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.
- Legendary Western rock masterpieces and hit songs of the 80s
- 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
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- Love songs in Western music that were hits in the 1980s. World-famous classics and popular tracks.
- Golden age of Western music! Recommended summer songs that were hits in the 80s
- 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] Classic and Hit Songs by Legendary Western Rock Bands (1–10)
Just Can’t Get EnoughDepeche Mode
Depeche Mode, a living legend that emerged from the new wave scene of the 1980s and continues to this day, commands stadium-level popularity not only in their native UK but across Europe, the United States, and around the world.
Although they suffered the tragic loss of founding member Andy Fletcher in May 2022, the remaining two members released their 15th studio album, Memento Mori, in April 2023 to widespread acclaim—still fresh in our memories.
Given their stature, their music is indispensable when discussing the 1980s.
The track featured here, Just Can’t Get Enough, was released in 1981 and reached No.
8 on the UK charts, becoming the song that sparked their breakthrough.
With its era-defining, catchy synth riff and instantly memorable melody, it’s a killer tune written and composed by Vince Clarke, who left the band that same year.
Despite their fame in Europe and the US, it’s often said they’re not as well-known in Japan.
Take this opportunity to check out this and their other classic tracks!
Friday I’m In LoveThe Cure
A superb pop tune woven from a sun-drenched, bright melody and Robert Smith’s distinctive voice.
This work stands apart from typical gothic rock, offering an optimistic song that celebrates love and happiness.
Released in May 1992, it has remained one of The Cure’s signature tracks, beloved by many.
It achieved global success, reaching No.
18 on the U.
S.
Billboard Hot 100 and No.
6 on the UK Singles Chart.
Frequently featured in films, TV shows, and commercials, it is widely recognized as a defining song of the 1990s music scene.
It’s the perfect track for when you want to feel the liberating mood of the weekend or the exhilaration of a new romance.
Girls, Girls, GirlsMötley Crüe
The emergence of bands called LA metal or hair metal—embodying the look of a quintessential bad boy, outrageous behavior, and the dangerous, wicked aura of rock—is an indispensable topic in the rock scene of the 1980s.
Mötley Crüe, who achieved massive worldwide hits while dealing with countless problems and troubles, yet continue to perform intermittently even into the 2020s, are truly the very definition of that culture.
Their 1987 release, the album Girls, Girls, Girls, whose title track reached No.
2 on the U.
S.
charts, is the perfect killer tune to get a quick sense of what Mötley Crüe is all about.
That wicked, glamorous, exhilarating hard rock driven by a tightly wound, quintessentially ’80s 8-beat explodes with so much energy that there’s no room for dull criticism to creep in.
Empty your head and enjoy it at maximum volume!
[1980s] Classic and Hit Songs by Legendary Western Rock Bands (11–20)
Radio Ga GaQueen
Queen, the legendary rock band that won worldwide popularity with their catchy sound and energetic vocals.
Thanks to the 2019 film Bohemian Rhapsody, younger generations in Japan have come to know them as well.
Their hit song Radio Ga Ga was released in 1984.
From its stylish opening, the melody gradually builds in intensity—it’s truly memorable, so be sure to give it a listen.
RosannaTOTO
Toto is an American band that gained popularity for its distinctive musical style, which blends prog-hard and AOR sounds.
They were hugely active in the 1980s, and their sound evokes an atmosphere unique to that era.
Rosanna is one of their hit songs, released in 1982.
Its uniquely catchy sound made it popular, and it won the Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) and Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices.
Run To The HillsIron Maiden
Iron Maiden is a band from England known as a globally renowned hard rock group.
They became extremely popular, with album sales exceeding 100 million copies worldwide.
Active from 1975 to the present, they have maintained a hard sound throughout their long career.
Their hit song “Run to the Hills,” released in 1982, features a hard-driving sound from start to finish and gained worldwide popularity.
You Might ThinkThe Cars
Speaking of the ’80s, it was the heyday of MTV, but the landmark song that beat out Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to win the very first MTV Video Music Awards’ “Video of the Year” was “You Might Think”! The video, which made extensive use of what was then rare computer graphics, was groundbreaking, and it’s a visual work packed with the band’s innovation alongside an ultra-pop, catchy track.
“You Might Think” is one of the signature hits released in 1984 by The Cars, a leading new wave band active from the late ’70s to the mid-’80s.
With live performances on par with their studio recordings, the outstanding songwriting talent of Ric Ocasek—who would later shine as a producer for bands like Weezer—and a lineup of distinctive members, they not only wrote great songs but also had a strong commitment to visuals and artwork, making them a wonderful band that balanced artistry with commercial success.
Be sure to check out the MVs for their other songs too!