4 Rock Songs Every 80s Kid Knew by Heart (But Somehow Forgot)

Were you an 80s kid? If so, I bet you jammed out to at least one or two of the following 80s rock songs. If you forgot them, I don’t blame you. There was just too much good music during that decade to remember all of the best of the best. Let’s revisit a few classics!

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“When I’m Gone” by Albert Hammond (1981)

Albert Hammond was the kind of musician that not everyone in the 80s was tapped into, but if you did, you had good taste. “When I’m Gone” is one such song that proved how talented the soft rock artist was during the 1980s, and it was a pretty successful hit in Europe, particularly in South Africa. However, it wasn’t until the freestyle singer Rockell covered the song in 1999 that it became popular in the US, peaking at No. 21 on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.

“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo (1986)

Would this be a list of excellent 80s songs without at least one Oingo Boingo track? “Dead Man’s Party” is just one of many tracks from the American outfit that I find underrated. Released as a single from the album of the same name, “Dead Man’s Party” also appeared in the 1986 Rodney Dangerfield comedy Back To School. 

“Only Lonely” by Bon Jovi (1985)

Bon Jovi really dominated 1980s hard rock, but “Only Lonely” is one song from the band that doesn’t get as much love as it should. It didn’t quite crack the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking instead at No. 54. I think it should have done better, because this glam rock tune is a standout from 7800° Fahrenheit. I love how melodic it is.

“Eighties” by Killing Joke (1984)

How about a classic post-punk tune that low-key encapsulated a lot of the average 80s kids’ experiences? If you were an 80s kid, you were likely exposed to the ultra-capitalist “80s boss” stereotype and might have thought you were destined to “push” and “struggle” once you came of age. But if all you wanted to do was dance, you likely resonated with this particular song. It’s a sociopolitical gem and one of those rock songs from the 80s that really captures the unease of both the Cold War and culture as a whole.

Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage