Top HIts of the ’80s (Volume 1)

When you think of the 80s, you might think of Michael Jackson’s original transformation. You might think of the big, wild hair or the big shoulder pads. You might think of the Reagan administration. But, I’m here to share with you some of the great music from that retro decade you might not know or remember.

Music videos first became popular in the 1980s, ushering in a new era in experiencing this music. When you compile a list of the 500 greatest songs of the 1980s, of course you have to include Madonna’s best, Michael Jackson’s own “Beat It”, and many songs by such great artists as Phil Collins or Richard Marx. These were the songs that defined the era.

I remember staying up late and seeing an info-mercial selling a collection of the 100 best songs of the ’70s. It was disappointing. They weren’t offering every song by every great artist of that era. So, I set off on a quest to build my own collections of the songs I remembered hearing on the radio. Many were songs from the ’70s, and many were songs from the ’80s. I decided to split the two, and I started finding some great music I had only heard samples of that I desperately wanted.

Here is the first sample of a wide-spread collection of songs from an era that changed the sound of rock n’ roll. It was also an era that brought about the creation of pop and hip-hop songs. Included in this collection is the fun dance music of Erasure, the great rock sounds of Journey, and the soothing sounds of Sting & The Police. They may not be the throbbing sounds of Busta Rhymes or the heavy self-deprecating sounds of Nirvana, but these songs are a must-have if you have any desire to live or relive the 1980s.

1) (Catch Me) I’m Falling by Pretty Poison
2) (I Just) Died In Your Arms by Cutting Crew
3) (Keep Feeling) Fascination by Human League
4) (You Can Still) Rock In America by Night Ranger
5) 99-Luftballoons by Nena
6) 867-5309-Jenny by Tommy Tutone
7) 1999 by Prince
8) A Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins
9) A Little Respect by Erasure
10) A View To A Kill by Duran Duran
11) Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band
12) Addicted To Love by Robert Palmer
13) Africa by Toto
14) Against All Odds by Phil Collins
15) Alive And Kicking by Simple Minds
16) All Cried Out by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
17) All I Need Is A Miracle by Mike & The Mechanics
18) All My Life by Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville
19) All Out Of Love by Air Supply
20) All Through The Night by Cyndi Lauper
21) Alone by Heart
22) Along Comes a Woman by Chicago
23) Always Something There To Remind Me by Naked Eyes
24) Amanda by Boston
25) Angel by Aerosmith
26) Angel of Harlem by U2
27) Angelia by Richard Marx
28) Another Day In Paradise by Phil Collins
29) Any Way You Want It by Journey
30) Anything For You by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
31) Ask The Lonely by Journey
32) Atlanta Lady (Something About You) by Marty Balin
33) Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen
34) Baby Be Mine by Michael Jackson
35) Baby, Come To Me by James Ingram & Patti Austin
36) Baby, I Love Your Way by Will To Power
37) Back In The High Life Again by Steve Winwood
38) Back Where You Belong by 38 Special
39) Bad by Michael Jackson
40) Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) by Robert Palmer
41) Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood & The Destroyers
42) Beat It by Michael Jackson
43) Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
44) Big Log by Robert Plant
45) Big Love by Fleetwood Mac
46) Big Time by Peter Gabrielle
47) Biggest Part Of Me by Ambrosia
48) Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
49) Bizarre Love Triangle by The New Order
50) Blue Monday-88 by The New Order
51) Borderline by Madonna
52) Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
53) Brass In Pocket by The Pretenders
54) Break My Stride by Mathew Wilder
55) Brilliant Disguise by Bruce Springsteen
56) Bringin’ On The Heartbreak by Def Leppard
57) Broken Wings by Mr. Mister
58) Burning Down The House by Talking Heads
59) Burning Heart by Survivor
60) Call Me by Blondie
61) Can’t We Try by Dan Hill with Vonda Sheppard
62) Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) by Billy Ocean
63) Carrie by Europe
64) Caught Up In You by 38 Special
65) Centerfold by J. Geils Band
66) Chains Of Love by Erasure
67) Change Of Heart by Cyndi Lauper
68) China Girl by David Bowie
69) Come On Eileen by Kevin Rowland & Dexy’s Midnight Runners
70) Could’ve Been by Tiffany
71) Crazy For You by Madonna
72) Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne
73) Cruel Summer by Bananarama
74) Cum On Feel The Noize by Quiet Riot
75) D.M.S.R. by Prince
76) Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen
77) Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol with Generation X
78) Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
79) Dangerous Type by The Cars
80) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da by Sting & The Police
81) Delirious by Prince
82) Der Kommissar by After The Fire
83) Devil Inside by INXS
84) Didn’t We Almost Have It All by Whitney Houston
85) Dirty Laundry by Don Henley
86) Do You Believe In Love by Huey Lewis & The News
87) Do You Really Want To Hurt Me by Culture Club
88) Doing It All For My Baby by Huey Lewis & The News
89) Don’t Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
90) Dont Disturb This Groove by The System
91) Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House
92) Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) by Glass Tiger
93) Don’t Know Much by Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville
94) Don’t Let Him Go by REO Speedwagon
95) Don’t Mean Nothing by Richard Marx
96) Don’t Rush Me by Taylor Dayne
97) Don’t Stand So Close To Me by Sting & The Police
98) Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
99) Don’t Talk To Strangers by Rick Springfield
100) Don’t Want To Be A Fool by Luther Vandross