Finishing up the first half of the 1985 countdown we again hit another artist who will end up with 2 songs in this list.  But sometimes, as was the case in this year, a band or artist was so good that one was simply not enough.  Case in point, while the previous year helped define who this artist was, this track helped solidify that more, of which she became known as this name, like Prince was labeled The Purple One.  At #11 in the 1985 countdown it’s Material Girl by Madonna.  

Our sports-themed song talk continues with the second entry of this band.  I mentioned before their prior entry may be their biggest song, but this one was also a huge hit and one of my absolute favorites.  It’s hard not to smile at this song when you hear that keyboard riff, and the energy of this song is undeniable.  Sliding in at #12 is Walk Of Life by Dire Straits.

Our next 1985 song will start a trend – popular sports-themed songs.  For some reason, this year released a round of such songs.  Most seemed to be based with baseball, but only this one is completely about the game.  If you go to minor league games around the area, you will hear this intro played a lot.  Our #13 40 year-old song is Centerfield by John Fogerty.

While this next track in the 1985 countdown might be time-capsuled in the 80s, it’s melody and chorus has managed to remain popular and continues to be heard to this day, and it’s considered an iconic 80s R&B dance song.  Ironically, this title is the same of another 1995 track but that one failed to make the countdown.  But this one did, coming in at #14 is Rhythm of The Night by DeBarge.

It wasn’t supposed to be a track that would define a cable tv station.  But one visit by the artist Sting, and into the microphone he belted the famous words “I want my MTV,” and boom, this song would be arguably this band’s biggest hit.  However, like one other artist already, this isn’t their only track in this countdown.  But for now, let’s celebrate the anthem that helped define a generation – at #15 it’s Money for Nothing by Dire Straits.

Rounding out the first quarter of the 1985 countdown we come to a surprising entry in this list.  This artist almost hit his zenith during this year for reasons we’ll get to a little later.  But somehow this song manages to find its way into this list, and when you hear it, you’ll understand why.  Arguably one of the power ballads that set the template going forward, coming in at #16 is Heaven by Bryan Adams.