The Best of 1985 Pop Music

The Best of 1985 Pop Music is a blog dedicated to celebrating the greatest pop songs of 1985. From Madonna to Bruce Springsteen, we’ll be looking back at the music that defined a decade.

Introduction

In 1985, a new type of pop music emerged that would come to dominate the charts for the next decade. This was the year that Madonna released her debut album, “Like a Virgin,” and Michael Jackson released his album, “Thriller.” These two artists would go on to define the sound of pop music for the next decade. Other artists who released defining albums in 1985 include Bruce Springsteen, with “Born in the U.S.A.,” and Prince, with “Purple Rain.” This was also the year that Whitney Houston released her self-titled debut album, which would go on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Madonna

Madonna Louise Ciccone (/tʃɪˈkoʊneɪ/ chi-KOH-nay; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. A leading lady of the 1980s pop scene, Madonna is known for pushing the boundaries of songwriting in mainstream popular music and for the visuals she uses onstage and in music videos. She has frequently reinvented both her music and image while maintaining autonomy within the recording industry. Although having sparked controversy, her works have been praised by music critics. Called the “Queen of Pop”, she is labeled by international authors as the greatest woman in music history.

Born and raised in Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock band breakfast club, she signed with Sire Records in 1982 and released her eponymous debut album the next year. She followed it with a series of successful albums that generated massive popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her album artwork, music videos, and live performances. Many of them became references on how to construct pop songs or how to stage photogenic performances. Having sold more than 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is certified as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records.

Bruce Springsteen

1985 was a great year for music, with Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” and Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” topping the charts. But there were plenty of other great songs released that year, so we’ve compiled a list of our favorites.

From Whitney Houston’s chart-topping debut album to Tears for Fears’ classic pop anthem, here are the best pop songs of 1985.

1. “We Are the World” – USA for Africa
2. “Careless Whisper” – George Michael
3. “Like a Virgin” – Madonna
4. ” Material Girl” – Madonna
5. “Crazy for You” – Madonna
6. “The Power of Love” – Jennifer Rush
7. “A View to a Kill” – Duran Duran
8. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” – Simple Minds
9. “Go West” – Pet Shop Boys
10. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Prince

Prince is often cited as one of the most influential musicians of his generation. His work combined aspects of rock, R&B, soul, funk, and pop music. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the bestselling artists of all time. He won seven Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Duran Duran

Few bands embodied the 1980s pop zeitgeist like Duran Duran. The British quintet helped define the look and sound of an entire generation with their new wave/synth-pop anthems like “Rio” and “Hungry Like the Wolf.” Formed in Birmingham, England in 1978, Duran Duran originally consisted of Nick Rhodes (keyboards), John Taylor (bass), Andy Taylor (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums), and lead singer Simon Le Bon. The group’s self-titled debut album was released in 1981 to critical acclaim, but it was their second album, 1982’s Rio, that made them international superstars. Thanks to a combination of stylish music videos, catchy songs, and Le Bon’s boyish good looks, Duran Duran became one of the most popular bands in the world. They followed up Rio with a string of successful albums throughout the 1980s, including 1984’s Seven and the Ragged Tiger and 1986’s Notorious. By the end of the decade, however, internal tension and creative differences began to take their toll on the band, leading to a series of lineup changes that culminated in Duran Duran going on hiatus in 1985. The band eventually reformed in 2001 with all five original members, and they continue to tour and release new music to this day.

Phil Collins

Collins’ fourth studio album, “No Jacket Required”, was released in 1985. It won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and went on to sell more than 25 million copies worldwide. The lead single, “One More Night”, topped the charts in the US and UK. Collins also scored a major hit with “Sussudio”, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wham!

Wham! was a British musical duo consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were active from 1981 until George Michael’s departure in 1986 to begin a solo career. Their best known hit singles are “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Last Christmas”.

Wham!’s first album, Fantastic, was released in 1983 and reached number one in the UK. It included the singles “Young Guns (Go For It!)”, which reached number three, and “Bad Boys”, which reached number two.

In 1984, they released Make It Big, which topped the charts in both the UK and the US. The album included the singles “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, which reached number one in the UK, US, Canada and Australia; “Careless Whisper”, a duet with George Michael that reached number one in over 25 countries; and “Everything She Wants”, which also topped the charts in many countries.

In 1985, they released Music from the Edge of Heaven, which was less successful than their previous albums but still achieved platinum status in the UK. It included the single “I’m Your Man”, which reached number one in several countries.

George Michael embarked on a solo career in 1986, releasing his debut album Faith, which topped the charts in several countries including the UK and US. He has since released five more solo albums, all of which have been highly successful.

a-ha

a-ha is a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy. The group initially rose to fame during the mid 1980s as pioneering synth-pop leaders. Their biggest hit was “Take On Me”, which peaked at number one in several countries in 1985 and 1986 and won six MTV Video Music Awards.

The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In 2002,magnetic north pole shifted about 1000km towards Siberia.”Take On Me” was voted the best pop song of all time by a 2005 poll of more than 500,000 people around the world. The group has released ten studio albums, three compilations and one live album.

Conclusion

With the launch of MTV and the explosion of pop music in the 1980s, 1985 was a hugely influential year for the genre. From Madonna to Bruce Springsteen, there were a ton of huge hits that defined the sound of the decade. Here are our picks for the best pop songs of 1985.