Best 80s Music: 200+ Songs Of Rock, Hip-Hop, And More

The 80s were an interesting time in music, with the heyday of 70s rock, soul, and jazz giving way to exciting new iterations and subgenres. Disco was on the way out, but it helped lead to house music, electronic, and hip-hop.

Tentpole genres like rock and pop produced a number of offshoots such as art-rock, post-punk, synth-pop, and more, while music from Africa boasted a wonderful blend of jazz ideas, local sounds, and funk rhythms. In Japan, city pop music was the influential style of the era, which has seen a resurgence in the 21st century. While this surely won’t encompass every star, song, and anthem of the era, this list will give diehard fans and curious newcomers a starting point for exploring the various iterations of popular music created in the 1980s.

Listen to our Best 80s Hits playlist here.

Art Rock/Post-Punk

Music in the 80s was moving in a number of loosely defined directions, thanks to the emergence of subgenres like new wave, punk, and the end of disco. The art rock and post-punk artists spun out of this confusion of styles, creating an expansive vocabulary built around propulsive drum grooves, arch, snotty lyrics, and a revolutionary interplay between guitars and synths. Velvet Underground laid the groundwork in the 70s, and artists like Talking Heads, Bauhaus, Roxy Music, and Talk Talk built a foundation still prevalent today. The Talking Heads were on the poppier end of the spectrum with songs like “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody),” with David Byrne turning his gaze on American consumerism with sugary sweet choruses that would have even the staunchest capitalists singing along.

Bauhaus – Dark Entries

Echo and the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon

Roxy Music – More Than This

Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

Japan – Ghosts

Talking Heads – This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner

Talk Talk – The Rainbow

Country Music

Townes Van Zandt. Guy Clark. Willie Nelson. Waylon Jennings. The 1970s in country music were all about the outlaws. These dudes made poetic tunes about cowboys and federales and great railroad expansions. It wasn’t always the most commercially viable music, but it did dictate the course of the genre. Just 10 years later, stars such as Dolly Parton creeped the genre towards the mainstream, making country music a household genre across the country. It no longer mattered whether you were north or south of the Mason/Dixon line; everyone knew “9 to 5.” Kenny Rogers’ collaboration with Dolly, “Island in the Stream,” blended pop choruses with the unmistakable twang of country music. It foreshadowed where we are now, with the genre mingling with rock, pop, and rap without a second thought. This trend in country music began in the 80s. While this was happening, though, there was also a different crop of tried-and-true country diehards, like Steve Earle and George Strait, who would go on to inspire today’s alternative stars like Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers.

The Highwaymen – Highwayman

The Judds – Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days)

Anne Murray – Could I Have This Dance

Don Williams – I Believe In You

George Strait – Amarillo By Morning

Rosanne Cash – Seven Year Ache

Steve Earle – Guitar Town

Tanya Tucker – Love Me Like You Used To

Reba McEntire – Whoever’s in New England

Dolly Parton – 9 to 5

Kenny Rogers – Islands in the Stream

Electronic Music

By the 80s, electronic music was seen as less of a niche and more as the future of music it has now become. Granted, a group like Kraftwerk were still treated as a bit of a novelty during their early years, but that’s to be expected when audiences associated vocoders with alien noises. They helped lay a foundation for the genre to be taken seriously, alongside luminaries like Jungle Brothers and Laurie Anderson. While more mainstream electronic styles were becoming popular, invigorating underground scenes were popping up, like Frankie Knuckles and Mr. Fingers shaping house music in Chicago. The 80s also symbolized the last gasps of disco, with artists like Grace Jones and her hit “Grace Pull Up to the Bumper,” and Lipps Inc. spinning the genre into a new decade.

David Bowie – Let’s Dance

New Order – Blue Monday

Grace Jones – Pull Up to the Bumper

Cybotron – Clear

Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and Jesse Saunders featuring Darryl Pandy – Love Can’t Turn Around

Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle – Your Love

Inner City – Good Life

Herbie Hancock – Rockit

Jungle Brothers – Girl I’ll House You

Kraftwerk – Computer Love

Manuel Göttsching – E2-E4

Mr. Fingers – Mystery of Love

Phuture – Acid Tracks

Rhythim Is Rhythim – Strings of Life

Shannon – Let The Music Play

Laurie Anderson – O Superman

Lipps Inc. – Funkytown

Hip-Hop / Electro

As electronic music was bubbling closer to the mainstream, the early days of hip-hop were incorporating the genre to bolster the backbeat of their hits. Hip-hop stars like Beastie Boys and Slick Rick were incorporating elements of rock and electro on songs like “Fight For Your Right” and “Children’s Story,” Salt-N-Pepa brought a propulsive, groovy feel to “Push It,” introducing an edge to the genre thanks to its electronic cowbell samples and heavy drums. Elsewhere in the 80s, music like Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” blended electro and hip-hop in a revolutionary way, bringing the genre into the future thanks to his metallic-tinted vocals and futuristic POV.

