80s Hits

How this sound was built

25 essential tracks

Listed in release order. Tap a title to play it, or play all 25 in a row.

1. 1. Another One Bites the Dust — Queen (1980)

   John Deacon's bass line is the whole song, and Michael Jackson was among those who urged Queen to release it as a single. It spent three weeks at No. 1 in 1980 and crossed over to the R&B chart, a rare feat for a British rock band.

2. 2. 9 to 5 — Dolly Parton (1980)

   Dolly Parton wrote the theme for the office comedy she starred in and famously clacked her acrylic nails together to mimic a typewriter. It topped both the Hot 100 and the country chart in early 1981, won two Grammys and earned an Oscar nomination. It is still the anthem of every workday.

3. 3. Jessie's Girl — Rick Springfield (1981)

   An Australian actor then starring on the soap General Hospital, Rick Springfield scored a two-week No. 1 in 1981 with this tale of envy. The chiming guitar riff and shout-along chorus won him the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and a permanent place on 80s radio.

4. 4. Bette Davis Eyes — Kim Carnes (1981)

   Kim Carnes' husky voice and a moody synth arrangement turned a 1974 album track into a smash. It spent nine weeks at No. 1, was Billboard's top single of 1981, and won the Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. Bette Davis herself reportedly loved it.

5. 5. Don't Stop Believin' — Journey (1981)

   It only reached No. 9 in 1981, but no 80s song has had a bigger second life. Jonathan Cain's opening piano riff is instantly recognizable, and the song's appearance in the final scene of The Sopranos in 2007 turned it into a singalong for a whole new generation.

6. 6. Eye of the Tiger — Survivor (1982)

   Written at Sylvester Stallone's request for Rocky III, "Eye of the Tiger" spent six weeks at No. 1 in 1982. Its palm-muted guitar riff became the sound of every training montage since. It also won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and earned an Oscar nomination.

7. 7. Jack & Diane — John Mellencamp (1982)

   Released when he still went by John Cougar, this "little ditty" about two small-town teenagers spent four weeks at No. 1 in 1982. The handclaps, acoustic strum and sudden drum crash made it a heartland rock landmark, and it is still a fixture at summer barbecues.

8. 8. Africa — Toto (1982)

   Toto's keyboard-driven ode to a place the songwriter had never visited reached No. 1 in February 1983. Its marimba-like synths and huge chorus made it a soft-rock staple, and decades later a fan campaign led Weezer to cover it in 2018, proof of its lasting pull.

9. 9. Billie Jean — Michael Jackson (1983)

   That bass line and Quincy Jones' spare production made "Billie Jean" a seven-week No. 1. Its video became one of the first by a Black artist in heavy MTV rotation, and Jackson's moonwalk during the song on the Motown 25 TV special in 1983 made it pop history.

10. 10. Every Breath You Take — The Police (1983)

    Often played at weddings, it is really about obsession, as Sting has pointed out many times. It spent eight weeks at No. 1, was Billboard's top single of 1983 and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Andy Summers' guitar part is one of rock's most copied.

11. 11. Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler (1983)

    Jim Steinman wrote and produced this seven-minute epic, which Bonnie Tyler delivers with her raspy, all-in vocal. It spent four weeks at No. 1 in 1983. Few power ballads are as dramatic, and its "turn around" chorus remains a karaoke rite of passage.

12. 12. Islands in the Stream — Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (1983)

    Written by the Bee Gees and produced by Barry Gibb, this duet topped both the Hot 100 and the country chart in 1983. The warm chemistry between Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers made it one of the best-loved crossover hits ever, and it is still a duet favourite.

13. 13. Time After Time — Cyndi Lauper (1984)

    Co-written with Rob Hyman of the Hooters, this tender ballad showed a softer side of Cyndi Lauper and became her first No. 1, spending two weeks at the top in 1984. Miles Davis later recorded an instrumental version and played it in concert for years.

14. 14. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go — Wham! (1984)

    George Michael took the title from a note Andrew Ridgeley left for his parents. The bouncy Motown-style throwback spent three weeks at No. 1 in the US in late 1984 and made Wham! stars in America. Its oversized "Choose Life" T-shirt video defined a look.

15. 15. Summer of '69 — Bryan Adams (1985)

    Canadian Bryan Adams and co-writer Jim Vallance turned nostalgia for a first band into a heartland rock anthem. From the album Reckless, it reached No. 5 in 1985. The ringing guitars and that first-real-six-string opening line make it a campfire and bar-band staple.

16. 16. Walking on Sunshine — Katrina & the Waves (1985)

    Horns, a galloping beat and Katrina Leskanich's joyful shout made this the most cheerful song of 1985. It peaked at No. 9, but it has since become the default soundtrack for good news in films, commercials and TV. Nothing else from the decade sounds this happy.

17. 17. Money for Nothing — Dire Straits (1985)

    Mark Knopfler's crunching riff, Sting's falsetto "I want my MTV" and a pioneering computer-animated video made this a three-week No. 1 in 1985. Its album, Brothers in Arms, became one of the first to sell a million copies on compact disc.

18. 18. Take On Me — a-ha (1985)

    It took several releases before the Norwegian trio broke through, but the pencil-sketch video made "Take On Me" a No. 1 in October 1985. Morten Harket's soaring falsetto and the bright synth riff make it a strong candidate for the most 80s song ever.

19. 19. Livin' on a Prayer — Bon Jovi (1986)

    Tommy and Gina's working-class love story, co-written with Desmond Child, spent four weeks at No. 1 in early 1987. Richie Sambora's talk box and the key change into the final chorus turn every crowd into a choir. It is the ultimate 80s arena singalong.

20. 20. The Final Countdown — Europe (1986)

    The Swedish band's opening synth fanfare is one of the most recognizable intros ever recorded. "The Final Countdown" topped the charts across much of Europe and reached No. 8 in the US. It is now a staple of sports arenas, where it announces every big moment.

21. 21. Here I Go Again — Whitesnake (1987)

    David Coverdale re-recorded a 1982 Whitesnake song with a polished, radio-ready sound, and it went to No. 1 in 1987. The video, with Tawny Kitaen dancing across two Jaguars, was an MTV fixture and helped make it the definitive hair-metal power ballad.

22. 22. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) — Whitney Houston (1987)

    Whitney Houston's joyful dance-pop hit spent two weeks at No. 1 and won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It was part of her record run of seven consecutive No. 1 singles between 1985 and 1988, and it still fills every dance floor.

23. 23. Pour Some Sugar on Me — Def Leppard (1987)

    Written late in the sessions for Hysteria, this stomping, heavily layered anthem climbed to No. 2 in 1988 once club DJs and MTV caught on to it. Producer Mutt Lange's wall of vocals and drummer Rick Allen's electronic kit gave it a sound all its own.

24. 24. Sweet Child o' Mine — Guns N' Roses (1988)

    Slash's famous opening riff reportedly began as a warm-up exercise that the rest of the band turned into a song. It became Guns N' Roses' only US No. 1 in 1988 and showed that the most dangerous band in rock could also write a heartfelt love song.

25. 25. Like a Prayer — Madonna (1989)

    Gospel choir, rock guitar and dance-pop rhythm collide in Madonna's most ambitious single. It spent three weeks at No. 1 in 1989, and its video caused such controversy that Pepsi dropped the ad campaign built around it. It closed the decade on a high.

Where to go next

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• 80s workout songs
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• Build your own 80s playlist

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