Album · Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Junk Culture by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Junk Culture is an album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1984. 2 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 20 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Tesla Girls”, on 12 lists with a best position of #100.
Junk Culture, the fifth album from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, came out on Virgin on 30 April 1984, and it's the sound of Merseyside's synth pioneers deciding to have some fun. After the brainy experiments of Dazzle Ships left the tills quiet, Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, with Martin Cooper and drummer Malcolm Holmes alongside, set out to make something more accessible, and McCluskey himself reckoned it the catchiest, poppiest thing they had made.
They didn't throw out the old oddness, but they opened the windows: dance beats, Latin rhythms, pop and black music all get a look in, with Graham and Neil Weir chipping in on trombone and trumpet. "Locomotion" rolls along with a sunny bounce, "Talking Loud and Clear" was another hit, and "Tesla Girls" became a club favourite. Some listeners balked, but it was the band's fourth top ten album in a row at home, and the new direction opened more doors for them in America.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Junk Culture on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Girls | 12 | #100 | – | 1984–2003 | |
| 2 | Locomotion | 8 | #31 | – | 1984–2003 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.