Rio

This thing's a hit machine, and rightly so. John Taylor's bass playing alone is worth the price of admission...or Andy Hamilton's sax solo in the title track. Great stuff.

Wait….Geof rated a pop album high. I’m so confused. I thought Geof hated pop. Well motherfuckers, this album is the bomb. Don’t fuck with either Duran; let alone both of them.

Version on Spotify (collector's edition) has nice remixes, but does lead to a less pronounced album. Rated based on no remixes.

Adventurous, a fun listen

Duran kicks ass. Rio and wolf? Great

A great pop album.

Good

A must listen, Duran Duran at their finest. Bassist John Taylor is on fire from start to finish.

Thats it

Enjoyed. Nice energetic retro 80s sound. Duran duran is also now amongst the band i'm glad I got to know through this generator. Didn't know they were that influential. Haven't properly listened to all the tracks yet, but Rio is so far my favorite from the album. 8/10

Love it

Some really sick bass lines on this album.

Blind album, know the artist and the hits. Was pleasantly surprised on the listen, especially the closing track.

I really enjoyed listening to this. No, honestly, I mean it. Yes, it was all a bit samey but it was very pleasant listening. Once I'd found the proper 42 minute version instead of the 2 1/2 hour long collector's edition that is. And yes it was definitely a product of its time/genre, 80's new romantic. Totally un-dancey, but good music music put together well and performed well. I found that I also knew more tracks than I recognised from the listing. Now for the perverse bit. Would I buy it? Nah. Would I even listen to it again?Probably not. But I can totally see why it's in the list, it's a perfect example of what it represents. So I find myself in the position of giving a very well deserved 4 to an album I will, in all probability, never interact with again. But can I justify a lower score? No I can't. So 4 it is.

Cool

Uplifting, 80's synth pop. Really enjoyed this album.

I am all for some uplifting 80s synth pop!! There are some iconic tunes on here. I remember so many school friends going to the gigs and borrowing my clothes to wear to said gigs. So, my clothes have been to see Duran Duran but without me. It’s quite heartening to see that they’re still around and playing with gusto. This particular album is probably more like a 3.5 but for their longevity and because it’s a proper decent album it’s getting 4. I actually heard some of their recent Black Moonlight album and they’re still consistently decent.

I definitely did not appreciate these guys enough when this came out. Then again, I was 12, so maybe I can be forgiven. This thing cooks. It's weird and funky. They wear their Roxy Music influences on their sleeves and I'm so there for it. I love the effect they put on Simon's vocals. I wonder what it is. And then there's John Taylor's bass lines, which are stellar. (Also, TIL that the three Taylors are unrelated.) A strong, possibly even great great, pop album.

Classic and I loved every second

I enjoyed it and thought the mood of it resonated with me & I'd listen to it again.

Dynamic and fun

A lot of catchy songs in there

Honestly surprised, all bangers

Trip back in time and better than I remeber

Ran 4 miles on this album. Up beat great-4/5

Obvious banger

Didn’t realize how many songs I knew from this album, too synthy/disco vibes for me, but I appreciate that I knew most of the songs on the album and didn’t know that I would

hungry like the wolf

Sounds awesome. So many layered synths with rock instruments goes hard. Lyrics were okay on my first listen, New Religion seemed cool

Lowk a no skip for me 🫢

Great album

good

8/10It's impossible to extract history from the current experience, but let's just say that I mowed a lot of lawns to this album in middle school. And I really loved it. And haven't listened to it since. But, man, this, as far as I can tell, holds up and is a slamming album. Every song is at least good, and every other song is at least very very good. Great synths, compressed guitars, dramatic squelched vocals, slippery basslines, and a good dash of 80s horniness. I added this to my library.

Incredible bass lines on this

Very good album. Hungry Like the Wolf is one of my favorites.

Nicht ganz durchgehört

La imagen perfecta para describir el new romantic y la década de los 80s. Sintonizadores ante todo. Lo que más rescato de la composición general es el juego que se genera entre el bajo y la batería. Las guitarras son muy características de la época, siendo que en ocasiones rozan el metal o rock pesado. Por otro lado el disco es muy bueno y en un punto pierde distinción entre canciones y se vuelve algo empalagoso. Hasta que llega New Religion, donde baja un poco de intensidad y propone nuevos matices desde esa canción en adelante. No por ser mal disco, pero siempre se agradecen álbumes cortos como este que conllevan 9 canciones. Son pocos tracks pero siempre dejan deseando más. Hitazo: Hungry like the wolf Sorpresa: Last chance on the stairway

Fun, lots of catchy tunes but nothing spectacular.

Now that's how you kick off an album! Confusion, chaotic synths, clean jams, and sultry sax. If the brand-new 80s were calling out for a theme song, Duran Duran answered with Rio. And it continues - My Own Way is rarefied synth-pop. Everything reverberates and chatters with the driving beat - it feels expansive but focused, full but clear, every musical thought crystallized and then washed away by the next. Lonely In Your Nightmare stumbles a bit for me personally - it's still great, but the dreamy instrumentation and melodies would be more impactful without the speedy drums underlying the whole track, which just clash and make the more contemplative instrumentals/vocals feel like they're dragging. Hungry Like The Wolf rides the line a little bit better. Altogether this track has good energy (and a neat audio collage breakdown in the middle), but it feels a little generic to me. Curse of generational hindsight, I suppose, and it appears many disagree with me - this song has about 5 times as many plays as Rio, which blows my mind. Hold Back The Rain captures my attention a little more than Hungry Like The Wolf, but otherwise doesn't stand out as altogether different. Both are making me nervous about punk album syndrome - where there are one or two stand-out tracks, but the rest are just variations on a theme. At least this one has the play count I'd expect - almost 20 times fewer than Rio. New Religion - I'm a believer lol. This is the energy, atmosphere, and attention to the details of sonic experience I expected coming into this album. It's funky and ominous, and it tells a story with its soundscapes and dynamics. I hear Pet Shop Boys, Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, and some rare Queen - all in a catchy, vibey package. Sad to see it overlooked by the masses, but glad it's on the album. Last Chance On The Stairway feels like Rio (Reprise). The bass scrambles up and down its little ladders in the same way, and the other melodic elements soar (vocals) and gently bounce (synth, guitar). The whole affair is a bit more melancholy, but in that distinctively 80s way where we're still bopping the whole time. Save A Prayer is amazing - the chiptune-esque arpeggiated synths and lilting proto-grunge vocals are gorgeous and darkly hypnotizing. The glitzy drums sound like they're shimmering at the end of a tight and moonlit hallway. Everything is moody and calm - the synth lead sounds like a sacred futuristic flute played for an unknown city's meditation. The entire album is essentially a long come down from Rio, the chaotic energy of a night out slowly dissipating into the ether of dawn over the city. The Chauffeur feels like an epilogue, a determined ode to the next night. I can hear the bravado and determination of Hip Hop in it, and the pizzicato synths and driven beat could come straight out of the late nineties club scene. Not the vocals, though, or the medieval recorder chorus - those feel perfectly at home in the 80s and in synth pop in general. This album is a winner, a new favorite of mine, and sure to become influential in my own music. Still, the filler is not killer and it's not a 5/5 for me.

Strong 80's sound, fun listening

Ok it actually scares me at first. The opening of the first song is kinda creepy.

love me a good synth

- This album sounds like the 80s - For being a synthy 80s album, none of the songs are corny which is a huge achievement, album kinda slaps ngl - Hungry Like The Wolf is iconic

Only hits! I like the 80s.

Solid songs, I knew a few. Good classic rock, power chords, drums leading. Solid

Outstanding 80's music

En lo que pienso si me dicen música de los 80 que podría escuchar, los sintetizadores son prominentes pero no al punto de agobiarte, la voz es muy buena, me gustó

Solid album every song is a bop.

Catchy songs, enjoyable listening - a good time had by all

This is dope

Have never really listened to bands in this era. Won’t be a go-to for me but I appreciated the experience

Old school! Nice tunes, not sure if I would listen again

It’s Duran Duran. All sound the same so if you like the double D it’s a good album.

Had some bangers in there

Groovy!

The sound of the 80s. Fun songs with a good length. Essential Tracks: Rio (Added to playlist) Hungry Like the Wolf

Rio is iconic and Hungry Like the Wolf kicks teeth. This feels peak 80's aesthetic. Don't much care for the style, but damn do they do it well.

Great pop album with occasionally a bit more to it. Favourite tracks Hungry Like The Wolf and Hold Back The Rain. Great production.

What I expected

A really refreshing album. Stands up incredibly well to the test of time - sounds buzzy, and the drums are pretty relentless. Not naff. Best songs - Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, and Last Chance on the Stairway.

I usually say I don't like the 80s sound, but there's something about Duran Duran. The bass is great, it's interesting, doesn't all sound the same. Really quite enjoyed this. Hungry like the wolf is an absolute tune, so is Rio to be fair. Highlights: Rio Hungry like the wolf Hold back the rain Last chance on the stairway So much better than I was expecting 3.5

Very strong album across the board - aside from the 3 hits, personally liked Lonely in Your Nightmare and Last Chance on the Stairway in particular

Sure takes me back to childhood

“Rio” (the song) is pop perfection. I think when the frenetic intro and verse opens up to the harmonious and jubilant chorus, you really feel like you have trekked through the desert and finally found your oasis. I wonder if that was intentional. Either way, as far as these new wave albums go, this is as good as it gets for me. Of its time without feeling dated.

i love to be pleasantly surprised, and this list has given me a lot of that. i thought the title track, having heard it mostly through my mom’s tinny car speakers, was bad before. i was pretty shocked at how good it was, especially how deep the production went. score one for headphones! other than that, a very solid duran duran album but nothing super exceptional.

This was fun

Kinda heat

This bops. Hits galore, but side B is were its at. Chauffer should be a hip hop masterpiece, is it? MFDOOM possibly wutang?

One of my favourite 80s/New Wave albums

pretty good

Perhaps the most New Wave album there ever was? Catchy hooks, incredibly sleek, and they had music videos to boot. So much style and grace in one album, and it feels completely reflective of the 80s. Is every song a winner? No, not neccisarily, but there are no losers here either. I am impressed by Rio more often than not.

Absolute classics all around

Good stuff

Love the new wave sound, Duran Duran has a very unique style with this album. Not a bad song on here.

Solid.

A surprisingly solid album all the way through - haven't really revisited Duran Duran since my youth and obviously remembered the hits (Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Save a Prayer), but the rest of the songs complimented the hits well and made for a cohesive album. It was just the right length to avoid overstaying its welcome too, so I'll give these guys some extra credit beyond just the well-done musical stylings.

B+ Rio 4 My Own Way 3 Lonely In Your Nightmare 4 Hungry Like the Wolf 3 Hold Back the Rain 4 New Religion 4 Last Chance On the Stairway 3 Save a Prayer 5 The Chauffeur 5 If you told me I was going to this a 4 before I listened, I would've laughed in your face. I loved how they layered their musical elements. The 80's keeps growing on me! I always wondered what that reference from That's My Boy was where "Todd Peterson" (Han Solo, he's a Burger like his father before him)'s fiance said his earring was of Duran Duran characteristics. Now I get it. Thanks Jenny.

Me gusta por ahora. mmm fue buena creo

A really good album, takes me straight back to the 80s.

Classic 80s new wave

This is good stuff. Not a band I knew much about, but some familiar tunes on here. I think New Wave is a genre I haven't paid nearly as much attention as I should, I think it's the kinda thing I'd rather quite enjoy.

Darn fine album.

