The 25 best Indie songs of 1985

16 December 2024, 16:30

Take a trip back to the year that indie began in earnest with huge songs from The Cure, The Style Council, The Cult and The Housemartins...

1. Killing Joke - Love Like Blood: release date 25th January 1985

   An alternative club classic from Jaz Coleman, taken from the band's fifth album Night Time.

   

   Killing Joke - Love Like Blood (Official Video)

2. James - Hymn From A Village: released February 1985

   The lead track from the Manchester collective's second EP, James II, issued by the legndary Factory Records.

   

   James - Hymn From A Village

3. Sisters Of Mercy - No Time To Cry: released February 1985

   The second single from the influential Goth band's debut album First And Last And Always, which was released the following month.

   

   The Sisters Of Mercy - No Time To Cry - Music Video

4. Billy Bragg - Between The Wars: release date 28th February 1985

   Inspired by the ongoing miners' strike, this was one of Bragg's biggest hits, reaching Number 15 in the charts.

   

   Billy Bragg - Between The Wars

5. The Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town: release date 4th March 1985

   The debut single from the British band was co-produced by Pink Floyd's Dave Gimour, reached Number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and led to the group being included on the soundtrack to the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

   

   Dream Academy - "Life In A Northern Town" (Official Music Video)

6. The Damned - Grimly Fiendish: release date 18th March 1985

   Relased during the pioneering punk band's "goth phase", which included its parent album Phantasmagoria. Taking its name from an old British comic strip character, the single peaked at Number 21.

   

   The Damned - Grimly Fiendish (1985)

7. New Model Army - No Rest: released April 1985

   The title track from the Bradford folk punk outfit's second album was their first track to break the British Top 30.

   

   No Rest

8. Depeche Mode - Shake The Disease: release date 29th April 1985

   A one-off single from the Basildon boys, which would appear on their compilation The Singles 81→85 later that year.

   

   Depeche Mode - Shake the Disease (Remastered)

9. The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down: release date 4th May 1985

   Taken from the second album by Paul Weller's post-Jam project, this politically-charged single made Number 6 in the UK charts.

   

   The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down!

10. New Order - The Perfect Kiss: release date 13th May 1985

    One of the Manchester band's greatest ever 12" singles, this tune was included on the third New Order album Low-Life.

    

    New Order - The Perfect Kiss (Official Music Video) [HD Remaster]

11. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary: release date 17th May 1985

    Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy began their journey from gothic rock to full-blown heavy metal act with this classic, taken from the album Love.

    

    The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary HD

12. Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home: release date 31st May 1985

    After Andy Cox and Dave Steele left The Beat, they formed Fine Young Cannibals with singer Roland Gift. This was their debut single, which peaked at Number 8 in the charts.

    

    Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home

13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Tupelo: released July 1985

    Cave's post-Birthday Party band issued their second album, The Firstborn Is Dead, in 1985; this was the only single, which topped the Indie Charts.

    

    Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Tupelo

14. The Cure - In Between Days: release date 19th July 1985

    1985's The Head On The Door saw the return of bassist Simon Gallup and the arrival of drummer Boris Williams. One of The Cure's biggest hits, In Between Days was accompanied by an amazing video directed by Tim Pope.

    

    The Cure - In Between Days

15. R.E.M.: Driver 8: release date 3rd September 1985

    A haunting track from the Athens, Georgia band's third album Fables Of The Reconstruction, recorded in London with folk producer Joe Boyd.

    

    R.E.M. - Driver 8

16. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Brand New Friend: release date 6th September 1985

    The lead singe from Cole's album Easy Pieces peaked at Number 19 and remains his biggest hit in Britain.

    

    Lloyd Cole And The Commotions - Brand New Friend

17. The Smiths - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side: release date: 16th September 1985

    A cryptic song about the Manchester band's relationship with the music industry, this single appeared almost a year before it accompanying album The Queen Is Dead. It also featured the first official Smiths video.

    

    The Smiths - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Official Music Video)

18. The Stone Roses - So Young: release date 16th September 1985

    Then a vaguely goth act and produced by Martin Hannett of Joy Division fame, this was the first single from the Roses, who then consisted of Ian Brown, John Squire, Reni and bassist Pete Garner. It was a double A-side with the track Tell Me.

    

    The Stone Roses - So Young (1985)

19. Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere: released 30th September 1985 (UK)

    Taken from the album Little Creatures, the pioneering video was directed by frontman David Byrne and Stephen R. Johnson, who expanded the climactic scene of an animated Byrne surrounded by various ornaments into the award-winning clip for Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.

    

    Talking Heads - Road to Nowhere (Official Video)

20. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey: 30th September 1985

    The third and final single from the controversial Scottish band's debut album Psychocandy; it made Number 45 in the charts.

    

    The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (Official Music Video)

21. Happy Mondays - Delightful: release date 30th September 1985

    Taken from the Forty Five EP, which was the debut release by the Salford band, issued on Factory Records (FAC 129). The other tracks were This Feeling and something called Oasis.

    

    Delightful (Remastered)

22. Echo & The Bunnymen : Bring On The Dancing Horses: released 7th October 1985

    Originally recorded for the film Pretty In Pink, this Bunnymen track appeared on the compilation Songs To Learn & Sing. It reached Number 21 on the UK singles chart.

    

    Echo & The Bunnymen - Bring on The Dancing Horses (Official Music Video)

23. The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon: release date 14th October 1985

    This memorable tune only made Number 26 when released in '85 as a teaser for the album This Is The Sea, but went to Number 3 in 1991 when it was enlisted to promote the Waterboys' best of album.

    

    The Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon [Official HD Remastered Video]

24. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities Of Dust: release date 18th October 1985

    The lead single from the Banshees' seventh album Tinderbox, this goth club classic peaked at Number 21 on the UK singles chart.

    

    Siouxsie And The Banshees - Cities In Dust (Official Music Video)

25. The Housemartins - Flag Day: released 25th October 1985

    The debut single from the Hull indie band was to appear on their classic debut album London 0 Hull 4 the following year.

    

    The Housemartins - Flag Day