Get ready to rediscover some incredible hidden gems from the greatest decade in music! From synth-pop masterpieces to powerful rock ballads, we're diving deep into those forgotten classics that deserve another moment in the spotlight. These tracks might not get regular radio play anymore, but they're pure gold!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those deeper cut 80s tunes
00:09that possess a special appeal to music fans.
00:19Number 30, Black Velvet, Alana Miles.
00:21The 90s were clearly on the horizon when this late-decade cut from Canada's Alana Miles hit the charts.
00:34There's a slinky and sexy groove to Black Velvet that couldn't feel more removed from the polished pop or arena-ready hair metal of the 80s.
00:41Instead, Miles brings a bold and brash bluesy feeling to the tune.
00:52Black Velvet still possesses a rock core, however, a propulsive and addictive song that remains a career calling card for Miles.
01:06The singer has remained connected to the tune ever since.
01:09But hey, there are worse things out there than having Black Velvet be your biggest hit, right?
01:13Number 29, It's a Sin, Pet Shop Boys.
01:29There's a wonderful sense of gothic grandeur to It's a Sin by the Pet Shop Boys.
01:33A dramatic and almost dark emotional core to the group's electronic pop.
01:37The song has also gone on to become something of a cathartic anthem to the LGBTQIA plus community,
01:49many of whom have internalized Neil Tennant's lyrics to the tune.
01:53This is despite It's a Sin actually deriving from Tennant's youthful upbringing in the Catholic school system.
01:58It's a sin.
02:00Father, forgive me.
02:03I try not to do it.
02:05We're honestly just glad It's a Sin has lived on all these years,
02:08since the combination of high-energy shine and propulsive rhythmic polish just rocks plain and simple.
02:14It's a sin.
02:20Number 28, When We Was Fab, George Harrison.
02:28Nostalgia can sometimes be a bitter beast,
02:31but there's thankfully a lot to celebrate when it comes to When We Was Fab by George Harrison.
02:36This tune leans into Harrison's time as a member of the Beatles,
02:39both lyrically and musically, and does so with fondness.
02:42Caress us faced here in the morning light.
02:48Casualties and dawn.
02:50When We Was Fab reflects upon the excitement of music making during the 60s and 70s,
02:54while the song also embraces psychedelic music tropes popular during those eras.
02:58Long time ago, When We Was Fab.
03:03At the same time,
03:07the clean and bright production style of ELO's Jeff Lynne allows When We Was Fab
03:11to stand upon its own creative feet as a true George Harrison original.
03:21Number 27, I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.
03:25Cutting Crew.
03:25There's a palpable urgency and sincerity to Cutting Crew's hit single,
03:37I Just Died in Your Arms.
03:38It's a dramatic song with driving drums, powerful melodies,
03:42atmospheric synth, and punctuating bass work.
03:45Lead vocalist Nick Van Ede also kills it in the vocal harmony department,
03:48particularly during that epic chorus.
03:51I Just Died in Your Arms knows when to brood and when to go for broke with a passionate bridge.
04:07What can we say?
04:10We just never get tired of hearing this song.
04:12And it remains Cutting Crew's finest hour from the 1980s.
04:16And it must have heard of some kind of kiss.
04:20I should have walked away.
04:23Number 26, Harden My Heart, Quarterflash.
04:26It just hits you right from that fantastic opening saxophone melody.
04:37Harden My Heart by Quarterflash is something special.
04:40Rindy Ross does great work with a slightly sad but beautifully sung performance on lead vocals.
04:53Harden My Heart shuffles along with an insistent bass-driven groove
04:56that also allows for plenty of room for the band to shine.
04:59There's smooth and melodic guitar soloing,
05:02great vocal harmonies on that chorus,
05:04and of course, that saxophone.
05:05The song's final section in particular amps up the edge in aggression,
05:17entering full anthem territory for a group that, in our opinion,
05:20deserved more success.
05:22Long live Quarterflash.
05:31Number 25, No Easy Way Out, Robert Tepper.
05:35Some songs just sound cinematic,
05:44as if they can't possibly be separated from that silver screen source material.
