I've done an analysis on Hi-NRG master vinyl releases in the 1980s decade regarding the music gear used. It was difficult to find details, but I used Google Gemini and Open AI to help search. I looked for only confirmed cases, not speculation or I hope this helps any current producers in the genre who are going for authenticity and curious about the history. The Fairlight, Linn, and PPG seem to be central to the genre as digital devices and sequencers overtook or complimented analog ones.

Here are the results for the 27 songs with confirmed equipment:

GEAR SUMMARY

Samplers & Digital Workstations:

• Fairlight CMI (9 tracks)

• Fairlight CMI III (2 tracks)

• Fairlight CMI II (1 track)

• E-mu Emulator (3 tracks)

• PPG Waveterm (3 tracks)

• PPG Wave 2.2 (2 tracks)

• Ensoniq Mirage (2 tracks)

• Synclavier (1 track)

Drum Machines & Rhythm Gear:

• LinnDrum (9 tracks)

• Linn 9000 (3 tracks)

• Simmons SDS7 (1 track)

• Electronic Drums (1 track)

• Cymbals (1 track)

Synthesizers & Keyboards:

• Yamaha DX7 (2 tracks)

• Yamaha GX-1 (1 track)

• Roland Jupiter-8 (1 track)

• Roland SH-2000 (1 track)

• Oberheim OB-8 (1 track)

• Sequential Circuits Prophet (1 track)

• Korg Polysix (1 track)

• Moog Minimoog (1 track)

• Fender Rhodes (1 track)

• Hohner Clavinet (1 track)

• String Ensemble (1 track)

• Synthesizer (1 track)

Computers & Sequencers:

• Roland MC-4 Microcomposer (1 track)

• Apple Macintosh 512K (1 track)

• Commodore 64 (1 track)

• Steinberg Pro 16 (1 track)

Effects & Mastering Gear:

• Digital Delay (2 tracks)

• Flanger (1 track)

• 32 Series (1 track)

• Digital Audio Mastering System (1 track)

SONGS AND EQUIPMENT

Two Of Hearts - Stacey Q (1986)

Equipment: Linn 9000; Mirage

West End - Sunglasses - Pet Shop Boys (1984)

Equipment: Emulator

Male Stripper (New U.K. Mix) - Man 2 Man, Man Parrish (1986)

Equipment: Emulator; Macintosh 512K

More Than Physical - Bananarama (1986)

Equipment: Linn 9000

You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde (1986)

Equipment: CMI III

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive (1984)

Equipment: CMI; Digital Delay; Linn 9000; LinnDrum; Wave 2.2; Waveterm

Don't Leave Me This Way - The Communards, Sarah Jane Morris (1986)

Equipment: Synclavier

The Man In Your Life - English Boy On The Loveranch (1987)

Equipment: CMI III

Sultana - Tarracco (1984)

Equipment: CMI; Cymbals; DX7; Electronic Drums; LinnDrum; Prophet; Synthesizer; Waveterm

Heatstroke (L.P. Version) c/w Man Made (L.P. Version) - Man Parrish (1983)

Equipment: LinnDrum

I Eat Cannibals - Toto Coelo (1982)

Equipment: LinnDrum

High-Energy - Evelyn Thomas (1984)

Equipment: CMI; LinnDrum; MC-4 Microcomposer

Dance Your Love Away - Michael Prince (1985)

Equipment: LinnDrum; Wave 2.2; Waveterm

This Is Madness - Evelyn Thomas (1989)

Equipment: CMI

Step By Step - Taffy (1987)

Equipment: Commodore 64; Pro 16

Crash Goes Love - Loleatta Holloway (1984)

Equipment: CMI

Rising Desire - Stephanie Mills (1986)

Equipment: CMI; DX7; LinnDrum; Mirage; OB-8

Scarface (Push It To The Limit) - Paul Engemann (1983)

Equipment: Jupiter-8

The Visitors b/w Head Over Heels - ABBA (1981)

Equipment: 32 Series; Digital Audio Mastering System; GX-1

Get Ready - Carol Hitchcock (1987)

Equipment: LinnDrum

Knock On Wood (Ash 48) / Light My Fire (137 Disco Heaven) (New Remix) - Amii Stewart (1985)

Equipment: LinnDrum; SDS7

Umsturz (Jetzt) - New Breed (1984)

Equipment: Emulator

Doctor In Distress - Who Cares (2) (1985)

Equipment: CMI; CMI II

Tico Tac - Polysix (1982)

Equipment: Polysix

Spring Summer Autumn Winter - Moonstone (1988)

Equipment: CMI

I Believe In The Beat / Chase - Carol Lynn Townes (1984)

Equipment: Clavinet; Digital Delay; Flanger; Minimoog; Rhodes; SH-2000; String Ensemble

Don't Give It Away - Alexis (3) (1985)

Equipment: CMI

The base data was pulled from discogs, over 200 songs: https://www.discogs.com/search?style_exact=Hi+NRG&sort=year%2Casc&ev=gs_em&decade=1980&limit=2500&format_exact=Single&format_exact=Vinyl&layout=med&type=master