Afrika Bambaataa – Planet Rock

Big Daddy Kane – Ain’t No Half-Steppin’

Boogie Down Productions – The Bridge Is Over

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don’t Understand

EPMD – You Gots to Chill

Ice-T – 6 ‘N the Mornin

MC Lyte – Paper Thin

Newcleus – Jam on It

NWA – F— Tha Police

Queen Latifah – Ladies First

Roxanne Shante – Roxanne’s Revenge

Run-DMC – Walk This Way

Slick Rick – Children’s Story

Ultramagnetic MCs – Ego Trippin

Beastie Boys – Fight For Your Right

Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message

Kurtis Blow – The Breaks

LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Public Enemy – Don’t Believe the Hype

Salt-N-Pepa – Push It

Jazz

Jazz was in a confusing place by the time 1980 hit. The genre was far enough from its peak in the mid to late 60s to echo that era, and the 70s were a strange time; Miles Davis was moving away from straight-ahead jazz towards psychedelic rock and experimental funk, John Coltrane had passed away 15 years before, and Mingus departed the year before the new decade. But out of the rubble emerged a move towards fusion, free jazz, and a radical new definition of what jazz could be. Miles Davis was turning silky lounge music into the hippest genre in the world, while John Zorn was moving jazz’s NYC tradition to the sizzling west desert with Spillane. Luminaries from the 60s and 70s like Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor were still making jazz, but by the 1980s, they began using an entirely new vocabulary.

Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition – Ahmad The Terrible

George Benson – Give Me The Night

Cecil Taylor – Olim

John Zorn – Spillane

Stanley Jordan – The Lady In My Life

Abdullah Ibrahim – Mandela

Pat Metheny – Goin’ Around

Wynton Marsalis – Black Codes

Joe Henderson – Blues for Liebestraum

Miles Davis – Tutu

Michael Brecker – Nothing Personal

Betty Carter – Look What I Got

Ornette Coleman and Prime Time – 3 Wishes

World Saxophone Quartet – Revue

David Murray Octet – The Fast Life

John Carter – Evening Prayer

Metal/Hard Rock

Metal acts from the 70s like Black Sabbath and Van Halen inspired a new wave of artists in the genre, groups that would follow a few different paths. There was the hard rock emergence of bands like AC/DC and Bon Jovi, who became superstars in New Jersey and around the world with singles like “Livin on a Prayer.” Ozzy Osbourne departed from Black Sabbath to establish his solo career, dropping an absolute hard rock anthem with “Crazy Train.” On the other end of the spectrum, metal acts of the 70s inspired the hair metal and glam metal genre, with Def Leppard inspiring a generation of dudes with long hair thanks to songs like “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” Poison blended power ballads with arena-ready instrumentation on “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” while Megadeth and Metallica turned straight-ahead metal into one of the most popular music genres of the 80s.

AC/DC – Back in Black

Bon Jovi – Livin on a Prayer

Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me

Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

Slayer – Angel of Death

Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train

Scorpions – Rock You Like a Hurricane

Twister Sister – We’re Not Gonna Take It

Metallica – One

Queensyche – I Don’t Believe In Love

Rush – Tom Sawyer

Poison – Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Megadeth – Peace Sells

Van Halen – Jump

Music from (and inspired by) Jamaica

By the time the 80s hit, reggae music was an international sensation thanks to Bob Marley and other acts from Jamaica. Tons of music from the region got wider looks, as did subgenres within that realm, like dub and rocksteady. Marley’s “Redemption Song” was one of the biggest hits in any genre, period, and an act like Junior Reid began to find an accepting audience with his hit “One Blood.” Across the world, acts were getting inspired by the cool, laid back vibes of reggae music, and artists such as Bobby McFerrin and his hit “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and UB40 began blending pop and reggae into something inviting yet distinctly new.

