Best '80s/'90s pop


My wife has a (round number) birthday coming up and I'm planning a party. This is her nostalgia music (but not mine)and I'm trying to come up with a band for her party, but I'm at a bit of a loss trying to figure out what they should play. Dancing is the key here and I know that the English Beat will be one data point. Suggestions on others?
martykl
Start collecting 80s pop/rock hit compilation CDs and chose from there. Or download mp3s.

Or if you have internet access and a means of burning your own CDs or ripping to disk, tune in any popular 80's oriented station and start recording/ripping.

If you have a Jack FM brand radio station in your area, those are another good source of lots of good 80's material. Their web sites usually have playlists and links to download the tunes as desired.
Are you looking to buy some compilations.

Old School Nation series by Hi-Bias is good - very well mastered.

I also like the Ben Liebrand Grand 12 Inches series (lots of extended mixes)

Another good one is Richard Blade's Flashback Faves series.

After the fire, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, Thompson Twins, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Simple Minds, Tommy Tutone, Madness, Ultravox, Siouzie and the Banshees, New Order, Fine Young Cannibals, Men at Work, Grace Jones etc etc.
Add to the excellent list above:

INXS, The Cult, The Producers, The Romantics, Michael Jackson, A Flock of Seagulls, Billy Idol, Romeo Void, Missing Persons, The Time, Prince, Prince, Prince, Prince, and Prince.
Thanx all.

I'm just looking to refresh my memory. If I hire a cover band for the party, I want to tell them what to cover. OTOH, The English Beat (or what's left of them, i.e. Dave Wakeling and a guy who does a passable impersonation of Ranking Roger) are now Santa Monica based. If they aren't too crazy expensive, we may use them.

Marty