The 10 best songs from the 80’s

Currently stuck in the 80’s and since I’m discovering some amazing songs via this thread: The 10 best songs from the 90's

Feel free to post runner-ups if the thought of a top 10 is too cruel.

1. Kraftwerk - Computer Love
2. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - The Message
3. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out of Touch
4. Mariah - 心臓の扉 (Shinzo No Tobira)
5. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
6. Young Marble Giants - Final Day
7. Arthur Russell - This Is How We Walk on the Moon
8. Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses
9. The Cure - Close to Me
10. Killing Joke - Change

Some runner-ups because this is too hard:
Womack & Womack - Teardrops, The Cramps - Garbageman, Shriekback - My spine is the bassline, Antena - Camino del Sol, Liquid Liquid - Optimo, Tullio de Piscopo - Stop Bajon, Blurt - The Fish Needs a Bike, Grauzone - Eisbær, Tom Waits - Clap Hands, Mecano - Hawaii-Bombay, Soda Stereo - cuando pase el temblor… ESG! New Order! Stone Roses! Talking Heads!

I know the Arthur Russell one was technically released in the 90’s liner notes say it’s from 1984, so I’m counting it as an 80’s song.

King Sunny Ade - Ja Funmi
Justin Hinds - Travel With Love
Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Prince - When Doves Cry
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message
The Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
New Edition - Cool It Now
The Cure - Close to Me
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls

Last one I had to cut: Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two

Didn't look at your list before posting, Moka. We share 2 huh.

10 from the top of my head

Artery - Into The Garden
Art of Noise - Close (To The Edit)
Associates - Party Fears Two
Chakra - Free
Freur - Doot Doot
MARRS - Pump Up The Volume
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Public Image Ltd - Pop Tones
Rhythim is Rhythim - Strings of Life
Robert Wyatt - At Last I Am Free

D'oh I overlooked Chaka Khan - Feel For You

that is one of the five I just thought of which I'd like to swap into my list, but best leave it.

The 90s was easy; the 80s...hoo boy. Lets see:

Pretenders - Tattooed Love Boys
Rickie Lee Jones - Living it Up
Nona Hendryx - Keep it Confidential
Cyndi Lauper - All Through the Night
Go-Go's - Head Over Heels
Tears For Fears - The Working Hour
Til Tuesday - Coming Up Close
Tommy Keene - Underworld
Prince - Electric Chair
Janet Jackson - Love Will Never Do (Without You)

xpost: Cool list! I mean 'The Message" is imho one of the most undeniable songs from the decade and it placed #10 for the 20th century and #2 for the 80's on that ILM poll (ILM POLLS THE 20TH CENTURY'S BEST TRACKS ››› YOUR RESULTS THREAD ‹‹‹), so I think most people around here have it in high regard.

For quite some time I'd have considered "A Forest" my #1 Cure song, but it's actually 'close to me' the one that I can't seem to get enough of nowadays.

Tom Tom Club and Pet Shop Boys songs from your list should be runner-ups for me too. Also King Sunny Ade! Great choice... I actually first heard him via 'Aura' - I know weird intro since most people get introduced to him via 'Juju Music' - and became obssesed with 'Ogunja' and 'Iro' so I'd probably consider one of those my favorite song of his, but if I were to vote in a poll I'd 100% use a vote for 'Ja Funmi'.

I just realized while taking a quick re-listen to "Iro" that Thom Yorke definitely stole the 'black swan' riff from it.

oh no wait I think it's "harrowdown hill" the one I'm thinking of... not sure but it's definitely reminding me of something off 'the eraser'.

The 90s was easy; the 80s...hoo boy.
― Les hommes de bonbons (cryptosicko),

wait 'til we get to the 70's

going chronologically, my list got filled up by 1982 just going with obvious choices


Talking Heads - Once In a Lifetime (1980)
The Cure - A Forest (1980)
Laurie Anderson - O Superman (1981)
Romeo Void - Never Say Never (1981)
New Order - Temptation (1982)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1982)
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock (1982)
Prince - 1999 (1982)
The Clash - Rock the Casbah (1982)
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message (1982)

early 80s except had to go to 84 to get When Doves Cry

Talking Heads – Crosseyed and Painless
Psychedelic Furs – Run and Run
Pretenders – Mystery Achievement
X – Some Other Time
Rickie Lee Jones – Living It Up
REM – Radio Free Europe
Prince – When Doves Cry
B-52s – Private Idaho
New Order - Temptation
Feelies – Moscow Nights

foreigner - waiting for a girl like you
madonna - into the groove
d-train - you’re the one for me
mr fingers - can you feel it
lou reed - the blue mask
mary jane girls - all night long
evelyn “champagne” king - love come down
daryl hall and john oates - i can’t go for that
miharu koshi - l’amour toujours
diana ross - it’s your move

1980-1983

1. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Refugee
2. Japan – Ghosts
3. ABC – The Look of Love
4. Prince – Little Red Corvette
5. New Order – Temptation
6. Roxy Music – Same Old Scene
7. Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin’ Something
8. Evelyn King – Love Come Down
9. Patrick Cowley ft. Sylvester – Do You Wanna Funk
10. A Flock of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)

Full list..

1. Shannon – Give Me Tonight
2. Madonna – Open Your Heart
3. Prince and the Revolution – I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
4. Def Leppard – Hysteria
5. Alexander O’Neal – Criticize
6. Noel – Silent Morning
7. Janet Jackson – The Pleasure Principle
8. Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock – It Takes Two
9. Stevie B – Spring Love (Come Back to Me)
10. New Order – The Perfect Kiss (Extended Remix)

Full list.

