The 80s: The decade after disco proved to be a fruitful one for music. Out of punk came new wave, new romantic and the birth of indie music. Those of us who marched to a funkier beat? Well, we had groove. And plenty of it.

Ministry of Sound has put together these moments in our latest compilation – 80s Groove.

Groove was born out of disco and funk. The music was an explosion of feel-good vibes, and was the antithesis of the gloom of the time. There were two schools of thought in the 80s, both were equally as valid. The indie school rallied around artists such as The Smiths and Billy Bragg with their poetic, yet grounded takes on working class life, and the realities of the era. They urged you to wake up and smell the coffee.

But as everybody knows, we work at our highest level after we’ve had sufficient rest time, and what better place to start than the nightclub. Groove was born out of disco, and the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure, and the three discs in this compilation is packed with the anthems that made the period such a special time for people.

Here are my top five 80s Groove anthems:

Mantronix – Got To Have Your Love



How many times has this been sampled? Got to love that bassline, and surely the most apparent bridge between groove and house music.



Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots



Another track sampled to death, many people associate this track with the (in truth pretty dreadful) Will Smith track from the late 90s. this version is the original and best though.



Imagination – Just An Illusion



This is a stone cold English groove classic. Leee John, a former backing singer for various soul bands such as The Delphonics and Chairmen Of The Board, formed this UK outfit in 1981, and this was their biggest hit. Imaginative, stylish and different, echoes of their influence can still be heard today in artists as diverse as Kelis and Late of The Pier.


Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)



Billy Ocean held a vicelike grip on the crown of 80s groove for much of the decade. Topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, Ocean was a true phenomenon. ‘Caribbean Queen’ was his breakthrough hit, and a bit of a groove anthem.


Earth, Wind and Fire – Let’s Groove



If ever there was a track that could be described as the starting point for the groove craze of the 80s, this was it. Earth, Wind and Fire (or ‘dirt, fart and flame’ as my dad used to call them, slightly less charitably) were already veterans of soul, funk and disco by the time this track was released in 1981. An influential track by an influential band.


BONUS – Can You Feel It – The Jacksons



A visually stunning video to match the euphoria of the track, this is proof positive that whatever your thoughts are of The Jackson Family as people, Michael and his brothers were truly talented. Massive bassline, beautiful lyrics.  And Michael Jackson HOLDING UP A BURNING RAINBOW. It doesn’t get any better than that.

80s Groove is out on Monday – pre-order it now at Ministry of Sound

Ben Stroud