4 Pop Songs From 1989 That Take Will You Back to High School

Most of us can remember the first time we heard a meaningful song. When we hear certain tunes now, we are instantly taken back, sometimes to high school and the height of awkward teenage years. Thanks to MTV and radio, pop songs in 1989 reached massive audiences and are forever burned into our collective brains.

Videos by American Songwriter

Though pop music is supposed to be disposable, many hits endure along with their iconic music videos. Let these pop gems take you all the way back to 1989.

“If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher

If you’re old enough, you probably remember the visual of Cher in a sheer bodysuit, singing “If I Could Turn Back Time” aboard the USS Missouri. Her Bob Mackie-designed outfit stirred controversy, and MTV initially only aired the video after 9 p.m. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy received criticism for allowing Cher to film the music video on its battleship. Now, you can imagine such a thing barely registering in your social media feed.

“She Drives Me Crazy” by Fine Young Cannibals

Brits reimporting American soul music was certainly not new in 1989. But Fine Young Cannibals blended the sound of the American South with 80s new wave and dance-rock. Singer Roland Gift delivers “She Drives Me Crazy” with the heavy vibrato of Aaron Neville, while the funky guitar and drum machine groove echoes Prince. You might remember Fine Young Cannibals as a one-hit wonder. However, the trio also topped the charts with “Good Thing” in 1989.

“Like A Prayer” by Madonna

Speaking of controversial videos, “Like A Prayer” received condemnation from the Vatican and many other Christian groups. It didn’t help that the singer shares her name with a depiction of the Virgin Mary. But this tune is a banger. And by the end of the 80s, Madonna was accustomed to offending one group or another. Pope John Paul II urged boycotts, but charges of blasphemy only drew attention to the song and its video. It remains one of the decade’s biggest hits.

“Miss You Much” by Janet Jackson

With back-to-back hit albums, Control and Rhythm Nation 1814, Janet Jackson had clearly moved out from under her brother Michael’s shadow as the 1980s wound down. “Miss You Much” and its accompanying video influenced the next generation’s pop superstars, including Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC. Whenever I see choreographed dancers, it’s hard not to think of Jackson’s Rhythm Nation era.

Photo by Graham Tucker/Redferns