05:48No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper was notably utilized
05:50within a memorable montage from Rocky IV,
05:53and we've been singing along ever since.
05:55There's a fierce rawness to Tepper's unabashedly emotive performance,
06:06a go-for-broke sensibility that's impossible to deny.
06:09The song's musicality shouldn't be questioned either,
06:11since those processed 80s synths meld perfectly
06:14with that driving bass to create musical magic on the chorus.
06:17There's no easy way out
06:20There's no shortcut home
06:24Meanwhile, Tepper's singing as the song fades out
06:27surges with an unironic, make-you-believe-it energy.
06:31And we are here for it.
06:32There's no easy way out
06:36Number 24, The Living Years, Mike and the Mechanics
06:43Phil Collins wasn't the only member of Genesis
06:53to achieve chart success outside of that main band.
06:56Guitarist Mike Rutherford's group, Mike and the Mechanics,
06:58laid down an impressive hit of their own with The Living Years.
07:01The main looped guitar lick from Rutherford is great stuff,
07:05but the real standout here with The Living Years are its lyrics.
07:07Themes of regret for not patching up in a strange relationship
07:17might not on the surface feel as if they might resonate on the pop charts.
07:29In the end, however,
07:30this is exactly why The Living Years has endured in the modern day.
07:34Rutherford and his band have something to say here,
07:36and weave together some standout melodies at the same time.
07:39It's honestly pretty wonderful.
07:48Number 23, Run With Us, Lisa Lougheed.
07:52This all-time jam from Lisa Lougheed
07:54wastes absolutely no time in getting its thematic point across to the listener.
07:58Synthesized bass, drums, and keyboard's highlight Run With Us,
08:09a song that also served as the theme to the Raccoon's cartoon show back in the 80s.
08:13Now get going!
08:20Lougheed's vocals carry the torch here with an emotionally resonant performance
08:23that hits us right in the heart, tugging on those strings for all they're worth.
08:35There's also some high-energy guitar work to be had here on Run With Us,
08:39particularly during the song's final chorus.
08:41Make no mistake, however,
08:50this is Lisa Lougheed's show all the way.
08:53Number 22, Party All The Time, Eddie Murphy.
09:03We can't fault Eddie Murphy for collaborating with funk legend Rick James
09:07on this ultimate vanity project.
09:15Party All The Time essentially just exists
09:17to prove that Eddie Murphy could also dominate
09:19another aspect of the entertainment industry,
09:22after conquering stand-up comedy and movie making.
09:24Party All The Time wisely hides Murphy's limitations as a vocalist,
09:28thanks to those grandiose keyboards on the chorus.
09:30Elsewhere, James' hands are all up in this production pie,
09:40adding reverb and echo-like layers on a cake.
09:49A friggin' awesome cake of pop star-slash-pop chart kismet
09:53that we're so glad exists.
09:54Number 21, Romeo and Juliet, Dire Straights.
10:00Sometimes you don't need to be loud or brash
10:06to get your point across to a listener.
10:07Mark Knopfler and Dire Straights knew this all too well,
10:10and this sentiment is delivered with beautiful poignancy
10:13on Romeo and Juliet.
10:21There's an ache and yearning to be had
10:23within Knopfler's lyrics of failed love,
10:25as well as his generational ability
10:27to make that guitar practically weep with emotion.
10:30All I Do Is Kiss You Through the Bars of a Rhyme
10:40is a simple but gorgeous bit of lyrical poetry from the song.
10:43Meanwhile, Romeo and Juliet vacillates musically
10:46from sparse verses to cathartic chorus,
10:48while the closing guitar solo reverberates
10:50through broken hearts around the world.
10:59It's a beautiful and bittersweet sort of pain, really.
11:02Number 20, Vienna, Ultravox.
11:06For those that know the band Ultravox well,
11:09Vienna is usually considered their most prominent release.
11:11The song is sometimes associated with the band's performance at Live Aid,
11:19where it was a highlight.
11:20Avoiding sentimentality,
11:22the synth-pop track uses the title city
11:24as the setting for a torrid romantic relationship.
11:26Emotions run high as singer Midge Jor puts his all into every note.