Tullio de Piscopo - Stop Bajon

this is such a jam. Don Cherry!

Glad to see "Love Come Down" being listed. Heard it all my life p much but just past couple years it really hit me how great it is.

I'll have to take a listen to the ones in brimstead's list I'm not familiar with (such as the Diana Ross) because the rest of the list is 🔥

ALL
THE WAY
DOWN

I think Dolly Parton could do a great cover of “it’s your move”.

Mekons — I Am Crazy
De La Soul — Eye Know
New Order — All Day Long
Anita Baker — Caught Up in the Rapture
Lucinda Williams — Side of the Road
Slick Rick — Children’s Story
Evelyn “Champagne” King — Love Come Down
The Chameleons — Soul in Isolation
Eric B. & Rakim — Follow the Leader
Bad Brains — Sailin’ On

and yet: Borderline

I think I might be the only one who prefers Barry Biggs version of Love Come Down.

this is such a jam. Don Cherry!

― brimstead

Barely missed my top 10. I should probably reconsider because it is indeed a jam.

Glad to see a track from Lucinda Williams. Her self-titled album is excellent.

I keep forgetting Mr. Fingers is from the 80’s, so ahead of its time.

now am thinking about the mid 80s and the late 80s

Oh always thought Barry Biggs version of Love Come Down was the original, not the Evelyn King one. Even though I do prefer the disco/reggae version by Biggs it’s a great song. Didn’t expect so much love for it over here.

Is everyone familiar with the Biggs version? If not please listen to it! It’s awesome too.

David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock
The Go-Go's - Vacation
Missing Persons - Destination Unknown
Prince - Little Red Corvette
Shannon - Let the Music Play
Madonna - Borderline
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force - I Wonder If I Take You Home
Sonic Youth - Starpower

1. Associates - Party Fears Two
2. The Blue Nile - The Downtown Lights
3. The B-52's Topaz
4. Cameo - Candy
5. Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
6. Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices
7. Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
8. Taana Gardner - Heartbeat
9. Grace Jones - Pull Up To The Bumper
10. Sylvester - Don't Stop

Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
The Go-Betweens - Cattle and Cane
Chris Knox - Not Given Lightly
Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance
Taana Gardner - Heartbeat
Mission of Burma - Academy Fight Song
Eric B & Rakim - Follow the Leader
The Cramps - Garbageman
Loose Joints - Tell You (Today)
Rammelzee & K-Rob - Beat Bop

Aerosmith - let the music do the talking
Aerosmith - angel
Aerosmith - love in an elevator
Aerosmith - rag doll
Aerosmith - jailbait
Aerosmith - my fist your face
Aerosmith - dude looks like a lady
Aerosmith - young lust
Aerosmith - bitch’s brew
Aerosmith - Joanie’s butterfly

foreigner - waiting for a girl like you
madonna - into the groove
d-train - you’re the one for me
mr fingers - can you feel it
lou reed - the blue mask
mary jane girls - all night long
evelyn “champagne” king - love come down
daryl hall and john oates - i can’t go for that
miharu koshi - l’amour toujours
diana ross - it’s your move

I’ll steal Alfred’s split again to put 10 more songs in:

1980-1983

1. Kraftwerk - Computer Love (1981)
2. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - The Message (1982)
3. Mariah - 心臓の扉 (Shinzo No Tobira) (1983)
4. Young Marble Giants - Final Day (1980)
5. Killing Joke - Change (1980)
6. Tullio De Piscopo - Stop Bajon (1983)
7. Taana Gardner - Heartbeat (1981)
8. Shriekback - My Spine is the Bassline (1982)
9. The Cramps - Garbageman (1980)
10. Blurt - The Fish Needs a Bike (1981)

1984-1989

1. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out of Touch (1984)
2. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (1985)
3. Arthur Russell - This Is How We Walk on the Moon (1984)
4. Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses (1988)
5. The Cure - Close to Me (1985)
6. Womack & Womack - Teardrops (1988)
7. A.R. Kane - Lollita (1987)
8. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Never Understand (1985)
9. Samantha Gilles - Let Me Feel It (1985)
10. Virgo - Take Me Higher (1989)

Man, streaming has really caused me to not get familiar with so much stuff I stumble upon. Have no memory of hearing that Biggs version of Love Come Down, yet it's already in my cover songs playlist.

Besides the 1st and last picks, Josefa's list is like omg sooooo 80s if u know what I mean. Love it.

Now you’ve piqued my interest and you need to share that covers playlist.

High five to everyone who has Taana Gardner’s Heartbeat on their lists. Such a smooth song and one of the greatest vocal hooks of all time. Also those synths and bass, sounds like the palette from which West Coast Hip Hop came from.

Do you live in Vice City?

Do you live in Vice City?
― calstars

Do you live in the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster®?

Covers play list is apple music tho
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/covers/pl.u-zPyL1DRFZBV0zJ

(Haven't tried to curate it. Just add songs as I hear em)

Abba - The Day Before You Came
Fun Fun - Baila Bolero
George Benson - Give Me the Night
Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm
Imagination - So Good So Right
Jamie Principle - Your Love
Lil Louis- French Kiss
Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
Sha-Lor- I'm In Love
Tullio de Piscopo - Stop Bajon (Primavera)

Honourable mentions
Joey Beltram - Energy Flash, Kate Bush - Cloudbusting, Madonna - Live to Tell, Pet Shop Boys - Love Comes Quickly, Prince - Mountains, New Order - Dream Attack, Genesis - That's All, Psyche - Elements, Tangerine Dream - Love on a Real Train

Covers play list is apple music tho
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/covers/pl.u-zPyL1DRFZBV0zJ

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger)

Seeing some great choices in there and several that I want to hear for the first time.

