My favorite songs of 1984

In 1984 I was 10 years old. I first started getting into music at the age of eight, but it was this year when I was really into music. I was gathering quite the collection of cassettes, I was listening to the radio with the tape recorder pressed against it, ready to hit ‘record’. American Top 40 was a weekly listen.

So there were plenty of songs that I knew and knew well. Lots of songs that I like. But very few songs that I love. I like the 90s Alternative Rock. The 80s…not so much.

But this was the year in which two of the best slow songs of all time were released. If nothing else, 1984 gets credit for that one. And Prince’s Purple Rain album will always be a key part of my past. I played the shit out of that one. And to a lesser extent Born in the USA and Reckless.

Some interesting things that happened in music in 1984: The BBC banned playing “Relax” (?) because of the lyrics (and I thought the 50s were conservative!)… The Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial hair-on-fire incident happened, making huge headlines. Later, he wins a record eight Grammys…. and Canada launched a new show called Video Hits (memories!)….

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 group them:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.

First, some of the better songs from that year, the cream of the crop…

25 Great Songs from 1984

Cold Shot – Stevie Ray Vaughan

99 Luftballons  – Nena

Do They Know It’s Christmas?  – Band Aid

Don’t Go Back To Rockville  – R.E.M.

Their Eponymous album is one of my favorite albums of all time. This song is on it.

Drive  – The Cars

Head Over Heels  – The Go-Go’s

I Just Called To Say I Love You  – Stevie Wonder

I Wanna Rock  – Twisted Sister

Panama  – Van Halen

Shout  – Tears for Fears

So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)  – R.E.M.

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)  – Dead or Alive

Wouldn’t It Be Good – Nik Kershaw

Can’t Fight This Feeling  – REO Speedwagon

We’re Not Gonna Take It  – Twisted Sister

Valotte  – Julian Lennon

Summer of ’69  – Bryan Adams

Pride (In The Name Of Love)  – U2

Pink Houses  – John Mellencamp

Nobody Told Me  – John Lennon

My Hometown  – Bruce Springsteen

Let’s Go Crazy  – Prince

I Want to Know What Love Is  – Foreigner

Heaven  – Bryan Adams

Glory Days  – Bruce Springsteen

8 Truly Awesome Songs from 1984

Sad Songs (Say So Much) – Elton John

Another song that isn’t my style… but man, whenever this comes on I can’t help but perk up and sing along.

Hard Habit To Break  – Chicago

Born In The U.S.A.  – Bruce Springsteen

You’re the Inspiration  – Chicago

One of the best slow songs of all time IMO

Purple Rain  – Prince

Wasn’t a big fan of back when this came out, but it sure grew on me and now it’s one of my favorite anthems.

When Doves Cry – Prince

Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)  – Phil Collins

Oh Sherrie  – Steve Perry

I put together a playlist of the best songs from 1984 on YouTube right here.

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And here is the full list of Top Songs from 1984…

