Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Very very 80s sound didn’t know I knew two of the songs already (rio and hungry like a wolf) the album sounded like songs I would hear at a retail store. I was surprised when I ended up really liking save a prayer. Overall not bad at all just not my cup of tea but appreciate the 80s synth pop.
Eeh mid
So very upbeat 80's. Relentless almost forced
it was okay
Fave song: The Chauffeur Sounds commercial, like shopping music. I’m undecided on this album, it needs more spins.
Dated for sure, but not hard to listen to. “Rio” and “Hungry Like the Wolf” are unsurprising standouts.
As is often true with New Wave, I love the bass and guitar. Hungry Like The Wolf is a classic, but this album has more to offer than just that. My Own Way is great fun, and Hold Back the Rain has a very catchy hook. Not a huge fan of The Chauffeur, but love the flute solo.
Classic 80s
This was a great album for the weekend. No complaints here. Charistmatic Brit Pop. Don't know why, but the name "Duran Duran" has always given me the ick, as the girlies would say. I'm not kidding. It is for that exact reason I abstained from exploring their discography besides Girls on Film. What a pleasant surprise! This is an album I'd happily chuck on for a drive. Really nicely produced. Adequate big-room drums that Patrick Bateman would boogie to off his Harman/Kardon multi-CD system. It's just too short, and Save a Prayer/New Religion just don't do it for me, especially the latter. They just sound like worse repackages of other songs on here. I wish there was a bit more punch packed into this album. I wish the lyrics pierced through the wall of reverb a bit more - not with volume, but with substance. Enjoyed: Lonely In Your Nightmare, Hungry Like the Wolf, Last Chance on the Stairway. 6.5/10
Unfortunately the most notable thing about this album is the cover and it's significance and impact on art history. The last two tracks on the album are easily the best and its nice to end on a high note but the journey to get there isn't particularly riveting. 6/10
That's not my taste in music - But ok
I never really loved the hits and the rest doesn't stand out to me either.
3 Bona fide synth pop classics and some decent lp tracks too.
Catchy
Pretty good, I liked it more than I thought I would, but it wasn't much special. Album art is sick as hell though
Excellent 80's pop with a few classic songs in there
I can see that it’s fun but it’s not my cup of tea.
Nice album.
Classic 80s
When I think of 80’s synth-pop, Duran Duran is definitely one of the top names to come up.
Pretty good songs here. Hungry like the wolf is my fav.
Good album! A good lesson to keep listening until the last song because I think that was my favorite
Interesting Pop Rock album, featuring the Most well known song of Duran Duran "Hungry Like a wolve". Still didn't convince me to relisten to the whole album.
Rio is an alright album. Since this is an 80s new wave album, it is of course gonna have a lot of cheesiness in virtually every aspect but that isn't always a bad thing. A majority of the instruments all sounded alright and fit the songs pretty well and all had good melodies which was the main thing that was initially praised about this album back in 1982. The thing it was most heavily criticized for, The lyrics, weren't something i paid all too much attention to but from what i remember, they were not all that bad. I'd say the main issue with this album is how overly similar the songs sound to each other. I still will say that it is an alright album, just nothing all too great. Best Song: New Religion Worst Song: Rio
Duran Duran was in that group of the first bands that really got the full MTV effect. I've probably seen the videos for Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf hundreds of times, but I have never listened to an entire Duran Duran album unless a greatest hits album counts. Other than those two tracks, nothing else really stood out. I find whenever I listen to Duran Duran I come away a little disappointed. I don't know, this album is not bad, just unsatisfying.
i used to like duran duran but i think it’s kinda corny, decent record tho
Good, 6/10 probably isn't good enough for this type of list.
Classic 80s synth pop. Catchy tunes. Not the best vocals but a unique sound.
Rio's good, but otherwise the album was a bit meh.
Хороший альбом, качественный поп, песня рио понравилась
An enjoyable listen, but the deeper album cuts weren't quite as quality as the big hits. High 3, might edit/revisit later.
rio- 6 my own way- 5 lonely in your nightmare- 5 hungry like the wolf- 5 hold back the rain- 4 new religion- 4 or 5 last chance on the stairway- 5 save a prayer- 4 the chauffeur- 5 or 6 yall hyped this up and for what
Canción favorita: New religion
Not bad!
Perfectly listenable but unfortunately they all kinda sound the same. Rio is a banger though
Good album, lots of nice tracks
hungry like the woooooolf
You know, I really didn't hate it.
This feels more about sound than songs and the sound sounds dated. Still a fun listen and there are some cool things going on once you get past the schmaltzy 80s sheen.
Enjoyable, enjoyable to her the singles, the rest is a bit same-y.
Album with some good songs.
-one of my mom’s favorite albums… a definite highlight of 80s English new wave imo. Hungry Like The Wolf is probably one of the best -I’d definitely heard a few of these songs before but hadn’t been able to name them or the artist, so it’s fun to recognize them now -Favorites are Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf
In part, good sound. Generally solid Pop but yet musically interesting. 3. (Listened to the 2001 Remaster)
fav songs were probably rio and hungry like the wolf
It's alright. Some good tracks but it's a bit . . . whiny isn't quite the right word but the tone is a bit off or something.
I think there are some good sounds on this record but alot of it comes across as bland in 2025. I would agree that it is fun and dancey, but there is not much substance behind the lyrics. I wish it was a better combination, but alas it still makes me want to dance.
I wasn't really familiar with Duran Duran outside their overplayed hit Hungry Like the Wolf. Title track and Save a Prayer are fantastic pieces of synthpop, the rest of the albums ranges from good to okay. I wouldn't listen to the album again, but I'll keep those two songs for my playlists.
jestem fanką, ciekawe, niby rock ale trochę szalone, pasowałoby na winyl, muzyka jednak nie uspokaja
Very 80s, good, not entirely my vibe. Reminds me of a John Hughes movie.
thought i would hate this for some reason. highlights include "Rio" "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "New Religion" A little cheesy at times.
Ohm yeah, jammin
Duran Duran= So So. Hungry Like The Wolf is a good song; Rio is a great song. The rest of the album sounds like background music at a club in the early '80's (which it was).
