[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!
- Nothing but classics! A nostalgic collection of ’80s Western ballads
- [Definitive Edition] Masterpieces and Hit Songs of 80s Disco
- Legendary Western rock masterpieces and hit songs of the 80s
- Nostalgic or fresh? Great Western pop masterpieces and hit songs from the 1980s
- Love songs in Western music that were hits in the 1980s. World-famous classics and popular tracks.
- Club Hits: Dance music from Western artists that energized the dance floors in the 1980s
- The 1970s were the golden age of Western rock! Recommended classics and hit songs
- Top Western Music Artists of the 1980s: Ranking [2025]
- [80s Western Music] A roundup of debut songs by girl bands
- Golden age of Western music! Recommended summer songs that were hits in the 80s
- Still Shining! Recommended Female Singers of 1980s Western Music
- Dance music from Western artists that was a hit in the 1970s. World-famous and popular songs.
- [Nostalgic] A roundup of anime songs and theme songs that were hits in the 1980s
[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (11–20)
Like a VirginMadonna
Released in 1984, this song is included on the album of the same name.
It’s a track that captivates many listeners, packed with her appeal not only in vocals but also in dance, performance, costumes, makeup, and music videos, reflecting her strong focus on visuals.
ThrillerMichael Jackson
If you’re talking about must-include mega-hits of the ’80s, it has to be “Thriller.” Its short-film-style music video, running over 13 minutes, was groundbreaking for its time and is said to have had a budget ten times that of a typical music video back then.
The 1982 album “Thriller,” which features this track, is recognized as the best-selling album of all time, and its sales continue to grow.
Manic MondayBangles
They reached No.
2 in the U.
S.
in 1986.
When you think of girl bands that brightened the mid-to-late ’80s, it’s The Bangles.
The band is memorable for the cute vocals of Susanna Hoffs—the beauty who wielded a Rickenbacker guitar favored by John Lennon—and a favorite of Prince, who also wrote this song.
Musically, the Peterson sisters provided solid support, and they were first-rate as a rock band, with tight performances.
They went on to release numerous hits and are often cited not just as an emblematic ’80s act, but as one of the most successful girl bands in history.
True ColorsCyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper, a singer from the United States known for her colorful and energetic image, is truly memorable.
This work is a ballad that symbolizes her career, having topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks in October 1986.
Imbued in her whisper-soft, gentle vocals is the desire to overcome the sorrow of losing a close friend and to be there for the listener’s heart.
It carries a warm message that affirms your true self and tells you “you are beautiful” when you’re feeling down and on the verge of losing your colors.
A track from the album “True Colors,” it was featured in Kodak commercials and the Olympics, becoming a timeless classic loved across generations.
When you lack confidence or want to encourage someone dear to you, listening to it will surely cleanse your heart.
Don’t You Want MeThe Human League
Here’s that Human League song with the nostalgic synthesizer sound in the intro.
It was released in 1982 and became a hit.
The song is about a man who picks up a woman, polishes her up, and is ultimately dumped by her, and it’s structured like a male–female back-and-forth.
In fact, the unit reportedly added a female member who was in high school at the time when she joined, and later they went on to have a hit.
Club TropicanaWham!
This is a track bursting with the breezy freedom of a tropical resort, woven from lively Latin jazz rhythms and post-disco sounds.
Released in July 1983 by the British pop duo Wham!, the song paints an ideal holiday scene unfolding poolside while satirically portraying escapism from society under the Thatcher government.
Included on their debut album Fantastic, it spent 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 4.
The music video, filmed on the Spanish island of Ibiza, vividly captured the youth culture of the time, enhanced by its liberating atmosphere.
It’s a perfect pick for summer drives and vacation soundtracks, as well as a refreshing mood booster at work or parties.
[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs (21–30)
Somebody’s Watching MeRockwell
That unforgettable classic with the striking phrase, “Is somebody watching me?”—the one you can’t help but hum.
Known as the signature song of Rockwell, a formidable talent and son of the founder of Motown, it’s famous for the anecdote that he secured his record deal without revealing his father’s name.
Released in December 1983, it became a massive hit, reaching No.
2 on the U.
S.
charts.
The juxtaposition of paranoid lyrics—as if under constant surveillance—with a danceable, catchy synth-funk sound is brilliant.
And on the standout chorus, none other than Michael Jackson lends his vocals.
Featured on his debut album, Somebody’s Watching Me, this track is perfect for Halloween season or whenever you’re in the mood for a little thrill.