Top of the Pops - Top of the Pops: The Story of 1981

The year the teens take over and 80s 'new pop' is born with Depeche Mode, the teen-fronted Human League, Kim Wilde and Duran Duran all debuting, while Ultravox and Visage master the art of pop videos. The show embraces the shift with a new theme tune and titles and, as Legs and Co leave, invite a swathe of club kids and cheerleaders in to create a permanent 80s party atmosphere. Britain is torn between rioting, unemployment and the royal wedding, a mood captured in the Specials' Ghost Town, which the band perform on Top of the Pops, and then promptly split up in their dressing room at Television Centre. With Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, the Human League, Kim Wilde, Midge Ure, Jerry Dammers (the Specials), Leee John, Freeez, Beggar and Co, Richard Skinner, Mike Read and Carrie Grant.

All Broadcasts

• BBC Two

  Sun 13th Nov 2022

  00:05

• BBC Two

  Sat 3rd Apr 2021

  20:15

• BBC Two

  Wed 20th Jan 2021

  22:00

• BBC Four

  Fri 27th Sep 2019

  23:30

• BBC Four

  Sun 10th Jan 2016

  00:50

• BBC Four

  Sat 9th Jan 2016

  02:30

• BBC Four

  Fri 8th Jan 2016

  22:00