After early 1986, what remaining new wave that was popular seemed to be transforming rapidly into the predecessors of techno and "club music", such as New Order, Erasure, Depeche Mode, The Pet Shop Boys. So, is new wave the missing link in the evolution of "club music"? With an artist like PSB or Depeche Mode, you can hear the transition to a more dance-y sound from more conventional new wave pop. It was either an evolution or keeping up with the times, as '80s pop was past its peak by the middle of 1986.

You're right.  I can't think of any new wave bands post 1985 that weren't danceable or "clubby."  From Pet Shop Boys and Erasure to the latter-decade synthpop of Camouflage, Cetu Javu, Kon Kan and Red Flag.  It's all dance music.  In some ways, though, I have trouble placing the aformentioned bands as "new wave," since to me bands like A Flock of Seagulls, Talk Talk, Bow Wow Wow and Culture Club scream more new wave to me.  I think structurally, new wave is supposed to be a pop song, not necessarily a dance or club tune. 

You're right.  I can't think of any new wave bands post 1985 that weren't danceable or "clubby."  From Pet Shop Boys and Erasure to the latter-decade synthpop of Camouflage, Cetu Javu, Kon Kan and Red Flag.  It's all dance music.  In some ways, though, I have trouble placing the aformentioned bands as "new wave," since to me bands like A Flock of Seagulls, Talk Talk, Bow Wow Wow and Culture Club scream more new wave to me.  I think structurally, new wave is supposed to be a pop song, not necessarily a dance or club tune. 


It was either that new wave had to be danceable to survive or that it transitioned as part of a general evolution from the synth-pop synthesizer sound to the electronica synthesizer sound. It's sort of "post-new wave"...new wave doesn't even necessarily have to be synthesizer heavy (XTC, for example, is definite new wave, but barely uses synthesizers. Synths were only a part of the landscape.