The second entry for these guys in the top 20 songs turning 40 years old this year is a down-right, fun rock song, with an equally fun video that had my kids laughing in droves. Between this and the other one, it is the bigger song, more memorable and also more played. It’s also just a good song that you don’t want to end as it fades. Coming in at #7 is Hip To Be Square by Huey Lewis and The News.
I remembered when this song first came out, it was rap but not done in the similar vein as other such songs. It was rock, heavy, and these three white guys would end up setting a standard for hip-hop that would lead to multiple re-inventions of the genre. And it all started with their message to all young guys and girls who just want to party. Coming in at #8 is Fight For Your Right (To Party) by The Beastie Boys.
Our next entry to this countdown is a group that had already smashed their way into the pop-rock mainstream a couple years prior, and then proceeded to hit their proverbial peak during this time. The first of two tracks to make this list, this is a great song for all of those in long term relationships and marriage, and it is just a well-crafted song. Coming in at #9 is Stuck With You by Huey Lewis and The News.
We kick off the second half of counting down the top 20 songs released in 1986 with a song that some of this group’s hardcore fanbase hates. But that’s only because they adored their prog rock roots. Ask others and you will find this track to be a beloved song that also cemented their global status as a rock powerhouse. It is also the band’s only #1 song in the US and the album of the same name hit diamond status in sales. At #10 it is Invisible Touch by Genesis.
Our second appearance by Ms. Jackson is another funky rocker with a great chorus and keyboard melody, like in her previous entry. This is also another track that has withstood the test of time, and in some ways, is more popular and recognizable than her previous entry in this list. It’s fitting she wraps up the first half of this countdown with this generational track, at #11 it’s Nasty by Janet Jackson.
At the time, it was considered one of the greatest comebacks in mainstream pop rock history, and the song that helped pull that off is still a major song that’s heard today. Of all the songs that came around after this track, and some have remained regular radio staples, it’s amazing how much this one has stuck around and has remained one of his most popular songs to date. Arriving at #12 is Higher Love by Steve Winwood.