11:37The chorus in particular allows Jor to show off,
11:40proving himself as a highly underrated vocalist.
11:43The original release was a hit in multiple European countries,
11:46but it failed to cross the pond in the same way.
11:48All these years later,
11:50it deserves a rediscovery from modern listeners.
11:52Number 19, Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House.
12:04After leaving split ends,
12:06singer Neil Finn brought his talents to the group Crowded House,
12:08and this hit was a result.
12:10There is freedom within, there is freedom without.
12:15It very narrowly missed out on the top of the Billboard Hot 100,
12:19hitting the number two spot on the charts instead.
12:21Despite its initial success,
12:23the tune doesn't always get the same attention nowadays.
12:31Finn's writing shines here
12:33in one of his most enduring singles of his entire musical career.
12:36The inventive lyrics elevate it
12:38beyond the other rock and new wave songs of the period.
12:41It could easily have a similar impact
12:43if it were released tomorrow,
12:44owing to its timeless quality.
12:46Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over.
12:52Number 18, Send Me An Angel, Real Life.
12:56From their debut album Heartland,
12:58Real Life's single Send Me An Angel
12:59captures the early new wave scene in full force.
13:03Do you believe in heaven above?
13:07Do you believe in love?
13:09The group released an initial version in 1983,
13:12but their version from 1989 did even better in countries like the US.
13:17Bands have rarely had as much fun in the studio as this,
13:20generating an earworm that you will not soon forget.
13:23If there's such a thing as enjoyably repetitive,
13:33Send Me An Angel takes the cake with its simple glory.
13:36There have been many covers since
13:38that attempt to capture the energy of the original,
13:40but Real Life's version reigns supreme.
13:50Number 17, If This Is It, Huey Lewis and the News.
13:54Huey Lewis and the News might not have been
13:56the hardest rocking stars of the 80s,
13:58but they certainly had a number of successful hits.
14:05If This Is It finds them in top form,
14:08with both an entertaining 80s production
14:10and a throwback to doo-wop music.
14:12Lewis's vocals are typically well-rounded and powerful throughout,
14:16especially in the fun chorus.
14:17The song appears on their album Sports
14:20and doesn't always get the same reception
14:22as their other singles.
14:23For those wanting an enjoyable trip
14:30back to the height of the group's career,
14:31you could do a lot worse than If This Is It.
14:40Number 16, Voices Carry, Till Tuesday.
14:44While they might have had short-lived success,
14:46the band Till Tuesday more than proved themselves
14:48with the single, Voices Carry.
14:57Amy Mann sings the track with complete conviction,
15:00giving this new wave production something special.
15:02Her performance indicates all the promise
15:04of her eventual solo career,
15:06while still capturing a very definite 80s pop vibe.
15:09The Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit also gives off
15:18a more unique sound that seems to have influenced
15:20portions of the alternative rock scene as well.
15:23Till Tuesday's legacy continued on for two more albums,
15:26but this hit remains the highlight of their brief run.
15:29Number 15, Waiting for a Star to Fall,
15:39Boy Meets Girl.
15:40Boy Meets Girl is an 80s pop act
15:42composed of Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill,
15:45both known as the songwriting duo
15:47behind a pair of Whitney Houston classics.
15:49Off of their second album, Real Life,
15:51Waiting for a Star to Fall has all of the wonder
15:53of a classic and unadulterated pop effort.
16:04The song made it to number five on the Hot 100
16:06and managed to find audiences
16:08with chart success around the world.
16:18Since its release, there have even been a few covers
16:21that have reinterpreted it for 21st century listeners.
16:24The composers clearly demonstrated
16:26that they also have talent as performers.
16:34Number 14, The Killing Moon, Echo and the Bunnymen.
16:39At the intersection of New Wave
16:40and the gothic rock movement,
16:42Echo and the Bunnymen offer up the perfect bridge
16:44between musical influences.
16:45The Killing Moon serves as one of their greatest achievements
16:54as a band.
16:55Perfect for a spooky evening listen,
16:57the single has a murky and atmospheric sound
17:00that lures listeners into its mystery.
