Head Over Heels – The Go-Go’s
By 1984, The Go-Go’s had already made history. As the first all-female band to write their own songs, play their own instruments, and top…
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– New Wave
Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
Few songs capture the quirky creativity of the early 1980s quite like “The Safety Dance.” Released at the height of the synth-pop explosion, the…
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Miss Me Blind – Culture Club
By 1984, Culture Club had become one of the biggest pop bands in the world. Led by the charismatic Boy George, the British quartet…
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Church of the Poison Mind – Culture Club
By 1983, Culture Club had become one of the biggest bands in the world. Led by the charismatic Boy George, the British quartet burst…
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Lawyers in Love – Jackson Browne
Released in August 1983, “Lawyers in Love” marked one of the most surprising and successful reinventions of Jackson Browne’s career. Best known throughout the…
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I’ll Tumble 4 Ya – Culture Club
Released in the summer of 1983, “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” completed an extraordinary breakthrough year for Culture Club. While songs like “Do You Really…
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De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police
Released in November 1980, “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” became one of The Police’s most recognizable and misunderstood songs. At first…
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Breakout – Swing Out Sister
Released in 1986, “Breakout” introduced much of the world to Swing Out Sister and immediately established the British group as something different from the…
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Would I Lie to You? – Eurythmics
Released in April 1985, “Would I Lie to You?” marked a dramatic shift in direction for Eurythmics. After several years of dominating the charts…
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Union of the Snake – Duran Duran
Released in October 1983, “Union of the Snake” arrived at the height of Duran Duran’s global popularity. The British quintet had already become one…
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Time (Clock of the Heart) – Culture Club
Released in November 1982 in the United Kingdom and in the spring of 1983 in the United States, “Time (Clock of the Heart)” became…
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Notorious – Duran Duran
Released in October 1986, “Notorious” marked one of the biggest turning points in Duran Duran’s career. The band had spent the first half of…
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If You Love Somebody Set Them Free – Sting
The Bold Solo Debut That Announced Sting’s New Musical Direction Released in June 1985 as the lead single from The Dream of the Blue…
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(Keep Feeling) Fascination – Human League
The Synth-Pop Masterpiece That Proved Lightning Could Strike Twice Released in April 1983, “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” confirmed that The Human League were far more…
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The Look – Roxette
The Swedish Pop Explosion That Took Over the World Released in January 1989 as the third single from Look Sharp!, “The Look” transformed Roxette…
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Obsession – Animotion
The Synth-Pop Smash That Defined Mid-’80s Dance Music Released in 1984 as the debut single from Animotion’s self-titled album, “Obsession” became one of the…
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Human – Human League
The Sophisticated Ballad That Reinvented The Human League Released in August 1986 as the lead single from Crash, “Human” marked a dramatic shift in…
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Shout – Tears for Fears
The Anthem That Took Tears for Fears to the Top of the World Released in November 1984, “Shout” transformed Tears for Fears from a…
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Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant
By the early 1980s, Adam Ant had already established himself as one of the most distinctive personalities in popular music. As the frontman of…
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Miami Vice Theme – Jan Hammer
Very few television themes become hit records. Even fewer manage to top the music charts. Yet in 1985, an instrumental composed by Jan Hammer…
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Magic – The Cars
By 1984, The Cars had already established themselves as one of the most innovative bands in rock. Their unique blend of new wave, power…
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If You Don’t Know Me by Now – Simply Red
Some songs are so well written that they can thrive in completely different eras. “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” is one of…
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I Can’t Wait – Nu Shooz
Released in 1985 and becoming a worldwide hit in 1986, “I Can’t Wait” transformed Nu Shooz from a little-known Portland, Oregon duo into international…
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The Reflex – Duran Duran
Released in 1984 as the third single from Seven and the Ragged Tiger, “The Reflex” became the biggest hit of Duran Duran’s career. Already…
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Talking in Your Sleep – The Romantics
Released in 1983 as the lead single from In Heat, “Talking in Your Sleep” transformed The Romantics from a respected power-pop and rock band…
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Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday
Every decade produces songs that perfectly capture the emotional tensions of their time, and “‘Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” stands among the finest examples of…
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Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins
Pop music in the 1980s was filled with memorable love songs, but few balanced emotional vulnerability and irresistible hooks as gracefully as the Thompson…
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Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds
Certain songs become so closely associated with a film that it’s nearly impossible to think of one without the other. “Don’t You (Forget About…
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Too Shy – Kajagoogoo
The early 1980s produced countless synth-pop hits, but only a handful managed to capture the era’s infectious energy while remaining fresh decades later. Kajagoogoo’s…
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Earthquake Song – Little Girls
The early 1980s produced no shortage of unusual songs, but few were quite as delightfully odd as “Earthquake Song” by Little Girls. Never intended…
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A View to a Kill – Duran Duran
James Bond movies have produced some of the most memorable theme songs in popular music history, but only one has ever reached the top…
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You Might Think – The Cars
By 1984, The Cars had already established themselves as one of the most influential rock bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their…
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Head Over Heels – Tears for Fears
Pop music often thrives on simplicity, but every so often a song comes along that proves complexity can be just as irresistible. Released in…
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Who Can It Be Now? – Men at Work
Released in June 1981 in Australia and later internationally in 1982, “Who Can It Be Now?” became the breakthrough hit that introduced Men at…
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Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes
Released in 1983 as the debut single from Burning Bridges, “Always Something There to Remind Me” introduced British duo Naked Eyes to audiences around…
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Sunglasses at Night – Corey Hart
Released in January 1984 as the lead single from Corey Hart’s debut album First Offense, “Sunglasses at Night” became one of the defining songs…
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Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen
Released in October 1987 as part of the soundtrack to the hit film Dirty Dancing, “Hungry Eyes” became one of Eric Carmen’s biggest solo…
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Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
Released in October 1986 as the second single from Crowded House’s self-titled debut album, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” became the band’s defining song and…
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Hands to Heaven – Breathe
Released in July 1988 as the third single from All That Jazz, “Hands to Heaven” became the breakthrough hit that introduced millions of listeners…
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Drive – The Cars
Released in July 1984 as the third single from Heartbeat City, “Drive” became the biggest hit of The Cars’ career and one of the…
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The Tide Is High – Blondie
Not every great hit begins as a chart-topping success. Sometimes a song quietly waits years before the right artist comes along and introduces it…
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I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls
When people think of the sound of the early 1980s, a handful of songs immediately come to mind. Among them is A Flock of…
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True – Spandau Ballet
Certain songs instantly transport listeners to another time. A single piano chord or saxophone phrase is enough to evoke memories of slow dances, late-night…
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Cars – Gary Numan
Long before synthesizers dominated pop music, one song showed the world what the future could sound like. Gary Numan’s “Cars,” released in 1979 and…
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Shake It Up – The Cars
By the early 1980s, The Cars had already established themselves as one of rock’s most innovative bands. Blending sleek new wave, guitar-driven rock, and…
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