The 1980s—the era of neon leotards, McPizza, and a golden age for popular music. Spotlighting anything from ear-worm pop and stadium rock to electronic, songs of the 1980s are eclectic and memorable. The number of cherished songs from this time well exceeds ten, but these have stood the test of time, and have a special place in any ’80s kid’s heart.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Huston (1987)
Written by Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill
What better way to start this list than with the voice herself? “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” isn’t just an iconic song of the 1980s—it’s considered to be one of the defining songs of the decade, period. The song was written by Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill, better known as Boy Meets Girl.
Featuring snappy synths and infectious vocal delivery, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” makes listeners want to do just that—even if that means flopping around in their kitchen.
2. “Purple Rain” by Prince and the Revolution (1984)
Written by Prince
Even after its release in 1984, Prince continued to commit this eight minute epic to rock history. Who can forget his 2007 Super Bowl XLI Half Time performance, where the crowd sang “Purple Rain” back to him as a downpour cascades over the stage?
Prince composed the song with keyboardist Lisa Coleman, guitarist Wendy Melvoin, and drummer Bobby Z in approximately six hours during a rehearsal, Coleman told The Guardian in 2017.
3. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush (1985)
Written by Kate Bush
Kate Bush was considered something of a black sheep in the pop industry, as she often made herself “unpalatable” to consumers. However, her dabblings on Hounds of Love (1985) proved to be successful, as “Running Up That Hill” is her most popular song to date.
“Running Up That Hill” is a centerpiece on the album, as Bush searches for mutual empathy with her partner so they may truly understand and love each other, thus the idea of swapping places with him.
The song exploded in popularity once again in 2022 after its use in Netflix’s Stranger Things, where it hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 nearly forty years after its release.
4. “Africa” by TOTO (1982)
Written by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro
It’s difficult to pin what “Africa,” by Los Angeles rock band TOTO, is genre-wise, except for groundbreaking.
Easily recognized by its brassy synths and use of percussions, “Africa” came into being after keyboardist David Paich stumbled into the loop from messing around on a new keyboard. The song blossomed from here, and became TOTO’s biggest hit to date. The song topped the Hot 100 in 1983 for one week, but the staying power of its irresistible chorus has transcended stats.
5. “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen (1980)
Written by John Deacon
Containing one of the most iconic bass lines of all time, “Another One Bites The Dust,” is an easy entry onto this list. While it may not be as grand sounding as many of Queen’s other songs, it’s still a shoutable classic about flirting with one’s demise.
Unsurprisingly, “Another One Bites The Dust” was written and composed by John Deacon, Queen’s bassist. With the exception of drums, played by Roger Taylor, Deacon is heard on all other instruments.
6. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Eurythmics (1983)
Written by David A. Stewart and Annie Lennox
Both experimental and in-tune with pop listeners’ demands, “Sweet Dreams” was the perfect synth-pop storm to sweep the charts in 1983.
Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart formed the duo in 1980, and would become the predecessor for much of modern synth-pop and techno-dance music. “Sweet Dreams” features a pulsating beat, and haunting lyrics that gets under listeners’ skin. Despite that description, it’s still groovable.
7. “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson (1987)
Written by Michael Jackson
Just seven years after “Another One Bites The Dust” another classic riff from The King of Pop appeared. Any of his most popular songs more than deserve a place on this list—from “Beat It” to “Billie Jean”—but based on the music video choreography alone, one can’t deny “Smooth Criminal” rocked a generation.
Michael worked backwards when writing “Smooth Criminal,” coming up with the visual concept first, which guided his lyric writing.
8. “Take On Me” by a-ha (1985)
Written by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Morten Harket and Magne Furuholmen
Another song with an iconic music video, thanks to its use of rotoscoping rivaled only by Disney, it propelled “Take On Me,” and Norwegian band a-ha, into international fame.
The song itself is about chasing intimacy with another person, as they might be apprehensive or skeptical about the nature of their relationship. Keyboardist Magne Furuholmen knows a-ha made a catchy song, but acknowledges it is a slow burn, and “[doesn’t] think it would’ve been given the time of day without the enormous impact of the video,” he told Rolling Stone.
9. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Written by Robert Hazard
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a seminal feminist anthem, as it features an acute understanding of women’s day-to-day drawbacks, while airing them out over a bubbly, guitar- pop instrumental.
What many don’t realize is Cyndi Lauper’s breakout hit is a cover of a Robert Hazard song, which he recorded in 1979. There’s no denying, though, that Lauper is a perfect fit attitude and delivery-wise.
10. “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel (1989)
Written by Billy Joel
A lyrical bear of a hit song, but nevertheless a staple of the decade. The song was produced by Mick Jones and Joel.
Perfectly synced with the end of the decade, Billy Joel manages to capture forty years of tumult in fragmented verses. The song was meant to show young people that hardship is ever-present and inescapable.
Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
