Some of the best slow songs in history were released this year, and we also had Guns N’Roses Appetite For Destruction and Def Leppard’s Hysteria albums.
I guess I’m no different than anyone else in that my wheelhouse of music was between the ages of 13 and 30. Yes, I appreciated music before and after that window, as did anyone else. But those were the years where I was on top of everything in new music. For me, that window is between 1987 and 2004.
The biggest hit song in 1987 in the USA was Livin’ on a Prayer (I have it on my 1986 list, when it was released), U2 released The Joshua Tree and Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame.
Unlike most rankings, I haven’t been 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 and I start singing along. You understand. So I group them instead of presenting a hard-and-fast order:
Awesome
Great
Solid
Not Bad
…with inter-group splitting.
First, videos of the best from that year…
31 Great Songs from 1987
Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson
Sweetest Thing – U2
This one got onto my radar in the late 90s when it was re-released. But I have included in the 1987 rundown instead…
Posse In Effect – Beastie Boys
Rooty Toot Toot – John Mellencamp
Cherry Bomb – John Mellencamp
What Have I Done To Deserve This? – Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield
The One I Love – R.E.M.
Love Removal Machine – The Cult
Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
Dude (Looks Like A Lady) – Aerosmith
Armageddon It – Def Leppard
A Hazy Shade of Winter – Bangles
Last of the Red Hot Fools – The Jitters
Catchy song. And it would have to be, given the band’s look. The Jitters were a bunch of middle-aged guys who probably liked their beer. Not unlike myself and my friends today…
Small Town Bringdown – The Tragically Hip
Before The Hip became Canadian legends. Before they even had an album out. They put out an EP. And frankly, the EP was better than any of their later stuff. Here was one of their best ones from that EP.
Faith – George Michael
Sign Your Name – Terence Trent D’Arby
Bamboleo – Gipsy Kings
Seven Wonders – Fleetwood Mac
Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses
Paper in Fire – John Mellencamp
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2
Dirty Diana – Michael Jackson
Bad – Michael Jackson
Animal – Def Leppard
Together (the new wedding song) – Joey Gregorash
A staple at wedding receptions. And for good reason…
Try – Blue Rodeo
Pop Goes the World – Men Without Hats
Call it a guilty pleasure…a Canadian band with this fun song
Highway Girl – The Tragically Hip
Another great, albeit lesser-known Hip song from their self-titled EP…
Lil’ Devil – The Cult
The Cult was huge in my high school among my circle of friends… and for good reason!
Fishin’ in the Dark – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Ah, the “Buck and Doe”. Better known as the “Stag and Doe” elsewhere. This song was a staple at them back in the day. And although I haven’t been to one in my hometown in over 25 years, I bet this song is still played at every one of them…
20 Truly Awesome Tunes released or popularized in 1987
One Gun – 54-40
An underrated Canadian band. Everybody likes at least a few of their songs – I happen to like well over a dozen songs spanning a long career. This one is the first song I ever heard by them…
Last American Exit – The Tragically Hip
For my money, the best song from the Hip’s EP…
Touch Of Grey – Grateful Dead
The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson
Rag Doll – Aerosmith
Push It – Salt N Pepa
The staple of any Grade 8 dance back in 1987, when I was in…well, Grade 8.
Need You Tonight – INXS
Hysteria – Def Leppard
Father Figure – George Michael
Brilliant Disguise – Bruce Springsteen
Angel – Aerosmith
Slow and Low – Beastie Boys
Alone – Heart
Wild Flower – The Cult
I love the extended rock mix for this song, so I present it for you here:
With Or Without You – U2
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses
Love Bites – Def Leppard
Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
These songs are all on a YouTube playlist that you can find here
Follow me on Spotify for great playlists here
Here is the full list of songs from 1987
| Awesome – 1 | Here I Go Again | – | Whitesnake |
| Awesome – 1 | Love Bites | – | Def Leppard |
| Awesome – 1 | Paradise City | – | Guns N’ Roses |
| Awesome – 1 | Pour Some Sugar On Me | – | Def Leppard |
| Awesome – 1 | Sweet Child O’ Mine | – | Guns N’ Roses |
| Awesome – 1 | With Or Without You | – | U2 |