Bob Marley and the Wailers – Redemption Song

Admiral Bailey – Punanny

Barrington Levy – Here I Come

Black Uhuru – Sinsemilla

Jean Adebambo – Paradise

Junior Reid – One Blood

Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie

Sister Nancy – Bam Bam

Tenor Saw – Ring the Alarm

UB40 – Red Red Wine

Wayne Smith – Under Me Sleng Teng

Raft – Yaka Danse

Wayne Smith – Under Mi Sleng Teng

UB40 – Red Red Wine

Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry Be Happy

The English Beat – Mirror in the Bathroom

Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse

Music from Africa

The 80s saw a variety of music from Africa finding a wide audience around the world. Folk music from Ali Farka Toure brought Malian folk music to the mainstream, and King Sunny Ade was a pioneer of Nigerian juju music, which blended funk, African highlife, and pop into a miraculously fun enterprise. Perhaps most famously, though, was a revolutionary activist and afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, who helped inspire a generation of musicians. His expansive, orchestral compositions blended big band jazz with Nigerian funk music and traditional African melodies.

Ali Farka Toure – Timbarma

Toumani Diabate – Jarabi

Orchestra Baobab – Utrus Horas

Youssou N’Dour – The Lion

Mory Kante – Yeke Yeke

King Sunny Ade – Ja Funmi

Thomas Mapfumo – Ndazwa Ngoma Kurira

Fela Kuti – Coffin for Head of State

Music from Japan

Japanese music in the 80s revolved around iconic stylists like Ryuichi Sakamoto, who helped lead the music in his country both as a solo artist and with Yellow Magic Orchestra. The city pop genre was also monumentally important within the country, and has seen a resurgence around the world thanks to key reissues by American record labels. At the center of the movement were pop icons like Mariya Takeuchi and Akina Nakamori.

Tatsuro Yamashita – Ride On Time

Akina Nakamori – Desire

Joe Hisaishi – The Path of the Wind

Mariya Takeuchi – Plastic Love

Ryuichi Sakamato – Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Yellow Magic Orchestra – Kimi ni munekyun (Uwaiki na vacances)

The Timers – Theme From The Timers

SHOW-YA – Genkai Lovers

Anzenchitai – Wine Red No Kokoro

Hideaki Tokunaga – Rainy Blue

BOØWY – MARIONETTE

Akira Terao – Ruby No Yubiwa

New Wave

In the family tree of rock music in the 80s, New Wave made a massive impact alongside post-punk, art rock, and the beginning of indie rock. New Wave blended the aggression of post-punk with pop melodies, and was massively influential in the New York City underground, eventually inspiring bands like The Strokes and Interpol. The B-52’s were a leader of the industry thanks to hits like “Love Shack,” while Blondie brought charisma and sass in spades with tracks such as “Call Me.”

Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way

The Cure – Just Like Heaven

Falco – Rock Me Amadeus

Heaven 17 – Temptation

Katrina & The Waves – Dancing on Sunshine

Kim Wilde – Kids in America

Nik Kershaw – I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)

Spandau Ballet – True

The Boomtown Rats – I Don’t Like Mondays

The Style Council – Walls Come Tumbling Down!

Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes

B-52’s – Love Shack

Blondie – Call Me

ABC – All Of My Heart

Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen

Pop

Even as the 80s saw exciting music subgenres across rock, electronica, and hip-hop, mainstream pop dominated the charts thanks to a variety of power players. At the center of this universe, of course, was Michael Jackson thanks to hits like “Billie Jean” and “Thriller.” Madonna rocked the world with “Like a Prayer” from the album of the same name. In the pop-rock world, Rick Springfield created an all-time hit with “Jessie’s Girl,” and Dexys Midnight Runners utilized one of the most infectious string lines of all-time to propel their global smash “Come On Eileen.” Tommy Tutone turned a simple phone number into one of the most repeatable choruses ever with “867-5309/Jenny,” and Steve Winwood had people across the country begging for “Higher Love.”

Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Belinda Carlisle – Heaven Is A Place on Earth

Bow Wow Wow – I Want Candy

Madonna – Like a Prayer

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

Olivia Newton-John – Physical

Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl

Steve Winwood – Higher Love

Swing Out Sister – Breakout

Tommy Tutone – 867-5309/Jenny

Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

Lionel Richie – All Night Long (All Night)

Jennifer Warnes & Bill Medley – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life

Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart

Culture Club – Karma Chameleon

Huey Lewis & The News – The Power of Love

The Bangles – Eternal Flame

The Go-Gos – We Got The Beat

Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al

Punk/Hardcore

Aside from New Wave and post-punk, punk helped spawn hardcore music in the 80s, a faster, harder, and more aggressive spin-off of the genre. Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat helped bring the D.C. hardcore scene to the national spotlight, a scene that still inspires offshoots to this day. In the heavier rock arena, bands like Husker Du blended an indie rock mentality with hard rock drums and infectious choruses. Social Distortion helped represent punk on the West Coast, bringing melodic ideas and fast, aggressive songs to the table.

