michael’s Faith Tour in 1988. Once thought lost, the footage has now been meticulously restored and remastered. George Michael: The Faith Tour will open with an original short film by Mary McCartney, titled Finding Faith, offering an intimate introduction that contextualises the tour’s cultural significance. Using George’s own words, the film features a voiceover from an unheard interview alongside unseen images captured by US photographer Herb Ritts and behind-the-scenes footage of the Faith music video. Alongside…

02 Cutting Crew begin a two-week run at No.1 on the US chart with (I Just) Died In Your Arms. Lifted from the album Broadcast and written by lead vocalist Nick Van Eede, the single peaked at No.4 in the UK. 02 Justin Hayward-Young, lead singer of The Vaccines, is born in Southampton. 02 Whitney Houston releases I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me). Penned by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, of the duo Boy Meets Girl, it’s the lead single from her second album, Whitney. 09 Starship start a four-week stint at No.1 in the UK with Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, the theme song to the romantic comedy film Mannequin. 09 Johnny Logan makes history as the first performer to win the Eurovision Song Contest twice, with Hold…

Throughout his innovative career, Thomas Dolby’s been decidedly progressive, whether in his music, his Silicon Valley ventures, or imparting wisdom to the next generation as a university professor. But his upcoming Iconic 80s Recollections Tour explicitly harks back to a transformative decade, when he graced the airwaves as the nutty professor, blinding us with science. What’s going on? “Part of it is an age thing, I suppose,” Dolby concedes to Classic Pop from his home in the States. “As you get older, you have more chapters of your life, and you get reflective. We tend to have rose-coloured spectacles when looking back, but that’s okay, because it’s escapist. If that’s what it needs to cheer you up, then that’s perfectly okay.” Dolby’s concerts have a gently educational element – deconstructing the…

For many record labels, greatest hits albums represented an opportunity to maximise their investment, but they also afforded many artists and bands the chance to cement their legacy. From The Beatles’ ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ double LPs and Queen’s Greatest Hits, through to Bob Marley And The Wailers’ Legend and ABBA Gold, some of the most iconic albums in musical history have been retrospectives. Appeasing fans who may have felt short-changed by an album containing only previously released material, compilations have often included exclusive new songs, many of which were instant classics rather than mere fillers. With a rule of one single per artist, here are 20 of our favourites. 20 THE HUMAN LEAGUE STAY WITH ME TONIGHT GREATEST HITS (1995) Building on the momentum of comeback album Octopus and lead…

In the late 70s and early 80s, Dick Turpin was one of ITV’s most popular dramas, making a modern-day hero out of the real-life 18th century highwayman of the same name. Stand And Deliver, then, arrived on record shelves amid Turpinmania, no doubt helping it become Adam And The Ants’ first No.1 record. The lead single from Prince Charming, the band’s third album, Stand And Deliver would remain at the top of the UK chart for five consecutive weeks. Its success was certainly bolstered by the typically theatrical video, featuring Adam in his iconic Charge Of The Light Brigade-inspired get-up and then-squeeze Amanda Donohoe as one of the dandy highwayman’s victims. Talking of the song’s inspiration in the book 1000 UK #1 Hits, Adam said: “I’m a very big history fan…

*1 “A gritty new direction for the Roses. I remain an unapologetic fan of Second Coming, too.“ *2 “The rap-rock collision that resurrected Aerosmith’s career.“ *3 “An epic choice of lead single to announce their dramatic return.“ *4 ”Zipped along fabulously, but also with an age-appropriate melancholy.” *5 “Even though Kylie’s Deconstruction period produced some of her most interesting work, this track got the public back on board.” *6 “Because it was so unexpected and the way he sang the song, with a kind of hesitancy, cheekily played with our worries about his health.” *7 “A classic mix of bravado and wistfulness, with banger grooves to boot!“…

Tony Hadley will be delivering classic crooner tracks alongside Spandau Ballet hits and some Christmas favourites across the UK later this year. Following the huge success of last year’s sold-out run, The Christmas Big Band Tour 2026 will see Hadley return with his Fabulous TH Band and full brass section to perform jazz standards, swing favourites as well as 80s anthems. Opening at Plymouth Arena on 7 November, the 19-date run concludes at London’s Coliseum on 4 December. Visit tonyhadley.com to book tickets and see the full tour dates.…

