Are These 3 Songs From 1985 Overplayed, or Are They Just That Good?

One decade of music that often receives a vast amount of scrutiny for creating too many radio-friendly hits is the 1980s. The decade took a hard turn from the rebellious musical attitude of the 1970s, and as a result, the bulk of its notable catalog is made up of pop songs that squat in your brain even after you want them gone. What also contributes to that is the frequency with which those types of songs are played. With that in mind, are these three songs from 1985 overplayed, or are they just that good?

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“Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits

We believe Dire Straits‘ “Money For Nothing” deserves every single listen and stream it gets. However, there are certainly people out there with contradicting perspectives. Following its release, the single peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for three weeks. Needless to say, it was a crowd favorite that year.

While the song is fundamentally sound in nearly every way, one can certainly see why folks might believe it’s overplayed. Now, does it receive more play than “Billie Jean” or “Don’t Stop Believin’”? No, but there is an argument to be made, as there almost always is when it comes to this question.

“Careless Whisper” by Wham!

Wham‘s “Careless Whisper” is one of those songs that has remained uber popular in the 21st century, thanks to virality and neo-nostalgic appeal. In recent years, the cultural moment that reintroduced this song to the masses was its feature in Deadpool. Since then, it has been all over social media and reintegrated itself into mainstream culture.

If you didn’t already know, you probably could have guessed that this song peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1985. Subsequently, it went on to become the biggest No. 1 hit of the year. Bottom line, do you think this song deserves the hype, or is it overplayed?

“I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner

One of the many stylistic choices that created the lengthy legacy of 1980s music is the melodrama. So many songs hyperbolically play on tropes to sensationalize human truths, and it worked exceptionally well. Although that is no longer in style, and one could possibly think that Foreigner‘s “I Want To Know What Love Is” fits in the latter category of our question.

Like the rest of the singles on our list, Foreigner’s single became a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. However, do you think it has aged well? If not, do you think that is why it currently has 1.3 billion streams on Spotify? It makes sense that this song still rakes in the streams, but at the same time, through a different perspective, it doesn’t.

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