The Age Of Plastic  by The Buggles

The album The Age of Plastic by Buggles (Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes) was released in January 1980 (with recording completed at the end of 1979) and is considered one of the most influential records that bridged the '70s with the electronic pop of the '80s. The album is a concept album that explores the relationship between humans and technology, alienation, and nostalgia for the past. The lyrics, influenced by writer J.G. Ballard, express both excitement and fear for the digital future.

From a musical perspective, it is a mixture of synth-pop, new wave, and art pop, with elements of disco and progressive rock. The creators described it as "science fiction in music" or "modern psychedelia." Trevor Horn's production was revolutionary for the time, using multilayered synthesizers (such as the Prophet 5 and the Minimoog), drum machines, and voice effects (vocoders). Horn was heavily influenced by Kraftwerk and sought a "plastic," artificial sound that reflected the album's themes. The single Video Killed The Radio Star, their biggest hit, reached No.1 in 16 countries and sold over 5,000,000 copies worldwide. The music video for the song made history as it was the first music video ever broadcast by MTV on August 1, 1981, marking the beginning of a new era for the music industry. The cover reflects the futuristic and "plastic" aesthetic of the album, highlighting the idea that the Buggles were a "plastic group" for a "plastic age."

The Age of Plastic reached No.27 on the UK charts. Although sales of the album itself were relatively moderate compared to the singles, it established Trevor Horn as one of the top producers of the decade.