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In the 80s - Top Ten Lists of Eighties Songs

What are your top ten favorite songs from the 80s?

This page currently edited by: Quirk. Past editor: RetroGuyDK, Absolutely Vile, Junior

By: Murray
  • 10. Wild Wild West by Escape Club
    Great rock and roll jive song
  • 9. Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode
    Good boppy song
  • 8. Turning Japanese by The Vapors
    Great rock and roll tune and good film clip
  • 7. Fade To Grey by Visage
    Fantastic synthesizer tune
  • 6. Cars by Gary Newman
    One of the best 80's synthesizer songs
  • 5. Walking On Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
    This one has a special meaning for me
  • 4. I Was Made For Loving You by Kiss
    Classic rock anthem
  • 3. My Sharona by The Knack
    Another great Rock and Roll songs
  • 2. What I Like About You by The Romantics
    One of the best Rock and Roll songs
  • 1. Atomic by Blondie
    She looked great even wearing a sack in this clip
Other Wham/George Michael songs, Devo, Human League, Spandau Ballet
By: sir chris
  • 10. The Power Of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
    Just who is this 'hooded claw' anyway?
  • 9. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen
    'The Boss' on top form.
  • 8. Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
    Not really sure if this was 80s or 90s, but i'll include it anyway.
  • 7. Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions
    An all out, over the top, 80s rock fest. Great band, one of my favourites.
  • 6. West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys
    Great intro. The lyrics are fantastic to.
  • 5. A Little Respect by Erasure
    A song that just makes me feel good about myself.
  • 4. I Don't Like Mondays by Boomtown Rats
    This song is beautiful. Enough said.
  • 3. Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
    I think 'Sultans Of Swing' was '79, so i'll go for my second favourite of one of the best and most criminally under-rated bands ever.
  • 2. Julian Lennon by Too Late For Goodbyes
    I swear he's got to be related to John Lennon, he looks and sounds just like him
  • 1. Blue Monday by New Order
    f*ckin' marvellous
I am a little to young to remeber the eighties. (I was born in '84) so forgive any inaccuracies.
By: Faith Britton
  • 10. All My Rowdy Friends (Are Coming Over Tonight) by Hank Williams, Jr.
  • 9. He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones
  • 8. Seven Spanish Angels by Ray Charles & Willie Nelson
  • 7. Where's The Dress by Moe Bandy & Joe Stamply
  • 6. Shriner's Convention by Ray Stevens
  • 5. Sea Of Love by Honey Drippers
  • 4. Love Shack by B52's
    My first car in '84 was a 1976 Chrysler New Yorker. It would seat about 20 and was as big as a whale!! As fast I drove back then, it was about to set sail!!
  • 3. Sleeping Bag by ZZ Top
  • 2. Cow Patty by Moe Bandy & Joe Stamply
  • 1. Rapture by (can't remember--the mind goes first)
    " and they were finger f***ing. 24 hour service then rapture. Fab Five Freddy told me ev'rybody's fly. DJ spinner said my, my. Flash it fast. Flash it cool...."
By: Ed Walker
  • 10. Borderline by Madonna
    How many people saw this video and just knew Madonna was going to be the biggest pop icon in the past 20 years?
  • 9. Radio Free Europe by REM
  • 8. If You Were Here by Thompson Twins
    This was the best song in "Sixteen Candles", and still the best Thompson Twins song.
  • 7. Just Like Heaven by The Cure
  • 6. Tenderness by General Public
  • 5. You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened by Style Council
    If you haven't heard it, you should hear it....it has to be one of the best romantic songs ever recorded.
  • 4. Legal Tender by B-52's
    You may shout, but I'll still say Whammy is the best B-52's album.
  • 3. Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode
  • 2. How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths
    There wouldn't be angst, alternative, gothic, what have you had it not been for this song. How many of you still admit to just loving this song?
  • 1. I Melt With You by Modern English
    This song is still just as cool as it was 20 years ago...Some 80's songs, although brilliant, still have that cheese factor. This isn't one of them.
By: Ajay Chhabra
  • 10. Need You Tonight by INXS
  • 9. Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
  • 8. There Must Be An Angel by Eurythmics
    Annie Lennox takes to yodelling - and it works!
  • 7. Englishman In New York by Sting & The Police
  • 6. Heart And Soul by T'Pau
    Pure cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese....
  • 5. Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode
  • 4. Video Killed The Radio Star by Buggles
    Revolutionary, catchy, and funny. Very very cool.
  • 3. Africa by Toto
    Cracking beat and beautiful harmonies. Love the start, especially.
  • 2. Gold by Spandau Ballet
    Close between this and "Take On Me". Always believe in your soul! ;-)
  • 1. Take On Me by A-Ha
    Definitive 80s - synth-pop at its most glorious. Feel-good to the core.
I'm not citing these as the best songs in any real artistic sense - but purely those that I think are awesome tunes, which, for me, epitomise the better side to the '80s.
By: Anke Verbakel
  • 10. Vicious Games by Yello
  • 9. Mistify by INXS
  • 8. Manhattan Skyline by A-Ha
  • 7. Get The Balance Right by Depeche Mode
  • 6. Will You by Hazel O'Connor
  • 5. Orange Crush by REM
  • 4. Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits
  • 3. Nobody's Diary by Yazoo
  • 2. The One I Love by REM
  • 1. Fugazi by Marillion
Too difficult to choose, too many beautifull songs in the 80's. Still a fan of REM, Marillion, Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Time of freedom for me.
By: John Hefner
By: Bogdan
  • 10. Live Is Life by Opus
  • 9. The Head And The Heart by Chris De Burgh
  • 8. Jenseits Von Eden by Nino De Angelo
  • 7. Hale Hey Louise by Ricky King
  • 6. Ruzice Ruska by Zdravko Colic
  • 5. Quand Je T'aime by Demis Roussos
  • 4. Come Give Me Your Hand by Jennifer Rush
  • 3. Wild Wild Water by Modern Talking
  • 2. The Promise You Made by Cock Robin
  • 1. Forever Young by Alphaville
Listen to that kinda music and your life will be better.
By: Oostie
  • 10. Salt In My Tears by Martin Briley
    Tell her how you REALLY feel!!
  • 9. Tears Are Falling by Kiss
    Also very melodic
  • 8. Go For A Soda by Kim Mitchell
    Stay out of trouble...
  • 7. In My Dreams by Dokken
    Big hair at its best
  • 6. Antisocial by Anthrax
    Against the grain - again, great at high volume
  • 5. Wild Thing by Sam Kinison
    Speaks volumes...
  • 4. Eye In The Sky by Alan Parsons Project
    Very melodic...
  • 3. Whiplash by Metallica
    What needs to be said? Awesome tune!
  • 2. In Your Direction by Ratt
    Excellent album in general, but this is the one that sounds the best at high volume.
  • 1. Big Country by Big Country
    What a bass line!
The 80's were great for rock and roll in general. Several bands were spawned and snuffed, but the riffs roll on...
By: samy samy
The Greatest Music Era Ever Ever.
By: Chris Felax
By: Ryan
  • 10. Hey You by Pink Floyd
  • 9. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2
  • 8. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
    This isn't your stereotypical 80's style song, but a classic none the less
  • 7. Karma Cameleon by Boy George
  • 6. Africa by Toto
  • 5. I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight by Cutting Crew
    I was born where kevin macmillian is from i am a little biased
  • 4. Tempted by Squeeze
  • 3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears
  • 2. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me by Boy George
  • 1. Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears
By: Nick
  • 10. Always Something There To Remind Me by Naked Eyes
    Radio play...fell asleep to this being intro'ed by Casey Casem and distributed across the country.
  • 9. Rain On The Scarecrow by John Cougar
    Love the storytelling of both JC and Springsteen. Read the lyrics to this track aloud and feel the pull.
