100 Best 80s Songs, from Billie Jean to Livin' on a Prayer

What is the most popular song of the 80s?

"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson is often named the defining song of the 80s, the hit that made Thriller the best-selling album of all time. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi and "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey are the decade's biggest sing-alongs, and "Like a Virgin" made Madonna the Queen of Pop.

Popular songs of the eighties: the pop hits

1. "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson: the single that broke down MTV's barriers.
2. "Beat It", Michael Jackson: with a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen.
3. "Like a Virgin", Madonna: her first number one.
4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", Cyndi Lauper: an anthem of joy.
5. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", Wham!: bright, bouncy pop.
6. "Karma Chameleon", Culture Club: a worldwide number one in 1983.
7. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", Tears for Fears: a smooth, moody classic.
8. "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", Whitney Houston: pure joy.
9. "Footloose", Kenny Loggins: the title song of the dance movie.
10. "Africa", Toto: a soft-rock favorite rediscovered by every generation.
11. "Jessie's Girl", Rick Springfield: a 1981 power-pop hit.
12. "Don't You (Forget About Me)", Simple Minds: from The Breakfast Club.
13. "Never Gonna Give You Up", Rick Astley: a 1987 hit that became a famous internet prank.
14. "Walk Like an Egyptian", The Bangles: a quirky number one.

80s rock songs

15. "Livin' on a Prayer", Bon Jovi: the ultimate 80s sing-along.
16. "Don't Stop Believin'", Journey: a small-town anthem that never fades.
17. "Sweet Child o' Mine", Guns N' Roses: their only number one single.
18. "Back in Black", AC/DC: a tribute to their late singer Bon Scott.
19. "Jump", Van Halen: rock with a famous synth riff.
20. "Pour Some Sugar on Me", Def Leppard: an arena favorite.
21. "Born in the U.S.A.", Bruce Springsteen: often mistaken for a simple patriotic song, it is about a struggling veteran.
22. "Every Breath You Take", The Police: the biggest hit of 1983.
23. "Another One Bites the Dust", Queen: a bass line everyone knows.
24. "Eye of the Tiger", Survivor: the theme from Rocky III.
25. "The Final Countdown", Europe: the synth fanfare heard at every stadium.
26. "Here I Go Again", Whitesnake: a 1987 power anthem.
27. "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: seven weeks at number one.
28. "With or Without You", U2: their first number one in America.

New wave and synth-pop

29. "Tainted Love", Soft Cell: a synth cover of a 60s soul song.
30. "Don't You Want Me", The Human League: a number one in 1982.
31. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", Eurythmics: an icy synth classic.
32. "Hungry Like the Wolf", Duran Duran: with a famous jungle video.
33. "Take On Me", a-ha: famous for its pencil-sketch video.
34. "Just Can't Get Enough", Depeche Mode: a bouncy early hit.
35. "Blue Monday", New Order: one of the best-selling 12-inch singles ever.
36. "Whip It", Devo: new wave at its quirkiest.
37. "Once in a Lifetime", Talking Heads: an art-rock classic.
38. "Love Shack", The B-52's: a party in a song.

80s dance, R&B and soul songs

39. "Celebration", Kool and the Gang: played at every party since 1980.
40. "Let's Groove", Earth, Wind and Fire: a disco-funk floor filler.
41. "When Doves Cry", Prince: a hit with no bass line at all.
42. "Purple Rain", Prince: the epic ballad from his 1984 film.
43. "Sexual Healing", Marvin Gaye: his comeback hit.
44. "What's Love Got to Do with It", Tina Turner: the comeback of the decade.
45. "I Feel for You", Chaka Khan: with a harmonica part by Stevie Wonder.
46. "Rhythm Nation", Janet Jackson: a dance anthem with a message.

80s hip-hop classics

47. "The Message", Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: hip-hop's first great social commentary.
48. "Walk This Way", Run-DMC and Aerosmith: the song that brought rap to rock radio.
49. "Push It", Salt-N-Pepa: a dance-floor favorite.
50. "It Takes Two", Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock: a party staple.
51. "Fight the Power", Public Enemy: the theme of Do the Right Thing.

