The Greatest Music The Greatest Music

100 Best Songs of the '80s

Source: Spectrum Culture
Year: 2017
100 songs
10 voters

Weight: 21%

How much this list influences our overall rankings. Higher weight means more reliable data.

Penalties Applied:

Voters: are mostly from a single country/location: 10%
Voters: Voter Count: 13.6%
Voters: Estimated Count: 5%
List: number of years covered: 50.8%

Spectrum Culture’s “100 Best Songs of the ’80s” is a staff-produced, ranked countdown published in 2017 and released in installments (from #100–91 through #10–1). The list spans pop, rock, new wave, R&B, and more, with each song accompanied by a brief critical note tying it to the decade’s sound, style, and lasting influence.

Rank Song Artists Year
#1 Just Like Heaven The Cure 1987
#2 Billie Jean Michael Jackson 1982
#3 When Doves Cry Prince, The Revolution 1984
#4 There Is a Light That Never Goes Out The Smiths 1986
#5 Little Red Corvette Prince 1982
#6 Bizarre Love Triangle New Order 1986
#7 Love Will Tear Us Apart Joy Division 1980
#8 Pictures of You The Cure 1989
#9 Don't You Want Me The Human League 1981
#10 Let's Go Crazy Prince, The Revolution 1984
#11 This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) Talking Heads 1983
#12 Into the Groove Madonna 1984
#13 Purple Rain Prince, The Revolution 1984
#14 How Soon Is Now? The Smiths 1984
#15 New Year's Day U2 1983
#16 Sweet Child o' Mine Guns N' Roses 1987
#17 In the Air Tonight Phil Collins 1981
#18 Take On Me a‐ha 1984
#19 Debaser Pixies 1989
#20 Rockit Herbie Hancock 1983
#21 Blue Monday New Order 1983
#22 I Feel for You Chaka Khan 1984
#23 In Your Eyes Peter Gabriel 1986
#24 Everybody Wants to Rule the World Tears for Fears 1985
#25 Fight the Power Public Enemy 1989
#26 Tainted Love Soft Cell 1981
#27 Once in a Lifetime Talking Heads 1980
#28 Careless Whisper Wham! 1984
#29 Borderline Madonna 1983
#30 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) Michael Jackson 1982
#31 Kiss Prince, The Revolution 1986
#32 I Ran (So Far Away) A Flock of Seagulls 1982
#33 Groove Is in the Heart Deee‐Lite 1990
#34 Come On Eileen Dexys Midnight Runners 1982
#35 More Than This Roxy Music 1982
#36 West End Girls Pet Shop Boys 1985
#37 Modern Love David Bowie 1983
#38 Teen Age Riot Sonic Youth 1988
#39 Straight Outta Compton N.W.A 1988
#40 Smooth Criminal Michael Jackson 1987
#41 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) Whitney Houston 1987
#42 The River Bruce Springsteen 1980
#43 Rio Duran Duran 1982
#44 Like a Virgin Madonna 1984
#45 True Love Will Find You in the End Daniel Johnston 1987
#46 Fools Gold The Stone Roses 1989
#47 Atlantic City Bruce Springsteen 1982
#48 We Belong Pat Benatar 1984
#49 I'm on Fire Bruce Springsteen 1984
#50 Where the Streets Have No Name U2 1987
#51 With or Without You U2 1987
#52 You Shook Me All Night Long AC/DC 1980
#53 Fall on Me R.E.M. 1986
#54 Your Love Is King Sade 1984
#55 Atomic Dog George Clinton 1982
#56 Radio Free Europe R.E.M. 1983
#57 True Faith New Order 1987
#58 That's Entertainment The Jam 1980
#59 The Boys of Summer Don Henley 1984
#60 Under Pressure Queen, David Bowie 1981
#61 Rock the Casbah The Clash 1982
#62 I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) Daryl Hall & John Oates 1981
#63 Let's Dance David Bowie 1983
#64 Ashes to Ashes David Bowie 1976
#65 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' Michael Jackson 1982
#66 Where Is My Mind? Pixies 1988
#67 Walk This Way Run‐D.M.C. 1986
#68 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham! 1984
#69 You Make My Dreams Daryl Hall & John Oates 1980
#70 Holiday in Cambodia Dead Kennedys 1980
#71 I Will Dare The Replacements 1984
#72 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side The Smiths 1985
#73 Orange Crush R.E.M. 1988
#74 Sledgehammer Peter Gabriel 1986
#75 Academy Fight Song Mission of Burma 1980
#76 Bela Lugosi's Dead Bauhaus 1979
#77 Owner of a Lonely Heart Yes 1983
#78 I Melt With You Modern English 1982
#79 A Little Respect Erasure 1988
#80 Take My Breath Away Berlin 1986
#81 Fairytale of New York The Pogues, Kirsty MacColl 1987
#82 Bring On the Dancing Horses Echo & the Bunnymen 1985
#83 Tempted Squeeze 1981
#84 Wrapped Around Your Finger The Police 1983
#85 Dancing in the Dark Bruce Springsteen 1984
#86 Love My Way The Psychedelic Furs 1982
#87 Head On The Jesus and Mary Chain 1989
#88 Faith George Michael 1987
#89 Sex Bomb Flipper 1982
#90 Smooth Operator Sade 1984
#91 Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) Journey 1983
#92 Every Breath You Take The Police 1983
#93 Genius of Love Tom Tom Club 1981
#94 Mercy Street Peter Gabriel 1986
#95 Head Over Heels Tears for Fears 1985
#96 If I Had a Boat Lyle Lovett 1987
#97 A Strange Day The Cure 1982
#98 Who Can It Be Now? Men at Work 1981
#99 You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) Dead or Alive 1984
#100 Shock the Monkey Peter Gabriel 1982

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