[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 (161–170)
SledgehammerPeter Gabriel
It hit No.
1 in the U.
S.
in 1986.
He left Genesis in 1975 due to family reasons, despite having established a solid position in the British prog scene.
Genesis, having lost their leader, went on to great success thanks to the contributions of the later-joining Phil Collins.
Meanwhile, he continued to release high-quality works that appealed to connoisseurs.
Just when it seemed he had nothing to do with the charts, this song became a big hit.
The clay-animation music video was mind-blowing.
What I Like About YouThe Romantics
The Romantics is a band from Detroit, USA, whose name is said to have been inspired by the fact that they formed on Valentine’s Day.
They struggled to score hits for a while, but finally caught fire in their seventh year.
Their popularity surged in Japan at the time as well, and they even performed there.
It’s All A GameNational Pastime
Back in ’84, they were expected to be the next idol band after Kajagoogoo, but unfortunately they never really broke through.
Still, their sound is quintessentially ’80s! The catchy melodies and the clear, glassy synth tones feel remarkably fresh even today.
Take It EasyAndy Taylor
A solo single by former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor.
It’s a featured song in the film “American Anthem.” True to Andy—who said in an interview at the time that what he really wanted to do was hard rock—it’s a straightforward, refreshing rock track.
Mutha (Don’t want to go to school today)Extreme
Formed in 1985, Extreme became a popular band with their distinctive sound that blends hard rock with elements of funk.
While their ballad “More Than Words” is particularly famous, their true appeal lies in the fusion of bouncy rhythms and hard rock.
This song from their debut album, “Extreme,” is packed with everything that makes them so compelling.
Especially For YouKylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
A pop ballad duet by Kylie Minogue, an ’80s songstress on par with Madonna, and Jason Donovan, a popular actor and singer from Australia like her.
The collaboration between these two top idols of the time became a major talking point.
Arthur’s ThemeChristopher Cross
Number one in the U.
S.
in 1981.
The theme from the film “Arthur,” starring Liza Minnelli and Dudley Moore.
A collaboration by Carole Bayer Sager and Burt Bacharach with C.
Cross.
Peter Allen’s name is also included, apparently because the lyric “when you get caught between the moon and New York City” was quoted from one of his works.