Famous 80s one-hit wonders

52. "Come On Eileen", Dexys Midnight Runners: a fiddle-driven number one.
53. "867-5309/Jenny", Tommy Tutone: the most famous phone number in pop.
54. "Mickey", Toni Basil: a cheerleader chant turned number one.
55. "The Safety Dance", Men Without Hats: a new wave dance oddity.
56. "99 Luftballons", Nena: a German-language hit in America.
57. "Rock Me Amadeus", Falco: a number one about Mozart.
58. "Don't Worry, Be Happy", Bobby McFerrin: sung entirely with his voice.
59. "Turning Japanese", The Vapors: a 1980 new wave hit.
60. "Somebody's Watching Me", Rockwell: with Michael Jackson singing the chorus.

More 80s pop hits

61. "Call Me", Blondie: the theme from American Gigolo and the biggest song of 1980.
62. "Bette Davis Eyes", Kim Carnes: nine weeks at number one in 1981.
63. "Physical", Olivia Newton-John: the workout-video anthem of 1981 and 1982.
64. "Material Girl", Madonna: a wink at 80s excess.
65. "Time After Time", Cyndi Lauper: a tender ballad that became a standard.
66. "Smooth Operator", Sade: cool jazz-pop from London.
67. "Kiss", Prince: a sparse, funky number one from 1986.
68. "Heaven Is a Place on Earth", Belinda Carlisle: a soaring pop anthem.
69. "Faith", George Michael: the biggest song of 1988.
70. "Man in the Mirror", Michael Jackson: a gospel-tinged call for change.

More 80s rock anthems

71. "Start Me Up", The Rolling Stones: their 1981 comeback single.
72. "Should I Stay or Should I Go", The Clash: a punk classic with a famous riff.
73. "Rebel Yell", Billy Idol: a high-energy anthem.
74. "Hot for Teacher", Van Halen: with a legendary drum intro.
75. "Dancing in the Dark", Bruce Springsteen: famous for its video with a young Courteney Cox.
76. "Rock You Like a Hurricane", Scorpions: a German metal favorite.
77. "Summer of '69", Bryan Adams: nostalgia you can sing along to.
78. "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", Journey: a dramatic breakup anthem.
79. "You Give Love a Bad Name", Bon Jovi: their first number one.
80. "Welcome to the Jungle", Guns N' Roses: the opening track of Appetite for Destruction.

80s power ballads

81. "Open Arms", Journey: the ballad that defined the decade.
82. "Faithfully", Journey: a love song from life on tour.
83. "Total Eclipse of the Heart", Bonnie Tyler: high drama from start to finish.
84. "I Want to Know What Love Is", Foreigner: with a gospel choir.
85. "Heaven", Bryan Adams: a classic prom slow dance.
86. "Alone", Heart: one of the decade's biggest vocals.
87. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", Poison: the hair-metal heartbreak song.
88. "Careless Whisper", George Michael: the biggest song of 1985.

80s movie songs

89. "Fame", Irene Cara: the title song of the 1980 film.
90. "Flashdance... What a Feeling", Irene Cara: an Oscar-winning dance anthem.
91. "Ghostbusters", Ray Parker Jr.: the theme everyone can shout along to.
92. "The Power of Love", Huey Lewis and the News: from Back to the Future.
93. "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)", John Parr: from the Brat Pack film.
94. "Axel F", Harold Faltermeyer: the synth theme from Beverly Hills Cop.
95. "Danger Zone", Kenny Loggins: the jet-fighter anthem from Top Gun.
96. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes: the finale of Dirty Dancing.

Four more 80s classics

97. "Hungry Heart", Bruce Springsteen: his first top ten hit, in 1980.
98. "Thriller", Michael Jackson: the 14-minute video that changed music videos forever.
99. "Red Red Wine", UB40: a reggae cover of a Neil Diamond song.
100. "Like a Prayer", Madonna: the epic that closed out her decade.

The biggest hit of every year of the 80s

These were the number one songs on Billboard's year-end chart for each year of the decade:

• 1980: "Call Me" by Blondie.
• 1981: "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes.
• 1982: "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John.
• 1983: "Every Breath You Take" by The Police.
• 1984: "When Doves Cry" by Prince.
• 1985: "Careless Whisper" by Wham! featuring George Michael.
• 1986: "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick and friends.
• 1987: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles.
• 1988: "Faith" by George Michael.
• 1989: "Look Away" by Chicago.

The sounds of the decade, genre by genre

Pop in the 80s was bright and polished, built on synthesizers, drum machines and big hooks, and powered by superstars like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and Whitney Houston. Rock split into arena anthems from Journey and Bon Jovi, the heartland sound of Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, and the hair metal of Def Leppard and Poison. New wave and synth-pop, led by British bands like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears, traded guitars for keyboards and dressed up for MTV.

R&B and soul moved toward slick, danceable production with Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross and Anita Baker, while hip-hop grew from New York block parties into a national force with Run-DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy. Even country crossed over, with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton topping the pop chart with "Islands in the Stream".

The stories behind 10 iconic 80s songs

Billie Jean

Michael Jackson performed "Billie Jean" on the Motown 25 television special in 1983 and introduced the world to the moonwalk. The performance turned Thriller, already a hit, into the best-selling album of all time.

Don't Stop Believin'

Journey's 1981 single only reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Decades later, the final scene of The Sopranos and covers on Glee brought it back, and it became one of the best-selling digital downloads of any song from the 20th century.

Livin' on a Prayer

Bon Jovi almost left "Livin' on a Prayer" off Slippery When Wet. The story of Tommy and Gina, struggling to get by, became their signature song, and Richie Sambora's talk box guitar made the intro instantly recognizable.

Take On Me

a-ha's first version of "Take On Me" flopped in 1984. The band re-recorded it, paired it with a groundbreaking video that mixed pencil sketches and live action, and the song went to number one in America in 1985.

Every Breath You Take

The biggest song of 1983 is often played at weddings, but Sting has said it is really about obsession and control. Its gentle melody hides a much darker meaning.

Sweet Child o' Mine

Slash has said the famous opening riff started as a warm-up exercise he was playing as a joke. The band built a song around it, and it became Guns N' Roses' only number one single.

Africa

Toto's "Africa" reached number one in 1983 and never really went away. A wave of internet love and a 2018 cover by Weezer introduced it to a whole new generation of fans.

Purple Rain

Prince wrote "Purple Rain" for his 1984 film of the same name. The movie won him an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score, and the song closed his concerts for the rest of his life.

Never Gonna Give You Up

Rick Astley's 1987 number one became the internet's favorite prank in the 2000s, when people started tricking friends into clicking the video. The joke, known as rickrolling, helped the video pass a billion views on YouTube.

The charity singles

The 80s also gave us music for a cause. Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984 and USA for Africa's "We Are the World", written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1985, raised money for famine relief and brought dozens of stars together in a single recording.

Why do 80s songs still sound so good?

The 80s were the decade when music became visual. MTV launched in 1981 by playing "Video Killed the Radio Star", a 1979 hit by The Buggles, and a great video could turn a song into a worldwide hit overnight. Synthesizers and drum machines gave pop a bright new sound, rock went to arenas and hip-hop broke out of New York. Because these songs were everywhere at once, they became a shared soundtrack for a whole generation.

80s dance songs for a party

For an 80s party, start with "Celebration" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", play "Love Shack" and "Walk Like an Egyptian" when the dance floor fills and save "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Don't Stop Believin'" for the big finish. For slow dances, see our 80s love songs.

80s songs for a workout

For a run or a gym session, "Eye of the Tiger", "Physical", "Danger Zone" and "Jump" bring instant energy, and "Hot for Teacher" or "Rock You Like a Hurricane" push you through the last set. A warm-up with "Take On Me" and a cool-down with "Every Breath You Take" round out the playlist.

80s songs for a road trip

For the open road, start with "Summer of '69" and "Don't Stop Believin'", add "Africa" and "The Power of Love" for the long stretches and save "Livin' on a Prayer" for when everyone needs a second wind. For more driving music, see our road trip songs.

80s songs for a birthday

For anyone turning 40, 50 or 60 who grew up with this music, an 80s playlist is a guaranteed hit. Play the number one song from the year they were born or graduated, from the year-by-year list above, and finish with "Celebration" for the cake.

80s songs for karaoke

For karaoke night, "Don't Stop Believin'", "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" are guaranteed crowd-pleasers, and "Take On Me" is the ultimate challenge for anyone brave enough to try the high note. See our karaoke duets for songs to sing together.

More 80s music

For the women who ruled the decade, see our 80s female singers and Madonna's hits of the decade, plus our George Michael songs and Def Leppard songs, and for a wedding with an 80s theme, our 80s wedding songs.

A song in the style of the 80s

A personalized song can bring back that big 80s sound for someone who loves it: their name, their story and a chorus made for singing along, in a pop, rock or electronic style. It makes a fun gift for a 40th, 50th or 60th birthday.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, rock, electronic and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a hit of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.