Top 250 Songs of the 80s (1 of 5)

My opinion, my taste, but after thorough research of the songs released in the 80s, these are the best.

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The 80s began when I was five and ended when I was 15. As far as first-hand experience goes, the first few years were dictated by whatever my mother would play. The last few years were dictated by the style in junior high or early on in high school. But the overall appeal of 80s music came from my enjoyment of rock and university party music.

The countdown is littered with a handful of slow songs. I think the 80s had plenty of good ones. The Golden Age of the romantic song?

For the decade reviews, I gave the songs a hard and fast ranking. The year-by-year stuff were simply grouped.

Here in Part 1, the 50 songs that didn’t quite make the Top 200.

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

250. Holiday Road – Lindsey Buckingham (1983)

We’ll kick things off with a nice earworm. Thank you very much Vacation franchise…

249. Cold Shot – Stevie Ray Vaughan (1984)

248. All Night Long  – Lionel Richie (1983)

247. Walk This Way  – Run-D.M.C. (1986)

This song, combined with the Beasties’ Licensed to Ill album, brought me into the world of Rap. It was only later when I appreciated Aerosmith. If this song doesn’t remind you of the 80s, nothing will.

246. Wasn’t That A Party – The Irish Rovers (1980)

Stag and Does, Weddings…this song is still played at many a drunkfest.

245. Shout  – Tears for Fears (1984)

244. Karma Chameleon – Culture Club (1983)

243. Lonely Ol’ Night  – John Mellencamp (1985)

242. Limelight – Rush (1981)

241. Throwing It All Away – Genesis (1986)

240. I Just Called To Say I Love You  – Stevie Wonder (1984)

239. Elvira – The Oak Ridge Boys (1981)

Dorky, fun… and the ultimate earworm for sure…

238. One – Metallica (1988)

237. When the Weight Comes Down – The Tragically Hip (1989)

The first of six songs from the great Up To Here album to appear on this list, but I could have easily just added the entire set. It wasn’t the easiest decision to exclude the other five tunes, that’s for sure.

236. Who Made Who  – AC/DC (1986)

235. Heart And Soul – Huey Lewis & the News (1983)

I always liked this band, even if none of my friends did as kids. They didn’t dislike him, they were just indifferent I guess. But I had two of their tapes, one was given to me while the other I actively wanted. That was because of this song. I liked the guitar riff in the chorus.

234. Driver 8  – R.E.M. (1985)

233. Used To Love Her  – Guns N’ Roses (1988)

232. Under Pressure – Queen (1981)

231. Rooty Toot Toot – John Mellencamp (1987)

230. Woman  – John Lennon (1980)

229. Heart and Soul – T’Pau (1987)

228. The One That You Love – Air Supply (1981)

227. So Far Away  – Dire Straits (1985)

226. Freeze-Frame – J. Geils Band (1981)

225. Pop Goes the World – Men Without Hats (1987)

A fun song, a bit of a guilty pleasure, this one from a Canadian band

224. Love In An Elevator  – Aerosmith (1989)

223. 38 Years Old  – The Tragically Hip (1989)

222. Pink Houses  – John Mellencamp (1984)

221. Nobody Told Me  – John Lennon (1984)

220. Janie’s Got A Gun  – Aerosmith (1989)

219. Hell’s Bells  – AC/DC (1980)

218. Centerfold – J. Geils Band (1981)

217. Drive  – The Cars (1984)

216. Pictures of Matchstick Men – Camper Van Beethoven (1989)

Really love how the band plays around the violin here. Underrated, lesser-known song. The lead singer went on to sing for Cracker in the 90’s.

215. Crash – The Primitives (1986)

214. Wild Wild Life  – Talking Heads (1986)

213. American Dream  – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1988)

212. Dude (Looks Like A Lady)  – Aerosmith (1987)

211. Volare – Gipsy Kings (1989)

210. Any Way You Want It  – Journey (1980)

209. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) – Eurythmics (1982)

208. Summer of ’69  – Bryan Adams (1984)

207. I Love A Rainy Night  – Eddie Rabbitt (1980)

206. Hungry Heart  – Bruce Springsteen (1980)

205. Home Sweet Home  – Mötley Crüe (1985)

204. Hold Me Now  – Thompson Twins (1983)

203. Head Over Heels  – The Go-Go’s (1984)

202. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks (1981)

201. Cherry Bomb – John Mellencamp (1987)

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

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Get the entire 250-song playlist on Spotify here. And on YouTube here.

Here is the list from Songs 250 to 201…

201	Cherry Bomb	–	John Mellencamp	1987
202	Edge of Seventeen	–	Stevie Nicks	1981
203	Head Over Heels	–	The Go-Go’s	1984
204	Hold Me Now	–	Thompson Twins	1983
205	Home Sweet Home	–	Mötley Crüe	1985
206	Hungry Heart	–	Bruce Springsteen	1980
207	I Love A Rainy Night	–	Eddie Rabbitt	1980
208	Summer of ’69	–	Bryan Adams	1984
209	Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)	–	Eurythmics	1982
210	Any Way You Want It	–	Journey	1980
211	Volare	–	Gipsy Kings	1989
212	Dude (Looks Like A Lady)	–	Aerosmith	1987
213	American Dream	–	Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young	1988
214	Wild Wild Life	–	Talking Heads	1986
215	Crash	–	The Primitives	1986
216	Pictures of Matchstick Men	–	Camper Van Beethoven	1989
217	Drive	–	The Cars	1984
218	Centerfold	–	J. Geils Band	1981
219	Hell’s Bells	–	AC/DC	1980
220	Janie’s Got A Gun	–	Aerosmith	1989
221	Nobody Told Me	–	John Lennon	1984
222	Pink Houses	–	John Mellencamp	1984
223	38 Years Old	–	The Tragically Hip	1989
224	Love In An Elevator	–	Aerosmith	1989
225	Pop Goes the World	–	Men Without Hats	1987
226	Freeze-Frame	–	J. Geils Band	1981
227	So Far Away	–	Dire Straits	1985
228	The One That You Love	–	Air Supply	1981
229	Heart and Soul	–	T’Pau	1987
230	Woman	–	John Lennon	1980
231	Rooty Toot Toot	–	John Mellencamp	1987
232	Under Pressure	–	Queen	1981
233	Used To Love Her	–	Guns N’ Roses	1988
234	Driver 8	–	R.E.M.	1985
235	Heart And Soul	–	Huey Lewis & the News	1983
236	Who Made Who	–	AC/DC	1986
237	When the Weight Comes Down	–	The Tragically Hip	1989
238	One	–	Metallica	1988
239	Elvira	–	The Oak Ridge Boys	1981
240	I just Called To Say I Love You	–	Stevie Wonder	1984
241	Throwing It All Away	–	Genesis	1986
242	Limelight	–	Rush	1981
243	Lonely Ol’ Night	–	John Mellencamp	1985
244	Karma Chameleon	–	Culture Club	1983
245	Shout	–	Tears for Fears	1984
246	Wasn’t That A Party	–	The Irish Rovers	1980
247	Walk This Way	–	Run-D.M.C.	1986
248	All Night Long	–	Lionel Richie	1983
249	Cold Shot	–	Stevie Ray Vaughan	1984
250	Holiday Road	–	Lindsey Buckingham	1983

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