[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs
The 1980s brought changes to music history and had a huge influence on later musicians.
Cyndi Lauper, Culture Club, Madonna, Earth, Wind & Fire.
.
.
Even those who didn’t live through the era can sink into a sense of nostalgia that feels familiar somehow.
Compared to modern songs, the classics of the ’80s often boast purer song quality and stronger musical structure—or, seen another way, the larger market meant bigger budgets, letting you enjoy luxuriously produced sounds.
Find a favorite track and really dive into it!
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[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (71–80)
PhysicalOlivia Newton-John
For those who knew her from the 1970s, when she enjoyed idol-like popularity with a pure, wholesome image, her sudden pivot to a sexy style in this song must have been surprising.
This track comes from the period when Olivia Newton-John—British-born, Australian-raised, and a world-famous singer and actress—shifted toward a disco-influenced sound in the early 1980s.
The shocking leotard look in the music video also made headlines, and the song became a massive hit.
It can be called one of the signature masterpieces that symbolize the 1980s.
Another Day In ParadisePhil Collins
It’s a single released in 1989 by the British musician Phil Collins.
It was a popular song that reached No.
2 on the UK Singles Chart and No.
1 on the Billboard 200.
Later, it was used in Japan for a Mazda “Cronos” commercial.
FreedomWham!
Released in 1984 by the British pop duo Wham!, this song reached No.
1 in the UK and No.
3 in the US.
It features a catchy melody that makes you want to hum along.
Its upbeat, lively rhythm will have you itching to dance.
[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (’81–’90)
Mr. RobotoStyx
A band representing American progressive hard rock that has been active since the 1970s.
In the 1980s, this song—part of the rock opera “Kilroy Was Here” and featuring Japanese lyrics—quietly drew attention in Japan, where it was treated somewhat like a novelty.
No Sleep Till BrooklynBeastie Boys
A legendary unit that evolved from a punk band and became a pioneer of white hip-hop.
Rather than a funk-leaning rap style, their “rap rock,” characterized by punkish beats and a hard rock vibe, exerted an enormous influence across a wide range of genres.
VacationThe Go-Go’s
It reached No.
8 in the U.
S.
in 1982.
They were pioneers of the all-girl band scene, formed around Jane Wiedlin and Belinda Carlisle.
There were hard rock acts like the Runaways, but this might have been the first time a pop band of this kind also achieved major commercial success.
That said, they originally started out as a punk/new wave band.
In the music video, the five members stand side by side in pink outfits, doing water-skiing—the same image used on the album cover—which left a strong impression.
But apparently the actual water-skiing was done by professional players, and the video used compositing.
Shout To The TopThe Style Council
This is a track from The Style Council’s second album, a group that enjoyed immense popularity as chic music of the 1980s.
As a British pop-rock band, it’s said that not only their music but also their fashion and very presence were objects of admiration for fans.