17:02Several films like Donnie Darko have borrowed the tune
17:05and capitalized on its intriguing nature.
17:08Dangerous and romantic,
17:09the track features career best vocals
17:11from singer Ian McCulloch.
17:20Even if the group or song
17:22hasn't reached household status,
17:24that doesn't mean it can't have another resurgence.
17:26Laura Branigan continues to be an underrated performer
17:40from the 80s.
17:41Her contributions to the cover song
17:43Self-Control helped make it a top five hit
17:45on the Billboard pop chart.
17:46As with her other signature hit, Gloria,
17:55Branigan stands out with a lively performance style.
17:58The single soared to the top of several international charts
18:01during the peak of the artist's fame.
18:05Taking a cue from the Italian disco scene,
18:12she takes Raph's original release
18:13for a ride in genre mixing production.
18:15With a steamy story and arrangement,
18:18Self-Control reminds everyone
18:19why the singer should be remembered
18:21as one of the unsung solo artists from the period.
18:28Number 12.
18:30Out of Touch, Hall & Oates
18:31There haven't been many duos in music history
18:34as successful as Daryl Hall and John Oates.
18:37Before their slowdown in the late 80s,
18:43they had one final number one in the decade
18:45with Out of Touch.
18:46The bouncy synth track reveals the all-star musicianship
18:50from the pair,
18:50who bend jaras at the will of the current popular music trend.
18:54With humble roots in R&B and rock,
18:56Hall & Oates stretch their legs in a supremely catchy pop single.
19:00You're out of touch,
19:02I'm out of touch.
19:04This, and their accompanying album,
19:06Big Bam Boom,
19:07might seem like a proverbial swan song,
19:09but instead display a band that's only getting started
19:12with another phase of their fruitful career.
19:14You're out of touch,
19:16I'm out of touch.
19:19Number 11.
19:20All Through the Night,
19:21Cyndi Lauper.
19:23Cyndi Lauper's first album contains many of her finest
19:26and most acclaimed tracks.
19:28One of those songs,
19:29All Through the Night,
19:30doesn't receive the same attention as it deserves.
19:32I'll be awake,
19:35I know I'll be with you.
19:37Like her other major hit,
19:38Girls Just Want to Have Fun,
19:40the piece is actually a cover
19:41that has since become synonymous with the singer.
19:44The song glides effortlessly
19:45between being a passionate love ballad
19:47and a delicate lullaby.
19:54Lopper's angelic voice carries the verses
19:56with a beautifully somber quality.
19:58A guest vocal from the original author Jewel Shear
20:01also rounds out the production
20:02with some well-placed harmonies.
20:04The entire song deserves further attention
20:06for its showcase of the performer's talents
20:08and a pure pop sound.
20:15As a delightfully different act from the decade,
20:22Oingo Boingo again defies expectations
20:24with Dead Man's Party.
20:26Singer Danny Elfman and company generate a track
20:28that utilizes a mix of new wave and ska elements
20:31into one of the band's best efforts.
20:35It's also been heard in the film Back to School,
20:38among many other appearances
20:40since its initial release in 1986.
20:42The groovy beat and imaginative lyrics
20:45keep audiences engaged the whole way through.
20:52From start to finish,
20:54Elfman's idiosyncratic performance
20:56and the horn section
20:57make this a truly memorable experience.
21:00The frontman was destined for further greatness
21:02as a film composer,
21:04but this kind of release
21:05has its own inherent greatness
21:06that's worth celebrating.
21:13Number 9.
21:14In a Big Country.
21:15Big Country.
21:17In a Big Country could only have been sung
21:19by Big Country.
21:20That's not only because of their title similarities,
21:23but because the single has all of their trademarks,
21:26from a driving rock foundation
21:27to folk and Celtic arrangements.
21:29I've never seen you look like this
21:31without a reason.
21:33Even with this early song
21:35off of their debut album The Crossing,
21:37the group feels more than ready
21:38for mainstream success.
21:40The track found an audience
21:41in both the UK and the US,
21:43where it was a top 20 success.
21:48Some people think of Big Country
21:50as a one-hit wonder,
21:51but they've managed to keep
21:53a devoted following
21:54since their first release.
