What Was the Best 80s Song? The Top 15

The 1980s gave us so much and asked so little. One area where it specifically gave was in the music category, and that has led many to ask: what was the best 80s song? The 80s was a unique time in music with the introduction of new styles, genres, and artists. It thankfully left the disco era of the 70s long behind and ushered in a new movement of pop culture. 

The rise of MTV changed the way we consumed music, and image became more important than ever. Artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson reigned supreme, and a brand new art form called Hip Hop started taking over.

We had the rise of new wave music, and a bit of another British invasion with bands like Duran Duran, the Pet Shop Boys, and Wham! Rock music was still going strong and pop music was possibly at its height. But don’t forget the old dogs though! Bands like the Rolling Stones, Queen, and ACDC were still a prominent part of the music scene despite coming out of another era.

So how do you narrow down the best 80s song amongst all this amazing music? Well, that’s what I’m going to attempt here today. This gets very subjective, and every list you see will come from the writer’s own perspective. I’m going to try to take my own viewpoint, but factor in the influence and impact the song had during its release.

Some of these songs might not have been chart-toppers, but I still take that into consideration. If you want to see what the actual Billboard top songs of the 80s were, check out this blog here.

OK, deep breath, and here. We. go.  With the 15 best 80s songs. 

#15. Material Girl – Madonna

To many, this may have been the absolute best 80s song. It isn’t to me, but is still worth noting. Material Girl really captured the movement into material wealth and the drive for success that was a hallmark of the 80s. The decade can really be defined by the movement into the “Yuppy” lifestyle, and Ronald Reagan was creating an economic system that allowed people to flourish.

More money was being invested than ever before, and people wanted to show off what they had. There was no more nobility in poverty and movies like Wall Street embraced that greed was good.

Madonna perfectly captured this with Material Girl released on July 23, 1985. The music video plays off of Marlyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Madonna had actually nothing to do with writing and creating the song, but she felt the message resonated with her as she was very career-oriented at the time. 

It never reached number one on Billboard, but got as high as #2. 

#14. Total Eclipse of the Heart- Bonnie Tyler

I feel that “Total Eclipse of the Heart” has only gotten better with time. This song goes all the way back to 1983 and is the epitome of heart and passion. I never knew this, but Bonnie Tyler was Welsh, and the song was released on her 5th studio album “Faster Than the Speed of Light.”

This song was a massive hit when it was released on February 11, 1983. It was a huge hit in the UK, and was the fifth highest selling single for all of that year. It has sold 6 million copies worldwide and was certified Gold. 

The original version was actually pretty long and needed to be shortened for radio play. Bonnie Tyler takes some influence from Meatloaf who like to record epic, long-playing singles. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” started out as a seven minute song and was then shortened down to four minutes and thirty seconds. 

The song is the epitome of a power ballad, and showcases all of Bonnie Tyler’s range, and powerful singing ability. 

#13. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go – Wham!

Some consider Wham! A bit of a joke band, but I don’t think that’s the case, and they make my list of the top 20 80s bands you can read about here.

Formed in England in 1981, Wham! Is made up of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They embraced a lot of elements of funk and soul music.

They put out their first album in 1983, and it was actually a pretty socio-political album. We think of them as fun and goofy, but that first album was all about the state of unemployment in England, and the issues that young people had at the time. 

“Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” came out on May 14, 1984. In case you didn’t know, this was a massive hit going certified platinum selling over 2 million copies. The whole origin of this song comes from a note that Andrew Ridgeley had left his parents. In the note, he had scribbled, “wake me up before you go” but up was accidently written twice so he threw another ‘go’ in there. 

#12. The Power of Love – Huey Lewis and the News

The greatest movie single ever written, and a song that cannot be heard without picturing the movie it was associated with. The other day, I was walking out of the grocery store and heard “The Power of Love” playing on the store’s outdoor speakers. It’s kind of weird to hear this song in public, and there is no way to not think that you are Marty McFly walking around HIll Valley instead of the Stop n Shop in your crappy town.

“The Power of Love” was Huey Lewis’ first number one hit and came out in June 1985, just before the movie was released on July 3rd. The song was obviously written just for the movie and became this iconic power/love song anthem. When I hear it now, I just want to skateboard behind a cop car.

Most people aren’t familiar with the music video, but it’s an awesome companion to the movie. Check it out:

#11. Jump – Van Halen

I always think of this as being a 90s song for some reason, but it is a genuine 80s rock anthem. Van Halen ruled the decade and this song will never die. It goes all the way back to 1983 when it was released that december. Van Halen is the quintessential hard rock, guitar-driven band, but this was one of their first songs that featured keyboards.

That famous synth line goes all the way back to 1981 when Eddie Van Halen started putting it together, but the sound was rejected by the rest of the band. The name of the song is pretty morbid as it comes from Eddie Van Halen thinking about a news report he saw about a man attempting to jump off a building. Van Halen envisioned someone below saying “go ahead and jump.” 

Instead of basing it on this dark theme, Van Halen decided that the idea to jump was an invitation to love–so adorable. The song went gold and would be a staple for sports stadiums everywhere. 

