Top 50 Songs From The 80's

80's was a big year for me. It was this period when I got deep and heavy into Music. Already from a musical family, my own personal impact into this field started in the 80's when I was listening to my choice of music. It became more than just an interest or a hobby. I literally became a 'collector' of songs 'listened to'. Yep..that may sound strange but what I mean is I actually made every attempt and sought every opportunity to listen to all the songs that I could...and ever since.

In dedication to this period, I took up a project to list out 50 Songs from each year in this period i.e. 1980 - 1989. We are talking of an extremely large range of songs, talents, artists and stars. Songs ranging from the 1980 Pink Floyd release of 'Another Brick In the Wall' to the 1989 Roxette hit - 'The Look'. How music has traversed in this period?

Having listed my top 50 of each year, I then decided to compile a list of the top 50 from across the whole period.

This is where the problem started. How on earth could limit this amazing period to just 50 tracks. I literally banged my head against the wall. This was way too tough. The 80's saw classics being recorded and released which changed the way we listen to music today. It created stars who today are the main source of a thriving industry. Try hard as I could, I just didn't know which songs to delete from the list. Every one of them revolutionary and impacting. But then again, a job had to be done and I did it.

Listed below is a list of top 50 songs, I believe which defined the 80's. This list is based on not only its 'hit' factor at the time, but more so on its influence on the industry on the whole. Its iconic impact and relevance even today in 2011. These tracks are timeless.

Although listed 1-50, there was no way I could actually rank them. Every song earned its way to this list. So please do not take the numbers as a ranking! It is for this reason they have been listed by year of release.

Do send me your feedback if you think any song on this list should have been replaced with another.

01. Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd
02. Eye Of The Tiger (From the OST Rocky III) - Survivor
03. Africa - Toto
04. Beat It - Michael Jackson
05. Every Breath You Take - The Police
06. Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
07. Careless Whispers - Wham
08. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
09. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
10. Hello - Lionel Richie
11. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
12. Infatuation - Rod Stewart
13. Like A Virgin - Madonna
14. Purple Rain - Prince
15. Radio Ga Ga - Queen
16. Rio - Duran Duran
17. Thriller - Michael Jackson
18. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
19. What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner
20. Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
21. Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young
22. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
23. I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner
24. Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
25. Summer Of '69 - Bryan Adams
26. Take On Me - A-Ha
27. We Are The World - USA for Africa
28. Do They know it's Christmas - Band Aid
29. Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
30. Kiss - Prince & The Revolution
31. Manic Monday - Bangles
32. Walking Like An Egyptian - Bangles
33. Bad - Michael Jackson
34. Faith - George Michael
35. Heaven Is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
36. Higher Love - Steve Winwood
37. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
38. Where The Street Have No Name - U2
39. I've Had The Time Of My Life (From the OST Dirty Dancing) - Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
40. La Bamba (From the OST La Bamba) - Los Lobos
41. Luka - Suzanne Vega
42. The Lady in Red - Chris DeBurgh
43. Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
44. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
45. Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
46. Eternal Flame - Bangles
47. The Best - Tina Turner
48. The Living Years - Mike & The Mechanic
49. The Look - Roxette
50. We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel

There it is.

Very hard work and I sadly had to omit a number of tracks and artists such as Whitney Houston. In her case I personally felt whilst her 80's tracks were amazing it was really her cover of Dolly Parton's 'I will Always Love You' which was iconic and had her name out there in a different cadre altogether. Similarly Madonna had a number of hits but it was really just 'Like A Virgin' which created the enigma which today is Madonna.

Do listen to these again and 'Happy Retro Music Listening'!

Venture Brothers Season Kids and Family Movie News Animals Documentary