Best 80s New Wave

@jplunkettj Your two compilation recommendations look good. I recommend the "POPTOPIA: Power Pop Classics of the 70's - 80's & 90's (3 single discs put out by Rhino Records). Excellent songs, booklet and packaging on all three. 

Here's a few more 70's - 90's bands of note.

Rhythm Corps: A Detroit band who only released 2 albums and a local EP. They were originally called Rhythm Method; but, they lost a legal challenge for that name (which is a shame because if that is not a rock n' roll name, I don't know what is!).

The Reivers: An Austin based band that was originally called Zeitgeist; but, they also lost a legal challenge to keep that name.

The Shoes. I thought these guys were better than The Cars; who they were often compared to. I preferred the Shoes darker and heavier sound (more guitars, less keyboards).

have to say there are some mighty good lists here, and wonder if any of you live in Dallas as I've yet to meet anyone here who has a passing knowledge of "good" music. 

Only will repeat a few that I was pleasantly surprised some people picked up on:

• The Chameleons - brilliant one of my favorites
• Bill Nelson
  
• Prefab Sprout - acoustic version of Faron Young is one of my favorites.
  
• China Crisis - baselines are awesome throughout
• Echo & the Bunneymen
• Sisters of Mercy, The Mission all that goth stuff.
• The Cult - Dreamtime Live at the Lyceum is one of my top 5 of all time
• Blancmange
• The Wedding Present
• Men without Hats - underrated because everyone just thinks safety dance
• The THE -
  

Some other goodies that perhaps I overlooked

• Abecedarians - hugely underrated and less well known band from Los Angeles.  Released on EP on Factory Records.....but others on Caroline Records.   Seriously one of the best.
• For Against - Great indy band from Lincoln Nebraska!!!
• The Drowning Pool
  
• Lowlife
• Ride, Slowdive My Bloody Valentine...all the shoegaze stuff.
  
• House of Love
  
• Tones on Tail
• Pale Fountains - Michael Head is a genius
• Shriekback
• Modern English - all of their stuff up to and including Ricochet Days is pure genius
• The Wake - on Factory records
• The Colourfield (and Fun Boy Three)
• Prince - 1999 and and before
• The dB's
• Monochrome Set
• Orange Juice - think someone said them....great call!
• The Sound
• A Certain Ratio

Love this thread.   I have one going with my closest friends who dig this music whereby every Friday we send each other a link to an 80's band (or one influenced by the 80's) that we are currently into.  Fun to be reminded of some old goodies.

@gunners01 Great lists!! Several people have listed groups I totally forgot about. New wave was so much fun and so many young people are into the music. My cousin (in her early 20s) loves Joy Division, PSB and many others.

Here are a few I remembered:
Belouis Some
King
Go West 
Talk Talk
Communards/Bronski Beat
Bangles
PIL
XTC
Siouxsie and the Banshees
The English Beat
Billy Idol

First Wave (channel 33 on SiriusXM) plays a lot of this stuff. They have a good new wave dance show on Saturday nights. Thanks for joining the discussion! 

Will have to check out some of these as I hadn't heard the first two.   Not a huge Go West fan, but the others are golden.  Thanks!

I have several original pressing of the first several Xtc LPs.   They sound great.

We listen to First Wave a fair bit.  They play the Pretenders way too much for my liking....but it seems they are played on all of the Sirius stations.   Certain hours play 'deeper cuts' of New Wave, which I prefer.

I may have to go upstairs now, G&T in hand, and put a few on the turntable.