A successful anthem requires the definition of a cohesive we—a sense of solidarity within a group. However, as the 1980s dawned, existing collective forms appeared either exhausted or perilous. From individual couples to the universal class, social formations seemed to have disengaged from the gears of history, rendering them ineffective. In response to this predicament, “Under Pressure” diverges from targeting a specific segment of society as its audience; instead, it embraces a conglomerate audience. The song commences with the portrayal of a lone couple and concludes with a vision of a planetary society, acknowledging intermediate levels of connection along the way. Thus, the song presents not a singular but a multitude of interconnected collective conceptions of the coming society. It engages in experimentation with new models of both large- and small-scale social relations. This is the most a pop anthem can do in an era of counterrevolutionary deadlock.
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