Description

The 80s: The Golden age hits of synthesizer music and energetic anthems.  With big hair and tight clothes to epic guitar solos and incredible voices, the 80's is considered to be the greatest era in music.  From the Barry Manilow lovers to the AC/DC head bangers and everyone in between, all have great infuence on what music is today.

Here is my playlist of the great 80's jams(in no particular order).  I know I have left out many great songs that arguably can be at top of many lists. 



Song: Don't Stop Believing
Artist: Journey
Album/Year: Escape 1981
Record Label: Columbia Records
Commentary: Journey is a band that was formed in the 1970's. They have gone through different looks when lead singer Steve Perry had decided to pursue a solo career.  The song Don't Stop Believing" is one of their best song and is on most peoples ipods of both young and old.
Youtube link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSVnt3--Nnk

Song: Lost in Love
Artist:Air Supply
Album/Year: Lost in Love 1980
Record Label: Arista
Commentary: Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock make up the Australian rock duo.  "Lost in Love" is one of their most famous sons and can be heard throughout Karaoke bars in Hawaii.
Youtube link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvVs0muI-gU

Song: Always
Artist: Atlantic Starr
Album/Year: All In The Name Of Love 1987
Record Label: Warner Bros.
Commentary: "Always" is a single off of the groups seventh album.  This song is considered to be on of the most popular love songs and a top song choice for a wedding song.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgl11QAU6nA&feature=related

Song: (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
Artist: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
Album/Year: Dirty Dancing Soundtrack 1987
Record Label: RCA
Commentary: This song was made famous in last scene of the movie "Dirty Dancing" starring Patrick Swayze.  Also in 2011, the Black Eyed Peas tried to remake this song but did not to so well with it.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpmILPAcRQo

Song: Uptown Girl
Artist: Billy Joel
Album/Year: An Innocent Man 1983
Record Label: Columbia Records
Commentary: Billy Joel wrote and performed "Uptown Girl." this song is tryiong to describe a regular working man trying to win over an "Uptown" girl.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCuMWrfXG4E

Song: Livin' on a Prayer
Artist: Bon Jovi
Album/Year: Slippery When Wet 1986
Record Label: Mercury Records
Commentary: "Livin' on a Prayer" is a song performed by the rock group Bon Jovi. The song landed the #1 spot on VH1's "Top 100 Song of the 80's." When you think of 80's music, Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" automatically pops into your head.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk

Song: Sailing
Artist: Christopher Cross
Album/Year: Christopher Cross 1980
Record Label: Warner Bros.
Commentary: Written and performed by Christopher Cross, "Sailing" won numerous awards including Record of the Year, Arrangement of the Year and Song of the Year.  "Sailing" is one of the greatest soff rock song.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMkIuKXwmlU

Song: Boys of Summer
Artist: Don Henley
Album/Year: Building the Project Beast 1985
Record Label: Geffen
Commentary: Don Henley a former member of the Eagles broke away to fullfill a solo career.  He then wrote and performed "Boys of Summer." In 2003, the group The Ataris remade the song.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeUG4Km4lFw

Song: Shake You Down
Artist: Gregory Abbott
Album/Year: Shake You Down 1986
Record Label: Columbia Records
Commentary: "Shake You Down" is one of the best R&B songs of the 80's written by Gregory Abbott himself.  Smooth and sexy are the only words that i can find to describe this.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc8wmLul3uw

Song: Sweet Child O' Mine
Artist: Guns N' Roses
Album/Year: Appetite for Destruction 1987
Commentary: Off the album Appetite for Destruction, this was GNR's only #1 single in the states.  thsi song also has a great guitar riff done by Slash, and Axl Roses outstanding vocals help a lot too.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7OgIMMRc4

Song: Private Eyes
Artist: Hall and Oates
Album/Year: Private Eyes 1981
Record Label: RCA
Commentary: Daryl Hall and John Oates are the duo that make up one of the all time greates bands of the 80's, Hall and Oates.  The song "Private Eyes" came about as a joke with Stevie Wonder saying that he had private eyes and was not blind.
Youtube link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anLfoy2XsFw

Song; Billie Jean
Artist: Michael Jackson
Album/Year: Thriller 1983
Record Label; Epic Records
Commentary: The King of Pop who had an unfortunate death in 2009 wrote and composed "Billie Jean' off the Thriller album.  Many wonder who Billie Jean is and are still wondering to this day. 
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y

Song: All I Need Is A Miracle
Artist: Mike and the Mechanics
Album/Year: Mike and the Mechanics 1985
Record Label: Atlantic
Commentary: Mike Rutherford, a founding member of Genesis formed the group Mike and the Mechanics as a side project.  This is the second single off of their self titled album.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAMLa5ZC-B4

Song: Jessie's Girl
Artist: Rick Springfield
Album/Year: Working Class Dog 1981
Record Label: RCA
Commentary: Before wriritng and performing "Jessie's Girl," Rick Springfield was a soap actor on General Hospital.  I'm sure a lot of guys can relate to this song.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYkbTyHXwbs

Song: It's Tricky
Artist: RUN-DMC
Album/Year: Raising Hell 1987
Record Label: Profile Records
Commentary: Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell make up the member of the pioneer rap group RUN-DMC.  The group would eventually part ways. Jam-Master Jay was murder in a recording studio in 2002.  RUN-DMC was sued by The Knack because they did not have permission to sample their song "My Sharona."
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-O5IHVhWj0

Song: Redemption Song
Artist: Bob Marley
Album/Year: Uprising 1980
Record Label: Island Records/Tuff Gong
Commentary: Being from Hawaii I had to throw in a Reggae tune. Bob Marley who wrote and performed protest songs praised on the term "One world, one love" with his belief in Rastafari.  The lyrics "emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind" is trying to say that one that can't use his mind will be a slave. Even after his death due to cancer his love and good vibes still lives strong worldwide.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFGgbT_VasI

Song: Little Red Corvette
Artist: Prince
Album/Year: 1999, 1983
Record Label: Warner Bros.
Commentary: The little red "corvette" translates to a one night stand with a woman. 
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS70tCPP-_4

Song: Push It
Artist: Salt-N-Pepa
Album/Year: Cool, Hot and Vicious 1987
Record Label: Next Plateau Records
Commentary: Cheryl "Salt"James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton and Deidra "Spinderella" Roper make up the group Salt-N-Pepa and together sang "Push It" which was their first song to go mainstream in the states.  Salt-N-Pepa was the most successful rap group ever, this includes both male and female.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU

Song: I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Artist: Whitney Houston
Album/Year: Whitney 1987
Record Label: Arista
Commentary: This is the Whitney Houston we all miss.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH3giaIzONA

Song: Rock Steady
Artist: The Whsipers
Album/Year: Just Gets Better With Time 1982
Record Label: Solar
Commentary: Song sung by The Whispers out of California.  This song is about a guy trying to figure his love situation with a certain female.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPJz3syNbtE

Song: Eye Of The Tiger
Artist: Survivor
Album/Year: Eye Of The Tiger 1982
Record Label: Scotti Brothers
Commentary: Rock band Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" was made famous in the film Rocky III.  This song just makes you want to get up and go do something.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4

Song: I Just Called To Say I Love You
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Album/Year: The Woman In Red 1984
Record Label: Motown
Commentary: Stevie Wonder is one of the most ingenious musicians out there; and he does without his sight. This was his eighth number 1. I think every girl would want to get that call!
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwOU3bnuU0k

Song: Higher Love
Artist: Steve Windwood
Album/Year: Back in the High Life 1986
Record Label: Island
Commentary: 1986 Grammy Award for Record of the Year.  Simply a classic.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqlauwX_ums

Song: The Sweetest Taboo
Artist: Sade
Album/Year: Promise 1985
Record Label: Epic
Commentary: "The Sweetest Taboo" is a true love song performed by an English R&B band formed in the 1980's
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcPc18SG6uA

Song: Under Pressure
Artist: Queen
Album/Year: Hot Space 1981
Record Label: EMI
Commentary: Queen's and David Bowie's first collaboration. In 1990, this song was sample by Vanilla Ice.  Queen and Bowie did not get any song credit til after "Ice Ice Baby" was released.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrEN-YKLBM

Song: Glory Of Love
Artist: Peter Cetera
Album/Year: Solitude/Solitare 1986
Record Label: Warner Bros.
Commentary: Before engaging in his solo career, Peter Cetera was a member of the group Chicago. "Glory Of Love" became popular from the movie, The Karate Kid.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIYfgXKloMU

Song: Your Love
Artist: The Outfield
Album/Year: Play Deep 1986
Record Label: Columbia Records
Commentary: The Outfield was an 1980's rock band formed out of London.  "Your Love" is about finding a girl of your dreams.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N1iwQxiHrs

Song: Take My Breath Away
Artist: Berlin
Album/Year: Count Three and Pray 1986
Record Label: Columbia
Commentary: Believe it or not Berlin is an American New Wave band. This song was a very different tune from what Berlin usually puts out. they usually put out more up beat  and more harde sounding music than "Take My Breath Away." This song was the love them in the the movie Top Gun.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnv7nBi9waY

Song: Shook Me All Night Long
Artist: AC/DC
Album/Year: Back in Black 1980
Record Label: Atantic
Commentary: Most or all AC/DC songs are about sex and have secual innudendos. So it would not be a surprise what this song is about. 
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bomv-6CJSfM

Song: Take on Me
Artist: A-Ha
Album/Year: Hunting High and Low 1985
Record Label: Warner Bros.
Commentary: The song with the most intersting music video
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914

Song: Wake Me Up Befor You Go-Go
Artist: Wham!
Album/Year: Make It Big 1984
Record Label: CBS Records
Commentary: Performed by an English pop group.  George Michael was one half of Wham! befor he went onto his solo career.  This video explains who the music was back in the 80's and that there is nothing like it now.
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A

I hope that you enjoyed your trip down memory lane!