Shiny and New: Ten Moments of Pop Genius that Defined the '80s

by Dylan Jones

The Eighties were about big ideas writ large - new money, new style, gender fluidity, gay pride, attritional politics, the 'special relationship', nuclear fear, AIDS, cocaine, ecstasy, tabloid royalty, the rise of urban pop, and ultimately geopolitical chaos. Using a big narrative approach, Dylan Jones' history of the decade in pop frames the decade through some of its most important and popular hits, choosing records which either epitomised their time, or ushered in a new cultural shift. So we move seamlessly from Rapper's Delight and the genre defining moment of hip hop into The Specials' spectral, Ghost Town; from ABC and the apotheosis of New Pop (The Look of Love) to Madonna's breakthrough moment with Like a Virgin, and so on. In the '80s each year brought a new twist as technology shifted and genres snowballed, MTV reigned supreme and the story of pop became globalised. It was a decade of excess in all areas, especially ambition, but it was in the transcendent moments of pop perfection that the '80s found its true art-form.

Subjective and idiosyncratic, SHINY AND NEW takes us from downtown New York to post-industrial Manchester, in the first widescreen attempt to weave together the stories, the songs and events that re-shaped music and society.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

Published July 8, 2021

Reviews

[Dave Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first venture into the world of audio books, and I liked it. Dylan Jones knows his music and like myself was most active in music in the 80s. This is a journey year by year viewed in relation to an individual song and artists. Really enjoyed a trip through my journey as a young jobbing dj.

[Lee Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst it does a bit momentum in the 2nd half this was a well written observation on the key socio-political aspects of the decade tied to the musical movements. Did think Frankie Goes to Hollywood would have warranted a chapter.

[Lara A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love, love, love a lot of 80s music, which might explain why I found much of this not at all shiny or new. Anything which describes Madonna as a "so-so talent" who leveraged her way to success isn't going to be wildly insightful and indeed this book rarely is.

Even when Jones is acquainted the major players involved, as he seems to be with The Specials, little knowledge is offered. Why did Hall, Staple and Golding leave at the height of their success and why did Dammers not get included in the reunion? Jones almost certainly knows, but he is probably going to save those thoughts for another book.

These ten moments are the author's selection, but while some are worthy choices, such as Sign O' the Times, including the Look of Love seems to achieve little except writing the word "sophisticated" repeatedly and saying ABC were an 80s Roxy Music. Which they weren't on the grounds of being nowhere near as good.

I could continue, but listing the ways this book is disappointing is only mildly more enjoyable than reading it.

[Michael S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kanske inte håller med om alla val av låtar, men onekligen en bra genomgång av 80-talets musik i stort och även ett flertal av de större (men även mindre) händelserna, om än ur brittiskt perspektiv. Läsvärd!