I really enjoyed this. I was familiar with Duran Duran's mainstream songs but all of the other songs as well. None were 10/10 (besides Hungry Like The Wolf), but it was a super fun listen.

Love me some Duran Duran. On high rotation recently in the Greenhouse as it happens. Save a Prayer one of the all time choooooons.

Listened Before? Y This is one I had back in the day. Not in '82, but I had a copy in about '95 on cassette that I found in a thrift store. Hence, I have listened to this album quite a bit. Love the music and the iconic art both. Great stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Save a Prayer

Ok ok ok, I’ve never listened to a whole Duran Duran album and this slapped for sure. I do have to say, however, that the well-known songs ARE the best. But still… slay, boys!

Coming out of the gates hot with the title track. This song rips in a distinctly 80s way. Drum and bass (especially bass) are working overdrive to propel this thing forward into the coked-out dance track that it is. Love the shimmering synthlines that run throughout. More funky bass on display in My Own Way with a similar 80s glimmer about it. Hungry Like a Wolf is one of those songs that immediately comes to mind when you think of an 80s montage. What's not to like about this song; easy to sing along to, fun and energy forward, lovely synth and bass aplenty, spacey interlude featuring heavy breathing... All-around solid album that encapsulates a lot of what I think of when I think of the 80s New Wave scene. The hits are the standouts here for sure, but plenty to enjoy outside of them. Putting this at a low 4. Really love the spacey synthwork on The Chauffeur. Was totally not expecting the beat drop at 2:20 featuring a renaissance-evoking flute-line. This song fucks.

pleasantly surprised - the cover gave me bad vibes for some reason but i really liked this

Okay so maybe some cheesy 80s synthpop is good. I especially really like the last two songs that go for a darker song. "The Chauffeur" might be one of the best songs of the 80s.

groovy

3.5/5

Holy bass slapping! The synth throughout the whole album was awesome. Had some very strange noises that came out of nowhere but I got down with them. I've heard Hungry like a Wolf a thousand times and didn't really like it as a single but it was great within the album

Knew some of these songs going in and never thought anything of them really, but damn they work well with the album. Love the sounds that come out of New Wave but sometimes the voices and lyrics piss me off. Was going to give this a 3 but I'm bumping it up cuz I love the last song

Underrated band that is still producing good music (and my wife’s favorite band)

Another album to rid me of my 80s distaste. I love the clear sounds. The bass is always stabbing through the rest of the music. Standout track: I mean... it's gotta be Rio

This album is pretty great. Duran Duran kind of encapsulates a lot of the 80's in a lot of ways for me: musically, album art wise, and other aspects of their catalog aside from Rio. Super fun, super cheese, and this won't be the last time I listen to it.

Duran Duran are good actually? This is actually very well paced and a good amount of fun. B

As the years go by, I appreciate this band more and more. Very talented composers and performers, and I admit I overlooked them in the 80s because of all the glam going on around them and my rocker friends mocking bands like this. Glad that's all way behind me and I just enjoy what I enjoy -- including Duran Duran and this album. John Taylor's bass is dynamite. Love Simon Le Bon's vocals, and Andy Taylor always rocks. Nick Rhodes adds such interesting layers, and Roger Taylor is a great percussionist. 'New Religion' is one of my favorites on this album, 'Rio' and 'Hungry Like The Wolf' are always fun, and 'Save A Prayer' really is one of my favorite songs in general. I forgot this was only their second album. So impressive! And still a wonderful album to hear.

The length is spot on, some ok songs and some good songs. I also like their sound, you can definitely hear some post punk there. This one I might actually come back to.

Really good album front to back tbh, obviously most people know the singles but there's a lot of other great songs here. Solid af.

They were one of the biggest things on the planet when this came out. A lot of very good songs here.it is more of a fun/nostalgic album than it is great/quality. Standouts: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, My Own Way, Say a Prayer. Others: Lonely in your Nightmare, Hold Back the Rain, The Chauffeur. Rating: 4/5

fucking riot of an album. stupid catchy. it’s lacking in musical complexity but i don’t think that’s completely necessary here. this is an essential new wave album

Good stuff! Not my favorite "eighties" band but this is a great album.

This was actually a really enjoyable album to listen to. Upbeat new wave/synthpop album that’s very 80s but also very catchy and memorable. There’s no real weak moments, some songs better than others but overall it was great. Hungry Like the Wolf is obviously the most well known but is actually not a highlight.

In my head, Duran Duran always seemed like generic 80s fodder. This album definitely changed that view.

Great classic 80’s pop. Vocals are great and synth instrumentation is sublime. Save A Prayer and The Chauffeur are my favorites. 4.3/5

A classic embodiment of 80's new wave rock, filled with synths (for better, and sometimes for worse). While the production style didn't stand the test of time, the singles sure did. Not an album I'd chose to throw on, but I wouldn't stop anyone else from throwing it on.

Hey, my dad listens to this ahaha I accidentally clicked on the collector's edition of this album instead of the normal one, but I guess I'll listen to the full thing lmao - 29 songs / 2:30 instead of 9 songs / 46 minutes! Cool bassline and sax solo in Rio Hold back the rain is cool! I liked Save A Prayer - some very cool sounds, like the loop, the strange violin-y thing they have going on, etc Overall, a little repetitive, but entertaining. 4/5

Mega nice bas... kool gitarr... bra låtar... det här är ett riktigt bra album!!! Det var det första albumet jag nånsin reviewa på denhä sidan, så de e roligt att märka hur mycket mina smaker gått fram...

80s pop

Now we're talking. The ubiquitous hits are more sounds of the era more than they are timeless, although I've always been in Save A Prayer's corner and likely will be forever. I seem to recall A LOT of girls from 82 and 83 who swore by the album cuts. It's worth noting that those girls are now running things. OK, one is the Mayor of my hometown of around 7,000 people, but she's going places, I'm telling you. Aside from those forward thinking women, not many took the Duran's seriously at the time. They were mostly thought of as an MTV product. But those who weren't in the know missed the point. Many new artists of the day HAD to embrace MTV fully just to get their music played. The theory was getting so big on MTV that radio HAD to eventually play their music, which is why Duran Duran eventually scored a pair of number 1 hits. Also of note: two of the band's most popular (re: streamed) songs are from the well-past-their-prime period of 1993. Of course, two of the other 3 song in the top 5 are from this album. There was really no middle of the road with Duran Duran. One group (the Mayor of Blair, Nebraska, my ex-girlfriend who made me get us front row seats to see them in 1988, your current DJ's of Sirius XM's 1st Wave and The Spectrum) saw them as the second coming of the Beatles (hence the "Fab 5" moniker). The other group simply wrote them off as a made-for-TV act, more style than substance. I think the people who elected a Duranie Mayer have shown us which group was more in right. They may not have been the Beatles, but they were clearly more than just a huge band from the early '80's. The title track, Hungry Like The Wolf, and the aforementioned Save A Prayer still slap even if you've never seen the music videos.

80s synth pop is my jam and this is a great example. Pass me the white sports jacket with the sleeves rolled up please!

Classic rock album of my teenage years. Great use of percussion and horns. An a separate note, Duran Duran's Rio helped propel the music vidoe industry.

Still sounds good. Poppy lyrics but with some complexity to the music.

Okay I get the rabid popularity, it's really golden by 80s synth radio standards, and I love the bass lines, but it's just not transcendent or anything. Maybe that's a silly complaint.

When I first saw Duran Duran come up on here I was immediately ready to take a big ol' shit all over this album but I'll be damned... I kind of love this? Rio is an absolute banger to start out with, my favourite song on the album. Hungry Like the Wolf is a song that I've always rolled my eyes at but the more I listened the more I enjoyed it. No bad songs one the album - The Chauffeur is pretty weird but I like it as an album closer. The bass playing throughout is so fun. Am I a Duran Duran Fan? Not so sure but I am definitely a fan of Rio

Already knew of Hungry like the wolf, Save a Prayer and Rio, such a great example of 80's new wave. Last chance on the Stairway is great song too.

Good album, enjoyed the listen and the tracks.

Huge fan of like two songs and the rest were only okay but the two songs carried the album

Incredible album! The 80s encapsulated in an album! Really good listen all the way through for the first time. Of course have heard songs off this album but not every one, really enjoyed it all the way through!

Fantastic! Really fun dance pop. I only knew “Hungry Like the Wolf” going into this but every song is a blast! (Actually, I knew “Save a Prayer” too because Eagles of Death Metal does a cover of it.) Loads of funk rock mixed in too. Definitely going to spin this a few more times.

Really good 8/10

Hér eru ekki öll lögin jafn góð en nokkur eru tímalaus snilld. John Taylor á ofsa töff bassalínur, Nick Rhodes mjög flotta sequenca og Simon Le Bon hefur sinn sjarma. Afar góður níundi tugur.

Shiny 80's synths, danceable rhythms and ear worms aplenty.

Great record

Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf. Still love Rio.

Gjutet, bra upplevelse från start till slut. En era som jag diggar och power i låtarna. Värt!

Nice, distinctive sound. Fun to listen to a full Duran Duran album instead of having some Duran Duran songs in a spotify list.

Lovely album, super enjoyable from start to finish.

Nice album! Never had a proper introduction to Duran Duran. Solid all the way through. 3.5/5

Undeniably great pop. Not my favourite genre, but 3 massive singles. They did appear to effectively rewrite 'Rio' at least 3 times on the album, but I still played it in full, back to back 4 times before I'd had enough. I doubt I will ever play it again, though.

Watch Duran Duran go absolutely HAM on iconic baselines for 42 minutes. A lotta classics on here, My Own Way slaps but it's super underrated

Really funky. Enjoyed

A classic of sophisticated eighties pop music. At the time, between the glamorous music videos and the band members' looks, the music was almost secondary. However, the perspective of time proves this is actually a good album!

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Rio, My own way, Lonely in your nightmare, Hungry like the wolf, Last chance on the stairway, Save a prayer

A lot of great songs and a couple of good ones. No real bad ones. This is a great album, but because it wasn't influential at all, besides maybe the music videos, I can only give it 4 stars. Favorite song: Save A Prayer

Listened to on 2/8/23 4/5 Favorite song: rio I grew up listened to Duran Duran and love this album

This is enjoyable and nostalgic for me.

I feel like this was one of the better rounded records on this list. Everything felt similar enough to where it was part of the same sound but different enough to the point that not everything sounded the exact same. You could pick out the similarities but it was different ways to prepare that sound in a way.

Loved but production is so treble and cjorusy

So it turns out I LOVE this new wave synthy goodness. Never met a synth I didn’t like. 😂 This is so enjoyable I want to explore more of Duran Duran’s discography.

That was very good. I have enjoyed Duran Duran hits in the past, but never listened much farther. I did own Seven and The Ragged Tiger on cassette though. Rio has some weak spots, but a wonderful energy and sound throughout. Kinda felt like the first time I listened to Boy by U2... not great, but man there's something kicking there.

Full of iconic songs, all which were pretty different from each other. I also really liked the unique bass lines. Very poppy but really good regardless. Fave track(s): My Own Way, Hungry Like The Wolf

Listen

I guess I'm a Duran Duran fan now. So much 80s happening here, but it still holds up pretty well. I can't imagine it without the incredibly digital sounding drums. 8/10.

Strong album throughout not just the singles.

Andy Taylor’s album.

honestly for a new wave album its quite good and has more interesting songs than you might think

there are some skippable songs on here, but it doesn't get much better in terms of the 80s sound

nice

I really liked this album. Surprisingly I’d never heard Rio and I loved it. The whole album was a perfect length along with just good music and the lyrics/songwriting was just good.

