What Sort of Artists?

The eighties don’t seem like 20 years ago, do they? Tribes of conscience and no-conscience in a whirl of post-punk and electronica. Music made us feel like dancing all the time. Without ‘e’. With MTV.
Most of the artists in the Jive 55 are New Wave and its sub-genres (New Romantic, SynthPop) because of the memories these songs trigger, and an interest in the roots of 21st century dance and pop music. Much as we lampoon formula pop or techno today, there is nothing wrong with anything in moderation. If it makes you feel something without side-effects.
We’re trying to capture the essence of an era that delivered many great moves and emotions, where some people took themselves so seriously it entertained the rest of us.
Simplicity is a useful quality in music - a good mix of synth and drums, some sing-with-me lyrics - this stuff makes mind and body, simply, jive.

Why 55?

There were more ‘one hit wonders’ in the early eighties than any other time in music history, helped along by the instant fame of MTV. We look at artists with a ‘body of work’ beyond one single, or those who produced a ground-breaking album that others built on.
When popularity, longevity and decent music are taken into account, there are only around 100 new wave artists that can be considered. And about half of these are just replicated copies of the rest. 55 rhymes with jive; it is enough to paint this picture.

Who is Jimmy@Jive?

Over 35, still capable of using technology and going to clubs if I can get past the bouncer.
Hates queues, style police, the music industry's laziness, and some music critics.
A large music collection beyond the jive 55 exists, including jazz, blues, R&B, real rock and lots of house and hip hop. Radiohead are there too for Thom’s voice, the lyrics and self-inflicted melancholia.
Work for an Interactive Ad Agency in order to maintain wrongful place in consumer society. With two children and wonderful Bee to centre all things, keeping selfishness at bay.