*Whispers into phone on train platform* “Please be loud.” Cut to: Hungry Like The Wolf crescendoing as the D cruises across the Manhattan Bridge. A jolt of musical adrenaline is all I ask for these wintry mornings. Put another way: “Darken the city, night is a wire/ Steam in the subway, earth is afire…”
I enjoyed this way more than I thought. Not a banger of an album I'll have on repeat, but into it.
All the songs start to sound the same after a while. Rio and Hungry like the wolf are bangers, rest are just okay
So very 80s. Probably wouldn’t double back
Solid
Kul album! Jag har svårt att inte bli glad av sån här 80-tals-pop. Det är glättigt på ett kul sätt. Det håller dock inte hela vägen riktigt baserat på låtskriveri och produktion. Lite väl långt album också med tanke på materialet. 3/5.
One of my mom's favorite bands and records. Has big hits like Rio, hungry like the wolf and save a prayer. Upon listening to it now, it's enjoyable even though I usually don't gravitate towards 80s pop. Favorite track(s): Save a prayer, Rio, hungry like the wolf Will I revisit?: low priority Current rating: 7/10, 3.5 stars
I would not normally choose to listen to Duran Duran. So I was not looking forward to this record. However, I had forgotten that there are a few songs I actually (and secretly) like quite a lot. Yeah, this sounds dated but it is a decent listen for when you’re in the mood for 80’s MTV classics. Highlights: Rio, Save a Prayer, Last Chance on the Stairway
It was good to hear Rio and Wolf again. The rest of the album was fine.
A bit of fun
Absolutely nothing against the band, the album was solid throughout, but if I ever get the urge to listen to them again, I’ll probably just listen to Hungry Like the Wolf and be fine.
Bassist absolutely slaps, lots of bangers but a couple that also get lost in the mix
Innovative, some great tracks on it, but weighed down by a few stinkers as well.
Fun synth pop album. No complaints, but no outstanding love
Takes me back to my youth. Some classics on this album.
Al escuchar esto la playlist me llevó a The Daring Ones - Space Probe. Bonus track, supongo, jajaja. Se nota que es música buena y está bien hecha pero a mi no me ha gustado demasiado el enfoque, hubiese preferido en este caso un enfoque con música más instrumental ya que lo que me llamaba más la atención del album es su instrumentación.
Not my favourite band from the 80s, but seemingly one of the most popular from the radio. The bass lines are not to be ignored, but some of the overly complex synth parts overcrowd the guitar, the drums seem a little shallow. Lots of repeated riffs which make each song seem "samey". Simon Lebon's voice doesn't leave much to be desired. I prefer The Cure, Tears for Fears and even Spandau Ballet from this genre.
Anemic 80s mega album. Whiney voice, tinny guitars. Some decent sings some filler. Not a massive fan.
Good
3,5
Mostly just okay. Don't remember much from it. 5/10
i'm usually a slut for 80s pop but this is unfortunately just pretty mid to me. not annoying, not bad, but not great. solidly mid
I think they were holding back a bit on this one. Better when they're being more outrageous
3.5 I didn’t listen to it very carefully but it felt like a nice album with upbeat songs
Hungry Like a Wolf will always be a certified banger. Surprised how well I liked the rest of the album but nothing quite stood out. Not the biggest fan of the 80s vibe.
This is a really nicely crafted album. I was previously familiar with Hungry Like the Wolf only, but even from the beginning, the whole album felt familiar. As a result, the album feels cohesive which I appreciate. Hungry Like the Wolf may be the biggest and best song, but the album is good the whole way through.
6/10 Its not my kind of music I like but it has Really good songs and a Happy Rhythm.
Few bangers, too much filler
All style, no substance. Quintessential 80s.
Je m’attendais à honnêtement un peu plus, Duran x2 est pas mal un gros nom et le monde dans les commentaires semblait bander dessus sur un gros temps. Dans mes oreilles par contre, ça sonne pas mal comme un autre album rock new-wavey des années 80 qui abuse un peu trop des synthés. Jme relis, pis j’ai l’impression de me répéter, à moins que ça soit le générateur qui soit plein d’albums similaires?
Spoko, rytmy elektro, znana radiowa piosenka, ale raczej zamułka. Na jedno pobieganie okej.
Pure 80s pop. The hits are the obvious stand outs. Good driving music.
3.4 Синти-поп не нра
Just for the nostalgia.. other than that boring
Te 80s maar wel leuk voor een keer
A lot of the songs sounded the same but I liked the new wave 80s vibe
is a three
Duran Duran has some bops, like its big hits, but overall, the electronic sound are a little too repetitive. I did not enjoy it as much on songs like Last Chance on the Stairway. Aside from that, overall a fun album to listen to. 3.5
blatant rem ripoff
6.5/10
Classic 80s sound
The Good: Classic ‘80s New Wave The Bad: being synonymous for an entire style of music is dangerous… The Ugly: like their stage name, the album is repetitive… I was not on the Duran Duran wagon during the ‘80s, though I knew several people who swore by them. They were, at the time, at least in Europe, the biggest act to follow. Good for them… Rio, as an album, isn’t bad, and even palatable seeing as it only lasts a modest 42 and some minutes which brought me back to a more youthful era, which is always nice. Yet, I can not dish out more than 3* as it is what it is...
An absolute iconic album and something that I probably have avoided as it brings to mind a load of yachts and pastel suits and synths. First time I have delved into the album. The singles are belters obviously. I was really drawn in my the musicianship. Those guys can really really play. John Taylor is a fantastic bassist. Did it stick? Apart from Rio, Hungry and Save A Prayer? Not really but not that it's bad - it's just not my genre. Stunning album cover Solid 3 and want to make it 4 but don't like it enough
Definitely felt like a Duran Duran album. Beyond Rio and Hungry like the wolf I doubt that I had heard any of the other songs on the album. Didn’t really excite me or disgust me so Iguessit was ok.