Pretty good, great bass and great general vibe

3/4

probably as close as an album can get to 5 stars before reaching it. will listen to more at some point

A mainstay to the 80’s new wave movement, that absolutely rocks hard!

This was way better than I expected it to be. S/o my dad who told me Duran Duran sucks, for years. Not so sure anymore, pops!

new wave albums hardly ever disappoint, this was no exception. really loved the bass on some of these songs. favorite songs: rio, hungry like the wolf, new religion

Beetje gedateerd nu, maar ik ga er wel goed op.

A good 80s New Wave album. Really enjoyed practically every song on here, knowing of Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf before listening. I also really enjoyed The Chauffeur, which I heard for the first time. Favourite: Hungry Like The Wolf

Great bass!

As a child of the '80s, one fears that beloved records – or indeed any record – of that era will come off today as unbearably cheesy or silly (like the fashion and haircuts of the time). This one, however, easily transcends such fear with its quality and substance. Duran Duran feel almost like a punch line, a band far too easy to hate for the stylishenss and glamour, primarily. But the songs hold up quite sturdily. Title cut's horn furious interplay and driving beat make it both danceable and a bit of a banger -- mix of Sex Pistols and Chic indeed!. "Hungry" may be the best song about sex ever written – oh, the suggestiveness. The playing is quite good throghout, the singing excellent and the belief/commitment fully credible. It's not too precious or pretty; the guitars have real teeth – a New Wave edginess – and the synths, while ubiquitous, never quite overwhelm. There are no dogs or throwaways – it's a real album, not just a random collection of tunes; each cut works on its own terms, and the consistent sounds and rhythms and instrumentation make for a consistent listening experience, just this side of samey. Perhaps most amazingly, there is nary a single cringe-making "ultimate '80s" moment. Much were we wrong about in our teen years. This record is not, apparently, one of them, though one confesses to feeling some slight embarrassment in admitting one likes it, which keeps it from being a 5, but only just.

Very funky. This album could play on repeat at the dance club and you'd be happy.

Short sweet 80's, more filler than I'd for for a truly top album. I'll stick to the Best of.

Wait, the album with Hungry Like the Wolf, the most overrated 80s pop song of all time, is not only good, but really fucking good? The bass is so suprisingly funky, and not at all scared to hide it, unlike a lot of other songs in pop. Everything has such a good energy to it I was tapping my fee the whole way through. Man, and I thought I disliked Duran Duran. Time to give them a chance. Only dropping it to a four because the songs do tend to go on a little long, and as I said earlier, Hungry Like the Wolf is just straight up not very good in my opinion. But it's a high 4.

Listening to Rio really makes me feel like a white guy in 1985: driving a sports car, railing super models, and doing lines in a bathroom stall.

p502. 1982. 3.5 stars Classy 80s Brit synth pop. Hasn't aged well - the cheesy sax and synths are firmly of the era, some of the tracks outstay their welcome, and points are deducted for dodgy lyrics. On the plus side, there are some cracking tunes in here, and at least they weren't Spandau Ballet. 3.5 stars on a bad day, 4 on a good one.

Nice

If someone were to ask you to describe the 80s you could just put this album on and they would learn all they need to know. Generally not into New Wave but this sounds like the best album in that space.

Thought this was brilliant - singles on here are great, nothing annoyed me and I absolutely loved the final track.

J'ai écouté cet album pour la première fois en 2022. Je connaissais de nom le groupe, mais c'était mon premier album complet. J'ai été très agréablement surpris par cet album. J'aime son énergie, les harmonies vocales, la recherche sonore pour les claviers et de mon côté, j'aime vraiment beaucoup le travail fait par la basse. Un must à me procurer.

The 1980s Duran Duran funk-synth sound we all recall so fondly. Excellent album with three of their best songs as well as some excellent bass and synth work. Absolutely iconic LP cover. I can now even hear elements of The Cure. Great!

Just a really superb pop classic. There more to the sound than the very glossy surface suggests, though the lyrics are a bit of a garble when you really try to parse them out. The hits are timeless but I didn’t find much in the deeper cuts.

A very 80's-defining album. I've always liked "Hungry Like the Wolf", but the rest of the album is better than the 80's version of me remembers. Le Bon tends to whine too much in his singing, but I digress.

why am I loving all this 80s new wave/pop stuff so much? My 80s pop soft spot is really starting to show through this 1001 project

Witness the birth of slick.

Surprisingly large amount of great songs on this.

Classico.

I've never heard this album before -- and I wasn't alive in 1982. This feels like it planted the seeds for so much of what I love in modern Shoegaze and Synth Pop. It's by no means a masterpiece, but I glad I missed this growing up, so I can experience it fresh now.

Yeah it was enjoyable. A very soft 4/5 i liked the grooves

The hole album is a synthesized dreamscape in music form The chauffeur and Alone in your nightmares are two of my faves.

Very good

Pop is the absolute best when it's not looking at other pop, but other weirder influences. This feels like a band who like lots of 70s disco and Kraftwerk (and New Romantic stuff obvs) and feels so much more exciting as a result. I know they were seen as a bit Tory, but I feel like any Brummie that's found a way out is going to embrace the fact they made it, and they were just coopted by the absolute scum of the earth (btw, if you're a Tory reading this, please remember suicide is not just an option, but preferable to your continued existence). Got distracted there. The three big singles, Rio, Wolf and Prayer all rule, the rest is all good, and the Chauffeur brilliant.

This record rules. It has a fun groove from end to end. The electronics and synths feel like a revolution for the time, I wasn't there at the time but it feels so new. Some classic songs make an appearance that I very much enjoy and some deeper cuts kick ass. There is a marimba on this album. Wild. Love it, will come back for more.

futuristic cyberpunk vibes

Great 80s album it’s iconic

Big fan of this album. Excellent tracks start to finish. I'm personally a big fan of Lonely in Your Nightmare and The Chauffeur, in addition to all the classic hits.

