THE TOP 500 POPULAR SONGS OF THE 1980S

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Detailed song descriptions are available on THE MUSIC page.

You may listen to this entire playlist on Spotify. Or click on a song title to play a specific song on Spotify.

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Using the table above this list, you may sort the 500 songs by rank, title, artist, and year. You may also use a search box.

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1. Don’t Stop Believin’ — Journey

2. Livin’ On a Prayer — Bon Jovi

3. Billie Jean — Michael Jackson

4. Don’t You (Forget About Me) — Simple Minds

5. Another One Bites the Dust — Queen

6. Every Breath You Take — The Police

7. Take On Me — A-ha

8. Sweet Child O’ Mine — Guns N’ Roses

9. Everybody Wants To Rule the World — Tears For Fears

10. Time After Time — Cyndi Lauper

11. Back In Black — AC/DC

12. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) — Whitney Houston

13. Eye Of the Tiger — Survivor

14. Girls Just Want To Have Fun — Cyndi Lauper

15. Another Brick In the Wall (Part II) — Pink Floyd

16. Pour Some Sugar On Me — Def Leppard

17. You Shook Me All Night Long — AC/DC

18. Here I Go Again — Whitesnake

19. Africa — Toto

20. Summer of ‘69 — Bryan Adams

21. Fast Car — Tracy Chapman

22. With Or Without You — U2

23. Kiss — Prince and the Revolution

24. You Give Love a Bad Name — Bon Jovi

25. I Love Rock ‘n Roll — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

26. Flashdance...What a Feeling — Irene Cara

27. Like a Prayer — Madonna

28. When Doves Cry — Prince and the Revolution

29. Careless Whisper — Wham! featuring George Michael

30. Purple Rain — Prince and the Revolution

31. Beat It — Michael Jackson

32. Welcome To the Jungle — Guns N’ Roses

33. Total Eclipse Of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler

34. Jump — Van Halen

35. I Want To Know What Love Is — Foreigner

36. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) — Eurythmics

37. Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go — Soft Cell

38. Start Me Up — The Rolling Stones

39. Don’t You Want Me — The Human League

40. Heaven — Bryan Adams

41. Under Pressure — David Bowie and Queen

42. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go — Wham!

43. Jessie’s Girl — Rick Springfield

44. Crazy Little Thing Called Love — Queen

45. Walk This Way — Run-D.M.C.

46. Jack & Diane — John Cougar

47. Like a Virgin — Madonna

48. In the Air Tonight — Phil Collins

49. Dancing In the Dark — Bruce Springsteen

50. Karma Chameleon — Culture Club

51. Faith — George Michael

52. Never Gonna Give You Up — Rick Astley

53. Call Me — Blondie

54. Celebration — Kool & the Gang

55. Thriller — Michael Jackson

56. Material Girl — Madonna

57. Bette Davis Eyes — Kim Carnes

58. Take My Breath Away — Berlin

59. Right Here Waiting — Richard Marx

60. Footloose — Kenny Loggins

61. Keep On Loving You — REO Speedwagon

62. Panama — Van Halen

63. Funkytown — Lipps, Inc.

64. Born In the U.S.A. — Bruce Springsteen

65. Down Under — Men At Work

66. Heaven Is a Place On Earth — Belinda Carlisle

67. True — Spandau Ballet

68. All Night Long (All Night) — Lionel Richie

69. Free Fallin’ — Tom Petty

70. Sexual Healing — Marvin Gaye

71. Come On Eileen — Dexy’s Midnight Runners

72. Don’t Dream It’s Over — Crowded House

73. Every Rose Has Its Thorn — Poison

74. Hungry Like the Wolf — Duran Duran

75. Walk Like an Egyptian — The Bangles

76. 9 To 5 — Dolly Parton

77. What’s Love Got To Do With It — Tina Turner

78. (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life — Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

