80s music essay

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Too often remembered for its clichés, 80s music actually has far more to offer than many remember – and it’s cooler than you think.

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Is it possible to bully a decade? The 80s sure seems to have an eternal “Kick Me” sign on its back. Can someone help an epoch out and pull that thing off, please? For those of you haven’t been paying attention, 80s music is cooler than you think.

There are reasons why the 80s is too often remembered more for its costume-party clichés than as a peak era in music. The stigma kicked in as the decade was still in progress, probably about the time that crestfallen baby boomers realized that even the counterculture icons of the 60s weren’t immune to the bright and cheery tropes of the dawning MTV era, whether it was Grace Slick wearing shoulder pads in the ‘We Built This City’ video, or Bob Dylan using that same horrible gated reverb drum sound everybody else was, on Empire Burlesque , and co-starring in a film with Rupert Everett.

A transitional period

Even among the greats there was some self-abasement going on in an effort to keep up with the Joneses… the Howard Joneses. Not that it was a completely ignoble goal. ‘What Is Love?’, we can now belatedly acknowledge, was a great song. But, let’s grant the obvious: any decade that ever compelled anyone to say “Kajagoogoo” out loud has a lot to answer for.

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But here’s a secret – and it’s understandable if you’re too shy to repeat it: 80s music provided a golden era in rock and pop. If only it hadn’t taken a third of anyone’s lifetime to get over our collective panic over parachute pants, perms and topiary-style new-romantic haircuts, and to hear ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This’ or ‘Tainted Love’ play in the supermarket to realize that we were living through glory years that were mistaken for dog days.

In retrospect, this might be the most wonderful thing about the 80s. It was a transitional period full of huge, nationally shared moments but also tiny, secret scenes. The Ed Sullivan Show was long gone, but 80s music still had its equivalent of The Beatles’ US television debut in Michael Jackson moonwalking on the Motown 25 special, or even Peter Gabriel getting an entire cable-connected country talking about music videos with ‘Sledgehammer’. Purple Rain -era Prince was culturally ubiquitous in a way that even the top seller of 2018, Drake , could never hope to achieve in our more splintered landscape.

Sowing the seeds

Yet the seeds of our modern fragmentation were there in the 80s with regional scenes and the rise of DIY fanzines and indie labels – before “indie” was a thing. There were songs, albums, and performances that seemed to instantly impact all of America, with Bruce Springsteen and U2 proving you could go for stadium-act success without sacrificing artistic prowess. At the same time, there came a rich multitude of amazing micro-moments that reflected a not-for-everybody ethos best summed up in Germs’ song title ‘What We Do Is Secret’.

The 80s was a decade that began with X’s debut album, Los Angeles , and ended with Nirvana ’s first, Bleach . Kurt Cobain had grown up with a distinct strand of 80s music, absorbing Hüsker Dü, Black Flag, Minutemen, Melvins, and Sonic Youth , becoming part of a nascent Washington grunge scene that would become world famous in the 90s, but which got a firm foothold in the 80s. The Twin Cities gave us twin punk and funk movements. Who wouldn’t want to travel back to a place and time where you could see both The Time and The Replacements? In LA you had the choice between hair metal and heffer bands — ie, the cowpunk of Lone Justice, Rank And File, Blood On The Saddle, and even the merely punk-adjacent Dwight Yoakam.

In New York, the Studio 54 era gave way to headier days that had club-goers vibing to everything from Afrika Bambaataa to Kraftwerk remixes and Grace Jones . Socially conscious hip-hop developed on both coasts, though there was a split between Public Enemy ’s high-minded activism back East and NWA’s steely street pragmatism out West… with the phantasmagorical party of Beastie Boys ’ Paul’s Boutique  representing a different strain altogether.

What is now considered Americana was being shaped by those for whom the Southern states were a holiday destination: Elvis Costello , with King Of America , and from Canada, The Cowboy Junkies, with The Trinity Sessions . With the IRS label suddenly blurring the gap between indie and mainstream, the South was primed to rise again, in the form of an invasion by R.E.M. , who jangled their way into America’s heart. An only-happy-when-it-rains strain of UK 80s music began to take shape around The Smiths, The Cure , The Fall, Siouxsie And The Banshees , and Joy Division. My Bloody Valentine, meanwhile, turned “shoegaze” from a pejorative to a term of pride.

Perhaps even more than the 60s or 70s, and even more than any decade since, the 80s was littered with album titles so iconic that the artists connected to them don’t need mentioning: The Joshua Tree  , Straight Outta Compton , Born In The USA , It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back , 1999 , Synchronicity , Avalon , Appetite For Destruction , Licensed To Ill , Full Moon Fever , Surfer Rosa , Raising Hell , Rhythm Nation 1814 , The Queen Is Dead , Kill ’Em All . If more than four or five of these titles fail to immediately ring a bell, there’s a good chance you grew up on either 98 Degrees or The Four Freshmen .

Building bridges

Bridges were being built, as if pop music was suddenly flush with tax dollars for infrastructure. (Which, in a way it was, with all that CD-format conversion money suddenly flowing in.) It may be difficult to recall now just how radical a path The Go-Go’s walked in becoming America’s sweethearts. Prior to their emergence from LA’s Masque club, rock fans spent the 70s counting female rockers on one hand and getting to the point where they had to ask whether Fanny were still together after ticking off Heart , The Runaways, and Starship (though The Slits provided a welcome extra digit for the intelligentsia).

The Go-Go’s were role models, paving the way quickly taken by The Bangles. For female leadership with men as crewmates, Pretenders represented the not-suffering-fools-gladly wing of women in rock, while ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann sang about the journey from quiet-girlfriend acquiescence to a breaking point in ‘Voices Carry’. Cyndi Lauper’s empowerment of girls having fun was really code for girls taking control, cushioned for the benefit of “daddy dear”.

As much as male androgyny had made its way into the mainstream with Culture Club and Dead Or Alive embracing an aesthetic introduced in a previous decade by Ziggy Stardust , female androgyny still came as an irresistible shocker, whether it arrived in the form of Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox, or was incarnated by the gal who claimed to be the reincarnation of Patsy Cline , kd lang. Who knew that Mann had the enduring lyricism to make her America’s wry poet laureate well into the 2010s, or that Lennox had the soulful chops, as well as the huge, probing eyes, to be a diva for the millennia?

And the story of the racial bridge in American music is woefully incomplete without the watershed moment of MTV giving in on programming Michael Jackson in the early 80s – though whether through outside boycott pressure or internal wisdom will always be up for debate. That white people liked black music had been no secret in the Motown and disco eras, but a cultural sea change had started to occur when MTV shifted from black-tolerant to African-American-dominated – a move that culminated in hip-hop becoming the pop music of today. ‘Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough’, indeed.

In the eternally white world of country music, remarkable changes were also afoot. The smooth countrypolitan flavor was nearing its end, leading to the so-called hard country resurgence that let George Strait , Randy Travis and Dwight Yoakam in the door. Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash also appeared on the scene with a new brand of lyrically sensitive country that managed to survive at least into the early 90s before the tide turned irrevocably to boot-scootin’. Reba McEntire, not yet uni-monikered, represented an aw-shucks brand of fresh Nashville feminism – a folksy but fierce bridge between the variety-show era and the sisters-doing-it-for-themselves age. And one of the greatest country songs of all time, the one everything thinks is so venerable it must’ve been from the 50s or 60s? George Jones’ ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ is totally 80s.

Which finally brings us – as all discussions of 80s music must – to synth-pop.

Guilty pleasures

It wasn’t just the boomers who insisted on giving 80s music a bad, or at least campy, name. The kids who grew up with the 80s as their wonder years have been conditioned to think of their entire upbringing as a guilty pleasure at best. This lands us in a present day, where the 80s song on everyone’s lips, even those of schoolchildren, is Toto’s ‘Africa’. Even as Weezer covers the tune (with Toto returning the compliment ), no one can agree whether it’s to comic effect, or how many layers of irony must we drill through to get to an unexpectedly earnest core. As they didn’t yet say of relationship statuses in the 80s: it’s complicated.

Did they talk about “baggage” in the 80s? It’s too far gone to remember. But survivors of the post-Me Decade carry a lot of it. Their heroes did regrettable things, like introduce too many synths into the sound and dance with a teenaged Courtney Cox. The Linn drum and the advent of the sampler blinded everyone with science. David Bowie came out of his most elusive artsy period to go for gold with ‘Let’s Dance’ and then followed up that success with his most self-hated album, Never Let Me Down .

Esteemed artists from Paul McCartney to T Bone Burnett have remixed and even substantially re-recorded albums from their 80s catalogues, allowing fans to re-evaluate the material free from the production techniques that define most 80s music. But we should resist the temptation to see synth-pop itself as a mistake. The one-, two- and three-hit wonders that did it as their native artform did it wonderfully. Who wants an 80s denuded and scrubbed of ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby’? That is not just a less Human League 80s but a less human version of the decade. And if Thomas Dolby doesn’t make you ‘Hyperactive’ to this day, you really need to lay off the Adderall.

Don’t stop believin’

Nowadays, you turn on an “oldies” radio station and, if you’re of a certain age, you marvel and fret anew each time the station that once specialized in Bill Haley and The Beatles now thinks that The Thompson Twins are about as old as it gets. But as you drive down the road flagellating yourself for how old the veneration of Berlin makes you feel, or how hokey you think these songs are, a realization kicks in: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ represented a better time – if you believe in the classic pop virtues of hooks, riffs, melodicism and, dare we say it, real human emotions honestly expressed. It doesn’t matter if Whit Stillman will never make a sequel to The Last Days Of Disco called The Last Days Of New Romanticism . The songs are what matter, one keeper at a time.

Our confusion about how to think about 80s music lies largely in the costume-party aspects. Because, when it comes down to it, there are two sets of 80s. There’s the 80s music that hasn’t dated at all, because X, Hüsker Dü and The Replacements sound as fresh as if they were recorded yesterday. And then there’s the 80s music that is so dated, not only can you pin it down to the year, but to the day and maybe the minute that someone went into the studio and thought that synthetic snare sound would be the state of the art forever.

But only one of these lends itself to homage – or parody, depending on your view. Let’s face it, if you throw an 80s party, no one is going to come dressed as Bob Mould. You’re going to go all-monochrome and come as the lead singer of a-ha lost in the pencil-sketch world… or, if that seems too ambitious, pouf out a wig and go Poison on everyone. It’s more fun.

The thing is, you don’t actually have to pick a lane when you’re re-embracing 80s music. You don’t have to choose between OMD and Melvins. You can even like both Melissa Manchester and Mission Of Burma. (You won’t, but you can.) And, come to think of it, you can dig the Bruce Springsteen who made Nebraska and the other guy who suddenly appeared on MTV. Everyone reacted to the end of the Watergate-riddled 70s and the dawn of a new political and social era in different ways.

The punks of Margaret Thatcher’s England, or the Yanks suspicious of Reagan, found it a time for gleeful rage. Others, such as, say, the poet Howard Jones, asked, “Do you feel scared?” before answering his own question: “I do.” The 80s was a time when pop, rock and R&B stars dared to be different, and Yo! MTV Raps rapped, and we didn’t stop and falter. The future was so bright, we had to wear shades – and if Timbuk3 meant that ironically, not all of us were so sure.

The music world may not have agreed with the president on much, but there was accord on at least one thing: in pop, it felt like morning in America.

Explore all of the classic albums of the 80s on vinyl.

Trica velaasquez

August 18, 2019 at 5:49 pm

Love the 80s that was cool music back then. Wish they would play more of it on the radio

October 29, 2019 at 5:57 pm

May 10, 2020 at 2:10 am

I think it is odd that you would feel shame about anything that was 80’s music except for maybe wham. The shame is the ridiculous trite crap that Ariana Grande, Rihana and Katy Perry and Taylor Swift sing about. Get ReAL. Nothing was sappy in the 80s we expressed real emotion we were non conformist idiots like the millennial. The millenials are the TASTeleSS generation. OMG If I grew up listening to EMINEM I would be mortified! that moved rap a misogynist talent less bunch of thugs screaming obscenities-how embarrassing! to the fore and reality tv. NIce I wonder if they are even going to notic what shmucks they are. What total losers their generation is. I would be ashamed to be born in the 80 s and ashamed to grow up with music after 1995 You neglected to metnion the incredibly talented Guns n roses slash is still phenomenal and one of the best guitarists ever but your taste is for crap like U2. ON my playlist : Roxy Music, GnR, KonKan, Depeche Mode, New Order, When in Rome, The 80s had awesome music in so many genres. This article reflects a very insecure trendy person. Who cares if they play Thompson Twins on Oldies it isn’t like we had sh!t music like the 50’s our pop and rock is a hell of a lot better than the crap since 2000.

