Throughout the 1980s there was a renaissance of music, which spread to all genres, whether pop, rock, electro or hip-hop. The fact that so many world-famous artists and hit songs emerged from that decade is a testament to the artistic phenomenon that was brewing at the time. Since the 1980s, no other decade has noticed so much innovation in all genres of music.
Simply put, almost each and every popularized genre of new music was thought to be at its peak in the decade. Whether it’s Michael Jackson’s pop masterpiece, Thriller, or the heavy steel masterpiece Master of Puppets, the list goes on. However, the sheer number of genre-defining works that have been published throughout the decade is a feat that has yet to be matched.
While many artists from a multitude of genres (adding new wave, select rock, electronic dance, heavy metal, and pop) have been included in this list, the following songs have had a significant effect on the genres they perform. Inhabiting and pop culture all together. In addition, the songs presented have remained as imperishable works of the decade in which they were released, which in the end places them among the most productive songs of the 80s.
Although disco and funk were very much the face of the ’70s music scene, Earth, Wind
Released in the late 1980s, Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails made their monumental debut with Pretty Hate Machine and in particular with the single “Head Like A Hole. “While much of the band’s success and popularity came in the ’90s and early 2000s, “Head Like A Hole” remained a highly influential song in the rock genre and one of the earliest examples of Reznor’s inventive production and songwriting skills.
The gothic and post-punk rock scenes flourished in the 1980s, thanks in large part to the fact that The Cure has become such a sensationalist band over the course of the decade. Many of the band’s hits spread in the late ’70s, ’80s, and even into the early ’90s, “Just Like Heaven” remains one of their most prominent love songs and a classic in the gothic and post-punk rock genres.
Regardless of its arrangement within “meme culture” with the popularized joke “Rickroll,” Rick Astley’s “Never going to Give You Up” has remained just as charming and iconic over the years. “Rickrolling” helped build the song’s notoriety, but because of the song’s instrumentation and Astley’s hard-hitting melodic vocals, it’s still a vintage of ’80s pop music. Despite being Astley’s only big hit, few artists of the 80s have managed to remain as relevant as he is with an iconic song.
Taking the world through the typhoon with their revolutionary technique to the hip-hop and rock genres, the Beastie Boys thrived in the late ’80s with their genre debut album, Licensed To Ill. Their one “Fight For Your Right” has remained a hit. essential exaggeration. An anthem over the years and is a wonderful gateway to competitive music genres.
Metal wouldn’t be the expansive genre it is without Slayer, especially their groundbreaking 1986 album, Reign In Blood. The album’s song of the same name, “Raining Blood”, is synonymous with thrash steel and the band as a whole, and is undoubtedly the song that defines the band and the heavy steel genre.
Much of the subgenres of indie and select rock simply wouldn’t exist without the Smiths’ contribution, and while the band enjoyed several hits in the ’80s, nothing sums up their sublime swagger like “How Soon Is Now?”From the tremolo-infused guitar riff to Morrissey’s haunting vocal melodies, “How Soon Is Now?”It’s the band in its brightest sounding form.
The Pixies’ quirky, twisted melancholy advance into their time in 1988, and the band’s hit single “Where Is My Mind?”They highlight those facets perfectly. For its simplistic instrumentation, “Where Is My Mind?”It achieves so much and more, which is why it has managed to remain applicable to a multitude of generations and its continued good fortune proves that the band’s sonic brilliance is unique.
This multi-platinum single from Billy Joel remains his most recognizable and successful hit more than 40 years later. More than any of his greatest hits and most prestigious albums, “Uptown Girl” has won over audiences for its strangely joyful anthemic qualities that are integral to Joel’s signature songwriting technique.
This hard rock ballad via Def Leppard is no less desirable than when it first made the impression in 1987. With a riff that has since been copied and modified by countless other rock bands, Def Leppard proved that they were much more than a formidable rock band’s hard rock band with “Hysteria. “
Australian new wave rock band Men At Work introduced their global sensation “Down Under” in the early ’80s and has since become one of the decade’s most notable gems. Despite being the most well-known and popularized band yet, Men At Work has nevertheless contributed greatly to the sonic influences of the ’80s that have since seeped into much of today’s trendy music.
