The 80's heralded a new wave of music unheard of before. As the blues notes of their predecessors faded, the new generation at that time adopted styles that were very different from what people were used to.
Boy, this is a tough list! The 80s saw the rise of the king and queen of pop, as well as a plethora of other bands who carried the mantle of heavy metal forward. There was no dearth of class acts in the 80s alright.
The 80s saw a lot of gifted musicians who came up with their best music. A purple patch indeed for musicians and a treat for music lovers!
As both, the proponents of rock and pop thrived in that particular decade, there should be separate lists for the 80s best rock songs and the 80s best pop songs.
Add to that the flavor of love that too ran amok in the decade, which basically adds a third list here. So brace yourselves! Here are 15 songs of the 80s per list in no particular order.
Best Rock Songs
♦ Pour Some Sugar On Me ~ Def Leppard ♦ Welcome to the Jungle ~ Guns N' Roses ♦ The Final Countdown ~ Europe ♦ Holy Wars ~ Megadeth ♦ Born in the USA ~ Bruce Springsteen ♦ Summer of '69 ~ Bryan Adams ♦ Money for Nothing ~ Dire Straits
♦ Janie's Got a Gun ~ Aerosmith ♦ Back in Black ~ AC/DC ♦ Run to You ~ Bryan Adams ♦ The Number of the Beast ~ Iron Maiden ♦ Hallowed Be Thy Name ~ Iron Maiden ♦ The Eye of the Tiger ~ Survivor ♦ One ~ Metallica ♦ Battery ~ Metallica
Best Love Songs
♦ Livin' On a Prayer ~ Bon Jovi ♦ Sweet Child O' Mine ~ Guns N' Roses ♦ Carrie ~ Europe ♦ With or Without You ~ U2 ♦ Under Pressure ~ Queen and David Bowie ♦ Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go ~ Wham! ♦ Every Breath You Take ~ The Police
♦ Careless Whisper ~ George Michael ♦ Endless Love ~ Diana Ross and Lionel Richie ♦ Saving All My Love For You ~ Whitney Houston ♦ I Just Called to Say I Love You ~ Stevie Wonder ♦ Heaven ~ Bryan Adams ♦ Against All Odds ~ Phil Collins ♦ Hello ~ Lionel Richie ♦ I Want to Know What Love Is ~ Foreigner
Best Pop Songs
♦ Billie Jean ~ Michael Jackson ♦ Like a Virgin ~ Madonna ♦ Beat It ~ Michael Jackson ♦ Take on Me ~ A-ha ♦ Thriller ~ Michael Jackson ♦ Walk of Life ~ Dire Straits ♦ Everybody Wants To Rule the World ~ Tears for Fears
♦ Material Girl ~ Madonna ♦ Nasty ~ Janet Jackson ♦ Time After Time ~ Cyndi Lauper ♦ Papa Don't Preach ~ Madonna ♦ La Isla Bonita ~ Madonna ♦ Bad ~ Michael Jackson ♦ So Emotional ~ Whitney Houston ♦ Total Eclipse of the Heart ~ Bonnie Tyler
The 80s was indeed a golden generation in music and these songs are the ones which will definitely take you back to that decade.