The Cramps – Goo Goo Muck

Bad Brains – Pay to Cum

Dead Kennedys – Holiday in Cambodia

Minor Threat – Minor Threat

Social Distortion – Mommy’s Little Monster

Misfits – Last Caress

Circle Jerks – Wild in the Streets

The Ruts – Babylon’s Burning

T.S.O.L. – Code Blue

Fear – Let’s Have a War

Dag Nasty – Circles

Operation Ivy – Sound System

Husker Du – Don’t Want To Know If You Were Lonely

R&B/Funk

R&B and funk music worked together in the 80s, with stars like Prince bringing both signature styles together into an unforgettable amalgamation, especially on a hit like “Doves Don’t Cry.” This blend was intoxicating, but some artists preferred to stick to one genre over the other. George Clinton, the legendary frontman of Parliament, turned in one of the all-time funk jams with “Atomic Dog,” which incorporated elements of New Jack Swing and electro to give the song its iconic feel. On the R&B side, Whitney Houston blended the last remnants of disco with pop music to create “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” a song that will still get any party started. Funk found a partner in crime with pop, using the repetition of dance music and infectious melodies to create a hybrid version of the genre. Artists such as Kool and the Gang and Rick James helped pioneer this method, with songs like “Get Down On It” and “Super Freak,” respectively.

New Edition – Can You Stand the Rain

Earth, Wind, & Fire – After the Love Has Gone

Guy – Groove Me

Johnny Kemp – Just Got Paid

Keith Sweat – I Want Her

Sade – Smooth Operator

Alexander O’Neal – Criticize

Diana Ross – Endless Love

Janet Jackson – Nasty

Luther Vandross – Never Too Much

Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing

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

Hall & Oates – I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)

Was (Not Was) – Walk The Dinosaur

George Clinton – Atomic Dog

Kool & The Gang – Get Down On It

Prince – When Doves Cry

Rick James – Super Freak

Maze – Joy and Pain

Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel

Rock

Despite the plethora of music subgenres of the 80s, rock was still the dominant modus operandi of the mainstream. For all of the art rock, post-punk, and synth pop that was beginning to make waves, rock still dominated the charts and the public imagination. U2 continued their wildly successful streak with “With Or Without You” from the iconic Joshua Tree, and Queen continued their domination with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” The Pixies were forebears of indie rock with Doolittle and “Where Is My Mind?” and The Police blended reggae, pop, and prog rock into a tightly woven genre all to themselves. The Clash retained a punk edge with tunes such as “Rock The Casbah,” and in other areas, R.E.M. helped usher in grunge and alternative rock with Michael Stipe’s iconic voice and the group’s sturdy songwriting.

The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love

T’Pau – China In Your Hand

The Replacements – Swingin Party

Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69

U2 – With Or Without You

John Cougar – Jack & Diane

Pixies – Where Is My Mind?

Police – Every Breath You Take

R.E.M. – The One I Love

Robert Palmer – Addicted To Love

Survivor – Eye of the Tiger

The Clash – Rock the Casbah

Synth Pop

Somewhere between mainstream rock and pop emerged synth pop, a genre that found artists embracing the electronic music of the early 80s and applying it to traditional pop and rock structures. Phil Collins used atmospheric synths and the concept of the ballad to turn in a classic song with “In the Air Tonight.” The Eurythmics utilized dance structures and house music to create the basis of “Sweet Dreams,” and Soft Cell embraced reggae-inspired pop music to create their seminal “Tainted Love,” a song that eventually gained the Rihanna stamp of approval.

Go West – We Close Our Eyes

Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus

Flock of Seagulls – I Ran (So Far Away)

Level 42 – Lessons In Love

Howard Jones – Things Can Only Get Better

Joe Jackson – Steppin’ Out

Visage – Fade To Grey

Nena – 99 Luftballons

Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight

The Human League – Don’t You Want Me

Toto – Africa

A-ha – Take On Me

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy

Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams

Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax

INXS – Need You Tonight

OMD – Enola Gay

Soft Cell – Tainted Love

Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer

Ultravox – Vienna

Listen to our Best 80s Hits playlist here.