21:55This tune,
21:56more than any other,
21:57best represents their bright sound
21:59and Scottish roots.
22:05Number 8.
22:06The Perfect Kiss.
22:07New Order.
22:08The Perfect Kiss represents
22:10New Order's firm grasp
22:11on the synth-pop genre.
22:13As one of the early masters of the genre,
22:15the band's post-punk roots
22:17transfer fluidly
22:18into this epic and electronic single.
22:20Beyond its cryptic lyrics,
22:29there's an engrossing dance-pop song
22:30waiting to be discovered.
22:32In an exciting and methodical track,
22:34Peter Hook's bass playing
22:35is one of the many ingredients
22:37that come together
22:38to make it a standout effort.
22:39I have always thought about
22:43With some minor success
22:48on the 80s pop charts,
22:50this work was never
22:51a commercial high point
22:52for New Order.
22:53More time has allowed
22:54for people to reconsider it,
22:56hopefully leading to its reappraisal
22:58as a notable entry
22:59into the synth wave.
23:05Number 7.
23:06I Got You.
23:07Split Ends.
23:08New Zealand legends Split Ends
23:10maintained a steady output
23:12in the early 80s.
23:13Their track I Got You
23:14finds them in peak form
23:16and serves as one
23:17of their calling cards.
23:25Singer and songwriter Neil Finn
23:27lends his musical prowess
23:28to a rocker
23:29with an enthralling presentation.
23:31By the time you reach the chorus,
23:32there's no way to deny
23:33the catchiness of the single.
23:35I don't know why
23:37sometimes I get fighting
23:39New Zealanders
23:42and neighbouring Australia
23:43welcomed the song
23:44with open arms
23:45before it sailed around the world
23:47to further fame.
23:48Split Ends has more
23:49than a few engaging songs,
23:51but this stands
23:52as one of their finest moments.
23:53You can see my eyes
23:55You tell me you're not blind, yeah
23:59Number 6.
24:01The Promise
24:02When in Rome
24:03New wave group
24:04When in Rome
24:05had at least one sizable entry
24:07into the 80s canon
24:08with The Promise.
24:08If you need a friend
24:10Don't look to a stranger
24:15One could easily
24:18criticise it
24:18for its cheesy synth
24:19or its heartfelt lyrics,
24:21but this track
24:21is much more
24:22than the sum of its parts.
24:24Sometimes sincerity
24:25trumps more artful words,
24:27and this song
24:28works in much the same way,
24:30shedding any pretense
24:31to tell a direct love story.
24:33When your day is blue
24:35And so is your temple
24:39When in Rome's dueling singers
24:42both deliver
24:43commendable vocal parts
24:45in an all-too-rare
24:4680s male duet.
24:48The Promise
24:48is also prominently featured
24:50at the end
24:50of Napoleon Dynamite,
24:52where many people
24:53too young
24:54for the original release
24:55heard the track
24:56for the first time.
24:57I promise you
24:59I promise you
25:01I will
25:02Number 5.
25:05Running Up That Hill
25:05Kate Bush
25:06Critically acclaimed
25:08and legendary
25:09among many music circles,
25:11Kate Bush
25:11is one of the great minds
25:12behind more avant-garde
25:14pop music in the 80s.
25:15It doesn't hurt me
25:16Yeah, yeah, yeah
25:18The song
25:19Running Up That Hill
25:20has an undisputed power
25:21that Bush harnesses
25:23without wasting
25:23one second.
25:25Defying genres,
25:26the multifaceted artist
25:28uses a mesmerizing drumbeat
25:29to construct a single
25:30like no other.
25:31The performer's impressive
25:40singing voice
25:41also gives the entire
25:42production
25:43a beautiful resonance
25:44that few others
25:45can replicate.
25:46Running Up That Hill
25:47received another resurgence
25:48after being featured
25:49in Stranger Things,
25:50introducing a new generation
25:52to the wonders
25:53of her artistry.
25:54Number 4.
25:59Head Over Heels
26:00Tears for Fears
26:01Tears for Fears
26:03more than earned
26:04their title
26:04as one of the decade's
26:05best new wave acts,
26:07reminding everyone
26:08of their talents
26:08in Head Over Heels.