This is better than I remember. Save A Prayer is worth the price of admission all by itself…
This was a unique mix of prog experimentation with very catchy hooks that makes Duran Duran unique. While they didn't have too much success outside this record, their sound is distinct and stands up to this day in my opinion. Notable Tracks: - Rio (prog mixed with quintessential catchy 80s chorus) - Hungry Like The Wolf - one of the catchiest choruses of the 80s - Hold Back the Rain - bassline is sick - Last Chance on the Stairway - ROCK MUSIC NEEDS MORE MARIMBA SOLOS 7/10
The hits are probably the worst songs on the album. It's quite samey but better than I expected. Reeks of 80s
I’ve always loved the title track, Rio, so fun. And the. The album feels a bit one note for me. Nothing to write home about for me.
Pure 80s pop. Although not as many hits as I remembered.
Didn't love the album, love the spirit though and the bass playing adds a star.
Non-singles were surprisingly catchy
En 1982, alors que la new wave britannique déferle sur le monde, Duran Duran ne se contente pas de surfer sur la vague : ils la transforment en un tsunami de style, de son et de couleur. Avec leur deuxième album, "Rio", le groupe de Birmingham ne publie pas simplement un disque, il définit l'esthétique d'une décennie. Sorti en 1982, l'album "Rio" a propulsé le groupe vers la célébrité mondiale, devenant bien plus qu'un succès commercial : un véritable couronnement et un phénomène culturel. La réussite de l'album repose sur un équilibre parfait. L'album est un mélange de pop et de new wave qui allie l'immédiateté des refrains à une sophistication sonore audacieuse. La production de Colin Thurston est un modèle du genre, polie comme du chrome et d'une clarté redoutable, offrant un écrin luxueux à la musicalité du groupe. Chaque membre y brille : la section rythmique est impériale, portée par la batterie précise de Roger Taylor et surtout les lignes de basse de John Taylor, dont le jeu funky et proéminent est la colonne vertébrale de l'album. Les guitares d'Andy Taylor apportent le tranchant rock, tandis que les synthétiseurs de Nick Rhodes tissent des nappes atmosphériques et des arpèges cristallins qui sont la signature sonore de Duran Duran. Le succès planétaire de "Rio" a été porté par une collection de singles devenus des classiques intemporels. Des titres emblématiques comme "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf" et "Save a Prayer" ont dominé les ondes et les écrans. Et au-delà de ces tubes, l'album révèle une profondeur et une diversité remarquables. Du funk-disco de "My Own Way" à la mélancolie onirique de "Lonely In Your Nightmare", Duran Duran explore différentes facettes de sa personnalité. Des morceaux plus expérimentaux comme "New Religion", avec sa structure complexe et ses passages parlés, ou le final cinématographique et électronique "The Chauffeur", prouvent que le groupe n'est pas qu'une simple machine à hits. Il est impossible d'évoquer "Rio" sans parler de son impact visuel. De la pochette iconique de Patrick Nagel aux clips novateurs de Russell Mulcahy tournés aux quatre coins du monde, Duran Duran a compris avant tout le monde le pouvoir de l'image à l'ère naissante de MTV. L'album était un produit total, une fusion de la musique, de la mode et de l'art qui vendait un fantasme d'évasion, de luxe et d'aventure. En définitive, "Rio" est un très bon disque et peut-être le meilleur album du groupe. C'est le moment où leur talent, leur ambition et leur vision ont fusionné à la perfection. Alors, pourquoi la note de 3/5 ? Cette évaluation n'est pas un jugement sur sa qualité, mais sur sa nature. "Rio" est un chef-d'oeuvre de son temps, une capsule temporelle si parfaite qu'elle est indissociable de son époque. Si on lui cherche la profondeur introspective ou l'universalité intemporelle d'autres grands classiques du rock, on peut le trouver superficiel. Mais ce serait passer à côté de son essence. "Rio" n'a pas pour but de sonder l'âme, mais de la faire danser et rêver. En cela, il est une réussite absolue et reste un disque à découvrir : non seulement pour comprendre Duran Duran, mais pour ressentir le pouls de toute une décennie. Un classique incontournable.
A couple of bangers for sure. A bit of 80s schlock, also.
It’s not bad, it’s just that all of the elements have been better done before and since by artists I like more
Carried by hungry like the wolf
It okay. Sounds a bit more 90s that 80s, it's got that plastic, synthetic feeling that I get sometimes from Huey Lewis or Phil Collins
2936 - That bass is delicious. Wonderful new wave pop.
Very shiny, but ultimately bland music. Showing off while saying nothing. It’s fun sure. Inoffensive. Wouldn’t listen to it again. Some songs by themselves maybe. It’s alright. 3/5
Some good stuff but fairly generic 80s pop.
For 80s music it was t awful
Nice album, but not special
Rather OK pop music of its time.
The singles still hold up pretty well but the other album tracks don’t quite hold the attention as well. Another one that was probably big at the time of release.
Better than expected.... but still think bonbon and co have a slightly inflated opinion of themselves. Love Barberella though
Hungry Like The Wolf is epic, of course. Full album length it's a bit much for me.
Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, and some other songs.
Good.
Every time I hear Duran Duran I get this image of someone singing karaoke. The voice never fits with the music. That opening bass line is super funk.
I can see why most songs from this album haven’t stood the test of time. When I was a kid, I read that Duran Duran was the Princess Di’s favorite band, and I can see why now that I’ve listened to this album. This is a safe kind of fun music, that non-artists think is outside of the box. It does make me wish I was alive when it first released so I had a better context to compare it to. Maybe it was thought-provoking then. Maybe the dissonant instrumentals or the layering of the different-textured instrumental tracks would’ve astounded a 1980s audience. Listening to this album is very similar to looking at famous painting in an art museum, when you don’t have an emotional reaction or connection to it. You can appreciate that it’s great and well-liked, but it doesn’t provoke anything within you. The album starts off with one of my favorite 80s songs, and I thought the second track was a great continuation of that energy. The third track was where it all started to meld together. My second and third listen throughs did little to reveal any lasting impressions on me. It’s not a bad album; it’s just kinda mid. I’ll admit that halfway through my third listen, I started to enjoy the indiscernible 80s noise, the same way a person enjoys Lofi beats to chill/study to, so maybe this album is considered great because of its fans’ Stockholm Syndrome.