Note: “after midnight” is originally by JJ Cale so that one is not actually a cover.

Forgot:

Olivia Newton John - Magic

I was wondering about the Cale! I think maybe I added it cause I was more familiar with a cover version and wanted to listen to his original again. But now I can't remember who did the cover.

Eric Clapton did the most well-known version. Clapton also covered “Cocaine” by him. JJ Cale’s originals are way better imho, but Clapton’s are the more popular versions.

Simple Minds - I Travel
Mr. Flagio - Take A Chance
AR Kane - A Love From Outer Space
Cybotron - Clear
The Associates - Party Fears Two
Pet Shop Boys - Kings Cross
Kate Bush - Hello Earth
Prince - Purple Rain
Frankie Knuckles, Satoshi Tomiie, Robert Owens - Tears
Manuel Gottsching - E2-E4

I always thought E2E4 was late 70s, almost picked Sueno Latino tho

(and would've picked e2e4 had I realised, if that's not implicit)

Both superb, Heartbeats also excellent obv.

Overall this is a lot more interesting than I thought it would be tbh. My kneejerk reaction now is generally “80s? Heard it.” It’s very hard to pick the best though! So many classics, maybe more than any other decade in my book.

Tullio de Piscopo - Stop Bajon

this is such a jam. Don Cherry!

This is Don Cherry? Mind blown.

I don’t think I’ve seen any Tom Waits yet? He’s definitely one of the most beloved 80s artists in my social circle.

Not much industrial/EBM either I don’t think? I would definitely have to include either Skinny Puppy, Thrill Kill Kult, or Psychic TV. Or Ministry maybe? Their best stuff is probably from the 90s in the early NIN era.

Pet Shop Boys West End Girls (UK 1984)
JJ Fad Supersonic (USA 1988)
Accept Metal Heart (Germany 1985)
Mr. Fingers Can You Feel It? (USA 1986)
Slayer Angel Of Death (USA 1986)
Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (UK 1985)
Technotronic Pump Up The Jam (Belgium 1989)
New Order Blue Monday (UK 1983)
Sisters Of Mercy Marian (UK 1984)
Savage Only You (Italy 1984)
Golden Earring Twilight Zone (Netherlands 1982)
Sheila & B. Devotion Spacer (France/USA 1980)

There’s Running Up That Hill. I thought it might get passed over, seems like Cloudbusting is the consensus choice. Supersonic is a fine selection too.

Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng

Fuck guess I’ll have to do a proper list now.

(ok technically Supersonic is 1987 but it was a hit in 1988)

Not much industrial/EBM either I don’t think?

My pick for EBM from the 1980s = Front 242 Headhunter (Belgium 1988)

Absolutely! Also Nitzer Ebb - Join In The Chant. Kill Motherfucking Depeche Mode. Einstürzende Neubauten!


Now that I’ve watched Small Axe I’m considering changing my choice to Kunta Kinte by the Revolutionaries but when was it actually published? Apparently it was exclusively available on select dubplates for quite a while. Probably still in the 70s tho.

Looking at my list I'd swap Angel Of Death for Sepultura Inner Self (Brazil 1989)

Aretha Franklin - Get It Right

My top ten from the songs already mentioned in this thread:

Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
Womack & Womack - Teardrops
King Sunny Ade - Ja Funmi
Japan – Ghosts
Patrick Cowley ft. Sylvester – Do You Wanna Funk
Eric B. & Rakim — Follow the Leader
Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices
Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
George Benson - Give Me the Night
Aretha Franklin - Get It Right

Narrowly edged out following replays (ie. they're 9.5/10, not 10/10):
Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
Frankie Knuckles presents Satoshi Tomiie featuring Robert Owens - Tears
Rhythim is Rhythim - Strings of Life
Tullio De Piscopo - Stop Bajon (Primavera)

You could make a pretty smooth mixtape from all those songs except Sleng Teng and possibly Ja Funmi.

Sinead O’Connor - Troy

I don’t think it’s aged that badly.

Also Rockit deserves a mention.

I should look over that big 80s poll because randomly naming songs is just digging myself deeper into the hole.

Do you live in Vice City?
― calstars

Do you live in the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster®?

Ctrl-F: "I would die 4 u" --> zero results

What the hell, people?!

No results for "I would die 4 u"
Search instead for "I would die for you"

I don’t think I’ve seen any Tom Waits yet? He’s definitely one of the most beloved 80s artists in my social circle.

― recovering internet addict/shitposter (viborg)

I put “clap hands” in my runner-ups, I know it’s probably not the best pick for consensus - that would be “Jockey full of bourbon” I think? - used to listen to him fairly often when I was younger but it’s been years since I’m in mood for him… not sure what changed. I’d still consider “Rain Dogs” and specially “Swordfishtrombones” as two of the best albums of the 80’s.

I did expect more people to have mentioned him at this point, though.

