The new wave era is often dismissed for its one-hit wonders and silly haircuts, but Lori Majewski and Jonathan Bernstein's book examines the period with a great deal of love and reverence. The book focuses on particular songs of the era, from iconic smashes by A-Ha, Duran Duran, New Order, and Dexys Midnight Runners to lesser known but crucial tunes by acts like Heaven 17, the Waitresses, and Kim Wilde. Majewski and Bernstein offer their own commentary on each song, but the book emphasizes the artists' own perspective on their work with interviews that reflect on their experience in the era and how their careers progressed after the '80s.