Spoiler alert. Here’s what topped the Flav network’s 936-hour, totally rad talking head countdown, premiering Monday at 9PM EST.
5. “When Doves Cry” – Prince
4. “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
3. “Hungry Like The Wolf” – Duran Duran
2. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Leppard
1. “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi
Can’t wait to hear what Hal Sparks has to say about Dexy’s Midnight Runners! Those overalls! Oh my!
Don’t like the Top 5? In fairness, we must mention the results were decided by an online survey. But we all know how VH1′s producers are more than happy to swap #80 for #8 if someone’s manager starts complaining. Or did you not know that? Now you do!
Tell us YOUR top five ’80s songs. And don’t go all indie on us …. We know you love you some “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
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%s1 / %s2
men without hats-safety dance
prince- raspberry beret
tommy tutone- jenny
bruce springsteen- dancing in the dark
smiths- there is a light that never goes out
Bon Jovi at number 1??? Ugh! Prince should fucking own that Top Five!
hey. dnt bash bon jovi. he is one of the greats. his music was amazing…….well in recent years i admit he is lacking. although i do agree with you. prince should be number one with “little red corvette”. but bon jovi deserves it just as well.
No Madonna in the top 5? I guess she shouldn’t have kept her baby.
some favorites off the top of my head..
“everybody wants to rule the world” – tears for fears
“take on me” – aha!
“don’t you (forget about me)” – simple minds
“power of love” – huey lewis & the news
“the tide is high” – blondie
most of my music taste in the 80′s was, i think, driven by movies…
The 80′s were humorously awful…why do indie/hipster people look like they are in the 80′s?
5. Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody
4. Men Without Hats – Safety Dance
3. Sparks – Monster of Love
2. Jermaine Stewart – We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off
1. El Debarge – Who’s Johnny
The good old days when pop stars actually understood the power of good melody.
1. Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule The World
2. Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
3. Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels
4. Depeche Mode – Policy of Truth
5. Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes
HOLIDAY — still, in my opinion, madonna’s best song….
DELIRIOUS — that black dude in panties, prince, was playing some great new wave…
PASS THE DUTCHIE — oh shit, that’s the jam! musical youth had me smokin’ weed…”this generation…rules the nation”
HOW SOON IS NOW — was this song too cool for this list? nothing ever sounded like this smiths song….probably the best song written in the 80′s….
BLISTER IN THE SUN — this song still makes people scream whenever it’s played in a crowded bar…..they’re either drunk or just love this violent femmes classic……or both….
other songs:
JUST LIKE HEAVEN
whip it
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME
west end girls
5. The Go-Gos: Our Lips are Sealed
4. Stone Roses: I Wanna Be Adored
3. Prince: When Doves Cry
2. Tom Tom Club: Genius of Love
1. The Smiths: There is a Light that Never Goes Out
One word: ALPHAVILLE.
5. Berlin: “Metro”
4. The Romantics “Talking In Your Sleep”
3. New Order: “Blue Monday”
2. Joan Jett “I Love Rock n Roll”
1. Dramarama: “Hundered Dollar Bills”
New commenting system, now with more comment-eating goodness?
Amen, Paul H.
Prince was the best thing that ever happened to the 80s.
1. When You Were Mine
2. When Doves Cry
3. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
4. Kiss
5. (tie) Dirty Mind, Head, Sister, Uptown, Controversy, 1999, Little Red Corvette, DMSR, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die for You, Purple Rain, Pop Life, Raspberry Beret, Anotherloverholeinyohead,Sign ‘O’ the Times, Hot Thing, U Got the Look, If I was Your Girlfriend, Lovesexy, Alphabet St., and why the hell not, Batdance.
The pre-YO! Mtv Raps list:
The Outfield – Your Love
Duran Duran – Girls on Film
Adam Ant – Ant Music
John Waite – Change
Joe Walsh – Life of Illusion (on the strength of the video alone)
5. Upside Down
4. Cut Me Dead
3. My Little Underground
2. Never Understand
1. Just Like Honey
“They write encyclopedias on the Eighties and we’re not even mentioned. We WERE the fucking eighties.”
-Jim Reid, Jesus and Mary Chain
This list is racist – how could MJ and Prince not be in the top 2. Livin on a prayer? Come on!
