This is a really good list, with the exception of the Bon Jovi song (yes, I'm one of those haters - their music was one of the driving forces for me to move from the current music of the time to classic rock), "My Prerogative", and "Father Figure".
Songs that I would replace those with include Sailing (Christopher Cross), Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield), Jump (Van Halen), and John Lennon's (Just Like), Starting Over.
What an absolutely brilliant list. I have put most of these on my Spotify playlist now and had totally forgotten about the Queen track, 1980, " which blows my mind. Not to name drop :) But I live in the same city that Phil Oakey of the Human League is from, Sheffield, and the other week he was buying something in our local hardware shop.
I spent the entirety of the ‘80s as a dj on a small market radio station “playin’ the hits”! My favorite tune from that decade…Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil.
Great choices. But right at the top, you wrote: "The No. 1s of the 1980s are an embarrassment of riches (and, in a couple of cases, pure embarrassments, though those tracks won’t make it onto this list)." Now you have me curious -- what are the embarrassing number one hits of the 1980s? There were novelty hits in the '80s -- but I don't recall any reaching number one (unlike in the '50s, '60s & '70s).
Great question! For me, Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” would be on that shortlist, as would Boston’s “Amanda.” They get on my nerves. Also, and maybe this proves my heart is made of granite, but I’ve never been a fan of “We Are the World.” I know I’m likely in the minority on that one, but there you go.
I believe the artists' hearts were in the right place and their intentions were good with "We Are the World." I'll be honest, the only thing bothering me about the whole session was the absence of the two biggest stars in the world (at the time): Madonna & Prince. Their reasons for not participating are their own -- but I have to wonder if either regretted the decision in the aftermath.....
No Blondie?? Sacrilege :) There were a lot of keepers from the 80’s Billboard list and yet there were only two on your list Matt, that I’ll play on repeat. No Can Do and Everybody Wants To Rule the World which if you’ve never heard the band Lettuce’s cover of it, have a listen.
At least you didn’t have a Milli Vanilli song on the list so I still totally respect your choices. To each his own. Always look forward to reading your Substack! Cheers!
This is really curious to me. These songs were already sales successes, as well as airplay, video play, and likely helped sell lots of concert tickets.
Lol as I say in the intro: “As with every other installment in this Billboard Hot 100 series, this isn’t your standard “best of the 80s” list. It’s a collection of 20 songs that have left the greatest impression on me as a music nerd, and also happened to hit No. 1 between 1980 and 1989.”
This is a really good list, with the exception of the Bon Jovi song (yes, I'm one of those haters - their music was one of the driving forces for me to move from the current music of the time to classic rock), "My Prerogative", and "Father Figure".
Songs that I would replace those with include Sailing (Christopher Cross), Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield), Jump (Van Halen), and John Lennon's (Just Like), Starting Over.
Thanks Sam! I won’t begrudge those replacements, except maybe the Lennon song, was never my fav
What an absolutely brilliant list. I have put most of these on my Spotify playlist now and had totally forgotten about the Queen track, 1980, " which blows my mind. Not to name drop :) But I live in the same city that Phil Oakey of the Human League is from, Sheffield, and the other week he was buying something in our local hardware shop.
Thanks Jon!
I spent the entirety of the ‘80s as a dj on a small market radio station “playin’ the hits”! My favorite tune from that decade…Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil.
So cool! Thanks for reading Robert :)
Great choices. But right at the top, you wrote: "The No. 1s of the 1980s are an embarrassment of riches (and, in a couple of cases, pure embarrassments, though those tracks won’t make it onto this list)." Now you have me curious -- what are the embarrassing number one hits of the 1980s? There were novelty hits in the '80s -- but I don't recall any reaching number one (unlike in the '50s, '60s & '70s).
Great question! For me, Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” would be on that shortlist, as would Boston’s “Amanda.” They get on my nerves. Also, and maybe this proves my heart is made of granite, but I’ve never been a fan of “We Are the World.” I know I’m likely in the minority on that one, but there you go.
I believe the artists' hearts were in the right place and their intentions were good with "We Are the World." I'll be honest, the only thing bothering me about the whole session was the absence of the two biggest stars in the world (at the time): Madonna & Prince. Their reasons for not participating are their own -- but I have to wonder if either regretted the decision in the aftermath.....
Prince donated a song to the EP that Geldoff and company later released, I believe, so a sort of apology perhaps?
No Blondie?? Sacrilege :) There were a lot of keepers from the 80’s Billboard list and yet there were only two on your list Matt, that I’ll play on repeat. No Can Do and Everybody Wants To Rule the World which if you’ve never heard the band Lettuce’s cover of it, have a listen.
At least you didn’t have a Milli Vanilli song on the list so I still totally respect your choices. To each his own. Always look forward to reading your Substack! Cheers!
This is really curious to me. These songs were already sales successes, as well as airplay, video play, and likely helped sell lots of concert tickets.
So why would I care if they are endorsed by you?
Lol as I say in the intro: “As with every other installment in this Billboard Hot 100 series, this isn’t your standard “best of the 80s” list. It’s a collection of 20 songs that have left the greatest impression on me as a music nerd, and also happened to hit No. 1 between 1980 and 1989.”