There was nothing quite like arena rock in the 80s. Those soaring vocals, those absolutely killer guitar solos, the theatrics of it all. It was definitely a special time for rock fans. And the following arena rock songs from the year 1984 are great examples of what that era was all about. Let’s take a look!
“Rock You Like A Hurricane” by Scorpions from ‘Love At First Sting’
Is there anyone alive who doesn’t know the super catchy chorus of “Rock You Like A Hurricane” by Scorpions? Even rock fans who weren’t born yet in 1984 know this glam metal classic very well. I’ll chalk that up to excellent songwriting a la Klaus Meine, Herman Rarebell, and Rudolf Schenker. This German hard rock outfit had quite the hit on their hands in 1984, bolstered by the famed music video for “Rock You Like A Hurricane” that earned a spot in MTV’s regular rotation at the time. This jam peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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“We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister from ‘Stay Hungry’
Twisted Sister dropped this killer glam metal anthem back in 1984, and it remains their most well-known (and most famous) song to date. Some might remember the song from its campy yet delightful music video on MTV. Others might remember it for making it to the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” list of songs deemed too violent for children. Despite the powers that be trying to dampen this song’s success, it became a hit anyway. “We’re Not Gonna Take It” peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and No. 7 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
“Panama” by Van Halen from ‘1984’
Van Halen dished out quite a few memorable songs on 1984, but “Panama” really stands out. This hard rock shredding classic remains one of the most beloved hair metal songs of the era, and it was definitely successful at the time. “Panama” peaked at No. 13 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
“Hammer To Fall” by Queen from ‘The Works’
Queen always seems to make it to any list of mine about anthems or arena rock songs, and I’m not sorry about it. They knew how to pen and record a memorable song, dang it! “Hammer To Fall” is just one song of theirs that comes to mind from 1984, and it’s one of the finest arena rock songs of the year. “Hammer To Fall” was only a modest hit, though, peaking at No. 57 on the US Mainstream Rock chart and No. 13 in the UK.
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