  • 8. No Surrender by Bruce Springsteen
    Coming of age...attitude of a lot of us then...'...tonight I hear those neighborhood drummer sounds, I can feel my heart begin to pound. You say you;re tired and you just wanna follow your dreams down...'
  • 7. St Elmo's Fire by John Parr
    I must admit, without the movie, I am not sure I would love this song as much as I do. Typical Child of the Eighties, I was a watcher of the Brat Pack. This song was the titel track for one of the best moveis of the 80's.
  • 6. I Wanna Be Sedated by Ramones
    Anyone who knows this song knows that it is simply a rush....turn on the amp...crank the volume...and get hyper.
  • 5. Rock & Roll Is King by Electric Light Orchestra
    Great vocals...a sing along song...bright and upbeat.
  • 4. Putin On The Ritz by Taco
    Was part of one of the first compilation albums I owned...Rock '83. '...dressed up like a million dollar troopah...tryin' hard to look like Gary Coopah...SUPER DUPER...'
  • 3. Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners And The Emerald Express
    I was over at a friend's house for the first time, there were some sibling disputes...pretty wild fights...anyhow, 2:21am alone in this house, everyone is gone or passed out...I am 9 or 10 brought up in a conservative household I was freaking scared ****less...Come on Eileen hits the clock radio and pulls me through the paranoia...classic.
  • 2. Sister Christian by Night Ranger
    I know...Radio Muzik...but what can I say...brilliant song.
  • 1. She's A Beauty by The Tubes
    Gotta put this in number one just cuz I have scanned about six pages and haven't seen it. Amazing guitar...amazing lyrics...amazing tune!
Any true 80's aficiondo will be able to pick my list apart and tell us yea or ney to each choice. This stems from the fact that Children of the 80's were emotional. We had spirit. We thought with our feelings (amoung other things..lol). We have a whole suitcase of pent-up feelings and emotions all related to the time of our lives when we were simply the best. Inundated with new practical technology at every turn, we were the first generation to have a billion dollars in advertising spent on us; we were the advent of the latch-key generation; some of figured out that we could succeed before we were 40 and went for it, while others amoung us decided that what people called success at 40 was a sham. Looking back at the fads and the cliches, the sockhops and the dark gymnasiums with Stairway finishing our nights, the 'After School Specials' and the Muppets, when a week-end was truly a time for fun and easy living that started on Saturday morning with at least two hours of cartoons...I can't help but feel melancholy. It is a bittersweet saddness that overcomes me, an emotional Child of the 80's, each time I stop and think of the people, the music the life.

Thanks for the space and the time.

By: Ryan Abernathy
  • 10. Paul Revere by Beastie Boys
    "...I did it with a whiffle ball bat!"
  • 9. Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em by Eric B. And Rakim
    True hip hoppers will never forget this one!
  • 8. Born In The Usa by Bruce Springsteen
    Misunderstood but brilliant
  • 7. Walk This Way by Run-DMC w/ Aerosmith
    Brought hip hop to the burbs and revived the career of Aerosmith...RIP JMJ
  • 6. Thriller by Michael Jackson
    He's a freak now...but then he was the man!
  • 5. Little Red Corvette by Prince
    His Royal Badness at his best
  • 4. The Reflex by Duran Duran
    This song introduced me to Duran Duran
  • 3. Wanted Dead Or Alive by Bon Jovi
    Jon and Richie acoustic...nuff said
  • 2. Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
    There is no better hair metal song
  • 1. Where the Streets Have No Name by U2
    The song that defined a band.
By: George Guthrie
  • 10. You Came by Kim Wilde
  • 9. Let Me Go by Heaven 17
  • 8. Lulliby by Book Of Love
  • 7. Midnight by Yazoo
  • 6. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by The Smiths
  • 5. It's My Life by Talk Talk
  • 4. Cities In Dust by Siouxsi And The Banshees
  • 3. Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode
  • 2. Madame Butterfy by Malcolm McLaren
  • 1. Drama! by Erasure
    Just a damned good song
If only we had groups like the artists of the 80's. Real talent back then. What do we have today. Brittany Spears, N'sync...PINK? WTF is wrong with people?
By: Jon Shipley
  • 10. Love Bites by Def Leppard
    Good love song
  • 9. Wheel In the Sky by Journey
    Such an awsome song.
  • 8. Come Sail Away by Styx
    What a Classic.
  • 7. Limelight by Rush
    Ditto.
  • 6. Trees by Rush
    Come on, Rush is the king.
  • 5. Africa by Toto
    Played in my High School Jazz Band, and loved it. It's just a classic.
  • 4. Youth Gone Wild by Skid Row
    Gets the whole floor rockin in my dorm.
  • 3. MacGyver by Unknown
    The theme song to my FAVORITE T.V. SHOW EVER.... MacGyver
  • 2. Conga by Miami Sound Machine
    My band played this while on tour in Costa Rica. Had everybody doing a Conga line. It was awsome
  • 1. Jump by Van Halen
    I recently saw David Lee Roth in concert..... wow, he can still rock. Rock on Van Halen!
I am an 80's freak. Just about everything I like comes from the 80's. The greatest T.V show ever, MacGvyer, Space Shuttles, Music.
By: Hunter O'Ryan
  • 10. How Soon Is Now by The Smiths
  • 9. Love Removal Machine by The Cult
  • 8. Breaking These Chains by Dokken
  • 7. Mexican Radio by Wall of VooDoo
  • 6. It's My Life by Talk Talk
  • 5. Class Of 2000 by White Witch
    This song is from a band that went strait to the bottom. The song fun but it never went anywhere. "Class of 2000, they all wore silver suits that year." WOW were they wrong.
  • 4. Under The Milky Way by The Church
  • 3. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes by Ultravox
  • 2. She Sells Sancuary by The Cult
  • 1. Nemesis by Sherik Back
    This has to be the best 80's dance song ever. As a DJ in New Orleans during the 80's, I enjoyed playing the extended version of this song. Get it and love it.
This list is a list that I made one night for an 80's theme party. I had to be diverse so there are many different genres here. The party was a hit. We do it at least twice a year. WOOOHOOO Nothing like a party to bring back my college days. I hope you enjoy this list.
By: joel d.s.
  • 10. Words by Beegees
  • 9. Frozen by Madona
  • 8. If You Leave Me Now by Chicago
  • 7. Jump In My Car by Cc Catch
  • 6. With Or Without You by U2
  • 5. Michele [A World Without You] by Bad Boys Blue
  • 4. It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys
  • 3. Youre My Heart Youre My Soul by Modern Talking
  • 2. Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode
  • 1. Heaven Will Know by Modern Talking
    it'sreally a great and wonderfull song!!!
BRUCES SPRINGSTER, AHA, FANCY.
By: NIck Ieremiadis
  • 10. Hunting High & Low by A-ha
    This is the best by the Scandinavian group who took the world by surprise in the 80's. Atmospheric & moving.
  • 9. See The Day by DC Lee
    One hit wonder DC Lee in a classic slow pop tune.
  • 8. It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys
    This gave a true meaning to the dance/disco of the 80's but still can be listened with excitement.
  • 7. Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
    Good Old Days for the boys in one of their highs!
  • 6. Stuck On You by Lionel Richie
    Best song by Lionel, in my opinion, very romantic & touching
  • 5. Every Breath You Take by The Police
    Very moving song, you can still listen to it a million times and never get bored of it. Perfect.
  • 4. Into The Groove by Madonna
    Her most dance/upbeat song ever !
  • 3. When Doves Cry by Prince
    Absolutely Fantastic
  • 2. Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
    It brought hard rock in every single house in the 80's
  • 1. Careless Whisper by George Michael
    A Masterpiece!!!!
Unfortunately only 10 songs can not (by any means) show the artistic orgasm that took place in the specific period. I am pretty sure that I left out at least 200 songs that could easily fit into the Top 10 for many & various reasons. Let's all hope that we will see again such a period.
By: riham

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