There’s actually several artists important to the decade which I’m surprised noone has mentioned and which I thought were bigger on ILM: Duran Duran, Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Stone Roses, U2, Blondie…

Also The Smiths but I had a suspicion ILM has pretty much cancelled them by now…

Hall and Oates, "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)"
Laurie Anderson, "O Superman (For Massenet)"
Joe Jackson, "Steppin' Out"
Michael Jackson, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Chaka Khan, "I Feel For You"
Prince and the Revolution, "Pop Life"
Mr. Fingers, "Can You Feel It"
Peter Gabriel, "Sledgehammer"
Janet Jackson, "Escapade"
Soul II Soul, "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)"

Talking Heads – The Great Curve
Young Marble Giants – N.I.T.A.
Prince – Baby I’m a Star
Vangelis – Rachel’s Song (technically 90s release, but I’ll put it here)
The Cure – A Forest
Sonic Youth – Star Power
Eric B and Rakim – I Know You Got Soul
Womack & Womack – Baby I’m Scared of You
The Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
Ultramagnetic MC’s – Ego Trippin'

Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out is a great choice - for me, it has never stopped sounding magical.

I didn't know that Womack & Womack by name but now that I listen to it, okay it's THAT song. Nice pick.

Fugazi - Waiting Room
Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
The Cure - Close To Me (Paul Oakenfold mix)
Billy Squier - In The Dark
Wham! - Last Christmas
Altered Images - I Could Be Happy (Martin Rushent Remix)
Caribou - Pixies
Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
Gaffa - Attitude Dancing
Crowded House - Fall At Your Feet

But "Fall At Your Feet" is 1991?

I can't narrow it to ten without choosing some specific criteria, so I'm picking songs that commonly zap me back to the time and place I first knew them.

Cyndi Lauper - Girl Just Wanna Have Fun
Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald - On My Own
Van Halen - Jump
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Prince - Pop Life
Madonna - Into The Groove
U2 - With Or Without You
Beastie Boys - Paul Revere
Newcleus - Jam On It
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

JJ Fad Supersonic (USA 1988)

OMG, this is so good.

I always thought that was produced by Dr Dre but Wikipedia says Arabian Prince??

You can't imagine how big "Supersonic" was in South Florida.

Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
Dollar - Videotheque
The Go-Betweens - Bachelor Kisses
Prince - Controversy
Clio - Faces
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart)
The S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good to Me
The Chills - Pink Frost
Scritti Politti - Absolute

Grrr "Just Be Good to Me" isn't streaming. Almost no SOS Band songs are.

a few off the top of my head, mostly ilmcore stuff so nothing too exciting

kate bush - cloudbusting
psychedelic furs - the ghost in you
aztec camera - oblivious
talk talk - living in another world
the church - under the milky way
tom waits - downtown train
thomas dolby - one of our submarines
roxy music - avalon
dinosaur jr - raisans
iron maiden - the prisoner

Newcleus - Jam On It

nice. my neighbor was blasting that the other day.

You can't imagine how big "Supersonic" was in South Florida

And L'Trimm was the local Miami version of JJ Fad, although they were actually hitting at the same time iirc

art of noise beat box, paul hardcastle 19, herbie hancock rockit, konk your life, george kranz din daa daa, kraftwerk tour de france, laid back white horse, marrs pump up the volume, sigue sigue sputnik love missile f1 11, yello oh yeah!

I've narrowed it down to a top 75.

xpost

Downtown Train is my personal favorite Tom Waits song too.

xpost

re: Streaming SOS songs — their best song is up tho:

(Take Your Time)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d27679i-X4

I promise I will not post any more YT or other steaming links but it seems pertinent.

Keni Burke - Risin’ To The Top

The Cure - Happy the Man
Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out
Tears for Fears - Listen
Midnight Oil - Dreamworld
Pailhead - I Will Refuse
Prince - Pop Life
Slayer - Raining Blood
Misfits - Hybrid Moments
Jane's Addiction - Ted, Just Admit It...
Metallica - Orion

i have no idea how you folks can even make such a list.
every day my list would change.
every hour my list would change.
i mean today my list would be all about cabaret voltaire/shriekback/chakk etc
and yet tomorrow it could be all about madness/sigue sigue sputnik/run dmc/beastie boys

well, yeah?

That's the point

You can do one and come later and do a different top 10, that’s what some of us did in the 90’s thread. ;)

just post a new one every day

Definitely a good call on the Cab Vol! I would pick some obscure clubby club like Haiti.

yeah mark i just posted ten for the day or whatever, although “into the groove” would def make it anyday

10,000 Maniacs - "Trouble Me"
R.E.M. - "So. Central Rain"
Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car"
Shannon - "Let the Music Play"
New Order - "True Faith"
Prince - "I Would Die 4 U"
Psychic TV - "Orchids"
Kate Bush - "Hounds of Love"
Conway Twitty - "Slow Hand"
Firefly - "Love Is Gonna Be On Your Side"

i have no idea how you folks can even make such a list.
every day my list would change.
every hour my list would change.

Same. So right now it's:

Cocteau Twins - "Aikea Guinea"
ABBA - "The Winner Takes It All"
Eurythmics - "Here Comes The Rain Again"
Chaka Khan - "I Feel 4 U"
Visage - "Fade To Grey"
Pixies - "Debaser"
The Cure - "A Strange Day"
The Chameleons - "Second Skin"
Pet Shop Boys - "Rent"
George Michael - "One More Try"

the problem i have is that every single list posted has an entry that i am 'ooh yeah, that's totally top 10'

Gun Club - Texas Serenade
Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait
Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun
Galaxie 500 - Tugboat
Fugazi - Waiting Room
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Sad Waters
Richard & Linda Thompson - Wall of Death
New Order - Age of Consent
Mekons - Last Dance
Feelies - Slipping (Into Something)

yeah ok, not every list.

