Hey what's up Metalhead Mojoholics. We noticed you were a little outraged at the lack of metal in these Decade Defining Songs lists. Never fear, however! We haven't included a lot of metal because we have Top 10 Decade Defining Metal lists in the works. We'll be announcing the suggest pages on this week's What's Your Mojo and you'll be able to vote on which songs you want on the list. We figured if we were going to do metal, we'd do it big.
luca cerciello the 80's was not hip hop's golden age, in reality it's the 90's bud because that's when hip hop took over the mainstream and record sales where at an all time high for hip hop artists and thats when many of the legends where at the height of their careers
luca cerciello right, but I'm not saying the 80's didn't have good hip hop I'm just stating that a golden age is not only when the best artists and songs came out it's also about when it's the most successful and when it's marketing demographic is the majority plus the 2 biggest names of hip hop the 2 names that define hip hop Tupac and Biggie where 90's artists
This video is part of a new series called 'Decade Defining Songs' where we've picked 10 songs that were the most successful, had the most inlfuence and best represent the time period. You know, they "defined" the decade! Stay tuned for the rest of the series: Friday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1950s Saturday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1960s Sunday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1970s Monday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1980s Tuesday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1990s Wednesday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 2000s Thursday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs of All Time
I’ve always loved 80s music but after Stranger Things came out it just grew my obsession with the 80s and here are my personal top 10 favorite 80s songs 10: never gonna give you up 9: uptown girl 8: take on me 7: 500 miles 6: total eclipse of the heart 5: I wanna dance with somebody 4: should I stay or should I go 3: every breath you take 2: time after time 1: Africa HONORABLE MENTIONS: Rock the Casbah, We built this city, kiss, material girl, working for the weekend, dancing in the dark, I’m on fire, girls just wanna have fun, we are the world, free way of love
No REO Speedwagon, Chicago, Phil Collins, van Halen, dire straits, rod Stewart, or Elton John. Seriously. Here's my top 10: 10: in the air tonight by Phil Collins 9: jump by Van Halen 8: dancing on the ceiling by Lionel Richie 7: sad songs say so much by Elton John 6: can't fight this feeling by REO Speedwagon 5: money for nothing by dire straits 4: young Turks by rod Stewart 3: you're the inspiration by Chicago 2: free fallin' by the late great tom Petty 1: gimme all your lovin' by zz top
Let's Groove - Earth Wind and Fire The Final Countdown - Europe Down Under - Men at Work Karma Chameleon - Culture Club Africa - Toto Take on Me - a-ha Message in a Bottle - The Police I Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics Rock the Casbah - The Clash
I knew Michael Jackson was going to take the number one spot, but I was thinking it'd be "Thriller" instead. But I guess Thriller is known more for it's iconic video than of the actual song. Beat It was a good choice.
'cause "Beat It" was a combination of pop and rock (pop rock), which really defines the 80's because rock music was still a big genre (while metal grew along with the hair), but pop music was at it's peak during that decade.
10-free fallin' 9-how soon is now? 8-jump 7-born in the u.s.a 6-everybody wants to rule the world. 5-purple rain. 4-radio free europe. 3-like a virgin. 2-sweet dreams are made of this. 1-every breath you take.
opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. Africa by TOTo Should have been mention, and Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads should have made this list!
Listen to the 80s music all the time...my youngest son listened with me...he came up to me one day when he was 6 years old and told me the best band to come out of the eighties was the Scorpions...how come they did not make this list but like a virgin did...we have been rickrolled
Was born in 2001 and I recognized every song 9n this list. My dad and mom loved the 80s and shared that heaven with us. I just wish music was still this great.
My mom was born in the 50's so I grew up with a lot of songs from the 50s-70s and a little of 80s and 90s. At my first dance in 6th grade, I didn't know a single song but the ones I heard from Radio Disney. They don't make music like the used to.
+Fnuord Hase How about you just don't even join this conversation? Because in our opinion modern music is shit. And I've heard more than I needed to. We can like and dislike what we want. So grow up, shut up, and leave us to our choices.
My Top 100 Songs of the '80s: Hon Mention 10: "Back in Black" by AC/DC ('80); Hon Mention 9: "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry ('88); Hon Mention 8: "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses ('87); Hon Mention 7: "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band ('82); Hon Mention 6: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen ('80); Hon Mention 5: "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell ('81); Hon Mention 4: "Shout" by Tears for Fears ('85); Hon Mention 3: "Open Arms" by Journey ('81); Hon Mention 2: "Flashdance" by Irene Cara ('83); Hon Mention 1: "It's a Sin" by Pet Shop Boys ('87); 10. "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor ('82); 9. "Everybody" by Madonna ('82); 8. "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys ('85); 7. "Jump" by Van Halen ('84); 6. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi ('86); 5. Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaata & th Soulsonic Force ('82); 4. "With or Without You by U2 ('87); 4. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ('83); 3. "When Doves Cry" by Prince ('84); 2. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Lepard ('87); 1. "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses ('88)...
10:Welcome to the jungle by:guns and roses. 9: Hungry like the wolf by:Duran Duran 8: Born in the U.S.A. By: Springsteen 7. Where the streets have no name By: U2 6: Walk this Way By: Run-D.M.C. feat. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith 5: Living on a prayer By: Bon Jovi 4: Girls just wanna have fun By: Cindy Loper 3: Pour some sugar on me By: Def Leppard 2: Like a virgin By: Madonn 1: Beat it By: Micheal Jackson
i do like nirvana and im not going to hate, but i have a feeling that the boy bands of the 90s will take over the list because it was a big era for them as well :/
Clearly the defining song of early 90s grunge. The second half of the 90s was shit. I honestly think the defining song of the late 90s was Mmmbop. My favorite song of the 90's was when Wayne's World revived Bohemian Rhapsody.
It's weird that I recognise more of the songs in this video than the one about the 90's even though I'm a noughties kid. Guess it proves that the 80's was an iconic era in music. Love all these songs!!
Yeah there really hasn't been too much truly new since the early 90s other than I guess auto-tune and smart phones (and even the latter is basically just continuation of the computer tech revolution of the 80s). 60s cultural revolution brought us to modern times in that sense 70s/80s gave us modern music (other than for auto-tune style; and some stuff like gangster rap or grunge wasn't remotely mainstream until the 90s, and for that I'm actually personally thankful for since at least we had one extra decade without having that stuff around mainstream) 80s gave us the tech revolution, the basis for modern youth pop culture (although it was still a very suburban youth pop culture and the one big swing was 90s took youth pop culture very urban even way out in the suburbs, but in an even broader sense the 80s kinda of got it all going, although the blockbuster summer movie did start in the 70s), an awful lot of the slang and patterns of speech still used today 90s didn't really do anything new per se but they did make stuff like grunge and gangster rap and hip-hop go totally mainstream and for a while pushed not even just 70s and 80s rock away (which haven't really truly recovered) and even 80s pop away (since Z100 was almost all grungy stuff and rap/hip-hop for a few years there before Britney Spears brought pop back more). Personally I rather wish grunge had stayed in Seattle and gansgster rap in the inner city since it killed the 80s styles and brought us back in time sort of like to 1979 were we seem stuck and 80s had more of an almost utterly upbeat, fun, light vibe (well maybe not if you were a burnout crowd metal head, but even still take that any day over the gangster rap and grunge crowd).
