1985 Music Hits: Big Rock, Pop Royalty, Movie Songs, R&B, and MTV Flash

1985 music hits sounded like the full middle chapter of the 1980s: bright, loud, dramatic, stylish, and occasionally wearing sunglasses indoors for no practical reason. Rock bands were everywhere, pop stars were becoming full-scale video icons, R&B was smooth and polished, and movie soundtracks kept sending songs straight to radio glory.

This was the year of We Built This City, Smooth Operator, The Boys of Summer, Summer of ’69, Walking on Sunshine, Axel F, Born in the U.S.A., Crazy for You, Relax, Money for Nothing, and Take on Me. MTV mattered, movie songs mattered, charity singles mattered, and synthesizers were still gainfully employed across nearly every genre.

The songs below mix major chart hits, rock radio staples, pop favorites, R&B slow jams, dance-floor tracks, soundtrack songs, and “that could only be 1985” moments. It was a year with stadium rock, saxophone solos, shoulder pads, drum machines, and enough pop hooks to fill a Trapper Keeper.

Top 10 Songs of 1985

1. We Built This City – Starship
2. Smooth Operator – Sade
3. The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
5. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
6. Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
7. Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
8. Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen
9. Jungle Love – The Time
10. Crazy for You – Madonna

1985 Music Hits by Style

Rock, Heartland Rock, and Arena Anthems

Rock music was huge in 1985, with Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Don Henley, Dire Straits, Foreigner, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Loverboy, REO Speedwagon, and The Hooters all helping define the year’s guitar-driven sound. Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. era gave the year several major songs, including Glory Days and Born in the U.S.A., while Bryan Adams delivered both nostalgic rock and big ballads.

This was also a strong year for rock songs that sounded built for highways, stadiums, and oversized denim jackets. The Boys of Summer, Summer of ’69, Money for Nothing, and Small Town gave 1985 a durable rock-radio backbone.

• The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
• Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
• Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
• Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen
• I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner
• Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
• All She Wants to Do Is Dance – Don Henley
• Small Town – John Cougar Mellencamp
• The Old Man Down the Road – John Fogerty
• Centerfield – John Fogerty
• Lovin’ Every Minute of It – Loverboy
• And We Danced – The Hooters
• All You Zombies – The Hooters
• Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon
• Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• Rock and Roll Girls – John Fogerty

Pop, Dance-Pop, and MTV Favorites

Pop music in 1985 was ruled by bold personalities and unforgettable videos. Madonna had a massive year with Crazy for You, Into the Groove, Material Girl, and Dress You Up, while a-ha’s Take on Me became one of the decade’s defining music-video moments. Katrina and the Waves, Phil Collins, Tears for Fears, Starship, Simple Minds, and Glenn Frey also helped keep pop radio bright and highly memorable.

This was the era when a song needed a hook, a look, and preferably a music video that could stop a teenager mid-bowl of cereal. 1985 pop did not arrive quietly. It made an entrance, probably with a wind machine.

• We Built This City – Starship
• Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
• Crazy for You – Madonna
• Into the Groove – Madonna
• Material Girl – Madonna
• Dress You Up – Madonna
• Take on Me – a-ha
• Dancing in the Street – David Bowie & Mick Jagger
• Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie
• Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
• The Heat Is On – Glenn Frey
• Sussudio – Phil Collins
• One More Night – Phil Collins
• Shout – Tears for Fears
• Be Near Me – ABC
• Naughty Naughty – John Parr

R&B, Soul, Funk, and Quiet Storm

R&B in 1985 was smooth, soulful, and rhythmically sharp. Sade’s Smooth Operator and Your Love Is King brought elegant cool to the year, while Freddie Jackson, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, New Edition, The Time, The Temptations, and Luther Vandross helped keep soul and R&B strong across radio formats.

Funk and dance-R&B were also major forces. The Time, Mary Jane Girls, Klymaxx, Midnight Star, Kool & The Gang, Morris Day, and Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam gave 1985 plenty of groove. If a bassline could wear a pastel suit, this year had several.

• Smooth Operator – Sade
• Jungle Love – The Time
• You Are My Lady – Freddie Jackson
• The Bird – The Time
• Through the Fire – Chaka Khan
• Freeway of Love – Aretha Franklin
• Cool It Now – New Edition
• You Give Good Love – Whitney Houston
• Your Love Is King – Sade
• Treat Her Like a Lady – The Temptations
• In My House – Mary Jane Girls
• Solid – Ashford & Simpson
• Fresh – Kool & The Gang
• ’Til My Baby Comes Home – Luther Vandross
• Operator – Midnight Star
• The Oak Tree – Morris Day

Hip-Hop, Rap, and Electro-Funk

Hip-hop was still fighting for full mainstream chart space in 1985, but the culture was clearly moving forward. UTFO’s Roxanne, Roxanne helped fuel one of hip-hop’s most famous answer-record chains, while Kurtis Blow’s Basketball became one of the era’s best-known sports-themed rap tracks.

Electro-funk, street dance, and club sounds also surrounded early hip-hop during this period. Songs by Midnight Star, The Time, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force, and Steve Arrington helped connect dance floors, R&B radio, and the emerging hip-hop generation.

• Roxanne, Roxanne – UTFO
• Basketball – Kurtis Blow
• Operator – Midnight Star
• Can You Feel the Beat – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
• I Wonder If I Take You Home – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
• Dancing in the Key of Life – Steve Arrington
• Jungle Love – The Time
• The Bird – The Time

Dance, Club, New Wave, and Synth-Pop

Dance and synth-pop had a big footprint in 1985. Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Relax, Dead or Alive’s You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), Depeche Mode’s People Are People, ABC’s Be Near Me, and Eurythmics’ Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves kept the new wave and club side of the year active.

This category also captures the stylish, slightly strange, and very video-ready side of 1985. These songs had drum machines, attitude, dramatic hair, and enough keyboard sounds to make a Casio feel seen.

• Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
• You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) – Dead or Alive
• Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat
• Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
• Voices Carry – ’Til Tuesday
• Why Can’t I Have You – The Cars
• Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves – Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin
• Shout – Tears for Fears
• Be Near Me – ABC
• People Are People – Depeche Mode
• Tenderness – General Public
• Lover Come Back to Me – Dead or Alive
• One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
• And She Was – Talking Heads

Movie Soundtrack Hits and Pop Culture Songs

Movie music had a huge year in 1985. Axel F from Beverly Hills Cop became one of the most famous instrumental themes of the decade, while Don’t You (Forget About Me) from The Breakfast Club became forever linked to teen-movie history. The Heat Is On, Crazy for You, Into the Groove, Invincible, and New Attitude also helped show how tightly music and movies were connected.

The result was a year when soundtrack songs did not feel secondary. They were part of the main pop story, and sometimes they outlived the movie marketing by decades. Somewhere, a raised fist in a high-school parking lot still hears Simple Minds.

• Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
• Crazy for You – Madonna
• Into the Groove – Madonna
• New Attitude – Patti LaBelle
• Invincible – Pat Benatar
• Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
• The Heat Is On – Glenn Frey
• One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
• We Are the World – USA for Africa
• Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody – David Lee Roth

Adult Contemporary, Pop Ballads, and Slow Dance Favorites

The softer side of 1985 featured major ballads. Foreigner’s I Want to Know What Love Is, Chicago’s You’re the Inspiration, Bryan Adams’ Heaven, Lionel Richie’s Say You, Say Me, and Phil Collins’ One More Night gave the year plenty of emotional radio moments.

Adult contemporary radio had no shortage of big voices and dramatic production. These songs were made for dedications, weddings, slow dances, and that one person staring intensely out a rain-covered window in a music video.

• Crazy for You – Madonna
• You Are My Lady – Freddie Jackson
• I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner
• Every Time You Go Away – Paul Young
• Careless Whisper – Wham! featuring George Michael
• You’re the Inspiration – Chicago
• Through the Fire – Chaka Khan
• Heaven – Bryan Adams
• All I Need – Jack Wagner
• Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie
• People Get Ready – Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart
• Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon
• Suddenly – Billy Ocean
• I Miss You – Klymaxx
• We Belong – Pat Benatar
• One More Night – Phil Collins

Alternative Rock, College Rock, and Left-of-Center Hits

1985 also had a strong undercurrent of alternative, college rock, and art-pop. Talking Heads, Kate Bush, The Cars, Depeche Mode, General Public, Marillion, Lone Justice, Graham Parker, Bruce Cockburn, and ’Til Tuesday gave the year a more thoughtful and offbeat edge.

These songs may not all fit the glossy pop-radio stereotype of 1985, but they helped broaden the year’s sound. They also pointed toward the alternative-friendly late ’80s and early ’90s, when the “weird records” started getting better seats at the table.

• And She Was – Talking Heads
• Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat
• Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
• Voices Carry – ’Til Tuesday
• Why Can’t I Have You – The Cars
• Kayleigh – Marillion
• People Are People – Depeche Mode
• I’ll Be Around – What Is This
• Tenderness – General Public
• Sweet, Sweet Baby (I’m Falling) – Lone Justice
• Wake Up (Next to You) – Graham Parker and the Shot
• If I Had a Rocket Launcher – Bruce Cockburn

Classic Rock Veterans and Legacy Artists

1985 included plenty of veteran artists still making strong chart noise. Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, John Fogerty, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, James Taylor, George Thorogood, Tom Petty, and Eurythmics helped connect the year to earlier rock, soul, and pop traditions.

Some of these songs were comebacks, some were reinventions, and some were reminders that classic artists could still keep up in the MTV era. The new kids had the neon, but the veterans still knew where the amps were plugged in.

• Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
• Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen
• Sea of Love – The Honeydrippers
• Freeway of Love – Aretha Franklin
• Private Dancer – Tina Turner
• The Old Man Down the Road – John Fogerty
• Centerfield – John Fogerty
• Dancing in the Street – David Bowie & Mick Jagger
• People Get Ready – Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart
• Everyday – James Taylor
• Willie and the Hand Jive – George Thorogood & The Destroyers
• Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Novelty, Charity, and “Only in 1985” Songs

Some 1985 songs became full pop-culture moments. We Are the World brought dozens of major artists together for famine relief and became one of the decade’s defining charity singles. Axel F made a synth instrumental feel like a character of its own, and David Lee Roth’s Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody turned old-school lounge humor into MTV spectacle.

The year also had its share of songs that were big, weird, theatrical, or all three. 1985 was comfortable being serious one minute and completely ridiculous the next, which is probably why it remains such a fun year to revisit.

• We Are the World – USA for Africa
• Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
• Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody – David Lee Roth
• California Girls – David Lee Roth
• Oo-Ee-Diddley-Bop! – Peter Wolf
• One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
• Basketball – Kurtis Blow
• Willie and the Hand Jive – George Thorogood & The Destroyers

PCM’s 1985 Top 100 Music Hits Chart

1. We Built This City – Starship
2. Smooth Operator – Sade
3. The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
5. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
6. Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
7. Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
8. Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen
9. Jungle Love – The Time
10. Crazy for You – Madonna
11. Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody – David Lee Roth
12. Sea of Love – The Honeydrippers
13. Into the Groove – Madonna
14. You Are My Lady – Freddie Jackson
15. The Bird – The Time
16. Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
17. I Want to Know What Love Is – Foreigner
18. Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
19. Every Time You Go Away – Paul Young
20. Careless Whisper – Wham! featuring George Michael
21. Material Girl – Madonna
22. Roxanne, Roxanne – UTFO
23. All She Wants to Do Is Dance – Don Henley
24. You’re the Inspiration – Chicago
25. Through the Fire – Chaka Khan
26. Heaven – Bryan Adams
27. Freeway of Love – Aretha Franklin
28. All I Need – Jack Wagner
29. Small Town – John Cougar Mellencamp
30. Meeting in the Ladies Room – Klymaxx
31. Take on Me – a-ha
32. Dancing in the Street – David Bowie & Mick Jagger
33. Say You, Say Me – Lionel Richie
34. The Old Man Down the Road – John Fogerty
35. Cool It Now – New Edition
36. New Attitude – Patti LaBelle
37. You Give Good Love – Whitney Houston
38. Private Dancer – Tina Turner
39. Centerfield – John Fogerty
40. Lovin’ Every Minute of It – Loverboy
41. Your Love Is King – Sade
42. Dress You Up – Madonna
43. People Get Ready – Jeff Beck & Rod Stewart
44. Rockin’ at Midnight – The Honeydrippers
45. In My House – Mary Jane Girls
46. California Girls – David Lee Roth
47. Treat Her Like a Lady – The Temptations
48. And We Danced – The Hooters
49. I Would Die 4 U – Prince
50. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) – Dead or Alive
51. Invincible – Pat Benatar
52. And She Was – Talking Heads
53. Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat
54. Solid – Ashford & Simpson
55. Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
56. Everyday – James Taylor
57. Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
58. The Heat Is On – Glenn Frey
59. Basketball – Kurtis Blow
60. Some Like It Hot – The Power Station
61. Can You Feel the Beat – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
62. All You Zombies – The Hooters
63. Fresh – Kool & The Gang
64. Voices Carry – ’Til Tuesday
65. 20/20 – George Benson
66. ’Til My Baby Comes Home – Luther Vandross
67. Dancing in the Key of Life – Steve Arrington
68. Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon
69. Suddenly – Billy Ocean
70. Why Can’t I Have You – The Cars
71. We Are the World – USA for Africa
72. Sussudio – Phil Collins
73. Kayleigh – Marillion
74. Cherish – Kool & The Gang
75. Oo-Ee-Diddley-Bop! – Peter Wolf
76. I Miss You – Klymaxx
77. We Belong – Pat Benatar
78. One More Night – Phil Collins
79. Lucky – Greg Kihn
80. The Oak Tree – Morris Day
81. Naughty Naughty – John Parr
82. Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves – Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin
83. I Wonder If I Take You Home – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
84. Shout – Tears for Fears
85. One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
86. Be Near Me – ABC
87. Black Cars – Gino Vannelli
88. Jesse – Julian Lennon
89. Willie and the Hand Jive – George Thorogood & The Destroyers
90. People Are People – Depeche Mode
91. I’ll Be Around – What Is This
92. Tenderness – General Public
93. Lover Come Back to Me – Dead or Alive
94. Turn Up the Radio – Autograph
95. Sweet, Sweet Baby (I’m Falling) – Lone Justice
96. Operator – Midnight Star
97. Wake Up (Next to You) – Graham Parker and the Shot
98. Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
99. Rock and Roll Girls – John Fogerty
100. If I Had a Rocket Launcher – Bruce Cockburn