Simple Minds

Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, originally centred on singer Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill. Their music has been associated with post-punk, new wave and arena rock, and they are best known internationally for “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, their breakthrough US hit from 1985. 

The band emerged from Glasgow’s late-1970s punk environment and released their debut album Life in a Day (1979), followed by a run of increasingly ambitious post-punk records. Their major commercial breakthrough began in the early 1980s with albums such as New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) (1982), which established them as a significant UK and European act. 

Simple Minds reached peak global visibility in the mid-1980s. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, recorded for The Breakfast Club, reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, and albums such as Once Upon a Time (1985) consolidated their stadium-era profile. In the UK, they also achieved a number 1 single with “Belfast Child” (1989). 

From the 1990s onwards, Simple Minds continued releasing studio albums and touring, with multiple line-up changes around Kerr and Burchill. Their later years have been characterised by ongoing international touring and archival and documentary projects, alongside new recordings and anniversary releases tied to their 1980s catalogue. 

Major reference sources commonly report that Simple Minds have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. Their legacy rests on a sustained transition from post-punk origins to global pop-rock success, with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” remaining a widely recognised example of 1980s film-linked popular music.