Another day, another 80s New Wave one-hit wonder. This time it’s The Buggles, whose ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ topped the charts in five countries and made it to #40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song’s profile was boosted two years later, when MTV chose its video as the first ever on the fledgling channel. Nineteen years after that, in 2000, it became the one millionth video aired on MTV.
The Buggles released only two albums, and neither produced another top ten hit. But they had modest success with ‘Living in the Plastic Age,’ the single following ‘Video Killed the Radio Star.’
I think I like this track even better than ‘Radio Star,’ which feels like a novelty due to its cheeky production. I’m surprised they weren’t able to ride the coattails of that hit to continued success with this one.
Every day my metal friend
Shakes my bed at 6am
Then the shiny serving clones
Run in with my telephones
Talking fast I make a deal
Buy the fake and sell what’s real
What’s this pain here in my chest?
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Maybe I should take a rest
[Chorus]
They send the heart police to put you under cardiac arrest
And as they drag you through the door
They tell you that you’ve failed the test
Living in the…
[Verse 2]
Living in the plastic age
Looking only half my age
Hello, doctor, lift my face
I wish my skin could stand the pace
In the bed I read my mind
Remember how the mice were blind
I watch them fighting in their cage
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Could this be the plastic age?
[Chorus]
They send the heart police to put you under cardiac arrest
And as they drag you through the door
They tell you that you’ve failed the test
Living in the…
[Post-Chorus]
Plastic age
Plastic age
Plastic age
[Chorus]
They send the heart police to put you under cardiac arrest
And as they drag you through the door
They tell you that you’ve failed the test
Living in the…
[Outro]
Plastic age
Plastic age
Plastic age
Meet Me In Montauk 
“Video Killed the Radio Star” may well be the most iconic and culturally significant one-hit-wonder of all time.
As you probably know, Trevor Horn went on to produce extraordinary albums by Grace Jones, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Yes, ABC, Seal, The Art Of Noise and the list goes on and on. You could do many weeks of daily posts featuring the fruits of his production genius! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Horn