Soft Cell had some notable hits in the ’80s, but nothing compares to their very spicy rendition of Ed Cobb’s “Tainted Love. “Compared to their other hits, “Tainted Love” is indeed a marvel for Soft Cell, but nevertheless, its popularity over the decade and beyond has earned the band one of the most iconic songs of the decade.
Taking advantage of the good fortune of his theme for the 1984 film Footloose, Kenny Loggins upped the intensity with his next cinematic hit with “Danger Zone” from the Top Gun soundtrack. Following the recent good fortune of Top Gun Maverick, “Danger Zone” has established itself as the greatest Loggins painting of all time and the eternal harvest of the decade.
There are a multitude of reasons why AC/DC’s Back In Black is hailed as one of the most important rock albums of all time, and the title track of the album is indeed one of them. At that time, singer Brian Johnson, the new face of the band. , however, given its better integration into the band’s sound and aesthetic, this song is a mythical rock anthem, along with guitarist Angus Young’s irrefutably catchy riffs.
Considered one of the most impactful electronic pop songs ever recorded, New Order’s “Blue Monday” not only set new precedents for electronic music in the ’80s, but since then the song has managed to survive in the following decades, cementing it. as an all-time classic. While the band has a few other notable hits, nothing has had the same impact on new music as “Blue Monday. “
Breaking musical barriers by merging the hip-hop and rock genres, the now iconic song “Walk This Way” by Run D. M. C. gave the composition an unprecedented brilliance and opened the doors to new sonic possibilities in music. Thanks in large part to the good luck of the group. During the 80s, especially with this song, RUN D. M. C is cited as one of the most important groups in hip-hop.
The heavy steel band led by frontman Lemmy Kilmister remained one of the most influential rock bands of the late ’70s and early ’80s. “Ace Of Spades”, the title track from Motörhead’s 1980 album, remains his most loved and popularized song. , as it fully captures the essence and appeal of what made the band and frontman Lemmy so fascinating.
British band New Wave would have gone so viral in the ’80s without their hit “Hungry Like The Wolf. “Many of the original pop antics and rhythms highlighted through Duran Duran have contributed greatly to the sounds of the decade, and even much of popular pop music. With the popularity of “Hungry Like The Wolf”, the band probably managed to survive into the 80s as one of the most reprimanded bands in Britain.
Few songs grab attention right from the start like Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams. “Lively synths and haunting vocals made it the duo’s most recognizable track and have become one of the most formidable pop songs ever written.
No other steel band has epic guitar duels and choruses like Iron Maiden does, and their influence on the genre is as vast as their long discography suggests. However, “The Number Of The Beast”, the fuse that introduced the band to the trajectory that has since reached as one of the most respected and mythical bands of the steel genre.
The rollercoaster ride that is Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is unmistakable from its dark beginning to its climactic, exhilarating chorus. Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler had a few hits in the decade, but nothing matched the good luck she enjoyed on “Total Eclipse. “of the heart. “
The bitter lead guitars and shrill vocals of heavy steel pioneers Judas Priest have continued to be a formidable influence among many of the most successful bands in the steel genre. However, Judas Priest’s classic “Breaking the Law” remains one of the few moments where they managed to break into the mainstream with their heavy, sharp steel swagger.
As a component of the first wave of British punk, The Clash’s imprint on fresh punk rock extends far and wide, especially to other like-minded bands of the same era. The band’s undeniable hooks are obviously what has made them stand out even after all those years, with their multi-platinum single “Should I Stay or Should I Go” being a wonderful example of their ability to write catchy punk songs.
The founding rap organization replaced the face of music production and paved the way for the gangsta rap genre with their debut album, Straight Outta Compton. The song with the name still resonates with the same visceral attitude and intensity that the band established decades ago, which is why it is celebrated and influential to this day.
