The top 50 tracks from the 1980s

[alistairm]

I'm hosting a 1980s themed music party soon and need to compile the play list. 

 

What can't be missed, from the classic, to the tragic to the cheesy. 

 

I'll start. 

 

1. Escape Club, Wild Wild West

[Pieface]

Whichever you like from MJ "Thriller".

 

i always like Billie Jean. Dat Bassline.

 

But the title track is mucho fun for a party.

[Guest Misterioso]

2. Nena: 99 Luftballons (1983)

 

Not a recommendation (certainly not my taste),  but a must for a 80s themed party.

[Sir Triode]

Karma Chameleon - Boy George

Simply Irresistible - Robert Palmer

Jessie's Girl - Springsteen

Safety Dance - Men without Hats

Uptown Girl - Billy Joel 

Jump - Van Halen

Summer of 69  - Bryan Adams

Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

Mr Roboto - Styx

Someone's Watching Me - Rockwell

A View to a Kill - Duran Duran

Freeze frame - J Geils Band

Take on Me - Aha

Shout - Tears for fears

Mad World - Tear for fears

People are People - Depeche Mode

Master and Servant - Depeche Mode

Take my breath away - Berlin

Don't lose my number - Phli Colins

Walk like an Egyptian - Bangles.

Hold me Now - Thompson Twins

Doctor Doctor - Thompson Twins

Cruel Summer - Bananarama

Boys Boys Boys - Sabrina

Money For Nothing - Dire Straits

Luka - Suzanne Vega

Fast Car - Tracey Chapman

With or Without you - U2

Where the streets have no name - U2

Lets Dance - David Bowie

Electric Blue - Ice House

Beds are Burning - Midnight Oil

Our House - Madness

It must be Love - Madness

Eye in the Sky - Alan Parson Project

Love Changes Everything - Climie Fisher

Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl

It's Got to be Perfect - Fairground attraction

True - Spandau Ballet

Edited May 7, 2014 by Sir Triode

[blybo]

Off the top of my head these are all 80's

 

Plenty of INXS, early Madonna, U2

 

Sounds of Then- GANGgajang

Don't You Forget About Me- Simple Minds

Song 2-Blur

If I could- 1927

She Drives Me Crazy-Fine Young Cannibals

What About Me- Moving Pictures

 

Finish off with Going Home-Mark Knoffler/Dire Straights.

[Pieface]

I think Blur - song 2 was late 90's...?

[SteveC]

You need a Prince song or 2 or 3 or 10.....

 

This is from a Billboard list, ignore the few 90's ones in there.

 

1, "When Doves Cry," 1984, No. 1 (5)* 
2, "Kiss," 1986, No. 1 (2)* 
3, "Let's Go Crazy," 1984, No. 1 (2) 
4, "Cream," 1991, No. 1 (2)** 
5, "Batdance," 1989, No. 1 (1) 
6, "Raspberry Beret," 1985, No. 2* 
7, "U Got the Look," 1987, No. 2 
8, "Purple Rain," 1984, No. 2* 
9, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," 1994, No. 3 
10, "Sign 'O' the Times," 1987, No. 3 
11, "Little Red Corvette," 1983, No. 6 
12, "Diamonds and Pearls," 1992, No. 3** 
13, "Thieves in the Temple," 1990, No. 6 
14, "Pop Life," 1985, No. 7* 
15, "Delirious," 1983, No. 8 
16, "I Would Die 4 U," 1985, No. 8* 
17, "7," 1993, No. 7** 
18, "Alphabet St.," 1988, No. 8 
19, "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man," 1988, No. 10 
20, "1999," 1983, No. 12 

[Monty]

Head - Prince

Fight For Your Right - Beastie Boys

Walk This Way - Run-DMC

Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc

Express Yourself - Madonna

New Sensation - INXS

Back In Black - AC/DC

Gunbarrel Highway - Midnight Oil

Streets of Your Town - Go-Betweens

Graceland - Paul Simon

[SteveC]

Relax - Frankie goes to Hollywood

Burning down the house - Talking Heads

West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys

 

 

Most tragic: (ie songs I never want to hear again)

 

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Physical - Olivia Newton John

Luka - Suzanne Vega

Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield

[analog brother]

one night in bangkok

[Guest]

Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield

 

Please no ...

[JukKluk2]

Chants D'Auvergne - Kiri Te Kanawa, guaranteed to get the party swinging!

Babooshka - Kate Bush

Larks' Tongues in Aspic IV - King Crimson

Order of the Universe - Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

No Thunder, No Fire, No Rain - Tim Finn

Mitsubishi Boy - Ben Sidran

No More Lonely Nights - Paul McCartney

In A Lifetime - Clannad

Days/Song of Seven - Jon Anderson

Rough Boys - Pete Townshend

Choir Girl - Cold Chisel

Sweet Little Mystery - John Martyn

Don't Talk to Stranger - Rick Springfield*

Gold - Spandau Ballet

State of the Heart - Mondo Rock*

 

 

 

* Sorry Marc, but RS (somehow appropriate initials, do you think?) had two really good songs - Jessie and  Don't Talk. He also covered State of the Heart, a fact made known to me by a friend in England who was surprised when I played her the Mondo's recording. She asked why they were playing a Springfield song. Took some persuading that it was the other way around.

[analog brother]

fade to grey - visage

[tubularbells]

Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11 Classic track, classic band love em'. Pretty much summed up the 80's for me in that image is everything.

 

Oh and you MUST have at least one Billy track in there as well. Rebel Yell, Flesh for Fantasy, Eyes Without a Face etc. etc.

 

One final thing. wheres my invite, love the 80's!!!!

[surprisetech]

Some New Order would be in order:

Blue Monday
Shellshock
Bizarre Love Triangle

 

and you'd be sick not to include The Cure:
Love Cats
Close to Me
Boys Don't Cry

[Tony ray]

Safety Dance...... Men with out hats

[progladyte]

Visage
Fade to Grey / The Steps (1980)

 

Kate Bush
Running Up That Hill / Under the Ivy(1985)

New Order
Blue Monday / The Beach (1983)

David Bowie
Ashes to Ashes / Move On (1980)

Kraftwerk
Computer Love / The Model (1981)

Prince
When Doves Cry / 17 Days (1984)

 

Michael Jackson
Billie Jean / Can't Get Outta the Rain (1983)

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Enola Gay / Annex (1980)

Pet Shop Boys
West End Girls / A Man Could Get Arrested (1985)

Simple Minds
Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) / King Is White and in the Crowd [bBC session] (1982)

Talk Talk
Life's What You Make It (1985)

Simple Minds
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1983)

Soft Cell
Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go (1981)

Roxy Music
More Than This / India (1982)

Tears for Fears
Mad World / Ideas as Opiates (1982)

The The
Uncertain Smile (1982)

Bronski Beat
Smalltown Boy / Memories (1984)

Crowded House
Don't Dream It's Over / That's What I Call Love

Talk Talk
It's My Life (1984)

Prince and The Revolution
Purple Rain / God (1984)

Ultravox
Vienna / Passionate Reply (1981)

R.E.M.
Radio Free Europe / There She Goes Again (1983

R.E.M.
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) / This One Goes Out (Live) (1987)

XTC
Senses Working Overtime / Blame the Weather / Tissue Tigers (The Arguers) (1982)

Peter Gabriel
Games Without Frontiers / The Start / I Don't Remember (1980)

John Lennon
Jealous Guy / Going Down on Love (1981)

Talk Talk
Such a Shame (1984)

Queen & David Bowie
Under Pressure / Soul Brother (1981)

Eurythmics
Here Comes the Rain Again / Paint a Rumour (1984)

The Waterboys
The Whole of the Moon / Medicine Jack (1985)

Mike Oldfield
Moonlight Shadow / Rite of Man (1983)

The Church
The Unguarded Moment / Busdriver (1981)

The Go-Betweens
Streets of Your Town (1988)

Prince and The Revolution
I Would Die 4 U / Another Lonely Christmas (1984)

Joe Jackson
Steppin' Out / Another World (1982)

Pretenders
Back on the Chain Gang / My City Was Gone (1982)

Pet Shop Boys
Rent (1987)

Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express
Come On Eileen / Dubious (1982)

The Church
Almost With You / Life Speeds Up (1982)

Yazoo
Only You / Situation (1982)

Prince and The Revolution
Kiss / ♥ or $ (1986)

Yazoo
Don't Go / Winter Kills (1982)

The Human League
Don't You Want Me / Seconds (1981)

Talking Heads
Burning Down the House / I Get Wild - Wild Gravity

Tracy Chapman
Fast Car / For You (1988)

Fleetwood Mac
Gypsy / Cool Water (1982)

Michael Jackson
Beat It / Get on the Floor (1983)

Propaganda
Dr Mabuse (A Paranoid Fantasy) / Dr Mabuse (Der Spieler) (1984)

R.E.M.
Orange Crush / Ghost Riders (1988)

The Psychedelic Furs
Love My Way / Aeroplane (1982)

INXS
Don't Change / Go West (1982)

U2
With or Without You / Luminous Times (Hold On to Love) / Walk to the Water (1987)

The Art of Noise
Moments in Love / Beatbox: Love Beat (1985)

Roxy Music
Avalon / Always Unknowing (1982)

a-ha
Take On Me / Love Is Reason (1984)

Tears for Fears
Everybody Wants to Rule the World / Pharaohs

Propaganda
Duel / Jewel (1985)

Talking Heads
Road to Nowhere / Give Me Back My Name (1985)

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Joan of Arc / The Romance of the Telescope (1981)

A Flock of Seagulls
I Ran (So Far Away) / Pick Me Up (1982)

Dire Straits
Brothers in Arms / Going Home - Theme From 'Local Hero' (Live Version) (1985)

Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) / I Could Give You (A Mirror) (1983)

Pet Shop Boys
West End Girls / Theme for the Pet Shop Boys (1984)

ABC
The Look of Love (1982)

Simple Minds
Don't You (Forget About Me) / A Brass Band in Africa (1985)

XTC
Generals and Majors / Don't Lose Your Temper

Simple Minds
Love Song (1981)

Phil Collins
In the Air Tonight / The Roof Is Leaking (1981)

Simple Minds
Promised You a Miracle / Theme for Great Cities

Split Enz
Message to My Girl / Kia Kaha (1984)

World Party
Ship of Fools / World Groove (Do the Mind Guerilla) (1987)

Hoodoo Gurus
I Want You Back / Who Do You Love (live) (1984)

Genesis
Mama / It's Gonna Get Better (1983)

Suzanne Vega
Luka / Night Vision (1987)

Peter Gabriel
Red Rain / Ga Ga (1987)

Talk Talk
Today / It's So Serious (1982)

U2
Pride (In the Name of Love) / Boomerang II (1984)

Gary Numan
We Are Glass / Trois Gymnopedies (1st movement)

Cyndi Lauper
Time After Time / I'll Kiss You (1984)

Lloyd Cole and The Commotions
Rattlesnakes / Sweetness (1984)

Supertramp
School / Oh Darling (1983)

The Police
Every Breath You Take / Murder by Numbers (1983)

Alphaville
Forever Young / Welcome to the Sun (1984)

Tears for Fears
Shout / The Big Chair (1985)

Roxy Music
Jealous Guy / To Turn You On (1981)

China Crisis
Wishful Thinking / This Occupation (1984)

Roy Orbison
You Got It / The Only One (1989)

INXS
Never Tear Us Apart / Different World (1988)

Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Two Tribes / One February Friday (1984)

Ultravox
The Voice / Paths & Angles (1981)

Madness
Our House / Walking With Mr. Wheeze (1982)

Kim Carnes
Bette Davis Eyes / Miss You Tonite (1981)

Sade
Smooth Operator / Spirit (1984)

The Dream Academy
Life in a Northern Town / Test Tape No. 3 (1985)

Traveling Wilburys
End of the Line / Congratulations (1989)

Eurythmics
Who's That Girl? / You Take Some Lentils ... And You Take Some Rice (1983)

The Alan Parsons Project
Eye in the Sky / Gemini (1982)

Kim Wilde
Cambodia / Watching for Shapes (1981)

Devo
Whip It / Turnaround (1980)

Peter Gabriel
Sledgehammer / Don't Break This Rhythm (1986)

Daryl Hall & John Oates
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) / Unguarded Minute (1981)

Suzanne Vega
Left of Center [featuring Joe Jackson] / Undertow

Talking Heads
And She Was / And She Was (Dub) (1985)

Devo
Beautiful World / Enough Said (1981)

Nik Kershaw
Wouldn't It Be Good / Monkey Business (1984)

Hoodoo Gurus
My Girl / Be My Guru (1983)

Grace Jones
Pull Up to the Bumper (1981)

The Police
Wrapped Around Your Finger / Someone to Talk To (1983)

David Bowie
Let's Dance / Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (1983)

Nik Kershaw
The Riddle / Progress (1984)

The Vapors
Turning Japanese / Here Comes the Judge (live)

Mike Oldfield
To France / In the Pool (1984)

Electric Light Orchestra
Twilight / Julie Don't Live Here (1981)

Split Enz
Six Months in a Leaky Boat / Make Sense of It (1982)

Icehouse
Hey Little Girl / Glam (1982)

Blancmange
Living on the Ceiling / Running Thin (1982)

Tears for Fears
Sowing the Seeds of Love / Tears Roll Down (1989)

Crowded House
Into Temptation / Mansion in the Slums / This Is Massive (1988)

Fine Young Cannibals
Johnny Come Home / Good Times and Bad (1985)

Simple Minds
Glittering Prize / Glittering Prize (Theme) (1982)

U2
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Spanish Eyes / Deep in the Heart (1987)

Swingers
Counting the Beat / One Good Reason (1981)

Billy Idol
White Wedding / Hole in the Wall (1982)

Men at Work
Down Under / Crazy (1981)

Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Relax / One September Monday (1983)

Paul Simon
You Can Call Me Al / Gumboots (1986)

 

 

 

 

*********************************************************************************

 

 

That should be enough music to keep you going for a while.

Edited May 7, 2014 by progladyte

[surprisetech]

Oh and some local content.

 

Paul Kelly:

- Billy Baxter
- Darling It Hurts
- Forty Miles to Saturday Night
- Dumb Things

 

Died Pretty:
- Stoneage Cinderella
- Winterland
- Everybody Moves

 

Weddos:
- Streets Of Forbes
- The Wind And Rain

[joz]

I'm getting all sentimental now.

[ArthurDent]

Seriously scarry how many of these albums I own (as in just about all of them) and here's me always going on about how the "golden age" of pop/rock was 5 years either side of 1970.

[Guest]

Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield

 

 

Please no ...

 

 

 

AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!

 

It's in my head now.

 

 

MAKE IT STOP!!!!

 

 

 

 

[ArthurDent]

[ArthurDent]

Can't embed the video.

 

Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters

Edited May 7, 2014 by KenTripp

[Sir Triode]

AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!

 

It's in my head now.

 

 

MAKE IT STOP!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I've always wondered why the Aussies don't like him and his music?

Please explain.

It isn't such a bad song is it?

Edited May 7, 2014 by Sir Triode

[keyse1]

Burn it down Dexy's Midnight Runners

King Horse Elvis Costello

I Can't Stand up for Falling Down Elvis Costello

Bachelor Kisses Go Betweens

Spring Rain Go Betweens

This Must be the Night Mink Deville

Pop Song REM

Just to Walk this Little Girl Home Mink Deville

Orange Crush REM

Start Me Up The Stones

Estuary Bed Trffids

Red Pony Triffids

Hell of a Summer Triffids

Property is Condemned Triffids

Beautiful Waste Triffids

Pride U2

Love Rescue Me U2

Blister in the Sun Violen Femmes

Add it up Violent Femmes

Good Feeling Violent Femmes

Children of the Revolution Violent Femmes