Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung was a British new wave musical group.
Originally called Huang Chung from the Chinese for "perfect pitch" (though they later claimed it was the sound a guitar made on American Bandstand), the band formed in 1980. The lineup consisted of vocalist/guitarist Jack Hues, bassist Nick Feldman and drummer Darren Costin. Their self-titled debut was released in 1982 after several singles, including the minor post-punk hit "Isn't It About Time We Were On TV". In 1984, having changed ther name to Wang Chung (supposedly to make pronunciation easier for English-speakers), they released Points on the Curve, which yielded two major hits, "Don't Let Go" (#36 US) and "Dance Hall Days" (#16 US).
Director William Friedkin specifically sought out Wang Chung to score his 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A. The resulting soundtrack is recognizable as their work, but largely eschews conventional pop song formulas for a more atmospheric and textured approach.
In 1986, Costin left the band and Hues and Feldman continued to record. The same year, they had their biggest hits: "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (#2 US, featuring the oft-quoted lyric "Everybody Wang Chung tonight") and "Let's Go" (#9 US), both from the album Mosaic. Not long after releasing their final album The Warmer Side of Cool in 1989, Wang Chung disbanded.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |||
| US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | UK | |||
| 1989 | "Praying to a New God" | - | #22 | - | - | The Warmer Side of Cool |
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart