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: Soul Spectrum - Chris (UK)
By: Adam
  • 10. The Fly by U2
  • 9. Deuces Are Wild by Aerosmith
  • 8. Bad by Michael Jackson
  • 7. Summer Of '69 by Bryan Adams
  • 6. Dreamer by Ozzy Osbourne
  • 5. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
  • 4. Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider
  • 3. Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
  • 2. Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns 'n' Roses
    Thunderous sound
  • 1. Where The Streets Have No Name by U2
    Straight up killer song
By: Steve McKechnie
  • 10. Dreams by Van Halen
    Just a kick ass song of the era
  • 9. Kyrie by Mr Mister
    A classic of its era!
  • 8. We built this city by starship
    Got my first car and cruised to this baby!!!!
  • 7. Life In A Northern Town by Dream Academy
    Just a great song
  • 6. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
    Who doesn't like that song?
  • 5. Hymn To Her by Pretenders
    Reminds me of a girl I had a crush on
  • 4. Money For Nothing by Dire Straights
    Is there a better guitar riff at the beginning?
  • 3. Centrefold by J.Geils Band
    Roller skating to this song was awesome
  • 2. End Of The Innocence by Bruce Hornsby
    just really like the song
  • 1. Can't Fight This Feeliong by REO Speedwagon
    My first girlfriend and I got together with this song , will always remember
Just a trip down the 80's Memory Lane
By: Andrea
  • 10. Mad World by Tears For Fears
    Pure new romantic
  • 9. Papa Don't Preach by Madonna
    The greatest 80's female artist
  • 8. Girls On Film by Duran Duran
    Expression of Duran's wave
  • 7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
    If u wanna have fun this is a perfect song
  • 6. Freedom by Wham
    funny
  • 5. Can't Fight This Feeling by Reo Speedwagon
    Great Group Great Song
  • 4. Forever Young by Alphaville
    That's great
  • 3. I Want To Know What Love Is by Foreigner
    Cool!!
  • 2. Please Please Let Me by The Smiths
    A great love song
  • 1. Who Wants To Live Forever? by Queen
    It's great expecially Freddie's voice you must listen it live at wembley 86
Unfortunately there are just 10 position but at eleven I choice for The Human League-Fascination(keep Feeling) Queen Are Best Band Of ever
By: Isaac Soliman
  • 10. Can't Touch This by MC Hammer
  • 9. Hold Me Now by The Thompson Twins
  • 8. Take My Breath Away by Berlin
  • 7. Part Time Lover by Stevie Wonder
  • 6. I Run So Far Away by A Flock of Seagulls
  • 5. Every Breath You Take by The Police
  • 4. Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart
  • 3. (I Just) Died in Your Arms by Cutting Crew
  • 2. Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell
  • 1. Missing You by John Waite
Those are my greatest hits of the 80s I kinda ran out of them, when i got to the last one but whatever
By: Rafael
Greatest Hits of 80's! Enjoy!
By: Andy Sozio
  • 10. Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
    Chicks dig it!
  • 9. The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics
    Spooky and eerie and really makes you think
  • 8. I Want To Know What Love Is by Foreigner
    See #9
  • 7. Invisible Touch by Genesis
    Classic Genesis
  • 6. Sister Christian by Night Ranger
    Love it when this comes on.
  • 5. Cruel Summer by Bananarama
  • 4. Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul
  • 3. Every Rose Has It's Thorn by Poison
    Great lyrics
  • 2. Come On Ilene by Dixie's Midnight Runner
    Maybe a one hit wonder, but a great one!
  • 1. Magic by The Cars
    Awesome summertime song
I could name probably a top 1000 and I'm sure I left something off. So much to choose from......
By: Necroking
  • 10. Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat
    There´s some pain in the song I can fully understand.
  • 9. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes by Ultravox
    Damn, I heard this SO often and still love it.
  • 8. Sounds Like A Melody by Alphaville
    Just for lovers, but great!
  • 7. Everything Counts by Depeche Mode
    The perfect symbiosis of man and machine.
  • 6. Careless Love by Anete Humpe
    Her voice is incredible and can drive me to tears.
  • 5. The Final Countdown by Europe
    No comment necessary
  • 4. Fade To Grey by Visage
    Everything by Midge Ure is great, and so is this one. The synthie sounds are formidable.
  • 3. Cambodia by Kim Wilde
    The song always seems so empty to me, and that affects me very much
  • 2. Nobody´s Diary by Yazoo
    You can sense her despair in every singel note. *shiver*
  • 1. The Voice by Ultravox
    I could die for this one, it´s so haunting and yet full of life. It also reminds me of my biggest love ever.
This was my pop-top. You can also check out my Metal favourites below, since Metal has always been my deepest musical love!
By: Necroking
  • 10. In Union We Stand by Overkill
    The title describes exactly the feeling of this song!
  • 9. Evil Dead by Death
    Just the intro riff is something you remember forever.
  • 8. My Last Words by Megadeth
    Fits in Party-mood, but still negative and angry. Great song.
  • 7. Countess Bathory by Venom
    Headbanger!
  • 6. Sacrificial Suicide by Amon
    Even better than the later rerecordings under the name Deicide
  • 5. A Sorcerer´s Pledge by Candlemass
    Atmospheric, yet still heavy
  • 4. Bridge Of Death by Manowar
    THIS is haunting you in your sleep
  • 3. The Clairvoyant by Iron Maiden
    "I feel the strength of an inner fire, but I´m scared I won´t be able to control it anymore"
  • 2. Death Metal by Possessed
    The title is program. It´s just a grindind monster!
  • 1. Raining Blood by Slayer
    KILL!!!!!
By: me
  • 10. How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths
    This is the only Smiths song that I really like but this one is still hot! "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does"...this song so fed my soul.
  • 9. China Girl by David Bowie
    Still love this song...very sexy..."just you shut your mouth" mmmhmm!
  • 8. A Little Respect by Erasure
    Did anyone see that episode of Scrubs were everyone gets this song stuck in their head? Man, this song is like a rash...beware thinking about it if you know it!
  • 7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
    Who cannot love this song? Everytime life gets too serious I put this song on...she's so unusually fun!
  • 6. Rebel Yell by Billy Idol
    No 80's list would be complete without Billy Idol. Man, he was really one of the coolest.
  • 5. Space Age Love Song by Flock of Seagulls
    Reminds me of this guy in high school I had the hugest crush on.....mmmmmm....great nostalgia!
  • 4. Cars by Gary Neuman
    Man, I thought this was the coolest song ever & it has that classic 80's synthesizer sound.
  • 3. Everytime You Go Away by Paul Young
    awww...I think of prom everytime I hear it. God I'm gettin old! But this is still one of the sweetest songs ever!
  • 2. Photograph by Def Leppard
    My other high school lust: Joe Elliot. Partied to this song many times!
  • 1. Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran
    Duran Duran are the kings of the 80's and this was the start of my lifetime fascination with this band. Simon Le Bon is a god & can still sing this song great.
close contenders: Burnin Down The House, Love My Way, & Tainted Love.
By: Alex
  • 10. (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight by Cutting Crew
    I can't help but love how ridiculously sappy this song is. For me, the overstated sentiment of this song is hilarious and awesome.
  • 9. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics
    This song is great to me because of the catchy lyrics and Annie Lennox's voice.
  • 8. Things Can Only Get Better by Howard Jones
    I like the understated intro of this song and the fact that chourus consists entirely of the word "whoa".
  • 7. Der Kommissar by After the Fire
    This song is awesome because the lead singer raps at the begining which is hilarious. Der Kommissar is quite a frightening character as well, so this is another where the mood really makes the song.
  • 6. Come On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners
    I love the variety of instruments in the song. Also, the abrubt shifts in the sound of the song from verses to the choruses make "Come on Eileen" interesting.
  • 5. Shout by Tears for Fears
    I like "Shout" because it is venting frustration adn encouraging the listener to do the same. It's an emotional release.
  • 4. The Police by Every Breath You Take
    I love this one because its kind of mysterious. The moodiness is what makes it so appealing.
  • 3. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham
    It's just so bubbly. The song just puts me in a good mood.
  • 2. Down Under by Men at Work
    This song is really catchy to me. I love any song with the word "vegemite" in it.
  • 1. Take On Me by A-Ha
    This is my absolute favorite song from the 80s. The various synth effects, the lead singer's voice, I just love the sound of the song even though the lyrics don't make that much sense.
Except for "Take On Me" the songs are listed in no particlar order. Like most who have posted their lists, I think there are many songs from the eighties to that are equally great to the ones i have listed.
By: Roli S.
So, that should be all.. hope you like them too! Cu
By: policia06
By: paullo
  • 10. Wild boys by Duran Duran
  • 9. Reality by Richard Sanderson
  • 8. Eye in the sky by Alan Parson's Project
  • 7. Lessons in love by Level 42
  • 6. The living daylights by A-Ha
  • 5. Lullaby by The cure
  • 4. I Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder
  • 3. I Like Chopin by Gazebo
  • 2. Sneaking Out The Backdoor by Matt Bianco
  • 1. Paradise by Phoebe Cates
By: Kyle Smith
The best ever decade for music - the 80's
By: Nina
These are just some of my favorite songs and i'm sure that i forgot to put one down but there are just so many good ones!
By: Alex McDonnell
  • 10. Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush
    Wow. (gettit?)
  • 9. All I Ever Wanted by Depeche Mode
    So many tunes like this, but this is the ultimate chorus-wise
  • 8. I Ran (So Far Away) by Flock of Seagulls
    Best driving song you'll ever hear. made Vice City all the better
  • 7. In Too Deep by Genesis
    One of the few ballads from the 80s that doesn't suffer from the dated production. another brilliant driving tune. On Duke, as recommended by Patrick Bateman...
  • 6. Little Red Corvette by Prince
    His best pop song - even staunch 80s haters like this, yet Prince serves to epitomise the decade
  • 5. True Faith by New Order
    This, Blue Monday and Regret. It's all about New Order.
  • 4. No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper
    All the Rocky tunes are brilliant, but this is the best.
  • 3. The Look Of Love by ABC
    You'll know all the lyrics after 3 listens cos you've been singing it in your head all day without realising
  • 2. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield
    Made Boogie Nights the film it is (this and 'Sister Christian')
  • 1. Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac
    Number one because of the chorus
All these songs have come to epitomise representations of the 80s in modern contemporary culture - films, computer games, books, soundtracks etc.
By: Mike Matic
  • 10. Your Love by The Outfield
    Got their greatest hits.Do they not sound like a younger,more energetic Yes,or what.
  • 9. Owner of A Lonely Heart by Yes
    Got me into Yes,What a great band. All the members.
  • 8. Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon
    I had some serious relationship issues when this came out.
  • 7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police
    A sign of the greatness and lagacy to follow.
  • 6. Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns 'n Roses
    An obvious choice
  • 5. Satisfied by Richard Marx
    Marx when he still rocked.No message but it sounds great and nobody remembers.
  • 4. You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi
    Bon Jovi's first monster. Still sounds great today.
  • 3. The Flame by Cheap Trick
    See #2
  • 2. Waiting For A Girl Like You by Foreigner
    I know.I'm a sap.Who the hell cares.
  • 1. Every Breath You Take by The Police
    There is no better written song. Defined the early 80's
I don't know if this is really my top ten,but I DO know that they would be 10 of my top 25. I felt that some of the lesser remembered songs needed a mention.
By: Heidi M.
  • 10. Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
  • 9. Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran
  • 8. Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds
    Two Words: "Brat Pack"
  • 7. Like A Virgin by Madonna
    Who can forget the infamous MTV appearance?
  • 6. Push It by Salt and Pepa
  • 5. Sweet Child 'O Mine by G 'N R
  • 4. When I See You Smile? by Bad English
    A personal sentimental fave.
  • 3. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
    Ahh..the good old days of Michael...
  • 2. Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
  • 1. Take on Me by A-Ha
    Still love the video!!
This list is in no particular order.
By: petran

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