Toyah, Nick Heyward, Chesney Hawkes and The Fizz are among the artists who have been added to the line-up at this year’s inaugural RetroCon UK celebrating pop culture of the 80s, 90s and Noughties. Held from 2-3 May at the NEC in Birmingham, the new additions join the previously announced Matt Goss, Pat Sharp and Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Jason Priestley. Also scheduled to appear at the event are Holly Marie Combs and Brian Krause, who played Piper Halliwell and Leo Wyatt in Charmed, and Heather Locklear, the star of Melrose Place, Dynasty and T. J. Hooker. As well as headlining the Saturday night beach party, Pat Sharp will be joined by The Twins (Melanie and Martina Grant) to recreate the wacky world of TV favourite Fun House. Attendees can…

Transvision Vamp have announced their first UK tour since 1991. The 16-date run will begin on 6 October in Newcastle and visits Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Oxford, Cardiff, Manchester and Bournemouth, as well as London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Norwich, Brighton, Birmingham and Bristol, with additional dates in Dublin and Belfast. Singer Wendy James said: “Words cannot express the feelings I have to be touring Transvision Vamp again. “The band’s history, which began in 1988, has passed through many eras. And yet, here we are, belting out the very songs which captured everyone’s hearts all those years ago.” The band, who recently wrapped up a sold-out tour in Australia and New Zealand, will play Portugal and Spain directly before heading to the UK. “I am surrounded by the best musicians in…

ANDY McCLUSKEY Lead singer and bassist McCluskey formed OMD with Paul Humphreys in 1978. Outside of the band, he has also worked with the girl groups Atomic Kitten and The Genie Queen. On Junk Culture, Andy is credited with vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards, programming and percussion. PAUL HUMPHREYS OMD’s keyboardist and co-songwriter also sang some of their best-known hits, notably Souvenir and (Forever) Live And Die. He later formed The Listening Pool with bandmates Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, and Onetwo with Propaganda vocalist Claudia Brücken. His Junk Culture credits include vocals, keyboards, acoustic piano and programming. MARTIN COOPER  Multi-instrumentalist Cooper joined OMD in 1980, and co-wrote their joint-biggest hit, Souvenir. Along with former OMD keyboardist Dave Hughes he also scored the sciencefiction thriller C.H.U.D. during a break from the Junk…

Off the back of an early demo, Thomas Dolby was tapped up by Foreigner to add atmospherics to Waiting For A Girl Like You. “I had no idea whether they would include it, but it ended up being the 30-second intro for the whole song.” It was a huge hit, only denied a Billboard No.1 by Olivia Newton-John’s Physical. “I’d be in strange places – a hotel in Detroit, a restaurant or rental car – and it’d come on the radio. The first thing you hear is what sounds like Eno on a rock station. I thought, ‘There’s tens of thousands of people hearing this, it’s unlike anything else on the radio, and that’s my work.’ That was very gratifying.” Later, an appearance on Saturday Night Live alongside P-Funk legend…

With Brightside arriving eight years after Ziggy Marley’s previous regular album, it’s perhaps no surprise that he’s already planning his next record, with songs ready to go. “I recorded multiple albums at the same time as Brightside,” he reveals. “Brightside has just eight songs because it is geared towards vinyl. “Vinyl is a serious frame of mind, which I don’t take lightly. I was tempted to do a double album, but the universe was guiding me into keeping it to two sides of vinyl, and to make sure it was high-quality vinyl. The next songs will be a new record next year. It will be a different frame of mind, a little tougher, maybe.” The next new material will continue Marley’s ever-evolving relationship with reggae. “I’m always a student of reggae,”…

The winner of Writer Of The Year at the PPA Independent Publisher Awards 2025, this issue CP’s Reviews Editor John Earls catches up with Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes and John Taylor who reveal all about the band’s latest reissues and also talks to multiple Grammy winner Ziggy Marley as he releases his new album Brightside. Felix Rowe has extensively toured the US, performed with a Chili Pepper, barbecued with a Blues Brother and shared a Mars bar with George Martin. He has written for publications including Classic Pop, Vintage Rock, Clash and Record Collector. This issue, Felix interviews synth-pop pioneer Thomas Dolby about his forthcoming 80s-focused tour and plans for a symphonic new direction. Paul Kirkley makes his living from interviewing famous people with much more interesting and glamorous lives than…

Kim Wilde has unveiled a hits-themed tour for early next year. The 13-date Singles Tour kicks off at the Bristol Beacon on 12 March 2027 and takes in cities including Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Among the shows is a London Palladium gig on 21 March with the tour wrapping up at York’s Barbican on 28 March. While Wilde’s most recent headline tour was to promote her Closer album, the 2027 dates will concentrate solely on her singles discography and a career that now includes 20 UK Top 40 hits, eight of which made the Top 10. Special guest for the tour will be Tiffany, fresh from the launch of her new cookbook, Pop Life: The Ultimate 80’s Kitchen Encore and I Think We’re Alone Now’s recent appearance in…

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY BOBBY MCFERRIN Bobby McFerrin could be forgiven for thinking he’d hit upon the perfect pop formula with his global smash Don’t Worry, Be Happy. A No.1 in multiple countries including the United States, the New Yorker’s cheery ode also made No.2 in the UK. The only a capella song ever to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100, Don’t Worry, Be Happy also bagged Grammy Awards in 1989 for Song Of The Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. McFerrin’s style, which blended scat vocalisation, polyphonic overtone singing and improvised percussion on his body, is instantly recognisable. The title of the song was inspired by an uplifting expression regularly used by Meher Baba, the Indian spiritual leader who counted The Who’s Pete Townshend among his…

Billy Lockett, the Northampton-born singer-songwriter known for his evocative piano-led songs, is taking to the road this May. Lockett has supported Lana Del Rey, KT Tunstall and Birdy, and also toured with Lewis Capaldi and Electric Light Orchestra. The headline tour, in support of his new album Things Are Looking Up, which is released on 22 May, opens in Birmingham on 6 May before visiting Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Leeds, with further dates in Manchester, London, Southampton and Bristol. Visit billylockett.com for more information.…

This autumn Altered Images will perform their debut album in full on their latest nationwide tour. Produced by Siouxsie And The Banshees’ Steven Severin and Martin Rushent, Happy Birthday made the Top 30 and yielded a UK No.2 hit single with the title track. Clare Grogan discusses the impact the LP had, the Scottish indie scene from which they sprang and preparations for their forthcoming live dates. It’s 45 years since Altered Images’ released their debut album. How does that feel? It feels like another lifetime… But everybody loves these anniversary moments and it gives you a good excuse to go out on tour and remind people of how it started. Which is what you’ll be doing in September… When it was first suggested to me to play the whole…

Looking back now, I think The Wedding Album and Thank You represent a very dynamic experimental period in the band’s evolution. The Wedding Album yielded two of our all-time most popular songs, but there’s a lot of interesting experimentation in between. “It was a fun time in London and, listening back to the album now, I was reminded of early XL Records and Soul II Soul. We were enjoying London club life a lot at the time, and it shows. “After Liberty, we needed to establish a new groove. Liberty hadn’t worked, really, on any level. Warren really stepped up for The Wedding Album, both in providing a home for us to work in and also as a collaborator of extraordinary talent and drive. “We tried to tap into a…

“Sometimes you just end up aligning with the zeitgeist, and crossing paths with history,” says Tori, recalling the 1991 release of Silent All These Years. “The song ended up coming out within a month of [American activist lawyer] Anita Hill speaking out [about sexual harassment] and saying, ‘I will be silent no more’. I’d written the song a year before, but I just followed the muses, and that’s what happened. It was a moment in time.” And three decades on? It will surprise no-one that women are at the sharp end of the torching of democracy Tori addresses on In Times Of Dragons. “When I think of all the strides that women were making when I was a young girl – the opportunities that the Gloria Steinems of this world…

01 HOUSE OF FUN MADNESS (STIFF) Where as Frankie Goes To Hollywood got banned (or ‘unplaylisted’) for their spicy lyrics a couple of years later, the Nutty Boys were, in 1982, slightly cleverer in disguising their record’s blue roots. A song about a teenager’s sexual awakening, it’s full of cheeky euphemisms, all delivered with a knowing wink from Suggs. Amazingly, the ‘Welcome to the house of fun’ bit was a late addition after Stiff Records supremo, Dave Robinson, demanded a chorus, leading to Mike Barson sitting down at the piano and coming up with the song’s infectious refrain. The resulting song became Madness’ first ever chart-topper, and in 2015 House Of Fun was voted the nation’s eighth favourite 80s No.1 in a poll for ITV (sandwiched between Culture Club’s Karma…

It was 1997 when the whispering began. Though details were sparse, promotional copies were circulating of a new Talk Talk album, Mountains Of The Moon. This would be the first material from Mark Hollis, their reclusive mastermind (though he considered himself merely a ‘family man’) since 1991’s Laughing Stock. For those clinging to that and 1988’s similarly magical album Spirit Of Eden – both admittedly commercially calamitous – the news was thrillingly unexpected. By late January, 1998, these rumours had become reality, though this reality had been amended. No longer a Talk Talk album, the record was instead attributed to Hollis, with his name providing its title. Given it had been mastered the previous February, this decision had arrived belatedly. It also pulled the rug from beneath Polydor, who thought…

Since making his debut with The Melody Makers in 1979, Ziggy Marley released nine albums with his old band. His new LP, the positivist Brightside, is his ninth on his own, having gone solo in 2003 with Dragonfly. It’s a statistic that pleases Marley, who beams: “Nine is a nice number. I never thought of the number I made myself or with the Makers as significant. But sure, as my ninth album and tying with the Makers, that’s a nice milestone, because the universe puts everything together.” He pauses, not wanting to give too much credence to equalising his initial musical incarnation, before offering: “I don’t have these statistics on my mind. The levelling can have its significance in the universe.” CP reminds Marley that nine is also the number…

1 WHEN IT’S COLD I’D LIKE TO DIE (REMIXES) MOBY FT. JACOB LUSK After featuring in three seasons of Stranger Things, Moby’s When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die has become his most streamed track. Originally released in 1995 on his Everything Is Wrong album, Moby’s recently revisited it for 2026 LP Future Quiet with new vocals by Jacob Lusk. Its latest incarnation is a 12-track remix package featuring reworkings by Moby himself alongside NOHR, John Tejada and High Beam. 2 SISTA, MOTHER, CHILD ALISON LIMERICK Following the success of the Where Love Lives-soundtracked 2025 John Lewis Christmas ad, Alison Limerick makes her long-awaited return with soulful ballad Sista, Mother, Child. The uplifting single is the first offering from her forthcoming studio album So You Think You Know, due for release in…

LILY ALLEN SYMPHONY HALL, BIRMINGHAM 5 MARCH TWENTY YEARS ON FROM HER INFECTIOUS DEBUT, THE AUDACIOUS STAGING OF WEST END GIRL FINDS ALLEN GOING IT ALONE FOR A RAW ONE-WOMAN SHOW THAT DISSECTS THE COLLAPSE OF A RELATIONSHIP Given her acting successes in recent years, at one point it looked like we might lose Lily Allen to theatreland. But the surprise drop of October’s West End Girl has spectacularly catapulted the songstress back into pop’s upper reaches. She’s never shied away from taboo-pushing lyrical content, putting the unsaid upfront. But concept album West End Girl takes things to a gobsmacking new level. Stressing it’s “a story”, it’s one nonetheless allegedly rooted in fact. Less of a ‘divorce album’, more of an exorcism, West End Girl is shaped by the breakdown…

STUCK IN THE ’80s STEVE SPEARS BENJAMIN HOUSE PRESS At a time when it seems that anyone and everyone has a podcast, Stuck In The ’80s, a US-based platform which celebrates the music of that decade, was one of the first. Originally founded in 2005 as an online episodic series to discuss nostalgia as an offshoot of Florida’s St Petersburg Times where creator Steve Spears worked at the time, the success, reach and longevity of Stuck In The ’80s took everyone by surprise. Last year’s 20th anniversary celebrations became the impetus for this book. Written in a warm, chatty style, it’s a series of vignettes from the countless interviews Spears has conducted over the past two decades. Classic Pop favourites such as Philip Oakey, Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Gibson,…