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1980s Music


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Visit my Music Videos page
to see my 1980s video playlists!


Pink Floyd: The Wall



1980
*The last days of disco
*Punk and new wave musical styles are popular
*The American Gigolo and Urban Cowboy soundtracks give us many great songs

top singles of 1980
Another Brick in the Wall (Part II) (Pink Floyd)
Another One Bites the Dust (Queen)
Call Me (Blondie)
Coming Up--Live at Glasgow (Paul McCartney)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
Funky Town (Lipps, Inc.)
Lady (Kenny Rogers)
Magic (Olivia Newton-John)
Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
Upside Down (Diana Ross)



----- songs from 1980
Atomic
Blondie (midi)

Rock With You
Michael Jackson (midi)

Rock Lobster
The B-52's (midi)

Woman In Love
Barbra Streisand (midi)

Same Old Lang Syne
Dan Fogelberg (midi)

America
Neil Diamond (midi)

The Winner Takes It All
ABBA (midi)

Driving My Life Away
Eddie Rabbitt (midi)

Super Trouper
ABBA (midi)

All Out Of Love
Air Supply (midi)

Call Me
Blondie (midi)

Cars
Gary Numan (midi)





I want my MTV!

1981
*Blondie's "Rapture" is the first mainstream pop song to contain a rap segment
*The Go Go's and Sheena Easton make their debuts
*Popular culture changes forever when MTV goes on the air
*Stevie Nicks goes solo
*For Styx, it's "The Best Of Times"

top singles of 1981
Arthur's Theme (Christopher Cross)
Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes)
Celebration (Kool & the Gang)
Endless Love (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie)
Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield)
Just Like Starting Over (John Lennon)
Kiss On My List (Hall & Oates)
Morning Train (Sheena Easton)
Physical (Olivia Newton-John)
Rapture (Blondie)





Stevie Nicks: Bella Donna The Go Go's: Beauty And The Beat

songs from 1981
Rapture
Blondie (midi)

Edge Of Seventeen
Stevie Nicks (midi)

Young Turks
Rod Stewart (midi)

Arthur's Theme
Christopher Cross (midi)

The Best Of Times
Styx (midi)

Celebration
Kool & The Gang (midi)





Hooked On Classics



1982
*The techno-pop style is introduced by groups like Soft Cell and The Human League
*Songs from Rocky III and Fast Times At Ridgemont High get lots of airplay
*Charlene's "I've Never Been To Me" is possibly the year's most unpopular song
*The "Hooked On Classics" medleys become popular
*Many British bands adopt the new romantic look in response to the harshness of punk rock fashion

top singles of 1982
Abracadabra (Steve Miller Band)
Centerfold (J. Geils Band)
Don't You Want Me (Human League)
Ebony & Ivory (Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder)
Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor)
Hard To Say I'm Sorry (Chicago)
I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts)
Jack & Diane (John Cougar)
Truly (Lionel Richie)
Up Where We Belong (Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes)





songs from 1982
Stepping Out
Joe Jackson (midi)

Don't You Want Me
The Human League (midi)

Vacation
The Go Go's (midi)

We Got The Beat
The Go Go's (midi)

House Of Fun
Madness (midi)

I Ran
A Flock Of Seagulls (midi)

I Melt With You
Modern English (midi)

Africa
Toto (midi)

Sirius (The Chicago Bulls Theme)
Alan Parsons Project (midi)

Eye In The Sky
Alan Parsons Project (midi)

Who Can It Be Now?
Men At Work (midi)

Working For The Weekend
Loverboy (midi)

Hooked On Classics
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (midi)

Somebody's Baby
Jackson Browne (midi)





