The Classic POP Songs of the 80s
88First of all, let me start by saying that there are many great and many horrible songs from this decade but we won't be paying any attention to them. These are the classics. Okay. What does that mean? Define a classic. Well, I can't. it's just something I can feel. The boundaries are not defined but THESE are the ones I throw in the CLASSIC 80s pile because they exemplify the decade. They aren't BETTER than the others they are just categorized in my mind this way.
As David Bowie once said, "I am a DJ, I am what I play" and today I'm playing my youth. Born in 1971 so I was 12 years old when the year 1983 rolled around. 1983 was the year. The year I went from listening to the radio when it's on like everyone else to being obsessed with the radio and getting to know every artist for the first time.
Remember, every kid born from now on is gonna discover Zeppelin at some point. They're gonna have a Doors faze or a Floyd faze. They will find the Ramones, the Clash, the Police. I envy them. These were the songs on the radio that take me back to a specific state of nostalgia.
Take it for what it is.
I love lists and I love ranking things too but not today. These are gonna be typed as i think of them in my head. No source material. This way if I forget one, YOU can get credit for it.
Okay here goes...THE POP CLASSICS
- When Doves Cry - Prince
- Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
- Down Under - Men At Work
- Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears for Fears
- Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
- Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
- Our House - Madness
- Take On Me - a-ha
- Cars - Gary Numan
- Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
- Every Breath You Take - The Police
- Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
- Turning Japanese - The Vapors
- Blister In The Sun - Violent femmes
- Call Me - Blondie
- Whip It - Devo
- Tainted Love - Soft Cell
- People Are People - Depeche Mode
- Puttin On The Ritz - Taco
- I Ran - A Flock of Seagulls
- Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
- Need You Tonight - INVS
- Eye of The Tiger - Survivor
- Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
- 867-5309 / Jenny - Tommy Tutone
- Centerfold - J. Geils Band
- I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
- 99 Red Balloons / 99 Luftballons - Nena
- Your Love - the Outfield
- Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
- Let's Go Crazy - Prince & The Revolution
- Jungle Love - the Time
- The Glamorous Life - Sheila E.
- Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth
- Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats
- West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
- Shout - Tears for Fears
- Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
- Talking in Your Sleep - The Romantics
- Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
- The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
- Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant
- In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins
- Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
- Higher Love - Steve Winwood
- The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
- Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
- Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House
- Cruel Summer - Bananarama
- Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
- I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow
- Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
- Don't You Want Me - Human League
- Obsession - Animotion
- One Night in Bangkok- Murray Head
- Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
- Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band
- Keep Your Hands to Yourself - Geogia Satellites
- Jump - Van Halen
- Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
- Round and Round - Ratt
- Photograph - Def Leppard
- The Warrior - Scandal
- Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
- 19 - Paul Hardcastle
- Situation - Yaz
- You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) - Dead or Alive
- If You Leave - O.M.D.
- Rock The Casbah - The Clash
- Nobody Told Me - John Lennon
- King of Pain - The Police
- Jack & Diane - John Cougar Mellencamp
- Abracadabra - Steve Miller
- Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
- In A Big Country - Big Country
- She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
- Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
- Poison Arrow - ABC
- Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
- Voices Carry - 'til Tuesday
- Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
- Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart
- Missing You - John Waite
- Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen
- Start Me Up - the Rolling Stones
- the Stroke - Billy Squier
- One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx
- Let's Dance - David Bowie
- Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
- Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
- White Wedding - Billy Idol
- Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson
- She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
- Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar
- Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
- Candy Girl - New Edition
- All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
- Ain't Nobody - Rufus w/ Chaka Khan
- Smooth Operator - Sade
- Word Up - Cameo
- Nightshift - The Commodores
Classic 80's
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They're all here too. Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Ratt, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Cinderella, GnR, Whitesnake and yes, even Winger! - 250 Essential Old School Hip-Hop Records (1979-1990ish)
This is a comprehensive list of songs from the Pre-Skool Hip-Hop era that are essential to all B-Boys, DJs and plain old nostalgia lovers.
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Great list. Thanks for reminding me of some songs I need to add to my iTunes and some I need to play more!
Glad to see Take on Me, Tainted Love, Obsession and Don't You Want Me made the list, along with Jack and Diane and many others.
Always glad to see two of my faves make any list: Talking Heads and Bowie.
Just thought of a couple more that really stand out to me for the 80s pop genre:
Yaz - Don't Go OR Only You
Kinks - Come Dancing
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
The Tubes – She’s A Beauty
Laura Branigan – Gloria
Just thought of one more....
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
Awesome list DJ, I was born in 1971 also, this was the greatest part of my teen years, the music of the 80's. How I wish we could go back! Thanks for the trip down memory lane, as I read the list, I could hear each one in my head. How about making everyone free CD's for X-mas! LOL, just kidding.
Just thought of a few and had to ask about one. One of the best groups to listen to, at least for me was Air Supply, and their song "Making love out of nothing at all." Bonnie Tyler, "Total Eclipse of the Heart." And "Africa" by Toto.
Do you know the name of the group that had a song, I think it was named, "I Can Dream about you."
I Can Dream About You was Dan Hartman - Sad Story.
A Former member of Edgar Winter group, he was white Singer / songwriter / instrumentalist who DID NOT appear in the video for I Can Dream About. The song as instead performed by a fictional black soul group in the movie STREETS of FIRE with Michael Pare.
Dan was just 43 when he died of a brain tumor.
DJ you pretty much covered everything If I may Interject though I would like to Include " Pride In the name of love " and " With or Without you " by U2 . In any event a great list !
Makes me wanna tease up my hair and bop on down to The Channel (a dance club I used to frequent in Boston).
My personal fave song of the '80s is Blue Monday by New Order. Also London Calling by The Clash and Chili Peppers --not much from the '80s but Higher Ground made the deadline.
Keep these lists coming. You deff don't need to do research -- you've got all the best in your head! MM
Does anyone recall a song from the 80s that went like this: "Diana, I love youuuu. Youre the one, the one for me..."? I've been dying to know what the name of the song is or who sings it and i can't find it anywhere?
That is JOANNA by Kool & the Gang my friend. The only other thing it could be is DIANA by Brayn Adams but I doubt it. I think you can't find it cause you got the name wrong.
You have some funky and wonderful taste....spot-on
dope list!
any DJ who has Ratt - Depeche Mode - Chaka Khan on their playlist deserves some props!
you really run the spectrum of 80's classics friend
I Really like the list but i did felt that some more jackson songs could have been put in. He did shape the 80s but still,great list. love it,
I think this list needs at least one '83-'85 era Madonna song to be comprehensive of all that was classic 80s. A U2 for Bon Jovi song couldn't hurt as well, but otherwise accurate.
Great list, I think I like every song on there, but really you should chose either Nena's German version or English version and not list them both :) Personally I like 99 Red Balloons, but then I spent the 80s in the UK.
Just thought of one more....
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
Cruel Summer by Bananarama is one of my favorites.
I really wanted to read this list and be able to shoot you down for ignoring some classics - but youve basically got everything I would have gone for!!! Good work!!!
Mr Roboto by Styx, for me, was definitely a classic :-p
Golden Brown - The stranglers
Model - Kraftwerk (hit in the 8os)
Cutter - Echo and the Bunnymen
Quiet Life - Japan
Swords of a 1000 men - Tenpole Tudor
Is Vic There - Departments
To Cut a long story Short - Spandau Ballet
bLUE mONDAY - nEW oRDER.
What is Love - Howard Jones
What Difference - Smiths
Echo Beach - Martha and the Muffins
Don't forget the classic 80s movie songs...
Flashdance (what a feeling) - Irene Cara
Fame - Irene Cara
Footloose - Kenny loggins
Electric Dreams - Georgio Moroder and Phil Oakley
Arthur's Theme - Christopher Cross
Axel F. (Miami Vice theme) - Harold Faltermeyer
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
Waiting For A Star To Fall - Boy Meets Girl
you forgot a classic johnny kemp just got paid
who sing this song take it to heart listen to love just take me to your house tonight i can't find the singer anywhere or the song
listen to your heart roxette
i love all off the 80s songs but my favorite songs have to be the 80s romance it makes me feel good every time Im feeling down and then again i love to rock out....
where is my EPIC classic sweet child o'mine?
i love the 80s..my mom always tells me what being a teen in the 80s was like what with the music the clubs and THE MUSIC...its like all i listen to since i was a baby..not into like lady gaga or justin beiber(blech). im gonna stick with my faves like duran duran, corey hart and billy idol
:)
WOW.... what a list of the greatest songs from the 80s
This brings back so many awesome memories of high school!
My contribution:
Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
T'pau - Heart and Soul
Great list, but Id have to put in....
Private Eyes-Hall & Oats
Love shack-B-52s
Heat of the moment-Asia
Der Kommissar-After the fire
Magic-The Cars
Miss me Blind-Culture Club
Get outta my dreams, get into my car-Billy Ocean
Rythm of the night-Debarge
Too shy-Kajagoogoo
Jump(for my love)-Pointer sisters
Nothings gonna stop us now-Starship
Working for the weekend-Loverboy
Electric Avenue-Eddy grant
Straight up-Paula Abdul
been listening to 80's-retro and its my fav,got some good choices which aint in ur list,angel of mine-broken wings-died in your arms-modern talking-cherish by kool n th gang-love of the common ppl-tpuch me samantha fox wtc etc ...I am frm india so thts js lil of wht i can remember bt i m still looking out for many othr classics
Cars was 1979
Can anyone tell me the name of this song and the singer please?
I won't let you go how I just don't go, when I know it's just a dream
and I won't let you go why just don't go, girl you're everything to me and I won't let you go why just don't go, girl you're everything to me
There is a song about seashells can't remember who sings it can somebody help
clvngodess 3 years ago
Oh gawds, reminds me why I took lots of X and other fun substances, drank gallons of beer shaved my head, pierced my nether regions, listened to Crass, Oi and quit my job at the mall. How I do not long for the good old days, but slam pit once in a while... Like the joke about Viet Nam vets, I was there, man!