A fun game that comes with exploring New Wave as a genre is how few bands had longevity. This isn’t in the sense that their sound has become obscure or that they’re irrelevant. Most simply failed to make it through the 1980s without some form of submission. Of the 24 bands covered so far, only two (Depeche Mode, Madness) could be said to have been consistently productive since their inauguration. With that said, there was one group who took the genre and made it an art form. Many have captured one aspect of what it meant to be New Wave, but Duran Duran was the complete package.
If one had to compile a list of the most recognizable New Wave albums, “Rio” would be high on that list. Even the album cover feels evocative of the era in ways that resonate a near 40 years later. They’re a band that has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and were key in the rise of music video popularity. Everything about them was so accomplished that many also criticized them of being too manufactured. While I personally fall somewhere in the middle, there’s no denying that Duran Duran was a group that lived up to the hype. It’s difficult to not dance when “Hungry Like the Wolf” comes on. I’m even a fan of John Taylor’s bass playing on the opening track. While I personally think “Rio” as an album feels a bit redundant from a contemporary viewpoint, I do admire that it’s still a pop album that has all the experimental perks of New Wave (such as cracking ice on “The Chauffer”). They’re just more streamlined than anything else I’ve heard for this column so far.
Like most bands, they formed at an art school. John Taylor and Nick Rhodes met in 1978 in Birmingham, England and, with assistance of Stephen Duffy, started the impotence for the group. Their name was derived from the character Dr. Durand Durand from Barbarella (1968), which they had caught on British TV one pivotal night. From there, they proceeded to play various gigs and had line-up changes before landing on their official group.
They were often associated with a British movement called New Romantic, which would include groups like Spandau Ballet and A Flock of Seagulls. While they would try to distance themselves from the community later, it helped to garner them attention. By 1980, they had enough acclaim that two record labels (EMI and Phonogram) would have a bidding war. Because of their affection for The Beatles, they ultimately went with EMI. This also lead to decades of comparisons to The Lads From Liverpool, even having the press dub them “The Fab Five.”
Success came early with their self-titled debut in 1981. Because they had recorded demos to most of their songs, the first few albums were recorded without many conflicts. They were also keen on making music videos, which lead to a racy one for “Girls on Film.” Still, success was imminent and it was followed by a world tour. Many were hypothesizing if they could even match its success. As with the first, they compiled a list of demos and worked from the ground up to create their vision.
During their first world tour, John Taylor brought forth the name “Rio” after Brazil’s Rio De Janeiro. There was an exoticism and joy to it that they felt captured the larger work. They also broke from the norm of the time by not featuring themselves on the cover, instead settling for the work of Patrick Nagel. The portrait of a woman symbolized their feelings for the upbeat and enjoyable nature that laid inside. The artwork for the vinyl was even playful, creating a whole journey of the actual record.
To begin digging into this album, I will say that “Rio” as a work is one of the most accomplished that I’ve heard for this column. Anyone would be envious of having singles as memorable as “Hungry Like the Wolf” or “Save a Prayer.” While there was initial backlash that they were too manufactured, many chalked it up to more as a lyrical problem. Their instrumentation was the biggest selling point, and it’s not hard to see why.
The opening song “Rio” is such a joyous cry of intrigue as the guitars clang alongside the sputtering pianos and drums while the bass goes on a dizzying run. Everything about it has this intensity that makes you immediately tap into what Duran Duran is doing. It’s immersive and, much like their marketing team would have you believe, they do an incredible job of throwing the listener into a singular world. There’s a layer of espionage as singer Simon Le Bon comes on, countering the aggressive melodies with seduction. He’s sinister and sexy. He creates a sound that is so cool that mostly works because the layered production makes it feel cinematic.
Then the chorus kicks in. While not that much of a tempo change, it does feel like the reprieve necessary. It’s catch in its simplicity. For as insipid as the word “Rio” becomes by the end of it (“Oh Rio, Rio, dance across the Rio Grande”), it’s the work of somebody who knows how to craft a pop hook. It’s hypnotic what Duran Duran does within the five minutes. It could linger forever like a mirage and still satisfy the listener.
In some way, the entire nine song run on this album feels very much like one cohesive blur. For those that heard “Rio” and love it, the rest of the album very much exists within that vein. While I have heard this record a few times now, it’s hard to recall most of the tracks as singular works. They fall in the melodramatic center of their catalog where everything is soaring and maybe the lyrics are a bit lacking.
