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The 2022 year-end celebration continues with a look at the hits of 1982. A decade had passed since funk emerged as a chart topping phenomenon in 1972 (NYE Episode Pt.1). The politically charged, socially conscious funk of the early 70s had given way to the decadence of the disco era, which left many funk purists with a bitter taste in their mouths. But in disco’s wake, a new wave movement, fueled by affordable technological advances such as drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers, ushered in the age of electro-funk, bringing new life, and a younger generation of listeners, to the genre.

Ultimately, Prince’s “Minnesota Sound” and Michael Jackson’s synthesized disco-pop would rule the decade. But in ’82, relative newcomers Zapp and Roger, make the TalkBox a household name, The Gap Band takes center stage as dance floor favorites, Kashif, a former disco musician turned producer, develops a new funk sub-genre, and most surprisingly, the Queen of Soul, and two of Motown’s biggest stars find their way back to the top of the charts.