@Goode Boyd - and yeah people forget how totally radical the 60s and then the 80s revolutions were. Kids in grade school and high school now are living in a time sooooooo much more like the time their parents grew up in than how it was for their parent's parents compared to their parents. before the 60s revolutions the South had back of the bus, colored water fountains and swimming pools etc. Coed dorms didn't exist. Heck from what I hear the opposite sex had to sign in and could not visit after like 7PM. Civil rights, women's rights, more relaxed rules. Late 60s totally changed all that. I've heard it was pretty night and day before and after. and then before the 80s it was also totally different. Go to a college campus in the say 2007 and you'd see kids have portable music, video games and tvs in their dorm rooms, tons of stuff, use word processing for papers, be used to summer block buster movies, teen movies, etc. Go to a college campus in the 1987 and you could say the same in every case. But just go back to even 1981 and BOOM totally utter different. Nobody had video games, TVs, computers in their dorm rooms, nobody walking around with portable music, summer block buster what's that? what's a John Hughes movie? the slang and patterns of speech were like totally way different. You'd be typing out your papers on a typewriter, no editing, no spellcheck. No BBS or internet (not that 80s had internet but they did have dial-up BBS at least). Not even too much yet like modern pop, especially not if you went back to say just 1979 then really none at all (maybe a few ABBA songs, perhaps). Although, interestingly, the styles might seem more familiar since the killing off of all new modern style by grunge sort of brought us more back to the past. All the modern big hair and styles and trying of the 80s got killed off and it went to very dingy, plain, flat looks and it was maybe vaguely super early 80sish or 60s ish. Before the early mid-80s they say kids would move into college with like two small suitcases and be done not like ever since where it's like a truckload that takes all day to unpack and setup.
Thank you for the great list Mojo.com The 80s ,just like the 70s was a great time for music. So many songs to review but this list and its honorable mentions gives a great overview of the decade.
Michael Jackson at the top right where he belongs. His music continues to bring joy to people in all generations and will never die. Therefore the King will live forever.
This list makes me happy and angry at the same time. 1. Thank you for picking Beat It over Thriller and Billie Jean. 2. NO WE ARE THE WORLD ANYWHERE?!? 3. Eye of the Tiger should have been top 10. 4. TAKE ON ME SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST!!! 5. I know it's hard to make these lists, but those songs have had much more impact. :/
My 5 favorite 80's music 1. Billie Jean Michael Jackson 2. Africa-Toto 3.Where the streets have no name -U2 4 Guns n Roses sweet child o mine 5. Living on a prayed Bon Jovi
If I was going to have Motley Crue on the list it would be home. Don’t get me wrong I love cranking kickstart. But I feel home sweet home was a decade defining song
Decade defining: Billie Jean- played on MTV regularly was definitely decade defining, as it allowed black artists the opportunity to be on mainstream media. Thriller: changed the music video format.
Watching the Honorable Mentions most of them could of made the list and Number one as well, but when i seen Beat it as 1 i wasn't disappointed. Whatever MJ was he was defo a brilliant Musician nobody can deny that.
Mine: 1. Beat It By Michael Jackson 2. Fools Gold By The Stone Roses 3. Welcome To The Jungle By Guns N' Roses 4. Back In Black By AC/DC 5. Livin' On A Player By Bon Jovi 6. Eye Of The Tiger By Survivor 7. Hungry Like The Wolf By Duran Duran 8. Radio Ga Ga By Queen 9. Walk This Way By Run-D.M.C feat. Perry & Tyler 10. Take On Me By a-ha 11. Blue Monday By New Order 12. One Night In Bangkok By Murray Head & Andres Glenmark 13. Money For Nothing By Dire Straits 14. Every Breath You Take By The Police 15. Rock The Casbah By The Clash 16. Learning To Fly By Pink Floyd 17. Land Of Confusion By Genesis 18. In The Air Tonight By Phil Collins 19. Start Me Up By The Rolling Stones 20. Africa By Toto
1 - Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 2 - Master Of Puppets - Metallica 3 - Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson 4 - Purple Rain - Prince 5 - Like A Prayer - Madonna 6 - Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen 7 - Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N Roses 8 - Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler 9 - Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins 10 - You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi HNM - With Or without you Don't Stop believing Basket Case...
They miss out on mentioning about 250 other songs ... the 80s was that great, even many of today's generations are regretting not growing up in the 80s ..
yeah 80s really needed at least 20 what with all the mega-defining one or two hit wonders and rock was really big but pop was even bigger and between the two no way to use just 10 slots for that decade. And the list actually ended up turning out a bit misleading in that if you say put on WPLJ or Z100 in the 80s (possibly the two biggest mainstream stations in the 80s) so much of the vibe of what you'd have heard was just totally missing from this list.
my list 1. Another one bites the Dust- Queen 2. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor 3. Welcome to the Jungle- Guns and Roses 4. Jump- Van Halen 5. Danger Zone- Kenny Loggins 6. Everybody wants to rule the world- Tears for Fears 7. Should I stay or should I go- The Clash 8. Livin on a prayer- Bon Jovi 9. The final countdown- Europe 10. I'm bad- Michael Jackson
Great list. My list is the best for historical and revolutionary reasons though. 1.Thriller ...No brainer here MJ King Of Pop 2.Like A Virgin...Madonna first Queen of Pop 3. Walk This Way....merged rock and rap, made rap marketable for the bigshots 4.Purple Rain...Prince new King of Funk, all-around musician 5. I Love Rock and Roll....Jett new Queen of Rock 6. You Give Love a Bad Name...Coolest song ever with the word "Love" in Title/ hair Band Champions 7.Welcome To The Jungle...Slash on Guitars, Axl screaming vocals, Izzy on Guitar, Adler on Drums 8. One Night In Bangkok...a tourist's guide on Thailand....catchy tune 9.Fight For Your To Party...IMO best rap song of the decade....They got inducted in HOF, so somebody agrees 10. Alone/These Dreams....Wilson Sisters best Rock duo ever IMO, got inducted in HOF, so somebody agrees 11.Take On Me...great trilogy story, animation, video. This one's got it all 12.Should I stay or should I go- The Clash was punk/rock and other stuff rolled together 13.Sledgehammer...Peter Gabriel video has some good animation style 14.Wake Me Up B4 You Go-Go....George Michael and the other gay....er guy named....er we forget the dude's name 15. Karma Kameleon....Boy George revolutionized something, maybe lgbt or other stuff....but this song rocked
Wow...totally spaced out MJ until the end. Too hard to choose ten. I'd have Pride (In the Name of Love) Take On Me, and When Doves Cry in my top ten, that's for sure.
