Songs you'll want to listen to in autumn. A selection of recommended hits from 80s Western music!
The Western music scene of the 1980s, boosted by the birth of MTV and the evolution of synth sounds, was a period that produced countless massive hits still loved today.
Here, we’ve put together a selection of songs that are especially perfect for listening in autumn.
Of course, we’ve included tracks that directly take autumn as their theme, but we’ve also selected smooth adult contemporary tunes and sentimental ballads that suit the season’s atmosphere.
We’ve even highlighted some hidden gems, so be sure to find the autumn songs from the ’80s that best match your taste.
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Songs you’ll want to listen to in autumn: Selected recommendations from 80s Western hit songs! (31–40)
Save A PrayerDuran Duran
Duran Duran is a rock band from the United Kingdom.
They helped establish the New Romantic genre and have created numerous classic songs.
Among their works, the one I especially recommend is Save A Prayer.
It’s a piece where you can fully savor their New Romantic style, with a soft, delicate mood throughout.
It evokes the feeling of late summer, so if you’re reluctant to say goodbye to the season, be sure to give it a listen.
AutumnGeorge Winston
Autumn, a piano easy-listening album that was also used in a Toyota Cresta commercial and became a major hit in Japan.
Its title track likely still lingers strongly in many people’s hearts.
Even now, when it comes to autumn, this piece is often featured on TV and radio—either as the main theme or as an insert—and it’s known as a masterpiece that captures all the essence of the season.
Autumn In New YorkElla Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Among the many performances of Autumn in New York, it has become an extremely popular piece.
Even so, the definitive version that continues to be a quintessential autumn hit in any era is this performance by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
It’s been used in films, TV shows, and various broadcasts featuring autumn scenery, making it both a hit and a well-established standard.
Can’t Fight This FeelingREO Speed Wagon
REO Speedwagon, a band that won popularity in the 1980s with catchy lyrics and emotionally stirring sounds.
Although they debuted in 1971, they spent nearly a decade without major success.
Amid that, the track included on their 1984 album “Wheels Are Turnin’” is a heart-fluttering song that portrays the shift from friendship to love.
There’s even an anecdote that Kevin Cronin took ten years to write and compose it.
It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 and achieved international success.
It’s a perfect recommendation for long autumn nights, for those who want to face the honest feelings within their hearts.
Autumn LeavesBill Evans Trio
The original song was composed by Joseph Kosma and later had lyrics written by Jacques Prévert, a chanson born in the 1940s that colors the autumn season.
Bill Evans reinterpreted it as a jazz number.
In the 1980s it was reissued and revived; its melancholic scenes emanate from the music, making it a bluesy piece filled with wistful sorrow.
An unfading classic that transcends eras and is still beloved today.
Songs you’ll want to listen to in autumn: Recommended picks from 80s Western hit tracks (41–50)
Autumn SerenadeJohn Coltrane / Johnny Hartman
Autumn Serenade, delivered by the duo of John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, is an autumn jazz number brimming with romance.
Johnny Hartman’s sensual baritone riding the light, swinging jazz rhythm, paired with John Coltrane’s moody saxophone, creates an ensemble that is absolutely mesmerizing.
It’s a mature, atmospheric fall song—definitely one to add to your playlist.
Trouble AgainKarla Bonoff
A hit song released in 1980 by California-born singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff.
It won the Gold Prize at the 9th Tokyo Music Festival held the same year.
While the track has a folk-rock sound, perhaps influenced by her California roots, it carries an overall country-like atmosphere, giving it a distinctly expansive, American feel.
It’s a classic that could be considered a prototype of country rock delivered by a female vocalist—something that also foreshadows artists like Shina Twin.