0819. Simple Minds
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)

To be honest, I truly can't justify why this is on a list like this. Okay, so it apparently was an inspiration for musicians who later on had a lot more fame than Simple Minds, but still.

For the band itself it was the big one, the breakthrough that later on gave them the opportunity to be on the soundtrack of The Breakfast Club.

The intro of the title track could very well be the inspiration to many a techno/dance track (myself I thought it was the original version of a song by Usura(?) when it came on [fact check: yes, apparently they did sample it for Open Your Mind, and the band's called U.S.U.R.A. by the way]).

What the…? Herbie Hancock's on this?