(joke)

have an ongoing obsession with Pop Year 1989 so tried to do one for that year - was the year I really started caring about music

new order - round and round (has to be the 12" extended mix tho)
the blue nile - let's go out tonight
ac marias - one of our girls has gone missing
public enemy - fight the power
julee cruise - falling
Kate bush - the sensual world
808 state - pacific state
janet jackson - miss you much
public image - disappointed
the cure - 2 late

and that's regretfully leaving out madonna, beastie boys and godflesh. it was a good year!

I did a 1989 mix recently, it was a commission for a birthday, and a lot more mainstream / upbeat than I usually do, may be of interest to you emsworth as it has a few from your list. TBH the process taught me that the late 80s is a bit of a blind spot for me.

would be keen to see that mix!

OK, I got it:

Save It for Later - English Beat
Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
Modern Love - David Bowie
Don't Change - INXS
Tuff Gnarl - Sonic Youth
Everybody Wants to Rule The World - Tears for Fears
Dolce Vita - Ryan Paris
White Lines (Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Melle Mel
Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean
Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads

i have no idea how you folks can even make such a list.

My top 10 was made up from these lists I spent years slowly adding to until they were 100 tracks full (but then I kept replacing a few things in them after that...) but I tried to base the ordering on track by track flow (not just by sound, style or rhythm but also thematic or just titular connections) to incentivise others listening more and 'Favourites' can mean just 'first heard it only this decade but had enough instant impact' in some cases...

100 Favourite Instrumentals 1980-1989 (allowing some tracks with only sampled speech ('Dead Eyes Opened') minimal vocal contributions only ('Your Love') or barely discernible background chatter (as on the Balearic monster 'Pili Pili')

100 Favourite Hits 1980-1989 (singles that peaked within the UK Top 75 but only six of these didn't make the Top 40 and five are also instrumentals)

100 Favourite Non-Hit Singles 1980-1989 (singles that peaked no higher than 41 in the UK chart)

100 Favourite Non-Singles 1980-1989 (album tracks mostly but really anything that wasn't an 'A-side' and a few that were singles in the US (or elsewhere) but didn't get an official release in the UK from what I can tell on Discogs)

Disclaimer: not all genres represented equally and indeed some not at all

"2 late" is so good. (x-post)

A list which is based on 50% contrarianism, 40% tokenism, and 20% I don’t fucking know. In no particular order:

- Bauhaus - Third Uncle
- Gil Scott-Heron - Willing
- Jungle Brothers - The Promo
- Kraftwerk - Numbers
- Raze - Break 4 Love
- The Police - Voices Inside My Head
- Aretha Franklin - Get It Right
- Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
- Peech Boys - Don’t Make Me Wait
- Thrill Kill Kult - The Devil Does Drugs
Or
- Ministry - Golden Dawn

I was really never a satanist but apparently teenage me had a little fixation with pseudo-satanic industrial music. Could be the water down south idk.

Oh shit no Kate Bush. Let’s just agree she was implied as my inspiration.

retracting my list because i forgot prefab sprout - cars and girls

2nd of 3 lists, 1983-1986

New Order - Your Silent Face (1983)
Hüsker Dü - Diane (1983)
Minor Threat - Out of Step (1983)
Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)
Van Halen - Jump (1984)
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In the Dark (1984)
Replacements - I Will Dare (1984)
Hüsker Dü - Eight Miles High (1984)
Pretenders - Back On the Chain Gang (1985)
Public Image Ltd. - Rise (1986)
Run DMC - Walk This Way (1986)

1. Slick Rick - Children's Story (1989)
2. Lyndsey Buckingham - Holiday Road (1983)

Respectfully, that Pretenders song is from 1982

yes, sorry. billie jean it turns out is from 1983 so I can switch them in my lists.

another 1982 song I really liked was (I Saw You) Shine by Flipper, who gave a powerful live performance of it

Flipper were great, they had the ‘90s aesthetic about 10 years ahead of time

my experience was that they had complete control over their audience

the lights have all gone out

fuck man idk here's some faves

Daniel Johnston - Brainwash
Foetus - Gums Bleed
Jazz Butcher - Rain
Shriekback - Everything That Rises Must Converge
Bongwater - Too Much Sleep
The Ex - Bouquet For Barbed Wire
Moet The Poet - (untitled)
Camper Van Beethoven - Sweethearts
David Bowie - Up The Hill Backwards
Crass - Where Next Columbus

Another top 10:

The Stone Roses Fools Gold (12" Version) (UK 1989)
NWA Fuck Tha Police (USA 1988)
Sueño LatinoSueño Latino (The Paradise Version) (Italy 1989)
The Nits In The Dutch Mountains (Netherlands 1987)
Metallica For Whom The Bell Tolls (USA 1984)
Peter Schilling Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst) (Germany 1982)
Don Henley Boys Of Summer (USA 1984)
Killing Joke Love Like Blood (UK 1985)
Sandra Maria Magdalena (France/Germany 1985)
The Scorpions Rock You Like A Hurricane (Germany 1984)
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Summertime (USA 1989)

Actual top ten, excluding anything already mentioned:

C-Bank - One More Shot
Joe Smooth - Promised Land
Lisa - Rocket To Your Heart (original mix)
Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards
Orange Juice - Poor Old Soul
Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush - Don't Give Up
Sharon Redd - In The Name Of Love
Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance
Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods (single version)
Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica

"Summertime" came out in 1991

Marshall Crenshaw - you’re my favorite waste of time
XTC - mermaid smiles
Phil collins - inside out
Van halen- little guitars
Pointer sisters - he’s so shy
Prince - take me with u
Madonna - live to tell
Kim carnes - Bette Davis eyes
Foreigner - I want to know what love is
Philip Bailey - easy lover
Marvin Gaye - my love is waiting

"Take Me With U" was narrowly eliminated from my 10 - it's been my favourite 80s Prince track for a while.

I love the build up in the beginning and the acoustic guitar release

"Summertime" came out in 1991
oh yeah, then:
Tone Loc Funky Cold Medina (USA 1989)

'you're sheer perfection'
'thank you'

In solidarity with All Sheenas Of The World, I've cancelled "Funky Cold Medina".

Great selections on yours there.

"Take Me With U" was narrowly eliminated from my 10 - it's been my favourite 80s Prince track for a while.

Don’t Give Up almost made my top ten. It is a definite classic but partly it was attractive as a way to knock out two of the preeminent artists of the decade. Given more space I’d probably pick Mercy Street and Breathing for the individual artists (excluding Kate songs that have already been selected).

And now I have realized that Erotic City is objectively superior to Break 4 Love so I would like to amend my selections to reflect that substitution.

I should give Take Me With U another listen.

OK this is even more impossible than the 90s, so I only went with tracks that hadn't been named yet and am still quite happy with this

Prince – Uptown
Pixies – Here Comes Your Man
Emmylou Harris – Jordan
The Replacements – Alex Chilton
U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder – Together in Electric Dreams
Madonna – Like a Prayer
The Smiths – This Charming Man

All for the Best - Miracle Legion
Just Like Honey - Jesus and Mary Chain
We're Here - Meat Puppets
Beaten & Broken - Mekons
If I Should Fall From Grace with God - The Pogues
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man - Prince
Bonzo Goes to Bitburg - Ramones
Sound of the Rain - Rank and File
Favorite Thing - The Replacements
It's Who You Know - X

Shit, how could I have possibly forgotten "Together in Electric Dreams" - that would be in my all time top 10, as I have a very powerful emotional connection to it.

Shit, how could I have possibly forgotten "Together in Electric Dreams" - that would be in my all time top 10, as I have a very powerful emotional connection to it.

― mike t-diva

X2

a new day, a new list from bands not mentioned above

Dream Syndicate – That’s What You Always Say
Jason & the Scorchers – Absolutely Sweet Marie
Black Uhuru – Youth of Eglington
Gregory Issacs – Night Nurse
Pylon - Beep
Hoodoo Gurus – Bittersweet
dB’s – Black and White
Lloyd Cole – Perfect Skin
Violent Femmes – Add It Up
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
Joan Jett – Crimson and Clover

10 more, not yet mentioned:

Going Back to Cali - LL Cool J
Touch of Grey - Grateful Dead
Word Up - Cameo
Hurts So Good - John Cougar Mellencamp
Graceland - Paul Simon
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues (feat. Kirsty MacColl)
Don Quichotte No Estan Aqui - Magazine 60
Viva Las Vegas - Dead Kennedys
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Master of Puppets - Metallica

Well I found this impossible. My faves are very front-loaded early/mid-80s. MAYBE I could do a top 10 for 1984 alone. Or a top ten of songs not already mentioned. But here goes:

1980-1982

Tom Petty, Refugee
Blondie, Call Me
The Police, Don't Stand So Close to Me
Hall & Oates, Private Eyes
REM, Gardening at Night
Prince, 1999
Marvin Gaye, Sexual Healing
Pretenders, Back on the Chain Gang
Duran Duran, Rio
Peter Gabriel, I Have the Touch

honorable mentions to:
Phil Collins, I Missed Again
Stevie Nicks, Edge of Seventeen

1983-1984:

Eurythmics, Here Comes the Rain Again
Howard Jones, New Song
Madonna, Borderline
Culture Club, Karma Chameleon
David Bowie, Let's Dance
Naked Eyes, Promises Promises
Go-Go's, Head Over Heels
Psychedelic Furs, The Ghost in You
Cyndi Lauper, All Through the Night
Cars, Drive

honorable mentions to:

Nena, 99 Luftballons
Elvis Costello, Everyday I Write the Book
Rick Springfield, Love Somebody
Pat Benatar, We Belong
U2, Pride

1985-1989:

Paul Young, Every Time You Go Away
Talking Heads, And She Was
The Cure, Close to Me
Crowded House, Something So Strong
INXS, Need You Tonight
Bangles, Hazy Shade of Winter
Bruce Springsteen, One Step Up
Lightning Seeds, Pure

These two get sufficient praise as it is but I will mention them anyway:
Tears for Fears, Everybody
Simple Minds, Don't You

Rules are rules, people.

And yet the very first post breaks them by including "runner-ups because this is too hard."

Doing one alternate list:

Yoko Ono - Walking on Thin Ice (1981 re-edit)
ESG - Dance
Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
Wipers - The Lonely One
Husker Du - Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
Pylon - Crazy
Volcano Suns - Balancing Act
The Clean - Getting Older
EPMD - So Watcha Sayin'

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
Bananarama - Cruel Summer
Prince - When Doves Cry
Berlin - Take My Breath Away
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Never Understand
Echo and The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
Pat Benatar - Love Is A Battlefield
Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill
The Go-Go's - Vacation

I did a 1989 mix recently, it was a commission for a birthday, and a lot more mainstream / upbeat than I usually do, may be of interest to you emsworth as it has a few from your list. TBH the process taught me that the late 80s is a bit of a blind spot for me.

