Most Iconic 80s Songs

truckturner I tried not to just include songs I personally like, and I could've included a lot more, so feel free to add. But these are the 10 songs I most commonly associate with the 80s.

The Top Ten

1 Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi

The first song I thought of, even if I prefer "You Give Love a Bad Name". It's 80s arena rock. It's big hair. It's impossible to sing properly at karaoke. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
2 Take On Me - a-ha

The lyrics sound a bit backwards (Talking away? Take on Me? ), but this song and clip are definitely very 80s. Good luck hitting those high notes. - truckturner

Great song, superb vocals, good synthesizer notes, and amazing music video all at once.

UListen to Sample
3 Master of Puppets (Remastered) - Metallica

Not my favourite Metallica song, but a favourite of many and probably their most iconic 80s song. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
4 Thriller - Michael Jackson

I could've gone with "Billie Jean", but this was a gigantic hit song, clip, and album. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
5 Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard

One of my favourite bands, my favourite album, and one of the more iconic songs off that album. Def Lepp were a staple of MTV with their music videos and arena rock songs in the 80s. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
6 Don't Stop Believin' - Journey UListen to Sample
7 Money for Nothing - Dire Straits

Dire Straits are an iconic 80s band, this was an iconic 80s music video, and that riff? Damn. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
8 Billie Jean - Michael Jackson UListen to Sample
9 Like a Prayer - Madonna

I'm not a Madonna fan, but I respect her durability and capacity for changing her image up. Probably my favourite song of hers and definitely one of her biggest 80s hits - truckturner

UListen to Sample
10 Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses

I prefer Welcome to the Jungle but I think Sweet Child O'Mine was more popular and hence, more iconic - Metal_Treasure

UListen to Sample

The Contenders

11 I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston

It was either this or "How Will I Know". Both are 80s pop fun. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
12 Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

This song has meant more to this culture more than Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield," Madonna's "Like A Virgin" or Tine Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It," because it's and anthem for an movement in women we still feel it's strength in society today. - RalphMorodor

UListen to Sample
13 When Doves Cry - Prince

I'm not a Prince fan, but he's iconically 80s and this is his best song by far. - truckturner

Prince combined rock, r&b, funk, punk into one song, "When Doves Cry." - RalphMorodor

UListen to Sample
14 Jump - Van Halen UListen to Sample
15 Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics UListen to Sample
16 In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins UListen to Sample
17 Push It - Salt-N-Pepa

Can't stand it, but there's no doubting it deserves a mention. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
18 It's Tricky - Run-DMC UListen to Sample
19 The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3 UListen to Sample
20 The Final Countdown - Europe UListen to Sample
21 Is This Love - Whitesnake

Do you believe in gravity? - Murphdog405

UListen to Sample
22 Beat It - Michael Jackson

I personally like this more than Billie Jean. - Misfire

UListen to Sample
23 The Boys of Summer - Don Henley

It's funny, I hate The Eagles but love this song. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
24 Africa - Toto UListen to Sample
25 Every Breath You Take - The Police UListen to Sample
26 Fashion - David Bowie

Beep. Beep. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
27 Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins UListen to Sample
28 (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon UListen to Sample
29 You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC UListen to Sample
30 Purple Rain - Prince

A must have album for any music lover of all genres or ages. - RalphMorodor

UListen to Sample
31 It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - R.E.M. UListen to Sample
32 Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen UListen to Sample
33 Drive - The Cars UListen to Sample
34 Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen UListen to Sample
35 Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran UListen to Sample
36 Rockit - Herbie Hancock UListen to Sample
37 Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) - Elton John UListen to Sample
38 Little Red Corvette - Prince

A song that is played in all the markets: Top 40, Hot AC, R&B and Hot Dance Play. - RalphMorodor

UListen to Sample
39 Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer UListen to Sample
40 Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

It wasn't in my initial top 10, but I'm surprised it's not a lot higher than this. - truckturner

UListen to Sample
41 Some Like It Hot - The Power Station UListen to Sample
42 Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin UListen to Sample
43 Rapture - Blondie UListen to Sample
44 Sweet Love - Anita Baker UListen to Sample
45 People Have the Power - Patti Smith UListen to Sample
46 Woman in Love - Barbra Streisand UListen to Sample
47 Love Shack - The B-52's UListen to Sample
48 Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money UListen to Sample
49 Eye of the Tiger - Survivor UListen to Sample
50 Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner UListen to Sample
PSearch List
Featured
Popular
Latest

Related Lists

Most Iconic 90s Songs Most Iconic 60s Songs Top Ten Most Iconic Video Game Songs Most Iconic Songs by Male Artists/Bands Top Ten Most Iconic English Shakira Songs

List Stats

61 listings
33 days old

Top Remixes (5)

1. Take On Me - a-ha
2. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
3. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
NickelodeonYesAddminNo
1. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
2. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
3. Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
anthonybecerra831
1. Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
2. Master of Puppets (Remastered) - Metallica
3. Thriller - Michael Jackson
Metal_Treasure

WRemix
View All 5

Error Reporting

See a factual error in these listings? Report it here.
P