| Awesome – 1 | Wild Flower | – | The Cult |
| Awesome – 1 | Alone | – | Heart |
| Awesome – 9 | Slow and Low | – | Beastie Boys |
| Awesome – 9 | Angel | – | Aerosmith |
| Awesome – 9 | Brilliant Disguise | – | Bruce Springsteen |
| Awesome – 9 | Father Figure | – | George Michael |
| Awesome – 9 | Hysteria | – | Def Leppard |
| Awesome – 9 | Need You Tonight | – | INXS |
| Awesome – 9 | Push It | – | Salt N Pepa |
| Awesome – 9 | Rag Doll | – | Aerosmith |
| Awesome – 9 | The Way You Make Me Feel | – | Michael Jackson |
| Awesome – 9 | Touch Of Grey | – | Grateful Dead |
| Awesome – 9 | Last American Exit | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Awesome – 9 | One Gun | – | 54-40 |
| Great – 21 | Fishin’ in the Dark | – | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| Great – 21 | Lil’ Devil | – | The Cult |
| Great – 21 | Highway Girl | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Great – 21 | Pop Goes the World | – | Men Without Hats |
| Great – 21 | Try | – | Blue Rodeo |
| Great – 21 | Together (the new wedding song) | – | Joey Gregorash |
| Great – 21 | Animal | – | Def Leppard |
| Great – 21 | Bad | – | Michael Jackson |
| Great – 21 | Dirty Diana | – | Michael Jackson |
| Great – 21 | I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For | – | U2 |
| Great – 21 | Paper in Fire | – | John Mellencamp |
| Great – 21 | Welcome To The Jungle | – | Guns N’ Roses |
| Great – 21 | Seven Wonders | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Great – 21 | Bamboleo | – | Gipsy Kings |
| Great – 21 | Sign Your Name | – | Terence Trent D’Arby |
| Great – 21 | Faith | – | George Michael |
| Great – 37 | Small Town Bringdown | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Great – 37 | Last of the Red Hot Fools | – | The Jitters |
| Great – 37 | A Hazy Shade of Winter | – | Bangles |
| Great – 37 | Armageddon It | – | Def Leppard |
| Great – 37 | Dude (Looks Like A Lady) | – | Aerosmith |
| Great – 37 | Everywhere | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Great – 37 | Fairytale of New York | – | The Pogues |
| Great – 37 | Love Removal Machine | – | The Cult |
| Great – 37 | The One I Love | – | R.E.M. |
| Great – 37 | What Have I Done To Deserve This? | – | Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield |
| Great – 37 | Cherry Bomb | – | John Mellencamp |
| Great – 37 | Rooty Toot Toot | – | John Mellencamp |
| Great – 37 | Posse In Effect | – | Beastie Boys |
| Great – 37 | Sweetest Thing | – | U2 |
| Great – 37 | Smooth Criminal | – | Michael Jackson |
| Solid – 52 | Always | – | Atlantic Starr |
| Solid – 52 | Check It Out | – | John Mellencamp |
| Solid – 52 | Killing Time | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Solid – 52 | Just One Night | – | Triumph |
| Solid – 52 | Dirty Water | – | Rock & Hyde |
| Solid – 52 | Kiss Him Goodbye | – | The Nylons |
| Solid – 52 | Can’t Help Falling in Love | – | Corey Hart |
| Solid – 52 | Boyzn the Hood | – | N.W.A |
| Solid – 52 | Bring The Noise | – | Public Enemy |
| Solid – 52 | It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) | – | R.E.M. |
| Solid – 52 | La Bamba | – | Los Lobos |
| Solid – 52 | La Isla Bonita | – | Madonna |
| Solid – 52 | Little Lies | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Solid – 52 | Man In The Mirror | – | Michael Jackson |
| Solid – 52 | Mandinka | – | Sinéad O’Connor |
| Solid – 52 | Rocket | – | Def Leppard |
| Solid – 52 | U Got the Look | – | Prince |
| Solid – 52 | Tom’s Diner | – | Suzanne Vega |
| Solid – 52 | The New Style | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 52 | Slow Ride | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 52 | Wishing Well | – | Terence Trent D’Arby |
| Solid – 52 | Heart and Soul | – | T’Pau |
| Solid – 74 | Hold It Now, Hit It | – | Beastie Boys |
| Solid – 74 | Easy to Tame | – | Kim Mitchell |
| Solid – 74 | Ordinary People | – | The Box |
| Solid – 74 | Bad Boys | – | Inner Circle |
| Solid – 74 | Going Back to Cali | – | LL Cool J |
| Solid – 74 | Heat Of The Night | – | Bryan Adams |
| Solid – 74 | I Just Can’t Stop Loving You | – | Michael Jackson |
| Solid – 74 | I Want Your Sex | – | George Michael |
| Solid – 74 | Luka | – | Suzanne Vega |
| Solid – 74 | Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now | – | Starship |
| Solid – 74 | Another Part Of Me | – | Michael Jackson |
| Solid – 74 | Big Love | – | Fleetwood Mac |
| Solid – 74 | Circle In The Sand | – | Belinda Carlisle |
| Solid – 74 | (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life | – | Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes |
| Solid – 74 | Heaven Is A Place On Earth | – | Belinda Carlisle |
| Solid – 74 | Time Stand Still | – | Rush |
| Solid – 74 | It’s A Sin | – | Pet Shop Boys |
| Solid – 74 | Peace Dog | – | The Cult |
| Solid – 74 | Showdown At Big Sky | – | Robbie Robertson |
| Solid – 74 | Always On My Mind | – | Pet Shop Boys |
| Solid – 74 | New Sensation | – | INXS |
| Not Bad – 95 | The Finer Things | – | Steve Winwood |
| Not Bad – 95 | Don’t Dream It’s Over | – | Crowded House |
| Not Bad – 95 | On The Turning Away | – | Pink Floyd |
| Not Bad – 95 | Evelyn | – | The Tragically Hip |
| Not Bad – 95 | I Will Be There | – | Glass Tiger |
| Not Bad – 95 | Contact | – | Platinum Blonde |
| Not Bad – 95 | Teenland | – | Northern Pikes |
| Not Bad – 95 | Got My Mind Set On You | – | George Harrison |
| Not Bad – 95 | I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) | – | Aretha Franklin and George Michael |
| Not Bad – 95 | Is This Love? | – | Whitesnake |
| Not Bad – 95 | Meet Me Half Way | – | Kenny Loggins |
| Not Bad – 95 | Paid In Full | – | Eric B. & Rakim |
| Not Bad – 95 | Where The Streets Have No Name | – | U2 |
| Not Bad – 95 | She’s Crafty | – | Beastie Boys |
| Not Bad – 95 | I Think We’re Alone Now | – | Tiffany |
| Not Bad – 95 | Learning To Fly | – | Pink Floyd |
| Not Bad – 95 | When The Children Cry | – | White Lion |
| Not Bad – 95 | I Heard A Rumour | – | Bananarama |
| Not Bad – 95 | Hearts On Fire | – | Bryan Adams |
| Not Bad – 114 | One Day In Your Life | – | 54-40 |
| Not Bad – 114 | Closer Together | – | The Box |
| Not Bad – 114 | You’re What I Look For | – | Glass Tiger |
| Not Bad – 114 | Wild Horses | – | Gino Vannelli |
| Not Bad – 114 | 123 | – | Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine |
| Not Bad – 114 | Can’t We Try | – | Dan Hill |
| Not Bad – 114 | Could’ve Been | – | Tiffany |
| Not Bad – 114 | Don’t Shed a Tear | – | Paul Carrack |
| Not Bad – 114 | Electric Blue | – | Icehouse |
| Not Bad – 114 | Hot Hot Hot | – | Buster Poindexter |
| Not Bad – 114 | Hourglass | – | Squeeze |
| Not Bad – 114 | Hungry Eyes | – | Eric Carmen |
| Not Bad – 114 | I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) | – | Whitney Houston |
| Not Bad – 114 | In God’s Country | – | U2 |
| Not Bad – 114 | Jammin’ Me | – | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers |
| Not Bad – 114 | Just Like Heaven | – | The Cure |
| Not Bad – 114 | Learning To Fly | – | Pink Floyd |
| Not Bad – 114 | Lessons In Love | – | Level 42 |
| Not Bad – 114 | Looking For A New Love | – | Jody Watley |
| Not Bad – 114 | Midnight Blue | – | Lou Gramm |
| Not Bad – 114 | Monkey | – | George Michael |
| Not Bad – 114 | Moonlight Desires | – | Gowan |
| Not Bad – 114 | Never Gonna Give You Up | – | Rick Astley |
| Not Bad – 114 | Pump Up The Volume | – | M/A/R/R/S |
| Not Bad – 114 | She’s Like The Wind | – | Patrick Swayze |
| Not Bad – 114 | Together Forever | – | Rick Astley |
| Not Bad – 114 | Who’s That Girl | – | Madonna |
| Not Bad – 114 | One More Try | – | George Michael |
| Not Bad – 114 | Rebel Without A Pause | – | Public Enemy |
| Not Bad – 114 | Shattered Dreams | – | Johnny Hates Jazz |
| Not Bad – 114 | Sign O’ the Times | – | Prince |
| Not Bad – 114 | Somewhere Down The Crazy River | – | Robbie Robertson |
| Not Bad – 114 | True Faith | – | New Order |
| Not Bad – 114 | Tunnel of Love | – | Bruce Springsteen |
| Not Bad – 114 | I’m an Adult Now | – | Pursuit of Happiness |
| Not Bad – 114 | Time To Get Ill | – | Beastie Boys |
| Not Bad – 114 | Shakedown | – | Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band |
| Not Bad – 114 | Who Will You Run To? | – | Heart |
| Not Bad – 114 | We’ll Be Together | – | Sting |
| Not Bad – 114 | When Smokey Sings | – | ABC |
| Not Bad – 114 | Don’t Mean Nothin’ | – | Richard Marx |
| Not Bad – 114 | Walk the Dinosaur | – | Was (Not Was) |
| Not Bad – 114 | Head To Toe | – | Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam |
| Not Bad – 114 | Rhythm Is Gonna Get You | – | Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine |
| Not Bad – 114 | Carrie | – | Europe |
| Not Bad – 114 | Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car | – | Billy Ocean |
| Not Bad – 114 | Tell It To My Heart | – | Taylor Dayne |
| Not Bad – 114 | Anything For You | – | Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine |
| Not Bad – 114 | So Emotional | – | Whitney Houston |
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