― edited to reflect developments which occurred (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, September 23, 2021 9:52 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

would be keen to see that mix!

― lemmy incaution (emsworth), Thursday, September 23, 2021 10:10 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Here it is

https://www.mixcloud.com/centuries_of_sound/1989-for-skye/

Posting the tracklist as mixcloud hides it -

0:00:00 The Cure - Lullaby
0:04:09 Orbital - Chime
0:07:04 Black Box - Ride on Time
0:10:19 Young MC - Know How
0:13:58 Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation / TV (Interlude)
0:20:31 Pixies - Hey
0:23:58 Glen Velez - Wren Chant
0:25:38 Nirvana - Love Buzz
0:29:10 The Stone Roses - Waterfall
0:33:40 Happy Mondays - Hallelujah (Club Mix)
0:40:00 Madonna - Like a Prayer (12" Remix)
0:46:53 Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
0:51:28 Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
0:56:26 New Order - Fine Time (Silk Mix)
0:59:56 808 State - Pacific State (Original)
1:02:54 Electronic - Getting Away with It
1:06:59 De La Soul - Me Myself and I
1:10:36 Prince - Batdance
1:16:49 Swing Out Sister - You On My Mind
1:20:13 The Wedding Present - Kennedy
1:24:29 Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me?)
1:28:04 Dusty Springfield - Nothing Has Been Proved
1:33:43 Fugazi - Waiting Room
1:36:33 The Cure - Lovesong
1:39:53 Rob 'N' Raz Featuring Leila K - Got To Get
1:43:09 Rhythim is Rhythim - The Dance
1:45:34 The Sundays - Can't Be Sure

i am very indecisive.
think i'm going to wait another 10y.

dr mabuse - propaganda
sensoria - cabaret voltaire
my spine - shriekback
my girl - madness
master & servant (on-u remix) - depeche mode
two tribes - frankie goes to hollywood
the only good christian is a dead christian - scraping foetus off the wheel
dont get mad get even - age of chance
living on the ceiling - blancmange
one of our submarines is missing - thomas dolby

Oh FFS, Young MC “Know How”, another total classic that I forgot about. My last set before lockdown, it rammed my floor. Teenagers shook my hand for playing it!

nice

Here it is

― edited to reflect developments which occurred (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 25 September 2021 5:53 AM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Thanks! Great mix, some tracks I don't know - looking forward to throwing it on later. How did I forget the Pixies?

Also - mind blown to find that Getting Away With It came out in the same year as Technique. God, Bernard Sumner was at the absolute top of his game then.

Would now like to submit a best of the 80s list that is just Moments in Love played 10 times in succession

Ignoring post-punk & disco and sticking with the hits that scream "80s" to me that I sincerely enjoy:

Dazz Band – Let It Whip
The Gap Band – You Dropped A Bomb On Me
Shannon – Let the Music Play
Yes – Owner of a Lonely Heart
A Flock of Seagulls – I Ran (So Far Away)
Don Henley – The Boys of Summer
Icehouse – Electric Blue
38 Special – Caught Up In You
The Cars – Drive
New Order – Blue Monday

honorable mention: ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man

Even choosing 10 #1 billboard hits from 80-89 is hard:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_the_1980s

1. H&O - Out of Touch
2. Olivia Newton John - Physical
3. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
4 Tears for Fears - everybody wants to rule the world
5 Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
6 Prince - Kiss
7 Blondie - Rapture
8 INXS - need you tonight
9 Bananarama - venus
10 Human League - Don't you want me

Gardening At Night is maybe my favorite REM song, maybe because it was first

Oh, human league

out of touch is such a monster, love it

It’s one of the most perfect pop songs of all time.

Bummed I forgot Lone Justice's "Ways to Be Wicked."

no idea what a full list would look like for me, but it would definitely have:

kate bush - 'running up that hill'
the cure - 'a forest'
public enemy - 'fight the power'
eric b. + rakim - 'eric b. is president'

otherwise, no idea where to even begin. i'm equally as likely to say something like "nerve pylon" by the lines as i am to say "out of touch." really just no clue how to even begin to narrow it down.

Let’s get some Mexican songs in here:

80’s Mexico top 10

Casino Shanghai - Cuerpos Huecos
Caifanes - Viento
Flans - Las Mil y Una Noches
Menudo - Claridad
Emmanuel - La ultima luna
Rocio Durcal & Juan Gabriel - Dejame Vivir
Tropicalisimo Apache - Ojitos Mentirosos
Los Tigres del Norte - la puerta negra
Yuri - Osito Panda de Chapultepec
Daniela Romo - mentiras

Without watching other people's lists

Jali Musa Jawara - Yekeke
Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
Fingers Inc. - Can You Feel It
Taana Gardner - Heartbeat
Samba Mapalanga - Malako
The Smith - There is a light that never goes out
The Sound - I Can't Escape Myself
David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
Loose Joints - Is it all over my face (female version)
Meredith Monk - Biography

And because I find it even more impossible than the 70s, honorable mentions aka second list:

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cannons
Throwing Muses - Hate My Way
Gregory Isaacs - Report to Me
The Dicks - Hate the Police
Wipers - No Fair
Steve McQueen - Appetite
Universal Two - Dancing Heart
Japan - My new career
The Chameleons - Second Skin
Thione Seck - Bamba

(Prefab Sprout obviously)

Is this nabisco? I’m out of the loop sorry.

