If you were a teen in the 1980s, the three pop songs below will remind you of your childhood. Whether you were a mall kid or fondly remember your school dance, these popular tracks will have you smiling to yourself, thinking, “Remember when?”
[RELATED: 4 Rock Songs From 1984 That Every 80s Kid Still Knows by Heart Today]
Videos by American Songwriter
“West End Girls” — Pet Shop Boys
This 1980s synth-pop, new wave track is indicative of its era. Few songs scream 80s more than this upbeat, floor-filling track. Though the musicality of this song doesn’t suggest it, it’s a depressing look at urban pressure and escapism. Regardless, the beat and melody of this song likely bring back fond memories for 80s kids.
“Call the police, there’s a madman around / Running down underground to a dive bar / In a West End town,” the lyrics to this near spoken word song read. This 80s classic plays into the conventions of its era. If you’re looking for a deeply 80s song to remind you of your youth, “West End Girls” would be it.
“Love Shack” — The B-52’s
Coming in at the end of the 1980s is The B-52’s classic “Love Shack.” Again, this song wouldn’t have worked the same in any other era. It helped define the late-80s sound and serves as a time machine back to that era today.
If you were a teen in the late 80s, this playful track might’ve ended up in your school dance playlist. If so, hearing this song again in the modern day probably hits you with a wave of nostalgia. “The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together,” the lyrics read. Any young person who listened to this when it was released felt a rush of maturity as they took in this suggestive track.
“Kids In America” — Kim Wilde
Another song that screams 80s mall culture is Kim Wilde’s “Kids In America.” Children of the 80s likely remember walking around, hearing this song, and feeling unstoppable in their youth. “We’re the kids in America / Everybody live for the music-go-round,” the lyrics to this 80s pop classic read.
Even if you didn’t grow up in the 80s, hearing this song can make you nostalgic for a time you never lived in. It’s so ingrained in the 80s sound that it’s like a time capsule opened for kids of that era to reminisce and for modern kids to discover.
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