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About Music of the 1980s

Posted by Joe Hummel IIIPosted ago

About Music of the 80s: Things You Need To Know Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ was released in 1981. The song is arguably the most well-known of the entire rock era. It only reached # 9 on the Billboard charts, making it the #65 biggest pop song of the year. The 120 BPM song breaks several ‘pop music rules.’ The chorus is only said 3 times, and not until only 45 seconds are left in the song. The reference to being born and raised in “South Detroit’ would actually refer to the Canadian city of Windsor, according to our map.

1981’s Just The Two Of Us was covered by Will Smith in 1998. Although the song was on Grover Washington Jr’s album Winelight, it may best be known as the work of vocalist Bill Withers.

Milli Vanilli had several chart hits, reaching number 1 three times with Baby Don’t Forget My Number, Blame It On The Rain and Girl I’m Gonna Miss You. They cracked the top 5 with Girl You Know It’s True and All Or Nothing. They won the Best Grammy Award, which was taken away when it was discovered that the duo of Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan were just the face of what were actually studio musicians and singers.

1987’s Dirty Dancing soundtrack brought us I’ve Had The Time Of My Life, which was brought back again in late 2011 by the Black Eyed Peas. It also featured Love Is Strange by Mickey & Sylvia, sampled strongly in 2012 with Pitbull’s Back In Time.

Aerosmith’s 1977 hit, Walk This Way, was reworked in 1986, by Run -D.M.C., reviving Aerosmith’s career and making it the first Rap/Hip Hop song to crack the Billboard Top Hot 100 Chart.

A Few Eighties’ Bubblegum Pop Hits
1. I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
2. Mickey – Toni Basil
3. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham!
4. We Got The Beat – The Go-Gos
5. Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
6. Only In My Dreams – Debbie Gibson
7. Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
8. I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
9. We Built This City – Starship
10. Foolish Beat – Debbie Gibson
11. Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles
12. Straight Up – Paula Abdul
13. Break My Stride – Matthew Wilder
14. I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me – Whitney Houston
15. Could’ve Been – Tiffany

The 80s Biggest Movie Soundtrack Hits
1. Footloose – Kenny Loggins
2. You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling – Righteous Brothers
3. The Time of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
4. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
5. I’m Alright – Kenny Loggins
6. Old Time Rock and Roll – Bob Seger
7. Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
8. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
9. Fame – Irene Cara
10. St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion) – John Parr
11. Flashdance (What A Feeling) – Irene Cara
12. Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) – Phil Collins
13. On The Dark Side – Eddie and the Cruisers
14. Burning Heart – Survivor
15. Take My Breath Away – Berlin
16. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
17. Chariots Of Fire Theme – Vangelis
18. The Power Of Love – Huey Lewis and the News
19. Batdance – Prince
20. In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins

Selected Summer Songs 1980-1989
1. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and The Waves, 1985
2. We Got The Beat – Go Go’s, 1982
3. I Love Rock ‘N Roll – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, 1982
4. Kokomo – Beach Boys, 1988
5. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone, 1982
6. Boys of Summer – Don Henley, 1985
7. Funkytown – Lipps, Inc, 1980
8. Beat It – Michael Jackson, 1983
9. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners, 1983
10. Vacation – Go Go’s
11. Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel, 1986
12. The Boys Of Summer – Don Henley
13. Love Shack – B-52s, 1989
14. Axel F – Harlod Faltermeyer, 1985
15. Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor, 1982
16. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston, 1987
17. Hot In The City – Billy Idol, 1982 (and 1988)
18. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2, 1987
19. Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx, 1988
20. Flashdance (What A Feeling) – Irene Cara, 1983

The 80s Songs That Mom And Dad Hated
1. Me So Horny – 2 Live Crew
2. Fight For Your Right (To Party) – Beastie Boys
3. Like A Virgin – Madonna
4. We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
5. Da Butt – E.U.
6. I Want Your Sex – George Michael
7. Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye
8. Wild Thing – Tone Loc
9. I Want a New Drug – Huey Lewis and the News
10. Birthday Suit – Johnny Kemp

The Eighties’ Songs That Everybody Hated
1. Morning Train (9 to 5) – Sheena Easton
2. Rock Me Amadeus – Falco
3. To All the Girls I Loved Before – Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
4. We Didn’t Start The Fire – Billy Joel
5. Sussudio – Phil Collins
6. Puttin On The Ritz – Taco
7. Harlem Shuffle – Rolling Stones
8. Word Up – Cameo
9. Invisible Touch – Genesis
10. Goonies R Good Enough – Cyndi Lauper
11. The Twist (Yo, Twist!) – Fat Boys featuring Chubby Checker

The 80s Biggest Sing-A-Long And Air-Guitar Pop Hits
1. Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
2. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
3. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone
4. Living On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
5. I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
6. I Melt With You – Modern English
7. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
8. We Built This City – Starship
9. Born In The USA – Bruce Springsteen
10. Red Red Wine – UB40

Some Of The 80s Biggest Dance Music Hits
(That Didn’t Involve Michael Jackson)
1. Funkytown – Lipps Inc.
2. Electric Boogie – Marcia Griffiths
3. Let’s Groove – Earth Wind and Fire
4. Superfreak – Rick James
5. Celebration – Kool and the Gang
6. It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls
7. Double Dutch Bus – Frankie Smith
8. Upside Down – Diana Ross
9. Give It To Me Baby – Rick James
10. Into The Groove – Madonna
11. Pump Up the Jam – Technotronic
12. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
13. So Many Men, So Little Time – Miquel Brown
14. She’ A Bad Mama Jama – Carl Carlton
15. Take Your Time (Do It Right) – S.O.S. Band
16. Feels Like I’m In Love – Kelly Marie
17. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life – Indeep
18. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
19. You Dropped A Bomb On Me – Gap Band
20. **1999** – Prince

The 80s Biggest Dance Music Hits
(That Did Involve Michael Jackson)
1. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
2. Thriller – Michael Jackson
3. Beat It – Michael Jackson
4. The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson
5. Wanna Be Startin Something – Michael Jackson
6. Bad – Michael Jackson
7. Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) – Michael Jackson
9. Off The Wall – Michael Jackson
10. State of Shock – The Jacksons with Mick Jagger

80s Electronica Dance
1. Planet Rock – Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
2. Jam On It – Newcleus
3. Pump Up the Volume – M/A/R/R/S
4. Blue Monday – New Order
5. Situation – Yazoo
6. Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
7. White Horse – Laid Back
8. Rockit – Herbie Hancock
9. What’s On Your Mind? (Pure Energy) – Information Society
10. Ride On Time – Black Box

Some 80s Early Rap/Hip Hop Hits
Rapper’s Delight By Sugarhill Gang came out in late 1979, in case you were wondering.
1. It Takes Two – Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock
2. Push It – Salt N Pepa
3. Bust A Move – Young MC
4. Joy and Pain – Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock
5. Wild Thing – Tone Loc
6. White Lines – Grandmaster Flash
7. Funky Cold Medina – Tone Loc
8. It’s Tricky – Run D.M.C.
9. Da Butt – E.U.
10. Me, Myself, and I – De La Soul

The Doo Wop Hit Of The 80s
1. The Longest Time – Billy Joel

The Eighties’ Songs That You Need To Make Your Collection Complete
1. I Melt With You – Modern English
2. Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
3. Mr. Soul – Neil Young (Trans Album – new version)
4. Valley Girl – Frank Zappa featuring Moon Unit
5. I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones
6. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
7. Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
8. I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
9. Rock This Town – the Stray Cats
10. Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
11. Money – the Flying Lizards
12. Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go – Soft Cell
13. Lawn Chairs – Our Daughter’s Wedding
14. I Got You – Split Enz
15. Life During Wartime – Talking Heads
16. AEIOU (and Sometimes Y) – EBN OZN
17. Don’t Pay the Ferryman – Chris DeBurgh
18. Life Sucks, Then You Die – The Fools
19. Wham Rap – Wham!
20. I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls
21. Electric Youth – Debbie Gibson
22. Escalator of Life – Robert Hazard
23. Oh Yeah – Yello
24. She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals
25. Nobody – Sylvia

The 80s Big Money Songs And/Or One Hit Wonders
1. Mickey – Toni Basil
2. Funkytown – Lipps, Inc.
3. Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
4. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
5. Da Butt – EU
6. U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
7. Money – Flying Lizards
8. Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
9. Escalator Of Life – Robert Hazard*
*Robert also wrote Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, sung by Cyndi Lauper
10. People Who Died – Jim Carroll Band
11. The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades – Timbuk 3

The Eighties’ Fad Songs
1. Valley Girl – Frank and Moon Unit Zappa
2. Pac-Man Fever – Buckner and Garcia
3. Rock Lobster – The B-52s
4. Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
5. Do They Know Its Christmas – Band Aid
6. General Hospi-Tale – The Afternoon Delights
7. Dancing In The Street – David Bowie and Mick Jagger
8. We Are The World – USA For Africa
9. Physical – Olivia Newton-John
10. 99 Luftballoons – Nena

The 80s Weirdest Songs
1. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
2. Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
3. Puttin On The Ritz – Taco
4. Money – The Flying Lizards
5. Paranoimia – Art of Noise and Max Headroom
6. Walk The Dinosaur – Was (Not Was)
7. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – R.E.M.
8. Sign ‘O’ The Times – Prince
9. Johnnie Are You Queer – Josie Cotton
10. Into The Night – Benny Mardones

Eighties’ Songs That We Secretly Liked
(But Didn’t Tell Our Friends)
1. Everybody Have Fun Tonight – Wang Chung
2. Two Of Hearts – Stacy Q
3. 9 To 5 – Dolly Parton
4. Drivin’ My Life Away – Eddie Rabbit
5. Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
6. Groovy Kind Of Love – Phil Collins
7. We Belong – Pat Benatar
8. Physical – Olivia Newton-John
9. Hot Child In The City – Nick Gilder
10. I’ve Never Been To Me – Charlene

80s Album Rock (AOR Radio) Hits
1. Where The Streets Have No Name – U2
2. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
3. Touch of Grey – Grateful Dead
4. The Stroke – Billy Squire
5. Tom Sawyer – Rush
6. Arc of A Diver – Steve Winwood
7. Hungry Heart – Bruce Springsteen
8. Late In The Evening – Paul Simon
9. The Voice – The Moody Blues
10. Wango Tango – Ted Nugent

Eighties’ Pop Rock Hits
1. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
2. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone
3. Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
4. Walking On Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
5. Jump – Van Halen
6. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
7. Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
8. Manic Monday – The Bangles
9. Let’s Dance – David Bowie
10. Dancing In The Dark – Bruce Springsteen

Some Of The 80s Biggest New Wave Hits
1. Love Shack – B-52s
2. What I Like About You – Romantics
3. Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
4. Rock The Casbah (Mustapha Dance) – Yhe Clash
5. Whip It – Devo
6. Antmusic – Adam and the Ants
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
8. Train In Vain (Stand By Me) – The Clash
9. Just Like Heaven – The Cure
10. Situation – Yaz (Yazoo)

Our Favorite 80s’ Punk Rock Hits
1. Blitzkrieg Bop – Ramones
2. I Wanna Be Sedated – Ramones
3. Dancin With Myself – Generation X (Billy Idol)
4. I Fought The Law – The Clash
5. Blister In The Sun – Violent Femmes
6. God Save The Queen – Sex Pistols
7. Ca Plane Pour Moi (This Life’ For Me) – Plastic Bertrand
8. Too Drunk To F*** – DK’s (Dead Kennedys)
9. Dirty Water – The Inmates
10. Where’ Captain Kirk? – Spizzenergi

Eighties’ Big Hair Power Rock Ballads
1. Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison
2. Wanted Dead Or Alive – Bon Jovi
3. Patience – Guns N Roses
4. Almost Paradise – Mike Reno & Ann Wilson
5. Black Velvet – Alannah Myles
6. When I’m With You – Sheriff
7. Love Hurts – Nazareth
8. Honestly – Stryper
9. Sister Christian – Night Ranger
10. Don’t Know What You Got (Til It’ Gone) – Cinderella

The Eighties’ Sexiest Pop/Rock Songs
1. Like A Virgin – Madonna
2. Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye
3. I Want Your Sex – George Michael
4. Centerfold – J. Geils Band
5. Touch Me (I Want Your Body) – Samantha Fox
6. Talk Dirty To Me – Poison
7. Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk – Dr. Hook
8. Naughty Girls Need Love Too – Samantha Fox
9. Do That To Me One More Time – Captain and Tennille
10. Muscles – Diana Ross

Eighties’ Best Comedy & Novelty Songs
1. Fat – Weird Al Yankovic
2. Curly Shuffle – The Jump In The Saddle Band
3. Shaddap You Face – Joe Dolce
4. Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life – Monty Python (Eric Idol)*
* From 1979’s Life of Brian
5. Because I’m a Blonde – Julie Brown
6. Take Off – Bob & Doug McKenzie with Eddie Lee
7. Eat It – Weird Al Yankovic
8. You Look Marvelous – Billy Crystal
9. Meet The Flintstones – Bruce Springstone
10. Make My Day – T.G. Sheppard with Clint Eastwood

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