Album · Bronski Beat
The Age of Consent by Bronski Beat
The Age of Consent is an album by Bronski Beat, released in 1984. 1 song from it has charted on rock radio countdowns, with 13 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Why?”, on 13 lists with a best position of #4.
The Age of Consent, Bronski Beat's debut album, came out on London Records on October 15, 1984, from a London trio that wore its politics in plain sight: Jimmy Somerville singing, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek on keyboards and percussion, all three openly gay and writing songs that spoke up on gay issues. Mike Thorne produced.
The sound is Somerville's voice soaring over pulsing, chilly synths, heartbreak and defiance you can dance to. "Smalltown Boy" was the smash, going all the way to the top in the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium and into the top 3 in the UK, and "Why?" kept the fire burning. It was the only Bronski Beat album with Somerville, who left in 1985 and found more success with the Communards. A re-recorded version, The Age of Reason, turned up in 2017.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from The Age of Consent on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why? | 13 | #4 | – | 1984–2023 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.