Best 80s New Wave

Propaganda "A Secret Wish," the 12" remixes, and live.
Depeche Mode
Psych Furs
Love and Rockets
Sisters of Mercy
The Mission UK
Siouxsie & the Banshees
Peter Murphy/ Bauhaus
OMD
Dead Can Dance
The Cure
Cocteau Twins
The Chameleons
New Order

Some of these bands were a sub-genre of New Wave.

Very true, n80. I'm trying to think of other bands from the 1st wave who changed their colours.

I saw UK Squeeze in ’77 in a small NYC club. They were part of the punk invasion and were cursing and spitting on the crowd ala Sex Pistols. It was an ugly scene.

Their early stuff is not at all like the band who later became Squeeze.

INXS definitely part of New Wave. Original Sin, I Need You Tonight, quite a few others played on 80s, 90s radio and in clubs.

The 1980s included the original Gothic movement. Emerging from post-punk, it was inspired by art, music, literature, religion, spirituality.

Sisters of Mercy
The Mission UK
The March Violets
All About Eve
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Bauhaus
Tones On Tail
Joy Division (late 70s)
Siouxsie & The Banshees
The Cure
The Virgin Prunes
Lords of the New Church
Southern Death Cult/ The Cult
Specimen
Fields of the Nephilim
Rosetta Stone
Inkubus Sukkubus
The Damned
Xmal Deutschland
Christian Death
Alien Sex Fiend
Nick Cave
The Birthday Party
Clan of Xymox
Nico and The Velvet Underground (a major influence for the genre).

And if you were a part of this movement, there was no such thing as a "Goth." This term was used to describe the next generation of bands, fans, and poseurs.

Mark Burgess released the
"Sun and the Moon" after the Chameleons.
Very much worth a listen. 

George Marino and Barry are Diamont listed in the credits.
I had the record years ago, it was a high quality production.