Buen synth pop ochentero
1 minute in…slay its a slay honestly this first song is giving tropical rock and roll or like the friends intro song lol the jazzy part in song 1 is giving full house 😂🤷♀️ halfway through. still a slay 🤷♀️ it’s very chill and great vibe also i absolutely adore the iconic 80s fade at the end it’s so funny
Classic 80s pop band with some solid hits, though in truth, not really my thing. I’m not sure what it is, but the sound of 80s pop music never appealed to me. Could be the heavy use of synthesizer and electronic sounds that dominated that era. Overall, no real complaints about this record though. Favorite track: Hungry Like the Wolf
Felt repetitive at times
Växte på mig
3 - Annoyingly enjoyed some of it. But I think it lacks something. Hard to put my finger on it.
My goodness those basslines. Rio (the song) was more fun than I expected - another one of those songs I have heard a million times but never chosen to listen to, actually a real good anthem. The rest of the album doesn't do as much for me. Hungry Like the Wolf has a great chorus progression and I like some elements of Save a Prayer, but overall its all a bit too 80s for me. 3.2/5
Not for me, hate the title track
Still no a fan
I was really expecting to like this more than I did. Certainly some iconic songs on here but for a lot of it I was just an unenthusiastic “cool.” 3.25
Pretty enjoyable, definitly a vibe. Its difficult to find something more 80s than this. Best song: Rio Worst song: My own way
3 stars might be harsh the hits are fantastic but there ain't a lot else.
Pretty good!
The music of Goodwill, sometimes good but sometimes I don’t have the will to absorb all the sounds that come with one song. But I can appreciate that some of these songs are absolute bangerz
Synth sounds so awesome for the first five minutes you hear it
Grew on me
Not too bad of an album but not that great either. I have always heard the name Duran Duran from my dad but it has always been a part of the joke about why it's repeated twice - well, so that we can remember it easier. I have never actually heard their music on purpose but I have heard of Hunry Like The Wolf on the radio, which is not a bad track. I would say that it is a pretty decent album and it would have been nice back when it came out.
Catchy, for the time revolutionary, striking synth pop. It’s a fun album with a few great hits, but it feels a bit undeveloped and samey at times. Most likely suffers from Seinfeld effect, but pales in comparison to OMD. Favs: Hungry like the wolf, New Religion, Last chance on the stairway 6/10
it is a very happy album and i don´t like happy sorry but if you like happy music you're gonna love it c:
Great 80s album. I would have dug it if I were alive then.
Fun 80s album, not super memorable but some good songs
It's ok.
This was fine. It’s dumb pop music for when you don’t want to really pay attention and you’re just looking to dance. There’s a place for that kind of music, and there are much worse things to listen to. But I’m never going to be a huge Duran Duran fan. Duran Duran are the hair metal equivalents of post punk and new wave music. It bothers me that they were so much bigger than bands like The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order, and Oingo Boingo. Everything about them seems like it was purposely crafted to be easily digestible to MTV audiences. There are some really catchy, funky guitar and bass riffs on this album, I’ll give them that. And it is kind of a fun album when all you want to do is clean the house or have some danceable music on in the background. But the lyrics are either vapid or make no sense. And while Simon’s a competent singer, he sounds like a million other new wave guys. The songs end up kind of running together after a while because of the similar synth pieces in every song. It’s disposable popcorn music made by guys who never hid the fact that they wanted to be famous and get girls. I guess I have to respect them for being up front about it. And I know it’s cool to dunk on them for that and act above it, but really, what else is there to say about them? The last two tracks on the album are also just really annoying. The Western showdown-style whistle riff thing of the synth on “Save a Prayer” is weird and distracting. And the “The Chauffeur” is one of the most annoying things I’ve ever heard. The flute flourish reminds me of the White Lotus theme song every time I hear it, and I always end up skipping the song if it comes on my streaming playlists. 3/5 — It’s not terrible, but if I never heard this album again I’d be just fine.
At the time this came out in the 80s I didn't much care for it, I was busy with blues and rock and considered this as culturally questionable fodder for the masses. As the years rolled by I became more acclimated to it, then comfortable, then quite liking it. This old dance album has paid its dues and earned its props.
Early 80s new wave synth-pop is just not my jam, but I liked this one better than I expected. I knew some of the bigger hits from it, but I think the standout track for me was The Chauffeur.
3.5
Not as bad as I thought it'd be
The two mega-hits are incredible and even though the rest isn't (couldn't be) at that level, it's a solid 40 minutes of pure synth pop magic full of catcy melodies, awesomely cheesy tones, tense moody post-punk guitar parts, a bass that won't stop popping, and coked out energy.
Not bad pretty decent Few recognisable songs
It wasn't really my style 3/5
Hungry Like The Wolf - Going to try this one at karaoke one day
I was a teenage for most of the 80's and always found Duran Duran to be utter wank. This album didn't really change my mind significantly. It was better than I expected, but still not something I would actively seek out to listen to. Le Bon's voice just grates on me, and musically it's fairly basic.
Her name is Rio and she dances in the sand! Her name is Rio and she’s the epitome of 80’s pop cheese! Her name is Rio and she’s getting 3 gold stars from me!
Found it a bit samey
Incredible Bass Playing. Amazing pop rock. And whether it’s the greatness of the singles or the mediocrity of the rest it really makes you realize that Rio and HLTW are some of the greatest songs ever recorded. This is a 3.5 but I’m gonna round down.
Trash
Incredible singles but no love for the album tracks.
Classic 80s pop, didn't actually expect to see them on this list! Some of it blends together a bit, but a fun listen.
Great album with some classic songs! Most of the songs on this album really hit, but there are a few that are a little too out there for progressions and instrument.
Pretty much a banger. I bet when this hit the streets it was chaos.
Fun listen! Glad I made it back here to catch up. The sounds that they got out of anything percussion and bass were so distinctly Duran Duran. Some songs feel like cousins to previous ones based on how they organized the harmonies and general progressions (Hold Back The Rain and Hungry Like The Wolf sound the same)
Hungry like the wolf FUCKS. The rest of the album is kinda annoying
First listen. Decent.
linda musica, más expresiva
They all sound the same, but at least it's not an awful sound.
