Whether you’re a baby boomer or a millennial, Gen X or Gen Z, or even Gen Alpha, there are certain pieces that I think we can all agree are just classic. Here are a few dance songs from the 80s that I think every generation can get down with.
“Sussudio” by Phil Collins
Phil Collins has a whole discography full of iconic songs, but this one is a personal favorite of mine. No one knows who “Sussudio”, the girl that Collins apparently is crushing on in this song, really is. That’s mostly because the lyrics were improvised and not based on a real person. Regardless, it’s hard not to sing along to this catchy hit.
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“Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League
There are some songs that really define the 80s, and “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League is one of them. This song went No. 1 in 1981 and has been providing synth pop lovers with musical nostalgia ever since.
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
This classic gave Houston her fourth No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is the second most successful single in her catalog. It’s about that feeling of yearning and longing that we all know a little too well. I think we all want to dance with someone who loves us; whether that’s the metaphorical dance of life or the literal dance floor. Houston was just smart enough to capitalize on that in a major way.
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
Remember when Cyndi Lauper took a sleazy song written from a male perspective and turned it into a world-class feminist anthem? Honestly, I think everybody does. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was originally written by Robert Hazard in 1979, with certain lyrics that Lauper later changed to fit the narrative she wanted. I wouldn’t feel too bad that Hazard’s version didn’t achieve the same level of success as Lauper’s. He became a millionaire from the success of her version, which has sold 14 million copies.
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