The thing with doing Top 40 Music lists (or Top 40 anything lists, really) is that no-one will agree with what you have decided is the best order for things. Tastes vary, and so there will always be something from friendly disagreement through mildly heated banter to all out fighting about what should have made the list, and what should have been number 1.
But this “Top 40 synth-pop songs” article from Classic Pop Magazine pretty much gives us the very best (40) of the genre. Yeah, sure, there might be a little bit of discussion around exact placings, but this is one of the most accurate lists I have come across. Sensible rules too: no cover versions, maximum of three songs per band.
Obviously, the further out you go, potentially the wobblier it gets, but if anyone can disagree with any of the Top 20, well, then they’re just plain wrong. A-ha make it in at 16, and I’d love them to be higher, but just look at the quality in the Top 10:
10: The Human League – Love Action
9: Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence
8: New Order – Blue Monday
7: Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
6: Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
5: Gary Numan – Cars
4: Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
3: Kraftwerk – The Model
2: The Human League – Don’t You Want Me?
1: New Order – True Faith
It seriously reads like the best playlist you could ever make on Spotify. (And I’ve made a few!)
In a very wide and extremely subjective field, I can’t help but think that these guys have absolutely nailed this one.