My favorite songs of 1980

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…

14 Great Songs from 1980

Wasn’t That A Party – The Irish Rovers

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

 

You can also get my playlists on Spotify…

 

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
Great – 16	Wasn’t That A Party	–	The Irish Rovers
Solid – 25	Spirit of the Radio	–	Rush
Solid – 25	Don’t Ask Me Why	–	Billy Joel
Solid – 25	(Just Like) Starting Over	–	John Lennon
Solid – 25	All Out Of Love	–	Air Supply
Solid – 25	Brass In Pocket	–	Pretenders
Solid – 25	Dancing With Myself	–	Billy Idol
Solid – 25	De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da	–	The Police
Solid – 25	Echo Beach	–	Martha and the Muffins
Solid – 25	Let My Love Open The Door	–	Pete Townshend
Solid – 25	What I Like About You	–	The Romantics
Solid – 25	Love Stinks	–	J. Geils Band
Solid – 25	Crying	–	Don McLean
Solid – 37	Play The Game	–	Queen
Solid – 37	9 to 5	–	Dolly Parton
Solid – 37	Call Me	–	Blondie
Solid – 37	Cheap Sunglasses	–	ZZ Top
Solid – 37	Could You Be Loved	–	Bob Marley
Solid – 37	Games Without Frontiers	–	Peter Gabriel
Solid – 37	Have a Drink on Me	–	AC/DC
Solid – 37	Hit Me With Your Best Shot	–	Pat Benatar
Solid – 37	Kiss On My List	–	Hall & Oates
Solid – 37	Morning Train (Nine To Five)	–	Sheena Easton
Solid – 37	We Got The Beat	–	The Go-Gos
Solid – 37	She’s So Cold	–	The Rolling Stones
Solid – 37	Late In the Evening	–	Paul Simon
Solid – 37	Watching The Wheels	–	John Lennon
Not Bad – 51	Upside Down	–	Diana Ross
Not Bad – 51	Ashes To Ashes	–	David Bowie
Not Bad – 51	Against The Wind	–	Bob Seger
Not Bad – 51	Ah! Leah!	–	Donnie Iris
Not Bad – 51	Cadillac Ranch	–	Bruce Springsteen
Not Bad – 51	Emotional Rescue	–	The Rolling Stones
Not Bad – 51	Funkytown	–	Lipps, Inc.
Not Bad – 51	He’s So Shy	–	The Pointer Sisters
Not Bad – 51	I Will Follow	–	U2
Not Bad – 51	Magic	–	Olivia Newton
Not Bad – 51	On the Road Again	–	Willie Nelson
Not Bad – 62	Lost in Love	–	Air Supply
Not Bad – 62	Mirror in the Bathroom	–	The English Beat
Not Bad – 62	Turn It On Again	–	Genesis
Not Bad – 62	Turn Me Loose	–	Loverboy
Not Bad – 62	Turning Japanese	–	The Vapors
Not Bad – 62	Whip It	–	Devo
Not Bad – 62	Hey Nineteen	–	Steely Dan
Not Bad – 62	Once In a Lifetime	–	Talking Heads
Not Bad – 62	Fame	–	Irene Cara
Not Bad – 62	I’m Coming Out	–	Diana Ross
Not Bad – 62	Just the Two of Us	–	Bill Withers
Not Bad – 62	Vienna	–	Ultravox
Not Bad – 62	The Winner Takes It All	–	ABBA

1980  1981  1982  1983  1984  1985  1986  1987  1988  1989

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