Awesome – 1	Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)	–	Phil Collins
Awesome – 1	Oh Sherrie	–	Steve Perry
Awesome – 1	When Doves Cry	–	Prince
Awesome – 1	Purple Rain	–	Prince
Awesome – 1	You’re the Inspiration	–	Chicago
Awesome – 6	Born In The U.S.A.	–	Bruce Springsteen
Awesome – 6	Hard Habit To Break	–	Chicago
Awesome – 6	Sad Songs (Say So Much)	–	Elton John
Great – 9	Glory Days	–	Bruce Springsteen
Great – 9	Heaven	–	Bryan Adams
Great – 9	I Want to Know What Love Is	–	Foreigner
Great – 9	Let’s Go Crazy	–	Prince
Great – 9	My Hometown	–	Bruce Springsteen
Great – 9	Nobody Told Me	–	John Lennon
Great – 9	Pink Houses	–	John Mellencamp
Great – 9	Pride (In The Name Of Love)	–	U2
Great – 9	Summer of ’69	–	Bryan Adams
Great – 9	Valotte	–	Julian Lennon
Great – 9	We’re Not Gonna Take It	–	Twisted Sister
Great – 9	Can’t Fight This Feeling	–	REO Speedwagon
Great – 9	Wouldn’t It Be Good	–	Nik Kershaw
Great – 22	Cold Shot	–	Stevie Ray Vaughan
Great – 22	99 Luftballons	–	Nena
Great – 22	Do They Know It’s Christmas?	–	Band Aid
Great – 22	Don’t Go Back To Rockville	–	R.E.M.
Great – 22	Drive	–	The Cars
Great – 22	Head Over Heels	–	The Go-Go’s
Great – 22	I Just Called To Say I Love You	–	Stevie Wonder
Great – 22	I Wanna Rock	–	Twisted Sister
Great – 22	Panama	–	Van Halen
Great – 22	Shout	–	Tears for Fears
Great – 22	So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)	–	R.E.M.
Great – 22	You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)	–	Dead or Alive
Solid – 34	Sea Of Love	–	The Honeydrippers
Solid – 34	Love Somebody	–	Rick Springfield
Solid – 34	Romantic Traffic	–	Spoons
Solid – 34	The Wild Rover	–	The Pogues
Solid – 34	An Innocent Man	–	Billy Joel
Solid – 34	Careless Whisper	–	Wham!
Solid – 34	Doctor! Doctor!	–	Thompson Twins
Solid – 34	Footloose	–	Kenny Loggins
Solid – 34	Holding Out For A Hero	–	Bonnie Tyler
Solid – 34	I’m On Fire	–	Bruce Springsteen
Solid – 34	Magic	–	The Cars
Solid – 34	Material Girl	–	Madonna
Solid – 34	Rebel Yell	–	Billy Idol
Solid – 34	Relax	–	Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Solid – 34	Rock You Like A Hurricane	–	Scorpions
Solid – 34	State Of Shock	–	The Jacksons
Solid – 34	What’s Love Got To Do With It	–	Tina Turner
Solid – 34	If This Is It	–	Huey Lewis & the News
Solid – 52	New Girl Now	–	Honeymoon Suite
Solid – 52	Go for a Soda	–	Kim Mitchell
Solid – 52	Blue Jean	–	David Bowie
Solid – 52	Dance Hall Days	–	Wang Chung
Solid – 52	Dancing In The Dark	–	Bruce Springsteen
Solid – 52	Eyes Without A Face	–	Billy Idol
Solid – 52	Freedom	–	Wham!
Solid – 52	How Soon Is Now	–	The Smiths
Solid – 52	I Want to Break Free	–	Queen
Solid – 52	It’s My Life	–	Talk Talk
Solid – 52	It’s Only Love	–	Bryan Adams
Solid – 52	Out of Touch	–	Hall & Oates
Solid – 52	People Are People	–	Depeche Mode
Solid – 52	Run To You	–	Bryan Adams
Solid – 52	Somebody	–	Bryan Adams
Solid – 52	Too Late for Goodbyes	–	Julian Lennon
Solid – 52	Wake Me Up Before You Go Go	–	Wham!
Solid – 52	We Belong	–	Pat Benatar
Solid – 52	You Might Think	–	The Cars
Solid – 52	Flesh For Fantasy	–	Billy Idol
Not Bad – 72	Miss Me Blind	–	Culture Club
Not Bad – 72	Heaven’s On Fire	–	Kiss
Not Bad – 72	Stuck on You	–	Lionel Richie
Not Bad – 72	Let It Go	–	Luba
Not Bad – 72	Doesn’t Really Matter	–	Platinum Blonde
Not Bad – 72	Lovers in a Dangerous Time	–	Bruce Cockburn
Not Bad – 72	All I Need	–	Jack Wagner
Not Bad – 72	Automatic	–	The Pointer Sisters
Not Bad – 72	Darlington County	–	Bruce Springsteen
Not Bad – 72	Distant Early Warning	–	Rush
Not Bad – 72	Don’t Answer Me	–	The Alan Parsons Project
Not Bad – 72	Easy Lover	–	Philip Bailey
Not Bad – 72	Eat It	–	Weird Al Yankovic
Not Bad – 72	Everything She Wants	–	Wham!
Not Bad – 72	Forever Young	–	Alphaville
Not Bad – 72	I Can Dream About You	–	Dan Hartman
Not Bad – 72	I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man)	–	Kenny Loggins
Not Bad – 72	Jump	–	Van Halen
Not Bad – 72	Like A Virgin	–	Madonna
Not Bad – 72	Obsession	–	Animotion
Not Bad – 72	One Night In Bangkok	–	Murray Head
Not Bad – 72	Plateau	–	Meat Puppets
Not Bad – 72	Private Dancer	–	Tina Turner
Not Bad – 72	You Take Me Up	–	Thompson Twins
Not Bad – 72	If Ever You’re In My Arms Again	–	Peabo Bryson
Not Bad – 97	Tell No Lies	–	Spoons
Not Bad – 97	Rock You	–	Helix
Not Bad – 97	Better Be Good To Me	–	Tina Turner
Not Bad – 97	Axel F	–	Harold Faltermeyer
Not Bad – 97	Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)	–	Billy Ocean
Not Bad – 97	Cool It Now	–	New Edition
Not Bad – 97	Cover Me	–	Bruce Springsteen
Not Bad – 97	Dress You Up	–	Madonna
Not Bad – 97	Fresh	–	Kool & the Gang
Not Bad – 97	Ghostbusters	–	Ray Parker, Jr.
Not Bad – 97	Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer	–	Elmo & Patsy
Not Bad – 97	Hot For Teacher	–	Van Halen
Not Bad – 97	I’m Goin’ Down	–	Bruce Springsteen
Not Bad – 97	Method of Modern Love	–	Hall & Oates
Not Bad – 97	Middle Of The Road	–	Pretenders
Not Bad – 97	Missing You	–	John Waite
Not Bad – 97	Neutron Dance	–	The Pointer Sisters
Not Bad – 97	Radio Ga Ga	–	Queen
Not Bad – 97	Round And Round	–	Ratt
Not Bad – 97	Self Control	–	Laura Branigan
Not Bad – 97	The Glamorous Life	–	Sheila E.
Not Bad – 97	The Heat Is On	–	Glenn Frey
Not Bad – 97	The Warrior	–	Scandal
Not Bad – 97	Wild Boys	–	Duran Duran
Not Bad – 97	Smooth Operator	–	Sade
Not Bad – 97	Somebody’s Watching Me	–	Rockwell
Not Bad – 97	Tenderness	–	General Public
Not Bad – 97	Hammer to Fall	–	Queen
Not Bad – 97	I’ll Wait	–	Van Halen
Not Bad – 97	Infatuation	–	Rod Stewart
Not Bad – 97	Almost Paradise	–	Mike Reno & Ann Wilson
Not Bad – 97	Solid	–	Ashford & Simpson
Not Bad – 97	Last Christmas	–	Wham!

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