My 1984 countdown had so many heavy hitters that this group sadly failed to make it with one of their biggest songs. Fortunately, that will be made up now with this track breaking into the list. It’s amazing how much this song and its anthemic outro has stood the test of time. Anthemic intro, A/B song, followed by anthemic outro – a simple premise and such a great song. At #17 it’s Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears.
Our next 1985 entrant had the privilege of being at the top of a prior countdown, and they found themselves back here again with another song that is considered an 80s R&B classic. Listening to similar songs in their catalog, you can tell they had found their winning formula and still managed to deliver another hit record years later. At #18 it is Cherish by Kool & The Gang.
Two songs in and we already hit big controversy. This song isn’t one of my favorites but it’s hard not to deny how much notoriety this song has received over the years. The good being its catchy chorus, the bad being it’s much talked about polished production for a song whose lyrics speak out against corporate music and rock. And like it or not, it’s still played a lot. Coming in at #19 is We Built This City by Starship.
We begin our countdowns with the 1985 year and a song that had tough competition with another track this same female-led group delivered this year. Bands that go as long as this band did often times have their “victory lap,” and this group earned it with this track among many others that would come in the 80s. Beginning our countdown of the top songs turning 40 years old, at #20, is What About Love by Heart.
No doubt, this 1984 countdown was the hardest countdown I’ve ever done and it showed. The amount of songs that could have made it were massive, and some would say their absence from this list was criminal. However, when I asked others what their top 5 songs would be, most not only had this song in their list, but some had it at #1. And it’s hard to not understand why. The fact that this artist willfully ditched a long-standing instrument of pop and rock music from the track simply because he wanted to and could, and it never stopped …..more →
There might be a hint of bias in the placement of this next song, but this song is one of the greatest ballads of the 1980s. When we talk about lightning in a bottle, this track is it. Even the artist couldn’t deliver the song live the same way he did on this track. That’s how good this song is, and the emotion coming out of it is massive. It was one of my favorite songs when I grew up and I found it hard-pressed not to place this song higher in this list. Coming in at #2 is Against …..more →