In 1980 I was six years old and living in the small town of Stratford, Ontario. All I could remember about that place when it comes to music, where I lived between the ages of five and seven, was hearing the radio in the morning in the kitchen. My appreciation for 1980s music, like all the years before it, came later. It was two or three years later where I started appreciating the music as it came out.
This was the big AC/DC year – Back In Black. And Another One Bites the Dust (any of you still think of the Junkyard Dog from the old WWF (now called WWE?).
As with the late 70s, there were a lot of hit songs that are the polar opposite of “timeless”. Over the years they have become so shitty that I am honestly speechless when trying to figure out or justify how they became hits to begin with. Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division was a Top 10 song of the entire year – why? Judas Priest has a terrible, amateur voice – how did they ever get signed? Kurtis Blow was a rap god and a true innovator…but how did The Breaks ever get any traction?
Unlike most rankings, I won’t be simply tossing these up in a numerical order. Because I know better than anybody that on some days, some songs kick more ass than other songs. A song that is ranked 14th today could very well rank 1st tomorrow, if it suddenly comes on the radio during the perfect moment. So I’ll group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
The full list of songs is listed at the bottom, but here are videos of the top ones…
13 Great Songs from 1980
This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide – The Kings
An underrated song that grew on me. I went from switching the station on the car radio when this came on…to turning the volume up when this came on. It took a few years but I really grew to appreciate this song, and the way the two songs blend together.
The Rose – Bette Midler
Woman – John Lennon
You May Be Right – Billy Joel
Any Way You Want It – Journey
Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
Don’t Stand So Close To Me – The Police
Hell’s Bells – AC/DC
Hungry Heart – Bruce Springsteen
I Love A Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbitt
I’m Alright – Kenny Loggins
Misunderstanding – Genesis
Driving My Life Away – Eddie Rabbitt
10 Truly Awesome Songs from 1980
Seven Bridges Road – Eagles
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me – Billy Joel
Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
Back In Black – AC/DC
Super Trouper – ABBA
The Tide Is High – Blondie
Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon
Redemption Song – Bob Marley
Rock N’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution – AC/DC
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
I have these great 1980 songs on a YouTube playlist right here
Here is the full list of songs I enjoy from 1980…
| Awesome – 1 | Keep On Loving You | – | REO Speedwagon |
| Awesome – 1 | Redemption Song | – | Bob Marley |
| Awesome – 1 | Rock N’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution | – | AC/DC |
| Awesome – 1 | You Shook Me All Night Long | – | AC/DC |
| Awesome – 5 | Back In Black | – | AC/DC |
| Awesome – 5 | Super Trouper | – | ABBA |
| Awesome – 5 | The Tide Is High | – | Blondie |
| Awesome – 5 | Another One Bites The Dust | – | Queen |
| Awesome – 5 | It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me | – | Billy Joel |
| Awesome – 5 | Seven Bridges Road | – | Eagles |
| Great – 11 | Woman | – | John Lennon |
| Great – 11 | You May Be Right | – | Billy Joel |
| Great – 11 | I’m Alright | – | Kenny Loggins |
| Great – 11 | Misunderstanding | – | Genesis |
| Great – 11 | This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide | – | The Kings |
| Great – 16 | Any Way You Want It | – | Journey |
| Great – 16 | Crazy Train | – | Ozzy Osbourne |
| Great – 16 | Don’t Stand So Close To Me | – | The Police |
| Great – 16 | Hell’s Bells | – | AC/DC |
| Great – 16 | Hungry Heart | – | Bruce Springsteen |
| Great – 16 | I Love A Rainy Night | – | Eddie Rabbitt |
| Great – 16 | The Rose | – | Bette Midler |
| Great – 16 | Driving My Life Away | – | Eddie Rabbitt |
| Solid – 24 | Spirit of the Radio | – | Rush |
| Solid – 24 | Don’t Ask Me Why | – | Billy Joel |
| Solid – 24 | (Just Like) Starting Over | – | John Lennon |
| Solid – 24 | All Out Of Love | – | Air Supply |
| Solid – 24 | Brass In Pocket | – | Pretenders |
| Solid – 24 | Dancing With Myself | – | Billy Idol |
| Solid – 24 | De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da | – | The Police |
| Solid – 24 | Echo Beach | – | Martha and the Muffins |
| Solid – 24 | Let My Love Open The Door | – | Pete Townshend |
| Solid – 24 | What I Like About You | – | The Romantics |
| Solid – 24 | Love Stinks | – | J. Geils Band |
| Solid – 35 | Play The Game | – | Queen |
| Solid – 35 | 9 to 5 | – | Dolly Parton |
| Solid – 35 | Call Me | – | Blondie |
| Solid – 35 | Cheap Sunglasses | – | ZZ Top |
| Solid – 35 | Could You Be Loved | – | Bob Marley |
| Solid – 35 | Games Without Frontiers | – | Peter Gabriel |
| Solid – 35 | Have a Drink on Me | – | AC/DC |
| Solid – 35 | Hit Me With Your Best Shot | – | Pat Benatar |
| Solid – 35 | Kiss On My List | – | Hall & Oates |
| Solid – 35 | Morning Train (Nine To Five) | – | Sheena Easton |
| Solid – 35 | We Got The Beat | – | The Go-Gos |
| Solid – 35 | She’s So Cold | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Solid – 35 | Late In the Evening | – | Paul Simon |
| Solid – 35 | Watching The Wheels | – | John Lennon |
| Not Bad – 49 | Upside Down | – | Diana Ross |
| Not Bad – 49 | Ashes To Ashes | – | David Bowie |
| Not Bad – 49 | Against The Wind | – | Bob Seger |
| Not Bad – 49 | Ah! Leah! | – | Donnie Iris |
| Not Bad – 49 | Cadillac Ranch | – | Bruce Springsteen |
| Not Bad – 49 | Emotional Rescue | – | The Rolling Stones |
| Not Bad – 49 | Funkytown | – | Lipps, Inc. |
| Not Bad – 49 | He’s So Shy | – | The Pointer Sisters |
| Not Bad – 49 | I Will Follow | – | U2 |
| Not Bad – 49 | Magic | – | Olivia Newton |
| Not Bad – 49 | On the Road Again | – | Willie Nelson |
| Not Bad – 60 | Lost in Love | – | Air Supply |
| Not Bad – 60 | Mirror in the Bathroom | – | The English Beat |
| Not Bad – 60 | Turn It On Again | – | Genesis |
| Not Bad – 60 | Turn Me Loose | – | Loverboy |
| Not Bad – 60 | Turning Japanese | – | The Vapors |
| Not Bad – 60 | Whip It | – | Devo |
| Not Bad – 60 | Hey Nineteen | – | Steely Dan |
| Not Bad – 60 | Once In a Lifetime | – | Talking Heads |
| Not Bad – 60 | Fame | – | Irene Cara |
| Not Bad – 60 | I’m Coming Out | – | Diana Ross |
| Not Bad – 60 | Just the Two of Us | – | Bill Withers |
| Not Bad – 60 | Vienna | – | Ultravox |
| Not Bad – 60 | The Winner Takes It All | – | ABBA |
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