4 Rock Songs From the Early 80s That Still Rock My World Today

There isn’t a decade of music that likely remains as revered as the 80s, at least for rock music fans. These four classic rock songs all came out in the early 80s but can still rock our world today.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Love Is A Battlefield” by Pat Benatar

Although Pat Benatar had plenty of hit singles, “Love Is A Battlefield” is her only No. 1 hit. Written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman and released in 1983, “Love Is A Battlefield” is on Benatar’s live album, Live From Earth.

“Love Is A Battlefield” says, “We are strong / No one can tell us we’re wrong / Searching our hearts for so long / Both of us knowing / Love is a battlefield.”

Knight reveals that when she and Chapman wrote “Love Is A Battlefield”, they intended it as a ballad. Instead, Benatar made it more of an uptempo song, which helped propel it to the top of the charts.

“Juke Box Hero” by Foreigner

In 1981, Foreigner released “Juke Box Hero“. Written by band members Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, the song is on Foreigner’s fourth studio record, appropriately called 4.

The classic rock song says, “That one guitar, felt good in his hands / Didn’t take long to understand / Just one guitar, slung way down low / Was one way ticket, only one way to go / So he started rockin’ / Ain’t never gonna stop / Gotta keep on rockin’ / Someday he’s gonna make it to the top / And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes / He’s a juke box hero / He took one guitar, juke box hero, stars in his eyes / Juke box hero, he’ll come alive tonight.”

“Juke Box Hero” did not hit No. 1, peaking inside the Top 5. Still, it remains one of Foreigner’s most renowned singles of their entire career.

“I Love Rock And Roll” by Joan Jett

There may not be a better 80s rock song to dance along to than “I Love Rock And Roll” by Joan Jett. Out in 1982 as the title track of her sophomore album, Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker are the two writers of the song. They first released it with their band, the Arrows, in 1975.

But it wasn’t until Jett’s version that the song became so popular. A seven-week No. 1 hit for Jett, “I Love Rock And Roll” says, “I saw him dancing there by the record machine / I knew he must have been about 17 / The beat was going strong / Playing my favorite song / And I could tell it wouldn’t be long till he was with me, yeah me / And I could tell it wouldn’t be long till he was with me, yeah me / Singing, ‘I love rock and roll / So put another dime in the jukebox, baby / I love rock and roll / So come and take your time and dance with me.”

“Jump” by Van Halen

It’s nearly impossible to sit still while listening to “Jump” by Van Halen. On their 1984 album, “Jump” is written by band members Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, and Edward Van Halen.

“Jump” says, “Oh can’t you see me standing here / I’ve got my back against the record machine I ain’t the worst that you’ve seen / Oh, can’t you see what I mean? / Might as well jump, jump / /Might as well jump.”

Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns