In the 80s - Top Ten Lists of Eighties Songs

What are your top ten favorite songs from the 80s?

This page currently edited by: Quirk. Past editor: RetroGuyDK, Absolutely Vile, Junior

By: Ryan McKenzie
The 80's had some of the best music!!!!!!!!
By: Jennifer W.
  • 10. I Remember You by Skid Row
    Another song that takes me back to Junior High dances.
  • 9. I Think Were Alone Now/Couldve Been by Tiffany
    This girl gets no credit.
  • 8. Toy Soldiers by Martika
    Takes me back to 8th grade dances!
  • 7. Some Guys Have All The Luck/Love Touch by Rod Stewart
    Rod Stewart is awesome.
  • 6. I Wanna Dance With Somebody/How Will I Know by Whitney Houston
    Just recently saw "The bodyguard"..I loved it!
  • 5. Dress You Up/True Blue/Papa Don't Preach by Madonna
    Still love Madonna..even her children's books!
  • 4. So Far, So Good by Sheena Easton
    From my favorite 80's movie..."About last night"
  • 3. Billie Jean/Beat It by Michael Jackson
    Two awesome Michael Jackson songs!
  • 2. She Bop/Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
    My favorite 80's singer!
  • 1. I'll Be Your Everything by Tommy Page
    I had my first love in 8th grade..this was our song.
B-52's-Love Shack, Atlantic Starr-Secret lovers, Billy Joel-Uptown girl, Roxette-Fading like a flower, Kenny Loggins-Footloose, Mariah Carey-Someday, Michael Damian-Rock on, Sinead OConner-Nothing compares to you, Flock of Seagulls-I ran. I could go on and on and on....
By: Danielle
  • 10. The Promise by When In Rome
    One hit wonder....one of the best one hit wonder songs I've ever heard...download it.....its awesome!
  • 9. Pictures Of You by The Cure
    Another awesome song by The Cure is 'Friday I'm in Love'
  • 8. Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears
    Other awesome Tears for Fears songs are 'Shout', Everybody Wants to Rule the World' and in general, Tears for fears is just plain awesome!
  • 7. Kiss by Prince
    Another awesome Prince song is 'When Doves Cry'
  • 6. Sussudio by Phil Collins
    Other awesome Phil Collins songs are 'In the Air Tonight', 'Take Me Home', and basically every other Phil Collins song because Phil Collins ROCKS!
  • 5. Take On Me by a-ha
  • 4. Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners
  • 3. 99 Red Ballons by Nena
  • 2. Rio by Duran Duran
    Another Awesome Duran Duran song is 'View to a Kill'
  • 1. One Night In Bangkok by Murray Head
By: Val
  • 10. Straight Up/Forever your Girl by Paula Abdul
    Yeah, Paula definitly deserves a place here ! She rocks !
  • 9. Sacrifice by Elton John
    Elton John is great, Sacrifice is my favorite !
  • 8. Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
    I love Boy George the androgene, and I love Karma Chamelion!
  • 7. Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds
    Very good song... That's all I have to say...
  • 6. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics
    Lovin' the song... you hear it in every 80's party !
  • 5. Girls Just Want To Have Fun/Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
    Cyndi is a great great singer, and I love those two songs...!
  • 4. Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler
    Great song ! I love the beat !
  • 3. Thriller by Michael Jackson
    I love Michael's songs and I think Thriller is the best, just like many other people...
  • 2. Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles
    I love that song... the girls saying : Oh Ah Oh !! First clip to air on MTV, it deserves a number 2 !
  • 1. Like A Prayer/Like A Virgin by Madonna
    Madonna will always be the best singer for me... from the 80's to now, and the song is wonderful and has a good videoclip !
It's very difficult to do a top 10... I love so much songs ! I also love The Boys of Summer, by Don Henley, Heaven, by Bryan Adams, Don't Dream it's over, by Crowded House... And I want to say all my admiration for Madonna because she is very important we still hear about her and love her after 2 decades of great music !
By: AB
  • 10. Strut by Sheena Easton
  • 9. Take On Me by a-ha
  • 8. Life In A Northern Town by Dream Academy
  • 7. Safety Dance by Men Without Hats
  • 6. Space Invaders by Player 1
  • 5. Stimulation by Wa Wa Nee
  • 4. Keep Me Hangin' On by Kim Wilde
  • 3. I Eat Cannibals by Total Coelo
  • 2. Only Shooting Love by Time Bandits
  • 1. Waiting For A Star To Fall by Boy Meets Girl
By: Jay
  • 10. Welcome To The Jungle by Guns 'n' Roses
    I think this song needs no exlanation or introduction.
  • 9. Please Do Not Go by Violent Femmes
    It's a little whiny, yet kind of funny, whatever it is it rocks.
  • 8. A View To A Kill by Duran Duran
    The greatest James Bond theme song ever written.
  • 7. Shock The Monkey by Peter Gabriel
    I really have no clue what this song is about, but I love singing along to it. Plus it's Peter Gabriel.
  • 6. Moving In Stereo by The Cars
    Nice use of electronic music and effects accompanied by some sort of string section.
  • 5. And She Was by Talking Heads
    Because it is billiant. Need I say more?
  • 4. Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield
    It's just a classic, no 80's compilation should be without it.
  • 3. Send Me An Angel by Real Life
    Very eerie tune, yet great for dates.
  • 2. Right Now by Van Halen
    I think the piano into to this song should be played as the entrance music for every major sports team, it gets you pumped up.
  • 1. The Metro by Berlin
    Probably the second best known Berlin, but Take My Breath Away doesn't really count, only the lead singer performed on that one. The Metro is great, great beat and keyboards.
By: Teddy Holtz
  • 10. Tempted by Squeeze
    How can you not move in some way to this song?
  • 9. Things Can Only Get Better by Howard Jones
    Scrumtrulescent.
  • 8. Out Of Touch by Hall & Oates
    Perfect song to sing to.
  • 7. Dirty Laundry by Don Henley
    This guy scratches me right where I itch.
  • 6. Rio by Duran Duran
    Is it possible that Duran Duran is actually God?
  • 5. She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby
    Anthem for all the nerds out there!
  • 4. Easy Lover by Phil Collins & Philip Bailey
    Before you know it, you'll be down on your knees thanking Phil Collins.
  • 3. Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears
    Take a step back Everybody Wants to Rule the World, "Heels" is the band's real gem.
  • 2. (Keep Feeling) Fascination by Human League
    Too catchy, way too catchy.
  • 1. Mr. Roboto by Styx
    Domo Orregato Styx for making this song!
By: DJ Niloc
  • 10. Eighties by Killing Joke
    oops, this song should be #1
  • 9. Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol
    another 80s classic
  • 8. Shock The Monkey by Peter Gabriel
    love the song first time i heard it
  • 7. Down In The Park by Gary Numan
    just as good as CARS
  • 6. Looks That Kill by Motley Crue
    THE 80's L.A. glam
  • 5. Black Planet by Sisters of Mercy
    another 80s goth classic
  • 4. Happy House by Siouxsie And The Banshees
    love her always
  • 3. I'm Not An Effigy by Ministry
    before they went industrial
  • 2. This Is Not A Love Song by Public Image Limited
    John Lydon aka Johnny Rotton in the 80s
  • 1. Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus
    goth anthem of all time
By: mandy
By: Ali Bre'
Keep the synth alive.
By: pablo
By: Eric
By: Shelli
  • 10. Kiss Me Deadly/Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Lita Ford/Tears For Fears
  • 9. Too Shy by KajaGooGoo
    I don't know why.. i just can't help liking this song... it is so simple and catchy....
  • 8. Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol
    Everybody "dances" with themselves sometimes......
  • 7. The Stand/Sixty-Eight Guns by The Alarm
    Great post punk/rock band. Very anthemic songs.
  • 6. Sun Always Shines On TV/Take On Me by a-ha
    I love these songs...Morten Harket's voice is awesome, and he is pretty hot too. Great video for take on me.
  • 5. Enjoy The Silence/Strangelove by Depeche Mode
    I love these songs...the voice and mood are so dark. Great music and lyrics.
  • 4. Fields Of Fire by Big Country
    This is a great guitar driven, anthemic song.
  • 3. Tainted Love by Soft Cell
    On of the best cover songs ever.
  • 2. Centerfold by J. Geils Band
    You got to love this song...It's fun and great to sing too
  • 1. In A Big Country by Big Country
    This song just represents everything that is good anout music....Great lyrics, soaring guitar riffs, very inspirational....I can't get enough of it! This song is just so different from everything else that was going on at that time. Stuart Adamson guitar playing is genious. Very underrated band.
By: DEREK
  • 10. Magic Power by Triumph
  • 9. Let It Go by Def Leppard
  • 8. Master Of Puppets by Metallica
  • 7. Still Loving You by Scorpoins
  • 6. FTW by Sword
  • 5. Back In Black by AC/DC
  • 4. What You Give by Tesla
  • 3. Love Song by Tesla
  • 2. With Or Without You by U2
  • 1. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
By: Jay
  • 10. Dancing In The Dark by Bruce Springsteen
    don't really like the song, love the boss though
  • 9. Mony Mony by Billy Idol
    Much better then the orginal
  • 8. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
    isn't this like his only good song?
  • 7. Poor Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
    Great hard rock 80 song
  • 6. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
    Great Great AC/DC song. Great rock tune
  • 5. Jump by Van Halen
    This song owns all keyboard solos
  • 4. Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
    My personal favorite Jovi song
  • 3. Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen
    A great song
  • 2. Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
    It would be good even without the viedo
  • 1. Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen
    It's an 80s' rock classic
By: Lisa
By: Jay
  • 10. Jump by Van Halen
    Great song by Van Halen
  • 9. Beat It by Michael Jackson
    One of Jackson's best
  • 8. Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
    Classic 80s Rock Tune
  • 7. Out of Touch by Hall & Oates
    Nice Song
  • 6. And The Beat Goes On by The Whispers
    Great funky rhythm
  • 5. Running With The Night by Lionel Ritchie
    Such a good song, a Ritchie classic
  • 4. Careless Whisper by Wham!
    Great song to chill to
  • 3. Africa by Toto
    Possibly the most infectious tune of the 80s
  • 2. Your Love by The Outfield
    Great to listen to
  • 1. I Can Make You Feel Good by Shalamar
    Great song with a catchy rhythm
By: Delia
some other cool songs are love in the elevetor by aerosmith, a horse with no name by america and runaway train by jimmy sommerville
By: Jay
By: Tamea Burd
  • 10. The Boys Of Summer by Don Henley
    Now, when this song comes on the radio and I'm singing along about slicked back hair and Wayfarers, ‘Don’t look back, you can never look back’ actually means something.
  • 9. White Wedding by Billy Idol
    Just the right amount of bad-ass. And no high school dance was complete without it. "Pick it up. Take me back home, yeah."
  • 8. Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
    Oh the melodrama, the weeping cellos, the rampant lyricism. But mostly the part where "Some of us don't know why-y-y-y-y-y-y...."
  • 7. In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel
    Even without the image of Lloyd Dobber holding a ghetto blaster above his head, this is a powerful and evocative love song. It’s only strengthened by the memory of that scene in 'Say Anything.'
  • 6. Free Fallin' by Tom Petty
    If you close your eyes when you listen to this, you're driving with the windows open on a summer afternoon in 1989.
  • 5. Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus
    Nothing sums up the inception of 'Goth' better than all 9 minutes and 57 seconds of this histrionic monsterpiece. Undead undead undead.
  • 4. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
    As should this one.
  • 3. Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues
    Eighties or not, this song should just be on most top ten music lists.
  • 2. Can't Hardly Wait by The Replacements
    From the opening guitar notes to the horn section to the string arrangement to the rasp of Paul Westerberg's brilliant lyrics... This is a perfect song.
  • 1. Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
    All that was idealistic, anthematic and genuinely sincere about the 80's was, ironically, epitomized in one song by the band with some of the tightest pants and biggest hair of the decade. Maybe it's because of that counterpoint that this song above all others typifies the best things about the 1980's.
These aren't all necessarily what I would classify as the 'best' songs of their time, but for me they are those that best summarize it. Honorable mentions: 'Don't Go' by Hothouse Flowers, 'Alison' by Elvis Costello, 'The Breakup Song' by the Greg Kihn Band, 'Tempted' by Squeeze, 'Just Like Honey' by Jesus & Mary Chain, 'Angel' by Aerosmith and 'That's Entertainment' by The Jam.

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