Tær snilld

Classic album, fantastic album art. Lots of hits!

That's funny! This album seems to be hunting me, it follows me everywhere as if it really wanted me to love it!  Much have been said about the musicianship of Duran Duran bandmembers; allmusic claims that, curiously, all or almost all of of them followed a career in hard rock. This is not surprising to me, as they play a form radio-ready pop, yes, but the "touch" they have on their instruments has definitely a hard rock edge. Ok, they are not Toto, but some of you dear readers will probably know what I mean.  The title track opens up the whole thing all while letting us know that we are in for a catchy ride, complete with sax. The slap bass against funky guitar and synths on New Religion is just monumental (actually the bass playing is monumental almost everywhere across this record); then Simon Le Bon gives rap a cute try. Save A Prayer is the classic 80s make out ballad; do they still write songs like this? Does people still give any time at all to making out? Hungry Like A Wolf comes with a singalong chorus and I wonder how much air did it get at the time, while Hold Back The Rain plays a similar trick. There is something in Last Chance On The Stairs that reminds me a bit of the James Bond theme (or was it Wild Boys?), which is not really bad because that is a great song.  As I pointed out elsewhere, this is a really kind of weird record to me: if I listen to it once in a while I tend to pay more and more attention and like it more at every play, but if I play it too often I easily get bored. Who knows!  I'm heading now into the Greatest Hits, I want to listen to A View To A Kill, Wild Boys, and Notorious. 

Ok, first off... The bassist, John Taylor, plays the hell out of every track on this album. I never realized how much funk he brings to the group. I think his performances on this album are a subtle, but significant factor in just how catchy Rio is. In fact, kudos to the John and Roger for putting together a great rhythm section, to counterbalance the otherwise light synth and guitar parts. The other person whose contribution can hardly be overstated is Simon Le Bon, who is singing his heart on every track. I'd point to "Last Chance On The Stairway" as being the standout overall performance on the album, although there are admittedly much greater pop songs there. For my tastes though, I've got to cast my 'best track' vote for "The Chauffeur". It's got a peculiar allure that is unsettling enough to sound novel and really lingers in your memory. But honestly, it's all great. Every last track on the album is good (at a minimum) and most are extraordinary. It's definitely an album that everyone should hear at least once.

leuk album!

Veel bangers maar mist nog net iets om echte classic te zijn

Yaaaassss!

Fun album. Not as great as I thought it would be since it gets a lot of hype.

I never gave this album a chance until now and I really enjoyed it. The Chauffer is an excellent song. The bass player is unbelievable all over this album!

Good 80's vibe, it had the hit, it has the regular stuff, it has the experimental stuff

A classic with obvious highlights in the megahits 'Rio' and 'Hungry Like the Wolf'. Shoutout to the mean bass on 'My Own Way' and 'New Religion' - that shit slaps! Also amuses me that 'The Chauffeur' is the perfect song for the movie Drive - written 30 years prior.

wasn't particularly feeling this until i rolled up the sleeves of my blazer. at that point i couldn't keep my boat shoes still.

Great album. Worth it just for "Rio," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "Save a Prayer," but I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album, especially "New Religion," which was surprisingly funky. If you like new wave, then this album's for you (but you probably already knew that).

Big fan of Duran Duran back in the day, but probably never listened to this one from start to finish before. It's got a lot of their great early tracks and you just can't mistake their signature sound. Was a very enjoyable listen.

4.25

Catchy, subversive new wave

Very 80s, but I’m ok rocking to the 80s. Good energy, catchy tunes, not too much synth.

I had this album as a little kid so it is heavily intertwined with my memories. Some of the saxophone is a little saccharin, but the keyboard and vocal sound characteristics seem timeless-- especially in light of the advent of new synthpop over the last decade especially. Hungry Like the Wolf and Save a Prayer were the ones that I remember most singing with friends on the bus or loving at the school dance. HLTW is still a windows-down, crank it up song while all the kids at the red light are desperately Shazamming it.

Top Songs: Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, Hold Back The Rain, The Chauffeur Very fun. Several bops. All-around good album. 4/5

that eighties sound! One of their best

Duran Duran is one of those bands I always enjoy when they're on but haven't really sat down and listened to much. This album is really great though. Catchy, and 80s feeling but in a way that doesn't feel overly dated.

New wave boos are up and down this album. It does suffer from sounding too similar throughout. Enjoyable even if you aren’t the biggest fan of that ‘80s style.

Love it. Will revisit.

Some of these reviews (see the last couple) are based on my memory and a few tracks of "relistening" to reacquaint myself. I know nothing about this band and I couldn't tell you anything about this record except the title track, so I'm going to listen all the way through. Because I should know more about this band's catalog. Impressions: Holy shit, actual musicianship. This isn't programmed MIDI bullshit. This is such a classic record. I like the cover. What was once cool, became dated, and now I can't tell if this record is from 1982 or 2022. What drums are real or triggered live vs. programmed. Hard to tell, but this band does a great job of making synthesized music have a lot of life. It sets them out from their peers who we've already reviewed on this list. The bassist rips. They're the reason why the record has so much life. Great rhythm section. That's something, again, that doesn't get said about a lot of bands from this genre/era.

+1 pour le titre

Great album, has a few big hits that even today still roam the music radios. The synth pop style is not for everyone but I do like it, it puts me in a good mood and makes for an enjoyable listening

They have one sound but it's a great sound. Everything on this album could be a single but the singles on here are classics

so cool. i only knew about "hungry like the wolf" (and that was because i remember it being in big fat liar lol). i think i have to listen to this one again because despite liking it as a whole i can't recall any other particular songs off the top of my head.

Made me very Nostalgic for camping with older cousins

Critics didn't know what to do in regards to Duran Duran. Did they not expect them to be utterly influential to the point of being considered one of the first standard bearers of a nascent music video channel? I don't know about you but this album is a good example of not believing everything you read. Favorites: Rio, Lonely in Your Nightmare, Hungry Like the Wolf, Push Back the Rain, Last Chance on the Subway.

