I always think of New Wave when I think of prototypical 80s music–I might pick “Whip It” by Devo, “She Blinded Me with Science” by Thomas Dolby, or “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. Not that it’s my favorite genre, but it definitely sounds like early 80s.
How about other decades?
I would say for the 90s, it’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. In the 70s, it would be “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees. The 60s were Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower.” The 50s would be “Sleep Walk.” “In the Mood” by the Glenn Miller Orchestra epitomizes the 1940s (even though it’s from 1939).