100 Greatest Rock Songs of the '80s

Criteria: - Songs listed are from Rock Music & related sub-genres. These songs are ranked based upon their initial and lasting popularity, as well as their influence and impact on the evolution of Rock and Roll and its sub-genres.

Note: These lists take into account worldwide figures using Billboard & its worldwide "Hits of the World", the UK, Europe in general, and other notable markets.

1. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
2. Every Breath You Take - The Police
3. When Doves Cry - Prince
4. Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
5. I Love Rock 'N' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
6. Don't You Want Me? - The Human League
7. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
8. Like a Virgin - Madonna
9. The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
10. Beat It - Michael Jackson
11. Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
12. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
13. Call Me - Blondie
14. Celebration - Kool & The Gang
15. Super Freak Part I - Rick James
16. Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
17. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
18. Walk This Way - Run-D.M.C.
19. Whip It - Devo
20. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
21. Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
22. What's Love Got To Do With It? - Tina Turner
23. Born In the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
24. With Or Without You - U2
25. Purple Rain - Prince
26. Physical - Olivia Newton-John
27. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
28. Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
29. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) - Beastie Boys
30. Into the Groove - Madonna
31. Jump - Van Halen
32. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
33. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
34. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
35. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
36. Flashdance...What a Feeling - Irene Cara
37. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
38. Blue Monday - New Order
39. Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
40. Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
41. Kiss - Prince
42. Livin On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
43. Rapture - Blondie
44. 1999 - Prince
45. Rock the Casbah - The Clash
46. Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
47. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
48. Careless Whisper - Wham! feat. George Michael
49. Take On Me - A-Ha
50. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones
51. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go's
52. It Takes Two - Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
53. Word Up! - Cameo
54. Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
55. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? - Culture Club
56. Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
57. The Boys of Summer - Don Henley
58. Let's Go Crazy - Prince
59. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
60. Like a Prayer - Madonna
61. How Will I Know? - Whitney Houston
62. Back In Black - AC/DC
63. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
64. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston
65. Push It - Salt-N-Pepa
66. Bad - Michael Jackson
67. Welcome To the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
68. My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
69. Fight the Power - Public Enemy
70. Free Fallin' - Tom Petty
71. Nasty - Janet Jackson
72. Faith - George Michael
73. It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - R.E.M.
74. Back To Life - Soul II Soul
75. Love Shack - B-52's
76. Pump Up the Jam - Technotronic feat. Felly
77. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow
78. One - Metallica
79. Walk Like An Egyptian - Bangles
80. Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode
81. Bust a Move - Young MC
82. Once In a Lifetime - Talking Heads
83. The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
84. I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner
85. Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
86. Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
87. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
88. Take My Breath Away - Berlin
89. Everybody Wants To Rule the World - Tears For Fears
90. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
91. Let's Dance - David Bowie
92. Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House
93. West End Girls (1985 version) - Pet Shop Boys
94. Need You Tonight - INXS
95. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Hall & Oates
96. We Are the World - U.S.A. For Africa
97. How Soon Is Now? - Smiths
98. Fuck Tha Police - N.W.A
99. Straight Up - Paula Abdul
100. Me, Myself and I - De La Soul

Just a couple of title nitpicks:



I don't believe either of these ever had subtitles. Just "Physical" and "Upside Down".



The word "Fight" should not be in the parentheses.



"Jessie's Girl".

Good call on those errors. I just copied and pasted from my 2007 initial list without looking at the titles again. I sent the few corrections to Lew.

Great-looking list, Jeff. I'm happy to see "Every Breath You Take" at #2.

85. I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

So low ...
But, good list =)

I'm glad "You Shook Me All Night Long" is there and that high but "Back In Black" didn't even make the top 100?

True!!!

The omission of "Back In Black" is an error; it is in the Top 100 now (#62).

Bruno,

If the list had been extended to Top 200, Foreigner's "Urgent" and "Waiting For a Girl Like You" would definitely make the rounds. But for "I Want To..." being in the Top 100, it is quite a feat.

This is a good list overall, but there are no Stone Roses. And that is wrong.

I'm a little surprised there's no R.E.M. either. Perhaps "Radio Free Europe" doesn't have enough criteria support, but what about "The One I Love?" Wasn't that one of the first Top 10 hits of the alternative genre and paved the way for alternative's break into the mainstream? It's also fairly acclaimed and its still playing on the radio.

Extend to top 200 or 250 ia a great idea, the others decades have 200 or more songs in their lists.
If you'll need some help to extend the list you can count with me.
About Foreigner, I think "I Want To ..." can move up, is one of the best power ballads of all time and very well receive and acclaimmed.

This.

REM were a hugely important band in the 80s. You can make a case for either of those, or "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" over a lot of things on the list. Maybe it hurts them that there are several choices to pick from, but they've got to be represented.

OTOH, Johnny, I can't see what Stone Roses song would qualify. Their biggest record was "Love Spreads", but that's 90s. (And probably should be added to the 90s list.)

"Don't You Want Me" strikes me as too high. Obviously a very big hit, but I'm not sure it does THAT well on the other criteria.

Since the other decade lists are all 200 or 250, there's really no reason not to expand this one.

Well, as for Stone Roses, I think either "I Wanna Be Adored" or "Fools Gold" could be considered.

The Stone Roses are #10 for 1989. This is the list (my list) I was working off from when doing this Top 100 Greatest '80s Songs:

http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_songs80-89.html

When I extend the list to Top 200, "Fools Gold" will be included.

"Alternative rock" is a tricky label because there is no real set parameters, especially since punk music, "college rock," "New Wave," etc. acts have been/are called "alternative."

"The One I Love" is indeed important, but there were already several "alternative" songs before it that helped mainstream this loose-label music, including "Radio Free Europe."

Also, acclaim isn't a factor of the criteria, and many songs still get played on music stations. What we have to determine here is the success in different markets, the impact & influence, etc.

I might consider moving "It's the End of the World..." into the Top 100, however.