# Pop songs of the 80s **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319 "2008-12-02T08:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/1 "2008-12-02T08:18:06Z")
What were the greatest pop songs of the 80s? You can define “great” and “pop” however you want. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/2 "2008-12-02T09:19:30Z")
“Cars” by Gary Numan (probably spelled it wrong!) ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/3 "2008-12-02T12:19:03Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![Pixilated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/4 "2008-12-02T12:35:04Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/5 "2008-12-02T12:41:30Z")
“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? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44bamW7ZbMo) And many, many more. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/6 "2008-12-02T13:09:42Z")
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’. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/7 "2008-12-02T13:17:16Z")
The answer is “Rio”, by Duran Duran. No, seriously, I fear to attempt an answer to this question. It would take all day. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/8 "2008-12-02T13:50:47Z")
No Michael Jackson yet? Tsk tsk. The greatest pop song maybe ever is “Billie Jean.” ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/9 "2008-12-02T13:54:08Z")
Growing up in Southern Cal in the 80s, I listened to KROQ and KIQQ. 1. The Reflex - Duran Duran 2. How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths 3. Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order 4. Boys Don’t Cry - The Cure 5. New Year’s Day - U2 6. Modern Love - David Bowie 7. Don’t You Forget About Me - Simple Minds 8. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel 9. Behind the Wheel - Depeche Mode 10. Do They Know It’s Christmas - Band-Aid ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/10 "2008-12-02T13:54:37Z")
For Michael Jackson, I’d say “Thriller” was greater than “Billie Jean.” ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/11 "2008-12-02T14:24:28Z")
Don’t forget _If You Leave_ by OMD and _Livin’ On A Prayer_ by Bon Jovi ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/12 "2008-12-02T14:31:40Z")
Alphaville - Forever Young ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/13 "2008-12-02T14:32:23Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Alphaville - Forever Young I also like their ‘Big in Japan’ ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/14 "2008-12-02T14:35:44Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/15 "2008-12-02T15:48:16Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/16 "2008-12-02T16:09:32Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > I also like their ‘Big in Japan’ I thought Big in Japan was by Guano Apes. Probably just a remake. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/17 "2008-12-02T16:28:52Z")
I can only think of one **great** song - [Mary’s Prayer](http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Ww3Bg3aUc&feature=related) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/18 "2008-12-02T16:31:52Z")
> [@TommyTutone](#): > > I also like their ‘Big in Japan’ Agreed. Alphaville gets mentioned in most of my ‘two hot wonder’ conversations. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/19 "2008-12-02T17:19:56Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/20 "2008-12-02T18:43:03Z")
If you don’t mind - over a 100 of my favourites from the 80s: > **[My favourite pop/rock songs](http://thebestpoprocksongs.blogspot.com/search/label/eighties)** > > About 200 gems from six decades in alphabetical order [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319.md?page=2)