3 Synth-Pop Songs From the 1980s That Will Be Stuck in Your Head All Week

The 1980s were an incredibly polarizing time for music fans, thanks in no small part to the vast differences in popular genres, which ranged from heavy metal to synth-pop to hip-hop. Frankly, in the last 75 years or so, there have been few transitions in popular music as starkly different as the shift from the 1970s to the 1980s. The world went from The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac to Duran Duran and Michael Jackson. There is nothing wrong with those latter artists, of course. Nevertheless, some people thought the 1980s ushered in the wrong kind of music, including synth-pop.

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Synth-pop was everywhere in the 1980s, and people either loved that or hated that. Still, even the haters were susceptible to synth-pop’s catchy hooks, choruses, and rhythms. Case in point: here are three 1980s synth-pop songs that will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

“Blue Monday” by New Order

You can criticize this 1983 single all you want, but what you can’t say is that New Order‘s “Blue Monday” isn’t catchy and intoxicating. The 1980s synth-pop classic is seven-plus minutes of sheer groove. As a result, it has been pumped through speakers and headphones for decades. Regardless of the generation listening, they will likely have it involuntarily replaying in their minds for days to come.

When it was first released, the single didn’t achieve the massive success of a Billboard Hot 100 placement. However, it did have an enduring appeal, as it was reissued in 1988 and peaked at No. 68 on the chart. You can run from this single, but you can’t hide from it.

“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson‘s “Billie Jean” is one of the most successful singles of all time. Released in 1983, it became one of the biggest hits of the decade, spending seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Again, you can think of this 1980s classic as low-brow synth-pop music, or you can think of it as a joyous dance club hit. Your choice, but this song undeniably puts you on your feet and makes you hum the melody for hours or days after listening to it.

“Tainted Love” by Soft Cell

You surely saw this selection coming, because Soft Cell‘s “Tainted Love” is the epitome of 1980s synth-pop. Released in 1981, “Tainted Love” made quite the splash on the charts when it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it would spend a record-breaking 43 weeks.

When one thinks of the 80s, they think of “Tainted Love” by Soft Cell. It is just one of those songs you and or your parents turn on when they recall their youth with such fondness and nostalgia. And why is that? Seemingly, because its musical foundation has a way of etching itself into the minds of those who grew up listening to it.

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