essay about 80s music

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Too often remembered for its clichés, 80s music actually has far more to offer than many remember – and it’s cooler than you think.

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Is it possible to bully a decade? The 80s sure seems to have an eternal “Kick Me” sign on its back. Can someone help an epoch out and pull that thing off, please? For those of you haven’t been paying attention, 80s music is cooler than you think.

There are reasons why the 80s is too often remembered more for its costume-party clichés than as a peak era in music. The stigma kicked in as the decade was still in progress, probably about the time that crestfallen baby boomers realized that even the counterculture icons of the 60s weren’t immune to the bright and cheery tropes of the dawning MTV era, whether it was Grace Slick wearing shoulder pads in the ‘We Built This City’ video, or Bob Dylan using that same horrible gated reverb drum sound everybody else was, on Empire Burlesque , and co-starring in a film with Rupert Everett.

A transitional period

Even among the greats there was some self-abasement going on in an effort to keep up with the Joneses… the Howard Joneses. Not that it was a completely ignoble goal. ‘What Is Love?’, we can now belatedly acknowledge, was a great song. But, let’s grant the obvious: any decade that ever compelled anyone to say “Kajagoogoo” out loud has a lot to answer for.

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But here’s a secret – and it’s understandable if you’re too shy to repeat it: 80s music provided a golden era in rock and pop. If only it hadn’t taken a third of anyone’s lifetime to get over our collective panic over parachute pants, perms and topiary-style new-romantic haircuts, and to hear ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This’ or ‘Tainted Love’ play in the supermarket to realize that we were living through glory years that were mistaken for dog days.

In retrospect, this might be the most wonderful thing about the 80s. It was a transitional period full of huge, nationally shared moments but also tiny, secret scenes. The Ed Sullivan Show was long gone, but 80s music still had its equivalent of The Beatles’ US television debut in Michael Jackson moonwalking on the Motown 25 special, or even Peter Gabriel getting an entire cable-connected country talking about music videos with ‘Sledgehammer’. Purple Rain -era Prince was culturally ubiquitous in a way that even the top seller of 2018, Drake , could never hope to achieve in our more splintered landscape.

Sowing the seeds

Yet the seeds of our modern fragmentation were there in the 80s with regional scenes and the rise of DIY fanzines and indie labels – before “indie” was a thing. There were songs, albums, and performances that seemed to instantly impact all of America, with Bruce Springsteen and U2 proving you could go for stadium-act success without sacrificing artistic prowess. At the same time, there came a rich multitude of amazing micro-moments that reflected a not-for-everybody ethos best summed up in Germs’ song title ‘What We Do Is Secret’.

The 80s was a decade that began with X’s debut album, Los Angeles , and ended with Nirvana ’s first, Bleach . Kurt Cobain had grown up with a distinct strand of 80s music, absorbing Hüsker Dü, Black Flag, Minutemen, Melvins, and Sonic Youth , becoming part of a nascent Washington grunge scene that would become world famous in the 90s, but which got a firm foothold in the 80s. The Twin Cities gave us twin punk and funk movements. Who wouldn’t want to travel back to a place and time where you could see both The Time and The Replacements? In LA you had the choice between hair metal and heffer bands — ie, the cowpunk of Lone Justice, Rank And File, Blood On The Saddle, and even the merely punk-adjacent Dwight Yoakam.

In New York, the Studio 54 era gave way to headier days that had club-goers vibing to everything from Afrika Bambaataa to Kraftwerk remixes and Grace Jones . Socially conscious hip-hop developed on both coasts, though there was a split between Public Enemy ’s high-minded activism back East and NWA’s steely street pragmatism out West… with the phantasmagorical party of Beastie Boys ’ Paul’s Boutique  representing a different strain altogether.

What is now considered Americana was being shaped by those for whom the Southern states were a holiday destination: Elvis Costello , with King Of America , and from Canada, The Cowboy Junkies, with The Trinity Sessions . With the IRS label suddenly blurring the gap between indie and mainstream, the South was primed to rise again, in the form of an invasion by R.E.M. , who jangled their way into America’s heart. An only-happy-when-it-rains strain of UK 80s music began to take shape around The Smiths, The Cure , The Fall, Siouxsie And The Banshees , and Joy Division. My Bloody Valentine, meanwhile, turned “shoegaze” from a pejorative to a term of pride.

Perhaps even more than the 60s or 70s, and even more than any decade since, the 80s was littered with album titles so iconic that the artists connected to them don’t need mentioning: The Joshua Tree  , Straight Outta Compton , Born In The USA , It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back , 1999 , Synchronicity , Avalon , Appetite For Destruction , Licensed To Ill , Full Moon Fever , Surfer Rosa , Raising Hell , Rhythm Nation 1814 , The Queen Is Dead , Kill ’Em All . If more than four or five of these titles fail to immediately ring a bell, there’s a good chance you grew up on either 98 Degrees or The Four Freshmen .

Building bridges

Bridges were being built, as if pop music was suddenly flush with tax dollars for infrastructure. (Which, in a way it was, with all that CD-format conversion money suddenly flowing in.) It may be difficult to recall now just how radical a path The Go-Go’s walked in becoming America’s sweethearts. Prior to their emergence from LA’s Masque club, rock fans spent the 70s counting female rockers on one hand and getting to the point where they had to ask whether Fanny were still together after ticking off Heart , The Runaways, and Starship (though The Slits provided a welcome extra digit for the intelligentsia).

The Go-Go’s were role models, paving the way quickly taken by The Bangles. For female leadership with men as crewmates, Pretenders represented the not-suffering-fools-gladly wing of women in rock, while ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann sang about the journey from quiet-girlfriend acquiescence to a breaking point in ‘Voices Carry’. Cyndi Lauper’s empowerment of girls having fun was really code for girls taking control, cushioned for the benefit of “daddy dear”.

As much as male androgyny had made its way into the mainstream with Culture Club and Dead Or Alive embracing an aesthetic introduced in a previous decade by Ziggy Stardust , female androgyny still came as an irresistible shocker, whether it arrived in the form of Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox, or was incarnated by the gal who claimed to be the reincarnation of Patsy Cline , kd lang. Who knew that Mann had the enduring lyricism to make her America’s wry poet laureate well into the 2010s, or that Lennox had the soulful chops, as well as the huge, probing eyes, to be a diva for the millennia?

And the story of the racial bridge in American music is woefully incomplete without the watershed moment of MTV giving in on programming Michael Jackson in the early 80s – though whether through outside boycott pressure or internal wisdom will always be up for debate. That white people liked black music had been no secret in the Motown and disco eras, but a cultural sea change had started to occur when MTV shifted from black-tolerant to African-American-dominated – a move that culminated in hip-hop becoming the pop music of today. ‘Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough’, indeed.

In the eternally white world of country music, remarkable changes were also afoot. The smooth countrypolitan flavor was nearing its end, leading to the so-called hard country resurgence that let George Strait , Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam in the door. Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash also appeared on the scene with a new brand of lyrically sensitive country that managed to survive at least into the early 90s before the tide turned irrevocably to boot-scootin’. Reba McEntire, not yet uni-monikered, represented an aw-shucks brand of fresh Nashville feminism – a folksy but fierce bridge between the variety-show era and the sisters-doing-it-for-themselves age. And one of the greatest country songs of all time, the one everything thinks is so venerable it must’ve been from the 50s or 60s? George Jones’ ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ is totally 80s.

Which finally brings us – as all discussions of 80s music must – to synth-pop.

Guilty pleasures

It wasn’t just the boomers who insisted on giving 80s music a bad, or at least campy, name. The kids who grew up with the 80s as their wonder years have been conditioned to think of their entire upbringing as a guilty pleasure at best. This lands us in a present day, where the 80s song on everyone’s lips, even those of schoolchildren, is Toto’s ‘Africa’. Even as Weezer covers the tune (with Toto returning the compliment ), no one can agree whether it’s to comic effect, or how many layers of irony must we drill through to get to an unexpectedly earnest core. As they didn’t yet say of relationship statuses in the 80s: it’s complicated.

Did they talk about “baggage” in the 80s? It’s too far gone to remember. But survivors of the post-Me Decade carry a lot of it. Their heroes did regrettable things, like introduce too many synths into the sound and dance with a teenaged Courtney Cox. The Linn drum and the advent of the sampler blinded everyone with science. David Bowie came out of his most elusive artsy period to go for gold with ‘Let’s Dance’ and then followed up that success with his most self-hated album, Never Let Me Down .

Esteemed artists from Paul McCartney to T Bone Burnett have remixed and even substantially re-recorded albums from their 80s catalogues, allowing fans to re-evaluate the material free from the production techniques that define most 80s music. But we should resist the temptation to see synth-pop itself as a mistake. The one-, two- and three-hit wonders that did it as their native artform did it wonderfully. Who wants an 80s denuded and scrubbed of ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby’? That is not just a less Human League 80s but a less human version of the decade. And if Thomas Dolby doesn’t make you ‘Hyperactive’ to this day, you really need to lay off the Adderall.

Don’t stop believin’

Nowadays, you turn on an “oldies” radio station and, if you’re of a certain age, you marvel and fret anew each time the station that once specialized in Bill Haley and The Beatles now thinks that The Thompson Twins are about as old as it gets. But as you drive down the road flagellating yourself for how old the veneration of Berlin makes you feel, or how hokey you think these songs are, a realization kicks in: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ represented a better time – if you believe in the classic pop virtues of hooks, riffs, melodicism and, dare we say it, real human emotions honestly expressed. It doesn’t matter if Whit Stillman will never make a sequel to The Last Days Of Disco called The Last Days Of New Romanticism . The songs are what matter, one keeper at a time.

Our confusion about how to think about 80s music lies largely in the costume-party aspects. Because, when it comes down to it, there are two sets of 80s. There’s the 80s music that hasn’t dated at all, because X, Hüsker Dü and The Replacements sound as fresh as if they were recorded yesterday. And then there’s the 80s music that is so dated, not only can you pin it down to the year, but to the day and maybe the minute that someone went into the studio and thought that synthetic snare sound would be the state of the art forever.

But only one of these lends itself to homage – or parody, depending on your view. Let’s face it, if you throw an 80s party, no one is going to come dressed as Bob Mould. You’re going to go all-monochrome and come as the lead singer of a-ha lost in the pencil-sketch world… or, if that seems too ambitious, pouf out a wig and go Poison on everyone. It’s more fun.

The thing is, you don’t actually have to pick a lane when you’re re-embracing 80s music. You don’t have to choose between OMD and Melvins. You can even like both Melissa Manchester and Mission Of Burma. (You won’t, but you can.) And, come to think of it, you can dig the Bruce Springsteen who made Nebraska and the other guy who suddenly appeared on MTV. Everyone reacted to the end of the Watergate-riddled 70s and the dawn of a new political and social era in different ways.

The punks of Margaret Thatcher’s England, or the Yanks suspicious of Reagan, found it a time for gleeful rage. Others, such as, say, the poet Howard Jones, asked, “Do you feel scared?” before answering his own question: “I do.” The 80s was a time when pop, rock and R&B stars dared to be different, and Yo! MTV Raps rapped, and we didn’t stop and falter. The future was so bright, we had to wear shades – and if Timbuk3 meant that ironically, not all of us were so sure.

The music world may not have agreed with the president on much, but there was accord on at least one thing: in pop, it felt like morning in America.

Explore all of the classic albums of the 80s on vinyl.

Trica velaasquez

August 18, 2019 at 5:49 pm

Love the 80s that was cool music back then. Wish they would play more of it on the radio

October 29, 2019 at 5:57 pm

May 10, 2020 at 2:10 am

I think it is odd that you would feel shame about anything that was 80’s music except for maybe wham. The shame is the ridiculous trite crap that Ariana Grande, Rihana and Katy Perry and Taylor Swift sing about. Get ReAL. Nothing was sappy in the 80s we expressed real emotion we were non conformist idiots like the millennial. The millenials are the TASTeleSS generation. OMG If I grew up listening to EMINEM I would be mortified! that moved rap a misogynist talent less bunch of thugs screaming obscenities-how embarrassing! to the fore and reality tv. NIce I wonder if they are even going to notic what shmucks they are. What total losers their generation is. I would be ashamed to be born in the 80 s and ashamed to grow up with music after 1995 You neglected to metnion the incredibly talented Guns n roses slash is still phenomenal and one of the best guitarists ever but your taste is for crap like U2. ON my playlist : Roxy Music, GnR, KonKan, Depeche Mode, New Order, When in Rome, The 80s had awesome music in so many genres. This article reflects a very insecure trendy person. Who cares if they play Thompson Twins on Oldies it isn’t like we had sh!t music like the 50’s our pop and rock is a hell of a lot better than the crap since 2000.

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The 100 greatest songs of the 1980s, ranked

26 October 2023, 16:48 | Updated: 13 February 2024, 15:33

By Tom Eames

The 1980s may have been the decade of questionable fashion choices, but we'll probably say the same about the 2020s in a few years...

It was also the decade of great movies, the rise of video games and downright fantastic music.

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We've attempted the ridiculously hard (but not in any way a chore) task of picking the very best 1980s songs ever. Here are our 100 picks - are your favourites in there?

UB40 - 'Red Red Wine'

UB40 - Red Red Wine (Official Video)

You might not have realised it, but Neil Diamond first recorded this song back in 1967.

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But it's UB40's cover that became the most well-known in 1983. The song truly brought the band to the mainstream, and reached number one in the UK.

It ended up topping the US charts too in 1988, after being performed at Nelson Mandela's birthday tribute concert.

Phil Collins - 'Another Day in Paradise'

Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise (Official Music Video)

This ballad saw Phil Collins sing the tune from a third-person perspective, looking at a man crossing the street to ignore a homeless woman, imploring listeners not to turn a blind eye to those in need.

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It became Phil's seventh and final number one single in America, while David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash appears on backing vocals.

Culture Club - 'Karma Chameleon'

Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (Official Music Video)

This was the song that made Boy George an even bigger star around the world. It was the UK's biggest selling single of 1984 and topped the US chart.

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Boy George later explained the song: "It is about the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing. It's about trying to suck up to everybody.

"Basically, if you aren't true, if you don't act like you feel, then you get Karma-justice, that's nature's way of paying you back."

Rick Astley - 'Never Gonna Give You Up'

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)

If there's one song from the Stock, Aitken and Waterman era that has stood the test of time, it's Rick Astley 's international number one smash.

The 1987 dance-pop anthem has lived long in the memory thanks to the Rickroll craze that still goes on today, and the video has been streamed over 1 billion times.

Sting - 'Englishman In New York'

Sting - Englishman In New York

The ‘Englishman’ in question in this song is the famous eccentric and gay icon Quentin Crisp. Sting wrote the song not long after Crisp moved from London to an apartment in the Bowery in Manhattan.

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Crisp had remarked jokingly to the musician “that he looked forward to receiving his naturalization papers so that he could commit a crime and not be deported.”

There's not many songs that can feature both a drum breakdown and a saxophone solo closer and still be a massive pop hit.

INXS - 'Need You Tonight'

INXS - Need You Tonight (Official Video)

This funk rock track has one of the most recognisable riffs of the 1980s.

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The band's Andrew Farriss said that the riff appeared suddenly in his head while waiting for a taxi to go to the airport to fly to Hong Kong. He asked the driver to wait a couple of minutes while he grabbed something from his motel room.

However, he went up to record the riff and came back down an hour later with a tape to a very annoyed driver.

Spandau Ballet - 'True'

Spandau Ballet - True (HD Remastered)

This was the song that turned Spandau Ballet from potential one album wonders to true pop legends.

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Gary Kemp wrote this love song at his parents' house as a homage to Motown and Marvin Gaye . He said: "'True' became a song about writing a love song. Why 'Why do I find it hard to write the next line? I want the truth to be said?' Because I didn't want to write it down—because there's nothing more embarrassing."

It soon became something of a standard, and one of the best love songs of all time.

Van Halen - 'Jump'

Van Halen - Jump (Official Music Video)

Van Halen’s most successful single was the lead track from their 1984 album, and differs from earlier Van Halen songs in that it is driven by a rolling synth line (played on an Oberheim OB-Xa by Eddie Van Halen ).

After years as an instrumental, David Lee Roth attempted to come up with lyrics, and remembered seeing a TV report about a man threatening jump off of a building, and that onlookers would probably shout “go ahead and jump”. Instead of being about death, the words were written as an invitation to love.

Billy Ocean - 'When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going'

Billy Ocean - When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (Official Video)

Probably Billy Ocean 's biggest and most famous hit, this track reached number one in the UK and number two in the US.

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It was the theme tune to the Michael Douglas movie The Jewel in the Crown and its sequel, and was later a number one for Boyzone in 1999 in aid of Comic Relief.

The Story of... 'When the Going Gets Tough' by Billy Ocean

Bruce Hornsby and the Range - 'The Way It Is'

The Way It Is

This track deals with various social injustices, referencing divides between the rich and poor and racial segregation, and how the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a victory in the civil rights movement, but how more is still needed.

Its famous piano melody later sampled in the 2Pac track ‘Changes’. The song was Hornsby’s most successful, reaching the top spot in the States.

Heart - 'Alone'

Heart - Alone

Composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, this power ballad first appeared via their 1983 pet project, I-Ten, on Taking a Cold Look .

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It was later recorded by Valerie Stevenson and John Stamos for the soundtrack of the CBS sitcom Dreams in 1984.

But it wasn't until US rock band Heart cover it that it became a hit, scoring a number one with it three years later. Kelly ended up singing the high harmony parts on the Heart version.

Diana Ross - 'Chain Reaction'

Diana Ross - Chain Reaction (Official Video)

The Bee Gees wrote this classic '80s pop tune from Motown icon Diana Ross , and they also provided backing vocals.

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Despite being a number one success in many countries including the UK in 1985, it amazingly only reached number 95 in the US!

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - 'Relax'

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Official Video)

Although fairly inauspicious upon initial release, this track eventually became one of the most controversial and successful records of the 1980s, selling over 2 million copies in the UK alone.

The song emphasized the shock impact of Frankie members Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford’s open homosexuality in the song's packaging and music videos, something which was rarely seen in the early 1980s.

Produced by Trevor Horn, it was banned by the BBC due to its suggestive sleeve and lyrics.

ABC - 'The Look of Love'

ABC - The Look Of Love

Taken from one of the most popular synthpop albums of the era and produced by Trevor Horn, this song is actually split into four parts.

Part 1 is the standard album version (this version), Part 2 is an instrumental version, Part 3 is a vocal version without the orchestral overdubs and Part 4 is a short acoustic instrumental.

The song was inspired by a break-up lead singer Martin Fry had experienced. In the second verse, the “Goodbye” background vocal is spoken by the actual woman in the relationship who had jilted him.

Whitesnake - 'Here I Go Again'

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again (1987 Edit/Remix) HQ

Originally released on Whitesnake's 1982 album Saints & Sinners , this power ballad was re-recorded for their 1987 self-titled album.

The song was re-recorded again the same year as this new ‘radio-mix’ version, which reached number one in the US. The song is about heartbreak and the loneliness that comes with it, and documents the breakdown of singer David Coverdale's first marriage.

Madonna - 'Papa Don't Preach'

Madonna - Papa Don't Preach (Official Video) [HD]

This song's lyrics deal with teenage pregnancy and abortion, and was based on teen gossip songwriter Brian Elliot heard outside his recording studio.

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A chart-topper in both the UK and US, the song caused heated discussions about its content at the time. Women's organizations and others in the family planning sector criticized Madonna for encouraging teenage pregnancy, while anti-abortion groups opposed its pro-life message.

George Michael - 'A Different Corner'

George Michael - A Different Corner (Official Video)

Following up on the success of 'Careless Whisper', 'A Different Corner' was the second solo single released by George Michael and helped him to become the first solo act in the history of the UK Singles Chart to reach No.1 with his first two releases.

• The Story of... 'A Different Corner'

Speaking in 2014, George said: "I think you can tell that 'A Different Corner' is genuinely the sound of a man whose heart's been broken. I was 19 and the best critique I ever heard of that song was from a friend of mine who said, 'It's beautiful, pathetic, but beautiful.'"

Two months after his death, Coldplay's Chris Martin performed a cover as a tribute to George at the Brit Awards, which featured the late singer appearing in a powerful duet .

Queen - 'Radio Ga Ga'

Queen - Radio Ga Ga (Official Video)

This track was a commentary on TV overtaking radio's popularity and how one would listen to radio in the past. Roger Taylor later said: "That's part of what the song's about, really. The fact that they [music videos] seem to be taking over almost from the aural side, the visual side seems to be almost more important."

Lady Gaga has credited her stage name to this song, saying that she "adored" Queen . "That's why I love the name", she said.

Blondie - 'Atomic'

Blondie - Atomic (Official Music Video)

A song of few words, but a number one hit for Blondie in 1980. Debbie Harry once said of the song’s lyrics: “A lot of the time I would write while the band were just playing the song and trying to figure it out. I would just be scatting along with them and I would just start going, ‘Ooooooh, your hair is beautiful’.”

• Blondie's 10 best ever songs, ranked

The word ‘atomic’ in the song apparently carries no fixed meaning and functions more as a signifier of power and futurism. 1970s model Gia Carangi appears briefly in the post-apocalyptic music video.

Rod Stewart - 'Baby Jane'

Rod Stewart - Baby Jane (Official Video)

Taking on a more contemporary synthpop sound, this remains Rod Stewart 's final UK number one single.

• Rod Stewart's 15 greatest songs ever, ranked

Speaking about his writing process, he later said he usually puts off writing words until the last minute.

He said: “The way I do it is hum and hah along while the band are playing. I sing whatever comes into my head and nine times out of 10 that will be the title of the song. Either that or I’d just write down a good title - like ‘Young Turks’ or ‘Baby Jane’ - and wait until the right vehicle comes along for it.”

Elton John - 'I'm Still Standing'

Elton John - I'm Still Standing

If you watch carefully, you can see a young Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli in this Elton John music video as one of the dancers.

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During the shoot, Elton bumped into Duran Duran . He complained he was exhausted due to having been up since four in the morning. Simon Le Bon suggested he have a martini. "So I did," Elton later said, "I had six."

Rufus & Chaka Khan - 'Ain't Nobody'

Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody (Official Video) Remastered Audio HQ

This R&B and funk track was incredibly ahead of its time, and made a star of singer Chaka Khan.

Rufus keyboardist David 'Hawk' Wolinski was so convinced it would be a hit that he threatened to give the song to Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones for Thriller if the song was not the lead single.

Don Henley - 'The Boys of Summer'

Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer (Official Music Video)

Mike Campbell wrote the music to this track while working on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents album, but later gave it to Eagles singer Don Henley , who wrote the lyrics.

The yacht rock song is about the passing of youth and entering middle age, and of a past relationship. It was covered twice in the early 2000s: as a trance track by DJ Sammy in 2002, and as a pop punk hit by The Ataris in 2003.

Robert Palmer - 'Addicted to Love'

Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love (Official Music Video)

This became Robert Palmer’s signature song, thanks in part to its music video featuring high fashion models playing the guitar around him.

Originally intended to be a duet with Chaka Khan , the song was made without her because her record company would not grant her a release to work on Palmer’s label. She is still credited for the vocal arrangements in the album liner notes.

Model Mak Gilchrist said of the video: “I lost balance on my heels and knocked the top of my guitar into the back of Robert’s head, and his face then hit the mic.”

Joy Division - 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This track’s lyrics reflected the problems in frontman Ian Curtis’s marriage to Deborah Curtis, as well as his general frame of mind in the time leading up to his death in May 1980.

The title is an ironic reference to ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ by Captain & Tennille.

The other three members went on to form New Order. Stephen Morris later said: “In retrospect, when you listen to it in light of what happened, it seems bloody obvious. I just said ‘These are great lyrics, Ian’. That makes it a bit difficult to listen to now’.”

Soul II Soul - 'Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)'

Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) (Official Music Video)

If there was one song that signalled the end of the 1980s and showcased what was to come, it was this R&B dance track from Soul II Soul and singer Caron Wheeler.

Producer Jazzie B said: "Everything about this single was magic. We weren't trying to follow any trend or fit into any category – we were just doing our own thing. ... Its shuffling beats were a cross between reggae and what was to become known as hip-hop: breakbeats and electronic sound.

"Caron Wheeler's vocal, coming over these very heavy bass beats, was the icing on the cake."

The Stranglers - 'Golden Brown'

The Stranglers - Golden Brown (Restored Music Video)

This Baroque-inspired track couldn't have sounded more different to the Strangers' previous punk rock output.

• The Story of... 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers

There has been much controversy and confusion surrounding the song's lyrics. For years, the band claimed that the song's lyrics were similar to an aural 'Rorschach test', and that people only heard in it what they wanted to hear. However, most people agreed that the lyrics alluded to heroin use.

Berlin - 'Take My Breath Away'

Berlin - Take My Breath Away (Official Video - Top Gun)

The main love theme from Tom Cruise's Top Gun movie, this power ballad won an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song in 1986.

• The Story of... 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin, the Top Gun power ballad anthem
• 11 incredible Top Gun facts you need to know

Berlin may have been one hit wonders, but what a hit to have.

Jennifer Rush - 'The Power of Love'

Jennifer Rush - The Power Of Love (Official Video) (VOD)

This was an absolute monster hit in 1985, becoming that year's biggest-selling single in the UK, while Rush became the first female artist ever to have a million-selling single.

• When Des O'Connor sang a brilliant duet of 'The Power of Love' with Jennifer Rush

Perhaps the ultimate power ballad, Celine Dion later scored a massive hit of her own in the following decade.

Billy Joel - 'Uptown Girl'

Billy Joel - Uptown Girl (Official Video)

Speaking to Howard Stern, Billy Joel had originally titled the song 'Uptown Girls' and it was written after he was surrounded by Christie Brinkley, Whitney Houston and his then-girlfriend Elle Macpherson.

• The Story of... 'Uptown Girl'

It ended up being about his soon-to-be wife, Brinkley, and was inspired by the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons . The song was a huge hit, and gave Billy his only UK number one in 1983.

Hall & Oates - 'Maneater'

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Maneater (Official Video)

'Maneater' was the biggest hit of Hall & Oates’ career and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for four weeks. It reached number six in the UK.

• The 10 greatest Hall and Oates songs ever, ranked

John Oates has said that while it is natural to assume the lyrics are about a woman, the song actually was originally written "about NYC in the ’80s. It's about greed, avarice, and spoiled riches. But we have it in the setting of a girl because it's more relatable. It's something that people can understand..."

Cyndi Lauper - 'Time After Time'

Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (Official HD Video)

This was one of Cyndi Lauper's first-ever singles, and was written with Rob Hyman of the band The Hooters. It has become known as one of the best love songs of the 1980s.

• The Story of... 'Time After Time'
• Cyndi Lauper's 10 best songs ever, ranked

The inspiration for the song came after both songwriters were going through similar situations in their own relationships: he was coming out of a relationship, while she was having issues with her boyfriend at the time, David Wolff.

Mike and the Mechanics - 'The Living Years'

Mike + The Mechanics - The Living Years (Official Video)

The heartbreaking song is written from the perspective of a son who has a conflicted relationship with his dad.

• The Story of... 'The Living Years' by Mike + the Mechanics

After his father dies, he discovers that he and his dad had a much stronger connection than he realized, and he regrets not saying more while he was still alive.

The song was written by Mike Rutherford and BA Robertson after both of their fathers had recently died, but the lyrics were written by Robertson, and centered on the unresolved issues between him and his father.

Stevie Wonder - 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'

Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You (Music Video)

This became Stevie Wonder 's biggest ever hit in 1984, and topped the charts in 19 different countries.

• Stevie Wonder's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked

The song was written for the movie The Woman in Red , and ended up winning a Grammy and Oscar for Best Song.

Soft Cell - 'Tainted Love'

Soft Cell Tainted Love (1981)

Gloria Jones first recorded this Northern Soul track back in 1965, but Marc Almond 's Soft Cell created one of the greatest cover versions of all time in 1981.

It became a synthpop New Romantics staple, and one of the best-selling songs of all time.

Bee Gees - 'You Win Again'

Bee Gees - You Win Again (1987)

This song was a huge comeback for the Bee Gees in 1987. It reached number one and also gave them an Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

• The 20 greatest Bee Gees songs of all time, ranked

Barry Gibb wrote the melody while Maurice came up with the drum sounds in his garage. Robin said: "We absolutely thought that 'You Win Again' was going to be a big hit. It took us a month to cut it and get the right mix."

Duran Duran - 'Rio'

Duran Duran - Rio (Official Music Video)

Famous for its yacht-heavy music video, 'Rio' started as an idea by John Taylor about Rio de Janeiro – "the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop".

• Duran Duran's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics to the song, and chose not to write about the city but actually about a girl named Rio.The saxophone solo was performed by Andy Hamilton, who has also worked with George Michael and Elton John .

Journey - 'Don't Stop Believin''

Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (Official Audio)

This track was a mild hit upon its release in 1981, but didn't even reach the UK top 40 at the time.

Fast forward to 2009, and its use in shows like Glee and The Sopranos helped bring it back into the mainstream, and it was a surprise hit around the world once again. It's now a guaranteed moment at every wedding and house party setlist.

Marvin Gaye - 'Sexual Healing'

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Official HD Video)

Released in 1982, this was Marvin Gaye 's first song since his exit from Motown a year earlier. Taken from the Midnight Love album, it was a huge comeback for Marvin and something of a career renaissance.

• Marvin Gaye's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Featuring whispers from Harvey Fuqua, the sexually-charged became one of his biggest and best-known songs.

Roxy Music - 'More than This'

Roxy Music - More Than This

From the Avalon album, this song was Roxy Music's final UK top 10 hit, reaching number six in 1982.

Bryan Ferry later said he began writing songs for Avalon while on the western coast of Ireland, which he believes led to the melancholic sound of the album.

Bill Murray famously sings a karaoke version of the song in the movie Lost in Translation .

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - '(I've Had the) Time of My Life'

Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life (Official HD Video)

Written for Dirty Dancing , this is the ultimate '80s movie song. It's a perfectly fantastic finale moment, and is always a karaoke favourite.

• The Story of... '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing
• The Story of... The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack: Kate Garraway speaks to iconic movie's songwriters

It won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy, and is one of the greatest duets of all time.

Mr Mister - 'Broken Wings'

Mr. Mister - Broken Wings

This song was co-written with lyricist John Lang, who was inspired by a book called Broken Wings , written by Kahlil Gibran. The book, which was written in 1912, is a story of a love that is doomed by social convention.

The line ‘take these broken wings and learn to fly’ appears in The Beatles song ‘Blackbird’, with Paul McCartney and John Lennon also drawing from the work of Gibran.

The band’s name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr Gone .

Starship - 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now'

Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Official Music Video) [HD]

Pop-rock veterans Starship provided this '80s anthem as the main theme song to romantic comedy Mannequin in 1987, and it's still a classic.

Not only was it a number one hit around the world, but it was nominated for an Oscar.

The Cars - 'Drive'

The Cars - Drive (Official Music Video)

This soft rock anthem was former new wave band The Cars' biggest hit, released in 1984.

A year later, it became mostly associated with Live Aid , after it was used as the backing to a montage about the famine in Ethiopia. The band donated proceeds from a re-release of the song to the charity.

Bonnie Tyler - 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (Video)

Written by Meat Loaf 's longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, this was a UK number-one hit for Bonnie Tyler in 1983.

Steinman later said of the song's origins: "I was trying to come up with a love song and I remembered I actually wrote that to be a vampire love song. Its original title was 'Vampires in Love' because I was working on a musical of Nosferatu, the other great vampire story. If anyone listens to the lyrics, they're really like vampire lines. It's all about the darkness, the power of darkness and love's place in the dark..."

Wham! - 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go'

Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Official Video)

Choose Life! This song gave Wham! their first number one in both the UK and US.

• Wham!'s best songs ever, ranked

Produced and written by George Michael, he said that inspiration for the song was a scribbled note that Andrew Ridgeley  had left for his parents, intended to read "wake me up before you go" but with "up" accidentally written twice, so Andrew wrote "go" twice on purpose.

Phil Collins - 'Against All Odds'

Phil Collins Against All Odds (Official Music Video 1984)

This gorgeous ballad sees Phil implore an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth a shot.

• The Story of... 'Against All Odds' by Phil Collins

It was recorded for the movie of the same name and reached number one in the States. It was later a number one in the UK for both Mariah Carey with Westlife in 2000 and X Factor winner Steve Brookstein in 2005.

Lionel Richie - 'Hello'

Lionel Richie - Hello (Official Music Video)

One of Lionel Richie 's biggest ever hits, this song went to number one in both the UK and US in 1984.

• The Story of... 'Hello' by Lionel Richie

Lionel initially felt that the song was "corny" but "by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again". And you've got to love that music video!

Irene Cara - 'Flashdance (What a Feeling')

Irene Cara - "What A Feeling" (1983) - MDA Telethon

When you think of '80s cinema moments, the sight of Jennifer Beals swapping her welding gear for a seriously epic dance routine to the tune of 'What a Feeling' in Flashdance is right up there.

• The Story of... 'Flashdance... What a Feeling' by Irene Cara

Irene Cara's anthem won an Oscar and Golden Globe for best song in 1984.

Tracy Chapman - 'Fast Car'

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (Official Music Video)

One of the greatest and most-played ballads from the '80s, this became Tracy Chapman 's signature song in 1988.

• The Story of... 'Fast Car' by Tracy Chapman
• Watch this powerful, raw early performance of Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car' from 1988

Speaking to Q magazine, Tracy Chapman once said: "It's not really about a car at all."Basically it's about a relationship that doesn't work out because it's starting from the wrong place."

The song is said to tell a grittily realistic story of a working poor woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty.

Yazoo - 'Only You'

Yazoo - Only You (Official Music Video)

Vince Clarke wrote 'Only You' as a sentimental ballad, and wanted to find a singer who could perform it with emotion, after his former band Depeche Mode turned it down.

• The Story of... 'Only You' by Yazoo

At the same time, singer Alison Moyet placed an ad in Melody Maker looking for a new band. Clarke had heard Moyet perform with other bands on the pub circuit, and felt she was a perfect fit for the song.

The song brought the duo together and became a big hit, and was later covered by everyone from The Flying Pickets to Kylie Minogue .

U2 - 'With or Without You'

U2 - With Or Without You (Official Music Video)

A number one hit in America in 1987, this power ballad helped turn U2 in rock giants.

• Watch Bono perform beautiful solo rendition of U2 ballad 'With Or Without You'

Featuring trademark sustained guitar parts played by guitarist the Edge, the love song was inspired by Bono's conflicting feelings about the lives he led as a musician and domestic man.

The Jacksons - 'Can You Feel It'

The Jacksons - Can You Feel It

Written by brothers Michael and Jackie , this song about creating a world of peace and harmony featured solo leads by Randy and Michael.

It was one of the biggest hits for the brothers under the Jacksons moniker rather than the Jackson 5, and its video was an epic nine-minute version with added sound effects and guitars that deserves to be seen in all its glory.

Peter Gabriel - 'Sledgehammer'

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (HD version)

This song was influenced by 1960s soul music, in particular those made by Memphis label Stax. The song is generally about sex, with the lyrics being loaded with... phallic symbols.

• Peter Gabriel's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Its iconic famous music video was directed by Stephen R Johnson, and featured Aardman Animation providing groundbreaking claymation. Peter Gabriel said: “If anyone wants to try and copy this video, good luck to them”.

Queen and David Bowie - 'Under Pressure'

Queen - Under Pressure (Official Video)

Queen had been working on a song called ‘Feel Like’, but were not yet satisfied with the result.

David Bowie had originally come to sing backup vocals on another song, but his vocals were removed because he was not satisfied. The final version of this song, evolved from a jam session that Bowie had with the band.

Brian May later said: “It was hard, because you had four very precocious boys and David, who was precocious enough for all of us. Looking back, it’s a great song but it should have been mixed differently.”

Tina Turner - 'What's Love Got To Do With It'

Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It (Official Music Video)

This song ended up becoming Tina Turner 's most successful song ever, and was taken from her 1984 album Private Dancer .

• Tina Turner: Simply her 10 best songs ever, ranked

It was later used in the 1993 film of the same name, based on Tina's life.

Amazingly, it was first offered to Cliff Richard , who rejected it. It was also given around to Phyllis Hyman, Donna Summer and even Bucks Fizz . The Fizz even recorded a version but it was shelved as Tina got hers out first.

Guns N Roses - 'Sweet Child o' Mine'

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Official Music Video)

Featuring one of rock's most distinctive guitar riffs thanks to Slash, this crowd pleasure featured on Guns N Roses' debut album Appetite for Destruction .

Lead singer Axl Rose was listening to the band upstairs in his room and was inspired to write lyrics, basing it on his girlfriend Erin Everly (the daughter of Everly Brothers star Don Everly and Venetia Stevenson).

The Bangles - 'Eternal Flame'

The Bangles - Eternal Flame (Official Video)

Bangles member Susanna Hoffs teamed up with seasoned songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly to write this power ballad.

• The Story of... 'Eternal Flame' by The Bangles
• The Bangles' 10 best ever songs, ranked

he song was inspired by two eternal flames: one at the gravesite of Elvis Presley that the Bangles saw when the band visited Graceland, and one at a local synagogue in Palm Springs which Steinberg attended as a child.

Hoffs later revealed she sang the recording completely naked after producer Davitt Sigerson pranked her by saying Olivia Newton-John had done the same thing.

Barbra Streisand - 'Woman in Love'

Barbra Streisand -- Woman In Love Video HQ

This was the song that truly took Barbra Streisand into the mainstream pop world, thanks to her collaboration with the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb , who co-wrote this song with his brother Robin.

• Barbra Streisand's 10 greatest ever songs, ranked

It was a huge hit around the world, and is perhaps her greatest hit single ever. However, she is not actually a fan of the song herself. She has said that she doesn't believe in the lyrics, and has very rarely performed it live.

Erasure - 'A Little Respect'

Erasure - A Little Respect (Official HD Music Video)

This '80s anthem is about a plea for reconciliation from a lover who has been hurt by their partner, and was an outlet for producer Vince Clarke to get his emotions out via Andy Bell’s fantastic vocals.

“Andy is much better at offering his heart to the world and expressing how he feels, he’s a king at that,” he said.

Fleetwood Mac - 'Everywhere'

Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere (Official Music Video)

Written and sung by Christine McVie , 'Everywhere' reached number four in the UK Singles Chart in 1988.

• The 20 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs, ranked

Its video was based on the poem 'The Highwayman' and follows the story of a traveller in love with the landlord's daughter.

George Michael and Aretha Franklin - 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)'

George Michael, Aretha Franklin - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (Official Video)

This Grammy Award-winning duet was a number one smash around the world for Aretha and George Michael in 1987, and was co-written by Simon Climie of Climie Fisher fame.

• The Story of... 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)' by George and Aretha

It had been one of George's ambitions to perform with Aretha, and producer Clive Davis put the two in touch. It was originally intended as a solo song for Tina Turner .

New Order - 'Blue Monday 88'

New Order - Blue Monday 88 (Official Music Video)

The original version of this track remains the best-selling 12” single of all time, and was written in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores.

The song was planned to allow them to return to the stage, press play on a synthesiser and leave the stage again, but while writing the song it evolved into a project that the band quite liked.

This version was a more palatable 4 minute release, and was remixed by Quincy Jones. It reached top five in the UK and topped the US dance chart.

Elton John - 'I Guess that's Why they Call it the Blues'

Elton John - I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

This was one of Elton's biggest hits of the 1980s, and features none other than Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

It has since been covered by the likes of James Blunt , and as a duet with Elton and Mary J Blige.

Simple Minds - 'Don't You Forget About Me'

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)

Scottish band Simple Minds were brought in to record the main theme for teen drama The Breakfast Club , and they couldn't have done a better job.

One of the greatest '80s movie moments is surely Judd Nelson's John Bender fist pumping the sky to the tune of this '80s banger.

Michael Jackson - 'Thriller'

Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official Video - Shortened Version)

The title track of the world’s best-selling album was written by English disco pioneer Rod Temperton, and was originally called ‘Starlight’. The song also features horror icon Vincent Price performing a tongue-in-cheek ‘rap’.

• The Story of… ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson

Price recorded it on his second take, after it had been written by Temperton in the taxi on the way to the studio!

A 14-minute film was made for the song directed by John Landis, in which Jackson turns into a zombie and performs a dance routine. It has often been voted the greatest music video ever made.

George Michael - 'Faith'

George Michael - Faith (Official Video)

This funky song was written, arranged and produced by George Michael himself. The song became one of his most popular and enduring tracks.

• The Story of... 'Faith'

It also introduced the world to George's iconic leather jacket and blue jeans combo. It topped the US charts in 1987 and reached number two in the UK.

Bon Jovi - 'Livin' on a Prayer'

Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer

Weddings, house parties and '80s cheese nights wouldn't be complete without it.

• Bon Jovi's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Explaining what the song was about, Jon Bon Jovi said: "It deals with the way that two kids – Tommy and Gina – face life's struggles, and how their love and ambitions get them through the hard times.

The song became the band's signature song, has sold million of copies, and has just under a billion views on YouTube as of 2023.

Pet Shop Boys - 'West End Girls'

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (Official Video) [HD REMASTERED]

The group's debut single is also their very best, and is a pioneering piece of synthpop.

• The 10 greatest Pet Shop Boys songs, ranked

The Pet Shop Boys burst onto the scene in 1984 with this dark track, which was influenced by hip hop music and a TS Elliot poem. The song was written about class and the pressures of inner-city life.

Patrick Swayze - 'She's Like the Wind'

Patrick Swayze - She's Like The Wind (Official HD Video) ft. Wendy Fraser

Co-written and sung by actor Patrick Swayze , this song was originally intended for the soundtrack of Grandview, USA, and was meant to be about Jamie Lee Curtis’ character in the film.

• The Story of... 'She's Like the Wind' by Patrick Swayze

However, the song was not used, and so during the production of Dirty Dancing in 1987, Swayze played the demo for producer Linda Gottlieb and director Emile Ardolino. They loved it and it was recorded for the soundtrack.

Duran Duran - 'Save a Prayer'

Duran Duran - Save A Prayer (Official Music Video)

Released in 1982, this mellow pop classic reached number two in the UK, their biggest hit at the time.

• The Story of... 'Save a Prayer'

The song began with Andy Taylor and Nick Rhodes picking out chords together, before Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics.

The song is about a chance meeting between two people, that turns into a one-night stand. Le Bon described it as "realistic, and not romantic".

Paul Simon - 'You Can Call Me Al'

Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (Official Video)

This catchy 1980s anthem was the first single to be released from Paul Simon 's iconic album Graceland . In the UK it peaked at number four.

• QUIZ: How well do you know the lyrics to 'You Can Call Me Al'?

The song is about a person seemingly experiencing a midlife crisis. Its lyrics were partially inspired by Paul's trip to South Africa and his experiences with its culture.

It had one of the most famous music videos of all time, with Paul being joined by actor Chevy Chase, who had rehearsed the lyrics on the way to the shoot.

Bryan Adams - 'Summer of 69'

Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69 (Official Music Video)

Originally titled 'Best Days of My Life', this song was amazingly not a hit in the UK (only reaching number 42), despite it being arguably Bryan Adams ' best known and most loved song!

• Bryan Adams' 15 best songs ever, ranked

Bryan later said: "That song is 25 years old now so it's had that many years to incubate. A lot of songs, like that one, hit big in America but really not anywhere else. It didn't chart anywhere in Europe until at least 10 years after it was released. I think songs can have a life of their own regardless of the promotion."

Michael Jackson - 'Man in the Mirror'

Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (Official Video)

Despite being one of Michael Jackson's signature songs, this was actually written by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard.

• The Story of... 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson

It remains one of the most inspirational tracks of all time, and was one of the reason behind its album Bad 's huge success.

Madness - 'It Must Be Love'

Madness - It Must Be Love (Official Video)

Labi Siffre first released this song as a soul ballad in 1971, before Madness released a more famous cover 10 years later.

• The Story of... 'It Must Be Love' by Madness

One of their most popular songs, this quirky little love song was a number four hit. In a nice touch, Labi Siffre makes a cameo in the music video.

Huey Lewis & the News - 'The Power of Love'

Huey Lewis & The News - The Power Of Love (Official Video)

The ultimate feel-good '80s movie pop anthem, Huey Lewis was hired to come up with a couple of tunes for Back to the Future , and he more than succeeded with this.

It was nominated for an Oscar, but lost out to Lionel Richie's 'Say You Say Me'.

Ultravox - 'Vienna'

Ultravox - Vienna (Official Music Video)

A staple of the synthpop genre, this song took its inspiration from the 1948 film The Third Man , which is based around the Austrian capital Vienna. It was famously stuck at number two behind Joe Dolce’s ‘Shaddap You Face’ for several weeks.

• The Story of... 'Vienna' by Ultravox

Midge Ure said of the song: “We wanted to take the song and make it incredibly pompous in the middle, leaving it very sparse before and after, but finishing with a typically over-the top classical ending.”

Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)'

Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Official Video)

This Eurythmics track remains one of the most iconic synthpop tracks of its era. It was a huge hit worldwide, reaching number two in the UK and number one in the US.

• Annie Lennox and Eurythmics' 10 best songs ever, ranked

According to Annie Lennox , the song is about the unhappy time she felt after the breakup of first band The Tourists. She said: "[It's] basically me saying: 'Look at the state of us. How can it get worse? I was feeling very vulnerable. The song was an expression of how I felt: hopeless and nihilistic'."

However, David Stewart thought the lyrics were too depressing, and added the 'hold your head up, moving on' line to make it more uplifting.

David Bowie - 'Let's Dance'

David Bowie - Let's Dance (Official Video)

In 1982, Nile Rodgers met David Bowie in the New York club Continental, where the two shared a conversation about their musical interests. Bowie later invited Rodgers to his house in Switzerland, which Rodgers assumed was an audition.

The pair then worked together on this track and the album of the same name, giving Bowie one of the biggest hits of his career.

Madonna - 'Like a Prayer'

Madonna - Like A Prayer (Official Video)

Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, this track saw Madonna enter a new artistic and personal approach to songwriting, as she believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

• The Story of... 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna

The song is about a passionate girl in love with God, who becomes the only male figure in her life. The music video sees Madonna as a witness to the murder of a girl by white supremacists.

While a black man is arrested for the murder, Madonna hides in a church, and it also features a dream sequence about kissing a black saint.

The Vatican condemned the video, while family and religious groups also protested its broadcast. All the fuss did was make Madonna an even bigger star.

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers - 'Islands in the Stream'

KENNY ROGERS & DOLLY PARTON - ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - HQ Audio

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb decided to write this song as an R&B tune for Marvin Gaye , but it later transformed into a country-pop crossover.

"The story is the producer and the writer on the song was one of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb," Kenny Rogers told People magazine.

• The Story of.. 'Islands in the Stream'

"And we had been singing this song in my studio in L.A. for four days. And I finally said, 'Barry, I don't even like this song anymore.'

"And he said, 'We need Dolly Parton .'"I said, 'Well, why not, you know?'. And Ken Kragen, my manager said, 'I saw her downstairs.' I said, 'Well, go get her.' "And Dolly, in her inimitable fashion, marched into the room and the song was never the same."

Michael Jackson - 'Beat It'

Michael Jackson - Beat It (Official 4K Video)

This song and its video helped Thriller become the world’s best-selling album of all time. Producer Quincy Jones had wanted to include a rock song in the vein of The Knack’s ‘My Sharona’, though Jackson reportedly had never previously shown an interest in the genre.

The lyrics relate to life on the streets and gang activity, something Jackson was very detached from. Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo, after doing it as a favour for Jones, and was not paid aside from two six-packs of beer!

Giorgio Moroder & Phil Oakey - 'Together in Electric Dreams'

Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Together in Electric Dreams (Official Video)

This was first recorded for the 1984 movie Electric Dreams , and later formed part of Human League frontman Philip Oakey and electronic musician Giorgio Moroder’s collaborative album a year later.

• The Story of... 'Together in Electric Dreams' by Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder

In the UK, it proved to be even more popular than the movie it was intended to promote. It is often mistakenly attributed to The Human League, though they have often performed it live.

Kate Bush - 'Running Up that Hill'

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill - Official Music Video

EMI bosses were hesitant to release the song with its original title of 'A Deal with God' due to possible negative reactions because of its use of the word 'God'. Kate Bush relented and changed the title.

• The Story of... 'Running Up that Hill'

The song itself has often been misinterpreted. Kate later said: "I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised!

"And really the only way I could think it could be done was either... you know, I thought a deal with the devil. And I thought, 'well, no, why not a deal with God!' Because in a way it's so much more powerful the whole idea of asking God to make a deal with you. You see, for me it is still called "Deal With God", that was its title."

The song had a resurgence in popularity in 2022, after its heavy use in the latest season of Stranger Things .

Tears for Fears - 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'

Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Official Music Video)

One of their signature songs, this track gave Tears for Fears one of their biggest international hits in 1985, despite being one of the last songs recorded for Songs from the Big Chair .

• The Story of... 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' by Tears for Fears

Curt Smith sang lead vocals on the track, which is about the desire humans have for control and power, and the themes of corruption.

The group re-recorded the song titled 'Everybody Wants to Run the World' as a charity single for the Sport Aid campaign a year later.

Simply Red - 'Holding Back the Years'

Simply Red - Holding Back The Years (Official Video)

This heartbreaking ballad reached number one in the States, catapulting the group into instant superstardom.

• The Story of... 'Holding Back the Years' by Simply Red

Mick Hucknall wrote it when he was just 17, but the chorus didn't arrive until years later. He wrote it after the chaos created when his mother left the family when he was three years old.

It was co-written with Neil Moss, a member of Mick's first group The Frantic Elevators.

John Farnham - 'You're the Voice'

John Farnham - You're the Voice (Official Video)

This power ballad was co-written by Keith Reid (‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’) and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band singer Chris Thompson.

• Watch Celine Dion sing 'You're the Voice' with John Farnham live in Australia - video

It became one of the biggest Australian hits of all time, and was a success around the world, though in the US it was Heart’s cover in 1991 that proved more popular.

It has been used in various TV shows and movies, including in Peter Kay’s Car Share , when his character John passionately sings along to the song while driving to work.

A-Ha - 'Take on Me'

a-ha - Take On Me (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]

This '80s classic actually flopped twice before it was finally a hit around the world. This was largely down to its revolutionary rotoscoping animation music video, taking six months to complete.

• The Story of... 'Take on Me' by A-Ha

It then became a worldwide hit thanks to the video and its heavy use on MTV, reaching number one in the USA and number two in the UK.

The Police - 'Every Breath You Take'

The Police - Every Breath You Take (Official Video)

Often mistaken for a love song, it's one of the most misinterpreted tracks in the history of music, when it's in fact about a deluded stalker who convinces himself that the emotions he feels are true love.

• The Story of... 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police

Written after Sting separated from his first wife, the song's creation was fraught with in-fighting within the band (who were actually physically punching each other in the studio) with Sting saying that the time of its release that "it's a nasty little song, really rather evil."

It was the first single released on The Police 's final album Synchronicity, ensuring that the trio went out on a supreme high with the song winning Song of the Year at the 1984 Grammy Awards and staying at the top of the US Billboard Charts for a total of eight weeks.

The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'

The Human League - Don't You Want Me (Official Music Video)

One of the best-selling singles of the 1980s, this surprising Christmas number one sold over 1.5 million records upon its release in 1981.

The song was inspired after singer Philip Oakey read a story in a teen-girl's magazine. he was also inspired by the film A Star Is Born and decided to turn the song into a duet with one of the band's two teenage female vocalists.

Susan Ann Sulley was asked to take on the role. Until then, she and Joanne Catherall had only been assigned backing vocals. Sulley says she was chosen only through "luck of the draw".

Prince - 'Purple Rain'

Prince - Purple Rain (Official Video)

'Purple Rain' was originally written as a country song, and was intended to be a collaboration with Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks .

• The Story of... 'Purple Rain' by Prince

Prince explained the meaning of 'Purple Rain' as: "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."

The song became something of a singature song for Prince, and he famously performed it in the rain during his Super Bowl halftime show.

Lionel Richie - 'All Night Long'

Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night)

In this Caribbean-influenced song, Lionel admitted that the ‘African’ lyrics, such as ‘Tom bo li de say de moi ya’ and ‘Jambo jumbo’, were in fact made-up gibberish. He described these portions as a “wonderful joke”, after he discovered that he lacked the time to hire a translator.

• The Story of... 'All Night Long' by Lionel Richie

Lionel said: “What I try to write about are real events. There will always be an easy like Sunday morning. There will always be an endless love. There will always be an all night long.”

Bonus fact: A young Richard Marx recorded backing vocals for this song.

ABBA - 'The Winner Takes it All'

ABBA - The Winner Takes It All (Video)

Bjorn Ulvaeus has denied that his heartbreaking ballad is about his and Agnetha Faltskog 's divorce. However, he has said that is about divorce in general and the emotions that come with it.

• The Story of... 'The Winner Takes it All' by ABBA
• ABBA's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked

The song put Agnetha in the strange situation of being asked to sing a breakup song, written by her ex-husband, just a short period afterwards.

However, Bjorn didn't intend it to happen this way. She later said it was her favourite ABBA song to perform.

Foreigner - 'I Want to Know What Love Is'

Foreigner - 'I Want To Know What Love Is' [Official Music Video]

Foreigner's biggest ever hit, this excellent power ballad reached number one in both the UK and US.

• The Story of... 'I Want to Know What Love Is' by Foreigner

Writer Mick Jones said of the song: "I don’t know where it came from. I consider it a gift that was sent through me. I think there was something bigger than me behind it. I’d say it was probably written entirely by a higher force."

Fact: it features keyboard work by Thompson Twins frontman Tom Bailey.

Whitney Houston - 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Official 4K Video)

This is one of the ultimate feel good songs ever released, and was the lead single from Whitney's second album.

It was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, aka Boy Meets Girl, who had previously offered their hit 'Waiting for a Star to Fall' to Whitney, but she turned it down.

It became one of Whitney's signature tunes, and was the title to her official biopic in 2022.

Queen - 'I Want to Break Free'

Queen - I Want To Break Free (Official Video)

Written by bassist John Deacon , the song is from the male perspective of the women’s liberation movement. The video parodied Coronation Street , and famously showed all four members in drag, a move which saw the video banned on MTV in the States.

“They must’ve thought men dressing up in drag wasn’t ‘rock’ enough,” said Roger Taylor. The famous electric guitar solo is not actually a guitar, but rather a synth by Fred Mandel, something Brian May wasn’t on board with at first.

Phil Collins - 'In the Air Tonight'

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (Official Music Video)

Famous for its epic drum solo, Phil Collins ’ debut solo single was written during the grief he felt after divorcing his first wife, Simone.

• The Story of... 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins

The lyrics take the form of a dark monologue directed towards an unnamed person. An urban legend has claimed that it's about a drowning incident in which someone who was close enough to save the victim did not, while Collins, who was too far away to help, looked on.

The song was famously used in a Dairy Milk advert in 2007, in which a gorilla drummed along to it, because why not?

Toto - 'Africa'

Toto - Africa (Official HD Video)

It's almost impossible to not burst into song at the top of your lungs as soon as you hear the famous catchy intro of Toto's 'Africa', let alone its epic chorus.

• The Story of... 'Africa' by Toto

In 2015, David Paich said that the song is about a man's love of the continent Africa, rather than a personal romance.

He based the lyrics around a late night documentary with depictions of African plight and suffering. It had a lasting impact on him: "It both moved and appalled me, and the pictures just wouldn't leave my head. I tried to imagine how I'd feel about it if I was there and what I'd do."

George Michael - 'Careless Whisper'

George Michael - Careless Whisper (Official HD Video)

This was the song that made people stand up and take notice of George as a credible artist outside the pop fun of Wham!

Released when he still in the boyband with Andrew Ridgeley , the song topped the charts around the world. Co-written with Andrew when they were 17, the song took inspiration from stories from Michael’s early romantic experiences with two different girls.

• The Story of... 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael

He later said: "The whole idea of 'Careless Whisper' was the first girl finding out about the second – which she never did. But I started another relationship with a girl called Alexis without finishing the one with Jane. It all got a bit complicated."

Jane found out about her and got rid of me. The whole time I thought I was being cool, being this two-timer, but there really wasn't that much emotion involved.

"I did feel guilty about the first girl – and I have seen her since – and the idea of the song was about her. 'Careless Whisper' was us dancing, because we danced a lot, and the idea was – we are dancing...but she knows...and it's finished."

Michael Jackson - 'Billie Jean'

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Official Video)

There are several claims on the meaning behind this classic song’s lyrics. One suggests that they came from a real-life experience, in which a female fan claimed that Michael Jackson (or one of his brothers) had fathered her twins. However, Jackson stated that it was actually based on groupies he had encountered.

• Rare footage of Michael Jackson practicing iconic 'Billie Jean' routine in 1983 is incredible
• The Story of... 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson

The song was promoted with a short film that broke down MTV’s racial barrier, and his performance on Motown 25 , in which he premiered his ‘moonwalk’.

It remains perhaps the greatest pop song of all time, and has that timeless quality that will never disappoint.

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Why 80's Rock is Better than Most of Today's Music

The 1980s were the best time for music, especially rock. There were so many different styles of rock, like metal and glam rock, and so many different bands in each style.There are still many great bands from back then that are still entertaining crowds today. Unlike most of the music around today, people could actually understand the lyrics to songs in the 80s. A lot of the song lyrics today are rhymed so fast that they’re almost impossible to understand. Even though some songs today tell a story through the lyrics, most, if not all, 80’s songs told a story. An example is “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, which tells a story of the mean and dangerous life of living in the streets or the bad side of a large city like Los Angeles. Singers in the 80s had to rely heavily on their ability to sing, unlike some singers today.Many singers today, especially in rap, rely on special electronics to help them “sing”, or give them an electronic voice. In the 80s, singers usually wanted to give their audiences the best performance that they could with the voice that they had, whether it was the growling, aggressive voice of Axl Rose, or the soulful vocals of Steve Perry. Some of the best guitarists the world have come from the 80s. There are some good guitarists today like Keith Urban, but no one today has gained the recognition as a true guitar legend like Slash or Kirk Hammett, whose guitar solos were powerful enough to leave people wanting to learn guitar just so they can play the solos of their idols. Drummers were also at their peak during the 80s. Drummers today don’t need to worry much about messing up a beat because they can use a loop effect that repeats the same beat over and over again. Drummers in the 80s could put on amazing solos that sounded great by them self without any accompaniment. Probably the best drummer ever came from the 80s. He was Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, who had lost an arm, but still managed to lay down unique beats and pull off great solos. No music is ever going to compare to the rock music of the 1980s. Some bands that I would recommend listening to are Guns N’ Roses, Journey, Metallica, and Def Leppard.

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This article has 2 comments.

Favorite Quote: "Carpe diem"

Favorite Quote: "If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed. " Christopher McCandless "Into the Wild"

Your article is well written. I enjoyed it . I have some comments on it.

While you are correct that the 1980'2 was very varied when it came to work, the artistry for most of the decade was missing. It was all about the looks back then. With the exception of Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and Aerosmith,  not many bands could be taken seriously. Either they had excellent music but horrid lyrics or excellent lyrics and mediocre music. It was all flash back then.

The drumming, I agree was at a hieght back then. That is absolutely true.

The note on the ability of the singer is true also. Surprisingly, every band had a good lead singer. I can't think of a band that didn't. If your voice was bad, you didn't get played.

Overall, you changed my opinon on 80's rock. I thought it was horrid. But then I looked at it from your angle and saw that you were correct about many things. I found a new apprecation for it.

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Why the '80s Were the Best Decade for Popular Music [Opinion]

Just like it’s hard to have perspective on your own work, it’s also difficult to judge the era we’re in… until years or decades later. In the 1930s, did people realize that pretty much every car on the road would someday be deemed a classic? What are the chances that the Nissan Juke in your driveway will ever claim that status?

It’s just the same way with music. We have decades of popular music behind us now, but what bands, styles, or movements in the biz will have staying power?

One era that still rules the airwaves and live venues today: the 1980s. More than 26 years after the decade’s final day, clubs have '80s nights, satellite radio boasts '80s channels, and the FM dial offers tunes by Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, and A-Ha. Why does that material have so much staying power, drowning out the decades on either end? That’s simple: the 1980s were the best decade so far for popular music. 

The case for the 1980s

That might seem a bold statement, but I’m prepared to make my case. The burgeoning global music scene and wild imagination we all enjoyed during the Reagan years were driven, in part, by three factors: the political environment, the assimilation of divergent musical styles into the mainstream, and the rapid growth of technology in music.

Meanwhile, the era also benefited from established trends that would soon end: strong record labels that carefully vetted their artists and an unspoken but clear emphasis on talent and quality. This decade featured a convergence of several powerful cultural fronts, bringing about a storm of creativity.

Let’s start with the gadgets.

Computers invade pop

Groups like Pink Floyd played around with electronica in the early '70s, but in the '80s, this tech became readily available. For the first time, any teenager with babysitting money could go to the mall and buy a sampling keyboard with an onboard drum machine. Just like that, a huge barrier in the music business was removed, and anybody could track a hit.

At the same time, recording technology was improving, making larger orchestrations in pop more practical for moderate-budget records and allowing artists to realize any weird sound they could hear in their heads. When it came to singing, however, artists were on their own. There was no auto-tune – singers still had to sing, and all the digital reverb and slapback in the rack couldn’t change it. The best option was still to do take after take until you got a good one.

Furthermore, as computers and sequencers became standard equipment in studios, the benefits of electronic instrumentation were felt. ZZ Top’s Afterburner (1985) used the perfect time of a synth program to make their bluesy funk more danceable. Across the pond, synth bands like New Order and Depeche Mode used the perfect sheen of their keyboards and the march of their electronic drums to make statements about isolation and the pressures of conformist society (more on that later). And as these new tools became available, guitar rock was still alive and well.

"Strange" music rejoins the mainstream

With the growing global economy and the beginning of the information age, music of the world became increasingly easy to share –  and increasingly difficult to suppress. Despite record labels and their attempts at regulating the taste of their fans, American music fans were listening to reggae, hip-hop, Latin music, and Afro-pop. New albums were dubbed onto cassettes and shared.

In the 1980s, for the first time, the average answer to the question of what music one preferred became “I like all kinds of music.” And that meant that the musicians of this generation were playing all kinds of music. Clinging to one genre had become uncool.

However, the USA doesn't own pop music. In the 1980s, the '60s were still being felt in many places around the world where outside music was less welcome. I visited the USSR in 1985, and the biggest band in the Republic was the Beatles. Vinyl records from British Invasion bands had finally reached everyday people –  despite the best efforts of the Communist Party –  through that country’s thriving black market.Around the world,

Around the world, music of the 1960s was seen as music of emancipation and experimentation, and by the '80s nearly everyone had access to it for the first time. 

The end-of-days effect

Climate change is a big deal, and if we all end up having to move into tunnels or onto space stations, a lot of great music will come from that. In the 1980s, the threat was much more immediate. An ICBM can fly from Moscow to Washington in less than 30 minutes , and that meant that in the 1980s, we were all 30 minutes from doom (as out politicians kept helpfully reminding us).

Being under threat all the time brings about strong emotions, and strong emotions inspire a lot of good music. Frankly, I’ll take Glasnost over the Cold War any day of the week… but the music hasn’t been the same since Gorbachev tore down the wall.

The "Me Generation"

During much of the 1980s, the economy was booming, bringing newfound wealth to the middle class. Along with that, we got the term “yuppie” and an explosion of consumer goods. Regular folks were now expected to have piles of luxurious “stuff” and had the means to get it, even if a lot of those means were due to maxing out credit cards.

While young executives bought BMWs and bragged about monthly bonuses, artists sulked in the background, complaining that all this consumption was spiritually empty and leading to a high-stress, planet-destroying lifestyle.

Others pointed out that most of the wealth, as usual, was going to educated, middle-class white men, leaving women and people of color largely behind. This was a perfect environment for the establishment of a new music underground as a protest movement. And boy, did we get one.

Actually, we got several. Whole high schools were filled with kids wearing stonewashed jeans and Metallica jackets. Kids at track and field practice passed around tapes by Public Enemy and De La Soul. Weird, moody, and ambitious music all over the world fell under the new auspices of “alternative music.” Almost none of this stuff ever made it to mainstream radio; it was spread by mumbling late-night DJs on college stations, and by all those tape-dubbing kids in high schools all over the world.

Record labels were still strong and vetted their artists

However, the '80s were still largely ruled by the record label. This was a mixed blessing. On one hand, bands were signed to make money, and all those conversations by A&R people sitting around boardroom tables inevitably came down to whether the record would sell. On the other hand, A&R people still wanted to sign great artists. They wanted to find massive talents who would have massive careers, people who would change the music game.

When Epic Records released Living Colour's Vivid  in 1988, they didn’t just know that they would make a splash by unleashing black rock on the world – they also knew those guys could really play. Most artists rejected by the labels weren’t good enough. Today, anybody with a guitar and a cell phone can get “signed” to YouTube… and that cuts both ways.

Check my work

You probably know most or all of the artists I referenced in this article, but if you’re not sure about my overall point, take a trip through the internet. Search for '80s artists and listen to their recordings that you might have missed.

For example, Midnight Oil had one really big album in the US market, Diesel and Dust (1985), but they had four other albums during the decade that were just as good. What about the astonishing work done in the decade by Public Enemy, the Cocteau Twins, King’s X, or Kate Bush? You could spend your life deconstructing the music of the decade, and sooner or later you’d come around: the 1980s were the best decade so far in popular music.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Jesse Sterling Harrison is an author, recording artist, and part-time farmer. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three daughters, and a herd of ducks.

Topics: opinion

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’80s soundtracks defined a generation.

The presence of 1980s soundtracks in modern pop culture has become more than a simple fad. From the overwhelming prevalence of ’80s music in “Stranger Things” to the modern remixes of ’80s songs, it has become clear how influential the ’80s has been on musical culture. Without the rise of contemporary pop and alternative music during the cultural revolution that was the ’80s, modern society would be radically different.

Television played a similarly massive role in the growth of ’80s music. Channels such as MTV and VH1 showcased music in a way that was unprecedented for the time. These television stations were formed in the ’80s and became undeniably huge, growing large followings for their syndicated music videos. Furthermore, these channels paved the road for future media, especially for the worldwide phenomenon that is YouTube.

There’s no denying that the ’80s produced a massive number of musical hits. What isn’t as clear is why seemingly all generations relish in this music. According to a study by YouGov that interviewed more than 17,000 adult Americans, ’70s and ’80s music were the most common decades liked by respondents. However, these responses correlated with the generation each participant was born into. For example, those born in the 1960s would prefer ’60s or ’70s music because that’s what they grew up with. Based on this empirical data, why is there still a fascination for ’80s music, let alone ’80s culture?

Although multiple arguments can be made to explain the ’80s’ unmatched appeal, one crucial factor is the stylistic diversity. Prior to the late ’70s and ’80s, music was recorded by bands in select studios, with little to no filters present. In simple terms, whatever was recorded ended up on the track. However, advancements in technology led to new ways of organizing recordings, later resulting in the ability to edit out any unwanted sounds. Wired interfaces helped music evolve from traditional analog recordings to digital formats that could synchronize individual parts. Ultimately, this new technology enabled artists to create works that surpassed the limitations of non-electric instruments.

Another noteworthy aspect originated from the cultural revolution of the ’80s. An undeniable cultural optimism defined this era; despite the constant political tensions resulting from the Cold War, there came a period of rebellious independence and grand adventure storylines within our media. For example, most films made by Hughes during this decade presented underdog portrayals of adolescents, showing kids and teenagers conquering challenging explorations or discovering themselves while facing adversity.

When watching a film or reading a book, we find ways to relate to the characters. We want to connect with what they do and what they say. We get swayed in all different directions by their believable personalities, and we’re able to picture them in our heads. This is why we consume media: we like to cultivate.

Beautiful beyond simple examination, the ’80s soundtracks are iconic and revolutionary in every context. The musical decade was a movement of cultural expression and technological advancement. And to this day, its proclivity for invoking passion hasn’t faded. This alone is a testament to the momentous force the ’80s has become to our modern lives. To this day, countless hits and soundtracks fill the air; the nostalgic melodies — regardless of the statistical findings — have left a tremendous impact on our world.

So grab some orange-padded headphones, attempt to fix a Rubik’s Cube and dive into the music that has given generations a time to feel free.

Paul Hoskin, Weber State University

Writer profile, paul hoskin, weber state university interpersonal and family communication, leave a reply, related posts, evolution or devolution the changing structure of songs, the decade-defining fashion & hair in “star trek”, experience the timeless energy of wham, review: ariana grande’s ‘yes, and’ flips the bird and the narrative, back to the future: the 80’s influence on today’s trends, the rickroll effect, radio: a quest to discover your new favorite song, 5 pop culture college courses we wish we could take, shakespeare, ‘coriolanus’ and ‘the ballad of songbirds and snakes’, the wonders of weeki wachee, bridgit mendler: where is she now, more than struggle: palestinian cuisine, exploring the “obsessed artist” trope in film.

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The Underrated Poetry of ’80s Music

I listen to a good bit of music, my taste even encompassing a lot of classical. But, most of all, I enjoy music from the eighties, specifically what falls under the new wave category. A lot of times people overlook these gems. When recalling this era of song, I feel that most fail to go past Journey, Queen, Michael Jackson, and Cyndi Lauper. I like the music of all of these artists, but so much more exists.

(Continue reading for 100% accurate reviews by a certified musicologist)

The only way I can characterize new wave music from the eighties—as well as similar music in like genres—is this: sad or dark lyrics guided by a plot and backed by upbeat synth and random instruments. Granted, a lot of songs with discernibly positive lyrics exist under this category, but that is my general observation. And, as for the instruments, I can only say that bands either consist of the following: four members playing synthesizers while singing, two guitarists singing with a drummer and a synth player, or a drummer backing two singers that play guitar, synth, and random objects. I would also like to add that violin, saxophone, xylophone, and other instruments accompany the traditional ones, often. And, of course, how could I forget a bass guitar played with a bow?

Although I can not accurately describe the sound any further, I would like to give lyric examples. Hopefully, after reading a few of them, you may understand how poetic and underrated they are. I also encourage you to listen to the songs themselves. The lyrics only tell part of the story, and they pair beautifully with the instrumental voices.

(I apologize in advance)

Tears For Fears:

You probably know “Mad World”, which, surprisingly many people have no idea they sing it. They also sing “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, which are both recognizable classics.

(a few lyrics from “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”: 

“Welcome to your life/ There’s no turning back/ Even while we sleep/ we will find You/ acting on your best behavior/ Turn your back on mother nature/ Everybody wants to rule the world”)

Another well-known song they have is “Head Over Heels.”

(a few lyrics from “Head Over Heels”:

“But traditions I can trace against the child in your face/ Won’t escape my attention”)

Eurythmics:

They sing two familiar classics: “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” and “Here Comes the Rain Again”. The second is personally my favorite of the two.

(a few lyrics from “Here Comes the Rain Again”:

“Here comes the rain again/ Falling on my head like a memory/ Falling on my head like a new emotion/…Here comes the rain again/ Raining in my head like a tragedy/ Tearing me apart like a new emotion”)

Now, they sing a good bit of definite classics. Not only is their sound musical poetry itself, but, wow, the lyrics. Everyone should know at least three of their songs because these guys were a major influence on the music and culture during this era. Although they exceed new wave, you would have to have an interesting opinion to not consider them as one of the most notable figures of this genre. Well-known songs include the following: “Friday I’m in Love”, “Pictures of You”, “Lovesong”, “Boys Don’t Cry”, “A Forest”, and more. All of these songs consist of poetic lyrics, but I only have time for one.

(a few lyrics from “Pictures of You”:

“Remembering you fallen into my arms/ Crying for the death of your heart/ You were stone white/ So delicate/ Lost in the cold/ You were always so lost in the dark”)

To conclude this post, I would like to say a few words. I apologize for any errors in the lyrics, and I also apologize for grouping some late eighties and early nineties music with the rest. They still carry an “eighties air”, I guess—although some of them serve as significant precursors for the nineties, but I do not want to delve too much into that. Again, although I have my musicologist credentials, I am only 100% certified, so I hope you pardon my scattered interpretation of these songs. Anyway, thank you for reading this; have a nice day. I hope you will listen to at least one of these songs, as they deserve some appreciation. Peace out.

Wednesday’s Fun Fact:

In Spanish, two “l’s” together are pronounced like a “y” in English. It makes you question the pronunciation of the word llama, does it not?

Author: Callie Matthews

"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." - The Book Thief View all posts by Callie Matthews

2 thoughts on “The Underrated Poetry of ’80s Music”

I LOVE 80’s music, so this blog post was so fun to read!!

also, it does make me question the world llama 🤔

Comments are closed.

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For those who love the 80s-90s era of Heavy Metal, often referred to as "Hair" or "Glam" metal. Become a metalhead and join our growing community \m/

Essay: 80's Hard Rock/Melodic Rock/Metal is a much better way to tag our favorite bands than Glam/Pop/Hair Metal

Don't get me wrong, I understand the reasoning behind an umbrella term such as Hair Metal . And yes, anyways, music is music and we like what we like. "It's only Rock'n'Roll", sure.

It's just that, as a music major, I can't help but giggle every time I hear Hair/Glam Metal because, the way I see it (opposite to tags like Speed Metal, Groove Metal, Industrial Metal , and so on), it describes nothing about the sound of these bands. What is a Hair sound? How does Hair sound? What even is a Glam sound? What makes a song Glam ?

I love anything eighties, and something I observed is that most Rock songs from the era were produced the same way: big reverby drums, heavily distorted guitars playing power chords or shred solos, gang choruses, and mostly high-pitched lead vocals. The lyric content of most Rock songs of the time (regardless if it was from the LA scene or not) is mostly girls, summer fun, sex, and all of the escapist stuff that is a trademark of that period in US history (Reaganomics, Cold War, Big corporations getting huge, etc.).

The way I've come to see it, all these elements are distinctive of eighties music, particularly in Rock , and are what bands like Mr. Big have in common with, say, Pretty Boy Floyd . Other than that, if you closely listen to Mr. Big (without catching their looks) you'll realize the songs are mostly influenced by 70's Hard Rock. Some bluesier, some rather poppier/more melodic, but if stripped away from all the eighties production and lyrical elements, we are left with some pretty straightforward seventies influenced Hard Rock . Same with Cinderella , Krokus , or Britny Fox , to mention a few. These three bands stripped away from their looks and the eighties production elements sound just like AC/DC .

The other day I made a post trying to make a case of Poison being a great Power Pop band. Bands such as Bon Jovi or Europe (specially in their 87 to 91 prime), on the other hand, are basically AOR/Melodic Rock . If we don't pay attention to their looks, we'll observe that their music is basically Pop songs with a heavy edge. Simple as that. It's got much more in common with, say Journey, Survivor, or Starship , than with Motley Crüe . So many bands took this route in the second half of the decade, such as 'Hysteria' era Def Leppard , Danger Danger, TNT, White Lion, Night Ranger, Vixen, or late eighties Whitesnake (despite obvious differences regarding context, lol).

A band such as Winger is also applicable to this list, but one could also mention all the Proggressive elements in their music as well (meaning the rhythmical, harmonic, and melodic richness in most of their music that is often unnoticed).

Without their looks, Extreme or Bang Tango are eighties Hard Rock with Funk elements. Nothing to do with WASP , who (again, no mention of their looks) played straightforward Heavy Metal in the vein of Judas Priest , Iron Maiden , or DIO (again, every band is different, I'm just tagging bands that sound similar). And I mentioned WASP as I could also have mentioned early Crüe, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister (pre-'Love is for Suckers').

Not to mention all the late-era so-called " Sleazy " bands. Musically very little to do with most of the previous stuff I mentioned. Faster Pussycat, Dogs D'Amour, L.A. Guns, Dangerous Toys, Quireboys ... all sound much more like a mix between 70's Aerosmith and the New York Dolls & Hanoi Rocks kinda Punk stuff than goddamn Warrant or Firehouse (love these bands btw).

And some of you will be left wondering "why is this guy taking the time to write all that, as easy as it is to just call it 80's Hair Metal ?". Well, I just love this music. This kind of music is my whole life, and I am seriously concerned about how little any " Glam -looking band from the eighties" is stigmatised and just not taken seriously for how its music really sounds. 60's, 70's and even 90's music are so deeply explored, academically categorized and so on, whereas we have to just agree that bunch of bands who used hairspray, makeup and colorful aesthetics are supposed to all be the same. I am personally not coping with that.

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What is Music?

Music is a pleasant sound which is a combination of melodies and harmony and which soothes you. Music may also refer to the art of composing such pleasant sounds with the help of the various musical instruments. A person who knows music is a Musician.

The music consists of Sargam, Ragas, Taals, etc. Music is not only what is composed of men but also which exists in nature. Have you ever heard the sound of a waterfall or a flowing river ? Could you hear music there? Thus, everything in harmony has music. Here, I would like to quote a line by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the greatest musicians, “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

Importance of Music:

Music has great qualities of healing a person emotionally and mentally. Music is a form of meditation. While composing or listening music ones tends to forget all his worries, sorrows and pains. But, in order to appreciate good music, we need to cultivate our musical taste. It can be cited that in the Dwapar Yug, the Gopis would get mesmerized with the music that flowed from Lord Krishna’s flute. They would surrender themselves to Him. Also, the research has proved that the plants which hear the Music grow at a faster rate in comparison to the others.

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Magical Powers of Music:

It has the power to cure diseases such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The power of Music can be testified by the legends about Tansen of his bringing the rains by singing Raag Megh Malhar and lighting lamps by Raga Deepak. It also helps in improving the concentration and is thus of great help to the students.

Conclusion:

Music is the essence of life. Everything that has rhythm has music. Our breathing also has a rhythm. Thus, we can say that there is music in every human being or a living creature. Music has the ability to convey all sorts of emotions to people. Music is also a very powerful means to connect with God. We can conclude that Music is the purest form of worship of God and to connect with our soul.

FAQs on Essay on Music:

Q.1. Why is Music known as the Universal Language?

Ans.1. Music is known as the Universal language because it knows no boundaries. It flows freely beyond the barriers of language, religion, country, etc. Anybody can enjoy music irrespective of his age.

Q.2. What are the various styles of Music in India?

Ans.2. India is a country of diversities. Thus, it has numerous styles of music. Some of them are Classical, Pop, Ghazals, Bhajans, Carnatic, Folk, Khyal, Thumri, Qawwali, Bhangra, Drupad, Dadra, Dhamar, Bandish, Baithak Gana, Sufi, Indo Jazz, Odissi, Tarana, Sugama Sangeet, Bhavageet, etc.

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Music of the 80’s vs New Age Music

Our contemporary music has diverged from the 80’s, reflecting the preferences and trends of today’s generation in terms of genre and style. The origins of music can be attributed to the Greek muses, a collective of nine goddesses linked to art and science. Approximately 500 B.C., Pythagoras performed scientific inquiries into acoustics, exploring the mathematical correlation between plucked string vibrations and musical tones. During medieval times, Gregorian chant prevailed as the primary form of music, named after Pope Gregory I. This particular musical style was utilized within Catholic Churches to enrich religious ceremonies.

The chants were initially transmitted orally, but as their quantity increased, the monks began to document them in writing. These chants consist of a sacred Latin text that is sung by monks without any musical instruments. The chant is performed in a monophonic texture, which means there is only one line of music, and it has a flowing rhythm with minimal or no predetermined beat.

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As the Middle Ages neared its end, around the 12th and 13th centuries, music started to expand beyond religious settings. Among those leading the way in composing secular songs were French nobles known as troubadours and trouveres.

During this time period, the nobility were the primary audience for music and would be entertained by court minstrels. Additionally, there were wandering minstrels who performed music and acrobatics in various locations such as castles, taverns, and town squares. Despite being part of the lowest social class along with prostitutes and slaves, these performers played a vital role in spreading information since newspapers did not exist during that time. In contrast, 80s music has a different appeal as it resonates with a younger age group who are starting to realize its significance beyond mere random lyrics unlike contemporary music.

Research and surveys have shown that even 14-year-old teenagers prefer the 80’s era, believing it had more character and diverse music. The age group of the 80’s is comparable to the current generation, as individuals aged 13 to 30 tend to listen to popular and new music, but around the age of 30, they often return to the music they grew up with. The significance of the 80’s era parallels today’s music scene, as all genres from that time possessed meaning, similar to certain genres in contemporary music which still hold purpose and meaning.

Both genres of music from the new aged generation contain genuine lyrics, although the specific content may vary depending on the genre. The key difference between the two types of music lies in the conveyed meaning. Many contemporary songs, particularly in rap, consist of random lyrics or focus on topics such as drugs, violence, and disrespect towards young women. Consequently, older individuals often express their inability to appreciate modern music due to its explicit nature. However, both 80’s music and new aged music share a common use of specific rhythms that can be upbeat, slow, fast or any other way the artist intends to convey their song. These songs can evoke various emotions including sadness, anger, intensity revenge or even happiness.

Unlike the music of the 80’s, contemporary music takes a more progressive approach. In the past, certain ideas and expressions were considered offensive and could not be freely discussed without causing offense. However, society has become less sensitive to others’ words and actions, resulting in a diminished impact of such issues. Unlike the 80’s, today’s music incorporates subjects such as violence, sex, drugs, or demeaning young women as part of its acceptable content. The music from the 1980s served as a way to capture the prevailing events and atmosphere of that era.

The impact of 1980s musical genres on the music industry today is enduring. Although certain artists from that era still enjoy popularity, many have become relatively obscure except for television programs dedicated to reuniting bands and promoting musicians from that time period. This text delves into the influential role played by different bands and interests in shaping 80s music.

Hip-hop became dominant in the music charts in the first decade of the 21st century, a significant contrast to 50 years prior when black music was segregated to the “race” charts. One possible reason for the wide appeal of rap artists was their superior producers. In the latter half of the 20th century, popular and classical music had increasingly prioritized creating a soundscape and shaping the atmosphere rather than focusing on melody. Hip-hop continued this trend by largely disregarding melody and placing lyrics within a purely atmospheric context.

Hip-hop music places a greater emphasis on the role of the producer, who acts as both a sound director and sculptor. Consequently, there has been an increase in skilled producers due to the competitiveness of this genre. In terms of instrumental creativity, hip-hop producers surpass most rock producers. According to dictionaries and encyclopedias, music is defined as “an artistic form of auditory communication that utilizes instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and uninterrupted manner.” It is also described as “any pleasing and harmonious sound” created by singers or musical instruments (Source: wordnet.princeton.edu).

Music has numerous definitions that would require an entire book to explore thoroughly. Nevertheless, if there is a definitive explanation for music, it is this: music is both universal and subjective. What one person deems as music may not be the same for another. Even though 80’s and new school music have similarities and differences, they are both genres of music. Ultimately, we cannot fathom existence without music.

Works Cited

• Essentials of Music. Sony Music Entertainment. 22 April 2002.
• Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. McGraw-Hill: New York, 2002.
• Sherrane, Robert. Music History 102: Hector Berlioz. The Juilliard School, New York. 15 March 2002.
• Sherrane, Robert. Music History 102: The Middle Ages. The Juilliard School, New York. 12 April 2002.

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Beloved ‘80s rock band has new songs in the works, member says

• Published: Jun. 15, 2024, 5:00 a.m.

Axl Rose, center, Slash, back left and Duff McKagan, back right of Guns N' Roses perform during the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Saturday, June 24, 2023. (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP

• Chris Mautner | [email protected]

It seems like Guns ‘n’ Roses fans can look forward to some new songs in the future.

During an interview on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” on June 12, Guns bassist Duff McKagan confirmed that the band has been working on new music.

“Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. There’s new material,” he said when asked about the possibility of new songs from the band. “I don’t know how we’re gonna put it out. I think that’s a question too. Like, do you put out a record? Do you just keep putting out singles? I don’t know what the right answer is there in this day and age.”

The last Guns ‘n’ Roses studio album was “Chinese Democracy,” which was released in 2008. Lead singer Axl Rose was the only original member of the group to appear on that album.

McKagan and guitarist Slash reunited with the band in 2016. Since then, in addition to touring, the group has released several singles, including “Absurd,” “Hard Skool,” “Perhaps” and “The General,” according to Blabbermouth .

Last month, Slash said during an interview that he was working on new songs with the rest of the band.

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Geoff Follin, Well-Known Composer for Games of the '80s and '90s, Dies at 58

Follin composed nes tracks for terminator 2, indiana jones, and batman forever..

Video game composer Geoff Follin, known for his role in crafting ‘80s and ‘’90s-era songs for the Nintendo Entertainment System, has passed away at the age of 58 from pancreatic cancer.

Follin’s passing was announced yesterday by his brother and fellow composer Tim in a Facebook post (spotted by Time Extension ). According to Tim, Follin passed away earlier this week while awaiting scans from his pancreatic cancer diagnosis on May 7.

“The speed at which this has happened has been utterly brutal. He leaves behind an amazing wife and three amazing children, the oldest 19 and the youngest only 16. You can imagine how devastating this is for all of them and for the rest of us,” Tim wrote on Facebook. “He was four years older than me and I idolised him and copied him throughout my teens and throughout my life. He was the most empathic, caring, loving brother you could wish for, I loved him as much as it's possible to love anyone.

The video game composing duo was well-known for pushing the Nintendo Entertainment System to its limits with musical techniques, resulting in a plethora of toe-tapping tunes. Their resume famously includes video game adaptations for popular pop culture movies and comic books like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , Terminator 2: Judgement Day , and Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Geoff’s last musical contribution to the video games industry was the soundtrack for the 1995 Batman Forever 2D sidescrolling action game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, according to Time Extention .

“Geoff was too young for this. He never smoked, hardly drank, exercised regularly and ate healthily. He did everything you're supposed to. And yet this happened,” Tim wrote, encouraging their longtime fans to consider donating to pancreatic cancer research organizations.

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.

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