Are These 3 Classics From 1981 Overplayed, or Are They Just That Good?

Mainstream music from the 1980s was seemingly geared to accomplish several things, one of which was the ability to play it over, and over, and over again. Mainstream music has aimed to achieve this, so this is nothing new, but 1980s mainstream music has arguably had a greater longevity than any other decade. Now, that is a hot take, and, of course, ultimately up to you to decide. However, when making that decision in your head, we urge you to help us answer the following question: Are these three classic songs from 1981 overplayed, or are they just that good?

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“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

Do we like Journey‘s iconic 1981 hit single, “Don’t Stop Believin’”? Yes, we do, but we also think it is one of the most overplayed songs of all time. On Spotify, the track currently has 2.7 billion streams, which makes it one of the most-streamed classic rock songs.

It’s ultimately your call, but we believe that this song needs to be put on a shelf for a while. By no means do we think it should go away; it just needs to go back in the case, age for a bit, and then come out better than ever. Journey also has a great catalog that goes far beyond “Don’t Stop Believin’”, so go check it out.

“Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen

Queen is one of the most successful bands of all time, and one element contributing to that is their timelessness. Several of their songs have billions of streams on Spotify, one being the 1981 track “Another One Bites The Dust”, which currently has 2.3 billion. However, that is exactly why we’ve featured it on our list.

We aren’t sure what to think about this single, because while it is a classic that deserves preservation, have the constant streams preserved it too much? In other words, would it be even more revered if it were a little more obscure? We can’t say, and that is why we are putting the ball in your court with our question. Also, we digress, but does this question apply to “Bohemian Rhapsody”?

“In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins

The intro to Phil Collins‘ “In The Air Tonight” very well might be the most notable introduction in 1980s rock history. Frankly, the abundance of streams it has obtained might mostly be from people merely listening to the intro, but that is merely conjecture. Regardless, every month, we hear this song at least three to four times, and while we’re fond of it, we all might benefit from a tad pump of the brakes.

While not yet in the billion status, Collins’ single is a couple of thousand streams away. Nevertheless, we believe it meets our criteria, but then again, we are certainly dead wrong in the eyes of many. All in all, we don’t blame you if you listen to this song frequently, because that drum solo is rather addictive.

Photo by Pete Still/Redferns