Why Is 80s Italo Trendy And 90s Europop Not?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The subject line sez it all frankly!

I am assuming - from the evidence of my ears - that the one is no better than the other. How did Italo become such a buzzword? Do you like it? If so why? (Please do not be defensive and assume I do not like it!!)

Comments

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

'Is "Tarzan Boy" typical of "Italo" or is it actually a poppier outpost?'

In my experience (not expert) it's very much the latter. I was surprised to see it being labelled as Italo myself and unsure of the real connections, other than being from the mid 80s it shares certain sonic elements. But I could be being too narrow re Italo definition.

[koganbot]

Well, its composer and (I think) producer, Maurizio Bassi, has an Italian name and is widely believed - on the Web, anyway - to be the real singer on "Tarzan Boy," with Jimmy McShane just lip-synching in the vid. I haven't confirmed this. Most of the songs I listed above are as poppy as "Baltimora," so if they're "Italo" then so is "Baltimora." A lot of 'em could equally be classed "Hi-NRG." And maybe "Italo" and "Hi-NRG" at various points in the '80s are virtual synonyms for "Europop," wherever the record actually turns out to have been made. (Lime and Trans-X on my list turn out to be from Canada, along with Tapps.)