79. Centerfold — J. Geils Band

80. I Just Called To Say I Love You — Stevie Wonder

81. Man In the Mirror — Michael Jackson

82. Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now — Starship

83. (I Just) Died In Your Arms — Cutting Crew

84. Edge Of Seventeen — Stevie Nicks

85. Can’t Fight This Feeling — REO Speedwagon

86. You Make My Dreams — Daryl Hall and John Oates

87. Need You Tonight — INXS

88. Super Freak — Rick James

89. Just the Two Of Us — Grover Washington, Jr.

90. Drive — The Cars

91. Endless Love — Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

92. I’m So Excited — The Pointer Sisters

93. Let’s Dance — David Bowie

94. Pride (In the Name Of Love) — U2

95. Let’s Go Crazy — Prince and the Revolution

96. Paradise City — Guns N’ Roses

97. Listen To Your Heart — Roxette

98. Whip It — Devo

99. Photograph — Def Leppard

100. Love Is a Battlefield — Pat Benatar

101. Hurts So Good — John Cougar

102. Rock You Like a Hurricane — Scorpions

103. The Final Countdown — Europe

104. Faithfully — Journey

105. Bust a Move — Young MC

106. Hit Me With Your Best Shot — Pat Benatar

107. Physical — Olivia Newton-John

108. Gloria — Laura Branigan

109. Heat Of the Moment — Asia

110. Wanted Dead Or Alive — Bon Jovi

111. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For — U2

112. I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) — Daryl Hall and John Oates

113. 1999 — Prince

114. Modern Love — David Bowie

115. Just Like Heaven — The Cure

116. The Boys Of Summer — Don Henley

117. Little Red Corvette — Prince

118. Love Shack — The B-52’s

119. Push It — Salt-N-Pepa

120. Saving All My Love For You — Whitney Houston

121. Alone — Heart

122. Crazy For You — Madonna

123. We Belong — Pat Benatar

124. I Ran (So Far Away) — A Flock Of Seagulls

125. How Will I Know — Whitney Houston

126. Broken Wings — Mr. Mister

127. Any Way You Want It — Journey

128. Manic Monday — The Bangles

129. Walking On Sunshine — Katrina and the Waves

130. Higher Love — Steve Winwood

131. I’m Still Standing — Elton John

132. Father Figure — George Michael

133. St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) — John Parr

134. Fool In the Rain — Led Zeppelin

135. Raspberry Beret — Prince and the Revolution

136. Red Red Wine — UB40

137. Where the Streets Have No Name — U2

138. Greatest Love Of All — Whitney Houston

139. Let the Music Play — Shannon

140. Take Me Home Tonight — Eddie Money

141. La Isla Bonita — Madonna

142. West End Girls — Pet Shop Boys

143. These Dreams — Heart

144. Pink Houses — John Cougar Mellencamp

145. Sister Christian — Night Ranger

146. The Living Years — Mike + the Mechanics

147. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic — The Police

148. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) — Beastie Boys

149. It Takes Two — Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock

150. Money For Nothing — Dire Straits

151. Open Arms — Journey

152. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me — Culture Club

153. I Feel For You — Chaka Khan

154. The Way It Is — Bruce Hornsby and the Range

155. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) — Journey

156. Take It On the Run — REO Speedwagon

157. Rock Of Ages — Def Leppard

158. I’m Coming Out — Diana Ross

159. Maneater — Daryl Hall and John Oates

160. Upside Down — Diana Ross

161. Brass In Pocket (I’m Special) — The Pretenders

162. Head Over Heels — Tears For Fears

163. Rock the Casbah — The Clash

164. Ride Like the Wind — Christopher Cross

165. I’m On Fire — Bruce Springsteen

166. Eyes Without a Face — Billy Idol

167. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ — Michael Jackson

168. Holiday — Madonna

169. Invisible Touch — Genesis

170. The Power Of Love — Huey Lewis and the News

171. The Way You Make Me Feel — Michael Jackson

172. Let’s Groove — Earth, Wind & Fire

173. The Winner Takes It All — ABBA

174. Our House — Madness

175. Abracadabra — Steve Miller Band

176. Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) — Enya

177. Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) — Christopher Cross

178. That’s What Friends Are For — Dionne and Friends

