In need of a few deep cuts from the late 1980s to add some depth to your nostalgia playlist? The following songs from 1987, specifically, were pretty noteworthy hits back in the day but have since been forgotten by many modern-day listeners. Some of these tunes might have even slipped the minds of 80s kids. Let’s refresh your memory and dive into some underrated and somewhat forgotten songs from 1987!
Videos by American Songwriter
“Diamonds” by Herb Alpert
A little bit R&B, a little bit dance-pop, “Diamonds” by Herb Alpert was one of the most popular songs of 1987. You might just clock those backing vocals, too: Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith sang on this track. This single ended up being a bit of a comeback tune for Herb Alpert. It hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. It also topped the Dance Club Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in the US.
“Cross My Broken Heart” by The Jets
Remember this tune from the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack? “Cross My Broken Heart” by The Jets is a real throwback that represents the era well. It’s one of the few freestyle songs of 1987 to chart substantially high on the Billboard charts. This jam peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and did surprisingly well in Italy, where it peaked at No. 4. “Cross My Broken Heart” wasn’t The Jets’ biggest hit (that would probably be “You Got It All” from 1986), but it remains an underrated gem in their discography.
“Carrie” by Europe
This soft rock tune from Swedish rock band Europe makes it to our list of forgotten songs from 1987 because I genuinely can’t remember the last time I heard it on classic rock radio. That’s a shame, because this song slaps. The power ballad “Carrie” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and did similarly well across Europe and the UK. It would be the band’s biggest hit in the US, surprisingly outperforming their most enduring international hit, “The Final Countdown”.
Fun fact: After Europe reunited in 2003 for their initial run of reunion tours, Joey Tempest would perform an acoustic version of the song. In recent years, though, the band has opted to perform the “traditional” album arrangement.
Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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