In the mood for some pop hits from 1984 that you might have forgotten about? After just a few bars of these hit songs, you might just remember them right away. It’s a shame that I don’t really hear them on the radio anymore, because each one really captures the sound and spirit of the mid-80s beautifully. Let’s get a little nostalgic!
“You Might Think” by The Cars from ‘Heartbeat City’
This song is still so bright and fresh today, and that chorus just won’t quit. I think The Cars deserved more fame than they got back in the 1980s, and this ultra-danceable jam is just one example why. “You Might Think” by The Cars did get some love at the time, though. It peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And its legendary music video was one of the first to utilize computer graphics.
Videos by American Songwriter
“All Through The Night” by Cyndi Lauper from ‘She’s So Unusual’
Cyndi Lauper’s cover of this gorgeous song by Jules Shear wasn’t as big of a hit as “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” or “Time After Time”. However, it’s a very atmospheric pop song that manages to have a timeless quality after all these years. Lauper’s cover made a decent dent on the charts and peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100.
“Sunglasses At Night” by Corey Hart from ‘First Offense’
Corey Hart’s dark synth hit might not be on the radio as much anymore. However, to me, it has a slightly modern sound to it that is still very impressive. I recommend listening to “Sunglasses At Night” by Corey Hart with headphones so you can really enjoy that panning effect of the synthesizers. It’s delightful, honestly. No wonder it made it to No. 7 on the Hot 100.
“Are We Ourselves?” by The Fixx from ‘Phantoms’
Remember The Fixx? Diehard new wave kids probably do. This outfit dropped the atmospheric and tense new wave jam “Are We Ourselves?” back in 1984, and there’s just something about it that still sounds fresh. It’s a shame it’s on our list of forgotten pop hits from 1984, because this song really does have an enduring quality. And lyrically, it could have been written about the 2000s. The Fixx were really ahead of their time. And “Are We Ourselves?” resonated with listeners enough to bring it to the Top 15 of the Hot 100.
(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
More The List
-
LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 01, 1979: Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin in concert circa 1979 in Los Angeles, California. **EXCLUSIVE** (Photos by Brad Elterman/FilmMagic) -
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 01: George Jones performs on stage at the Country Music Festival held at Wembley Arena, London in April 1981. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) -
CIRCA 1977: (L-R) John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood of the rock group 'Fleetwood Mac' attend an event in circa 1977. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
CIRCA 1975: Country musician Waylon Jennings performs onstage in circa 1975. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Paul Simon 1965 in London..© Chris Walter.. -
Swedish-American actress Ann-Margret with Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) in the musical film 'Viva Las Vegas', directed by George Sidney, 1964. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) -
UNITED KINGDOM – 1st OCTOBER: The Beatles posed with bottles of beer and party snacks and balloons in October 1964. Left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon (1940-1980), Ringo Starr and George Harrison (1943-2001). The session was taken to promote the BBC World Service. (Photo by Mark Hayward Archive/Redferns)
