What were the greatest pop songs of the 80s? You can define “great” and “pop” however you want.
“Cars” by Gary Numan (probably spelled it wrong!)
I ran by Flock of seagulls.
Or maybe She Blinded me with Science.
Hell, I don’t know. There were a lot of songs I liked back then.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - cyndi lauper
1999 - prince
Rock This Town - stray cats
Goody Two Shoes - adam ant
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - queen
Call Me - blondie
Take On Me - ah-ha
Love Shack - b52’s
Bettie Davis Eyes - kim carnes
Jack & Diane - john cougar
…and so so so much more!
“True” by Spandau Ballet
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears
“Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads
“Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson
“I Melt With You” by Modern English
“He Can’t Love You Like I Love You”/Michael Stanley Band. Why wasn’t this a bigger hit?
And many, many more.
There was a one hit wonder by some guy, I forget his name, but the song was some phone number and Jenny was involved. Who was that again?
Also a huge fan of Men Without Hat’s ‘Safety Dance’, and ‘Pop Goes the World’, but the top of my list for no good reason at all other than it is constantly stuck in my head, is Berlin’s ‘Metro’.
The answer is “Rio”, by Duran Duran.
No, seriously, I fear to attempt an answer to this question. It would take all day.
No Michael Jackson yet? Tsk tsk. The greatest pop song maybe ever is “Billie Jean.”
Growing up in Southern Cal in the 80s, I listened to KROQ and KIQQ.
- The Reflex - Duran Duran
- How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
- Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
- Boys Don’t Cry - The Cure
- New Year’s Day - U2
- Modern Love - David Bowie
- Don’t You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
- In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
- Behind the Wheel - Depeche Mode
- Do They Know It’s Christmas - Band-Aid
For Michael Jackson, I’d say “Thriller” was greater than “Billie Jean.”
Don’t forget If You Leave by OMD and Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
Alphaville - Forever Young
I also like their ‘Big in Japan’
Too many to name just a few. But how about a shout out to '80s bands that didn’t make it out of the decade?
Tony Toni Tone, Club Nouveau and Nu Shooz, I’m looking at you.*
*Spelling may or may not be accurate.
No 80s metal?
Dr Feelgood - Motley Crue
Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Seventeen - Winger
You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
Jump - Van Halen
Armageddon It - Def Leppard
Cherry Pie - Warrant
Every Rose has its Thorn - Poison
Paradise City - Guns & Roses
Come on Feel the Noise - Twisted Sister
some other rock tunes
Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen
Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Stand - R.E.M
on the hip hop tip
Express Yourself - NWA
It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock
Bust a Move - Young MC
…just off the top of my iPod
I thought Big in Japan was by Guano Apes. Probably just a remake.
I can only think of one great song - Mary’s Prayer by Dundee band Danny Wilson.
I could listen to this twenty times in a row. Great playing, fantastic arrangement, perfect production. And non-idiot lyrics.
Agreed. Alphaville gets mentioned in most of my ‘two hot wonder’ conversations.
THE definitive song of the 80s was “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds.
Basically, the entire “Thriller” album was one hit single after the next, although everyone best remembers “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean.”
Can’t forget the master works of Prince: “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain,” “1999,” Sign O’ The Times," and “Kiss.” To name just a handful.
Looks like I’m the first one to mention Madonna. How about “Like a Virgin” or “Like a Prayer.”
A couple other classic pop tunes off the top of my head would be “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi, “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, “Who Can It Be Now” by Men At Work, “Sungalsses at Night” by Corey Hart, and “Run To You” by Bryan Adams (a couple Can-Con tunes for the Hosers out there).
If you don’t mind - over a 100 of my favourites from the 80s: