Pop music in the 1980s was something special. The decade provided a time when things seemed stable but also new. It’s hard to put a fine point on it, but there was no worry about the oncoming new millennium that the 90s and Y2K provided. And yet, the 80s were also so far removed from the 40s, the 60s, and those other far off eras.
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The result, musically speaking, at least, was a great pop scene. Walking into a record store in the late 80s felt in many ways like walking into a candy shop. There was so much sticky stuff to choose from. Below, we wanted to explore three hits from the end of the decade—1989—that still slap. Indeed, these are three pop songs from 1989 we love as much today as we did then.
“Girl You Know It’s True” by Milli Vanilli from ‘Girl You Know It’s True’ (1989)
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Milli Vanilli was the butt of just about every joke. But nearly 40 years later, who cares about the lip-syncing scandal that plagued the group? Can we just enjoy some pop music from the fabricated group? If so, we can start this 1989 classic, “Girl You Know It’s True”, which boasts a chorus that is impossible to extricate from your brain once you hear it once. Bring it on!
“Lost In Your Eyes” by Debbie Gibson from ‘Electric Youth’ (1989)
Where would the 1980s be without Debbie Gibson? The pop star who embodied a sense of youth was one of the most important pop music figures of the decade. In the same way New Kids On The Block preempted *NSYNC, Gibson was a precursor to the likes of Britney Spears. With a lovely voice and photogenic look, Gibson was a mainstay on the Billboard charts thanks to songs like “Lost In Your Eyes.” And today, she’s still rocking the stage!
“Like A Prayer” by Madonna from ‘Like A Prayer’ (1989)
Madonna knew how to garner attention. And with this song, she proved that yet again. Not only was bridging pop music with sex and religion something that garnered protest, but the music video for this track included burning crosses and other very provocative imagery. Madonna knew how to push boundaries and make headlines with pop music in 1989. For that, she was the Queen of Pop in the 1980s.
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