However, I will concede that “Hungry Like the Wolf” is an excellent piece of 80s schmaltz. The synthesizer and back-up harmonies throughout allow for this sense of danger lingering in the distance. Again, Le Bon is playful and knows how to carry the listener along. The allegory of chasing prey shines through with intensity that clashes with percussion on the choruses, creating a sense of battle that elevates it above impersonal Top 40. Duran Duran may not necessarily be out to make a cinematic record, but every moment builds atmosphere.
While I would applaud those who use New Wave as a chance to break down elements of music and reconstruct them, I think Duran Duran’s biggest contribution is how they make it feel so big. Having been inspired by acts like Human League and Japan, they challenged themselves to make a sound that at times felt esoteric. Complaints of this not selling well in The United States at first could be chalked up to the fact that the melodies aren’t directly obvious and may require some effort to appreciate. Even on something as immediately catchy as “Hungry Like the Wolf,” the guitars and vocals aren’t playing in conventional patterns.
By comparison, their other significant single, “Save a Prayer,” was one that could easily be compared to a softer Depeche Mode. While the other singles were about raucous energy, this one felt like a chance to slow down and meditate. Even the chorus in its simplicity adds a haunting effect for the listener. The dripping nature of the guitars allow for melancholy to set in and ultimately prove that the band is capable of versatility.
Overall, it’s hard to fully appreciate what was innovative about Duran Duran in 1982 because so much of their sound has been adapted by their peers. Many generations have taken pop music and melded it more orchestral techniques. The fact that “Rio” sounds so effortless is one of its biggest appeals, as it means listeners will have to work to notice how solid the entire production is. There’s so many small touches that create everything I look for in a New Wave album. It’s odd and personal while also appealing to mass markets in a way that I don’t know many had.
Like most of the best New Wave bands, they also were capable of appealing to the newly launched MTV. Like Buggles prior, they were among the first year’s crop of music videos to air, and it would only spiral from there. Following the success of “Girls on Film,” EMI would give the band a larger budget to film around the world. Of the nine tracks, six would have videos produced for them. Even if the intent was more to sell them on VHS instead of air them, it proved to be a great marketing strategy. Duran Duran were one of the pioneers of the music video by the time that “Rio” came out, and they set the bar high for their contemporaries.
If there were any complaints about the album at the time, they would slowly dissipate as the years went on. Part of it could be that Duran Duran as a group have simply endured. Along with various side projects including The Power Station and DJ gigs at Rum Runners, they knew how to appeal to pop audiences. They were one of the first groups to be actively involved with producing remixes for their albums, which would only help to improve their overall standings. Their trendiness and dedication to style put them in a class with artists like Adam Ant by helping them stand out against competition.
It's hard to really talk about Duran Duran post-“Rio” in large part because they have been consistently producing music in some capacity. They’ve even produced a song for the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985). Even with the various line-up changes over the years, they haven’t had a significant drop in popularity. While it’s true that a lot of their albums maybe aren’t as immediately recognizable as “Rio,” they still capture their sound very well. As far as prolific groups go, I’d argue that the only band covered so far that maybe outdoes their recognizability is Depeche Mode simply because of bigger singles across longer periods.
Even in the past 15 years, the band hasn’t slowed down all that much. Since 2010, they have release four records, including most recently with “Danse Macabre” in 2023. Overall, their reputation as New Wave giants is unimpeachable. While I have love a lot of these groups more, I can’t deny that Duran Duran skirt the line of the genre very well. On some level they have transcended it, but I also feel like their sound was indicative of what all of these groups could be. Maybe they weren’t always the most nuanced on a lyrical level, but stylistically it’s hard not to admire how immersive “Rio” is and how inviting it remains as a record.
Most of all, I think they might outdo Depeche Mode in terms of how prevalent their sound is on the mainstream. While both brought their own unique moodiness to rock, I think Duran Duran is more clearly playful and willing to embrace the sillier side of their craft. There’s a freedom that I think inspires people to readjust melodies and make something new out of them. Overall, it’s a New Wave record because of how defiant it was to rock sensibilities of the time. Maybe people thought it sounded over-produced simply because everyone else wasn’t trying hard enough. By taking it a few steps further, they found a way to make the carefree listening experience matter. Yes, I still think the chorus of “Rio” is dumb and nonsensical, but try getting caught up in those gripes when it’s on. To be honest, the mirage is so powerful that it has worked for 40 years and will probably for another 40. Duran Duran may be of their time, but there’s something timeless as well. Now there’s something to think about.
Coming Up Next: The Pretenders – “The Pretenders” (1980)
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