179. Hello — Lionel Richie

180. All Out Of Love — Air Supply

181. Break My Stride — Matthew Wilder

182. Danger Zone — Kenny Loggins

183. Easy Lover — Philip Bailey and Phil Collins

184. Addicted To Love — Robert Palmer

185. Sunglasses At Night — Corey Hart

186. Heartbreaker — Pat Benatar

187. I Won’t Back Down — Tom Petty

188. Never Tear Us Apart — INXS

189. Against All Odds — Phil Collins

190. Sledgehammer — Peter Gabriel

191. Missing You — John Waite

192. Out Of Touch — Daryl Hall and John Oates

193. Dr. Feelgood — Mötley Crüe

194. One — Metallica

195. Rapper’s Delight — The Sugarhill Gang

196. If I Could Turn Back Time — Cher

197. Ain’t Nobody — Rufus featuring Chaka Khan

198. Cum On Feel the Noize — Quiet Riot

199. That’s All — Genesis

200. Ghostbusters — Ray Parker Jr.

201. Say You, Say Me — Lionel Richie

202. She Drives Me Crazy — Fine Young Cannibals

203. We Are the World — USA For Africa

204. Patience — Guns N’ Roses

205. Lovesong — The Cure

206. The Stroke — Billy Squier

207. Uptown Girl — Billy Joel

208. Shout — Tears For Fears

209. Pump Up the Jam — Technotronic

210. True Colors — Cyndi Lauper

211. Who Can It Be Now? — Men At Work

212. Islands In the Stream — Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

213. Relax — Frankie Goes To Hollywood

214. Rock With You — Michael Jackson

215. Smooth Operator — Sade

216. Another Day In Paradise — Phil Collins

217. Smooth Criminal — Michael Jackson

218. Kokomo — The Beach Boys

219. We’re Not Gonna Take It — Twisted Sister

220. It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me — Billy Joel

221. Hard To Say I’m Sorry / Get Away — Chicago

222. Straight Up — Paula Abdul

223. Conga — Miami Sound Machine

224. 867-5309/Jenny — Tommy Tutone

225. Glory Days — Bruce Springsteen

226. Kiss On My List — Daryl Hall and John Oates

227. We Got the Beat — The Go-Go’s

228. Kickstart My Heart — Mötley Crüe

229. Up Where We Belong — Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

230. Burning Down the House — Talking Heads

231. She Works Hard For the Money — Donna Summer

232. Holding Back the Years — Simply Red

233. Part-Time Lover — Stevie Wonder

234. Word Up! — Cameo

235. Papa Don’t Preach — Madonna

236. Do They Know It’s Christmas? — Band Aid

237. Dude (Looks Like a Lady) — Aerosmith

238. Every Time You Go Away — Paul Young

239. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) — Dead Or Alive

240. Waiting For a Girl Like You — Foreigner

241. White Wedding — Billy Idol

242. Rock Me Amadeus — Falco

243. 99 Luftballoons — Nena

244. Maniac — Michael Sembello

245. Sailing — Christopher Cross

246. Caribbean Queen (No More Love On the Run) — Billy Ocean

247. I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues — Elton John

248. You’re the Inspiration — Chicago

249. Run To You — Bryan Adams

250. Cruel Summer — Bananarama

251. Glory Of Love — Peter Cetera

252. The Tide Is High — Blondie

253. Stand Back — Stevie Nicks

254. Stuck On You — Lionel Richie

255. Here Comes the Rain Again — Eurythmics

256. If You Leave — Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark

257. Always Something There To Remind Me — Naked Eyes

258. One Moment In Time — Whitney Houston

259. The One I Love — R.E.M.

260. We Didn’t Start the Fire — Billy Joel

261. Tell It To My Heart — Taylor Dayne

262. Cult Of Personality — Living Colour

263. Hold Me Now — Thompson Twins

264. Round and Round — Ratt

265. Young Turks — Rod Stewart

266. We Built This City — Starship

267. All Through the Night — Cyndi Lauper

268. Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) — Soul II Soul

269. Hungry Eyes — Eric Carmen

270. Nothin’ But a Good Time — Poison

271. Electric Avenue — Eddy Grant

272. The Flame — Cheap Trick

273. The Rose — Bette Midler

274. Working For the Weekend — Loverboy

275. Hysteria — Def Leppard

276. Live To Tell — Madonna

277. Kyrie — Mr. Mister

278. Nightshift — The Commodores

279. On My Own — Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald

280. Borderline — Madonna

281. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) — Aretha Franklin & George Michael

