My opinion, my taste, but after thorough research of the songs released in the 80s, these are the best.
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
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.
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)
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 |
Dobber's Take 
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