Thread: why was the synthesizer so popular in 80s pop music?

did they use it because they could, or did their emotions actually respond to the sounds in a way that 21st century listeners can't comprehend?

actuall a lot of 70's new wave bands started that fad ie.. The Cars,, Devo and I believe the 80's bands jumped on that ride.. I aint sayin these bands started it but, were very big in making the sound popular

I went to a Warren Zevon concert (Werewolves of London) and was amazed that the whole band was two people. They were playing two synthesizers and I was hearing about seven instruments. Digital sampling and synchronizers make even B. Spears sound tight. And they can take any instrument to outside the range of human hearing with one allowing the audience to "Feel" the music.

you already got some of tha best answers ,,,tha true story,, did you know ,,,,???i was told that tha fuzz box happened because of ah accident,,,,,,???marty robins was recordin don't worry about me ,when tha guitarest did his solo ,,tha ground wire came off his pick up or amp and had that fuzzy sound ,,,that was before they had ground wires on power supply ,,,,like we do today,,,double ground i meant to say,,,good luck,,,,,,,,,,,,

Primarily, the synth was a very easy yet very different tool to use back in the day. It was nothing more than a programmable piano, so the learning curve was more or less nonexistent if you had taken piano lessons as a kid.

The sound was very fresh and edgy and framed the voices and raunchy guitars that were oh-so-popular back in the day very well, and were easy to replicate in a live setting.

It was all part of the zeitgeist back then, Don Johnson was patrolling the beaches of Miami, black people had flat-topped haircuts, and pink, purple, and yellow geometric shapes made PERFECT clothing and wallpaper, the synth came along with that period and found its niche quite nicely.

One thing good about those 80's voicings, they cut. If you ever have to mix an acoustic piano with an electric bass, drums, two guitars and vocals in a live setting, you'll start to long for those sounds.