3 Anthems From the 1980s That Predicted What Pop Music Sounds Like Today

Music today seems to be more and more referential. We, as a collective, love a throwback track, and it’s becoming more apparent by the day. The ’80s are a top influence for many modern pop stars. From girlhood anthems to genre-bending art pieces, the three songs from the 1980s below predicted what pop music would sound like today. Can you hear the similarities?

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“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (Cyndi Lauper)

Many artists today, namely Sabrina Carpenter, are releasing 1980s-tinged pop anthems that lean into femininity. Carpenter is known for not shying away from her perspective as a woman while also writing songs that are shoo-ins for chart success. That kind of music making can be traced back to the likes of Cyndi Lauper, specifically “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

This song has an infectious beat, which makes the audience want to stand up and dance. Because of that, anyone could enjoy this track. But it is especially pointed at young women. Momma dear, we’re not the fortunate ones / And girls, they wanna have fun, Lauper sings, reflecting the opinions of many in her target audience. This is the same direction many modern pop artists have taken. They should all give Lauper her props.

[RELATED: Cyndi Lauper’s Farewell Concert Features Surprise Appearances from Cher and Joni Mitchell at the Hollywood Bowl]

“Like a Prayer” (Madonna)

Every pop fan knows Madonna’s influence. The industry wouldn’t be the same without her bold, at times raunchy approach to pop songwriting in the 1980s. The diverse opinions modern-day pop singers get for their innuendo-filled lyricism, Madonna was bearing decades ago.

Though not everyone is a fan of the direction Madonna took pop in, no one can deny how transformative she was. Madonna is a unique sort of icon that only comes around once in a generation. She has approached her time in the spotlight brashly and personally—something many modern artists have taken note of.

“When Doves Cry” (Prince)

Prince’s “When Doves Cry” is one of the most impressive genre-bending moments of 1980s pop. In fact, the mashup of sounds in this song is so unique that it is nearly a genre in and of itself. No one has written something quite as confounding, though many have tried.

Genre-bending is commonplace in the world of pop nowadays. Countless artists have followed Prince’s lead, following their creative ambitions to new and weird places.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1984, Prince Released the Hit Album That Would Impact the Music Industry for Decades to Come]

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)