The Best Pop Music from the 80s
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Looking for a blast from the past? Check out our list of the best pop music from the 1980s! From Madonna to Michael Jackson, these are the hits that defined a decade.
Madonna
Madonna is a pop icon who first gained popularity in the 1980s. Her hits like “Like a Virgin” and “Papa Don’t Preach” made her one of the most popular artists of the decade. She has continued to be successful in the decades since, releasing hit albums like “Ray of Light” and “Music.” Madonna is one of the best-selling artists of all time and has won numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.
“Like a Virgin”
“Like a Virgin” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on October 31, 1984, by Sire Records as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, and produced by Nile Rodgers; Steinberg said that its musical style was inspired by his fascination with power pop bands such as the Cars.
The accompanying music video was directed by Mary Lambert and features a montage of scenes of Madonna, in wedding gown, running around the streets of New York City. After its release, “Like a Virgin” received mixed reviews from music critics but was also a commercial success; it became Madonna’s first US number-one single and topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Spain and United Kingdom.
In 1985, the song won Madonna her first Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The success of “Like a Virgin” paved the way for future record-breaking singles by Madonna. Critics have praised its composition and Innovative production which used new technology at that time.”
“Material Girl”
“Material Girl” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on January 23, 1985, by the Sire Records label as the second single from the album. The song was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, while Nile Rodgers produced it. Rodgers had originally presented the track to Cheryl Lynn in 1983, who rejected it. One of the writers of the song, Brown, suggested giving it to Madonna. After Madonna secured the song, she altered some of its lyrics and co-produced it with Mark Kamins.
Madonna wanted to use fashion in the music video as a pastiche or parody of Marlene Dietrich and Jean Harlow’s work during the 1930s. Director Mary Lambert filmed a video that featured Madonna dancing in front of a backdrop of Cecil B. DeMille-inspired film sets. It also included close-ups of Garland’s face; fashions inspired by 1920s flappers; and shots of jeweled gifts being delivered to Madonna’s apartment.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was one of the most popular entertainers in the world and was the best-selling music artist during the year of his death. His album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time.
“Billie Jean”
“Billie Jean” is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released as the second single from his 1982 album, Thriller. It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones. Jackson’s vocal spans two octaves, from B4 to C6. The song is a medium tempo disco groove with jackson’s vocals supported by synthesizers. The lyrics describe a woman’s claim that the narrator is the father of one of her children.
The song was accompanied by one of the most famous music videos of all time, directed by Steve Barron. The video features Jackson in a white suit and black shirt dancing on top of a steel grate in a parking garage as laser lights dance around him. “Billie Jean” was a commercial success; it became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales exceeding six million copies worldwide. It was certified platinum in 1984 and became the second single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, after “Say Say Say”.
“Beat It”
“Beat It” is a song written and performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson from his 1982 album, Thriller. The song was produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It is about two gangs who come to blows but are stopped by Jackson when he tells them to “beat it”. He then sings a solo with guitar accompaniment by Eddie Van Halen.
The song is notable for its music video, which was directed by John Landis and features Jackson dancing with a group of gangsters. The video won the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Music Video. “Beat It” was ranked number 337 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” in 2004. The song was also inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame. In 2001, “Beat It” was voted number one by VH1 and MTV as part of their 100 Greatest Pop Songs poll.
Prince
“When Doves Cry”
“When Doves Cry” is a song by American musician Prince, and the lead single from his 1984 album, Purple Rain. It was his second US single (after “I Wanna Be Your Lover”), and became his first Billboard number one hit on August 4, 1984, spending five weeks at the top spot. In 2013, NME ranked it as the 157th greatest song of all time.
“Purple Rain”
Rising to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spending 24 weeks in total on the chart, “Purple Rain” was Prince’s sixth studio album, but first with The Revolution. The album includes the title track, which was No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” which were also both Top 10 hits.
Cyndi Lauper
If you’re looking for a comprehensive list of the best pop music from the 80s, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the greatest hits from one of the most iconic decades in music history. We’ll be covering everything from Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a song by American singer Cyndi Lauper. It was released in 1983 as the lead single from her debut studio album, She’s So Unusual. The song was written by and recorded with Robert Hazard. It was Lauper’s breakthrough hit, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and becoming a worldwide hit throughout late 1983 and early 1984. The success of the single launched Lauper’s career and cemented her status as a pop icon.
The song has been covered numerous times, most notably by American singer Miley Cyrus in 2007 and English singer Lily Allen in 2013. Lauper co-wrote the song with Hazard, who recorded an early demo version in 1981 that achieved little commercial success. In 1982, Lauper met David Wolff, who became her manager and produced some of her early recordings, including a demo tape that included “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”. Wolff suggested that she record the song with Hazard, whom she had never met before; they recorded it in February 1983 at Yellowbird Studios in New York City.
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a synth-pop[1] and new wave[2] song that contains instrumentation from a LinnDrum drum machine along with an acoustic guitar, electronic keyboard, and bass guitar.[3][4] The song is about how girls just want to enjoy themselves without worrying about boys or work;[5][6] however, some interpretations suggest that the girl is actually fighting against conformity.[7][8] The title of the song was inspired by Lauper’s friend Jane Fonda’s 1982 film The Importance of Being Earnest.[9]
“Time After Time”
Released in 1984, this pop ballad became Lauper’s second #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains one of her most popular and well-known songs, with Lauper herself calling it “the song that made me a household name.” The song’s lyrics were inspired by a love story between two friends, with Lauper’s own experiences of heartbreak informing its emotional resonance. The song has been covered many times, including by jazz singer Tony Bennett and country artist Faith Hill.
Duran Duran
“Hungry Like the Wolf”
“Hungry Like the Wolf” is a song by English band Duran Duran, released as the second single from their 1982 album Rio. The song was Duran Duran’s breakthrough hit, reaching number 3 in the UK and number 5 in the US, and remains one of their most popular songs. It was a top 10 hit in several other countries around the world.
The music video for “Hungry Like the Wolf” was shot on location in Sri Lanka, and was directed by Russell Mulcahy. It won nine MTV Video Music Awards nominations and won three, including Best Group Video.
“Rio”
“Rio” is a song by English new wave band Duran Duran. It was released as the third single from their second album Rio in May 1982, reaching number nine in the United Kingdom and number two in Australia. The song was written by the band members and produced by Colin Thurston. “Rio” was released as a 7-inch single, a 12-inch single, and an extended play.
The song’s lyrics are about the city of Rio de Janeiro, with its irresistible rhythm making it a popular choice for use in television advertisements and movies set in Brazil or featuring Brazilian culture or locations. The song has been used in adverts for Delta Air Lines, MTV, Chevrolet and Coca-Cola. It was also used in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), Stuck in Love (2012), Rio (2011) and Blended (2014). In October 2011, NME placed it at number 140 on its list “150 Best Tracks of the Last 15 Years”.