#10. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) – Dead or Alive

I always find it hilarious when song titles have parentheses in them, like it just tacks on the focal point of the song. Can it not just be used in the main title? I also feel like this list is becoming the soundtrack to the Wedding Singer–but maybe they were on to something with their use of what they thought was the best 80s songs. 

If you ever go to a bar, club, or listen to some sort of 80s throwback night; this song will make an appearance. Dead or Alive was another British band that made up that second invasion going into the 80s. The song was included on their 1985 album, “Youthquake.” 

The single was released in England in 1984, and hit number one there. In the U.S., it made it to number 11. You wouldn’t think so to hear it, but a lot of the influence of this song comes from Luther Vandross of all people. And the studio was really not excited about it. One of the members of Dead or Alive had to take out a $2500 loan to record it, and the studio still thought it was awful. 

Regardless of that, you can’t picture the 80s without this song. 

#9. She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals

A bit of a one-hit-wonder (though “Good Thing” was a pretty solid song) the Fine Young Cannibals perfectly captured the 80s sound with “She Drives Me Crazy.” It made great use of the 80s snare drum “pop sound.” They were able to create this sound by recording just the snare drum separately. 

A speaker was placed on the top of the drum, with a microphone below. They then played the original recording of the snare drum through the speaker and then recorded it again with the mic below it to create that stand out “pop” sound that’s so synonymous with 80s music. 

At the time, I was never aware that FYC was a British band. Their album, “The Raw and the Cooked” came out in 1988 which featured the hit single, “She Drives Me Crazy.” This song went to number one when it came out on December 26, 1988, and to me, really stands out as one of the best 80s songs.

It always pops to mind when I think back to the decade and those nights listening to the radio with my dual-cassette recorder hoping my fingers could act quickly enough to record it.

Even though it was only #1 for one week, it was a huge hit around the world. 

#8. Karma Chameleon – Culture Club

It’s not that Culture Club was underrated, but I think they were way ahead of their time when it came to music in the 80s. The person of Boy George was already controversial and intriguing and it made for the perfect band.

Karma Chameleon is from the 1983 album, “Color by Numbers” which is a pretty amazing album. Culture Club had a ton of top then hits, but Karma Chameleon was their only #1 when it stayed there for four weeks in 1984. 

Boy George states that this song is all about alienation, and the fear of trying to stand up for something. The song was almost called “Cameo Chameleon,” which doesn’t have the best ring to it. 

This song was a juggernaut in the 80s, and I think, holds up pretty well still after all these years. 

#7. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson 

This could easily be number one on the list, but I feel the other choices offer a bit better snap shot of the 80s. Billie Jean is so good that it could have come out in any era and still fit right in.

This song is so iconic that you can identify it by the first snare drum note. Then, one of the best bass lines in history soon kicks in. THat’s followed by one of the most memorable synth parts ever recorded. This song is pretty much perfect, and an entire blog could be devoted to it, so let’s just go over some highlights:

• It was released on January 2, 1983
• It combines R & B, funk, pop, dance-pop, and a post-disco sound
• It was Michael Jackson’s fasted rising #1 single
• It has sold over 10 million companies making it one of the biggest singles in music history
• Jackson’s performance of Billie Jean on the Motown TV special is when he first debuted the moonwalk to the world

#6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

I don’t care who you are, just listening to the first few seconds of this song seems to put you in a better mood. This song really helped to launch Cyndi Lauper and her brand of bratty pop music. 

Here’s an unknown fact: this isn’t an entirely original song. It was first recorded in 1979 by Robert Hazard until Lauper re-recorded it and released it in 1983. It became a feminist anthem and despite being a massive hit and nominated for a Grammy, it only reached number 2 on Billboard.

Here’s another interesting fact: If it wasn’t for this song, we might not have professional wrestling and the WWE as we know it. A chance encounter on a flight sat Lauper next to WWF manager Captain Lou Albano. It was thought Albano would be perfect to star in the video as Lauper’s father and this started to pave the way for what was called The Rock n Wrestling Connection that combined pro wrestling with music videos on MTV.

THis culminated into a few televised wrestling events called “The Brawl to End it All,”  “The War to Settle the Score” which featured the upstart WWF characters–including the newly introduced Hulk Hogan–alongside Lauper and the people from MTV. The success of these events led Vince McMahon to putting on Wrestlemania 1, and if that hadn’t been a success, the WWF as you know it wouldn’t have grown.

Here’s a full blog I wrote all about the rise of the WWF in the 80s.

#5. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi

This is the anthem of all anthems and a song that can bring every drunk person in a bar together like they were long lost friends. No one really knows all the words, but EVERYONE knows the chorus.

Bon Jovi was just heavy enough to be a real rock band, but poppy enough to be played on radio and listened to by everyone. I still thought they were a little badass and had to keep their tapes hidden in my room.

Livin’ on a Prayer came out in late 1986 and was featured on Bon Jovi’s third album, “Slippery When Wet.” It was their first number one and had one of the heaviest rotations on MTV at the time. 

Livin’ on a Prayer went through several recordings as Bon Jovi wasn’t happy with it at first. The characters of Tommy and Gina in the song are based on real-life friends of Bon Jovi, and they had experienced the same type of struggles. The song is also reflective of the trickle down economics of the Reagan era. 

#4. Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard

The song that launched a thousand strip clubs. Def Leppard was one of my favorite bands of all time and they had that approachable appeal similar to Bon Jovi. They were pretty heavy when it came to the sound of their music, but it still had a pop sense to it. Whereas I was too scared to listen to bands like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard presented a more gentle version.

“Pour Some Sugar on Me” is another great anthem rock song in the spirit of “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It has this punchy, but airy sound to it and still rocks all these years later. The song was part of the monumental album “Hysteria” released in 1987, and I don’t remember “Pour Some Sugar on Me” being released that late in the decade.

It was released on April 16, 1988 and was obviously a massive hit. But, it didn’t reach number one. It was kept at #2 thanks to Richard Marx’s “Hold On to the NIght” which is just hilarious. “Pour Some Sugar on Me” takes a lot of its influence from “Walk This Way” by Run DMC and Aerosmith–which we’ll look at in just a moment–and is considered one of the greatest songs of all time. 

#3. Walk This Way – Run DMC & Aerosmith

Rock meets rap and the song that helped rejuvenate the career of Aerosmith. Rap was starting to explode but a three-man group from Queens would take it to the next level. Formed in Hollis, Queens in 1981 Run-DMC was made up of Daryl “DMC” McDaniels, Joseph “Run” Simmons, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell. 

They were the first rap group to have a gold album (1984) and also be nominated for a Grammy. They were the first to go platinum, multi platinum, the first rap group to appear on MTV, and first to appear on American Bandstand and on the cover of Rolling Stone.

The members of Run DMC were flipping through albums while in a studio and came across an old album by Aerosmith called “Toys in the Attic” from 1975. Aerosmith was pretty washed up at that point but Run DMC liked the sound and started freestyling over “Walk This Way.”

This was while they were recording the iconic “Raising Hell” album, and producer Rick Rubin suggested they remake the song. The band wasn’t down with the idea but ended up recording it with Rick Perry and Steven Tyler. There was no intention to release this as a single, but Rubin still pushed for it.

It was a smart idea. “Walk This Way” hit #4 which was higher than the original had. Rap was still pretty new so this was a huge moment for the new genre. This led to one of the most famous music videos ever made which Perry and Tyler were reluctant to appear in as they didn’t want to appear that they were being made fun of. 

#2. Beat It – Michael Jackson

“Beat It,” to me, is something I never thought could exist until I first heard it. I didn’t know music could be this good, this catchy, or this intense. It was kind of jarring to hear Michael Jackson speak for the first time after hearing such powerful vocals. I always just thought he had this larger than life voice.

I was still young, but “Beat It” really made me feel hyped. It was released way back on Valentine’s Day–of all days–in 1983. The approach with “Beat It” was Quincey Jones challenging Michael Jackson to make a rock song. Jackson was never involved–or interested–in rock music but took on the challenge.

There’s probably a reason it appeals to young me back then, as Jackson’s approach with “Beat It” was to record a rock song that kids would like as much as college students. Let’s check some fun facts:

• It was certified 5x platinum
• Sold over 7 million copies
• It’s considered the song–and video–that launched Michael Jackson into superstardom
• It features an Eddie Van Halen guitar solo
• The video for “Beat It” was actually filmed on Skid Row in Los Angeles

#1. Take on Me – A Ha

This may not be number one on every list of the best 80s song–but I guarantee it’s on the list somewhere. A Ha was formed in 1982 in Norway, and released the album “Hunting High and Low” in 1985 that contained “Take on Me.”

This song is the perfect embodiment of the 80s and the growing shift in pop culture. The visuals from the video helped to cement the song as iconic, and it embraced the new medium of music video. MTV and A Ha seem to go hand-in-hand and each one helped in the success of the other. 

It’s far from the best song ever recorded–but it defines the 80s. “Take on Me” was first released in October of 1984, then re-released in 1985 as it went through 3 different versions. The earlier version had more of a punk feel to it, before it became the more melodic version we know.

“Take on Me” is the ultimate in 80s synthpop and strong melody. You can still get a feel to it’s punk origins because of it’s relatively fast tempo of 169 beats per minute. It mixes a lot of interesting drum patterns, and really shows off the vocal range of singer Morten Harket.

And what makes this the best song of the 80s to me, has to also do with the visuals which were now increasingly important. It wasn’t just enough to have a great song, but you had to have a great video to go along with it. A mediocre song could be made better by a great video, and a great song could be ruined by a crappy video. “Take On Me” combined the two things beautifully with it’s artistic, pencil-drawn visuals in one of the most famous music videos ever made.

Final Thoughts On The Best 80s Song

Phew, I’m exhausted. If your favorites weren’t included on this list, please form a single file line with all the other people I may have insulted because of this article. It’s almost impossible to make the definitive list of the best 80s songs, but from my perspective; I think I did a pretty good job.

I think we can agree that pretty much all these songs would exist on a list of what the best 80s song was. The order of the songs would probably all change, but you will always see these entries whenever anyone brings up iconic 80s music.