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The 100 greatest songs of the 1980s, ranked

26 October 2023, 16:48 | Updated: 31 July 2024, 14:17

By Tom Eames

The 1980s may have been the decade of questionable fashion choices, but we'll probably say the same about the 2020s in a few years...

It was also the decade of great movies, the rise of video games and downright fantastic music.

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We've attempted the ridiculously hard (but not in any way a chore) task of picking the very best 1980s songs ever. Here are our 100 picks - are your favourites in there?

UB40 - 'Red Red Wine'

UB40 - Red Red Wine (Official Video)

You might not have realised it, but Neil Diamond first recorded this song back in 1967.

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But it's UB40's cover that became the most well-known in 1983. The song truly brought the band to the mainstream, and reached number one in the UK.

It ended up topping the US charts too in 1988, after being performed at Nelson Mandela's birthday tribute concert.

Phil Collins - 'Another Day in Paradise'

Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise (Official Music Video)

This ballad saw Phil Collins sing the tune from a third-person perspective, looking at a man crossing the street to ignore a homeless woman, imploring listeners not to turn a blind eye to those in need.

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It became Phil's seventh and final number one single in America, while David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash appears on backing vocals.

Culture Club - 'Karma Chameleon'

Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (Official Music Video)

This was the song that made Boy George an even bigger star around the world. It was the UK's biggest selling single of 1984 and topped the US chart.

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Boy George later explained the song: "It is about the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing. It's about trying to suck up to everybody.

"Basically, if you aren't true, if you don't act like you feel, then you get Karma-justice, that's nature's way of paying you back."

Rick Astley - 'Never Gonna Give You Up'

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)

If there's one song from the Stock, Aitken and Waterman era that has stood the test of time, it's Rick Astley 's international number one smash.

The 1987 dance-pop anthem has lived long in the memory thanks to the Rickroll craze that still goes on today, and the video has been streamed over 1 billion times.

Sting - 'Englishman In New York'

Sting - Englishman In New York

The ‘Englishman’ in question in this song is the famous eccentric and gay icon Quentin Crisp. Sting wrote the song not long after Crisp moved from London to an apartment in the Bowery in Manhattan.

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Crisp had remarked jokingly to the musician “that he looked forward to receiving his naturalization papers so that he could commit a crime and not be deported.”

There's not many songs that can feature both a drum breakdown and a saxophone solo closer and still be a massive pop hit.

INXS - 'Need You Tonight'

INXS - Need You Tonight (Official Video)

This funk rock track has one of the most recognisable riffs of the 1980s.

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The band's Andrew Farriss said that the riff appeared suddenly in his head while waiting for a taxi to go to the airport to fly to Hong Kong. He asked the driver to wait a couple of minutes while he grabbed something from his motel room.

However, he went up to record the riff and came back down an hour later with a tape to a very annoyed driver.

Spandau Ballet - 'True'

Spandau Ballet - True (HD Remastered)

This was the song that turned Spandau Ballet from potential one album wonders to true pop legends.

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Gary Kemp wrote this love song at his parents' house as a homage to Motown and Marvin Gaye . He said: "'True' became a song about writing a love song. Why 'Why do I find it hard to write the next line? I want the truth to be said?' Because I didn't want to write it down—because there's nothing more embarrassing."

It soon became something of a standard, and one of the best love songs of all time.

Van Halen - 'Jump'

Van Halen - Jump (Official Music Video)

Van Halen’s most successful single was the lead track from their 1984 album, and differs from earlier Van Halen songs in that it is driven by a rolling synth line (played on an Oberheim OB-Xa by Eddie Van Halen ).

After years as an instrumental, David Lee Roth attempted to come up with lyrics, and remembered seeing a TV report about a man threatening jump off of a building, and that onlookers would probably shout “go ahead and jump”. Instead of being about death, the words were written as an invitation to love.

Billy Ocean - 'When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going'

Billy Ocean - When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (Official Video)

Probably Billy Ocean 's biggest and most famous hit, this track reached number one in the UK and number two in the US.

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It was the theme tune to the Michael Douglas movie The Jewel in the Crown and its sequel, and was later a number one for Boyzone in 1999 in aid of Comic Relief.

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Bruce Hornsby and the Range - 'The Way It Is'

The Way It Is

This track deals with various social injustices, referencing divides between the rich and poor and racial segregation, and how the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a victory in the civil rights movement, but how more is still needed.

Its famous piano melody later sampled in the 2Pac track ‘Changes’. The song was Hornsby’s most successful, reaching the top spot in the States.

Heart - 'Alone'

Heart - Alone

Composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, this power ballad first appeared via their 1983 pet project, I-Ten, on Taking a Cold Look .

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It was later recorded by Valerie Stevenson and John Stamos for the soundtrack of the CBS sitcom Dreams in 1984.

But it wasn't until US rock band Heart cover it that it became a hit, scoring a number one with it three years later. Kelly ended up singing the high harmony parts on the Heart version.

Diana Ross - 'Chain Reaction'

Diana Ross - Chain Reaction (Official Video)

The Bee Gees wrote this classic '80s pop tune from Motown icon Diana Ross , and they also provided backing vocals.

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Despite being a number one success in many countries including the UK in 1985, it amazingly only reached number 95 in the US!

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - 'Relax'

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Official Video)

Although fairly inauspicious upon initial release, this track eventually became one of the most controversial and successful records of the 1980s, selling over 2 million copies in the UK alone.

The song emphasized the shock impact of Frankie members Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford’s open homosexuality in the song's packaging and music videos, something which was rarely seen in the early 1980s.

Produced by Trevor Horn, it was banned by the BBC due to its suggestive sleeve and lyrics.

ABC - 'The Look of Love'

ABC - The Look Of Love

Taken from one of the most popular synthpop albums of the era and produced by Trevor Horn, this song is actually split into four parts.

Part 1 is the standard album version (this version), Part 2 is an instrumental version, Part 3 is a vocal version without the orchestral overdubs and Part 4 is a short acoustic instrumental.

The song was inspired by a break-up lead singer Martin Fry had experienced. In the second verse, the “Goodbye” background vocal is spoken by the actual woman in the relationship who had jilted him.

Whitesnake - 'Here I Go Again'

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again (1987 Edit/Remix) HQ

Originally released on Whitesnake's 1982 album Saints & Sinners , this power ballad was re-recorded for their 1987 self-titled album.

The song was re-recorded again the same year as this new ‘radio-mix’ version, which reached number one in the US. The song is about heartbreak and the loneliness that comes with it, and documents the breakdown of singer David Coverdale's first marriage.

Madonna - 'Papa Don't Preach'

Madonna - Papa Don't Preach (Official Video) [HD]

This song's lyrics deal with teenage pregnancy and abortion, and was based on teen gossip songwriter Brian Elliot heard outside his recording studio.

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A chart-topper in both the UK and US, the song caused heated discussions about its content at the time. Women's organizations and others in the family planning sector criticized Madonna for encouraging teenage pregnancy, while anti-abortion groups opposed its pro-life message.

George Michael - 'A Different Corner'

George Michael - A Different Corner (Official Video)

Following up on the success of 'Careless Whisper', 'A Different Corner' was the second solo single released by George Michael and helped him to become the first solo act in the history of the UK Singles Chart to reach No.1 with his first two releases.

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Speaking in 2014, George said: "I think you can tell that 'A Different Corner' is genuinely the sound of a man whose heart's been broken. I was 19 and the best critique I ever heard of that song was from a friend of mine who said, 'It's beautiful, pathetic, but beautiful.'"

Two months after his death, Coldplay's Chris Martin performed a cover as a tribute to George at the Brit Awards, which featured the late singer appearing in a powerful duet .

Queen - 'Radio Ga Ga'

Queen - Radio Ga Ga (Official Video)

This track was a commentary on TV overtaking radio's popularity and how one would listen to radio in the past. Roger Taylor later said: "That's part of what the song's about, really. The fact that they [music videos] seem to be taking over almost from the aural side, the visual side seems to be almost more important."

Lady Gaga has credited her stage name to this song, saying that she "adored" Queen . "That's why I love the name", she said.

Blondie - 'Atomic'

Blondie - Atomic (Official Music Video)

A song of few words, but a number one hit for Blondie in 1980. Debbie Harry once said of the song’s lyrics: “A lot of the time I would write while the band were just playing the song and trying to figure it out. I would just be scatting along with them and I would just start going, ‘Ooooooh, your hair is beautiful’.”

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The word ‘atomic’ in the song apparently carries no fixed meaning and functions more as a signifier of power and futurism. 1970s model Gia Carangi appears briefly in the post-apocalyptic music video.

Rod Stewart - 'Baby Jane'

Rod Stewart - Baby Jane (Official Video)

Taking on a more contemporary synthpop sound, this remains Rod Stewart 's final UK number one single.

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Speaking about his writing process, he later said he usually puts off writing words until the last minute.

He said: “The way I do it is hum and hah along while the band are playing. I sing whatever comes into my head and nine times out of 10 that will be the title of the song. Either that or I’d just write down a good title - like ‘Young Turks’ or ‘Baby Jane’ - and wait until the right vehicle comes along for it.”

Elton John - 'I'm Still Standing'

Elton John - I'm Still Standing

If you watch carefully, you can see a young Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli in this Elton John music video as one of the dancers.

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During the shoot, Elton bumped into Duran Duran . He complained he was exhausted due to having been up since four in the morning. Simon Le Bon suggested he have a martini. "So I did," Elton later said, "I had six."

Rufus & Chaka Khan - 'Ain't Nobody'

Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody (Official Video) Remastered Audio HQ

This R&B and funk track was incredibly ahead of its time, and made a star of singer Chaka Khan.

Rufus keyboardist David 'Hawk' Wolinski was so convinced it would be a hit that he threatened to give the song to Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones for Thriller if the song was not the lead single.

Don Henley - 'The Boys of Summer'

Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer (Official Music Video)

Mike Campbell wrote the music to this track while working on Tom Petty’s Southern Accents album, but later gave it to Eagles singer Don Henley , who wrote the lyrics.

The yacht rock song is about the passing of youth and entering middle age, and of a past relationship. It was covered twice in the early 2000s: as a trance track by DJ Sammy in 2002, and as a pop punk hit by The Ataris in 2003.

Robert Palmer - 'Addicted to Love'

Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love (Official Music Video)

This became Robert Palmer’s signature song, thanks in part to its music video featuring high fashion models playing the guitar around him.

Originally intended to be a duet with Chaka Khan , the song was made without her because her record company would not grant her a release to work on Palmer’s label. She is still credited for the vocal arrangements in the album liner notes.

Model Mak Gilchrist said of the video: “I lost balance on my heels and knocked the top of my guitar into the back of Robert’s head, and his face then hit the mic.”

Joy Division - 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This track’s lyrics reflected the problems in frontman Ian Curtis’s marriage to Deborah Curtis, as well as his general frame of mind in the time leading up to his death in May 1980.

The title is an ironic reference to ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ by Captain & Tennille.

The other three members went on to form New Order. Stephen Morris later said: “In retrospect, when you listen to it in light of what happened, it seems bloody obvious. I just said ‘These are great lyrics, Ian’. That makes it a bit difficult to listen to now’.”

Soul II Soul - 'Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)'

Soul II Soul - Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) (Official Music Video)

If there was one song that signalled the end of the 1980s and showcased what was to come, it was this R&B dance track from Soul II Soul and singer Caron Wheeler.

Producer Jazzie B said: "Everything about this single was magic. We weren't trying to follow any trend or fit into any category – we were just doing our own thing. ... Its shuffling beats were a cross between reggae and what was to become known as hip-hop: breakbeats and electronic sound.

"Caron Wheeler's vocal, coming over these very heavy bass beats, was the icing on the cake."

The Stranglers - 'Golden Brown'

The Stranglers - Golden Brown (Restored Music Video)

This Baroque-inspired track couldn't have sounded more different to the Strangers' previous punk rock output.

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There has been much controversy and confusion surrounding the song's lyrics. For years, the band claimed that the song's lyrics were similar to an aural 'Rorschach test', and that people only heard in it what they wanted to hear. However, most people agreed that the lyrics alluded to heroin use.

Berlin - 'Take My Breath Away'

Berlin - Take My Breath Away (Official Video - Top Gun)

The main love theme from Tom Cruise's Top Gun movie, this power ballad won an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song in 1986.

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Berlin may have been one hit wonders, but what a hit to have.

Jennifer Rush - 'The Power of Love'

Jennifer Rush - The Power Of Love (Official Video) (VOD)

This was an absolute monster hit in 1985, becoming that year's biggest-selling single in the UK, while Rush became the first female artist ever to have a million-selling single.

• When Des O'Connor sang a brilliant duet of 'The Power of Love' with Jennifer Rush

Perhaps the ultimate power ballad, Celine Dion later scored a massive hit of her own in the following decade.

Billy Joel - 'Uptown Girl'

Billy Joel - Uptown Girl (Official Video)

Speaking to Howard Stern, Billy Joel had originally titled the song 'Uptown Girls' and it was written after he was surrounded by Christie Brinkley, Whitney Houston and his then-girlfriend Elle Macpherson.

• The Story of... 'Uptown Girl'

It ended up being about his soon-to-be wife, Brinkley, and was inspired by the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons . The song was a huge hit, and gave Billy his only UK number one in 1983.

Hall & Oates - 'Maneater'

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Maneater (Official Video)

'Maneater' was the biggest hit of Hall & Oates’ career and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for four weeks. It reached number six in the UK.

• The 10 greatest Hall and Oates songs ever, ranked

John Oates has said that while it is natural to assume the lyrics are about a woman, the song actually was originally written "about NYC in the ’80s. It's about greed, avarice, and spoiled riches. But we have it in the setting of a girl because it's more relatable. It's something that people can understand..."

Cyndi Lauper - 'Time After Time'

Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (Official HD Video)

This was one of Cyndi Lauper's first-ever singles, and was written with Rob Hyman of the band The Hooters. It has become known as one of the best love songs of the 1980s.

• The Story of... 'Time After Time'
• Cyndi Lauper's 10 best songs ever, ranked

The inspiration for the song came after both songwriters were going through similar situations in their own relationships: he was coming out of a relationship, while she was having issues with her boyfriend at the time, David Wolff.

Mike and the Mechanics - 'The Living Years'

Mike + The Mechanics - The Living Years (Official Video)

The heartbreaking song is written from the perspective of a son who has a conflicted relationship with his dad.

• The Story of... 'The Living Years' by Mike + the Mechanics

After his father dies, he discovers that he and his dad had a much stronger connection than he realized, and he regrets not saying more while he was still alive.

The song was written by Mike Rutherford and BA Robertson after both of their fathers had recently died, but the lyrics were written by Robertson, and centered on the unresolved issues between him and his father.

Stevie Wonder - 'I Just Called to Say I Love You'

Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You (Music Video)

This became Stevie Wonder 's biggest ever hit in 1984, and topped the charts in 19 different countries.

• Stevie Wonder's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked

The song was written for the movie The Woman in Red , and ended up winning a Grammy and Oscar for Best Song.

Soft Cell - 'Tainted Love'

Soft Cell Tainted Love (1981)

Gloria Jones first recorded this Northern Soul track back in 1965, but Marc Almond 's Soft Cell created one of the greatest cover versions of all time in 1981.

It became a synthpop New Romantics staple, and one of the best-selling songs of all time.

Bee Gees - 'You Win Again'

Bee Gees - You Win Again (1987)

This song was a huge comeback for the Bee Gees in 1987. It reached number one and also gave them an Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

The 20 greatest Bee Gees songs of all time, ranked

Barry Gibb wrote the melody while Maurice came up with the drum sounds in his garage. Robin said: "We absolutely thought that 'You Win Again' was going to be a big hit. It took us a month to cut it and get the right mix."

Duran Duran - 'Rio'

Duran Duran - Rio (Official Music Video)

Famous for its yacht-heavy music video, 'Rio' started as an idea by John Taylor about Rio de Janeiro – "the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop".

• Duran Duran's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics to the song, and chose not to write about the city but actually about a girl named Rio.The saxophone solo was performed by Andy Hamilton, who has also worked with George Michael and Elton John .

Journey - 'Don't Stop Believin''

Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (Official Audio)

This track was a mild hit upon its release in 1981, but didn't even reach the UK top 40 at the time.

Fast forward to 2009, and its use in shows like Glee and The Sopranos helped bring it back into the mainstream, and it was a surprise hit around the world once again. It's now a guaranteed moment at every wedding and house party setlist.

Marvin Gaye - 'Sexual Healing'

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Official HD Video)

Released in 1982, this was Marvin Gaye 's first song since his exit from Motown a year earlier. Taken from the Midnight Love album, it was a huge comeback for Marvin and something of a career renaissance.

• Marvin Gaye's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Featuring whispers from Harvey Fuqua, the sexually-charged became one of his biggest and best-known songs.

Roxy Music - 'More than This'

Roxy Music - More Than This

From the Avalon album, this song was Roxy Music's final UK top 10 hit, reaching number six in 1982.

Bryan Ferry later said he began writing songs for Avalon while on the western coast of Ireland, which he believes led to the melancholic sound of the album.

Bill Murray famously sings a karaoke version of the song in the movie Lost in Translation .

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - '(I've Had the) Time of My Life'

Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life (Official HD Video)

Written for Dirty Dancing , this is the ultimate '80s movie song. It's a perfectly fantastic finale moment, and is always a karaoke favourite.

• The Story of... '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing
• The Story of... The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack: Kate Garraway speaks to iconic movie's songwriters

It won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy, and is one of the greatest duets of all time.

Mr Mister - 'Broken Wings'

Mr. Mister - Broken Wings

This song was co-written with lyricist John Lang, who was inspired by a book called Broken Wings , written by Kahlil Gibran. The book, which was written in 1912, is a story of a love that is doomed by social convention.

The line ‘take these broken wings and learn to fly’ appears in The Beatles song ‘Blackbird’, with Paul McCartney and John Lennon also drawing from the work of Gibran.

The band’s name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr Gone .

Starship - 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now'

Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (Official Music Video) [HD]

Pop-rock veterans Starship provided this '80s anthem as the main theme song to romantic comedy Mannequin in 1987, and it's still a classic.

Not only was it a number one hit around the world, but it was nominated for an Oscar.

The Cars - 'Drive'

The Cars - Drive (Official Music Video)

This soft rock anthem was former new wave band The Cars' biggest hit, released in 1984.

A year later, it became mostly associated with Live Aid , after it was used as the backing to a montage about the famine in Ethiopia. The band donated proceeds from a re-release of the song to the charity.

Bonnie Tyler - 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (Video)

Written by Meat Loaf 's longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, this was a UK number-one hit for Bonnie Tyler in 1983.

Steinman later said of the song's origins: "I was trying to come up with a love song and I remembered I actually wrote that to be a vampire love song. Its original title was 'Vampires in Love' because I was working on a musical of Nosferatu, the other great vampire story. If anyone listens to the lyrics, they're really like vampire lines. It's all about the darkness, the power of darkness and love's place in the dark..."

Wham! - 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go'

Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Official Video)

Choose Life! This song gave Wham! their first number one in both the UK and US.

• Wham!'s best songs ever, ranked

Produced and written by George Michael, he said that inspiration for the song was a scribbled note that Andrew Ridgeley  had left for his parents, intended to read "wake me up before you go" but with "up" accidentally written twice, so Andrew wrote "go" twice on purpose.

Phil Collins - 'Against All Odds'

Phil Collins Against All Odds (Official Music Video 1984)

This gorgeous ballad sees Phil implore an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth a shot.

• The Story of... 'Against All Odds' by Phil Collins

It was recorded for the movie of the same name and reached number one in the States. It was later a number one in the UK for both Mariah Carey with Westlife in 2000 and X Factor winner Steve Brookstein in 2005.

Lionel Richie - 'Hello'

Lionel Richie - Hello (Official Music Video)

One of Lionel Richie 's biggest ever hits, this song went to number one in both the UK and US in 1984.

• The Story of... 'Hello' by Lionel Richie

Lionel initially felt that the song was "corny" but "by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again". And you've got to love that music video!

Irene Cara - 'Flashdance (What a Feeling')

Irene Cara - "What A Feeling" (1983) - MDA Telethon

When you think of '80s cinema moments, the sight of Jennifer Beals swapping her welding gear for a seriously epic dance routine to the tune of 'What a Feeling' in Flashdance is right up there.

• The Story of... 'Flashdance... What a Feeling' by Irene Cara

Irene Cara's anthem won an Oscar and Golden Globe for best song in 1984.

Tracy Chapman - 'Fast Car'

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (Official Music Video)

One of the greatest and most-played ballads from the '80s, this became Tracy Chapman 's signature song in 1988.

• The Story of... 'Fast Car' by Tracy Chapman
• Watch this powerful, raw early performance of Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car' from 1988

Speaking to Q magazine, Tracy Chapman once said: "It's not really about a car at all."Basically it's about a relationship that doesn't work out because it's starting from the wrong place."

The song is said to tell a grittily realistic story of a working poor woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty.

Yazoo - 'Only You'

Yazoo - Only You (Official Music Video)

Vince Clarke wrote 'Only You' as a sentimental ballad, and wanted to find a singer who could perform it with emotion, after his former band Depeche Mode turned it down.

• The Story of... 'Only You' by Yazoo

At the same time, singer Alison Moyet placed an ad in Melody Maker looking for a new band. Clarke had heard Moyet perform with other bands on the pub circuit, and felt she was a perfect fit for the song.

The song brought the duo together and became a big hit, and was later covered by everyone from The Flying Pickets to Kylie Minogue .

U2 - 'With or Without You'

U2 - With Or Without You (Official Music Video)

A number one hit in America in 1987, this power ballad helped turn U2 in rock giants.

• Watch Bono perform beautiful solo rendition of U2 ballad 'With Or Without You'

Featuring trademark sustained guitar parts played by guitarist the Edge, the love song was inspired by Bono's conflicting feelings about the lives he led as a musician and domestic man.

The Jacksons - 'Can You Feel It'

The Jacksons - Can You Feel It

Written by brothers Michael and Jackie , this song about creating a world of peace and harmony featured solo leads by Randy and Michael.

It was one of the biggest hits for the brothers under the Jacksons moniker rather than the Jackson 5, and its video was an epic nine-minute version with added sound effects and guitars that deserves to be seen in all its glory.

Peter Gabriel - 'Sledgehammer'

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (HD version)

This song was influenced by 1960s soul music, in particular those made by Memphis label Stax. The song is generally about sex, with the lyrics being loaded with... phallic symbols.

• Peter Gabriel's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Its iconic famous music video was directed by Stephen R Johnson, and featured Aardman Animation providing groundbreaking claymation. Peter Gabriel said: “If anyone wants to try and copy this video, good luck to them”.

Queen and David Bowie - 'Under Pressure'

Queen - Under Pressure (Official Video)

Queen had been working on a song called ‘Feel Like’, but were not yet satisfied with the result.

David Bowie had originally come to sing backup vocals on another song, but his vocals were removed because he was not satisfied. The final version of this song, evolved from a jam session that Bowie had with the band.

Brian May later said: “It was hard, because you had four very precocious boys and David, who was precocious enough for all of us. Looking back, it’s a great song but it should have been mixed differently.”

Tina Turner - 'What's Love Got To Do With It'

Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It (Official Music Video)

This song ended up becoming Tina Turner 's most successful song ever, and was taken from her 1984 album Private Dancer .

• Tina Turner: Simply her 10 best songs ever, ranked

It was later used in the 1993 film of the same name, based on Tina's life.

Amazingly, it was first offered to Cliff Richard , who rejected it. It was also given around to Phyllis Hyman, Donna Summer and even Bucks Fizz . The Fizz even recorded a version but it was shelved as Tina got hers out first.

Guns N Roses - 'Sweet Child o' Mine'

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Official Music Video)

Featuring one of rock's most distinctive guitar riffs thanks to Slash, this crowd pleasure featured on Guns N Roses' debut album Appetite for Destruction .

Lead singer Axl Rose was listening to the band upstairs in his room and was inspired to write lyrics, basing it on his girlfriend Erin Everly (the daughter of Everly Brothers star Don Everly and Venetia Stevenson).

The Bangles - 'Eternal Flame'

The Bangles - Eternal Flame (Official Video)

Bangles member Susanna Hoffs teamed up with seasoned songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly to write this power ballad.

• The Story of... 'Eternal Flame' by The Bangles
• The Bangles' 10 best ever songs, ranked

he song was inspired by two eternal flames: one at the gravesite of Elvis Presley that the Bangles saw when the band visited Graceland, and one at a local synagogue in Palm Springs which Steinberg attended as a child.

Hoffs later revealed she sang the recording completely naked after producer Davitt Sigerson pranked her by saying Olivia Newton-John had done the same thing.

Barbra Streisand - 'Woman in Love'

Barbra Streisand -- Woman In Love Video HQ

This was the song that truly took Barbra Streisand into the mainstream pop world, thanks to her collaboration with the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb , who co-wrote this song with his brother Robin.

• Barbra Streisand's 10 greatest ever songs, ranked

It was a huge hit around the world, and is perhaps her greatest hit single ever. However, she is not actually a fan of the song herself. She has said that she doesn't believe in the lyrics, and has very rarely performed it live.

Erasure - 'A Little Respect'

Erasure - A Little Respect (Official HD Music Video)

This '80s anthem is about a plea for reconciliation from a lover who has been hurt by their partner, and was an outlet for producer Vince Clarke to get his emotions out via Andy Bell’s fantastic vocals.

“Andy is much better at offering his heart to the world and expressing how he feels, he’s a king at that,” he said.

Fleetwood Mac - 'Everywhere'

Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere (Official Music Video)

Written and sung by Christine McVie , 'Everywhere' reached number four in the UK Singles Chart in 1988.

• The 20 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs, ranked

Its video was based on the poem 'The Highwayman' and follows the story of a traveller in love with the landlord's daughter.

George Michael and Aretha Franklin - 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)'

George Michael, Aretha Franklin - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (Official Video)

This Grammy Award-winning duet was a number one smash around the world for Aretha and George Michael in 1987, and was co-written by Simon Climie of Climie Fisher fame.

• The Story of... 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)' by George and Aretha

It had been one of George's ambitions to perform with Aretha, and producer Clive Davis put the two in touch. It was originally intended as a solo song for Tina Turner .

New Order - 'Blue Monday 88'

New Order - Blue Monday 88 (Official Music Video)

The original version of this track remains the best-selling 12” single of all time, and was written in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores.

The song was planned to allow them to return to the stage, press play on a synthesiser and leave the stage again, but while writing the song it evolved into a project that the band quite liked.

This version was a more palatable 4 minute release, and was remixed by Quincy Jones. It reached top five in the UK and topped the US dance chart.

Elton John - 'I Guess that's Why they Call it the Blues'

Elton John - I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

This was one of Elton's biggest hits of the 1980s, and features none other than Stevie Wonder on harmonica.

It has since been covered by the likes of James Blunt , and as a duet with Elton and Mary J Blige.

Simple Minds - 'Don't You Forget About Me'

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)

Scottish band Simple Minds were brought in to record the main theme for teen drama The Breakfast Club , and they couldn't have done a better job.

One of the greatest '80s movie moments is surely Judd Nelson's John Bender fist pumping the sky to the tune of this '80s banger.

Michael Jackson - 'Thriller'

Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official Video - Shortened Version)

The title track of the world’s best-selling album was written by English disco pioneer Rod Temperton, and was originally called ‘Starlight’. The song also features horror icon Vincent Price performing a tongue-in-cheek ‘rap’.

• The Story of… ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson

Price recorded it on his second take, after it had been written by Temperton in the taxi on the way to the studio!

A 14-minute film was made for the song directed by John Landis, in which Jackson turns into a zombie and performs a dance routine. It has often been voted the greatest music video ever made.

George Michael - 'Faith'

George Michael - Faith (Official Video)

This funky song was written, arranged and produced by George Michael himself. The song became one of his most popular and enduring tracks.

• The Story of... 'Faith'

It also introduced the world to George's iconic leather jacket and blue jeans combo. It topped the US charts in 1987 and reached number two in the UK.

Bon Jovi - 'Livin' on a Prayer'

Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer

Weddings, house parties and '80s cheese nights wouldn't be complete without it.

• Bon Jovi's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

Explaining what the song was about, Jon Bon Jovi said: "It deals with the way that two kids – Tommy and Gina – face life's struggles, and how their love and ambitions get them through the hard times.

The song became the band's signature song, has sold million of copies, and has just under a billion views on YouTube as of 2023.

Pet Shop Boys - 'West End Girls'

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (Official Video) [HD REMASTERED]

The group's debut single is also their very best, and is a pioneering piece of synthpop.

• The 10 greatest Pet Shop Boys songs, ranked

The Pet Shop Boys burst onto the scene in 1984 with this dark track, which was influenced by hip hop music and a TS Elliot poem. The song was written about class and the pressures of inner-city life.

Patrick Swayze - 'She's Like the Wind'

Patrick Swayze - She's Like The Wind (Official HD Video) ft. Wendy Fraser

Co-written and sung by actor Patrick Swayze , this song was originally intended for the soundtrack of Grandview, USA, and was meant to be about Jamie Lee Curtis’ character in the film.

• The Story of... 'She's Like the Wind' by Patrick Swayze

However, the song was not used, and so during the production of Dirty Dancing in 1987, Swayze played the demo for producer Linda Gottlieb and director Emile Ardolino. They loved it and it was recorded for the soundtrack.

Duran Duran - 'Save a Prayer'

Duran Duran - Save A Prayer (Official Music Video)

Released in 1982, this mellow pop classic reached number two in the UK, their biggest hit at the time.

• The Story of... 'Save a Prayer'

The song began with Andy Taylor and Nick Rhodes picking out chords together, before Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics.

The song is about a chance meeting between two people, that turns into a one-night stand. Le Bon described it as "realistic, and not romantic".

Paul Simon - 'You Can Call Me Al'

Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (Official Video)

This catchy 1980s anthem was the first single to be released from Paul Simon 's iconic album Graceland . In the UK it peaked at number four.

• QUIZ: How well do you know the lyrics to 'You Can Call Me Al'?

The song is about a person seemingly experiencing a midlife crisis. Its lyrics were partially inspired by Paul's trip to South Africa and his experiences with its culture.

It had one of the most famous music videos of all time, with Paul being joined by actor Chevy Chase, who had rehearsed the lyrics on the way to the shoot.

Bryan Adams - 'Summer of 69'

Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69 (Official Music Video)

Originally titled 'Best Days of My Life', this song was amazingly not a hit in the UK (only reaching number 42), despite it being arguably Bryan Adams ' best known and most loved song!

• Bryan Adams' 15 best songs ever, ranked

Bryan later said: "That song is 25 years old now so it's had that many years to incubate. A lot of songs, like that one, hit big in America but really not anywhere else. It didn't chart anywhere in Europe until at least 10 years after it was released. I think songs can have a life of their own regardless of the promotion."

Michael Jackson - 'Man in the Mirror'

Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (Official Video)

Despite being one of Michael Jackson's signature songs, this was actually written by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard.

• The Story of... 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson

It remains one of the most inspirational tracks of all time, and was one of the reason behind its album Bad 's huge success.

Madness - 'It Must Be Love'

Madness - It Must Be Love (Official Video)

Labi Siffre first released this song as a soul ballad in 1971, before Madness released a more famous cover 10 years later.

• The Story of... 'It Must Be Love' by Madness

One of their most popular songs, this quirky little love song was a number four hit. In a nice touch, Labi Siffre makes a cameo in the music video.

Huey Lewis & the News - 'The Power of Love'

Huey Lewis & The News - The Power Of Love (Official Video)

The ultimate feel-good '80s movie pop anthem, Huey Lewis was hired to come up with a couple of tunes for Back to the Future , and he more than succeeded with this.

It was nominated for an Oscar, but lost out to Lionel Richie's 'Say You Say Me'.

Ultravox - 'Vienna'

Ultravox - Vienna (Official Music Video)

A staple of the synthpop genre, this song took its inspiration from the 1948 film The Third Man , which is based around the Austrian capital Vienna. It was famously stuck at number two behind Joe Dolce’s ‘Shaddap You Face’ for several weeks.

• The Story of... 'Vienna' by Ultravox

Midge Ure said of the song: “We wanted to take the song and make it incredibly pompous in the middle, leaving it very sparse before and after, but finishing with a typically over-the top classical ending.”

Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)'

Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Official Video)

This Eurythmics track remains one of the most iconic synthpop tracks of its era. It was a huge hit worldwide, reaching number two in the UK and number one in the US.

• Annie Lennox and Eurythmics' 10 best songs ever, ranked

According to Annie Lennox , the song is about the unhappy time she felt after the breakup of first band The Tourists. She said: "[It's] basically me saying: 'Look at the state of us. How can it get worse? I was feeling very vulnerable. The song was an expression of how I felt: hopeless and nihilistic'."

However, David Stewart thought the lyrics were too depressing, and added the 'hold your head up, moving on' line to make it more uplifting.

David Bowie - 'Let's Dance'

David Bowie - Let's Dance (Official Video)

In 1982, Nile Rodgers met David Bowie in the New York club Continental, where the two shared a conversation about their musical interests. Bowie later invited Rodgers to his house in Switzerland, which Rodgers assumed was an audition.

The pair then worked together on this track and the album of the same name, giving Bowie one of the biggest hits of his career.

Madonna - 'Like a Prayer'

Madonna - Like A Prayer (Official Video)

Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, this track saw Madonna enter a new artistic and personal approach to songwriting, as she believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

• The Story of... 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna

The song is about a passionate girl in love with God, who becomes the only male figure in her life. The music video sees Madonna as a witness to the murder of a girl by white supremacists.

While a black man is arrested for the murder, Madonna hides in a church, and it also features a dream sequence about kissing a black saint.

The Vatican condemned the video, while family and religious groups also protested its broadcast. All the fuss did was make Madonna an even bigger star.

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers - 'Islands in the Stream'

KENNY ROGERS & DOLLY PARTON - ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - HQ Audio

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb decided to write this song as an R&B tune for Marvin Gaye , but it later transformed into a country-pop crossover.

"The story is the producer and the writer on the song was one of the Bee Gees, Barry Gibb," Kenny Rogers told People magazine.

• The Story of.. 'Islands in the Stream'

"And we had been singing this song in my studio in L.A. for four days. And I finally said, 'Barry, I don't even like this song anymore.'

"And he said, 'We need Dolly Parton .'"I said, 'Well, why not, you know?'. And Ken Kragen, my manager said, 'I saw her downstairs.' I said, 'Well, go get her.' "And Dolly, in her inimitable fashion, marched into the room and the song was never the same."

Michael Jackson - 'Beat It'

Michael Jackson - Beat It (Official 4K Video)

This song and its video helped Thriller become the world’s best-selling album of all time. Producer Quincy Jones had wanted to include a rock song in the vein of The Knack’s ‘My Sharona’, though Jackson reportedly had never previously shown an interest in the genre.

The lyrics relate to life on the streets and gang activity, something Jackson was very detached from. Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo, after doing it as a favour for Jones, and was not paid aside from two six-packs of beer!

Giorgio Moroder & Phil Oakey - 'Together in Electric Dreams'

Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Together in Electric Dreams (Official Video)

This was first recorded for the 1984 movie Electric Dreams , and later formed part of Human League frontman Philip Oakey and electronic musician Giorgio Moroder’s collaborative album a year later.

• The Story of... 'Together in Electric Dreams' by Phil Oakey and Giorgio Moroder

In the UK, it proved to be even more popular than the movie it was intended to promote. It is often mistakenly attributed to The Human League, though they have often performed it live.

Kate Bush - 'Running Up that Hill'

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill - Official Music Video

EMI bosses were hesitant to release the song with its original title of 'A Deal with God' due to possible negative reactions because of its use of the word 'God'. Kate Bush relented and changed the title.

• The Story of... 'Running Up that Hill'

The song itself has often been misinterpreted. Kate later said: "I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised!

"And really the only way I could think it could be done was either... you know, I thought a deal with the devil. And I thought, 'well, no, why not a deal with God!' Because in a way it's so much more powerful the whole idea of asking God to make a deal with you. You see, for me it is still called "Deal With God", that was its title."

The song had a resurgence in popularity in 2022, after its heavy use in the latest season of Stranger Things .

Tears for Fears - 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'

Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Official Music Video)

One of their signature songs, this track gave Tears for Fears one of their biggest international hits in 1985, despite being one of the last songs recorded for Songs from the Big Chair .

• The Story of... 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' by Tears for Fears

Curt Smith sang lead vocals on the track, which is about the desire humans have for control and power, and the themes of corruption.

The group re-recorded the song titled 'Everybody Wants to Run the World' as a charity single for the Sport Aid campaign a year later.

Simply Red - 'Holding Back the Years'

Simply Red - Holding Back The Years (Official Video)

This heartbreaking ballad reached number one in the States, catapulting the group into instant superstardom.

• The Story of... 'Holding Back the Years' by Simply Red

Mick Hucknall wrote it when he was just 17, but the chorus didn't arrive until years later. He wrote it after the chaos created when his mother left the family when he was three years old.

It was co-written with Neil Moss, a member of Mick's first group The Frantic Elevators.

John Farnham - 'You're the Voice'

John Farnham - You're the Voice (Official Video)

This power ballad was co-written by Keith Reid (‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’) and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band singer Chris Thompson.

• Watch Celine Dion sing 'You're the Voice' with John Farnham live in Australia - video

It became one of the biggest Australian hits of all time, and was a success around the world, though in the US it was Heart’s cover in 1991 that proved more popular.

It has been used in various TV shows and movies, including in Peter Kay’s Car Share , when his character John passionately sings along to the song while driving to work.

A-Ha - 'Take on Me'

a-ha - Take On Me (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]

This '80s classic actually flopped twice before it was finally a hit around the world. This was largely down to its revolutionary rotoscoping animation music video, taking six months to complete.

• The Story of... 'Take on Me' by A-Ha

It then became a worldwide hit thanks to the video and its heavy use on MTV, reaching number one in the USA and number two in the UK.

The Police - 'Every Breath You Take'

The Police - Every Breath You Take (Official Video)

Often mistaken for a love song, it's one of the most misinterpreted tracks in the history of music, when it's in fact about a deluded stalker who convinces himself that the emotions he feels are true love.

• The Story of... 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police

Written after Sting separated from his first wife, the song's creation was fraught with in-fighting within the band (who were actually physically punching each other in the studio) with Sting saying that the time of its release that "it's a nasty little song, really rather evil."

It was the first single released on The Police 's final album Synchronicity, ensuring that the trio went out on a supreme high with the song winning Song of the Year at the 1984 Grammy Awards and staying at the top of the US Billboard Charts for a total of eight weeks.

The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'

The Human League - Don't You Want Me (Official Music Video)

One of the best-selling singles of the 1980s, this surprising Christmas number one sold over 1.5 million records upon its release in 1981.

The song was inspired after singer Philip Oakey read a story in a teen-girl's magazine. he was also inspired by the film A Star Is Born and decided to turn the song into a duet with one of the band's two teenage female vocalists.

Susan Ann Sulley was asked to take on the role. Until then, she and Joanne Catherall had only been assigned backing vocals. Sulley says she was chosen only through "luck of the draw".

Prince - 'Purple Rain'

Prince - Purple Rain (Official Video)

'Purple Rain' was originally written as a country song, and was intended to be a collaboration with Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks .

• The Story of... 'Purple Rain' by Prince

Prince explained the meaning of 'Purple Rain' as: "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."

The song became something of a singature song for Prince, and he famously performed it in the rain during his Super Bowl halftime show.

Lionel Richie - 'All Night Long'

Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night)

In this Caribbean-influenced song, Lionel admitted that the ‘African’ lyrics, such as ‘Tom bo li de say de moi ya’ and ‘Jambo jumbo’, were in fact made-up gibberish. He described these portions as a “wonderful joke”, after he discovered that he lacked the time to hire a translator.

• The Story of... 'All Night Long' by Lionel Richie

Lionel said: “What I try to write about are real events. There will always be an easy like Sunday morning. There will always be an endless love. There will always be an all night long.”

Bonus fact: A young Richard Marx recorded backing vocals for this song.

ABBA - 'The Winner Takes it All'

ABBA - The Winner Takes It All (Video)

Bjorn Ulvaeus has denied that his heartbreaking ballad is about his and Agnetha Faltskog 's divorce. However, he has said that is about divorce in general and the emotions that come with it.

• The Story of... 'The Winner Takes it All' by ABBA
• ABBA's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked

The song put Agnetha in the strange situation of being asked to sing a breakup song, written by her ex-husband, just a short period afterwards.

However, Bjorn didn't intend it to happen this way. She later said it was her favourite ABBA song to perform.

Foreigner - 'I Want to Know What Love Is'

Foreigner - 'I Want To Know What Love Is' [Official Music Video]

Foreigner's biggest ever hit, this excellent power ballad reached number one in both the UK and US.

• The Story of... 'I Want to Know What Love Is' by Foreigner

Writer Mick Jones said of the song: "I don’t know where it came from. I consider it a gift that was sent through me. I think there was something bigger than me behind it. I’d say it was probably written entirely by a higher force."

Fact: it features keyboard work by Thompson Twins frontman Tom Bailey.

Whitney Houston - 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Official 4K Video)

This is one of the ultimate feel good songs ever released, and was the lead single from Whitney's second album.

It was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, aka Boy Meets Girl, who had previously offered their hit 'Waiting for a Star to Fall' to Whitney, but she turned it down.

It became one of Whitney's signature tunes, and was the title to her official biopic in 2022.

Queen - 'I Want to Break Free'

Queen - I Want To Break Free (Official Video)

Written by bassist John Deacon , the song is from the male perspective of the women’s liberation movement. The video parodied Coronation Street , and famously showed all four members in drag, a move which saw the video banned on MTV in the States.

“They must’ve thought men dressing up in drag wasn’t ‘rock’ enough,” said Roger Taylor. The famous electric guitar solo is not actually a guitar, but rather a synth by Fred Mandel, something Brian May wasn’t on board with at first.

Phil Collins - 'In the Air Tonight'

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (Official Music Video)

Famous for its epic drum solo, Phil Collins ’ debut solo single was written during the grief he felt after divorcing his first wife, Simone.

• The Story of... 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins

The lyrics take the form of a dark monologue directed towards an unnamed person. An urban legend has claimed that it's about a drowning incident in which someone who was close enough to save the victim did not, while Collins, who was too far away to help, looked on.

The song was famously used in a Dairy Milk advert in 2007, in which a gorilla drummed along to it, because why not?

Toto - 'Africa'

Toto - Africa (Official HD Video)

It's almost impossible to not burst into song at the top of your lungs as soon as you hear the famous catchy intro of Toto's 'Africa', let alone its epic chorus.

• The Story of... 'Africa' by Toto

In 2015, David Paich said that the song is about a man's love of the continent Africa, rather than a personal romance.

He based the lyrics around a late night documentary with depictions of African plight and suffering. It had a lasting impact on him: "It both moved and appalled me, and the pictures just wouldn't leave my head. I tried to imagine how I'd feel about it if I was there and what I'd do."

George Michael - 'Careless Whisper'

George Michael - Careless Whisper (Official HD Video)

This was the song that made people stand up and take notice of George as a credible artist outside the pop fun of Wham!

Released when he still in the boyband with Andrew Ridgeley , the song topped the charts around the world. Co-written with Andrew when they were 17, the song took inspiration from stories from Michael’s early romantic experiences with two different girls.

• The Story of... 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael

He later said: "The whole idea of 'Careless Whisper' was the first girl finding out about the second – which she never did. But I started another relationship with a girl called Alexis without finishing the one with Jane. It all got a bit complicated."

Jane found out about her and got rid of me. The whole time I thought I was being cool, being this two-timer, but there really wasn't that much emotion involved.

"I did feel guilty about the first girl – and I have seen her since – and the idea of the song was about her. 'Careless Whisper' was us dancing, because we danced a lot, and the idea was – we are dancing...but she knows...and it's finished."

Michael Jackson - 'Billie Jean'

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Official Video)

There are several claims on the meaning behind this classic song’s lyrics. One suggests that they came from a real-life experience, in which a female fan claimed that Michael Jackson (or one of his brothers) had fathered her twins. However, Jackson stated that it was actually based on groupies he had encountered.

• Rare footage of Michael Jackson practicing iconic 'Billie Jean' routine in 1983 is incredible
• The Story of... 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson

The song was promoted with a short film that broke down MTV’s racial barrier, and his performance on Motown 25 , in which he premiered his ‘moonwalk’.

It remains perhaps the greatest pop song of all time, and has that timeless quality that will never disappoint.

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Why the '80s Were the Best Decade for Popular Music [Opinion]

Just like it’s hard to have perspective on your own work, it’s also difficult to judge the era we’re in… until years or decades later. In the 1930s, did people realize that pretty much every car on the road would someday be deemed a classic? What are the chances that the Nissan Juke in your driveway will ever claim that status?

It’s just the same way with music. We have decades of popular music behind us now, but what bands, styles, or movements in the biz will have staying power?

One era that still rules the airwaves and live venues today: the 1980s. More than 26 years after the decade’s final day, clubs have '80s nights, satellite radio boasts '80s channels, and the FM dial offers tunes by Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, and A-Ha. Why does that material have so much staying power, drowning out the decades on either end? That’s simple: the 1980s were the best decade so far for popular music. 

The case for the 1980s

That might seem a bold statement, but I’m prepared to make my case. The burgeoning global music scene and wild imagination we all enjoyed during the Reagan years were driven, in part, by three factors: the political environment, the assimilation of divergent musical styles into the mainstream, and the rapid growth of technology in music.

Meanwhile, the era also benefited from established trends that would soon end: strong record labels that carefully vetted their artists and an unspoken but clear emphasis on talent and quality. This decade featured a convergence of several powerful cultural fronts, bringing about a storm of creativity.

Let’s start with the gadgets.

Computers invade pop

Groups like Pink Floyd played around with electronica in the early '70s, but in the '80s, this tech became readily available. For the first time, any teenager with babysitting money could go to the mall and buy a sampling keyboard with an onboard drum machine. Just like that, a huge barrier in the music business was removed, and anybody could track a hit.

At the same time, recording technology was improving, making larger orchestrations in pop more practical for moderate-budget records and allowing artists to realize any weird sound they could hear in their heads. When it came to singing, however, artists were on their own. There was no auto-tune – singers still had to sing, and all the digital reverb and slapback in the rack couldn’t change it. The best option was still to do take after take until you got a good one.

Furthermore, as computers and sequencers became standard equipment in studios, the benefits of electronic instrumentation were felt. ZZ Top’s Afterburner (1985) used the perfect time of a synth program to make their bluesy funk more danceable. Across the pond, synth bands like New Order and Depeche Mode used the perfect sheen of their keyboards and the march of their electronic drums to make statements about isolation and the pressures of conformist society (more on that later). And as these new tools became available, guitar rock was still alive and well.

"Strange" music rejoins the mainstream

With the growing global economy and the beginning of the information age, music of the world became increasingly easy to share –  and increasingly difficult to suppress. Despite record labels and their attempts at regulating the taste of their fans, American music fans were listening to reggae, hip-hop, Latin music, and Afro-pop. New albums were dubbed onto cassettes and shared.

In the 1980s, for the first time, the average answer to the question of what music one preferred became “I like all kinds of music.” And that meant that the musicians of this generation were playing all kinds of music. Clinging to one genre had become uncool.

However, the USA doesn't own pop music. In the 1980s, the '60s were still being felt in many places around the world where outside music was less welcome. I visited the USSR in 1985, and the biggest band in the Republic was the Beatles. Vinyl records from British Invasion bands had finally reached everyday people –  despite the best efforts of the Communist Party –  through that country’s thriving black market.Around the world,

Around the world, music of the 1960s was seen as music of emancipation and experimentation, and by the '80s nearly everyone had access to it for the first time. 

The end-of-days effect

Climate change is a big deal, and if we all end up having to move into tunnels or onto space stations, a lot of great music will come from that. In the 1980s, the threat was much more immediate. An ICBM can fly from Moscow to Washington in less than 30 minutes , and that meant that in the 1980s, we were all 30 minutes from doom (as out politicians kept helpfully reminding us).

Being under threat all the time brings about strong emotions, and strong emotions inspire a lot of good music. Frankly, I’ll take Glasnost over the Cold War any day of the week… but the music hasn’t been the same since Gorbachev tore down the wall.

The "Me Generation"

During much of the 1980s, the economy was booming, bringing newfound wealth to the middle class. Along with that, we got the term “yuppie” and an explosion of consumer goods. Regular folks were now expected to have piles of luxurious “stuff” and had the means to get it, even if a lot of those means were due to maxing out credit cards.

While young executives bought BMWs and bragged about monthly bonuses, artists sulked in the background, complaining that all this consumption was spiritually empty and leading to a high-stress, planet-destroying lifestyle.

Others pointed out that most of the wealth, as usual, was going to educated, middle-class white men, leaving women and people of color largely behind. This was a perfect environment for the establishment of a new music underground as a protest movement. And boy, did we get one.

Actually, we got several. Whole high schools were filled with kids wearing stonewashed jeans and Metallica jackets. Kids at track and field practice passed around tapes by Public Enemy and De La Soul. Weird, moody, and ambitious music all over the world fell under the new auspices of “alternative music.” Almost none of this stuff ever made it to mainstream radio; it was spread by mumbling late-night DJs on college stations, and by all those tape-dubbing kids in high schools all over the world.

Record labels were still strong and vetted their artists

However, the '80s were still largely ruled by the record label. This was a mixed blessing. On one hand, bands were signed to make money, and all those conversations by A&R people sitting around boardroom tables inevitably came down to whether the record would sell. On the other hand, A&R people still wanted to sign great artists. They wanted to find massive talents who would have massive careers, people who would change the music game.

When Epic Records released Living Colour's Vivid  in 1988, they didn’t just know that they would make a splash by unleashing black rock on the world – they also knew those guys could really play. Most artists rejected by the labels weren’t good enough. Today, anybody with a guitar and a cell phone can get “signed” to YouTube… and that cuts both ways.

Check my work

You probably know most or all of the artists I referenced in this article, but if you’re not sure about my overall point, take a trip through the internet. Search for '80s artists and listen to their recordings that you might have missed.

For example, Midnight Oil had one really big album in the US market, Diesel and Dust (1985), but they had four other albums during the decade that were just as good. What about the astonishing work done in the decade by Public Enemy, the Cocteau Twins, King’s X, or Kate Bush? You could spend your life deconstructing the music of the decade, and sooner or later you’d come around: the 1980s were the best decade so far in popular music.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Jesse Sterling Harrison is an author, recording artist, and part-time farmer. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three daughters, and a herd of ducks.

Topics: opinion

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Flashback: Why the 80’s are music’s best decade

When thinking about music, the 80’s era is largely overlooked, which is especially baffling considering that it’s the golden era of rock and pop.

The 80’s music is more than the music being produced. It was also a time of enormous, nationally shared moments. Gone was “The Ed Sullivan Show” and the Beatles’ US debut. Instead, audiences were treated to Michael Jackson moonwalking on the Motown 25 special. Revolutionary artists like Prince are incremental to our history, in ways that Drake and Kanye West are not.

What exactly made 80’s music so good? Really it comes down to three things.

First, the political environment of President Reagan’s years. The economy was booming and the middle class was resurging. The wealthier population mixed with increases in music technology meant that was much more easily accessible.

People were listening to all kinds of music: Latin, Afro-pop, reggae, etc. This differentiation of music started to blend together in 80’s music. In the ’80s, it was the first time that the average answer of listeners’ favorite type of music was ‘all kinds.’

Second is the assimilation of these different genres together. No other song shows this as much as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The fact that this is an 80’s song should be enough to show how 80’s music is the best music. Often labeled “the greatest music video of all time” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is a perfect encapsulation of the divergence of music, as it has elements of techno, classic rock and many other musical attributes linked into it.

Third, the rise of technology in music. In the ’70s, bands like Pink Floyd used electronics in music, however, it became mainstream in the ’80s. In addition, the recording vastly improved and there wasn’t autotune, so it was genuinely good singers singing, not computerized pitches of singers. Despite the rise of computers in music, guitars were still the primary source of bands, as guitar rock was just as popular in the ’80s as it was in the ’60s and ’70s.

When ‘80s music gets brought up, people instantly think of the classics such as Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Guns N’Roses, etc. However, the ’80s were a time for music to make a massive impact on the silver screen as well. Theatrical hits, such as Star Wars , ET , and Die Hard had incredibly sweeping musical scores that led to their success at the box office, while others, such as The Terminator and the films of John Carpenter took advantage of computer-synthesized music for their scores. The music of film during the era was revolutionary and truly changed the way movies are made.

When people judge a decade, they often do so years afterward. Looking back in 2019, seeing the lives my parents had and the music they listened to and the impact it had on the world shows me just how important the ’80s are.

Additionally, it’s just some pretty damn good music.

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MUST READ: Why old music is better than today’s new music

If you’ve ever heard me speak on music somewhere, there’s inevitably an audience question that goes something like this: “Why is today’s music not as good as when we were young?” My standard answer to this is “Every generation has a right to believe that the music of their youth is the greatest music of all time. Young people want music that is their own, material that articulates their wants, wishes, dreams, fears, desires, and attitudes. And they gravitate to the music made by their peers because it’s what they can most identify with. It’s always been this way and it will always be this way.”

This is NOT some Grandpa Simpson rant nor me pining for the music of my youth. And yes, there is plenty of excellent new music out there being made by young people. But if we start looking at the data and the engagement fans have with new music, something seems…off.

Someone has finally articulated why this is–or more specifically, why what we’re getting today isn’t as good as those solder songs.

Is Old Music Better?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first – is old music better than new music? In some ways yes, and other ways, no. There’s always great music being made regardless of the era, it’s just that we may never get to hear much of it these days. Record labels drive what’s popular, unfortunately, and whatever the current trend is, they want more of it. As a result, we get an exciting new trend that gets slowly watered down with weaker and weaker imitations (look what happened to hip-hop). One of the things that drove music in the 1970s and 80s was the search to be different. Artists and labels weren’t afraid to take chances, and as a result, we had such a wide variety of great music to choose from. There were no sub-genres of music (i.e. trip-hop, death metal, etc) – it all fit under a big genre umbrella that no one really cared about. FM radio was at its peak and you tuned in because of the specific tastes of the DJ, who was free to spin whatever he or she liked. As a result, the listener was exposed to a wide variety of artists. Marivishnu Orchestra was played right beside Deep Purple which was right beside Gil Scott Heron   or Sly Stone. Today we’re all about niche, and even worse, algorithms that feed us more of the same thing that we just listened to rather than something totally new and different.

It’s A Little Too Easy

But the hits are what we’re most often exposed to and they’re not lighting up the earbuds of even the demographic that they’re aimed at. I think a big reason for that is the fact that songwriting has gotten lazy. Not on purpose, mind you – just because the technology makes it that way. Why practice your instrument, try to form a band, or learn how to record when all you have to do is find a beat or loop that you like and build the song from there? That’s not to say there haven’t been some great songs that came about that way, but a loop is a limiting factor in songwriting as it encourages simple two-chord songs with an even simpler melody. Plus add the fact that there are 10 or more writers on some songs and you have the lowest common denominator in songwriting that’s almost guaranteed not to take chances.  This gets rewarded and encourages others to write this way, and what we have today is the result.

And then there’s this.

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I like the comment made some years ago by Frank Zappa regarding the decline of the music industry seems even more poignant today. Link on youtube below.

Which means these days I really have no idea what is “new” and what is just “new to me” and there’s really no value to me in putting in the effort to differentiate between the two. I can enjoy an album from 1987 as much as I can enjoy an album from 2022. And since the overwhelming majority of music was not made in the last year it stands to reason that most of the music I end up streaming won’t be either (regardless of quality).

I think also that we are seeing more of the old music in forms now that were a little less frequent when they came out, like hearing Led Zeppelin music in a Marvel movie. Popular culture is being driven by an older generation now.

I am in general agreement with this argument… but I am not sure how “new” it is. A lot of my peer-driven musical tastes were formed in the 1980s (ages 16-25). There was certainly music released in that decade that captured my attention but my friends and I tended to look back to the music of the 60s and 70s for the “really good stuff.” It is also interesting for me to realize how much my musical tastes were formed by my parents and the eclectic range of music they listened to: classical, jazz, rock & roll, pop, country. Buddy Holly was amazing. Linda Ronstadt had an incredible voice. Gordon Lightfoot helped define Canada for me. And ABBA remains a guilty pleasure.

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Why '80s music is still the best, '80s music always has and always will have "the eye of the tiger.".

In pop culture, there are things that are essentially “set in stone” that everyone knows about. For example, "Star Wars" forever changed Hollywood, Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan are the greatest players to ever play their respected sports and "Psycho" is one of the most simplest yet greatest movies ever made.

The same can be said for how the 1980s changed the world of pop culture forever, in all aspects of life. Some of the biggest films and franchises of all-time came out in the '80s, like "Ghostbusters," "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," the Back to the Future franchise and of course, "The Terminator," the movie that made Arnold Schwarzenegger Hollywood’s top action star.

While those are only a few of the great '80s movies, the fact remains that what made those movies go from good to great is the music featured in the film. Music can make all the difference to the viewers. The music in films can sometimes be what the film is most known for, and that isn’t because the movie is bad, but because the music made the movie that much better.

Some of the best examples of this is the music in the Star Wars films, the ending of "The Breakfast Club" when Simple Minds' “Don’t You” perfected everything, Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” in the film "Top Gun," and of course, the late great artist, Prince, who did the entire album for the film "Batman."

There are thousands of songs that could be named from the '80s that caught millions of people's hearts and still do to this very day. Whether you like today's top music like Luke Bryan, Miley Cyrus, Adele, Five Finger Death Punch, Eminem or Disturbed, the bottom line is that despite them representing “this generation of music," the music from the '80s is still just as popular today as it was then.

When you consider all that '80s music has done for pop culture, the one song that stands above all there best is Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” The music video alone has been called the greatest music video of all time by the likes of Billboard and Rolling Stone. The music video changed the music industry forever, causing many artists and producers alike to try and replicate this same success. The impact it had on not MTV, the music industry and the world, is still remembered today.

While today’s music is entertaining, there is no doubt that '80s music still does and always will be able to attract the attention of any music fan. Whether it's listening to Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and of course, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,” the bottom line is that you’re always in for a good time and more importantly, a great listen.

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15 rhyme without reason greek life function ideas, when you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function.

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes .

1. Dime and a Mime

I think that this one would be super cute except one of the dates would have to not talk the entire function which would be extremely difficult.

2. Ramp and a Lamp

This is my personal favorite except it would be difficult to dress up like a ramp.

3. Hooters and Shooters

For this you could have one person dress up like hooter's girl and have one person wear plastic shot glasses with color glue in them.

4. Sherlock and Woodstock

For this one person could wear a cape and a Sherlock hat with a magnifying glass and the other person could dress up like the bird Woodstock or the festival.

5. Spaghetti and a Yeti

StableDiffusion

This would be the coolest idea to do. To dress up like a bowl of spaghetti and a Yeti. The only thing you would have to watch would to make sure that the Yeti didn't eat the spaghetti.

6. Whale and snail

This would be very cute. You could use a backpack or a laundry basket for the shell.

7. Ladder and Bladder

I don't know if you have seen the bladder cartoon but just imagine someone dressed up like that. Wouldn't that be so cute?

8. Rake and Snake

The snake could use the rake. This would be a very easy to dress up for.

9. Jam and Ham

You could dress up like a thing of jam or like a dollop of jam and just wear a single color.

10. Pig and a Twig

You could dress with pink and then the other person could dress with brown.

11. Banana and Nana

All you need for this one is a banana costume and old lady clothes

12. Dairy and Fairy

One person would dress up as a milk carton and the other as any kind of fairy.

13. Hibachi and Versace

I think that this is the most creative pairing that has ever been thought of. The hibachi person would definitely have to have one of those tall hats they wear.

14. Trash bag and American Flag

You could put your arms through the straps that come out of the trash bag and just wrap an American flag around yourself (as long as it doesn't touch the floor).

15. Gumball Machine and American Dream

This would be super cute if the person who was the gumball put puffballs onto their shirt and wore silver pants.

What is a rhyme without reason date function?

A rhyme without reason date function is a social gathering when partners show up wearing outfits that rhyme with each other. It opens up an opportunity for creativity. It is most popular on college campuses, though it can be extended to other parts of society as a fun way to play dress-up. It also gains additional popularity around Halloween time, given the interest in costumes and dressing up for that holiday.

What are some top ideas for a rhyme without reason?

