I’m always rapping on about how many dance tunes these days owe their inspiration to classic 80s tracks. Ministry of Sound, one of the single most authoritative voices in dance music for the last two decades also knows this and they’ve published a cool little comparison tool on their site. Why? Because they’ve just put out an anthems compilation with 60 big-haired, sexy, pulsating synthesizer tracks.

The importance and continued popularity of 80s pop is not to be underestimated, and the emergence of serious synthesised music producers in Kraftwerk, The Human League, Heaven 17, OMD, Yazoo, Ultravox, Talk Talk, Japan, Devo, Sparks, Gary Numan, New Order and The Pet Shop Boys, all of whom massively pushed the boundaries in experimenting with (mainly) Roland synths in this era, ultimately showed the way for the house and techno producers of the 90s to the present day.

Within this more serious side there was also some brilliant, pure synth – pop from The Thompson Twins, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Thomas Dolby, Simple Minds, Propaganda, Erasure, China Crisis, Belouis Some, The Lotus Eaters, A Flock Of Seagulls, Howard Jones, Blancmange and The Associates.

The 80s still inspire now, heck this magazine’s name is thanks to the Eighties! Check out the tracklisting and where to buy the Ministry of Sound – Electronic 80’s.