tennismaster

The 80's was a fun time for music. I want to get some feedback on what your top five songs would be. Here's what I think were the most listened to.

5. “When Doves Cry” – Prince
4. “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
3. “Hungry Like The Wolf” – Duran Duran
2. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Leppard
1. “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi

Let me know if I missed some big ones.

 

MusicMan

Oh wow, so many to choose from. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, that I consider the "best of the 80s'". They all bring back so many good memories.

But if I had to mention 5 off the top of my head, it'd be

"Come on Eileen" - Dexy's Midnight Runners
"Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
"Noone is to Blame" - Howard Jones
"All Through the Night" - Cyndi Lauper
"Hungry Like the Wolf" - Duran Duran

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Stringbender

Wow, I own very one of these songs. great stuff.
I can only add to the existing lists -since they are great stuff..
Top 5 that were played during the 80's- or MY PERSONAL top 5??
I'll give you some favorites- and yes..midnight rambling will get you more than five..(as you know I love to ramble..)
in no order..
"hyperactive" -Thomas Dolby
"Life in a Northern Town" The Dream Academy
"Something about you" Level 42
"How soon is Now?" The Smiths- this has got to be the best use of tremelo -amp with a guitar..it gets me every time.
just about anything from Pat Benatar, but if I hear "heartbreaker" "promises in the dark" or "Hell is for children" -I better not be driving..these songs can make you speed.
"Heat of the moment" -Asia.
I'll have to take a close-close look at the actual year on the following songs that were big- right about the beginning of the 80's..
"Radio Radio" Elvis Costello
"monkey man" The Specials
"train in vain" The Clash. (just about all Clash songs are awesome)
"Heart of Glass" Blondie
"Cars"- Gary Numan
(you could yell at me all you want- I never really liked Michael Jackson all that much- just the high pitched yelps and all..just wasn't my thing..great musician- knew how to write a song..just not my thing)
anyhow- there are so many..seriously and that's NOT getting into the big-hair 80's.

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MusicMan

Ahh yes, Life in a Northern Town and How Soon is Now. It's funny because HSIN is the only Smiths song I really enjoy, but I could listen to it 10 times a day and never get tired of it. That tremolo effect is hypnotizing.

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Stringbender

Yes, I have to agree that lokking back, I don't think I really got anything from the other songs by the Smiths. In fact, their whole "Meat is Murder" thing was absolutely disturbing- which..yes, it was supposed to be, but I like burgers and all.
Something about that broken up stuttering guitar on HSIN with the drum beat coming in at just the right moments..perfect.
I would like to add "Slave to Love" to the list by Brian Ferry- whatever happend to him..he was Bowie's twin at the time..
anyhow- if you have not gotten a copy of the Live Aid concert on DVD- go get it. Not only is it awesome historic performances by all that defined the early 80's, but it is money going to a worthy cause too.

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"personally..I take reviewing Lady Gaga's music the same as I would analyzing turds in the toilet bowl in hopes it will look like a Rembrandt."

Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.

Guppywarlord

Don't forget the best selling single of the 80s...Mull of Kintyre by Wings, anyone?

Rasta23

Billy Ocean is very good

Stringbender

HUH??? I hope this is being sarcastic.

__________________
"personally..I take reviewing Lady Gaga's music the same as I would analyzing turds in the toilet bowl in hopes it will look like a Rembrandt."

Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.

Stringbender

The more I really give this thought, the harder it is to narrow the list down to only a select few for the entire decade. The obvious choices would be bands or artists who pretty much defined MTV like U2 or Prince or Madonna or Duran Duran -but even though everyone dressed like them, or wore a "Frankie says" shirt and posters of these artists/ bands and countless others were all over my high school and the bedrooms of (well..maybe I shouldn't talk about the bedrooms..LOL) ahem..anyhow.. by 1987 these bands were instantly replaced by Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. at the beginning of the decade you had the new wave movement, then there was what I would call the "pioneers of MTV" -but at the same time there was the heavier music also starting up with the beginnings of big hair -these beginnings were Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister and Ratt that were just starting the craze before Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Crue and Poison took up the gauntlet around 86-87. Changes were happening and they were happening fast- by '87 everybody forget all about who sang "Don't you forget about me" (that was the Simple Minds) and couldn't remember what Frankie said (or where they put the t-shirt) and Duran Duran had broken up and suddenly all the clubs wanted bands that could play a Whitesnake tune and being IN a big hair band you had to take a crash course on some funky fashion.. (ya want me to wear WHAT?? -what's this pay again??) by the end of the 80's- everything started moving overboard with the excess and a lot of the music was in danger of imploding (much like today) and that's when this little underground movemnet of "alternative" started becoming more popular and suddenly everything started to cave in on itself and when it did- the world looked for something different to fill the void -usher in the 90's and there was this band called Nirvana and suddenly the spotlight shined on them and a lot of us were left wondering "what just happened?"
So- I think really you have to look at all of the different genres of music that really came about in the 80's and then decide what band/artist or song dominated THAT GENRE. Doing this, I don't know if the entire decade's worth of music can be broken down into 5 sub-categories..
and then you also have songs that completely broke the whole trend-set of the 80's when you think- Stevie Ray Vaughan broke into superstardom in the 80's and Iron Maiden launched their historic "World Slavery" tour -with almost no airplay.. these guys went gold or platinum- against the "standards" of the times, did not sing, play or dress anything that was 80's like.
anyhow.. as you can see- midnight rant attack again..much to ponder.

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"personally..I take reviewing Lady Gaga's music the same as I would analyzing turds in the toilet bowl in hopes it will look like a Rembrandt."

Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.

MusicMan

I thought he was delusional as well, so I did some research. He's talking about the UK charts, where this song was indeed the best selling single of all time for several years.

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Stringbender

wow, Ok.. my mistake there. Surprising such a good band as Wings (asuming this is Paul Mc Cartney's band and not another band with this name?) a hit song that did not cross the Atlantic. I'm surprised!
OK, a video that showed ugly people and their armpits just a little too much,
had a lead vocalist yelping like a dog, a song about what can only be assumed to be a poor sorry schmuck trying to "get some" from a girl..and some mean fiddle work.. and a band named after late night diet-drugs.. I don't care.. bottom line is that something like 26 years later and I still chant
"Come on, Eileen, too-rye- ay, come on Eileen, too rye-ay.." it's amazing how some stuff just gets stuck in the brain. I can only hope that I write a song that folks still love to chant 25 years later. (not that any of the clubs I played at 25 years ago are still standing.)

__________________
"personally..I take reviewing Lady Gaga's music the same as I would analyzing turds in the toilet bowl in hopes it will look like a Rembrandt."

Only with the eyes closed can one begin to truly see.