"
Ghost Town" is a
1981 song by the
British 2 Tone band
The Specials. The song spent three weeks at number one and 10 weeks in total in the
top 40 of the
UK Singles Chart. Addressing themes of
urban decay,
deindustrialisation,
unemployment and
violence in
inner cities, the song is remembered for being a hit at the same time as
riots were occurring in British cities. Internal tensions within the band were also coming to a head when the single was being recorded, resulting in the song being the last single recorded by the original seven members of the group before splitting up. However, the song was hailed by the contemporary UK music press as a major piece of popular
social commentary, and all three of the major UK music magazines of the time awarded "Ghost Town" the accolade of "Single of the Year" for 1981.