The Eighties 80 (Edition 2025)

When it comes to music, if there is one decade I AB-SO-LUTELY love it is the eighties! A decade in which a very wide range of musical genres emerged. Music all so creative and diverse, yet 100% recognizably 80s. For this reason (and also for fun) I decided to put together an eighties 'Top 80'. Actually, a 'Top 80' is way way too short because I had to exclude so many great songs and bands/artists who certainly deserve a place in it as well.

None the less, all the songs you will find below are, according to my own feeling, 100% true eighties gems that will catapult you right back in time, back to this magnificent decade.

The list is primarily pop-oriented, with here an there a few exceptions. But there's a twist; instead of focussing on the major hits, in many cases (not all) I chose slightly lesser known songs. No doubt there are even some you totally won't expect. Whether you are familiar with the music or have yet to discover this amazing decade, I hope you will enjoy it!

The Eighties 80 edition 2025

80: Jeff Lynne – Let It Run (1984)

79: Ollie & Jerry – Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us (Breakin') (1984)

78: Harold Faltermeyer – Prophecy (1988)

77: Revenge – They're So Incredible (Revenge Of The Nerds) (1984)

76: Neil Young – We R In Control (1982)

75: The Bluesbusters – You're the One (1980)

74: Jermaine Stewart – Get Lucky (1988)

73: Suzanne Vega Feat. Joe Jackson – Left Of Center (1986)

72: Goon Squad – Eight Arms To Hold You (The Goonies) (1985)

71: F.R. David – Pick Up The Phone (1982)

70: Zappacosta – Overload (Dirty Dancing) (1987)

69: Eurythmics – Never Gonna Cry Again (1981)

68: Icehouse – Great Southern Land (1982)

67: Survivor – The Moment Of Truth (The Karate Kid) (1984)

66: Boytronic – You (1983)

65: Albert Collins Feat. Elizabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp & Maia Brewton – Babysittin' Blues (Adventures In Babysitting) (1987)

64: Blue Vision – Visions (1984)

63: The Maisonettes – Heartache Avenue (1982) 

62: a-ha – The Living Daylights (The Living Daylights) (1987)

61: Re-Flex – The Politics Of Dancing (1983)

60:  J. Geils Band – Fright Night (Fright Night) (1985)

59: Milli Vanilli – Baby Don't Forget My Number (1988)

58: Fiction Factory – Ghost Of Love (1983)

57: Belinda Carlisle – Leave A Light On (1989)

56: Time Bandits – Endless Road (1985)

55: Mick Smiley – Magic (Ghostbusters) (1984)

54: 38 Special – Back To Paradise (Revenge Of The Nerds II) (1987)

53: Godley & Creme – Cry (1985)

52: Michael Cretu – Samurai (1985)

51: Alf – Stuck On Earth (1987)

50: The Triffids – Estuary Bed (1986)

49: Wendy & Lisa – Waterfall (1987)

48: Alphaville – Sounds Like A Melody (1984)

47: Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance (1989)

46: Nik Kershaw – The Riddle (1984)

45: Red Box – For America (1985)

44: Black – Wonderful Life (1987)

43: The Christians – Ideal World (1987)

42: Nena – Nur Geträumt (1982)

41: Sideway Look – Unlock The Capital (1988)

40: Tina Turner – One Of The Living (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome) (1985)

39: Sandra – (I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena (1985)

38: Mel & Kim – That’s The Way It Is (1988)

37: Gloria Estefan – Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice) (1989)

36: The Beach Boys – Kokomo (Coctail) (1988)

35: The Everly Brothers – On The Wings Of A Nightingale (1984)

34: Mummy Calls – Beauty Has Her Way (The Lost Boys) (1987)

33: Toto Coelo – Dracula’s Tango (Sucker For Your Love) (1982)

32: Rick Astley – Together Forever (1987)

31: The Fun Boy Three Feat. Bananarama – It Ain't What You Do... (1982)

30: The Bangles – Manic Monday (1986)

29: Billy Joel – Leningrad (1989)

28: John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band – Voices Of America’s Sons (Cobra) (1985)

27: UB40 – Sing Our Own Song (1986)

26: Cocteau Twins – Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops (1984)

25: A Flock Of Seagulls – The Fall (1982)

24: Roxy Music – Oh Yeah (There's A Band Playing On The Radio) (1980)

23: The Power Station – Someday, Somehow, Someone's Gotta Pay (1985)

22: Patrick Swayze – Raising Heaven (In Hell Tonight) (Road House) (1989)

21: Mental As Anything – Live It Up (Crocodile Dundee) (1985)

20: Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew (1987)

19: Mike Oldfield Feat. Maggie Reilly – Foreign Affair (1983)

18: Susan Fassbender – Twilight Cafe (1980)

17: Fra Lippo Lippi – Shouldn’t Have To Be Like That (1985)

16: The Art Of Noise Feat. Max Headroom – Paranoimia (1986)

15: Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone (Top Gun) (1986)

14: The Flowerpot Men – Beat City (Ferris Buellers Day Off) (1986)

13: Wang Chung – Fire In The Twilight (The Breakfast Club) (1985)

12: Aretha Franklin & George Michael – I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (1987)

11: Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning (1987)

10: The Lover Speaks – No More "I Love You's" (1986)

9: Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World (1985)

8: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – (Forever) Live & Die (1986)

7: Kim Wilde – Never Trust A Stranger (1988)

6: Pet Shop Boys – A Man Could Get Arrested (1985)

5: U2 – Where The Streets Have No Name (1987)

4: Simple Minds – Big Sleep (1982)

3 Michael Jackson – Leave Me Alone (1987)

2: Madonna – Borderline (1983)

1: Prince And The Revolution – Purple Rain (1984)

#80smusic #pop #dancepop #newromantics #newwave #soundtrack #rock #synthwave #disco