This album is really underrated. Mostly by me. I've gone through a lot of these 80s albums (because I don't like greatest hits packages), looking for little lost gems and usually I get a lot of hard white turds. But in this case, not so. This was a pretty excellent listen and I would do it again, without shame.

Okay, Duran Duran is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. And it's not that they're BAD...but would I put them on the upper echelon of greatness? Is every track S-tier? Definitely not. Did I enjoy this album more than some albums from huge legendary musicians and bands, though? Hell yeah. What can I say? I have a weakness for 80s synth-pop and danceable shit. It's glossy in a totally delightful way. I defy anyone to not enjoy "Rio" (an underrated karaoke classic) and Hungry Like the Wolf (very tame sexual references by today's standards but probably scandalous at the time to have a lady moaning on the track). Giving this a bonus star for enjoyability. Also because my dad called Duran Duran "boring" and someone's gotta counteract that energy. Take that, dad. :)

It sounds good but i'm not a huge fan of synth-pop so I was not hooked

That new wave old Duran hits different

A rad runaround of catchiness. So of the better 80s synth music

Pretty classic. 4/5.

Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. They are a real embodiment of the 80s. Random thought, but the last song "The Chauffeur" has a really cool sound and seems like its just begging for a modern remake with a big drop on the chorus.

7/10. Better than I expected. Really enjoyed the first half, the B side felt rather weaker though

Had a couple slow downs but pretty groovy overall. 7/10

Rioooo

Solid album. I knew some of the songs but didn’t realize it was Duran Duran. The whole album feels like a concentrated drop of the ‘80s to me. My favorites were Lonely in Your Nightmare and Hungry Like the Wolf.

This is a great album but not perfect; it does get a bit formulaic in parts but you can't deny the greatness of "Rio", "The Chauffeur", and my favorite, "Save a Prayer".

Basic but great

Great '80s Band!

I’ve know a few songs of Duran Duran from the radio, only never took the time to look up an full album. I liked this one, the whole album has a bit the same sound and still a good amount of variety between the songs. Favourite songs: - My own way - Hungry like the wolf - Save a prayer

Respect the album, but not for me

Big Sparkes energy - expect to hear their influence all over the 80s now that I've watched the Edgar Wright doc.

80s pop. Can’t go wrong.

* very enjoyable

I never got big into Duran Duran when I was growing up. I will give them big props, their sound is very 80s but it's definitely good at what it does. I was very impressed with the non hits of this one for the most part. They were all very solid... except for the Chauffeur. Yikes. Not sure what they were going for there, but that was a real bad song to end the album with. "Save A Prayer," THAT is an album closer. The Chauffeur felt like a b-side to me. It was a real filler. Kind of left a bad taste in my mouth about the whole album. So I did enjoy it (on the strength of the hit songs I did know), but not as much as I had hoped and I blame that a lot on that last song. It's not very to do that, I guess, but I calls 'em like I sees 'em.

solid. nostalgia from my childhood! all the girls loved duran duran

Reminds me of dead mans party. This is totally what I would listen to as a teen in the 80s.

I knew a few of the singles off this album of course, but I didn't know the whole album was so great! I really enjoyed this the whole way through. Favorites: Rio, Hold Back the Rain, The Chauffeur

3.5

Very nice shiny pop music. I really enjoyed listening to that!!

Dromerige New Wave met enkele gekende hits. Kon me wel bekoren

Très bon album new wave. Honnêtement aggréablement surpris, pas vraiment de moment faible dessus.

One of the first non-Beatles albums I ever bought. Still quite a lot of fun

Hits are hits, but everything else is a bit lackluster. Rounding up because Blue Paul Giamatti

Fun and fresh, iconic sounds of the 80s. Rio and Hungry Like A Wolf are the obvious biggest hitters on this album, Save a Prayer was also enjoyable, other songs don't have quite the same impact.

pleasantly surprised. it grew on me. pretty solid album overall. 4.5

I don't really enjoy the 80s synth wave, so probably i won't listen to it ever again. I have to admit tho: the bass guitar is really interesting, with a lot of funky influences, quite funny to hear. The last track, The chauffeur, is the most interesting to me: really experimental, I also heard some Kraftwerk influences so it's definitely the reason I gave 4 instead of 3.

As a child of the 80's this took me right back. Rio was always a favourite Duran Duran song and it's also got Hungry like the Wolf what's not to love.

Unreal album. Great way to get an evening started. Great energy.

Understandable why they were so successful for 80s pop. Never loved Duran Duran, but this albums got good flow and indisputably catchy songs, can’t count much against it, other than nothing on the album blows me away

Spring Break 1983. Love it!

Some heavy hitting radio hits on this one.

New Wave Second British Invasion. Duran Duran's second album made them the success they are, and with four hits on the album, it's clear to see why. Great 80's album.

// Favs: – Score: Light 4

While I appreciate the 80s sound, I've never really "got" Duran Duran. This has been a great excuse to listen to the album in its entirety and... I know it's good music but I'll definitely need to listen to it more regularly.

As far as I remember sexy boy / Simon Le Bon WAS Duran Duran. There were others in the band but somehow he was the only one that mattered. But that was 40 years ago and my mind has turned to mush since then. These days, I spend time trying to mentally separate Tom LaBonge, from Tom Delonge and Simon Le Bon from Cinnabon. Mmmmm.... Cinnabon — yummy, indulgent, sweet and warm. Cinnabon's brother, Simon is everything Cinnabon is but likely a complete and total dick. He seems like the kind of guy that'll park in a handicapped spot, try to screw your girlfriend and your sister at the same time and probably begins sentences with the phrase "Do you know who I am...?' But that voice of his... OMG. Is it possible to extricate that voice from the music and put it in my trousers? On tracks like Save a Prayer and Hold Back the Rain, Lonely in your Nightmare, Le Bon's voice gently blends into the music underneath in absolute perfection. Whomever produced this earned their money. The Wolf song is sexy fun and the others, except for the title track, are good too. All said, Rio is a great album, a composition of strong, sharp baselines, synth-y etherials, some disco drums and that oh so sexy-boy voice. YUM! Be forewarned before listening. Try to control yourself and bring some napkins. Similar to Cinnabon, Simon and his voice could easily leave you feeling weightless with a mess of sugary goo on your hands after you've finished. Four stars.

