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I've been keeping and refining this list for several months, and this is what I think. For each entry I'll try to tell you in some detail why I think it's one of the best pop songs of the '80s. In most cases, a song made the list because I find it musically exceptional, uncommonly fun, or both. In some cases, however, I've given weight to a song's cultural impact, and considered that in its ranking. |
| 1 | "Destination Unknown," Missing Persons |
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What doesn't this one have? Nothing. Still a fabulous balance of guitar and synth, and the best use of Dale Bozzio's distinctive voice ever. Lyrically it does a wonderful job of presenting simultaneous despair and hope, which (having started the '80s at 8 and ending them at 18) exactly encapsulated how I felt a lot of the time. Bravo! |
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| 2 | "Heart and Soul," T'Pau |
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From a band named for an old Star Trek character, I present "the little song that could." I knew this song would make my countdown from nearly the very beginning of my journaling, but I had no idea it would climb so high. As you can see, it just almost didn't quit. By and large I'm not a big fan of this ultra-layered, hyper-produced style of pop; that this song excepted itself so forcefully is testimony to its excellence. I'm the "uncoolest" guy in the world blasting this one on my commute, but hey, I'll just have to own that. |
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| 3 | "Tempted," Squeeze |
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There are so many great traditions of old rock 'n' roll in this song. I love the lead vocal shifting around, and the song tells an honest-to-goodness story. Finally, who among us can't relate to being "tempted by the fruit of another"? Flawless production and marvelous backing vocals too. |
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| 4 | "Vienna," Ultravox |
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So much strength from such a whispering start! This is the single greatest moment of Live Aid, and if there is a purer, rawer vocal in '80s pop, I've not heard it. |
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| 5 | "Brass In Pocket," The Pretenders |
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One of their biggest U.S. hits is also one of the more misleading. This one was far more radio-friendly than the rest of their first couple of albums, and probably made for some rude surprises as those enamored with this cut made their way home with the vinyl and had a listen. Chrissie Hynde remains a bit of a closet favorite of mine to this day. |
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| 6 | "All Of My Heart," ABC |
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You can just float right away on this one. Of all of the new wave bands that enjoyed any prominence in the '80s, ABC had the biggest streak of Sinatra in them, lyrically and instrumentally. |
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| 7 | "Raspberry Beret," Prince and the Revolution |
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While I recognize that Prince's sound was, on the whole, a good thing for music in the '80s, there was relatively little of his I considered indispensable in my collection. This song topped the list of the exceptions. It reminds me of old-time rock and roll in that it's a simple narrative, and I thought the melody made the most of the signature Prince sonic touches (unusual percussion sounds, Wendy & Lisa backing vocals, and the like). As a bonus, it's not all freaky, so it's good family listening. |
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| 8 | "Let The Day Begin," The Call |
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Wasn't sure what to make of this the first time I heard it. The '80s were a time for a lot of upbeat music, but it wasn't often so lyrically direct. Is this sincere, or not? After one good listen, it's obvious that it is, and the instrumentation and production are just huge. Marvelous! |
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| 9 | "Don't You Want Me," Human League |
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Viewed by many as the song that put the new wave accelerator on the floor in the United States, "Don't You Want Me" was and is captivating. To me, Human League was huge validation that soulful music without guitars was possible. (And I believe I'd have sold a kidney for 10% of Phil Oakey's panache.) |
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| 10 | "Don't You (Forget About Me)," Simple Minds |
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It doesn't hurt that this song effectively defines the greatest John Hughes film (The Breakfast Club), but it's really the sparkling synth work and stellar percussion that ice this one as the best. I'm in for this one over and over again. |
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| 11 | "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)," Enya |
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Obviously I have 10 songs ahead of this one on my countdown, but I'll go ahead and name this one "easiest to get drunk in the sound of." This song is so rich it nearly makes you cry from the sheer gravity of it. How can they get those sounds out of ICs? I don't know, but I'm glad they did. |
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| 12 | "Pride (In the Name of Love)," U2 |
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You listen to rock music most of your life, and it's tough to get bowled over, you know? Then something like this tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. sneaks up and clobbers you with its visceral, original guitar sound and bleeding vocal. In my view, U2 wouldn't do anything so air-guitarable again until "Vertigo" in 2005. |
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| 13 | "The Honeythief," Hipsway |
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I overheard a high school classmate of mine singing this one and asked "do you understand those lyrics?" And she grinned and said "nope, so I just make 'em up." From the ashes of Altered Images to disbanded in less than five years, Hipsway did nearly nothing but leave us this sensationally infectious pop song. |
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| 14 | "Find Your Way Back," Jefferson Starship |
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The shambles this band became caught a lot of very warranted flack for travesties like "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" and "We Built This City." But after the LSD but before they dropped the Jefferson, they did three or four killer power pop albums. This tune had just enough arena rock flavor to give you the vibe, and it wasn't a bad stab at a video for the time, either. Great guitar work from Craig Chaquico, and Mickey Thomas's finest recording. |
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| 15 | "High On Emotion," Chris DeBurgh |
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What a shame that Mr. DeBurgh is remembered almost exclusively for the interminably tedious "Lady In Red" (or the engaging but slightly overbearing "Don't Pay The Ferryman") when this was power pop that loved equal dollops of horns and hard guitars and had a blast doing it. Definitely worth a buck on iTunes if you don't remember. |
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| 16 | "A Girl Like You," The Smithereens |
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Ample evidence that if the riff is good enough, it's practically all you need. I listen to this band today and can't believe they didn't occupy more of my bandwidth in the '80s. Today, you can grab a lot of their sound, and even more lyrical wit, with Fountains of Wayne. |
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| 17 | "U Got The Look," Prince and Sheena Easton |
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The most danceable Prince song this side of anything on Purple Rain, so the usual warnings apply when playing it around me. Two of the sexiest musicians of the '80s deliver one that's still highly crankable today. |
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| 18 | "99 Luftballons," Nena |
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It was all fun and games, letting those balloons go—until the missiles flew. This is a delightfully quaint window into the greatest fear of humanity in 1984. I love the in-your-face vulgarity of the synths and the bass. (This is the German song; the English "99 Red Balloons," while helpfully serving to interpret the German lyrics, is completely destroyed rhythmically.) |
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| 19 | "Avalon," Roxy Music |
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This entire album is a marvelous treat. The title cut is about two clicks south of mellow; perhaps it's even a little bit deliberate. It's also intoxicatingly sensual. Spectacular! |
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| 20 | "Words," Missing Persons |
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Missing Persons gave me the "go on, be a musician!" tug more than any other artist, I think. I was spellbound by "Mental Hopscotch," my first exposure to them, and they did it to me track after track after that. This fabulous anthem about lack of communication featured a live video with spectacular performances all around. |
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| 21 | "On The Loose," Saga |
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The best-known song from the genius LP Worlds Apart just sounds huge all the way through. If it weren't absolutely relentless, it would be tedious; as it is, it's exhilarating. Quite a kick in the pants for me after my first exposure to Saga, the interesting but sleepy "Don't Be Late." |
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| 22 | "Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)," Lone Justice |
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I loved, and love, the eponymous Lone Justice album, even though it's a little country for my "usual" tastes. I "fell in love" with Maria McKee listening to this song, and that's where I've been for 20 years. This is the single most talented female singer-songwriter on the planet. |
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| 23 | "I Want It All," Queen |
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If you need proof that this band wasn't anywhere near done when Freddie was taken from us, look no further than this cut. My favorite Queen song was one of their very last. This is one of the rawest, truest anthems of the '80s. |
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| 24 | "Jump," Van Halen |
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1984 is one of those albums that's probably a little more uneven than you remember, if you haven't heard it in a while. Nevertheless, there's no doubt this delightful cut (that managed to soften without "selling out") put Van Halen in the stratosphere for the next ten years. Even my dad likes this one. |
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| 25 | "I Can't Hold Back," Survivor |
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Yeah, I admit that I thought Survivor couldn't do anything but Rocky themes. What a fabulous rock ballad! |
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| 26 | "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)," Chilliwack |
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I loved most of what I heard this Canadian group do because of their respect for the voice as an instrument independent of lyrics. This track was the best example of their Valliesque vocals. |
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| 27 | "Out of Mind, Out of Sight," The Models |
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How many songs work as both hard rock and new wave? Not many, but this one does. Spectacular horns, but that goes without saying, pretty much. Love the layered vocals on the chorus too. |
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| 28 | "Something About You," Level 42 |
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Another one of those timeless songs that could have worked in many different musical eras of the 20th century. I loved that this song was so bright without sounding sterile—and the lyrics are marvelous. |
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| 29 | "Love Has Taken Its Toll," Saraya |
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I was never hit so hard by a single song as I was by this one. Originally called Alsace Lorraine (which became the title of the instrumental on their debut album), they changed their name when cutie Sandi Saraya, who hung around practice a bit, grabbed a mike and shook the house to pieces. She was a tiny thing who apparently had lungs to the tips of her toes. |
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| 30 | "Voices Carry," 'til tuesday |
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Aimee Mann's first and biggest national splash was catching the tail end of new wave in 'til tuesday. The video told a story in a way that seems a bit quaint today, but she's enough of a star that it still doesn't play all that corny. The relentlessly sharp bass track, the bold synth work, and the poignant lyrics make the song one of the greats. |
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| 31 | "I Want Candy," Bow Wow Wow |
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Take most of the Ants; front them with a sexy and talented 14-year-old girl; give them an obscure 1965 pop song to cover in a new wave/African synthesis style. Shake well. Pour into tall glass. Very tasty. (Annabella Lwin was so young then that she'll only just hit 40 in October 2005, and she still looks incredible!) |
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| 32 | "She Sheila," The Producers |
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Underappreciated Atlanta-based The Producers followed a very simple and effective formula: good hook, sing-alongable lyrics, and turn it up loud, man! This is just big dumb rock 'n' roll, and it's a blast. |
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| 33 | "Masquerade," Berlin |
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"The painted faces on the street, caricatures of long ago..." This is an excellent showcase for Terri Nunn's voice, and the synths are just expertly executed. The best song on the best EP of the 1980s. |
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| 34 | "Beds Are Burning," Midnight Oil |
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A wonderful example of the most effective kind of political music—that which stands as a great song independent of its lyrical content. People listen to those more, see. Fabulous horn and rhythm work. After heading Midnight Oil for 26 years, Peter Garrett was elected to the Australian parliament in 2004. |
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| 35 | "If You Want My Love," Cheap Trick |
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"The best Beatles song we've ever done," according to Tom Petersson. I just call it a song I heard and saw many, many times on MTV and always had time for. What a marvelous use of three minutes or so! |
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| 36 | "In Your Eyes," Peter Gabriel |
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This is the finest love song of the 1980s. There are "love songs" ahead of this one on my list, but evaluated strictly as a love song, this is it. Uncommonly rich lyricism to be found here. If you really listen to this one and don't tear up a little bit, you've never been in love. |
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| 37 | "They Don't Know," Tracey Ullman |
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This delightful cover was my first exposure to one of the most talented all-around performers ever. Tracey Ullman has never failed to entertain me whenever I've stopped to watch or listen. She's one of a very small number of people who might render me "starstruck" in person. |
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| 38 | "The One Thing," INXS |
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Hmmm, these new hip guys aren't afraid of a rock guitar. Or, um, a saxophone. Or, um, a pomegranate. First INXS song I ever heard, and still my favorite. |
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| 39 | "Tainted Love," Soft Cell |
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Smells like another '80s icon song. I never disliked this one, but I didn't fully appreciate it at the time. I sing it at the top of my lungs now, so don't play it around me if you don't want to hear that. (Equal points for "Tainted Love" and "Tainted Love"/"Where Did Our Love Go?") |
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| 40 | "Obsession," Animotion |
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Try to describe this song to someone who's never heard it in 2005, and you'll quickly find it makes no sense. "OK, so the verses are all synthy and stuff...all from the ethereal plane, you know? and then the chorus has this heavy metal riffy guitar...and there's this cute but weird chick named Astrid...no, but it's cool, really!" |
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| 41 | "Girls," Dwight Twilley |
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A blast of a power pop song, "Girls" takes the silliest little riff and infects you with it. Quite a memorable video for its Porkysish locker room scene, as well as a backing vocal who is very obviously Tom Petty lip-synced by a woman. |
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| 42 | "Ah! Leah!" Donnie Iris |
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You probably know several Donnie Iris songs and don't know it. "Ah! Leah!" endures for me better than any of them—even with the goofy bell tone vocals in the break. |
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| 43 | "Live To Tell," Madonna |
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Her first attempt at a more sober sound, "Live To Tell" blew me away with its rich vocal and subtly delightful instrumentation. I don't know how a song this slow-tempoed can avoid sounding deliberate, but this one does. |
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| 44 | "Why Me," Planet P Project |
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Planet P Project was/is Tony Carey's outlet for science fiction/apocalypse material, and this is the richest and most interesting track on a great album. To me, this, and not "Major Tom," is the "Space Oddity" of the 1980s. |
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| 45 | "Kids In America," Kim Wilde |
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On MTV practically from its inception, this marvelous melody sounded at least a year ahead of its time in late 1981. Consequently it's mentioned from time to time as a candidate for "first '80s song." Still love the brash synth work and progressive bridge. |
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| 46 | "Twilight Zone," Golden Earring |
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Excellent pop rock entry from everyone's favorite Dutch band. This video was one of the first to try melding concept and performance on a grand scale. |
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| 47 | "Crazy," Icehouse |
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Iva Davies has the sort of throaty, yet airy, voice that elevates anything he does, making a "simple" pop song into a formidable production. "Crazy" was my favorite. |
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| 48 | "The Metro," Berlin |
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Pleasure Victim was one of the only cassettes I ever actually wore out and had to replace. It's hard to overstate the influence early Berlin had on pop music in the '80s and '90s. Many, many artists cribbed from this record. Listening to it today transports me back quite poignantly. |
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| 49 | "Since You're Gone," The Cars |
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Far and away my favorite slow Cars song, "Since You're Gone" is one of those delicious creations that turns its simple parts into a much greater whole. It's also one of the rare, rare videos that's 20+ years old and still views well on its own merits, and not just in a nostalgic way. |
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| 50 | "Sweet Child O' Mine," Guns N' Roses |
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Let's have us a love song from the finest hard rock album of the 1980s. This band's eventual self-destruction was eminently predictable, and in my view, it would be 2004 and a band called Velvet Revolver before any amount of this magic was recaptured. |
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| 51 | "Heart and Soul," Huey Lewis & The News |
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Lots of fun from the band that can probably lay legitimate claim to the title "the biggest bar band in the world." Incidentally, as far as I'm concerned picking up Sports is picking up a Huey Lewis & The News greatest hits album. You don't need anything else. |
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| 52 | "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," The Police |
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What a smiling and satisfying song! The Police was such a frightfully short-lived band. It's testimony to their excellence that they could likely sell out stadiums with a reunion tour 20 years after they broke up. (Don't count on it; Sting doesn't need it, Andy doesn't want it, and Stewart wants it way too much.) |
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| 53 | "The Salt In My Tears," Martin Briley |
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Ah, let us shed said "tear" for the departure of the drunken-riffed, heart-on-my-sleeve tell-off song. You've probably enjoyed Mr. Briley's work in one way or another over the years—but this was the biggest splash he made with his name on it. |
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| 54 | "Here Comes The Rain Again," Eurythmics |
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This is an excellent example of an artist that I dismissed after my initial exposure to them, only to have them sneak up and clobber me with a later song. This is a stellar vocal and delightfully onomatopoeic synth work, and if you want proof that androgyny can be sexy, look no further than Annie Lennox. |
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| 55 | "I Ran," A Flock of Seagulls |
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MTV played this video 74 million times, and I saw about 68 million of them. In my view, this is one of the very few "icon" songs that is worth its reputation. Listen to it casually, and it's a goofy little dab of fun. Then listen to it again, and drink in the richly layered instrumentation, the skillful crescendoes, and the production that gleams without a whiff of bleach. Mmmm, good. |
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| 56 | "Borderline," Madonna |
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I wasn't hip enough to be in on "Holiday" or "Burning Up," so this was the very first Madonna song I ever heard. At 13, I pointed at the TV screen in my dad's den in Anniston and said "this is a born star. She'll be huge." I wasn't prescient often, but this was definitely a time. |
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| 57 | "Captain of Her Heart," Double |
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The very first time I heard this tune I was struck with its musical purity and timelessness. This is a song that could have appeared just about anytime in the 20th century and not been out of place. It's also the very rare tune that didn't suffer much from the Muzak treatment. |
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| 58 | "World Shut Your Mouth," Julian Cope |
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I had to catch "World Shut Your Mouth" on 120 Minutes and such when it first appeared, but it eventually broke through somewhat. This is a wonderfully cynical rant that is nevertheless infused with that smiling '80s sound. |
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| 59 | "The Gift," Lone Justice |
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Behold Maria McKee, one of the most underrated singer-songwriters ever. My favorite track from the unfortunately slick sophomore Lone Justice effort Shelter, "The Gift" reaches back a bit to the country sound on their debut, while keeping the brightness of the rest of the album. |
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| 60 | "Poison Arrow," ABC |
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Martin Fry's dignified British demeanor brought instant credibility to anything ABC did—even if that "anything" was as ridiculous as running around on a dinner table trying to avoid getting squashed by a giant wine glass. This track is an excellent example of a truly soulful use of synthesizers. |
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| 61 | "Time After Time," Cyndi Lauper |
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I had written Ms. Lauper off after "Girls Just Want To Have Fun." "Yeah, you did a party song in a thick New York accent; so what?" The follow-up was one of the greatest love songs of the '80s. |
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| 62 | "Satisfaction Guaranteed," The Firm |
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Jimmy Page's most successful solo stint makes an appearance. As musically rich as this decade was, very few songs sounded like nothing else. "Satisfaction Guaranteed" was one. Love the progression of the guitar sound from verse to verse. |
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| 63 | "In a Big Country," Big Country |
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This is exactly the level of punk influence I like—that which gives a bit of an edge to a quick-tempoed pop song without making it sound like broken glass. Throw in a bit of "old country" sound from the highlands, and you've got a winner. Sounds a bit dated now, but still thoroughly charming. |
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| 64 | "And She Was," Talking Heads |
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Want to know how good a silly pop song can be? Put this one on. I always had time for it then, and I'll still stop and listen. There's nearly nothing to it, but it's the most compelling nothing you ever heard. |
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| 65 | "Owner of a Lonely Heart," Yes |
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I never understood it when 90125 was called a sellout. This is a pure Yes record that the times came around to, not vice versa. Stellar production and inspired writing. |
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| 66 | "The Flame," Cheap Trick |
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A #1 single from Lap of Luxury, featuring the return of Tom Petersson (center), who happens to be the finest bass guitar player in the world. Hardcore fans either love or hate this one; count me in the former camp. |
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| 67 | "The Politics of Dancing," Re-Flex |
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I really can't dance, and if you don't want to see that proven then don't play this song around me. The is-that-Bowie? vocal and interesting syncopation in the percussion make this one of my favorite dance songs of the '80s. |
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| 68 | "Cry Wolf," a-ha |
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I was certain a-ha was taking over pop music in America when I first heard "Cry Wolf." This is a fabulously evocative song that I'm still surprised wasn't a smash on this side of the pond. |
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| 69 | "A Fine Fine Day," Tony Carey |
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What do you think The Godfather would sound like made into an '80s pop song? Brilliant work from the perpetually (and criminally) underrated Carey. |
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| 70 | "Chain Reaction," Journey |
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I enjoy Journey, REO Speedwagon, Styx, and the like (call it "corporate rock" if you must) considerably less now than I ever thought I would, even as recently as five years ago. Nevertheless, this song continues to stand up as a near-perfect example of synths and heavy guitars thriving together. |
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| 71 | "Roam," The B-52's |
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Tough to beat "Love Shack" for a party tune, but this one is a more solid pop tune. Nice guitar work and layered vocals. |
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| 72 | "Don't Answer Me," The Alan Parsons Project |
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The big, timeless sound of this one made it an instant classic for me. The video got a lot of attention too, but I thought the song was just as notable. |
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| 73 | "Never," Heart |
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This jewel is my favorite track from the 1985 eponymous album—but be advised, there aren't ten seconds of filler on the whole thing. This is as close to a perfect pop album as anyone ever recorded. (Refers to the album cut, not the radio cut from some markets.) |
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| 74 | "Only In My Dreams," Debbie Gibson |
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She doesn't deserve her fate, which is to be mentioned forever in the same breath with Tiffany. Debbie Gibson had perfect pitch, a beautiful voice, and wrote her own stuff—at 16. Tiffany was a mall-crawling hack. Enough said. |
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| 75 | "Europa and the Pirate Twins," Thomas Dolby |
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This was the first Thomas Dolby song I ever heard, and it's always been the one that hit me the hardest. He gets incredible sounds from his hardware. I'm up for this one anytime. (Probably the guy I'd most resemble were I a "rock star.") |
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| 76 | "Der Kommissar," After the Fire |
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I'm told the United States is the only place where this version of the song was more popular than Falco's. I like both, but this one gets the nod. It told me a new story in a musically novel way. |
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| 77 | "Breakout," Swing Out Sister |
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The vocal on this song was simultaneously husky and feminine, and I loved the way it meshed so well with the sparkling synths. I wish the Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls" had had this sound. |
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| 78 | "Child Come Away," Kim Wilde |
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Kim Wilde was one of the only waifish types I ever had a celebrity crush on. I really can't make much sense of these lyrics, but they're so compellingly delivered this song demands your respect. Pick up a Kim Wilde best-of; thank me later. |
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| 79 | "Crazy For You," Madonna |
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Easily the best part of a mostly rotten film (Vision Quest), this creamy ballad is some of Madonna's finest work. Then again, I am the sort who thinks all of her best stuff came before 1987 or so. |
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| 80 | "Things Can Only Get Better," Howard Jones |
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The best of a trailblazing bunch of tunes Mr. Jones left us in the '80s. I love the way this song moves back and forth between whimsy and solemnity. |
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| 81 | "Antmusic," Adam and the Ants |
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Like most Adam and the Ants songs, "Antmusic" is delivered with just enough ambiguity to keep you guessing. Is he serious, or is it all a joke? No matter. Your lips may make mild fun, but I see your toe tapping. |
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| 82 | "Trick of the Night," Bananarama |
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I always liked Bananarama all right. They were pretty, and did pleasant pop songs. Eh. Then this track knocked me flat. This is gloriously lush instrumentation, serving as an excellent complement to their signature harmonies. |
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| 83 | "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Tears for Fears |
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Seems like everybody gets a piece of this song, and for good reason. This is the definitive '80s song to many, transporting them back more instantly and effectively than any other. Love the anticipatory intro and the extended fade out. |
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| 84 | "Paranoimia," The Art of Noise |
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I didn't really like The Art of Noise the first time I heard them (did anyone?). But they were unquestionably compelling, and that's all it takes. This is my favorite among several great tracks on In Visible Silence. (This is the album cut, not the video cut with Max Headroom.) |
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| 85 | "Bring Me Some Water," Melissa Etheridge |
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I have never heard a bad Melissa Etheridge song, but this is the Melissa I really miss. This is raw, frustrated fury that most aren't talented enough to capture in a song. |
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| 86 | "The Look," Roxette |
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I miss electronic percussion lines. They're as subject to abuse as anything else, I suppose, but they certainly did make songs like "The Look" memorable. |
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| 87 | "Always Something There To Remind Me," Naked Eyes |
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Are those real chimes and tom-toms, or are they coming from an IC? You won't care. While not particularly fast-tempoed, the verse structure seems to grab you by the shirt collar and drag you, maybe a little bit faster than you wanted to go. |
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| 88 | "The Safety Dance," Men Without Hats |
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Ivan bestows considerable weirdness on us, in the form of an infectious pop song. What does it mean? Who cares? It's a blast. Please don't run up to me in a club and do it backwards. If you're doing the safety dance, you're making an S, ok? That's an S as I see you, ok? Thanks for your cooperation. |
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| 89 | "Take On Me," a-ha |
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Quick, name a band from Norway! This song makes most folks' one-hit wonders list, even though a-ha enjoyed considerable success in Europe for many years after this U.S. smash. The video is still marvelous, even in (or perhaps despite) this CGI age, and the song is melodic and engaging. |
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| 90 | "I Melt With You," Modern English |
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By and large, this sort of British pop didn't grab me. This song was an exception because it was such a "production." It's different stylistically, of course, but I always heard the same kind of grandiosity in this song that Meat Loaf has in so many of his. (This is the original song, not the self-cover.) |
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| 91 | "How Can I Refuse," Heart |
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Them was dark times for Heart. The first single from the all-but-forgotten album Passionworks, "How Can I Refuse" was the same kind of hard rock-laced power pop that would blow the world away two years later on their eponymous 1985 album. Why didn't this one fly? Got me. |
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| 92 | "You Don't Want Me Anymore," Steel Breeze |
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It's rare to hear heavy guitars and prominent synths living in such harmony, but that's what you get here. Before moving to soundtrack work in the late '80s, Steel Breeze left us this gem. |
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| 93 | "Relax," Frankie Goes to Hollywood |
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Inspiring a line of ridiculous T-shirts, as well as contributing to a memorable scene in Body Double, "Relax" is on most folks' short list of truly iconic '80s songs. That this extremely catchy, yet brazenly nasty, tune wasn't decried at least as much as "Darling Nikki" is miraculous. |
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| 94 | "Eternal Flame," The Bangles |
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"Say my name, sun shines through the rain..." This tune was the best match for Susanna's voice of any of their singles. I also really enjoyed the subdued instrumentation. |
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| 95 | "Rain in the Summertime," The Alarm |
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Anyone who even remembers The Alarm says something like "oh yeah, the U2 clones." While I acknowledge the vocal similarity, I always thought they had more of a working man sound than U2 did. In any case, this is my favorite of a good group of tunes. |
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| 96 | "Our Lips Are Sealed," The Go-Go's |
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Cowritten by Jane Wiedlin and Terry Hall of Fun Boy Three (who also recorded the song), this was the first most of us heard of the biggest girl group of the '80s. The expertly layered vocals in the chorus and Wiedlin's beautiful solo in the break ice this one as one of the greats. |
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| 97 | "Save a Prayer," Duran Duran |
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Few songs so steeped in synth sound fresh twenty years later, but this one does. To me, this track established Duran Duran's musical ability beyond a doubt, forever deflecting from them any charges of "bubblegum" or the like. |
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| 98 | "To Live and Die in L.A.," Wang Chung |
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Wang Chung did a spectacular job with the music for this love-it-or-hate-it, oh-so-'80s William Friedkin film. The title cut is wonderfully evocative of the film's finer moments, which include the finest car chase since Bullitt. |
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| 99 | "Stand or Fall," The Fixx |
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A staple of early MTV, "Stand or Fall" is skillfully haunting in a way none of The Fixx's later hits were. Love the rhythm section on this one. Perhaps Cy Curnin's finest hour. |
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| 100 | "Too Late For Goodbyes," Julian Lennon |
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A song need not be complex to be thoroughly satisfying, and here is an excellent example. Production that sparkles without sterilizing sets off an eminently sincere Lennon, whose vocal style reminds you of his father without pummeling you with the similarity. |
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| Just thought you might like to see what just missed the cut! | |
| 101 | "Looking for a New Love," Jody Watley |
| 102 | "Dance Hall Days," Wang Chung |
| 103 | "Stepping Out," Joe Jackson |
| 104 | "Once in a Lifetime," Talking Heads |
| 105 | "Strut," Sheena Easton |
| 106 | "Weird Science," Oingo Boingo |
| 107 | "Breakaway," Sass Jordan |
| 108 | "Jukebox," The Flirts |
| 109 | "Centerfold," J. Geils Band |
| 110 | "If You Leave," Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark |
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