It’s a great list. If I was being honest about my favorites I would have included the Naive Melody too.

Yekeke sounds like it has similar vocals to Mory Kante’s Yeke Yeke, I wonder if there’s a connection?

No I'm just myself :P Yeah there's a connection, they're maternal half-brothers :D

I should have included a Rail Band song in the 70s thread... Mansa probably, or Kaira.

Mansa sounds like a dembow beat at points. But those vocals, wow!

Exactly 10 songs:

Beastie Boys "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun"
Black Sabbath "Neon Knights"
Bruce Springsteen "Tunnel of Love"
Dinosaur Jr "Raisans"
Funky 4 + 1 "That's The Joint"
Hall & Oates "Say It Isn't So"
Jungle Brothers "I'll House You"
Metallica "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
Michael Jackson "Human Nature"
My Bloody Valentine "Drive It All Over Me"
Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance”
Nu Shooz "I Can't Wait"
Patrice Rushen "Forget Me Nots"
Prince "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
Psychedelic Furs "Love My Way"
T'Pau "Heart and Soul"
Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants to Rule The World"
Til Tuesday "Voices Carry"
Tracy Ullman "They Don't Know"
Van Halen "Unchained"

Mansa sounds like a dembow beat at points. But those vocals, wow!
― recovering internet addict/shitposter (viborg), Sunday, October 10, 2021 10:03 PM (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Sorry, I just realized you probably went on Spotify and listened to the first one listed. You need to listen to the 12-minute original version (on the Belle Époque comps). It's a slow burner that builds patiently and eventually releases a pure energy flow of scorching trumpet, djembe, bass, and guitar.

Umbababrumba - Jorge Ben
New Sensations - Lou Reed
The Hawk (El Galvian) - Marianne Faithfull / Mark Isham
Your Secret's Safe With Me - Michael Franks
Kid Fears - Indigo Girls
Obsession - Animotion
A Solid Bond in Your Heart - The Style Council
Welcome to the Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Cracking - Suzanne Vega
Faded Flowers - Shriekback

Umbabarauma is a 70’s song.

“Decade of impact” rule?

Les Rita Mitsouko - C'est comme ça (1986)
should be on my list

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGZRVGlGZ6A

Heard Cube - Concert Boy on a dj set and what an underrated gem of a track.

Dj also dropped Whodini - freaks come out at night and the crowd really vibed to both.

Rest of the set was more modern and I didn’t identify most of it but she did a stellar job. Been a while since I loved a live dj set as much.

I guess she was mixing with other tracks because the Whodini track sounded remixed with something else but it sounded amazing.

I'll take a crack:

Japan - Ghosts
Sonic Youth - Shadow of a Doubt
Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
Throwing Muses - Hate My Way
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
M/A/R/R/S - Pump up the Volume
Laurie Anderson - O Superman
Janet Jackson - Control

This list is nearly impossible for me, but it occurred to me today that I'd be tempted to put "Overkill" by Men At Work on it.

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" just squeaks in as an 80s song.

Arguably it's not even the best Joy Division song, let alone one of the best songs of the decade.

I'd go for Blue Monday over LWTUA.

Realised my list didn't have room for Into the Groove. Or anything off Graceland. This is too hard!

Arguably, sure. I'd argue the opposite. No objection to "Blue Monday," I'd probably put it on the list as well.

NME has "Blue Monday" at 1 and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" at 2.

“Overkill” slays

xps

Xp I can see an argument for Joy Division being more important as a '70s band and New Order as an '80s band. Transmission (which is vastly superior to Love Will Tear us Apart imo) would have to rank among the top songs of the '70s.

IMHO, their combined influence on music, both in the 80s and after, cannot be overstated. It's difficult for me to think of Joy Division as a 70s band, since they had as big a hand as anyone at defining the sound of the 80s.

"Transmission" is a banger, to be sure.

Yeah, good point. I guess the same could be said about Wire, who released their trio of best records in the '70s but were so far ahead of the curve they now read more as an '80s band.

Lol never heard Transmission described as banger before but you're not wrong!

I saw Peter Hook play it back in August and it still fucking rocks.

One from each year that I only heard for the first time at some point over the last ten years

Paul McCartney - Waterfalls
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Into The Light
Antena - Camino Del Sol
Kissing The Pink - Desert Song
Virna Lindt - Underwater Boy
Rare Silk - Storm
Scribble - Lowdown
Geoffrey Landers - Say You'll Say So
Thomas Dolby - Budapest By Blimp
The Durutti Column - Love No More

Here’s a quick try (without thinking very hard):

George Michael - Father Figure
Madonna - Into the Groove
Prince - When You Were Mine
Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
Haircut 100 - Love Plus One
Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
Miaow - When It All Comes Down
Black Flag - TV Party
Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistible
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days

(first wag who posts “Should’ve thought harder” gets FP’d)

I’ve never been so happy with my choices (from Sept 2021) as from any other poll

Never thought I'd see Black Flag and Robert Palmer together on a list!

The first time I heard Addicted to Love was the Ciccone Youth cover. I thought it was pretty bad until I heard the original.

They should've covered Simply Irresistible.

Which track appears here the most? “Once in a Lifetime”? (Looks like Prince gets severely vote-split…)

Perhaps. Or Cloudbusting.