| TAINTEDLOVE | 1981 Top 10 hit for Soft Cell, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues? |
| TAINTED | ___ Love (1981 hit for Soft Cell) |
| DONHENLEY | Stevie Nicks's duet partner (also a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) on the 1981 top 10 hit Leather and Lace: 2 wds. |
| TOMPETTY | Stevie Nicks's duet partner (also a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) on the 1981 top 10 hit Stop Draggin' My Heart Around: 2 wds. |
| ELECTROPOP | Music genre associated with Soft Cell and Billie Eilish (10) |
| SYNTH | Genre of music performed by acts including Soft Cell and Alphaville, _-pop (5) |
| CHISEL | 50 leave his cell and a cutting tool is discovered in it (6) |
| DNA | Letters in a cell, and a punny description of 16-, 25-, 43-, and 56-Across |
| ITSRAINING | 1981 top ten hit for Shakin' Stevens |
| THETEARDROPEXPLODES | Group fronted by Julian Cope best known for their 1981 top ten single Reward (3,8,8) |
| IWANTTOBEFREE | 1981 top ten single by Toyah |
| ENZYME | Protein produced by living cells and a catalyst in biochemical reactions (6) |
| BREAKITUP | Stop a fight ... and a hint to a literal feature of the answers to starred clues |
| CHAOSMAGIC | Power that enables the Scarlet Witch to rewrite reality, and a hidden feature of the answers to the starred clues? |
| LINCOLNCENTER | Performing arts site where ground was broken 5/14/1959, and a hint to the shared feature of the answers to starred clues |
| SURROUNDSOUND | Home theater feature, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues? |
| INSIDEBET | Kind of wager in roulette, and a feature of the answers to this puzzle's starred clues |
| RESIDENTEVIL | Horror video game/film franchise, and a literal feature of the answers to the starred clues |
| MAKEITADOUBLE | Bar request, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues |
| HIDDENFEES | Unexpected charges, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues |
