3 Amazing 1982 Songs That Would Have Flopped if They Were Released Today

Some killer tunes dropped in the 1980s. However, even the biggest hits of the era likely would have faced some resistance if they were released in the 2020s instead. Pop music has just changed too much for the new wave, synthy stylings of the 1980s to be successful now. Though, plenty of musicians nowadays are clearly inspired by the era. Let’s look at a few famous 1980s songs that likely would have flopped if they were released in recent years!

Videos by American Songwriter

“Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor

“Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor was a real earworm hit back in the 1980s. Today’s audiences might appreciate the song’s powerful message and overall vibe. Sadly, though, motivational rock music just isn’t really a thing anymore.

Written as the theme song for the film Rocky III, “Eye Of The Tiger” stood out on its own. The hard rock classic was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a whopping six weeks.

“Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats

This fun new wave jam might have done at least kind of well if it were released today instead of 1982. However, a song being fun and a little weird isn’t really part of the formula of a charting pop hit in the 2020s. “Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats likely would have had some success as a meme, but not as a major hit in 2026.

“Safety Dance” is a particular upbeat anti-establishment synth-pop tune that reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 back in the day. It also made it to the Top 10 across dozens of other charts.

“Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners

I love this song and want to believe it would do well if it were released in 2026. However, that just likely wouldn’t have happened. Those sharp tempo changes and classic folk-pop vibe likely wouldn’t have even resonated with the indie folk scene of today. Which is a shame, because “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners is one of the finest songs of the 1980s.

This entry on our list of 1980s songs that would have flopped if they were released today was definitely not a flop in 1982. It was one of the biggest songs of the year. “Come On Eileen” peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart, among many other global charts.

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images