1980s: Legendary Western Rock Bands’ Classic and Hit Songs
When it comes to the 1980s, it’s often called the “golden era” of Western rock music.
From the perspective of rock bands, it was a time when many veteran groups—still active today—made their debuts, and countless worldwide hits that went down in history were born.
This time, we’re spotlighting hit songs and classics by Western rock bands from that very 1980s!
Alongside energetic, quintessentially ’80s rock numbers and stadium-ready ballads, we’ve assembled a varied lineup that also reflects the era’s birth of the so-called New Wave—unbound by traditional rock—and the alternative rock that would lead into the 1990s.
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- Top Western Music Artists of the 1980s: Ranking [2025]
- [1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80's Best Hit Songs
- Nothing but classics! A nostalgic collection of ’80s Western ballads
- [Definitive Edition] Masterpieces and Hit Songs of 80s Disco
- Love songs in Western music that were hits in the 1980s. World-famous classics and popular tracks.
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- Great Western rock classics and hit songs of the ’90s
- [Grabs Your Heart] A Compilation of Western Songs with Cool Intros [2025]
- Hidden gems of Western music. Lesser-known songs.
- 90s Rock Revolution! A Collection of Masterpieces by Western Bands That Colored the 90s
- [Western Music] Cool Three-Piece Bands: Recommended Trios Roundup [2025]
- [A Collection of Classics] Nostalgic 70s Western Hit Songs
[1980s] Legendary Western Rock Bands’ Masterpieces and Hit Songs (91–100)
In Between DaysThe Cure
The Cure is a British new wave band.
Their track In Between Days is a 1985 release.
The choppy strumming that follows the synthesizer melody is unconventional, yet it still has a solid groove.
It’s quite an addictive song, you know? They’re indispensable stars in the history of British rock, a band that has left behind numerous legendary tales and episodes of hardship.
Don’t Dream It’s OverCrowded House
This is one of the iconic songs that defined the 1980s and lit up MTV.
With its melodic, catchy pop-rock sound and hopeful lyrics, it’s an irresistible track.
Released in January 1986, it became a major hit, reaching No.
2 on the Billboard charts.
Featured on the band’s debut album, it’s known as their signature song that brought them international success.
It also won Best New Artist in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in the United States.
It’s the perfect song for moments when you want to feel the bonds of friendship and a sense of hope, wrapped in heartfelt lyrics and a warm melody.
Rock the CasbahThe Clash
This song is a quintessential punk rock masterpiece of the 1980s.
It is one of The Clash’s signature tracks, notable for its lyrics depicting a fictional Middle Eastern king who bans music.
Included on the 1982 album Combat Rock, it became a major hit, reaching No.
8 on the U.
S.
Billboard chart.
Composed by drummer Topper Headon with lyrics written by Joe Strummer, the song expresses the power of music and a longing for freedom.
It’s a track that encapsulates The Clash’s hallmark approach of tackling social issues through music, and it’s recommended as an anthem that inspires the courage to stand up to oppression.
Armageddon ItDef Leppard
A band representing the UK’s NWOBHM scene, this song was included on their fourth album, Hysteria, released in 1987, and it was put out as a single and became a hit.
In Japan, it became famous on the TV segment “Soramimi Hour.” The misheard line “Ama geride— umi ni derenē— kesa mo geride—” is a masterpiece, isn’t it? (lol)
West End GirlsPet Shop Boys
The Pet Shop Boys are a pop duo from the United Kingdom.
Although they’re known as a pop duo, their style is remarkably diverse, and they’ve also released rock tracks like dance rock.
Their hit song “West End Girls” blends a dance-rock foundation with an adult contemporary vibe.
It was released in 1984, but it’s still a classic that continues to be used in many forms of media today.
InnuendoQueen
Here we have “Innuendo,” which is also the title track of their 14th album.
Although the album was released in 1991, it was produced in 1989.
It’s a complex number created by stitching together different sections, a method said to be a return to Queen’s roots.
With an unexpected flamenco solo and a switch to 3/4 time right after, it’s a truly engaging listen! It’s also the last album from Queen, the mega-stars of the ’80s.
I Wanna Be AdoredThe Stone Roses
The Stone Roses, a band formed in the 1980s that remained active until the mid-’90s.
Their 1991 track “I Wanna Be Adored” features a pleasantly airy, floating sound characteristic of psychedelic bands.
It’s a work that conveys the transition from the psychedelic band boom into ’90s genres like grunge and shoegaze.