3 Pop Songs From 1987 That We Can’t Live Without Today

In the late 1980s, pop music was at its apex. The training wheels had come off. It was time to take the genre for a real spin and show what it could do. And in 1987, there were a number of artists who were fully capable of showing off the style’s best on their records. That’s just what we wanted to dive into below.

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We wanted to take the time machine back to 1987 and remember three of the year’s best pop songs. Three tracks that demonstrate the full capabilities of the style. Three tunes that exhibit the ultimate in pop effectiveness. Indeed, these are three pop songs from 1987 that we can’t live without today.

“Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson from ‘Bad’ (1987)

This song was so popular it inspired…a video game! Those of a certain age remember the Sega game, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, released in 1990. But if you look it up, you’ll see the video game Michael Jackson dressed as his character from the “Smooth Criminal” music video. Now, that’s power. A music video inspiring a video game release? Wow. But it makes sense when you realize the pop prowess of Jackson, from his music to his dance moves. And they were on full display in this work.

“Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley from ‘Whenever You Need Somebody’ (1987)

This track sums up a slice of the 1980s perfectly. The over-enthusiastic electronic drums, the cheesy love song lyrics. But the sum of its parts is much bigger than each one individually. It’s a song that burrows its way into your soul and makes a home. “Never Gonna Give You Up” is also one that is just perfect to belt out at the top of your lungs, whether you’re at a wedding, in your car, or in your living room. It’s infectious!

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston from ‘Whitney’ (1987)

It would be hard for anyone to compete on a list of pop songs with Michael Jackson, but Whitney Houston might even blow him out of the pop music water with this 1987 offering. It’s like a big smile put to music. Whitney Houston had it all—beauty, talent, magnetism, and sticky pop stylings that made you feel as if you were a pop star, too. That’s a rare gift, and she gave it to her fans with the candy-coated “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”.

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