There are so many options: A Dog and a Frog could be fun. A Ramp and a Lamp, a Whale and a Snail, a Rake and a Snake, a Trash Bag and a Flag, and Bob Ross and Dental Floss are just some ideas for a rhyme without reason date function. Using your own creativity, you could think of countless more options and if you explore the web, you'll find lists out there to provide inspiration . Rhyming without reason at the end of the day is all about having fun.

What are some sources of rhyme without reason inspiration?

For starters, TikTok has a whole collection of rhyme without reason ideas. You could browse those for quite some time and find plenty of inspiration. You might also look toward Her Campus for plenty more ideas or our handy list . There's no shortage of options around the web, but some of the best ideas may come from you. Start with the rhyming perspective and then think about what fun pairings would be for a real-life rhyme without reason costume party.

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Never would I have thought a few years ago that I would be such a huge yoga fanatic, that I would be hitting the gym almost every day to get to class, and that I would be forming all these amazing relationships with so many incredible people who also share a love for you. You've enhanced my way of life in numerous ways that I need to thank you for.

Thank you for showing me my true strength. Not only physical strength, but more importantly mental strength. You've shown me that I am more than what others may think of me, and that I can rise above any obstacle that comes through my path.

Thank you for helping me to walk through life with grace and passion. To love what I do and love the life that I share with those around me. Before experiencing yoga, I never truly understood what it was like to be passionate about something. Now that I have, not only do I know what it's like to be passionate, but also have a willing to be passionate.

Thank you for teaching me what it is like to appreciate the small things in life. Which has only helped me more to appreciate the big things. You've shown me to not only appreciate the life around me, but also to give myself the appreciation that I deserve. And more importantly, give others the appreciation that they deserve.

Thank you for allowing me to let go. Whenever I feel as if I need a break from the world, the yoga studio is the first place I think of. As soon as I enter the studio, the outside world leaves my mind. You've allowed me an escape that I will be forever thankful for.

Thank you for turning me into a mindful person. Having mindfulness is harder than it seems, especially here in today's society. Over the past couple years, I have become more mindful to the world around me, I have been able to truly be myself and let everyone else be themselves -- all thanks to yoga.

And lastly, thank you for allowing me to breathe. As simple as it sounds, breathing is the one thing that I carry around most with me off the mat. Deep breaths are what get me through the day. Throughout tough situations, emotional battles, and stressful times, I always know to come back to my yoga, to come back to my breath.

I only hope that those around me feel the same way as I do about you, yoga. You have truly transformed my life in the best way imaginable. It is a gift and a great privilege to be able to experience the practice. Thanks to you, I have grown as a person, proved to myself the true strength I have, become more aware and have ultimately started living a better life.

You're the best,

Your Yoga-Obsessed Friend

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion..

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

The Norse cosmos began with two worlds, Niflheim and Muspellheim. These two worlds, the worlds of primordial cold and fire , were separated by a great fissure called Ginnungagap. The waters from the well Hvergelmir, at the center of Niflheim, by many rivers flowed into Ginnungagap and "when those rivers, which are called Elivagar, came so far from their source, the poisonous flow hardened like a slag of cinders running from a furnace, and became ice. ...Then layer by layer, the ice grew within Ginnungagap" (Byock 13). The northernmost regions of the gap filled with hoar frost and rime, but the southernmost were "the regions bordering on Muspell [and] were warm and bright" (Byock 13). Where the cold of Niflheim's ice and the warmth of Muspellheim's fire met in Ginnungagap the ice thawed, and "there was a quickening in these flowing drops and life sprang up" (Byock 14). From the ice came Ymir, known as Aurgelmir by the giants, the origin of all frost giants. As the wise giant Vafthruthnir says, "'down from Elivagar did venom drop, / And waxed till a giant it was; / And thence arose our giants' race, / And thus so fierce are we found'" (Bellows 76-77).

25 Throwback Songs You Forgot About

But you know you still know every word..

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

1. "Big Pimpin'" - Jay-Z ft. UGK

Jay-Z gives us a ballad about, you guessed it, pimpin' big in NYC. Jay-Z's rhymes paired with that catchy beat is just bound to get stuck in your head for the rest of the night.

2. "Mr. Brightside" - The Killers

If you say that you don't know any of the words to this song, you're the worst kind of person... a liar. This classic has left stamps of its lyrics on 99% of the population, and has a forever spot in my soul.

3. "Lose Yourself" - Eminem

This song always leaves me feeling like I could sign a record deal and launch my career as a rap/hip-hop legend... and craving spaghetti.

4. "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) - Toby Keith

A ballad for the ages that brings the overly patriotic American badass out of all of us.

5. "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams

SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!

6. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Green Day

This song makes me want to walk down a lonely road, preferably a dark one, and reflect on all of my life choices. Nevertheless, it's still a fantastic song.

7. "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" - Panic! At The Disco

If your friends don't "chime in" by screaming the chorus at the top of their lungs in the car with you, it's time to leave them there and find new friends. Also, did anyone ever tell the groom what his bride has been up to?

8. "Semi-Charmed Life" - Third Eye Blind

A life anthem for all of us. Third Eye Blind has recently released another album. My inner child is tingling.

9. "Baby Got Back" - Sir Mix A Lot

Nicki Minaj sampled this in her song "Anaconda" in 2014. Take a minute to realize that some people have heard that, but not the REAL jam that the sample came from. Now, cry.

10. "Get Low" - Lil Jon ft. Ying Yang Twinz

The real question is which version is better: Lil Jon's or Sandra Bullock's?

11. "Check Yes Or No" - George Strait

You don't have to be a country lover to know this song. My hardcore rocker/screamo friend even knows the chorus. Don't try and tell me you don't. I don't like liars.

12. "Ride Wit Me" - Nelly

"Ayyyyye, must be the monaaayyy!" - frequently screamed lyric

13. "Pony" - Ginuwine

Even though I can't hear this song without seeing Channing Tatum's half naked body in my mind, it's still one of my favorite songs to hear. Instant day brightener when I hear that funky beat at the beginning.

14. "Cleanin' Out My Closet" - Eminem

As sad as these lyrics are, Eminem really hit this one out of the park.

15. "Gangstas Paradise" - Coolio

10/10 would recommend listening to Weird Al's parody of this song.

16. "It Was A Good Day" - Ice Cube

The first time I heard this may have been on Grand Theft Auto, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a great song.

17. "What's Your Fantasy" - Ludacris

Another song that I knew most of the lyrics to that I probably shouldn't have at a young age.

18. "Everybody (Backstreets Back)" - Backstreet Boys

They really were back, and we all wish they had stayed.

19. "Misery Business" - Paramore

I can't tell if I want to be Hayley Williams or be ON Hayley Williams. I'd be okay with either. #girlcrush

20. "Steal My Sunshine" - Len

This feel good song makes me want to rip open a popsicle and ride my bicycle around town.

21. "Fly" - Sugar Ray

As repetitive as this is, this song will never get old.

22. "Song 2" - Blur

23. "buddy holly" - weezer.

Weezer may have hated this song, but we are glad they recorded it.

24. "No Rain" - Blind Melon

Maybe it's just me who is obsessed with this song, but if you haven't heard it, I highly recommend.

25. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z

I have 99 problems, and this playlist solves all of them.

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures..

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy , I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

1. Sun showers

3. tight hugs, 4. discovering new foods you like., 5. laying in bed after a long day., 6. and being completely relaxed, 7. "this reminded me of you", 8. breakfast foods, 9. over-sized clothes, 10. contagious laughs, 11. car rides with that one person, 12. random (i miss you/ i love you) texts, 13. the city at night, 14. surprises, 15. blanket cocoons, 16. good hair days, 17. really good coffee, 18. days where you're in a good mood naturally and for no particular reason, 19. conquering a fear, 20. when they give you a lot of guac at chipotle, 21. being so comfortable with someone that you can literally talk about anything, 22. home-cooked meals, 23. tattoo stories, 24. leaves changing color in fall, 25. butterflies in your stomach, 26. peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, 27. when you can't stop laughing, trending topics.

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1. Brittany Morgan,   National Writer's Society 2. Radhi,   SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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What New York Was Like in the Early ’80s — Hour by Hour

As told to Caroline Bankoff Heather Corcoran Nancy Hass and M.H. Miller

Edited by Kate Guadagnino and Thessaly La Force

A chance encounter with David Bowie at a downtown nightclub. Boozy, drug-fueled parties that lasted until dawn. A walk across the Williamsburg Bridge — just to save a subway token. Mornings spent alone, writing in a studio in the West Village. Afternoon workouts. Dinner on the Upper East Side with a former president of the United States. These are the moments, large and small, recounted by 36 writers, artists, fashion designers, musicians and more who lived in New York City in the early ’80s. Together, this chorus of voices — assembled, edited and condensed — creates a compelling mosaic, revealing a city bustling with creativity but also slowly emerging from its recent near-bankruptcy, with upscale restaurants just blocks away from rubble-filled, graffiti-painted lots. Whether you were struggling, successful or just plain lucky, these stories remind us that in these years New York City — dirty, dangerous, derelict, dazzling — was the only place to be.

Diane von Furstenberg, fashion designer

I was in my early 30s, and I had Tatiana and Alex, my children, so I didn’t stay out until dawn like I had in the 1970s. But at midnight, yes, I was often out. Studio 54 was over after the owners, Steve [Rubell] and Ian [Schrager], got arrested in 1980, so we all migrated to the Mudd Club, on White Street. Or I would throw a party. I was living uptown — really the classic “uptown,” which, because I was young, seemed a little wild to some people — with my kids and my mother (also, at that time I was in love with a Brazilian man I’d met in Bali). The apartment, at 1060 Fifth Avenue, at 87th Street, was like a fantasy apartment — huge, with a view of the reservoir. A lot of very creative, brilliant people were living in rough places downtown, which was dangerous but cheap, but I never did. (I might be the only person who never lived in a scary New York apartment. I came here from Europe at age 22 in the 1960s already married and went to Park Avenue.) If I threw a party, by midnight there was probably an especially good mix of people there. Richard Gere was a fixture, as well as Diana Ross and Princess Caroline. I served eggplant parmigiana and a stupendous chocolate cake that everyone always wanted. I suppose I should have loved New York; things were very good for me. But truthfully, I hated it. You could feel it turning, the tackiness beginning to creep in. Reagan really ruined it for me. And shoulder pads. And the hair. And “Dynasty.” I’ve never gotten over “Dynasty.” And then people started dying. I realized I had to leave. By 1984, I’d put my kids in boarding school and left to live in Paris for five years.

Kim Gordon, musician

When I first moved to the city, there was a garbage strike. I was hustling. I had a horrible graveyard shift at a coffee shop, one of the only places to eat in Chelsea, open 24 hours — super crickets, deserted. I worked part-time for gallerist Annina Nosei. She and Larry Gagosian had this space, it was a condo loft in a building on West Broadway. [By 1 a.m.] I’d be somewhere like [the TriBeCa No Wave club] Tier 3, seeing [the electronic Berlin band] Malaria!, and then walking over to Dave’s Luncheonette. A lot of the alternative spaces — Franklin Furnace, A-Space — had music, too. Hearing hip-hop on the street, minimalist new music, free jazz — it all added to this fabric that was a landscape.

I was kind of tomboyish, but also pretty poor. I had glasses, so I put these flip-up sunglass visors on them. But I didn’t feel super cool or anything. The people who were chic, the downtowners, pretty much just wore black — that could instantly give you a look. Our first goal [as Sonic Youth] was getting a gig at CBGB. Then it was getting a good time slot at CBGB, so you weren’t on last and weren’t on first. CB’s wasn’t the best sound; it was such a long and narrow space that if it was crowded you couldn’t really see anything, unless you were standing on the side of the stage, and then you just heard the stage sound. Sometimes it could just be too blasting. It wasn’t actually the best place to hear or see bands, but it was always exciting. Then later, it became about getting a gig at Danceteria, Mudd Club — they were all little milestone achievements.

Hear Kim Gordon recount her first impressions of New York City:

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Essay on Music for Students and Children

500+ words essay on music.

Music is a vital part of different moments of human life. It spreads happiness and joy in a person’s life. Music is the soul of life and gives immense peace to us. In the words of William Shakespeare, “If music is the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.” Thus, Music helps us in connecting with our souls or real self.

What is Music?

Music is a pleasant sound which is a combination of melodies and harmony and which soothes you. Music may also refer to the art of composing such pleasant sounds with the help of the various musical instruments. A person who knows music is a Musician.

The music consists of Sargam, Ragas, Taals, etc. Music is not only what is composed of men but also which exists in nature. Have you ever heard the sound of a waterfall or a flowing river ? Could you hear music there? Thus, everything in harmony has music. Here, I would like to quote a line by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the greatest musicians, “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.”

Importance of Music:

Music has great qualities of healing a person emotionally and mentally. Music is a form of meditation. While composing or listening music ones tends to forget all his worries, sorrows and pains. But, in order to appreciate good music, we need to cultivate our musical taste. It can be cited that in the Dwapar Yug, the Gopis would get mesmerized with the music that flowed from Lord Krishna’s flute. They would surrender themselves to Him. Also, the research has proved that the plants which hear the Music grow at a faster rate in comparison to the others.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Magical Powers of Music:

It has the power to cure diseases such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. The power of Music can be testified by the legends about Tansen of his bringing the rains by singing Raag Megh Malhar and lighting lamps by Raga Deepak. It also helps in improving the concentration and is thus of great help to the students.

Conclusion:

Music is the essence of life. Everything that has rhythm has music. Our breathing also has a rhythm. Thus, we can say that there is music in every human being or a living creature. Music has the ability to convey all sorts of emotions to people. Music is also a very powerful means to connect with God. We can conclude that Music is the purest form of worship of God and to connect with our soul.

FAQs on Essay on Music:

Q.1. Why is Music known as the Universal Language?

Ans.1. Music is known as the Universal language because it knows no boundaries. It flows freely beyond the barriers of language, religion, country, etc. Anybody can enjoy music irrespective of his age.

Q.2. What are the various styles of Music in India?

Ans.2. India is a country of diversities. Thus, it has numerous styles of music. Some of them are Classical, Pop, Ghazals, Bhajans, Carnatic, Folk, Khyal, Thumri, Qawwali, Bhangra, Drupad, Dadra, Dhamar, Bandish, Baithak Gana, Sufi, Indo Jazz, Odissi, Tarana, Sugama Sangeet, Bhavageet, etc.

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The power of melodic tunes to enhance focus and creativity during the essay writing process.

When it comes to the realm of crafty penmanship, the significance of tune harmonizing with writing is often underestimated. However, by unlocking the potential of a melodious backdrop, authors can tap into a wholly different level of creativity. The amalgamation of mind-wandering melodies and thought-provoking words provides an unparalleled medium for unleashing one’s inner writer.

By marrying the artistry of music with the finesse of essay composition, a symphony of inspiration is born. As the rhythm flows from ear to mind, it ignites a fire within, setting ablaze the dormant embers of imagination. The harmonious duet of music and writing has the uncanny ability to transport us to seemingly distant realms, where ideas unfurl like unfathomable constellations, waiting to be explored.

Music has the incredible capability to influence our mood, thoughts, and emotions. With every beat, a gateway to new possibilities is unveiled. A propelling anthem can uplift the spirits and propel the writer forward on a wave of determination. Conversely, a gentle melody can provide solace and serenity, setting the stage for introspection and bringing forth the depths of one’s introspective musings.

The Science Behind the Connection: How Music Affects the Brain

Understanding how music affects the brain is a fascinating area of study that delves into the intricate workings of our minds. The connection between music and the brain has been explored by scientists for decades, revealing the profound impact that music can have on our emotions, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being.

When we listen to music, our brains are activated in various ways. Neurologists have discovered that different regions of the brain are engaged, depending on the type of music being listened to. For instance, upbeat and fast-paced music stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This explains why listening to energetic music can make us feel more invigorated and motivated to take action.

Moreover, studies have shown that music has the power to evoke strong emotions and memories. Certain melodies or lyrics can trigger a flood of emotions, reminding us of past experiences or even transporting us to a different time and place. This emotional connection to music is facilitated by the limbic system, a part of the brain that controls emotions and memory. By activating this system, music has the ability to evoke powerful feelings and create lasting memories.

Additionally, music has a profound impact on our cognitive abilities. Research has demonstrated that listening to certain types of music can enhance our focus, concentration, and creativity. Classical music, in particular, has been found to stimulate brain activity and improve cognitive performance. This phenomenon, known as the “Mozart effect,” suggests that music can enhance our cognitive abilities, making us more alert and receptive to information.

Furthermore, the therapeutic benefits of music cannot be overlooked. Studies have shown that music therapy can be beneficial for individuals suffering from various mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Listening to calming and soothing music has been found to reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and promote relaxation. The rhythmic and melodic elements of music have a profound effect on our physiological state, helping to regulate our emotions and promote overall well-being.

In conclusion, the science behind the connection between music and the brain is a captivating field of research that highlights the profound impact of music on our emotions, cognitive abilities, and overall well-being. By understanding how music affects the brain, we can harness its power to boost productivity and enhance our essay writing experience.

Finding the Right Genre for Focus and Creativity

Exploring different genres of music can be a powerful way to enhance focus and creativity while writing. By selecting the right genre, you can create an atmosphere that nurtures concentration and stimulates your cognitive processes. The right choice of genre can inspire imagination, boost productivity, and help you tap into your creative potential.

Genre for Focus:

When it comes to finding a genre that promotes focus, instrumental music often takes the lead. With its absence of lyrics, instrumental genres such as classical, ambient, or electronic music can provide a background that minimizes distractions. The soothing melodies and repetitive patterns can help you maintain concentration for extended periods, allowing you to immerse yourself in the writing process.

Alternatively, you might find that low-tempo genres, like downtempo or chill-hop, can also facilitate a focus-oriented mindset. The relaxed beats and atmospheric textures often associated with these genres can create a tranquil ambiance, fostering a sense of calmness and enabling you to concentrate on the task at hand.

Genre for Creativity:

If your goal is to enhance your creative thinking and encourage inspiration, exploring diverse genres can be beneficial. Upbeat and energetic music, like pop, rock, or hip-hop, can elicit strong emotions and make you feel more motivated and enthusiastic. This genre choice can help break through writer’s block and generate fresh ideas.

On the other hand, genres that focus on introspection and introspection, like folk, indie, or singer-songwriter, can evoke a sense of introspection and deep thought. The raw emotions and personal narratives found in these genres can lead to a reflective and introspective state of mind, allowing you to explore and express your thoughts and emotions in a more profound and meaningful way.

Experimenting with Different Genres:

Everyone’s preferences and writing processes are unique, so it’s essential to experiment with different genres to find what works best for you. Depending on the task at hand, you may find that a combination of genres or even genre-specific playlists can be more effective in enhancing your focus and creativity.

Remember, the aim is to find the right balance that helps you stay engaged, motivated, and inspired. By exploring a variety of genres, you can create a personalized soundtrack that harnesses the power of music to enhance your essay writing and boost productivity.

Using Music as a Motivational Tool: Creating a Playlist that Energizes

When it comes to finding the perfect playlist to boost motivation and productivity, music can be a powerful tool. The right selection of songs can energize and inspire, helping you to stay focused and motivated while writing your essay. However, creating a playlist that truly energizes and motivates is not as simple as adding a few upbeat tracks. It requires careful consideration of the tempo, lyrics, and overall mood of the music.

To start off, consider the tempo of the songs you choose for your playlist. Upbeat and fast-paced songs with a high tempo can help increase your energy levels and keep you engaged. Look for tracks with a strong rhythm and lively beat that will get your heart rate up and your feet tapping. These types of songs can help you maintain a steady pace while writing, preventing any potential lulls in your productivity.

Lyrics also play an important role in creating a motivational playlist. Look for songs with inspiring and positive lyrics that resonate with you personally. The right lyrics can help instill a sense of confidence and determination as you tackle your essay. Whether it’s motivational anthems or personal empowerment songs, find tracks that make you feel uplifted and ready to conquer any challenges that come your way.

In addition to the tempo and lyrics, consider the overall mood of the music. While fast-paced and upbeat songs can be beneficial for maintaining energy levels, it’s also important to include moments of relaxation and calm. Including a variety of musical genres and styles in your playlist can help create a balanced atmosphere that keeps you engaged without overwhelming your senses. From uplifting pop songs to soothing instrumental tracks, a mix of different moods can help you stay focused and motivated throughout your writing process.

Remember that creating a motivational playlist is a personal endeavor. Experiment with different songs and genres to find what works best for you. Pay attention to how certain songs make you feel and make adjustments as needed. The power of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions and enhance your mood, so choose songs that align with your personal preferences and goals.

In conclusion, music can serve as a powerful motivator when it comes to essay writing. By creating a playlist that energizes and inspires, you can boost your productivity and stay focused throughout the writing process. Consider the tempo, lyrics, and overall mood of the music to create a playlist that resonates with you personally. Harness the power of music and let it fuel your essay writing journey!

The Impact of Lyrics on Writing: Choosing Songs with Inspiring Words

When it comes to the influence of music on our writing, we often think about melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. However, the impact of lyrics should not be underestimated. The words in a song can have a profound effect on our creative output and productivity. By carefully selecting songs with inspiring and meaningful lyrics, we can enhance our writing experience and tap into new ideas and perspectives.

Words have the power to evoke emotions, stimulate our imagination, and convey complex thoughts and ideas. When we listen to songs with lyrics that resonate with us, it can trigger a range of emotions that can fuel our writing process. Whether it’s a heartfelt ballad that touches our soul or an empowering anthem that fills us with motivation, the right lyrics can provide the emotional backdrop we need to dive deep into our writing and express ourselves fully.

In addition to emotional impact, lyrics can also influence the way we think and inspire us to explore different topics and themes in our writing. Songs with thought-provoking lyrics can challenge our perspectives and push us beyond our comfort zones. They can introduce us to new ideas and expand our horizons, allowing us to approach our writing from fresh and unique angles. By actively seeking out songs with inspiring words, we can invite a broader range of thoughts and concepts into our writing and enrich our overall message.

It’s important to note that the impact of lyrics on writing is a highly personal experience. What resonates with one writer may not have the same effect on another. It’s essential to be in tune with our own preferences and emotions when choosing the songs we write to. Some writers may find solace in introspective and introspective lyrics, while others may thrive on uplifting and motivational messages. By curating a personalized playlist of songs with lyrics that align with our writing intentions, we can create an atmosphere of inspiration and creativity that supports our unique style and voice.

In conclusion, lyrics play a significant role in the impact of music on our writing. By selecting songs with inspiring words, we can tap into the emotional, intellectual, and creative aspects of our writing process. The right lyrics have the power to fuel our imagination, challenge our thinking, and elevate our writing to new heights.

Creating a Distraction-Free Environment: Tips for Using Music Effectively

When it comes to essay writing, having a distraction-free environment is essential for focusing and improving productivity. Music can be a powerful tool in creating such an environment, helping to boost concentration and inspire creativity. By carefully selecting the right music and following a few key tips, you can maximize the benefits of using music while minimizing potential distractions.

• Choose instrumental music: Instead of lyrics that may compete for your attention, opt for instrumental music. This type of music provides a soothing ambiance and eliminates the potential distraction of following along with lyrics.
• Experiment with different genres: Various genres of music can evoke different emotions and moods. By exploring different genres, you can find the right music that complements your writing style and helps you get into the flow.
• Create a playlist: Curating a playlist specifically for writing purposes can help set the tone and provide a consistent background noise. Start by selecting a few essential tracks that promote focus, and gradually expand your playlist based on what works best for you.
• Use ambient sounds: In addition to music, ambient sounds can also be effective in creating a distraction-free environment. Rainfall, nature sounds, or white noise can help block out external noises and increase your concentration.
• Adjust the volume: Finding the right volume is crucial for using music effectively. Too loud, and it can become distracting; too low, and it may not be effective in creating a productive environment. Experiment with different volumes to find the perfect balance.
• Minimize interruptions: Ensure that your music setup doesn’t interrupt your writing process. Choose a music streaming platform or app that allows for seamless playback without ads or interruptions. This way, you can maintain focus without being interrupted by unrelated content.
• Match the music to the task: Different writing tasks may require varying levels of focus and energy. Consider selecting music that aligns with the specific task at hand. For brainstorming or creative writing, choose upbeat or uplifting music, while for editing or proofreading, opt for more relaxed and calming tunes.

By following these tips, you can create a distraction-free environment that harnesses the power of music to enhance your essay writing experience. Experiment, adapt, and find the perfect music that helps you stay focused, motivated, and creative throughout the writing process.

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