New Wave: Dare to be Different (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

2017 · 95 mins · English

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Directed by

Ellen Goldfarb

Starring

Joan Jett, Jeff Beck, Nick Rhodes, Cy Curnin, Debbie Harry, Ron Delsener

This is the story of WLIR, a small radio station on Long Island, New York, that profoundly shaped American music. In 1982, a group of radio pioneers recognized they couldn't compete with larger stations, so they made a bold decision to change the sound of radio forever. Featuring interviews with artists like U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, and more, the documentary explores how WLIR battled record labels, the FCC, and established norms to bring the New Wave music movement to a massive audience and sell over half a billion records.