Duran Duran, their hits were those melancholic feels as a kid that were almost too much. Fun to hear their earlier material besides the singles. I liked having this on, it kept the day interesting, but I also didn’t really enjoy it all that much.
Pretty fun. Some nice bass lines. Solid mid. 2.5
3/5
Some songs are super catchy, and some are super corny, but it catches the 80s vibe perfectly! A few songs even sound like something current (I’m thinking TwentyOne pilots or similar). Good album overall. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: nah Favourite Song: My Own Way
A bunch of pretty fun pop songs. Probably the most 80s album I've ever heard, too. The very danceable track 2 stands out, but I also enjoyed track 1 for the sax solo, and tracks 4 and 6 for catchiness. Don't think I'll be listening to this record again, though - pretty one-dimensional, and definitely not a fan of the aesthetics.
Most of my knowledge of Duran Duran is their singles, which I pretty much universally enjoy, so I was a little let down by this album. I liked it well enough, but nothing was spectacular about it. “Rio,” “Hungry Like The Wolf,” and “New Religion” were my favorite songs, and while none of the other songs were bad, they were just kind of middling. This is definitely a 3.5 to me, but I have to ultimately give it a 3. It wasn’t bad but wasn’t great either.
Kaks kovaa hittii ja loput meh
Listened to when driving home from CO 8/12/24
That was alright I liked hungry like the wolf and the chauffeur the rest was background
Het is, zeker achteraf gezien, aardig cheesy, maar dat hoort denk ik ook een beetje bij dit soort jaren '80 synthpop. Ik blijf moeite hebben om me daar helemaal bij neer te leggen. Ik zet dit niet snel uit mezelf op, maar in z'n genre vind ik dit wel een van de betere albums die ik tot nu toe heb gehoord. Ik heb geen idee van de precieze chronologie maar ik heb wel het idee dat veel bands deze band een beetje hebben proberen na te doen. Of deze band heeft geperfectioneerd wat al die andere bands liepen te doen, dat kan dus ook. De funky baslijntjes redden dit album voor mij. Ik sta nog steeds verre van juichend op de banken, maar een drie vind ik dit wel waard.
Favourite Song: My Own Way
Good album, very fun
Chill, maar niet speciaal
Classic 80’s, synthesizers cute guys with pretty hair playing music targeted at teen and preteen girls. 2.5
2024-07-26...
Essential 80s. Cheesy synth and slappy bass in tact.
Hungry like the wolf 10/10
Classic 80s New Wave. 3.75
Pretty good listen. Familiar with \"Hungry Like the Wolf\", but the rest was a pleasant surprise. Kind of what I expected Depeche Mode to sound like but without the disappointment. 3.5/5
I like it, I think. With fresh ears, this era and genre can feel a bit corny, but under that is a pretty solid album. Still, not a huge fan.
Good songs are good but the rest sound the same
I struggle to say a whole lot here besides just that it is an admirable, easy to listen to 80s pop album. A few earworms, a few duds too. Very typical.
Xylophone bit in “Last Chance on the stairway” is neat, but “The Chaffeur” is a stand out. Sounds modern, but like it couldn’t exist if this song didn’t exist. I guess that means it’s timeless?
Hits are bangers, other songs are good but forgettable. Didn't not like any of the songs on the album. Classic 80s pop. Also never heard of Save a Prayer but surprised it has more listens than Rio.
Better than I expected. I lived some of the other tracks after hungry like the wolf
The albums more bass forward and musical than I expected. I liked it but didn’t love it. It seemed like the production and vocal delivery were holding it back a bit. Rio and hungry like the wolf were obvious standouts. Everything else was a bit of a blur. The Chauffeur being the exception. I found that song very interesting
Decent pop album. I never listened to a whole album of theirs because the hits were enough for me to only be mildly interested.
This is pure youth sentiment. Lot's a great Duran Duran songs on this album. I haven't heard this album in a while and am happy that this album appeared in this list. Difficult to believe this album is more than 40 years old.
Save a prayer... En af mine ynglings sange, men med Eagles of death metal.... Anede faktisk ikke at det var et cover. Orginalen er også fed! Albummet er sådan set fint nok. Men fik ikke lyst til at høre den forfra.
Got a couple good songs on there but the 80's sound just blended together after a while. I think the hits on this album show you don't need to do all of that to write good songs. I'll give this another go since I did enjoy a lot of the songs individually, just not as a complete run time.
The 80’s were a vibe
It did grow on me but it sounds kinda cheesy 80s. Hungry like the wolf is a banger
It’s great! It’s good. It’s OK
Started stronger than it ended, loved the bass. 3/5
I’m not a big Duran Duran fan, but this is definitely peak if you do. I see why the big hits are so big. Also Save A Prayer is low key one of the best tracks on the album
Nice bassline
Раньше кроме Come Undone ничего у них не слышал. Неплохая попса, приятно послушать на один раз.
Not a bad album. Not the sort of music I’d choose to listen to, but not in any rush to switch it off either. Good for a little bop!
Pretty gutted for the most part, pretty forgettable in some.
It was the Eighties. The fuckin' 80s. These guys were MTV darlings, and this was the sound of the times. It's not my cup of tea, but it does have some fun basswork, and a few of the tracks get credit for what they were for that generation. Always loved their use of Nagel, graphically clean and what the 80s wanted to be.
It makes a ton of sense that this album was produced by the same guy (Colin Thompson) that helped produce Bowie’s “Heroes”. None of the songs absolutely caught me as a whole but I loved a number of the synth opening. As much as this album is called Synth-pop for its time, it far less resembles pop music today both in quality of production as well as character in the lyrics. I will always enjoy Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf for their place in music history but aside from that, I mostly would get caught up in great opening synth tracks and then the rest of the song would kinda lose me (New Religion, Save a Prayer, The Chauffeur).
I didn't know "Save a Prayer" was on this album. Love the Eagles of Death Metal cover. A lot of catchy ones here. Chauffer sounded pretty familiar to me too
A fine album with some good songs on it. Not my favorite kind of music, but it's pretty decent and I like it well enough.
