When considering iconic '80s albums, the new wave cultural needle-movers include LPs such as the Human League's "Dare," Duran Duran's "Rio" and Tears for Fears' "The Hurting." However, ABC's 1982 orchestrated studio album "The Lexicon of Love" easily ranks among these greats. Indebted to the glamour of Roxy Music, rhythm-heavy post-punk and sudsy symphonic pop, the album swoons with romance and heartbreak.
MTV rotation — and leader Martin Fry's eye-popping suit jackets, like one in stunning gold lame — helped ABC's cause. "The Lexicon of Love" spawned two Top 40 hits in the U.S. while topping the UK charts. The band would find even greater U.S. success later in the decade, with the sparkling pop single "Be Near Me" and Motown-influenced "When Smokey Sings."