1983
*Michael Jackson's Thriller dominates the airwaves
*The popularity of Flashdance sparks a fashion trend
*Duran Duran, Culture Club and The Eurythmics make their mark on the music charts
*Styx fans eagerly await the release of "Mr. Roboto"

top singles of 1983
All Night Long (Lionel Richie)
Beat It (Michael Jackson)
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
Down Under (Men at Work)
Every Breath You Take (The Police)
Flashdance--What A Feeling (Irene Cara)
Islands In The Stream (Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton)
Maniac (Michael Sembello)
Say Say Say (Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson)
Total Eclipse Of The Heart (Bonnie Tyler)





Michael Jackson: Thriller

songs from 1983
She Blinded Me With Science
Thomas Dolby (midi)

Rio
Duran Duran (midi)

Billie Jean
Michael Jackson (midi)

Thriller
Michael Jackson (midi)

Rockit
Herbie Hancock (midi)

Mr. Roboto
Styx (midi)

Flashdance (What A Feeling)
Irene Cara (midi)

White Wedding
Billy Idol (midi)

Come On Eileen
Dexy's Midnight Runners (midi)





Bruce Springsteen: Born In The USA Madonna: Like A Virgin


1984
*Madonna makes an entrance
*Tina Turner makes a comeback
*Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" raises funds for Africa
*Cyndi Lauper just wants to have fun
*Everybody's Footloose

top singles of 1984
Against All Odds (Phil Collins)
Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean)
Footloose (Kenny Loggins)
Ghostbusters (Ray Parker Jr.)
I Just Called To Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder)
Jump (Van Halen)
Karma Chameleon (Culture Club)
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Wham!)
What's Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner)
When Doves Cry (Prince)



-----

songs from 1984
Neverending Story
Limahl (midi)

Karma Chameleon
Culture Club (midi)

Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Yes (midi)

Boys Of Summer
Don Henley (midi)

Like A Virgin
Madonna (midi)

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Wham! (midi)

Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Cyndi Lauper (midi)

Don't Answer Me
Alan Parsons Project (midi)

Drive
The Cars (midi)

Some Guys Have All The Luck
Rod Stewart (midi)

Footloose
Kenny Loggins (midi)



Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual





1985
*Live Aid and USA For Africa raise money for African famine relief
*Farm Aid raises funds for America's struggling farmers
*VH-1 debuts
*Whitney Houston hits the scene

top singles of 1985
Broken Wings (Mr. Mister)
Can't Fight This Feeling (REO Speedwagon)
Careless Whisper (Wham!)
I Want To Know What Love Is (Foreigner)
Money For Nothing (Dire Straits)
The Power Of Love (Huey Lewis & the News)
Say You, Say Me (Lionel Richie)
Shout (Tears For Fears)
We Are The World (USA For Africa)
We Built This City (Starship)



-----

Whitney Houston

songs from 1985
Walk Like An Egyptian
The Bangles (midi)

Walking On Sunshine
Katrina & The Waves (midi)

We Built This City
Starship (midi)

Axel F (Beverly Hills Cop)
Harold Faltermeyer (midi)

Obsession
Animotion (midi)

Broken Wings
Mr. Mister (midi)

I Want To Know What Love Is
Foreigner (midi)

Don't You Forget About Me
Simple Minds (midi)

The Highwayman
The Highwaymen (midi)





1986
*Cleveland is chosen as the future site of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
*Wham! breaks up
*Members of the Go Go's, Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins begin solo careers

top singles of 1986
Addicted To Love (Robert Palmer)
Greatest Love Of All (Whitney Houston)
How Will I Know (Whitney Houston)
Kiss (Prince & the Revolution)
Kyrie (Mr. Mister)
On My Own (Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald)
Rock Me Amadeus (Falco)
Sara (Starship)
That's What Friends Are For (Dionne Warwick & Friends)
West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys)





songs from 1986
Your Wildest Dreams
The Moody Blues (midi)

Tarzan Boy
Baltimora (midi)

Manic Monday
The Bangles (midi)





