Classic Pop

Classic Pop magazine is the ultimate celebration of great pop and chart music with star interviews, features, news and reviews. From pop to electronic and new wave, dance and indie – it's all here…

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Classic Pop

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GARY KEMP GETS PERSONAL ON NEW SOLO LP

LIVE AID MUSICAL TO LAUNCH IN WEST END

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS • DESPITE MIKE SCORE BEING THE ONLY ORIGINAL MEMBER ON THE RECORD, A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS’ NEW ALBUM RETURNS TO THEIR VINTAGE SOUND

Rum diary date for Pogues tour

Heaven-sent Belinda gigs

QUINCY JONES • 14 MARCH 1933 – 3 NOVEMBER 2024

CHINA CRISIS ANNOUNCE 2025 TOUR

BODY ROCK MARIA VIDAL

HOTHOUSE FLOWERS • THE DUBLIN SOUL BAND WILL BE BRINGING THE UNIQUE MAGIC OF THEIR LIVE SHOWS – AND THEIR FIRST TWO ALBUMS – TO THE UK NEXT SUMMER

ANNIE LENNOX SET TO HEADLINE ROYAL ALBERT HALL CHARITY SHOW

THE FARM ARE BACK IN CONTROL

DOWN ON THE STREE SHAKATAK

CHESNEY HAWKES • THIRTY-THREE YEARS ON FROM THE ONE AND ONLY, CHESNEY HAWKES IS BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM AND A VERY BOLD MUSIC VIDEO…

Ian Peel’s A to Z of POP • SOME ARTISTS HAVE IT AND SOME DON’T. THERE ARE THE GREAT LYRICISTS AND THERE ARE GREAT PERFORMERS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GREAT BETWEEN-SONG BANTER, IT’S ANOTHER MATTER ENTIRELY…

This month in POP JANUARY 1981 • BLONDIE SECURE THEIR THIRD BILLBOARD NO.1 SINGLE, SHEENA EASTON UNVEILS HER DEBUT ALBUM, BOWIE ENDS HIS RUN ON BROADWAY AND POSTHUMOUS JOHN LENNON RELEASES MAKE THEIR WAY UP THE CHARTS

TOP 5 UK ALBUMS CHART • 11 JANUARY 1981

“EVERYONE RECOGNISED THERE WAS A HIGHER CAUSE – AND YOU DON’T OFTEN GET THAT IN POP MUSIC” • AS THE FIFTH BAND AID RECORDING CELEBRATES PREVIOUS INCARNATIONS OF DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS?, ITS CREATOR TREVOR HORN EXPLAINS THE THRILL OF MERGING SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS TOGETHER. MEANWHILE, MIDGE URE TELLS US THE FULL STORY OF HOW THE ORIGINAL SONG CAME TO BE – INCLUDING HIS SHOCK AT HOW LITTLE HE REALLY KNEW WHEN ITS LONG-LOST DEMO WAS UNEARTHED.

POLITICAL INFLUENCE

TWO LATE TO FIND

FURTHER AID

PRETENDERS THE PRETENDERS • CHRISSIE HYNDE’S QUARTET ARRIVED STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BLOCKS WITH A COMPELLING DEBUT ALBUM, COMBINING SPIKY PUNK ATTITUDE, JANGLE-POP AND STREETWISE LYRICISM. IT’S ONE OF THOSE VERY RARE FIRST RECORDS THAT’S AN INSTANT CLASSIC…

THE PLAYERS

THE SONGS

THE VIDEOS

FANTASTIC DAYS • HAIRCUT ONE HUNDRED’S LATEST REUNION IS “A GIFT FROM THE UNIVERSE”, FRONTMAN NICK HEYWARD AND BASSIST LES NEMES TELL CLASSIC POP – AND THEY’RE LOVING EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF IT…

BEARING FRUIT

BANDS ON THE RUN

TERRY HALL • ONE OF BRITISH POP’S FINEST, TERRY HALL HELPED PIONEER A WHOLE NEW MOVEMENT WITH THE SPECIALS BEFORE UTILISING HIS FAMOUSLY DEADPAN TALENTS IN NUMEROUS EQUALLY INTRIGUING BANDS, SIDE PROJECTS, SUPERGROUPS AND SOLO RELEASES

2025 The year ahead • WE TAKE A LOOK INTO OUR CRYSTAL BALL TO SERVE UP MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS ACROSS THE NEXT 12 MONTHS FROM CLASSIC POP’S FAVOURITE ARTISTS

TOP TEN WEEK ENDING 13 JANUARY 1979 • A TRIO OF DISCO PERENNIALS, A LOVELORN STAR DUET, A NOVELTY COVER AND THE BLOCKHEADS AT THEIR BEST

FREE LIVE MUSIC BUNDLE WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE

“WE’RE A STRONG GANG ON A QUEST” • IN THE TWO DECADES SINCE HOOVERING UP BRITS AND THE MERCURY PRIZE WITH THEIR DEBUT LP, FRANZ FERDINAND HAVE REMAINED ENERGETIC AND EXCITABLE, IN LOVE WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT A BAND SHOULD BE. ALEX KAPRANOS AND BOB HARDY JOIN US IN MONTERREY TO EXPLAIN POP’S HOLY GRAIL, TRYING TO EMULATE BLACK SABBATH AND FEELING FELINE. JUST DON’T MENTION SNAKES…

CHAPPELL WORSHIP

POPARAZZi • READERS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE PHOTOS AS THEY GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF...