As you may have noticed by now, I have a tendency to mention the songs from the movies I write about as some of the best aspects of those movies. If you’re anything like me, the music you listen to and love becomes the soundtrack to your life. You walk to the beat down Comm. Ave with your headphones in, have designated playlists for every mood and activity (my playlist for when my daily commute makes me angry, for example, is called “MBTAwful”), and for some reason, can’t help but imagine yourself as the protagonist of your own self-directed indie film. Without music, my life would be incomplete, and without music from the ‘80s, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am. I wanted to share with you some of the songs that I love the most, so let’s dive into a small selection of the decade’s best.
- 1980
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1. Daryl Hall & John Oates, “You Make My Dreams”
2. ABBA, “Super Trouper”
3. Electric Light Orchestra, “All Over the World”
4. Journey, “Any Way You Want It”
5. Joy Division, “Atmosphere”
6. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, “Bad Reputation”
7. Blondie, “The Tide is High”
8. Pat Benatar, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
9. Air Supply, “All Out of Love”
10. REO Speedwagon, “Keep On Loving You”
- 1981
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11. Tommy Tutone, “867-5309/Jenny”
12. The Police, “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”
13. The Go-Go’s, “Vacation”
14. Journey, “Open Arms”
15. Soft Cell, “Tainted Love”
16. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, “I Love Rock N’ Roll”
17. Depeche Mode, “Just Can’t Get Enough”
18. Queen & David Bowie, “Under Pressure”
19. Stevie Nicks, “Edge of Seventeen”
20. Rick Springfield, “Jessie’s Girl”
21. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me”
22. Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin’”
23. Foreigner, “Juke Box Hero”
- 1982
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24. Asia, “Heat of the Moment”
25. Modern English, “I Melt With You”
26. Toto, “Africa”
27. Duran Duran, “Rio”
28. Huey Lewis, “Do You Believe in Love”
29. Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”
30. The Jam, “Town Called Malice”
- 1983
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31. Billy Joel, “Uptown Girl”
32. The Clash, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”
33. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
34. Night Ranger, “Sister Christian”
35. The Romantics, “Talking in Your Sleep”
36. The Pointer Sisters, “Jump (For My Love)”
37. Thompson Twins, “If You Were Here”
38. Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”
39. Stevie Wonder, “Stay Gold”
40. Bonnie Tyler, “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
41. Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
42. Elton John, “I’m Still Standing”
43. Journey, “Faithfully”
44. Pat Benatar, “Love is a Battlefield”
- 1984
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45. The Cars, “Magic”
46. Pat Benatar, “We Belong”
47. Bon Jovi, “Runaway”
48. Don Henley, “The Boys of Summer”
49. Bryan Adams, “Summer of ‘69”
50. Deniece Williams, “Let’s Hear it for the Boy”
51. Foreigner, “I Want to Know What Love Is”
52. Van Halen, “Jump”
53. The Psychedelic Furs, “The Ghost in You”
54. Bruce Springsteen, “No Surrender”
55. John Parr, “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)”
- 1985
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56. a-ha, “Take on Me”
57. Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
58. The Outfield, “Your Love”
59. Corey Hart, “Never Surrender”
60. Whitney Houston, “How Will I Know”
61. The Cure, “In Between Days”
62. Heart, “These Dreams”
63. Tears for Fears, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
- 1986
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64. Ramones, “My Brain is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)”
65. Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
66. Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”
67. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “If You Leave”
68. Cyndi Lauper, “True Colors”
69. Madonna, “Open Your Heart”
- 1987
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70. Belinda Carlisle, “Heaven is a Place on Earth”
71. Patrick Swayze feat. Wendy Fraser, “She’s Like the Wind”
72. The Bangles, “Hazy of Shade of Winter”
73. Eric Carmen, “Hungry Eyes”
74. Heart, “Alone”
75. Def Leppard, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”
76. Rick Astley, “Never Gonna Give You Up”
77. The Proclaimers, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
- 1988
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78. New Kids on the Block, “Cover Girl”
79. The Bangles, “Eternal Flame”
80. New Kids on the Block, “Please Don’t Go Girl”
81. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”
82. The Waterboys, “Fisherman’s Blues”
83. Roxette, “Listen to Your Heart”
- 1989
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84. The B-52’s “Love Shack”
85. Young MC, “Bust A Move”
86. Tom Petty, “Free Fallin’”
87. Bad English, “When I See You Smile”
88. Richard Marx, “Right Here Waiting”
I had to make some really difficult decisions when creating this playlist, even after changing my original idea of 20 songs to 88 and making several edits. I’ve thought of several possible additions since finishing, so I know there are a lot of songs I left out, whether they’re your favorites, my family’s, or more of my own. I’m definitely feeling the pressure!
The ‘80s had so much incredible music to offer in all genres. If you’re interested, you can find these “88 ‘80s Greats” (all 5 hours and 53 minutes of them) on Spotify. I hope you enjoy some of them as much as I do!
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