Girls Rock The '80s (Medley): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures everything that made '80s women-led rock so exhilarating: driving rhythms, memorable hooks, and vocal lines that sit beautifully across SSA voicing. Your singers get to own these iconic songs without apology, and the medley format keeps energy high across 23 pages of material that audiences genuinely recognize and love.

Unapologetically fun and empowering. These songs pump with '80s radio energy: synth-driven grooves, layered vocal textures, and a sense of joy that comes from performing music you actually hear on speakers. Your singers will feel the thrill of rocking a medley that their parents recognize and their peers respect.

Choirs with singers aged 14 and up who thrive on contemporary rock and pop repertoire. This works equally well for festival appearances, pops concerts, or any program where you need music that energizes both performers and audience.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the pop/rock sections; these songs live and die by their groove, so lock the pulse early in rehearsal and maintain it relentlessly.
• Shape the vocal lines around Patty Smyth's signature attitude. Encourage confident, conversational singing rather than operatic phrasing.
• Use dynamics to separate medley segments clearly. Give each song its own character so transitions feel intentional, not rushed.
• Lean into the recorded accompaniment to help singers absorb the original arrangements; familiarity builds both confidence and authenticity.

Perfect for the lighter half of a mixed concert or as your closing number when you want the audience leaving energized. The medley format makes it an ideal 10-minute set that stands on its own without needing filler, or pair it with other '70s and '80s pop arrangements to create a themed set list.

• Sustaining rhythmic precision across pop/rock grooves
• Coordinating multi-part voicing in fast-moving medley sections
• Building vocal confidence in contemporary commercial music styles
• Responding to modern rhythm section accompaniment with flexibility
• Shaping phrase direction through dynamics and inflection rather than vibrato