I like how bass forward this album is. I knew two songs going into it. The title track I never minded, I won’t put it on, but if it comes on I’m not upset. I’ve never cared for hungry like the wolf. The rest of the songs were fine, nothing too crazy, but solid pop songs with some cool bass lines.
Litt typisk 80-tall. Ellers ganske kul rock 😊
Liked most of them, they’re a classic
80thies
Interesting Synth instrumentals, Lively Upbeat
Not my cup of tea. Liked a couple of songs, hard to downrate cause I can see it's influence but just didn't really do it for me outside of Rio, HLTW and Chaffeur
It's okay just not really my style.
Easy enough to listen to but I always find depeche mode a bit flat.
Puro suco dos anos 80.
Certainly a time capsule, nothing hooking me in though, hungry like a wolf really stand outs, can see this growing on me though
Forgetable
Started out pretty good, but did not end well.
This is Duran Duran at their best. If you like this kind of music, this is the best you get. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t inspire me to do anything- not dance, not sing, not run through a brick wall. “Hungry Like a Wolf” is the strongest song on the album.
Good example of MTV driven synth pop, with a bit more depth than a lot of other acts at the time.
Iconic album by a band I don't really like. Having said that, there are a lot of decent singles. It wasn't really my thing then, and it certainly isn't now. Interesting story...I once won the Duran Duran catalogue - at that time five albums - from a local radio station, by identifying that the lyrics "In touch with the ground/I'm on the hunt I'm after you." came from Hungry Like The Wolf and being the 4th caller or something. It turns out that Rio was the best of the bunch, and it's still only worth 3 stars!
Pretty good; few toe-tappers. Overall, not my cup of tea.
Bit of fun 80s nonsense, singles are the highlights.
"I smell like I sound:" One of the funniest 80s pop lyrics courtesy of Hungry Like the Wolf, one of the couple of huge hits from Rio the album. While this album is not higher than a 3 for me, it stands on its own as a fun 80s pop record and help to pave the way for the MTV music video era (may it Rest in Peace). 3 stars: I see why this is on the list, something worth revisiting. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: *Duran Duran shot music videos for many of the album's tracks, all of which helped spearhead the 1980s MTV revolution. *The success of Rio electrified the already-rising Second British Invasion. With their contemporaries the Human League, A Flock of Seagulls, Culture Club and Thomas Dolby, Duran Duran dominated the American pop charts throughout 1983 and led to the rise of other would-be successful British acts, including Tears for Fears, Eurythmics, Naked Eyes and the Rhodes-discovered Kajagoogoo. Standout Tracks: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Save a Prayer
This was ok, Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf annoyed me (but only because they’re overplayed to death) but the rest was amiable enough. Nothing that made me want to buy a frilly shirt, hairspray and eyeliner though.
Really strong and fun opener, this sense continues with the perhaps flatter and repetitive My Own Way, but love the synths and especially guitar sounds on that track too. The vocals really do their job. Starts and has moments that are sonically interesting but gets a bit repetitive, and that ultimately is the downfall. I'd love to listen to a couple tracks on here over and over, but am I putting the album on for that same vibe?
Quintessential 80s. This is a great album and nostalgic for me growing up with parents who listened to 80s and classic rock. A few of the tracks are skips for me but love the radio hits.
hungry like the wolf save a prayer the chauffeur
While Duran Duran isn't my first choice to listen to, this album is full of absolute classics.
I love me some Duran Duran. Bunch of bangers on this album, but a few that drag it down. Good listen.
Great, fun stuff. Surely one of the best party albums of the 80's. Never really gave it much of a chance, as it lacks depth for me (I'm more of a Tears for Fears guy) but I can definitely see the attraction at that time.
I used to always make fun of Duran Duran, probably because I was listening to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest when this came out. I still don't like them nearly as much as their new wave peers that I later came to love (INXS, Talk Talk, Simple Minds), but I shan't make fun of them anymore.
Low 3 for me
Solid 80's pop rock. Rio and Hungry were definitely the right singles to pick from the album.
Proper 80s sound and good songs as well
OK album. This is just 80s synth-pop. Its kind of fun and catchy and nostalgic for a time I never experienced. It's got energy, pop, and pizzaz, but, at the end of the day, it's just bad lyrically and offers no depth. Fun to dance to in a car as a teenager in the 80s I guess. I checked out the original review for fun--all mixed or negative pretty much. The contemporary re-appraisals say it's actually a great album apparently. I think there's much more interesting 80s synth-pop, and a lot of these retrospectives are a bit disingenuous with the rave for albums that were commercially popular or may have been mentioned as "inspiring" for future artists. This album is what it is: fun, silly 80s pop. ***
Didn't realise I had bauhaus in the que when I played this album. I was thinking wow I don't normally like duran duran but rn this is going hard!!!! And then I realised Bass is impressive
Felt vapid? Was excited to listen to Duran Duran because I love Japan but it's not for me
Dammit. I wanted to hate it. Couldn't do it.
Not bad.
Son los 80, graban la misma canción de la misma manera y pese a todo se puede escuchar un ratito.
Best: Hold back the rain Prayer Worst: Last Chance on the Stairway
Eighties
#201. Decent, almost stereotypical new wave album. A few great hits on there that I really liked. 3/5: good shit
Not a big Duran Duran fan. Decent power pop though with a few popular songs.
La banda es legendaria en la música disco y el final del siglo XX. Creo que tienen algunas canciones de otros discos que me parecen mejores, pero está bastante bien. El disco está bien.
its ok. not my favorite 80s new wave album but it has some hits and catchy songs.
Cool 80s album that makes me feel like I'm waiting for my haircut at Regis in the mall, especially with that album art. Some hits, but nothing super remarkable here.
That was the 80s. I'm so far removed from it now that I can't do much with it anymore. It was ok to listen to the album. But I probably won't do it again. 3/5
I’m happy Duran is on this list, some very enjoyable 80s new wave music.
The two big hits are great and the sound is very definite, self-assured, and often convincing. It’s also pretty busy and over-produced, and while the album itself is a good length several of the songs overstay their welcome. I think 80s synthpop just struggles to land for me in general, but as far as that genre goes this is pretty strong. Best song: Hungry Like the Wolf
Really strong and fun opener, this sense continues with the perhaps flatter and repetitive My Own Way, but love the synthetic and especially guitar sounds on that track too. The vocals really do their job. Sonically interesting but gets a bit repetitive.
74/1001
The chauffeur was a new one to me. Loved it. Great fun overall.
first listen lots of 80s stereotypes, didn't quite catch my fancy
The singles are miles above the rest and are among the best Duran Duran songs.
My main reference point for Duran Duran was the Moldy Peaches song "Boyfriend". The hits are hits, the rest was blah.
This is an album from which many of Duran Duran's most well-known hits originate. Those tracks ('Save a Prayer', 'Hungry Like the Wolf', 'Rio') are hits for a reason and prime examples of 80s synth pop. The rest of the tracks aren't all that bad, but also fail to live up to those heights.
I really appreciate the pop sensibility in the arrangements of these songs, and the very prototypically 80’s production. It’s a very representative look at the trends that we’re shaping British pop in the early MTV era. The singles are really strong songs. The biggest weakness to me is that the album cuts just feel like reiterations of the singles.
Goes in two ways. Some of their most famous hits are absolutely brilliant given the era they were released in. But at least half of the tracks make my ears bleed.
With the exception of Save a Prayer, if you’ve heard one some you’ve basically heard them all. There’s some fun variation in the last 1/3 of some of the songs, but the structures are very similar and rely far too heavily on a repeated hook. Still, enjoyable enough. Favorite tracks: My Own Way, Save a Prayer
I was in high school in 1982, and I heard "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf" ad nauseam. But I had never heard the rest of the album, so I was happy to see this pop up. I hadn't missed anything. It's fine, but not particularly interesting.
# 200 : Good album, I like it and it has a hit or two.
One doesn't get much more New Wavey than Duran Duran. It's been a long time since I've listened to this full album. There were some sleepers on here that I forgot about. There's several huge hits on here too. All in all, I enjoyed it and will come back to it... But probably years from now. I want to give this a 3.5 so that I have to round up to 4, but it feels more accurate to give it a 3.4, to round it down to three. It's better than average, but doesn't quite hit excellence for me.
During the first half of this album, I was worried that I might have a brain tumor as I found myself really enjoying some 80's pop. The latter half definitely brought things back down, so the limit of 3 for an 80's pop album remains unbreached.
Remind me, what decade is this from?
Pretty boppy pop music. I preferred the songs I didn't know before. 3.5 stars. Stand-out: Rio
Competent pop music.
It sure does sound like the 80s
Good for what it is!
3/5 80s synth pop... hm... it's okay. A very boomer-esque opinion, to be sure, but what else can I say? It certainly had potential to be lower, but the tight instrumentation (particularly in that sexy, sexy bass part) made up for the overused, overhyped, overrated genre. In fact, the bass is so integral to the album's quality that I only ended up saving tracks that (in retrospect) had great basslines: Lonely In Your Nightmare, Hold Back The Rain, and The Chauffeur, to name a few. The title track and Hungry Like The Wolf were also quite strong, presenting some pretty catchy vocals and harmonies. The remaining instruments are either straightforward (drums, vocals) or very irritating (synths, saxophone (seriously, what is with that weirdly artificial sax sound?)). Best track: The Chauffeur Worst track: Last Chance On The Stairway
not bad. not my style too much, 1-2 songs
repetitive and cliche but it has good catchy parts
I hate 80s music, so I always thought I’d hate Duran Duran! Au contraire! I really enjoyed this album— totally unexpected.
Ha...it's on the list. Doesn't hold up super well & I find LeBon's vocals hard to listen to anymore. That said, once upon a time I loved their vibe & it was actually pretty innovative. Gonna be merciful for nostalgia's sake if nothing else. IMHO the oft maligned "Lonely in Your Nightmare" might very well be the most progressive track on the album.
Catchy upbeat new wave pop. Love John Taylor's funky basslines and the slightly more experimental stuff they do with synths in the last two songs. Nothing life changing for me but I enjoyed it.
3+ Save a prayer
Duran Duran is where new wave really started to separate itself from punk in my opinion. Some good post-punk elements on this, but the whole image of the band and the focus on fashion, etc. really puts me off. For songs only, however, it's a strong album.
Melkosta lätkyttelyä. Pari aika kovaa biisiä
Couple of hits. The ones that aren’t really didn’t deserve to be. Didn’t help its rating that the music Spotify played for me after the album ended was more enjoyable (I had dozed off and woke up thinking “wow, that’s Duran Duran?” No, it’s not). Overall album average despite it probably being a top seller in its time.
