# The best 5 pop songs since 1980.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 17, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524 "2005-02-17T13:35:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524/41 "2005-02-19T07:04:03Z")

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> [@Hugh Jass](#):
>
> 1. My Sharona: Knack

Almost. That was 1979.

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524/42 "2005-02-19T07:06:41Z")

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> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#):
>
> I believe Brian Eno (who should know) said the best was “Soon” by My Blood Valentine.

Absolutely phenomenal song, no doubt, but “pop”? It wasn’t released as a single, and never charted (unlike “Only Shallow,” which did hit the Modern Rock tracks.) Seems to be disqualified on grounds of not being pop.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524/43 "2005-02-19T07:38:16Z")

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> [@Shirley Ujest](#):
>
> And whatever the title is of the song that is so freakin’ catchy and I don’t know who sings it or when it came out:
> 
> **"Oh what a night. Late September back in '63. What a very special time for me. What a lady and what a night!"**

The song was _December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)_ (1976), by The Four Seasons.

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-5-pop-songs-since-1980/290524/44 "2005-02-19T17:49:29Z")

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**Under Pressure** , Bowie and Mercury  
**Come on Eileen** , Dexy’s Midnight Runners  
**Losing My Religion** , REM  
**With or Without You** , U2  
**Smells like Teen Spirit** , Nirvana

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