Everyone Knows These 4 Rock Songs From the 80s, Even Though They Weren’t Hits on the Radio

The beauty of classic rock music is that the songs are timeless. These are four rock songs from the 80s that everyone likely knows, even though they weren’t big hits at radio.

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“Runaway” by Bon Jovi

Even moderate Bon Jovi fans can sing along to “Runaway”. The band’s debut single, out in 1984, is from their eponymous freshman album.

Written by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and George Karak, “Runaway” says, “You know she likes the lights at night on the neon Broadway signs / She don’t really mind, it’s only love she hoped to find / Ooh, she’s a little runaway / Daddy’s girl learned fast / All those things she couldn’t say / Ooh, she’s a little runaway.”

“Runaway” barely cracked the Top 40 for Bon Jovi.

“Seven Bridges Road” by the Eagles

Most people likely assume “Seven Bridges Road” is a No. 1 hit for the Eagles, since it’s a fan favorite. But surprisingly, the song peaked just inside the Top 20.

On the band’s Eagles Live project, “Seven Bridges Road” is written by Steve Young, who first recorded a version of the song for his own Rock Salt & Nails album. But it’s the version by the Eagles, out as a single in 1980, that most people know the best.

“Seven Bridges Road” says, “Sometimes there’s a part of me / Has to turn from here and go / Running like a child from these warm stars / Down the Seven Bridges Road.”

As of 2026, the Eagles were still performing “Seven Bridges Road” during their live shows.

“I Will Run To You” by Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

In 1983, Stevie Nicks released “I Will Run To You”. A duet with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the song peaked at No. 35.

On her sophomore solo record, The Wild Heart, Nicks wrote “I Will Run To You” with Petty. A song about enduring love, “I Will Run To You” says, “I will run to you / Down whatever road you choose / I will follow you down / I will run to you.”

“I Will Run To You” is Nicks’s second song with Petty. He also joins her on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around“, her debut single. That song became a Top 5 hit.

“Love On The Telephone” by Foreigner

“Love On The Telephone” was not at all a successful single at radio for Foreigner, although it remains beloved among their fans. From their third Head Games album, band members Lou Gramm and Mick Jones penned the tune.

“Love On The Telephone” says, “You make me nervous ’cause the line’s engaged / I can’t believe we let it get to this stage / Sittin’ here waitin’ for you to give me a sign / You know I got my heart on the line / Ooh, I know that I was wrong / Ooh, I’ve been away too long / I can’t stand to lose. My love on the telephone.”

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