282. Don’t Stand So Close To Me — The Police

283. Baby, Come To Me — Patti Austin and James Ingram

284. Baby, I Love Your Way / Freebird Medley — Will To Power

285. Oh Sherrie — Steve Perry

286. Owner Of a Lonely Heart — Yes

287. Running Up That Hill — Kate Bush

288. Love Bites — Def Leppard

289. Gypsy — Fleetwood Mac

290. Nasty — Janet Jackson

291. Got My Mind Set On You — George Harrison

292. Voices Carry — ‘Til Tuesday

293. Pump Up the Volume — M|A|R|R|S

294. You Can Call Me Al — Paul Simon

295. Making Love Out Of Nothing At All — Air Supply

296. Everything She Wants — Wham!

297. Rosanna — Toto

298. Hey Nineteen — Steely Dan

299. The Look Of Love — ABC

300. Beds Are Burning — Midnight Oil

301. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) — Rupert Holmes

302. Sirius / Eye In the Sky — The Alan Parsons Project

303. Why Can’t This Be Love? — Van Halen

304. One More Try — George Michael

305. Eternal Flame — The Bangles

306. Touch Of Grey — Grateful Dead

307. Cherish — Kool & the Gang

308. She’s Like the Wind — Patrick Swayze

309. Your Love — The Outfield

310. Private Eyes — Daryl Hall and John Oates

311. Hold On To the Nights — Richard Marx

312. Living In America — James Brown

313. Bad Medicine — Bon Jovi

314. Chariots Of Fire - Titles — Vangelis

315. Human Nature — Michael Jackson

316. When I Think of You — Janet Jackson

317. King Of Pain — The Police

318. Der Kommissar — After the Fire

319. I Keep Forgettin’ — Michael McDonald

320. Cars — Gary Numan

321. Waiting For a Star To Fall — Boy Meets Girl

322. Bad — Michael Jackson

323. You Keep Me Hangin’ On — Kim Wilde

324. Jump (For My Love) — The Pointer Sisters

325. Too Shy — Kajagoogoo

326. Burnin’ For You — Blue Öyster Cult

327. La Bamba — Los Lobos

328. Caught Up In You — .38 Special

329. Small Town — John Cougar Mellencamp

330. I Would Die 4 U — Prince and the Revolution

331. Twilight Zone — Golden Earring

332. Hungry Heart — Bruce Springsteen

333. The Longest Time — Billy Joel

334. You Got It — Roy Orbison

335. The Safety Dance — Men Without Hats

336. Talk Dirty To Me — Poison

337. Let’s Hear It For the Boy — Deniece Williams

338. Give It To Me Baby — Rick James

339. Little Lies — Fleetwood Mac

340. The Sweetest Taboo — Sade

341. The Look — Roxette

342. She Blinded Me With Science — Thomas Dolby

343. The Promise — When In Rome

344. So Emotional — Whitney Houston

345. Wishing Well — Terence Trent D’Arby

346. Against the Wind — Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

347. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) — Michael Jackson

348. I Think We’re Alone Now — Tiffany

349. Desire — U2

350. I Can Dream About You — Dan Hartman

351. Venus — Bananarama

352. Legs — ZZ Top

353. Luka — Suzanne Vega

354. Straight From the Heart — Bryan Adams

355. Mr. Roboto — Styx

356. Looking For a New Love — Jody Watley

357. Southern Cross — Crosby, Stills, & Nash

358. Goody Two Shoes — Adam Ant

359. Rhythm Of the Night — Debarge

360. Theme From The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) — Joey Scarbury

361. The Lady In Red — Chris de Burgh

362. Lady — Kenny Rogers

363. No One Is To Blame — Howard Jones

364. I’ll Be There For You — Bon Jovi

365. Morning Train (Nine To Five) — Sheena Easton

366. Woman — John Lennon

367. The Heat Is On — Glenn Frey

368. Truly — Lionel Richie

369. Lost In Love — Air Supply

370. Angel Of the Morning — Juice Newton

371. Open Your Heart — Madonna

372. Queen Of Hearts — Juice Newton

373. Our Lips Are Sealed — The Go-Go’s

374. Dance Hall Days — Wang Chung

375. Let My Love Open the Door — Pete Townshend

376. Freeway Of Love — Aretha Franklin

377. Back On the Chain Gang — The Pretenders

378. You Might Think — The Cars

379. In Your Eyes — Peter Gabriel

380. Don’t Come Around Here No More — Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

381. Sara — Fleetwood Mac

382. Rio — Duran Duran

383. Sussudio — Phil Collins

384. Don’t Get Me Wrong — The Pretenders

385. I Hate Myself For Loving You — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

386. Wild Thing — Tone Lōc

387. Harden My Heart — Quarterflash

388. On the Radio — Donna Summer

389. Stand — R.E.M.

390. My Prerogative — Bobby Brown

391. I’ve Never Been To Me — Charlene