Those synths. Those bass lines. Simon Lebon. I wore this cassette out completely. Seeing Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf on MTV was transformative. And I was like 11! The 80s had arrived. Wanna give this a 4 so bad ...

I’m looking forward to listening again and again, and this could be a 5 star for me in the near future.

Solid 80s album that really separates itself from the 70s style. Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf are great songs. The whole album doesn’t have a bad song. 7.8/10

Great new wave record- includes mega hits Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf. Really gives some context to these songs that I had heard before.

Interesting music Quick drums 4/5

Duran Duran is one of my favorite 80s bands. Two undeniable hits (Rio, ...Wolf), a super strong near-hit (Save a Prayer - a personal fave) and the sleeper New Religion make this album a must-have for me. The rest of the album is unremarkable, but only one or two completely miss the mark. Put on your parachute pants and an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt with your favorite day-glo message and dance your butt off to this album!

oldie but goldie

Great album with some big hits

very groovy😁

i liked tis one FT: 4

Slick as hell, with a lot of sick bass lines

good!

Ace

Never consciously listened to Duran Duran before. Really liked the album. Sounds pretty modern for its time!

Punchy and fun, I want to drive to the beach while listening to this album.

More listenable than I'd expected. Made me think of Men At Work. Liked this better than I expected, would listen again.

very very 80s

yes sam

Enjoyed this one, I'd give it a 3.5. Dunno if I'd come back to it much but still. Also what kind of a genre name is 'new wave'? What's the deal with just putting 'core' and 'wave' after random words?

Definitely 80s cheesy but like Prince, puts together enough awesome guitar licks (bass in Duran Durans case) and have tight enough song composition that they are the rare exception to the rule of "80's pop rock sucked"

Proper 80s

Pure new romance yacht. Surprisingly good! Best Tracks: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Hold Back the Rain

THE definitive Duran Duran album!

Hyvä levyhän tämä oli, olin aina kuvitellut että Duran Duran olisi jonkinlainen lälly poikabändi, jota tuon ajan tytöt fanittivat, mutta ihan asiallista kasaripoppiahan tämä oli. Paljon soittimia ja taidokkaan kuuloista toteutusta. Erityisesti levyn nimibiisi on menevä, myös Hungry like the wolf jäi mieleen.

Funkier than I expected: lots of slap bass and sixteenths on the hi hat.

Started listening thinking Id hate it but a great album- even the ubiquitous songs that you've heard 1000s times of before sound better as part of an album. Glad to be proved wrong.

Solid 80s Vibes throughout, very classic

This "Rock" album is one of a kind. I love Duran Duran and finally listening through this album has made me appreciate them more as just a band that made Hungry Like the Wolf. Even though I wasn't born until 1999, I feel like I can say that this album is very unique for its time. Every song seems to sound similar but also sounds funky and fresh. I'm not good at writing reviews so here's the jist of what I think about this album, "This is the 80s man!" -Joseph Klein

Now this is an album I grew up with. Not the entire album but there are some gems in this one and we are jumping into the 80’s Rock/Pop genre which I love. Duran Duran has such a unique sound that few have been able to replicate over the years. There is some kind of synth that feels like Manheim Steamroller but also brass that reminds me of Chicago. It’s a wild mixture of music that works well. Already on Hungry Like the Wolf, my favorite of the album. This was something my brothers and I danced to when we were young, maybe even on camera. This was also a fantastic music video. Hold Back the Rain was alright, a weaker track but it’s hard, if not impossible, to actually hold back the rain so I give them credit for trying. In New Religion, the vocals seem interlaced over one another but the beat is interesting. I also really like the synths in Save a Prayer. Overall, this is a fun 80’s album perfect for driving or at an 80’s themed party.

Um álbum com Rio e Save a Prayer não pode ter menos de 4 estrelas <3

9

3.5

already have, a good album but not as good as I-IV

Very good. Very 80s. Lots of hits, sometimes sounds similar but overall lots of bops.

Very good. Very 80s. Lots of hits, sometimes sounds similar but overall lots of bops.

Classic Synth-Pop/New Romantic, truly enjoyable!

Good

La canción más famosa (aunque no la mejor) del disco es “Rio”, mezcla sofisticada de sintetizadores, bajo funk y riffs de guitarra mientras Simon LeBon canta sobre la atractiva modelo que titula el tema. Otras canciones del LP son la atmosférica y oscura “The Chauffeur”, uno de los mejores momentos del álbum, la disco-funk “My Own Way”, con John Taylor luciéndose al bajo, la cacería amorosa techno-pop de “Hungry Like The Wolf”, o la balada sobre un encuentro sexual pasajero “Save A Prayer”, destacada por su melodía y un original trabajo en los sintetizadores.

miesi bangers si uf jede druff

AND IM HUNGRY LIKE THE WOOOLLFFF

Overall impressive. I liked the theatricality in some of the tracks. Got a bit predictable and samey sounding after a while but still quite pleasant.

Creo que decir que este disco es ochenterísimo es entender las cosas al revés. Los 80s son Durandurancísimos y este disco lo prueba. Save A Prayer fue mi favorita, Hungry Like the Wolf y Rio destacan, lo demás no resaltó mucho más, sin embargo, el sonido de la banda es excelente y el disco se siente completo, bien balanceado y definitivamente quiero escuchar más de ellos.

This one was solidly 80s and good background music. I give it a solid 4.