Wel een chill album, weet alleen niet echt de aandacht vast te pakken. Wel goeie hits op met Hungry like the wolf en Save a prayer. Het laatste nummer pakte me wel echt en toen was het opeens voorbij, beetje jammer. Verder wel gwn lekkere 80s hoor.👍
Dit album heeft een vrij bepalende rol gespeeld als het gaat om het definieren van de new wave sounds van eind 70's begin 80's. Een aantal megahits staan op dit album die de mainstream zeker bereikt en beinvloed hebben. Denk aan Hungry Like The Wolf en Rio. Het album heeft wat weg van glamrock, maar is in essentie new wave. In combinatie met interessante pingeltjes en geluidjes. Dat levert hier leuke muziek op. Eentje die er tussenuitspringt voor mij is The Chauffeur. Een nummer dat de introspectieve kant op gaat, a la Talking Heads. Een aparte songstructuur wel. En dromerig, op een goede manier. Ook Save a Prayer vind ik een fijne. De synths op het begin doen het meteen al voor mij. En de stem van Simon Le Bon mag er ook wezen. Natuurlijk zijn ook Rio en Hungry Like The Wolf uitstekende songs, die het op menig feestje het nog goed zouden doen. Of gewoon lekker in je woonkamer. Rating: 8/10 Highlights: The Chauffeur, Save a Prayer, Rio
Een meer 80's new wave geluid dan DuDu bestaat er eigenlijk niet. De new wave zit vastgeplakt in de jaren 80 en is voer voor TikTok-revivals. Weinig genres zijn zo geroest aan een paar jaren in de muziekgeschiedenis. Toch hoor ik op Rio best wat leuke experimentele en artistieke dingetjes. Blazers, meerstemmig, gekke geluidjes diepe baslijnen (die zijn erg lekker). Alles natuurlijk met de holle drums en onder een laagje synths. Het blijven de 80's. Maar hiermee wordt Duran wel wat vernuftiger en interessanter dan veel wave-collega's. Oh en shout-out naar de cover. Veel beter dan al die 80's band die zichzelf op de hoes posteren. Heel herkenbare en iconische album art. 7,5/10 Highlights Rio Hungry like the wolf
I liked some album tracks better than the singles, Last Chance On The Stairway especially
Hungry like the Wolf is good. Lots of cool bass. Not my favorite front to back but some dec jams on it
Bara klassík auðvitað
Good enough, catchy although a little cliche. Will I listen to again: 20%
I have always found this album uninspiring. Which is why that I've started this review by copying-and-pasting excerpts from two existing reviews, plus writing a somewhat more elaborate comment on a third. 1. "It’s hard to believe I used to love this band, I must have listened to this record a thousand times when it first released. I even had a nice Patrick Nagel print hanging in my bedroom. But now I find Simon Lebon’s voice annoying AF and the arrangements very cheesy, esp that 80’s sax, ugh. (...) The other new wave pop groups of the era did better work and don’t sound nearly as dated now, eg OMD, The Cure, Tears for Fears, The The etc." Yep. I could have added The Human League, Heaven 17, Eurythmics... Heck, I could even have added A-Ha and Alphaville for that matter. Because all those bands had that thing, what was its name again...? Jeeze I had said name at the tip of the tongue... Er... Oh yeah, I remember now! They had *truly epic choruses*. In comparison, it *first* seemed to me that Duran Duran only had holes in its swiss cheese. Hackneyed repeated vocal lines, mostly driven by annoying major keys. Also, it's extremely rare to find a reviewer who says he used to love an album, and that he now hates its guts. Evidence enough for me that trying to love this overrated and obviously *dated* record once again would probably be another complete waste of time for me. At least at first. 2 "Almost want this on my best albums just for the cover." Indeed a reason why I *did* try to love this record in the past. Yet that didn't work. You can't judge a book (or an album) by its cover? 3. Not starting with a quote this time. It's just that, in a couple of positive reviews, I've noticed that unsound obsession with MTV in its very early days underlying all that queasy nostalgia (at least two positive reviews in mention it). When the album came out, there were families that indeed had MTV and families that did not. That person mentioning how their own family did not have MTV, and how this created a particular kind of desperation in the reviewer, had me smirk with disgust. The latter indeed reminisced on when their family visited the home of one of their dad's work colleagues, and "when the kids all shuffled into the living room, where the host's kids were watching TV". The oldest daughter was controlling the remote, amd clicked on MTV where the video for Rio was starting. But she said, "oh, I've seen this" and clicked away and the future reviewer "died a little inside" and still remembers it a full 40 years later. Well... That's a personal memory that's evocative of a certain day and age, I'm gonna give it that. Yet maybe what really happened here was that this elder daughter had... taste? Maybe that was something to feel jealous about, instead of the fact that this other family had MTV, probably because it was more loaded (or the parents were somewhat...superficial?). It's a litlte laughable that this reviewer expresses no "distance" with their feelings at the time. Gives you the impression that they were interested in Duran Duran for all the *wrong* reasons--there are no "objectively" right or wrong reasons to like a band (or not), it's all subjective. But there are *wrong* ways to convey your love for a band, and this is one example here. Even if the memory itself is interesting and evocative. Endnote: I don't know how or why, but when I've listened to *Rio* this time, something *kinda* clicked. It's probably because I felt more attuned to its peculiar instrumentations and arrangements (especially for the last, more "atmospheric" tracks). And maybe to some of its pop choruses on side A. I don't know why... And I don't have much more time to express my suddenly ambiguous feelings. It's been a long day and I feel quite queasy, right now. With its barrage of daily records, is the 1001 Albums app turning me into some sort of cheesy pop slob? Do others users feel like that sometimes? Only time will tell... In the meantime, 3/5 for the purposes of this list. And 8/10 for a more "objective" assessment (5+3)??? Number of albums left to review: 259 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 324 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 185 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 238
It’s giving 1982 hard. Rio is actually the best song on the album by miles. I love this song god damn. Pretty ez 3
Rio, and Hungry Like the Wolf are classic tracks off this album. It's 80s pop music, but the bass playing on every song is insane. It just sits there in the mix unnoticed until you listen for it and realize how much is there. It did not need to go that hard for the style of music this is.
Pretty good
So much filler. But godamn do I love those hits.
This is 80s pop music, top to bottom. I think I'd only heard the chorus hook for "Hungry Like the Wolf," so I didn't know that that songs rips, actually. I like the verse melody even more than the refrain, which is a rare feat. The breakdown on the bridge is a bit melodramatic for me. This came out in 1982, which makes me wonder when the 1980s Sound came about. Was this the daddy of all 80s gloss? Surely they weren't the first New Romantics band. With this list, I keep running into massively influential, blockbuster albums that I come away from thinking are totally fine. Maybe there's too much distance between then and now and I can't hear exactly what's special here, like playing a video game from 2005 that was groundbreaking then merely enjoyable now. Maybe I'm putting too much stock into it. I never thought I'd spend this much time thinking about Duran Duran. Highlights: Lonely In Your Nightmare, Hungry Like the Wolf, Save a Prayer
It's Duran Duran...
Not necessarily for me but it had its moments.
The bass guitar stands out on this album more than anything. I've heard Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf way too many times to be able to enjoy them properly. New Religion is a really cool song. I love the guitar sound on this track, and the bass hooks sound superb. I wouldn't say that this album is something I'd sit and listen to religiously. It's a good album and very true to the time it was released.
3/5. I love Rio and Hungry like the wolf. The rest of the album did not stand out for me.