26:09I wanted to be with you alone
26:14It comes off of the band's
26:17smash album Songs
26:18from the Big Chair,
26:19starting with a triumphant
26:20piano intro
26:21that leads into a smooth
26:22and listenable production.
26:24Among a list of
26:25extremely underrated
26:2680s singers,
26:27Roland Orzebel
26:28gives one of his
26:29finest performances
26:30in A Triumphant
26:31Expression of Affection.
26:39Its considerable success
26:41upon release
26:42has since dissipated
26:43because of the group's
26:44other singles
26:44taking precedent,
26:45including
26:46Everybody Wants
26:46to Rule the World.
26:48Its true potential
26:49as a definitive
26:49pop statement
26:50could have
26:51easily made it
26:51the greatest work
26:52of any lesser band.
26:58Number 3
26:59The Stroke
27:00Billy Squire
27:01Billy Squire's
27:02The Stroke
27:03is the primary track
27:04associated with
27:05the musician's career.
27:08A single off of
27:12his highly successful
27:13album Don't Say No,
27:14the artist creates
27:15music that's perfect
27:16for a stadium rock tour.
27:18Whether or not
27:18you understand the lyrics,
27:20Squire's electric vocals
27:21coincide with a
27:22groovy riff
27:23that will have you
27:24playing air guitar
27:25in no time.
27:26One of his best
27:27musical statements
27:28still rocks the house
27:29all these years later.
27:30Put your left foot out
27:32Now keep it all in place
27:34Even people who
27:36don't remember his name
27:38can appreciate this
27:38full throttle
27:3980s declaration,
27:40cultivating a wild
27:41performance into a few
27:43shocking minutes.
27:44Forerunner is known
27:53for many different singles
27:54but Urgent
27:55sometimes falls
27:56between the cracks.
28:01Among the band's
28:02first releases
28:02in the 80s,
28:03the track
28:04and its adjoining
28:04fourth album
28:05function as an evolution
28:06of their sound
28:07without compromising
28:08their earlier success.
28:10The song clearly
28:11had its day in the sun,
28:12attracting enough attention
28:13to reach the top
28:14of the U.S.
28:15mainstream rock charts.
28:20Elements such as
28:21Lou Graham's
28:22energetic vocals
28:23and an amazing
28:24saxophone solo
28:24by Junior Walker
28:25take this production
28:26to another level.
28:28While Forerunner
28:29isn't everyone's
28:30cup of tea,
28:31this track's funky energy
28:32could easily sway critics.
28:34Emergency,
28:35urgency,
28:37urgency.
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28:54Number 1.
28:55Never Tear Us Apart
28:56In Excess
28:57Never Tear Us Apart
28:58is an 80s ballad
28:59like no other.
29:01In Excess
29:01might be known
29:02for bombastic
29:03new wave songs
29:03and big rock productions,
29:05but this track
29:06features them
29:06in a more somber mood.
29:07Don't ask me
29:09What you know is true
29:13Michael Hutchins
29:15delivers a glorious vocal
29:17with all the passion
29:18of a true artist
29:19with great charisma.
29:20The lyrics stand out
29:21and read out
29:22like a beautiful love letter.
29:24I told you
29:25If we could fly
29:29A string arrangement
29:31is the main focus
29:32for this particular work,
29:33which might be the boldest
29:35in the In Excess catalog.
29:36It might have been
29:45a single in its day,
29:46but it deserves
29:47to be heard
29:47as much as their other hits
29:49like Need You Tonight.
29:51If you could share
29:51a secret beloved 80s song
29:53with us,
29:53what would it be?
29:54Let us know in the comments.
29:55You can't make money
29:57You can't make money
30:00You can't make money
30:01You can't make money
30:01You can't make money
30:01You can't make money
30:02You can't make money
30:03You can't make money
30:03You can't make money
30:04You can't make money
30:05You can't make money
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30:09You can't make money
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30:20You can't make money
30:21You can't make money
30:22You can't make money
30:23You can't make money
30:24You can't make money
30:24You can't make money