The 1980s music was transformational and its effect is still felt today. It was a decade of maximalists like big shoulder pads, big hair, and even big egos. It was a decade when MTV was launched. It introduced the ‘Music Video As Art’ concept. MTTV is responsible for making synthesizers and digital sound mainstream. In the 1980s, hip-hop and rap also made a huge impact.
Check out the history of 80s music on the Popculturemadness website. You will find tracks representing every mood and genre. Moody Goth rock, cheerful love songs, party jams, dance club hits, etc. everything was characterized by 1980s music.
Popular picks of 1980s legendary and evergreen songs
‘Purple Rain’ – Prince
Purple Rain is an ideally crafted masterpiece by Prince Rogers Nelson. He had a gift for creating unique melodies and his uncanny vocal ability to change from aggrieved to ethereal and from guttural to falsetto is unmatched. Even his competence to play multi-instrument stays unparalleled.
‘Beat It’ – Michael Jackson
‘Beat It’ legitimately rocks. The desperation unfurls in MJ’s voice when he defines the street-fighting life’s harsh truths. It is a psychologically heavy song as well as sonically great.
‘I wanna dance with somebody’ – Whitney Houston
Houston entered the music world with a crystal clear voice in 1987. The song is about loneliness instead of love.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ – NWA
NWA’s debut track announced the west-coast rap arrival in an aggressive and imaginable game-changing manner challenging dominant rockers to make space.
‘Express Yourself’ – Madonna
Madonna’s hits are a gem even ‘Express Yourself’. It is a stomping feminist manifesto, where Madonna tells female listeners directly not to go for second best.
Bust a Move – Young MC
The song was from Young MCs debut album. It won Grammy Award for the best rap performance. It is still a classic!
‘The Message’ – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
The song announced that hip-hop was not an idle pastime. It was a movement by young and frustrated Black guys looking to bring awareness and change in the world via music.
‘Close to Me’ – The Cure
The band made plenty of sad Goth Rock and ‘Close to Me’ lyrics harmonized with the ultra-perky brass riffs.
‘Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
There is hardly anyone who didn’t like this song and eventoday the fan base for this breezy is still a favorite.
‘Dancing in the Dark’ – Bruce Springsteen
Dancing in the Dark is overflowing with determination, frustration, and sex. The late Clarence Clemons sax solo is stunning.
‘Everybody wants to rule the world’ – Tears for Fears
The 1980s can be dismissed as an era for cheesy music – maximalist and light on substance. Nevertheless, the era even delivered the teariest and most emotional musical moments. the song is about everyone wanting power and the melancholy it causes.
‘Take on Me’ – A-ha
The Norwegian electro-pop trio band rose to international popularity with ‘Take on Me’. Its groundbreaking video was a blend of pencil-drawn animation and live-action that got it the spot.
The 1980s sound was more than a blend of eccentricities. The decade offered MJ, NWA, Madonna, and Prince. The Raps wave was the tsunami that transformed pop music culture.