Songs that (imho) are more broadly loved and have had of a more lasting legacy than some of the songs on the MW list: Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie), Never Tear Us Apart (INXS), How Soon is Now (The Smiths), Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics), Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Drive (The Cars), Jump (Van Halen), I'm So Excited (The Pointer Sisters), Money for Nothing (Dire Straits) Don't You (Forget About Me) (Simple Minds), Faith (George Michael), Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns 'n' Roses) Don't You Want Me (Human League), Every Breath You Take (The Police), Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House), Land Down Under (Men At Work), What's Love Got to Do With It (Tina Turner), Against All Odds (Phil Collins), Endless Love (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie)
You can call me wrong but while Queen was still huge in the 80s, when I think Queen I think the 80s. We Will Rock You, Bohemian Rhapsody... Enough said, even though there's so much more. I don't think Queen defines the 80s but I'd be pretty disappointed if they weren't included in "Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1970s".
Hot for Teacher ? Beat it ? Sweet Child o mine ? ... .. Love Don't you forget about me ..... but let's admit it we love it because of The Breakfast Club
My Top 10: 10. Thriller - Michael Jackson 9. Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran 8. Africa - Toto 7. We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel 6. Back In Black - AC/DC 5. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths 4. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2 3. Synchronicity II - The Police 2. Fools Gold - The Stone Roses 1. I Want To Break Free - Queen
Rick Rolled at the beginning and end, and you dare not put anything from Metallica on this list?! Don't Stop Believing as an honorable mention also shocked me.
10. There is a light that never goes out - '86 - The Smiths 09. Video Killed the Radio Star - '80 - The Buggles 08. Cover me - '84 - Bruce Springsteen 07. Let's dance - '83 - David Bowie 06. Man in the mirror - '87 - Michael Jackson 05. Money for nothing - '85 - Dire Straits 04. In the air tonight - '81 - Phil Collins 03. Under Pressure - '82 - Queen & David Bowie 02. Love will tear us apart - '80 - Joy Division 01. Thriller - '82 - Michael Jackson
You left Prince off an 80's list. Prince WAS the 80's!!! Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen should have been dropped for When Doves Cry & Eye of the Tiger
Hey Daniel. Understood, but it was listed and shown in the honorable mention - same difference. I would have simply omitted it entirely and explained it in the description.
Out of all the songs on this list you're gonna drop the Boss instead of the glam rock bullshit (Bon Jovi and Def Leppard)? No way imo, but I agree, Prince needs not only a place on this list but a very high one at that (maybe even number 1 for When doves cry).
+ihyperizei It was a pretty good time. Although I was always jealous of the guys, in all those rock bands. Their hair always looked better than mine. lol There was some incredible music.
i was waiting the whole video for Jackson to be mentioned, and seeing Beat It at no. 1 made me happy...however, surely Thriller or Billie Jean would've been better choices?
My top ten list is 1. Pour some sugar on me - def leopard 2. Take on me - a-ha 3. Panama - Van Halen 4. If this it - Huey Lewis and the news 5. Thriller - Micheal Jackson 6. Let's dance - David Bowie 7. Welcome to the jungle - guns n roses 8. Karma chameleon - culture club 9. Never gonna give you up - Rick astley 10. How will I know - Whitney Houston
I think "Billie Jean" or "Thriller" would had been No.1 because it was a bigger song but "Beat It"? Kinda of surprise. Too many missing classics from the 80's(George Michael/WHAM, Eurythmics, Phil Collins, Police("Every Breathe You Take"). This should had been a Top 100 list.
I'm surprised the police didn't have any on the list considering many publications in the 80's said "every breath you take" was the song of the decade.
@jarett, i know he's alive, he's a great young actor, did you know he's gonna be the human torch in the next fantastic four too, and he was good in all my children.. But I meant Michael Jackson
I am proud to say that I recognize and like some, if not most if these delightful songs. Not to be edgy and cliché but *man* I wish I was born in the 80s. The music was astounding, regardless of genre and all
Without a doubt XP MJ is da best ever every song to day I bet I can pull out a detail not to big or small but I bet I could say they got something from him (nods)
michael jackson is soo going to be on the list no matter what if 80s musical artist pop up u no theres michael jackson yep its true paige over and out have a fantastic day everyone ill be here all week
loved these songs and still play them at home..can you not pic a fav, walk this way? loved U2 my hubby used to sing 'with or without you' to me died in 1991 aged 37yrs......hearing these makes me cry....never remarried/nor been with a man since he died....but our kids are 35 & 33..and I have grandbabies!!!!!!!!! oh wow I miss him so much..we were both so much into all types of music......concert of ????? yep we were there, even when I was pregnant..after that babies came to concerts!!!!! ANNIELEE
Failed to mention of that Born in the USA is a defining 1980s song that the Reagan re-election campaign used the song to push the Morning in America persona of the president. The boss filed a lawsuit against the campaign and increased record sales because of this
My Top 20 (because it’s impossible to pick out only 10 songs from this decade) : 1.Thriller/ Billie Jean/ Beat It 2.Every Breath You Take 3.Take On Me 4.Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) 5.Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 6.Livin' On a Prayer 7. Final Countdown 8. Africa 9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 10. Like a Virgin /Like a Prayer 11. In The Air Tonight 12. We Are The World 13. Listen To Your Heart 14. Money For Nothing 15. Careless Whisper 16. Born In The USA 17. I Wanna Dance With Somebody 18. Should I Stay Or Should I Go 19. Eye Of The Tiger 20. Flashdance...What A Feeling Honourable Mentions : You Shook Me All Night Long Don't Stop Believing Purple Rain Radio Gaga Don't You (Forget About Me) Footloose I Just Called To Say I Love You Ghostbusters Love Will Tear Us Apart Never Gonna Give You Up Pour Some Sugar On Me Welcome To The Jungle (I've Had) A Time Of My Life Forever Young Never Ending Story If I Could Turn Back Time Karma Chameleon Summer Of 69 I Want To Know What Love Is Just Can't Get Enough Wouldn't It Be Good Don't You Want Me Kids In America
Wow, I agree with all the songs on here being defining but I am surprised Spandau Ballet's "True" didn't make it onto the list, even as an honourable mention.
Get this: Watch Mojo has their own opinions on the Top 10 ‘80s songs just like you do, so don’t hate on their list like they’re saying that this is the definitive list and any other isn’t correct or valid
I got rick rolled within the first 10 seconds. Ouch.
:(
I noticed too. I am surprised that song didn't make the list.
Well it was worth it
Everyone's complaining about the song choices and not the fact that we all got rickrolled
terraBoss33 savage
Your a genius
*You're
Maisie Summers *You’re an eejet
*idiot.
Hey what's up Metalhead Mojoholics. We noticed you were a little outraged at the lack of metal in these Decade Defining Songs lists. Never fear, however! We haven't included a lot of metal because we have Top 10 Decade Defining Metal lists in the works. We'll be announcing the suggest pages on this week's What's Your Mojo and you'll be able to vote on which songs you want on the list. We figured if we were going to do metal, we'd do it big.
3 likes nice Watchmojo. Would have been nice to see more from the golden age of Hiphop featured in this video.
luca cerciello the 80's was not hip hop's golden age, in reality it's the 90's bud because that's when hip hop took over the mainstream and record sales where at an all time high for hip hop artists and thats when many of the legends where at the height of their careers
Great...WatchMojos's version of Metal. Probably will include Europe and Winger. Yeah 'cause they were metal man, sooo hardcore
elspic latino True True, but come on lets not forget Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, De La Soul, N.W.A, Big Daddy Kane or LL Cool J some of the greats.
luca cerciello right, but I'm not saying the 80's didn't have good hip hop I'm just stating that a golden age is not only when the best artists and songs came out it's also about when it's the most successful and when it's marketing demographic is the majority plus the 2 biggest names of hip hop the 2 names that define hip hop Tupac and Biggie where 90's artists
Don't You Forget About Me??? Sweet Dreams (Are Made of this)??? TAKE ON ME??? 80s were the BEST music era ever omfg
Finally someone mentions Don't You Forget About Me!
Yep, a few of these choices didn't belong on here IMO. #10 esp.
Michael Jackson’s
This could have been a top 30 list and still left off a bunch of essentials. Fantastic era for music.
My sentiments exactly but I was thinking top 50. :)
Sarkazmo Loafy top 100
aaron hargis Top 1000
top infinity
aaron hargis damn u got me. we might as well list every single song made during the entire history of the world.
This video is part of a new series called 'Decade Defining Songs' where we've picked 10 songs that were the most successful, had the most inlfuence and best represent the time period. You know, they "defined" the decade! Stay tuned for the rest of the series:
Friday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1950s
Saturday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1960s
Sunday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1970s
Monday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1980s
Tuesday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1990s
Wednesday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 2000s
Thursday - Top 10 Decade Defining Songs of All Time
TheLongshot1982 How old are you? your answer will define why you hated this list
WHY DID U RICK ROLL ALL OF US? WHY? (Its actually hilarious)
TheLongshot1982 We believe the phrase is "hit or miss."
I would love to see Geto Boys- 'Mind playing tricks on me' in the 1990s list ;)
top ten best villain laughs
Best music decade, hands down. I'm not just saying that because I was an 80s kid.
Why yes. Yes it is.
Tied with the 60's for me
I totally agree with you.
LoL F. Tompkins Tied with the 70s for me
João Filipe Cachinho Respect.
I’ve always loved 80s music but after Stranger Things came out it just grew my obsession with the 80s and here are my personal top 10 favorite 80s songs
10: never gonna give you up
9: uptown girl
8: take on me
7: 500 miles
6: total eclipse of the heart
5: I wanna dance with somebody
4: should I stay or should I go
3: every breath you take
2: time after time
1: Africa
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Rock the Casbah, We built this city, kiss, material girl, working for the weekend, dancing in the dark, I’m on fire, girls just wanna have fun, we are the world, free way of love
Nice .Africa deserves to be #1.That one of the best songs of all time.
Final countdown ;(
Like a Prayer
Great list hallie h. You have a wonderful diversity in genres. You're Honorable Mentions are spectacular too.
10 really isnt enough for the 80's
Honorable Mentions.
Charles Vince those ones should have actually been on the list
No REO Speedwagon, Chicago, Phil Collins, van Halen, dire straits, rod Stewart, or Elton John. Seriously.
Here's my top 10:
10: in the air tonight by Phil Collins
9: jump by Van Halen
8: dancing on the ceiling by Lionel Richie
7: sad songs say so much by Elton John
6: can't fight this feeling by REO Speedwagon
5: money for nothing by dire straits
4: young Turks by rod Stewart
3: you're the inspiration by Chicago
2: free fallin' by the late great tom Petty
1: gimme all your lovin' by zz top
you need a playlist to compile the best of the 80s ... never a decade like that anymore..
agreed
Let's Groove - Earth Wind and Fire
The Final Countdown - Europe
Down Under - Men at Work
Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
Africa - Toto
Take on Me - a-ha
Message in a Bottle - The Police
I Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
This guy has it figured out
Michael Jackson was the 80s. I agree with all those choices but he'll always be #1
70's = Message in a bottle
MrSaverio97 love the clash
You sir win
The 80's was a goldmine of great music and musical anthems. I wouldn't know where to begin or end a list for 80's music.
+Lisa Edwards ikr, makes me wish I was around at that time
Over the span of this video, it was basically: Which MJ song is gonna be put at #1?
Actually, I thought it would be "Thriller".
Or Billy Jean
I knew Michael Jackson was going to take the number one spot, but I was thinking it'd be "Thriller" instead. But I guess Thriller is known more for it's iconic video than of the actual song. Beat It was a good choice.
'cause "Beat It" was a combination of pop and rock (pop rock), which really defines the 80's because rock music was still a big genre (while metal grew along with the hair), but pop music was at it's peak during that decade.
I thought the same thing. But I guess there are many Michael's songs that could fit as #1
True, I would have probably went with Billie Jean.
Diego de Vries
Exactly.
Billie Jean should've been number 1.
10-free fallin'
9-how soon is now?
8-jump
7-born in the u.s.a
6-everybody wants to rule the world.
5-purple rain.
4-radio free europe.
3-like a virgin.
2-sweet dreams are made of this.
1-every breath you take.
Your list is way closer to being accurate (IMHO).
Much better than this list. Though I personally being a Tom Petty fan boy would place Free Fallin' at #1.
Michael Jackson was the 80s
jose maria castellanos your list is better
Really close... But you NEED Michael Jackson to complete any '80s list. I was never a huge fan of MJ, but to ignore him in the '80s is just wrong.
Africa by Toto doesn't even get a mention? I don't get it.
I agree! Should've at least been an honorable mention!
opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. Africa by TOTo Should have been mention, and Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads should have made this list!
This stuff has been come to be expected
How it's a hit? If only in USA, but not in Europe or anywhere in the world.
Alex Shiroki it is huge all over the world. Naive if you think otherwise.
Listen to the 80s music all the time...my youngest son listened with me...he came up to me one day when he was 6 years old and told me the best band to come out of the eighties was the Scorpions...how come they did not make this list but like a virgin did...we have been rickrolled
Yes, WatchMojo.com *DID* just Rick Roll us in the opening. Well then.
And again at the end ☺
Well played...
I SHOUTED THAT
I laughed so hard at the start of the video omfg.
Screw the Rick Rolls; I just love the song because it's pure bliss from the 1980s.
Was born in 2001 and I recognized every song 9n this list. My dad and mom loved the 80s and shared that heaven with us. I just wish music was still this great.
on* not 9n
My mom was born in the 50's so I grew up with a lot of songs from the 50s-70s and a little of 80s and 90s. At my first dance in 6th grade, I didn't know a single song but the ones I heard from Radio Disney. They don't make music like the used to.
And I wish they did.
music is still this great, you're just too lazy to search for music you enjoy
+Fnuord Hase
How about you just don't even join this conversation? Because in our opinion modern music is shit. And I've heard more than I needed to. We can like and dislike what we want. So grow up, shut up, and leave us to our choices.
Surprisingly no Take on Me.
Take On Me is a good song but comes nowhere close to Highway to Hell or Here I Go Again in my opinion.
Ikr!
Take on me is a solid 5
Absolute Absol I for sure thought I was going to be 1 or 2
Take on me is my personal favourite... it's just so... idk it makes me happy
Call me,Endless love,Bette Davis Eyes,Physical,I Love Rock'n' Roll,Every breath you take,We Are The World
My Top 100 Songs of the '80s:
Hon Mention 10: "Back in Black" by AC/DC ('80);
Hon Mention 9: "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry ('88);
Hon Mention 8: "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses ('87);
Hon Mention 7: "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band ('82);
Hon Mention 6: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen ('80);
Hon Mention 5: "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell ('81);
Hon Mention 4: "Shout" by Tears for Fears ('85);
Hon Mention 3: "Open Arms" by Journey ('81);
Hon Mention 2: "Flashdance" by Irene Cara ('83);
Hon Mention 1: "It's a Sin" by Pet Shop Boys ('87);
10. "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor ('82);
9. "Everybody" by Madonna ('82);
8. "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys ('85);
7. "Jump" by Van Halen ('84);
6. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi ('86);
5. Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaata & th Soulsonic Force ('82);
4. "With or Without You by U2 ('87);
4. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson ('83);
3. "When Doves Cry" by Prince ('84);
2. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Lepard ('87);
1. "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses ('88)...
Welcome to the jungle should have been higher it was voted the 1 rock song of all time
I presented "my" top 10. Go ahead and list your top 10. You have Money for Nothing and Welcome to the Jungle. Grat, noe you only need eight more.
Henry Frederick i totally agree with your list but you could've at least placed "physical" by olivia newton john
+Henry Frederick Everybody? Interesting choice but I think Madonna has many better 80s songs
Thank you for clarifying those dates...
You started off with a rickroll??
And then ended with one...
Bandit Rant uy
I started with 0 likes and i ended with one like >:v
it`s an 80s song
It's gratuitous but I don't care
Don't no why I got goosebumps when I saw BEAT IT at #1
10:Welcome to the jungle by:guns and roses.
9: Hungry like the wolf by:Duran Duran
8: Born in the U.S.A. By: Springsteen
7. Where the streets have no name By: U2
6: Walk this Way By: Run-D.M.C. feat. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith
5: Living on a prayer By: Bon Jovi
4: Girls just wanna have fun By: Cindy Loper
3: Pour some sugar on me By: Def Leppard
2: Like a virgin By: Madonn
1: Beat it By: Micheal Jackson
Gee, thanks SO MUCH for RickRolling us, Watchmojo!
i caught that too. hah, i was like "did i just get rick-rolled?" and was frantically trying to close my internet browser.
Smells like teen spirit better be number 1 for the 90's list!
It will be, don't worry.
Or at least one of nirvana's song should be number one
i do like nirvana and im not going to hate, but i have a feeling that the boy bands of the 90s will take over the list because it was a big era for them as well :/
It better be on the list.
NO SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT CANNOT BE ON THE LIST! (I'm a huge nirvana fan just kurt hated that song)
Smells like teen spirit is going to be #1 for the 90's calling it now.
Whereve you been? People have been calling that since the 50s video
Clearly the defining song of early 90s grunge. The second half of the 90s was shit. I honestly think the defining song of the late 90s was Mmmbop.
My favorite song of the 90's was when Wayne's World revived Bohemian Rhapsody.
Nuthin But A G Thang will be at #2, probably.
Yep
Geobadger34 I agree except the Foo's Colour and Shape album was amazing
NOT EVEN A MENTION OF CRAZY TRAIN? I have never been more disappointed in this channel
Michael Jackson will always be a 80s phenomenon! :-)
It's weird that I recognise more of the songs in this video than the one about the 90's even though I'm a noughties kid. Guess it proves that the 80's was an iconic era in music. Love all these songs!!
in my opinion the 80's was the golden age of music
I feel the same way.
Prefer the 3 decades prior if I'm honest
same
Yeah there really hasn't been too much truly new since the early 90s other than I guess auto-tune and smart phones (and even the latter is basically just continuation of the computer tech revolution of the 80s).
60s cultural revolution brought us to modern times in that sense
70s/80s gave us modern music (other than for auto-tune style; and some stuff like gangster rap or grunge wasn't remotely mainstream until the 90s, and for that I'm actually personally thankful for since at least we had one extra decade without having that stuff around mainstream)
80s gave us the tech revolution, the basis for modern youth pop culture (although it was still a very suburban youth pop culture and the one big swing was 90s took youth pop culture very urban even way out in the suburbs, but in an even broader sense the 80s kinda of got it all going, although the blockbuster summer movie did start in the 70s), an awful lot of the slang and patterns of speech still used today
90s didn't really do anything new per se but they did make stuff like grunge and gangster rap and hip-hop go totally mainstream and for a while pushed not even just 70s and 80s rock away (which haven't really truly recovered) and even 80s pop away (since Z100 was almost all grungy stuff and rap/hip-hop for a few years there before Britney Spears brought pop back more). Personally I rather wish grunge had stayed in Seattle and gansgster rap in the inner city since it killed the 80s styles and brought us back in time sort of like to 1979 were we seem stuck and 80s had more of an almost utterly upbeat, fun, light vibe (well maybe not if you were a burnout crowd metal head, but even still take that any day over the gangster rap and grunge crowd).
@Goode Boyd - and yeah people forget how totally radical the 60s and then the 80s revolutions were. Kids in grade school and high school now are living in a time sooooooo much more like the time their parents grew up in than how it was for their parent's parents compared to their parents.
before the 60s revolutions the South had back of the bus, colored water fountains and swimming pools etc. Coed dorms didn't exist. Heck from what I hear the opposite sex had to sign in and could not visit after like 7PM. Civil rights, women's rights, more relaxed rules. Late 60s totally changed all that. I've heard it was pretty night and day before and after.
and then before the 80s it was also totally different. Go to a college campus in the say 2007 and you'd see kids have portable music, video games and tvs in their dorm rooms, tons of stuff, use word processing for papers, be used to summer block buster movies, teen movies, etc. Go to a college campus in the 1987 and you could say the same in every case. But just go back to even 1981 and BOOM totally utter different. Nobody had video games, TVs, computers in their dorm rooms, nobody walking around with portable music, summer block buster what's that? what's a John Hughes movie? the slang and patterns of speech were like totally way different. You'd be typing out your papers on a typewriter, no editing, no spellcheck. No BBS or internet (not that 80s had internet but they did have dial-up BBS at least). Not even too much yet like modern pop, especially not if you went back to say just 1979 then really none at all (maybe a few ABBA songs, perhaps). Although, interestingly, the styles might seem more familiar since the killing off of all new modern style by grunge sort of brought us more back to the past. All the modern big hair and styles and trying of the 80s got killed off and it went to very dingy, plain, flat looks and it was maybe vaguely super early 80sish or 60s ish.
Before the early mid-80s they say kids would move into college with like two small suitcases and be done not like ever since where it's like a truckload that takes all day to unpack and setup.
Thank you for the great list Mojo.com The 80s ,just like the 70s was a great time for music. So many songs to review but this list and its honorable mentions gives a great overview of the decade.
Michael Jackson at the top right where he belongs.
His music continues to bring joy to people in all generations and will never die. Therefore the King will live forever.
This list makes me happy and angry at the same time.
1. Thank you for picking Beat It over Thriller and Billie Jean.
2. NO WE ARE THE WORLD ANYWHERE?!?
3. Eye of the Tiger should have been top 10.
4. TAKE ON ME SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST!!!
5. I know it's hard to make these lists, but those songs have had much more impact. :/
Damn I forgot about We Are the World. The 80s had so much kick-ass music
IceJJfish2511 What about Jesses girl? That was fantastic..
eye of the tiger should have been NO 1
Emperor, Ice, Spanked and Master-Junker This was Watch Mojo's Office's choices not yours!
Joshua Aguda I know. And they had several poor ones.
I just started the video and I've already been rickroll'd. :/
Surely someone with such a name can shrug off being rick-rolled.
xd
I like any song that has melodies, deep meanings,Power,Real instruments,talent.
It's like they played Take on ME at the end just to tease us lol. Come on...
We all got rick rolled at the start.....
and at the end!
Lol I love that shit.
Haha I was gonna say the same things
chris patry and at the end
devon long best song ever
My 5 favorite 80's music
1. Billie Jean Michael Jackson
2. Africa-Toto
3.Where the streets have no name -U2
4 Guns n Roses sweet child o mine
5. Living on a prayed Bon Jovi
Oh wow, I forgot about Africa. That definitely should have been on here.
OverLeaf I can't believe Africa wasn't on here
OverLeaf No kidding, where the HELL was Africa?!?
Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics?
OverLeaf you should start a youtube channel
My idol is actually MJ. You shouldve put Thriller tho but mentioning him made me happy :3 xD
Ben101 Macaulay Culkin said nothing ever happen. Don’t spread fake news like that. It’s not cool.
The other accusers are proven liars
CarsGaming2006 finally a smart person, I hate leaving never land so much
Why thriller? It was only known for its video, Billie Jean is better
Same idol
Back in black, kickstart my heart and take on me
+Jesse Lindell love Back In Black
If I was going to have Motley Crue on the list it would be home. Don’t get me wrong I love cranking kickstart. But I feel home sweet home was a decade defining song
My favorite decade!
no George Michael!!?? Whaaatt!!?? Faith? Last Christmas?Careless whisper?? Whaat?
Visali Vempati I know. I think Careless Whisper is the best song of the 80s
Faith No More are the best
Decade defining:
Billie Jean- played on MTV regularly was definitely decade defining, as it allowed black artists the opportunity to be on mainstream media.
Thriller: changed the music video format.
Watching the Honorable Mentions most of them could of made the list and Number one as well, but when i seen Beat it as 1 i wasn't disappointed. Whatever MJ was he was defo a brilliant Musician nobody can deny that.
Mine:
1. Beat It By Michael Jackson
2. Fools Gold By The Stone Roses
3. Welcome To The Jungle By Guns N' Roses
4. Back In Black By AC/DC
5. Livin' On A Player By Bon Jovi
6. Eye Of The Tiger By Survivor
7. Hungry Like The Wolf By Duran Duran
8. Radio Ga Ga By Queen
9. Walk This Way By Run-D.M.C feat. Perry & Tyler
10. Take On Me By a-ha
11. Blue Monday By New Order
12. One Night In Bangkok By Murray Head & Andres Glenmark
13. Money For Nothing By Dire Straits
14. Every Breath You Take By The Police
15. Rock The Casbah By The Clash
16. Learning To Fly By Pink Floyd
17. Land Of Confusion By Genesis
18. In The Air Tonight By Phil Collins
19. Start Me Up By The Rolling Stones
20. Africa By Toto
Take on me should be higher
agreed with the whole list
1 - Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
2 - Master Of Puppets - Metallica
3 - Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson
4 - Purple Rain - Prince
5 - Like A Prayer - Madonna
6 - Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen
7 - Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N Roses 8 - Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler
9 - Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
10 - You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi HNM - With Or without you Don't Stop believing Basket Case...
What about f*** tha police by N.W.A?
We didn't start the fire by Billy Joel
They miss out on mentioning about 250 other songs ... the 80s was that great, even many of today's generations are regretting not growing up in the 80s ..
I know I am, if I could, I'd take a time machine and go back and live in the 80s or the 70s at least
yeah 80s really needed at least 20 what with all the mega-defining one or two hit wonders and rock was really big but pop was even bigger and between the two no way to use just 10 slots for that decade.
And the list actually ended up turning out a bit misleading in that if you say put on WPLJ or Z100 in the 80s (possibly the two biggest mainstream stations in the 80s) so much of the vibe of what you'd have heard was just totally missing from this list.
im 14 and you don't know how badly i wish is was born in the 70s
i am
+Vernon Parker Me too.
my list
1. Another one bites the Dust- Queen
2. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor
3. Welcome to the Jungle- Guns and Roses
4. Jump- Van Halen
5. Danger Zone- Kenny Loggins
6. Everybody wants to rule the world- Tears for Fears
7. Should I stay or should I go- The Clash
8. Livin on a prayer- Bon Jovi
9. The final countdown- Europe
10. I'm bad- Michael Jackson
*Bad* and why tf is Michael Jackson #10?
Great list. My list is the best for historical and revolutionary reasons though.
1.Thriller ...No brainer here MJ King Of Pop
2.Like A Virgin...Madonna first Queen of Pop
3. Walk This Way....merged rock and rap, made rap marketable for the bigshots
4.Purple Rain...Prince new King of Funk, all-around musician
5. I Love Rock and Roll....Jett new Queen of Rock
6. You Give Love a Bad Name...Coolest song ever with the word "Love" in Title/ hair Band Champions
7.Welcome To The Jungle...Slash on Guitars, Axl screaming vocals, Izzy on Guitar, Adler on Drums
8. One Night In Bangkok...a tourist's guide on Thailand....catchy tune
9.Fight For Your To Party...IMO best rap song of the decade....They got inducted in HOF, so somebody agrees
10. Alone/These Dreams....Wilson Sisters best Rock duo ever IMO, got inducted in HOF, so somebody agrees
11.Take On Me...great trilogy story, animation, video. This one's got it all
12.Should I stay or should I go- The Clash was punk/rock and other stuff rolled together
13.Sledgehammer...Peter Gabriel video has some good animation style
14.Wake Me Up B4 You Go-Go....George Michael and the other gay....er guy named....er we forget the dude's name
15. Karma Kameleon....Boy George revolutionized something, maybe lgbt or other stuff....but this song rocked
Detectivebats the songs beat it not bad
Epic list
Denis Nevin you cant take out Madonna
PURPLE RAIN
That's what I was saying
patty Lopez watchmojo logic !!!😖😖
When doves cry only gets a mEnTIoN
Wow...totally spaced out MJ until the end. Too hard to choose ten. I'd have Pride (In the Name of Love) Take On Me, and When Doves Cry in my top ten, that's for sure.
Holy wow, I'm seriously shocked "Take On Me" didn't even make the honorable mentions
it was in the honorable mentions dude watch closely.
It was at the end after they revealed #1, but not in the actual honorable mentions section
oh i thought it was one my bad. XD
It's all good man
I love that song.
I thought for sure Toto's "Africa" would be in here
Me too man.I am so disappointed.
No "Don't you forget about me" (Simple Minds)? :)
Did... did Watchmojo just rickroll me?
How did this devolve into an Obama debate? I was just shocked at Watchmojo rickrolling me.
Let me guess
1- Michael Jackson
2- Madonna
3-Ac/dc
close
Vernon Parker yeah real close 👍
madonna should have made 90s too goo
They should have put final countdown on the list casue it has seen more success than most of the other songs
Songs that (imho) are more broadly loved and have had of a more lasting legacy than some of the songs on the MW list:
Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie),
Never Tear Us Apart (INXS),
How Soon is Now (The Smiths),
Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics),
Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood),
Drive (The Cars),
Jump (Van Halen),
I'm So Excited (The Pointer Sisters),
Money for Nothing (Dire Straits)
Don't You (Forget About Me) (Simple Minds),
Faith (George Michael),
Sweet Child o' Mine (Guns 'n' Roses)
Don't You Want Me (Human League),
Every Breath You Take (The Police),
Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House),
Land Down Under (Men At Work),
What's Love Got to Do With It (Tina Turner),
Against All Odds (Phil Collins),
Endless Love (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie)
seriously no Queen??!
IKR! QUEEN DESERVED TO AT LEAST BE IN THE HONOURABLE MENTIONS!!!
Although Queen did continue in the 80's ... they are more considered 70's rock.
You can call me wrong but while Queen was still huge in the 80s, when I think Queen I think the 80s. We Will Rock You, Bohemian Rhapsody... Enough said, even though there's so much more. I don't think Queen defines the 80s but I'd be pretty disappointed if they weren't included in "Top 10 Decade Defining Songs: 1970s".
***** another one bites the dust, crazy little thing called love, I want to break free, I want it all were all massive hits in the 80's bro
Darth Nihilus what about under pressure w/ David Bowie
What song defines the 1980s more than Simple Minds, (Don't You) Forget About Me???
+cityofchamps66 Oh true that
David Bowies heroes
+FIFA BREEZE that was 70s, so sorry
Hot for Teacher ? Beat it ? Sweet Child o mine ? ... .. Love Don't you forget about me ..... but let's admit it we love it because of The Breakfast Club
In the Air Tonight? Not even an honorable mention?
Yea wtf
+jesusfish QUAFUKINTRIPLE
Yeah that should have been an honorable mention but its hard to do this list.
It's one of my favourites
Melvin “Big Smoke” Harris They did the same with Money for Nothing and it is driving me crazy.
My Top 10:
10. Thriller - Michael Jackson
9. Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
8. Africa - Toto
7. We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel
6. Back In Black - AC/DC
5. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
4. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
3. Synchronicity II - The Police
2. Fools Gold - The Stone Roses
1. I Want To Break Free - Queen
No George Michael in 80s list lol what a joke
@@unknown8913 expressing mild personal annoyance through insult on a comment from five years ago.
What a joke.
W pfp
"Another One Bites the Dust" didn't even get an Honorable Mention?!
This needs two more Top Tens.
Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and The Cure are criminally underrated... They have a'lot of cool songs
Rick Rolled at the beginning and end, and you dare not put anything from Metallica on this list?! Don't Stop Believing as an honorable mention also shocked me.
Metallica -> 1990s
WatchMojo.com Ah! More reason to look forward to tomorrow's upload then!
WatchMojo.com One was 1988. Master of Puppets was 1986. One was arguably Metallica's most influential song.
this is the most commercially successful songs, by the numbers. geez.
younguy1979 And One was successful enough to deserve at least an honorable mention. Also Journey got screwed
10. There is a light that never goes out - '86 - The Smiths
09. Video Killed the Radio Star - '80 - The Buggles
08. Cover me - '84 - Bruce Springsteen
07. Let's dance - '83 - David Bowie
06. Man in the mirror - '87 - Michael Jackson
05. Money for nothing - '85 - Dire Straits
04. In the air tonight - '81 - Phil Collins
03. Under Pressure - '82 - Queen & David Bowie
02. Love will tear us apart - '80 - Joy Division
01. Thriller - '82 - Michael Jackson
Video killed the radio star is from the 70's and was hit in the 70's.
LMAO worst ranking I've ever seen.
When people laugh at me for liking these songs I say," Well you're laughing at the only kid who listens to good music in this dang school."
You left Prince off an 80's list. Prince WAS the 80's!!! Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen should have been dropped for When Doves Cry & Eye of the Tiger
Agreed. I grew up in the '80's. "When Doves Cry" should have been #3.
ApeQuake the video would have been taken down, Prince doesnt allow any of his music to be on youtube
Cyndi Lauper was also "the 80s" she had so many big hits then.
Hey Daniel. Understood, but it was listed and shown in the honorable mention - same difference. I would have simply omitted it entirely and explained it in the description.
Out of all the songs on this list you're gonna drop the Boss instead of the glam rock bullshit (Bon Jovi and Def Leppard)? No way imo, but I agree, Prince needs not only a place on this list but a very high one at that (maybe even number 1 for When doves cry).
im 18 but i feel like growing up in ur teen and early 20s in the 80s woudlve been amazing
19, and must agree
+ihyperizei It was a pretty good time. Although I was always jealous of the guys, in all those rock bands. Their hair always looked better than mine. lol There was some incredible music.
I turned 18 in 1980. It was amazing!
YESS MICHAELS STILL SLAYING! He deserves to be at number 1 :)
It’s the 1980’s.
Any Michael Jackson song would make #1
The fact that Whitney Houston's 'I wanna dance with somebody' isn't on here is an absolute joke, my God
There’s so many sings man
That song is a joke.
i was waiting the whole video for Jackson to be mentioned, and seeing Beat It at no. 1 made me happy...however, surely Thriller or Billie Jean would've been better choices?
I'm a Guy and i'm sorry but Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is by far my favorite song from the 80's.
Greatest decade of music!
Favorite 80s songs. Take on me. Dancing in the dark. The river.
My top ten list is
1. Pour some sugar on me - def leopard
2. Take on me - a-ha
3. Panama - Van Halen
4. If this it - Huey Lewis and the news
5. Thriller - Micheal Jackson
6. Let's dance - David Bowie
7. Welcome to the jungle - guns n roses
8. Karma chameleon - culture club
9. Never gonna give you up - Rick astley
10. How will I know - Whitney Houston
Karma Chameleon and How Will I Know? Super picks.
YES KARMA CHAMELEON!! you and I are friends!! Lol
I think "Billie Jean" or "Thriller" would had been No.1 because it was a bigger song but "Beat It"? Kinda of surprise. Too many missing classics from the 80's(George Michael/WHAM, Eurythmics, Phil Collins, Police("Every Breathe You Take"). This should had been a Top 100 list.
The comments section is awesome everbody just saying a song that isn't on the list and a slew of people agreeing. 10 just isn't enough for the 80's😊😃😍
I'm surprised the police didn't have any on the list considering many publications in the 80's said "every breath you take" was the song of the decade.
Great list but Thriller was just a wee bit more deserving...
Video wise, but Beat It was a bigger and better song.
Phil Fox
Agreed!
I'm actually surprised is wasn't Billy Jean... if it had been, I would have guessed the top 3 correctly yesterday.
K Dub I thought it would be Billie Jean, also, but I was wrong.
Let's all agree to say that Michael Jackson was terrible. I hated his voice. I hate most pop music.
And that's why MJ is the king! Some people have no respect. R.I.P Mikey
Michael Jordan is still alive...
Jarett Maldonado LOL :D
@jarett, i know he's alive, he's a great young actor, did you know he's gonna be the human torch in the next fantastic four too, and he was good in all my children.. But I meant Michael Jackson
Jarett Maldonado hahahajajajaa that's fucking hilarious
Winnie The Pooh Michael Jordan and Michael B. Jordan are two completely different people
Really, no Billy Joel, Queen, or Simple Minds?
"Don't You forget about Me" should have been #1
+Pasha I. Queen was bigger in the 70s
MJ should always be #1 in the 80s. That's not even up for debate.
+Pasha I. You can say that again. About the #1 song.
No Police, no Genesis, no Huey Lewis, no Howard Jones, no Wham... seriously the '80s freaking rocked
I am proud to say that I recognize and like some, if not most if these delightful songs. Not to be edgy and cliché but *man* I wish I was born in the 80s. The music was astounding, regardless of genre and all
Whenever I think of 80s, I first think of "Englishman in New York".
Me too. Best ever!
Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds, Tainted Love by Soft Cell and any Bryan Adams song.
Woo hoo! Michael is #1 ! :D
Without a doubt XP MJ is da best ever every song to day I bet I can pull out a detail not to big or small but I bet I could say they got something from him (nods)
Realistically, Michael Jackson should have occupied at least 1/3 of this list.
nkorslund yess
Raquel Rojas Exactly my point bro, Michael Jackson deserves this list, Either Thriller or Smooth Criminal shoulda got #1st place.
michael jackson is soo going to be on the list no matter what if 80s musical artist pop up u no theres michael jackson
yep its true paige over and out have a fantastic day everyone ill be here all week
loved these songs and still play them at home..can you not pic a fav, walk this way? loved U2 my hubby used to sing 'with or without you' to me died in 1991 aged 37yrs......hearing these makes me cry....never remarried/nor been with a man since he
died....but our kids are 35 & 33..and I have grandbabies!!!!!!!!! oh wow I miss him so much..we were both so much into all types of music......concert of ????? yep we were there, even when I was pregnant..after that babies came to concerts!!!!! ANNIELEE
For the first few seconds I thought I was being rick-rolled.
omg yessss
80s= best generation of music
Not just of music, but of pop culture in general!
No 70s and 60s, 80s is so commercial.
vanna kinder yeah agreed
Failed to mention of that Born in the USA is a defining 1980s song that the Reagan re-election campaign used the song to push the Morning in America persona of the president. The boss filed a lawsuit against the campaign and increased record sales because of this
My Top 20 (because it’s impossible to pick out only 10 songs from this decade) :
1.Thriller/ Billie Jean/ Beat It
2.Every Breath You Take
3.Take On Me
4.Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
5.Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
6.Livin' On a Prayer
7. Final Countdown
8. Africa
9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
10. Like a Virgin /Like a Prayer
11. In The Air Tonight
12. We Are The World
13. Listen To Your Heart
14. Money For Nothing
15. Careless Whisper
16. Born In The USA
17. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
18. Should I Stay Or Should I Go
19. Eye Of The Tiger
20. Flashdance...What A Feeling
Honourable Mentions :
You Shook Me All Night Long
Don't Stop Believing
Purple Rain
Radio Gaga
Don't You (Forget About Me)
Footloose
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Ghostbusters
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Never Gonna Give You Up
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Welcome To The Jungle
(I've Had) A Time Of My Life
Forever Young
Never Ending Story
If I Could Turn Back Time
Karma Chameleon
Summer Of 69
I Want To Know What Love Is
Just Can't Get Enough
Wouldn't It Be Good
Don't You Want Me
Kids In America
ur top 3 is 100000% correct!! u could maybe put take on me on nr1
WHERE THE FUCK IS THE FINAL COUNTDOWN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Right where is it
+Stephen Fisher its more than a joke, they exclude jump and number of the beast
+Leonard Abimanyu he wasn't joking, he said right where IS IT, not right where IT IS
Yeah where the hell Is the final countdown
right there, they r counting down from 10
(hehehe get it? 😂😂😂)
beat it...can't beat it
It can't seem to be defeated.
Don't Stop Believing should've been ranked a number. Like the number 1,2, or 3. That song is legendary. Livin' on a Prayer should've been higher too.
Such A Shame and Happiness Is Easy by Talk Talk. i love almost everything from the 80s but Talk Talk are the best
Cyndi lauper is such a guilty pleasure.
I'm glad to see Beat It take number one, but Billie Jean needed a place on this list. Greatest 80's song ever.
good choices among hundreds of classic 80s songs
Wow, I agree with all the songs on here being defining but I am surprised Spandau Ballet's "True" didn't make it onto the list, even as an honourable mention.
that moment when you just got rick rolled XD
A guitarist from this age died today his name is Malcolm young from ACDC
R.I.P. Malcolm!!! 🐧🐧
R.I.P Malcolm
It's sad to think New Year's eve this year marks 25 years since the 80's ended. Where did those times go?
Get this: Watch Mojo has their own opinions on the Top 10 ‘80s songs just like you do, so don’t hate on their list like they’re saying that this is the definitive list and any other isn’t correct or valid