1. The Replacements – “Bastards of Young”
2. Toto – “Africa”
3. Fugazi – “Waiting Room”
4. Guns N ‘Roses – “Rocket Queen”
5. Prince – “When Doves Cry”
Chuck, don’t wanna be a stickler, but “Violator” was released in 1990, so technically your D-Mode selections can’t count…As for mine:
5. Ministry – Everyday Is Halloween
4. Nik Kershaw – Wouldn’t It Be Good?
3. Depeche Mode – Everything Counts
2. Prince – Raspberry Beret
1. The Cure – Just Like Heaven
6. Talking Heads – “Once in a Lifetime”
Had to get that one in there too.
If we are talking singles (and not just songs) then:
1) The Cure – “Just Like Heaven”
2) The Smiths – “How Soon Is Now”
3) Echo & the Bunnymen – “Lips Like Sugar”
4) New Order – “Age of Consent”
5) Genesis – “Land of Confusion” (greatest video ever, I might add)
anything by anybody other than bon jovi.
1. Centerfold – J. Geils Band
2. I Melt with You – Modern English
3. China Girl – David Bowie
4. Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield
5. 99 Luftballoons – Nena
…but admit it, we all still get a little excited when we hear the opening for “Taited Love” on the radio.
1. Centerfold – J. Geils Band
2. I Melt with You – Modern English
3. China Girl – David Bowie
4. Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield
5. 99 Luftballoons – Nena
…but admit it, we all still get a little excited when we hear the opening for “Taited Love” on the radio.
1. Cruel Summer – Bananarama
2. Sister Christian – Night Ranger
3. Voices Carry – Til Tuesday
4. Oh, Sherrie – Steve Perry
5. Papa Don’t Preach – Madonna
Yay!! for Jon and his top 2 – at one other person other than me who frequents this site didn’t grow up a total honkey. I thought I was the only one.
Honorable Mention goes to Maya for choosing Musical Youth.
XTC – King For A Day
XTC – All You Pretty Girls
XTC – Dear God
XTC – Mayor Of Simpleton
XTC – Senses Working Overtime
1.) aha – take on me
2.) prince – when doves cry
3.) men without hats – the safety dance
4.) dire straits – money for nothing
5.) cyndi lauper – girls just wanna have fun
big whup, wanna fight about it?
Ah come on! No love For Simple Minds?
1) Simple Minds – Don’t you Forget About Me
2) Dreams – Van Halen
2) Flock of Seagulls – I Ran (So Far Away)
4) Men At Work – Down Under
5) The Cars – Just What I Needed
If you don’t pump you fist in the air after the end of ‘Don’t you forget about me’, you need to get with it.
We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off! Awesome! I remember dancing on my friend’s picnic table in her backyard to this song. What do 8 year olds know about drinking cherry wine?
My top 5 then – George Michael, MJ, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston?
now – The Smiths, New Order, Prince, Madonna, REM
When Doves Cry should be #1 by a mile. They could even revers those numbers & I wouldn’t freak out. VH-1 isn’t for real music fans anyway. It’s for people who enjoy Matchbox 20 as the soundtrack to their lives.
1) Sonic Youth- Teen Age Riot
2) Prince- When Doves Cry
3) Pixies- Debaser
4) Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five- The Message
5) Michael Jackson- Billie Jean
Jimbear, where can I get that John Waite song??? I looked for it a couple of weeks ago and could not find it. Help!!!! I am desperate.
1) The Smiths “There is a Light…”
2) The Cure “Fascination Street
3) New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle”
4) Toto “Africa”
5) Whoever sang that song about One Night in Bangkok
5. One More Try by George Michael
4. Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite
3. Parents Just Don’t Understand by Fresh Prince
2. Borderline by Madonna
1. Material Girl by Madonna
5. New Order “True Faith”
4. Prince “When Doves Cry”
3. Eric B & Rakim “Paid In Full”
2. Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus”
1. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
Hell yeah, Musical Youth. I’d go with Maya’s list except for the Madonna.
5. Ashes to Ashes – David Bowie
4. One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
3. Under the Milky Way – The Church
2. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
1. Save a Prayer – Duran Duran
5. New Order “True Faith”
4. Roxy Music “Avalon”
3. Boogie Down Productions “Bridge Is Over”
2. Depeche Mode “Personal Jesus”
1. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
1. Matthew Wilder – Nobody Gonna Break My Stride
2. Hall & Oates – Private Eyes
3. Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants…
4. Gary Numan – Cars
5. M – Pop Muzik
I think some Prince and MJ belong up there, but I thought i’d throw some others up there for the purpose of discussion. I do stand by that #1, though.
safety dance- men without hats
Jenny (867-5309)- tommy tutone
She Bop- cyndi lauper
mr roboto- styx
where is my mind?- the pixies
One possible scenario:
5. Our Lips Are Sealed – Fun Boy Three
4. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
3. Don’t You Want Me? – Human League
2. Favourite Shirts – Haircut One Hundred
1. Promised You a Miracle – Simple Minds
My top 5…
1. Talking Heads – Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place)
2. The Replacements – Unsatisfied
3. Violent Femmes – Good Feeling
4. They Might Be Giants – Don’t Let’s Start
5. Pixies – Hey
#1) “It Takes Two” – MC Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
Also, as much as I absolutely LOATHE the song, Van Halen’s “Jump” should probably up there near the top somewhere. That song was fucking everywhere 1984-85.
no FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD??!?!?
lame.
head over heels – tears for fears
love will tear us apart – joy division
don’t you want me? – human league
the walk – the cure
father figure – george michael
What’s wrong with Bon Jovi?
“LIKE A PRAYER” by MADONNA better be #6.
1. Pixies- Hey
2. Sonic Youth- Teenage Riot
3. Dinosaur Jr.- In A Jar
4. Talking Heads- Once In A Lifetime
5. REM- Radio Free Europe
1) Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin Somethin
2) The Talking Heads – Life During Wartime
3) Tom Waits – In the Neighborhood
4) XTC – Respectable Street
5) Tears for Fears – Mad World
Eddy Grant – Electic Avenue
Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well
Milli Vannili – Can I have Your Number
Bobby Brown – My Perogative
Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up
and just because I have to list it
Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
Eddy Grant – Electic Avenue
Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well
Milli Vannili – Can I have Your Number
Bobby Brown – My Perogative
Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up
and just because I have to list it
Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
5. prince- 1999
4. the violent femmes- add it up
3. they might be giants- kiss me son of god
2. the talking heads- life during wartime
1. dead kennedys- california uber alles
I could call out a few off-by-a-years, but instead:
These are mere suggesstions, as my collection mostly spans the decade of the eighties.
Maybe I will post more.
No one got these, though:
Love Will Tear us Apart: Joy Division (80)
White Lines: Grandmaster Flash/Melle Mel/Liquid Liquid (83)
Pearly Dewdrops’ Drops: Cocteau Twins (84)
Suedehead: Morrissey (88)
Here’s Where the Story Ends: the Sundays (89)
Whoops!
Can’t be Sure: the Sundays (89)
5. Do They Know It’s Christmas- Band Aid
4. If You Leave- OMD
3. Let’s Go To Bed- The Cure
2. The Killing Moon- Echo and the Bunnymen
1. Purple Rain- Prince
Mainstream:
1999 by Prince
Material Girl by Madonna
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2
Beat It Michael Jackson
In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel
Come On Eileen by Dexy’s
I Melt with You by Modern English
Indle:
So Central Rain by REM
Gigantic by the Pixies
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division
In no particular order
This would have been my list in 1989 as well as now. I’m so depressingly old.
1. Sonic Youth, “Schizophrenia”
2. Replacements, “Within Your Reach”
3. Husker Du, “Celebrated Summer”
4. R.E.M., “Pretty Persuasion”
5. Pixies, “Cactus”
Tom Waits – Time
Beastie Boys – Hey Ladies
Paul Simon – Graceland
Pogues – The ol Main Drag
Jane’s Addiction – Jane Says
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane (one of the best covers ever by the way)
1.When Doves Cry (or Purple Rain, depending on my mood)-Prince and the Revolution
2. Billy Jean-Michael Jackson
3. With Or Without You-U2
4. Save A Prayer-Duran Duran
5. Everybody Wants To Rule The World-Tears For Fears
5) “Like a Virgin” Madonna – stupid but influential song.
4) Radio Free Europe – REM
3) Mysterious Ways, U2
2) In the Air Tonight, Phil Collins
1) Once in a Lifetime, Talking Heads
where the hell is david bowie??? hello Jean Genie? Lets Dance?? China Girl??
btw why the hell is Under Pressure so low? come on! Queen totaly ruled the 80s as well a david bowie!
vh1 is lame.
Wow! These were some great lists posted… songs no one heard off. The Cure??? I didn’t know about them in the 80s. XTC??? Who the hell is that? I do however know Livin on a prayer and all the songs from the Vh1 list.
5 Every Rose Has its Thorn – Poison
4 Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Lepard
3 Dancing In The Dark – The Boss
2 Shout At The Devil – Motley Crue
1 Born In The USA – The Boss
I’m just glad that GnR was in front of Motley. There’s hope for people’s musical taste yet.
Top Five:
Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Jenny (867-5309) – Tommy Tutone
Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield
Take on Me – Aha
Thriller (or maybe something else from Michael Jackson but the video alone gives it eternal cult status)
Honorable Mention:
Sweet Child of Mine
Heaven is a Place on Earth
Africa
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Material Girl
1999
5. the final countdown
4. mr roboto
3. dancing in the dark
2. jump
1. born in the usa(BRUUUCE)
wow, i didnt think vh1 did too bad,
but queen & david bowie shouldve been much higher.
5. Hungry like the Wolf (Big Duran Duran Fan)
4. Lets Dance
3. Sweet Child of Mine
2. Pour some Sugar on Me
1. Under Pressure (Best song Ever Written)
Prince, Michael Jackson, and U2 would basically fill out the Top 10.
but hey, to each their own, right?
My Top five:
1. Bon Jovi- You Give Love A Bad Name (obviously Bon Jovi is number one, they are the best band in the world!!)
2. Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard
3. Poison- Every Rose Has Its Thorn
4. U2- With or Without You
5. Van Halen- Jump
5. Open Arms Journey (Ultimate power ballad)
4. Sweet Child O Mine GNR
3. Every Breath You Take Police
2. London Calling The Clash
1. I’ll Melt With You Modern English
My top 80′s
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
Joy Division- Love will Tear Us Apart
The Cure- Pictures of You
Depeche Mode – Stripped
New Order – Age of consent.
1-Shadows Of The Night/Pat Benatar
2-Do You Wanna Hold Me/Bow Wow Wow
3-Human Touch/Rick Springfield
4-Spirit In The Sky/Doctor & the Medics
5-The Winner Takes It All/Abba
Absolute top 5 in no order (you should be ashamed you didn’t mention 4 these)
a) Billy Idol – Eyes Without A Face
b) Don Henley – Boys of Summer
c) Eurythmics – Here Comes the Rain Again
d) Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child of Mine
e) Paul Simon – Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
“Best” means ‘great, definitive music,’ not shlocky crap that reminds you of your youth.
Nite and Day – Al B Sure!
Brass Monkey – Beastie Boys
Oh Sheila – Ready for the World
Supersonic – JJ Fad
My ADIDAS – Run DMC
I favor a lot of what everyone else posted, but I didn’t see these up there.
As it has been said here before: Prince ruled the eighties.
1. Prince-Purple Rain
2. Guns ‘n Roses-Sweet Child of Mine
3. U2-With or Without You
4. Prince-Little Red Corvette
5. Europe-Final Countdown (just for sentimental reasons)
Where can the full top 100 be viewed?
As it has been said here before: Prince ruled the eighties.
1. Prince-Purple Rain
2. Guns ‘n Roses-Sweet Child of Mine
3. U2-With or Without You
4. Prince-Little Red Corvette
5. Europe-Final Countdown (just for sentimental reasons)
Where can the full top 100 be viewed?
As it has been said here before: Prince ruled the eighties.
1. Prince-Purple Rain
2. Guns ‘n Roses-Sweet Child of Mine
3. U2-With or Without You
4. Prince-Little Red Corvette
5. Europe-Final Countdown (just for sentimental reasons)
Where can the full top 100 be viewed?
bon jovi?? im not agree
1-depeche mode- people are people/strangelove
2-tears for fears (is a classic, i dont understand why is not in the top) shout/ every body…
3-smiths-how son is now
4-the cure-lullaby
5-culture club-do you really want to hurt me
the ones that come easily for been part of my life:
madonna like a virgin, i remember coments on my house “VIRGIN,,,YEAH”
walk like an egyptian, nice girls, first times horney.
