"Contenders" is a song by the British new wave and synth-pop band Heaven 17, released on 6 October 1986 as the first single from their fourth studio album, Pleasure One.

He wrote, "The boys show the young pretenders the right way to use an electro sound by adding a great beat and blue-eyed soul lyrics.

He added that Gregory's vocals "combine neatly with funky guitaring to make a song which breaks down the barriers between dancefloor and pop chart".

[5] Simon Reynolds of Melody Maker commented, "This one practically hurls itself off the ropes at you, solid funk brawn but light on its feet, bobbing and weaving, jabbing and pummeling and always on the attack, but, somehow, failing to deliver that hook to floor you completely.

"[6] Cath Carroll of New Musical Express was critical of the song, calling it "feeble, finger-snapping jive-talk from Heaven 17 which is even more disappointing than you'd probably imagine".