GREAT 80s MUSIC VIDEOS BY SOLO ARTISTS SET IN LONDON

In the 1980s there was a plethora of music videos shot in London by solo artists and I’ve picked 8 of the most representative ones for your enjoyment; some are very famous, some may be totally forgotten now but are equally enjoyable to watch.

Probably the most important examples of 80s heritage were left to us by David Bowie. Most of you will remember the  iconic music video of “Blue Jean”, and the 20-minute video release “Jazzing For Blue Jean”, where Bowie beautifully acts as the socially incompetent Vic, using tragicomic gimmicks to approach sensational popstar “Screaming Lord Byron” (played by Bowie himself) and impress a lady, who ends up going out with the popstar himself. Or “Absolute Beginners” where we see Bowie dressed in 1950s style strolling along London’s Southbank and paying homage to an old British advert for Strand Cigarettes. Both videos were directed by Julian Temple. Absolute Beginners was also the soundtrack to the eponymous movie.

However there were some rising stars in that era who are still currently playing. Like Nik Kershaw, who in 1984 left us one of the most beautiful music ballads of the 80s, “Wouldn’t it be Good”. The video, where Kershaw plays the part of an extraterrestrial, was shot inside the St. James’s Hotel, at the time a disused hotel near Victoria.
“Change Of Heart” by Cindy Lauper, is probably one of the best music videos ever shot in Trafalgar Square, a great homage this beautiful artist paid to London.

Enjoy!

 

DAVID BOWIE

“BLUE JEAN” – 1984 (full promotional video)

Prince Alfred bar, Formosa Street, Maida Vale, London, England, UK (The Bowie cleaning scene at the beginning of the video)

NIK KERSHAW

“Dancing Girls” – 1984

Finchley – London/ Department store in the West End of London, at the back of Oxford Street

NIK KERSHAW

“Wouldn’t it be good” – 1984

Video shot in St. James’s Hotel, a disused hotel near Victoria, London

DAVID BOWIE

“Absolute Beginners” – 1986

London, Southbank

Soundtrack of the British rock musical film about life in late 1950s London.

CINDY LAUPER

“Change of Heart” – 1986

Trafalgar Square – London

PRINCESS

“Say I’m Your n.1” – 1986

River Thames/Top of a bus – London

RAF

“London Town” – 1987

West End – London

HOWARD JONES

“Everlasting Love” – 1989

Regent’s Park, Battersea – London

 

Featured image credits: Casey Hugelfink

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