392. Girl You Know It’s True — Milli Vanilli

393. Train In Vain (Stand By Me) — The Clash

394. Don’t Worry, Be Happy — Bobby McFerrin

395. Love In an Elevator — Aerosmith

396. Sad Songs (Say So Much) — Elton John

397. Ebony and Ivory — Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

398. Keep Your Hands To Yourself — The Georgia Satellites

399. U Got the Look — Prince

400. Somebody’s Baby — Jackson Browne

401. Mony Mony (Live) — Billy Idol

402. Somebody’s Watching Me — Rockwell

403. What Have You Done For Me Lately — Janet Jackson

404. Human — The Human League

405. Mickey — Toni Basil

406. I Can’t Wait — Nu Shooz

407. Stuck With You — Huey Lewis and the News

408. Little Jeannie — Elton John

409. The Next Time I Fall — Peter Cetera and Amy Grant

410. Only In My Dreams — Debbie Gibson

411. A View To a Kill — Duran Duran

412. Express Yourself — Madonna

413. Rock This Town — Stray Cats

414. Dirty Laundry — Don Henley

415. Walk Of Life — Dire Straits

416. Everybody Have Fun Tonight — Wang Chung

417. Do You Believe In Love — Huey Lewis and the News

418. Vacation — The Go-Go’s

419. The Reflex — Duran Duran

420. Sweet Love — Anita Baker

421. People Are People — Depeche Mode

422. Sowing the Seeds Of Love — Tears For Fears

423. Something About You — Level 42

424. Genius Of Love — Tom Tom Club

425. One Thing Leads To Another — The Fixx

426. One Night In Bangkok — Murray Head

427. I Can’t Tell You Why — Eagles

428. Cold Hearted — Paula Abdul

429. Steppin’ Out — Joe Jackson

430. I Want a New Drug — Huey Lewis and the News

431. Fame — Irene Cara

432. Kids In America — Kim Wilde

433. You Dropped a Bomb On Me — The Gap Band

434. I’m Alright — Kenny Loggins

435. Self Control — Laura Branigan

436. Lucky Star — Madonna

437. Late In the Evening — Paul Simon

438. Dirty Diana — Michael Jackson

439. Let It Whip — The Dazz Band

440. Secret Lovers — Atlantic Starr

441. It’s My Life — Talk Talk

442. Come Dancing — The Kinks

443. Into the Night — Benny Mardones

444. Angel — Aerosmith

445. What I Am — Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

446. Lovergirl — Teena Marie

447. The Glamorous Life — Sheila E.

448. Private Dancer — Tina Turner

449. You Got It (The Right Stuff) — New Kids On the Block

450. Always On My Mind — Willie Nelson

451. Hard Habit To Break — Chicago

452. Shake You Down — Gregory Abbott

453. Rapture — Blondie

454. Roll With It — Steve Winwood

455. Say Say Say — Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson

456. Alive and Kicking — Simple Minds

457. Love Come Down — Evelyn “Champagne” King

458. Every Little Step — Bobby Brown

459. Save a Prayer — Duran Duran

460. America — Neil Diamond

461. True Faith — New Order

462. (Just Like) Starting Over — John Lennon

463. Give Me the Night — George Benson

464. Look Away — Chicago

465. Wind Beneath My Wings — Bette Midler

466. Miss You Much — Janet Jackson

467. Life In a Northern Town — The Dream Academy

468. Shakedown — Bob Seger

469. Send Me an Angel — Real Life

470. Mad About You — Belinda Carlisle

471. You Are — Lionel Richie

472. Time (Clock Of the Heart) — Culture Club

473. Slow Hand — The Pointer Sisters

474. Holding Out For a Hero — Bonnie Tyler

475. What Have I Done To Deserve This? — Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield

476. Candle In the Wind (Live 1986) — Elton John

477. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) — Tina Turner

478. Shake It Up — The Cars

479. Never — Heart

480. Head To Toe — Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam

481. Jeopardy — The Greg Kihn Band

482. What You Need — INXS

483. Jungle Love — The Time

484. New Attitude — Patti LaBelle

485. Buffalo Stance — Neneh Cherry

486. Sign O’ the Times — Prince

487. You Better, You Bet — The Who

488. Chains Of Love — Erasure

489. Cherish — Madonna

490. Better Be Good To Me — Tina Turner

491. Would I Lie To You? — Eurythmics

492. Freeze-Frame — J. Geils Band

493. How ‘Bout Us — Champaign

494. I Know There’s Something Going On — Frida

495. C’est La Vie — Robbie Nevil

496. Puttin’ On the Ritz — Taco

497. She Bop — Cyndi Lauper

498. Lean On Me — Club Nouveau

499. Me Myself and I — De La Soul

500. Animal — Def Leppard

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For songs 501 to 700, click HERE.