Duran Duran — “Skin Trade”

Entered Top 40: March 14, 1987
1 week
Peaked at: 39

The run had to end sooner or later. “Skin Trade” was the first US Duran Duran single in five years to miss the Top 20. Duran Duran were the quintessential early-MTV band: a bunch of good-looking, well-coiffed guys from Birmingham (UK) with a lot of hook-y pop songs, backed by slick music videos in exotic locales. Their 1981 debut didn’t do much initial business in the US, but their videos for UK singles were all ready for MTV and syndicated video packages. Buzz grew, and by the time of their second album, Rio (1982), the band’s labels EMI and Capitol were more than happy to make Beatle comparisons and hype them as the vanguard of a “second British Invasion.” For more detail, I recommend Tom Breihan’s writeups of their two Number One singles, “The Reflex” and “A View to A Kill.”

After a big world tour in 1984 and splitting into two side projects (Arcadia and The Power Station), Duran Duran tried to reconvene in 1986 and were suddenly a trio. Drummer Roger Taylor quit, citing exhaustion. Guitarist Andy Taylor decided to go solo (for people not around in the 20th century, I should mention here that Duran Duran members John, Roger, and Andy Taylor are all unrelated). John Taylor, Simon LeBon, and Nick Rhodes recorded Notorious with session musicians Warren Cuccurullo and Steve Ferrone. The title track did well as a single (#2, blocked by “Walk Like an Egyptian”), but despite the album getting positive contemporary reviews from a music press that had occasionally seen them as inane prettyboys, by “Skin Trade,” the desire for new Duran Duran music was sated for the moment.

There was a bit of controversy regarding “Skin Trade’s” original sleeve, which seems silly considering Duran Duran’s start with risque music videos. In any case, Notorious’s third single, “Meet El Presidente,” did even worse, plateauing at #70. 1988’s Big Thing would be Duran Duran’s last studio album in the 1980s; they’d get back in the Top Ten with “I Don’t Want Your Love” (#4).

In 1993 Duran Duran made a surprising comeback; with grunge and hip-hop now the relevant trends for the kids, “Ordinary World” and “Come Undone” still ended up as became the group’s last Top 10 hits (#4 and #7, respectively), and among the bigger songs of the year. In 2001 all five original members were back in the lineup; Andy Taylor would leave again in 2006. They’d do some work with Timbaland and Mark Ronson would produce later albums, and still tour a lot. Duran Duran’s 2023 tour was a huge deal among my lady friends of a certain age; it was adorable.