duran duran, the one in the video with the waterfall out of the cinema,
trhiller of course , the one that have more publicity ever,
and the only one thats really like of these 5:whitesnake is these love
My fav. 80s tunes:
1. Billie Jean- Michael Jackson
2. Jump- Van Halen
3. Every Breath You Take- The Police
4. Angel- Aerosmith
5. Little Red Corvette- Prince
Honorable mentions:
-Here I go again- Whitesnake
-Take my breath away- Berlin
-Janies Got a Gun- Aerosmith
-Pour Some Sugar on me- Def Leppard
-Every Rose Has its Thorn- Poison
-Welcome to the Jungle- Guns N Roses
PS Does anyone think its weird that I’m a 15 year old girl but love 80s music? Thats pretty much all I listen to. My friends think its kinda strange…
It’s funny how VH1 selected Metallica’s “One” as one of the top 20 videos of the 80′s, yet they didn’t select that same song in the top 100 songs. Some lost a bold there.
no particular order, Trouble – Lindsey Buckingham, In Too Deep- Genesis,Talking Out Of Turn-Moody Blues,Out Of Season-REO, Kyrie-Mr.Mister
5. Call Me – GoWest
4. Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The Wolrd
3. Dance Hall Days – Wang Chung
2. Run To You – Bryan Adams
1. Waiting For A Girl Like You – Foreigner
No Stevie Nicks???
She ruled in the ’80′s
Edge of 17
Stand Back
the best songs of the eighties. Bon Jovi?
When pigs fly.
1. Everybody Wants To Rule The World Tears for Fears.
2. I Keep Holding On. Simply Red.
3. Don’t Dream It’s Over. Crowded House
4. Boys of Summer. Don Henley
5. Looks that Kill, or any song by Motley Crue
Bon Jovi number one. When Paul McCartney does rap!
Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Tears For Fears. #1
Holding Back The Years. Simply Red.#2
Don’t Dream It’s Over. Crowded House. #4
Like A Virgin. Modonna #5
Looks that Kill or any song by Motley Crue.
“Jean Genie” is from the 70s, not the 80s
TOP 5 80s POP SONGS – that i dont think have been mentioned..
1. when in rome – the promise
2. devo – whip it
3. sheena easton – morning train (!!!!)
4. aha – take me on
5. paul simon – yo can call me al
1. Dont Stop Believen- Journy
2. Pour Some Suger on Me- Def Leppord
3. Seperate Ways- Journy
4. Beat It- Mike J
5. Africa- toto
end of story
Some good suggestions for top 5. The 80′s will never get its due credit for great music. But it seems everyone here missed a great song- “I WEAR MY SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT” BY COREY HART. Oh, one last band that in my opinion would cover most of the top ten, METALLICA!
I pick the Cure’s “Lovesong,” because it’s a GREAT song and ROBERT SMITH is HOT! ?
I am disapointed there were only a few entries from the true great songs of the 80′s that still rock hard today. Motley crue, van halen, poison, and ac/dc all should have dominated the 80′s. Also whats up with loverboy with workin for the weekend at 100. Workin for the weekend should be a top 20 if not top 10 easy. Also i now they were late 80′s but how is there nothing by skid row? 18 and life… come on what a great song. Alright i am done with my rant. Still disappointed in how a bunch of stupid songs made it on there. “Walk like an egyption” come on get real that song sucked in the 80′s and still does today.
5. Van Halen – Jump
4. Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
3. Madonna – Like A Virgin
2. Prince – Doves Cry
1. Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me
Bon Jovi Forever, the best band in the world, they really deserve number 1!
Bon Jovi wins:)
Bon Jovi is the best in every way!
Bon Jovi Rocks our socks off!
End of discussion!
<3 Bon Jovi <3
agree with rockgirl… Bon Jovi deserve number 1!
I was deeply disappointed in the horrible list VH1 made. So here’s a few I would have included that were left off…
Me, Myself and I- De La Soul
Cult Of Personality- Living Colour
Straight Out The Jungle- The Jungle Brothers
The Message- Grandmaster Flash
Orange Crush- R.E.M.
Paul Revere- The Beastie Boys
Rock The Casbah- The Clash
Jane Says- Jane’s Addiction
Express Yourself- N.W.A.
Message In A Bottle- The Police
and many more…
oh yeah i forgot i would also include:
Eminence Front- The Who
Valley Girl- Frank Zappa
Dangerous Type- The Cars
“Message In A Bottle” is ’79, msjovi. Not to be a stickler or anything.
No Bryan Adams? Not even Summer of ’69?
What Jersey moron picked Bon Jovi?