The “Queen of Rock”, Tina Turner, undoubtedly at her peak in the 80s with a plethora of pop-rock hits and innovative live performances. However, her one and only “What’s Love Got to Do with It” remains her ultimate exemplary work and the song that made her a familiar calling in pop culture.
After finding a great fortune thanks to their appearance in the hit film The Breakfast Club, Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” became the band’s most popular and beloved song of their career. The instrumentation and infectious performances of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” only show why Simple Minds would go on to enjoy one of the most successful and successful careers of any British band of the decade, making the song a definitive piece of the ’80s.
Simply put, with the good fortune of Stranger Things on Netflix, Kate Bush’s already successful career was emboldened by the TV show’s use of her single “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God). “The song brought the British pop star to a whole generation of new enthusiasts and has since made it a vital component of the ’80s sonic appeal for the entire new generation.
The Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, made one of the most impressionable debuts among any solo rock artist thanks to the foreign sensation “Crazy Train. “While Osbourne’s rabid personality and melodies enhanced the song, the true hero of this hard rock anthem is guitarist Randy Rhoads whose musicality and functionality are still highly praised to this day.
With what is probably the best-known drum filler of all time, Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” has established itself as one of the most popular pop-rock singles. The song marked the beginning of Collins’ solo career after leaving Genesis. and reached even greater heights in the following years, although “In The Air Tonight” remains the singer’s top hit track to date.
Although “Jump” is the band’s biggest publicity hit to date, it was less representative of Van Halen’s true rock prowess at the time, which “Panama” arguably showed. As one of the band’s catchiest and most popular songs, “Panama” is still played and hailed as one of the greatest rock anthems ever written and is an exemplary song from the respected rock titans.
“The Boss” Bruce Springsteen achieved a great fortune overseas with the release of his 1984 album, Born In the USA. The number of hits on that record is a good fortune in itself, but “Dancing In the Dark” has to be Springsteen’s biggest hit. He paints as songwriter of the decade, and his continued popularity is a testament to the timeless quality Springsteen was able to capture.
Tom Petty’s solo album debuted to critical acclaim at the time of its release in the late ’80s, and given the number of songs on the record, it’s easy to see why it was so successful. However, “Free Fallin'” remains his most popular song from his solo album, and is arguably his most productive song of the decade and perhaps of his entire career.
Although Depeche Mode’s opus was their 1990 LP Violator, the band was no less prominent in the 1980s, with a string of big hits, including “Just Can’t Get Enough. “The song shines with ’80s nostalgia with its iconic synths and upbeat chorus. There are a lot of amazing Depeche Mode songs in the decade, but “Just Can’t Get Enough” remains one of the most popular bands to this day, and moreover, one of the most defining songs of the 1980s.
Sonically, Billy Idol encompasses much of what was amazing in the ’80s, from hard-hitting rock to frenetic pop choruses to the use of cutting-edge synthesizers, all of which are included in their anthem “Rebel Yell. “Hits is passed down through several generations and is still considered one of the most prominent faces of 80s rock.
Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” has remained a classic since its inception. Given its continued popularity, there’s no denying the effect the song had on a multitude of generations and a plethora of other like-minded artists. especially around the 1980s.
Few solo artists have enjoyed the same decades-long good fortune that Whitney Houston has achieved throughout her career. While her career peaked in the ’90s for her paintings on the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, her 1987 single “I need to Dance With Somebody” solidified her as one of the most respected emerging singers and pop stars of the ’80s.
From the box’s inception, listeners recognize Police’s iconic single, “Every Breath You Take. “Few songs have this unique ability to be so temporarily recognizable, which is more of a testament to their accomplishments and desirable qualities, not to mention The Police’s incredible musicianship featured on the track.
The sonic brilliance of the 1980s wouldn’t be what it is without Guns N’ Roses’ first masterpiece, Appetite For Destruction. As one of the best-selling and most acclaimed rock albums, it’s hard to pick GNR’s most productive song. , however, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” has been unanimously praised since its inception, considering it the right choice. Plus, every single detail of the band shines through on this track, underscoring why Guns N’ Roses remains so iconic. after all those years.
Irish alternative rock pioneers U2 paved the way for many of modern rock and pop music’s most prominent artists, and their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, is what contributed greatly to their popularity. “With Or Without You” remains the most popular single on the record and the band’s most recognizable hit to date. At the time of its release, it earned the band their first number one hit on the U. S. charts.
Few new songs convey the need to sing and rejoice like Journey’s worldwide hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’. “Even with dozens of hits and multi-platinum records, “Don’t Stop Believein'” is still the band’s best. -A well-known song and the most viral song to this day so far.
Bon Jovi’s hits are never lacking in their appealing anthem; in fact, of all the rock bands of the 80s, Bon Jovi has the most beloved rock anthems by the public, with “Livin’ On A Prayer” being their iconic maximum. from their 1986 LP, Slippery When Wet, is overwhelming, but the continued popularity of “Livin’ On A Prayer” makes them the band’s best.
The provocative and seductive qualities of Madonna’s music and character were revolutionary at the time, and indeed played a pivotal role in her good fortune in the ’80s. “Like A Virgin” turns out to be the song that best showcases those aspects, and when it was released, the song is not without controversy, but it remains one of his defining pieces and a true gem of the decade.
The synthesizer is certainly one of the defining characteristics of ’80s music, that and the remarkable vocal melodies related to it, which expertly capture its overall feel, “Take On Me. “With a very high chorus that insists that the listener hum and make their own music. Just to sing in falsetto, “Take On Me” is a hit that few artists have managed to achieve.
While Queen and David Bowie recorded a variety of acclaimed albums and hit singles in the ’80s, their collaboration on “Under Pressure” is on par with their most important works ever recorded. Bowie and Queen captured lightning in a bottle on “Under Pressure” and the song’s poignant and heartfelt themes are what carried it through the following decades and made it an all-time classic.
Featuring the largest saxophone line of all time, George Michael and Andrew Wrigley’s “Careless Whisper” is the pinnacle of a sexy and witty musical form. Although the bachelor gave the impression of Wham! (Andrew Wrigley helped compose the song), George Michael is widely regarded as the creator of the song, with the bachelor under his command in the UK and Europe. George Michael’s solo career was not as successful as “Careless Whisper” and the fact that he covered several other notable artists over the next few decades. is helping to make it an eternal song.
As the world’s most popular steel band, Metallica’s entry into pop culture has been a constant exponential adventure since their formation in 1981. However, in recent years, their already iconic hit “Master Of Puppets” has outdone itself as a band of steel. It has become one of the most popular songs of the 1980s, thanks in part to a new generation finding the classic Netflix series Stranger Things.
Tears For Fears contributed to a handful of the most acclaimed and beloved songs of the ’80s, however, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is the song that explained their entire career and legacy as a band. Not only did the song’s Cold War themes remain applicable in the decades that followed, but its overall message and the way Tears For Fears staged this masterpiece with such exclusive tactics is timeless.
The number of phenomenal hits that TOTO wrote and contributed to as reference musicians is beyond overwhelming. However, as a band, “Africa” remains their most available and meaningful track to this day, given its wholesome and desirable qualities, not to mention its unmistakably catchy beat. .
The ’80s wouldn’t have been the musical renaissance they were without the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Given the sheer number of hits Jackson had during the decade, it’s hard to pick the most productive, however, “Thriller” features the pop star in all of her most productive elements, from the mythical dance moves noted in the music video to Jackson’s mesmerizing, frenetic vocal performance.
Prince’s masterpiece, Purple Rain, cemented him as one of the greatest songwriters and producers of fresh music, and the title track sums up much of the unity heard on the record. “Purple Rain” remains one of the most powerful ballads ever written from a rock and pop perspective, and to this day, Prince still manages to captivate listeners with this barely nine-minute work, which is a feat in itself.
Conclusion
The 50 songs featured above have had a profound and significant effect not only on the millions of listeners they have attracted over the years, but also on the genres of new music they inhabit. Most importantly, those songs are still frequently played and praised for their virtuosic qualities, making them timeless works of art by each of those popular 80s bands and artists.
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