4 Forgotten Pop Hits From 1983 That Still Sound Fresh Today

These often forgotten pop hits from 1983 deserve just as much love as the more enduring hit songs from that era. And if you were young when these tunes dropped in 1983, you might just remember them after listening for a few seconds.

“One Thing Leads To Another” by The Fixx from ‘Reach The Beach’

This is classic synth-pop goodness, but there’s something about “One Thing Leads To Another” that sounds surprisingly modern, even after all these years. “One Thing Leads To Another” by The Fixx peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and also topped the mainstream pop chart in Canada. Surprisingly, despite the fact that The Fixx were a British outfit, this song didn’t make it to the Top 40 in the UK.

“True” by Spandau Ballet from ‘True’

I love some good ol’ sophistipop with a touch of blue-eyed soul, and “True” by Spandau Ballet really fits that bill. This new wave jam was a pretty big hit on the charts internationally. It peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 4 in the US, and reached the Top 10 virtually everywhere else. Listen for just a few seconds, and you’ll be transported back to 1983 in a heartbeat.

“Temptation” by Heaven 17 from ‘The Luxury Gap’

“Temptation” is a dramatic synth-pop gem with hefty chorus moments, and I really wish it got more love today. This disco-flavored synth-pop song peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles chart. It also made it to No. 34 on the Dance Club Songs chart in the US. If you’re a synth nerd, you might just be able to clock that Linn LM-1 drum machine, courtesy of Martyn Ware. “Temptation” always brings me back, and I wasn’t even born in the 1980s.

“The Metro” by Berlin from ‘Pleasure Victim’

When one thinks of Berlin, one almost always thinks about the smash hit “Take My Breath Away” from 1986. But what about the band’s earlier, more unique work? “The Metro” got some chart movement back in 1983, and it’s a shame that it’s on our list of forgotten pop hits. This one’s a real banger and proof that Berlin really had something special. “The Metro” peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100. I really believe it should have made it to the Top 40. Maybe you’ll agree.

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