1981 - Big Hits
With Phil Collins, Shakin' Stevens, Kim Wilde, Tenpole Tudor, Adam and the Ants, The Teardrop Explodes, Odyssey, Altered Images, The Specials, Ultravox and The Human League.
A bumper crop of hits from the Top of the Pops archive showcasing an exciting year on the pop charts. 1981 embraced disco and ska, new wave punk, the burgeoning New Romantic scene and the rise of synthpop, with some prog quirkiness and good old rock 'n' roll thrown in.
Performances from big-hitter soloists Phil Collins, Shakin' Stevens and Kim Wilde are featured alongside the exuberant chaos of groups like Tenpole Tudor, Adam and the Ants and The Teardrop Explodes. It's party time as Odyssey fill the dancefloor with the infectious Going Back to My Roots and Clare Grogan adopts some unorthodox shapes for Altered Images' Happy Birthday. And The Specials' 2 Tone social-commentary classic Ghost Town vies with Ultravox's Vienna and The Human League's Don't You Want Me for song of the year.
Last on
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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Adam and the Ants
Kings of the Wild Frontier
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Ultravox
Vienna
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The Teardrop Explodes
Reward
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Kim Wilde
Kids in America
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Duran Duran
Planet Earth
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Sugar Minott
Good Thing Going
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Phil Collins
In The Air Tonight
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Linx
Intuition
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Tenpole Tudor
Swords of a Thousand Men
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Odyssey
Going Back To My Roots
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The Specials
Ghost Town
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Shakin’ Stevens
Green Door
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Soft Cell
Tainted Love
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Spandau Ballet
Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)
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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Souvenir
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Depeche Mode
Just Can't Get Enough
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Altered Images
Happy Birthday
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Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
It's My Party
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The Human League
Don't You Want Me
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Producer | Serena Cross |
| Executive Producer | Mark Cooper |
Broadcasts
Fri 8 Jan 201623:00- Sat 9 Jan 201601:30
- Sun 10 Jan 201601:50
- Thu 28 Sep 201723:00
- Fri 8 Dec 201720:00
- Sat 9 Dec 201701:00
- Fri 8 Feb 201921:00
- Sat 9 Feb 201901:55
- Fri 25 Sep 202020:00
- Sun 27 Sep 202000:30
- Sun 4 Apr 202100:35BBC Two except Northern Ireland & Scotland
- Sat 13 Jan 202403:05
- Sat 22 Nov 202521:35BBC Two except Scotland
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