Duran Duran's singles stand the test of time

April 5, 2013

Twenty-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, two official greatest hits albums, and more than a hundred million record sales later, Duran Duran is back in the studio. And the band is sure to come up with some gems that live up to the glory of singles past.

"Good couple of days with Duran and Mark Ronson getting songs together for the new album," guitarist Dom Brown wrote Thursday on Twitter. "I think it's gonna be a great one!"

Here's a look back at Duran Duran's top 10 singles, not based solely on their performance on the charts, but on their resonance in the band's career and in pop culture:

"Ordinary World": The first single from the band's 1990s reboot marks Duran's finest hour to date. The song is anything but ordinary: It's a ballad without a hint of sappiness, and a chance for all four members to shine without showboating. Nick Rhodes' orchestral synths, John Taylor's soothing bass line, Warren Cuccurullo's soaring guitar solos, and Simon Le Bon's vocal and lyrical performance meld to make this album track pure perfection.

"Careless Memories": It was a bit of a chart dud for the fledgling band from Birmingham, but the song has stood the test of time musically. It's now a live staple, and the studio track is every bit as good.

"Save a Prayer": Still a touchstone for the band and its "Rio" heyday. Live, Le Bon never fails to make fans swoon when he strums his guitar.

"Rio": The video of Duran's voyage via yacht is one of the band's most memorable moments among the public at large, and the song has become expected during the band's live encores.

"The Relex": The Nile Rodgers-remixed track was the band's first single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and it never fails to get people on the dance floor.

"A View to a Kill": Still the only James Bond theme to hit No. 1 on Billboard, the song is perhaps the highlight of the film of the same name.

"Notorious": It was a hit in 1986, and it continued to pay off for the band over the years with its references by rapper Notorious B.I.G. and the cult movie "Donnie Darko."

"I Don't Want Your Love": The top five single was a highlight of the band's late '80s output. The video introduced Cuccurullo to casual fans, and he soon became an official member.

"Serious": A dud on arrival, the band revived the song for its live shows during its "Wedding Album"-era comeback. This seriously underrated track even made the cut for Duran's "Greatest" album.

"What Happens Tomorrow": Although the single didn't perform spectacularly on the charts, it was a highlight of the Fab Five's reunion, performed memorably for the "Live From London" concert DVD.

Honorable mentions: "Planet Earth," "Girls On Film," "Is There Something I Should Know," "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Wild Boys," "Come Undone," "(Reach Up for the) Sunrise."