1987
*Heavy-metal power ballads are popular.
*Aqua-Net alert! The outrageous hairstyles sported by many heavy metal bands during the late 1980s earn them the nickname hair bands
*American Bandstand is broadcast for the last time before going into syndication, where it will last just one year

top singles of 1987
Alone (Heart)
Head To Toe (Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam)
Here I Go Again (Whitesnake)
I Think We're Alone Now (Tiffany)
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston)
La Bamba (Los Lobos)
Livin' On A Prayer (Bon Jovi)
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Starship)
Shakedown (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band)
With Or Without You (U2)







songs from 1987
La Isla Bonita
Madonna (midi)

Lady In Red
Chris DeBurgh (midi)

The Final Countdown
Europe (midi)




1988
*Several rock veterans, including Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison, get together to form the Traveling Wilburys
*Heavy metal is going strong
*Bobby McFerrin says "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

top singles of 1988
Could've Been (Tiffany)
Faith (George Michael)
Got My Mind Set On You (George Harrison)
Heaven Is A Place On Earth (Belinda Carlisle)
Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley)
One More Try (George Michael)
Roll With It (Steve Winwood)
So Emotional (Whitney Houston)
Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns n' Roses)
Wishing Well (Terrence Trent D'Arby)



----- songs from 1988
Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)
Enya (midi)

Circle In The Sand
Belinda Carlisle (midi)

I Know You're Out There Somewhere
The Moody Blues (midi)





1989
*Milli Vanilli's star is on the rise, but their success will be destroyed by scandal in the following year
*Paula Abdul makes her debut
*Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have a banner year
*Madonna's "Like A Prayer" sparks controversy



Milli Vanilli



top singles of 1989
The Living Years (Mike & the Mechanics)
Lost In Your Eyes (Debbie Gibson)
Eternal Flame (The Bangles)
The Look (Roxette)
She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals)
Forever Your Girl (Paula Abdul)
Like A Prayer (Madonna)
Wicked Game (Chris Isaak)
Free Falling (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
Girl You Know It's True (Milli Vanilli)



songs from 1989
Straight Up
Paula Abdul (midi)

Wicked Game
Chris Isaak (midi)

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1980s Music Trends

general sites
Ultimate 80s Songs
80s Pop Reviews
Sifting Through The Wasteland
Feeling Groovy: Singing Teen Idols
Cash Box Top 100 Of The 80s
80s Music Central
Grammy Awards Year-By-Year


behind the music
Farm Aid
The Milli Vanilli Scandal
We Didn't Start The Fire


dancing

Breakdancing, or b-boying, was invented in the mid 1970s as a way for urban street gangs to express themselves and compete in a non-violent manner. Rock Steady Crew was the first b-boy group to become famous, and they helped introduce the dance to mainstream society.

B-Boy
Rock Steady Crew
Origins Of Breakdancing

other 1980s dances....
Electric Boogie
Moonwalk
Worm
Running Man
Roger Rabbit
RoboCop
Cabbage Patch
Popping
Locking




music videos
Videos added a new
dimension to popular
music in the 1980s...
my Music Videos page will
tell you all about it!
-----

musicians "band together" for Africa
In 1984, British musicians gathered under the name Band Aid to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?" All proceeds were donated to famine relief in Africa. In 1985, American musicians did the same, calling their group USA For Africa and recording "We Are The World." In 1985, musicians on both sides of the Atlantic staged a mega-concert known as Live Aid, which also raised money for Africa.


Band Aid
Song Facts
USA For Africa
We Are The World
USA For Africa Photos
Live Aid: A Celebration
Live Aid



punk & new wave
The Women Of Punk
The New Wave Outpost
Punk Rock


metal
Sleaze Roxx
Hair Metal


top 40 radio
There was a time when the top 40 radio format was found exclusively on the AM dial. FM was the home of jazz, classical music and progressive album cuts. Everything changed when mainstream radio stations began moving to FM in the late 1970s. By the mid 1980s, most music stations had found a new home in the land of FM stereo, and AM was finding a new audience with stations devoted to news, talk and sports programming.

Rick Dees
Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem's "American Top 40"




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