[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.
.
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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 (21–30)
Private EyesDaryl Hall & John Oates
Released in 1981, this song is a signature track from Hall & Oates at the height of their success.
While the song itself is highly polished, the performers can seem a bit hesitant in the video… Still, given their top-tier musicianship that captivated audiences worldwide, their true strength was likely in their live performances.
Their Blue-Eyed Soul era from their 1972 debut through 1978 also has some really nice tracks.
Undercover Of The NightThe Rolling Stones
It’s a dance number by the legendary British rock band The Rolling Stones, where tense, urgent percussion intertwines with razor-sharp guitars.
Released in October 1983, it was the lead single from the album Undercover.
Its hard-edged groove, infused with New Wave and funk influences, has the power to set the dance floor ablaze.
Yet the lyrics ride that beat to depict political violence and oppression lurking in the night, lending the song a serious theme that sets it apart from a mere party track and gives it distinctive depth and thrill.
This bold sound, steered by Mick Jagger, almost seems to reflect the internal tensions within the band at the time.
It’s a perfect pick for an intelligent, cool, grown-up party night.
JumpVan Halen
This is a signature song by the American hard rock band Van Halen, whose intro captivated everyone.
Some fans thought adding synthesizers would take them away from hard rock, but their new appeal exploded, and the song effectively became a massive hit.
The guitar solo is awesome, and the upbeat lyrics—seen as breaking out of one’s shell and taking flight—gave me a real boost.
We Are The WorldUSA For Africa
This is the song “We Are the World” by USA for Africa, released in 1985.
USA for Africa, which featured a lineup of prominent artists such as Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and Stevie Wonder, was a charity project aimed at relieving the famine in Africa, a major social issue at the time.
It remains a beloved song around the world to this day.
AfricaTOTO
Formed in 1977, this band became a major commercial rock icon with a huge breakthrough in the 1980s.
All members were also studio musicians with high technical proficiency, and they broke through with songs that incorporated various genres often categorized as AOR.
Every Breath You TakeThe Police
If there are people who have never heard this track, that would be a huge loss in their musical lives (lol).
It’s such a masterpiece that it makes me want to say so.
To borrow the words of Rolling Stone, I think it’s the greatest rock song of all time.
Sting’s calm, steady vocals and the sound get stuck in your head after just one listen.
The lyrics are divisive, but this song will continue to be sung for generations to come.
We Built This CityStarship
US number one in 1985.
This song was chosen as the first single when Jefferson Airplane—the prestigious band synonymous with San Francisco—overcame repeated lineup changes and other challenges, restarted under the simpler name “Starship,” and went on to earn the first number-one hit in the band’s long history.
The song was written by Martin Page—also known for Heart’s “These Dreams”—and Bernie Taupin, who is famous for his work with Elton John.