The Human League peaks to No.1 with their signature song, the smash hit “Don’t You Want Me” in 1981

The synth-pop song became an absolute 1980’s classic

The Human League peaks to No.1 with their signature song, the smash hit “Don’t You Want Me” in 1981



Released on 27th November 1981 as the fourth single from The Human League’s third album “Dare”, “Don’t You Want Me” was written by lead singer Philip Oake, Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright. It was the band’s first song where one the two backing vocals singers,Susan Ann Sulley, take also the place of lead vocalist. To the amazement of the band (and especially Oakey), it entered the UK Singles Chart at No.9 and shot to number one the following week on December 12th , remaining there over the Christmas period for a total of five weeks. It ultimately became the biggest selling single to be released in 1981, and the fifth biggest selling single of the entire decade. Its success was repeated six months later in the US, with “Don’t You Want Me” hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Billboard magazine ranked it as the sixth-biggest hit of 1982. The Human League became one of the biggest bands during the 1980’s due to their synth-pop sound and scored other hits with “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” and “Human”, but “Don’t You Want Me” still remains their only No.1.



Look back at the 1981 music video for “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League



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