Madness

The Sire Records release of the Madness single “Madness” in 1980 is notable for being part of the band’s early attempts to break into the U.S. market. The track itself was a cover of the Prince Buster song “Madness” (from which the band took its name), and it had already been released in the UK as the B-side to their hit single “The Prince” in 1979.

In the U.S., Sire Records released “Madness” as a standalone single to introduce the band’s unique ska-pop sound. Sire was known for signing cutting-edge British bands and trying to expose them to a wider American audience, and Madness was no exception. This release came around the same time as the band’s debut album One Step Beyond…, which Sire also handled in the U.S.

While it didn’t achieve significant commercial success in the U.S. at the time, the release helped establish Madness as part of the second wave of ska, often referred to as the “2-Tone” movement. It also introduced American listeners to the band’s energetic style, which would later gain them a larger following with singles like “Our House” in the mid-’80s.

The 1980 Sire Records release of “Madness” was a key part of the band’s initial foray into the U.S. market, though it didn’t bring the same level of success that Madness enjoyed in the UK. Despite the band’s growing popularity in Britain—bolstered by the success of their singles like “One Step Beyond” and “My Girl”—the American audience was not as receptive at first. The single “Madness” was part of a broader effort by Sire to promote the band, capitalizing on the rising global interest in ska and the 2-Tone movement. However, this strategy faced challenges in a U.S. market still largely dominated by rock, disco, and emerging New Wave sounds.