4 Classic Songs That Broke Every Rule of a Generic Top 40 Hit (and Still Topped the Charts)

What makes a hit song “generic”? Marketability, easy consumption, and the uncanny ability to sound like every band at once. Basically, a song that could have been done by anyone and still have the same catchy, chart-topping effect. There’s nothing inherently wrong with generic, but sometimes you’re looking for a little variety in your Top 40 hits. Here are some classics that made it on the chart while also subverting all expectations of a hit song.

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“99 Luftballons” — Nena

Maybe it’s because this song is in German, maybe it’s the overall composition, but “99 Luftballons” falls into that category of songs that just hit different. This song was a major hit, bringing the German language to a mainstream audience during a difficult time: the Cold War. “99 Luftballons” was released in 1983, when the Berlin Wall was still standing and the city was divided. This song is far from a generic Top 40 hit; it couldn’t have been made by anyone else partially because of the circumstances, but also because Nena had a great sense of style.

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — Eurythmics

Again, “Sweet Dreams” hits different. It’s far from being a generic hit because it’s had such a lasting impact on music, but it had the same effect when it was new as well. It was funky, mysterious, and made it onto the Top 40 even as it broke all the rules. “Sweet Dreams” is a classic for a reason; it’s still catchy and danceable years later, but it could never have been done by anyone else but Eurythmics.

“Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)” — Samantha Fox

This song didn’t just break the rules, it destroyed them. You’d think a song featuring a drum machine would sound just like any other Top 40 hit from the 1980s, but Samantha Fox’s song has more attitude, style, and overall panache than your usual sexy 80s hit. Using spoken segments throughout the song, it’s elevated from something that could have been done by Cyndi Lauper or Madonna into a song that’s cheeky, bold, and singularly Samantha Fox.

“Broken Wings” — Mr. Mister

While it might be true that 70% of white guys could sing like this in the 80s, Mr. Mister’s hit “Broken Wings” surpasses them all. It soars above its generic competition with incredible synth, building the anticipation for something big before bringing it back down in the second half and huddling close like it’s telling a secret. Then, it expands again, bringing listeners to new heights they never thought they could get to with a song that’s so quintessentially 80s. Yet, “Broken Wings” is still far from being replicated in any generic sense of the word.

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