What's the most '80s song?

[Johnny Novgorod]

What's the song that captures the spirit or general zeitgeist of the '80s for you, the one song you would play if you had to cue someone into thinking "eighties" as soon as possible, the song that in your opinion describes that decade the most accurately.

I don't want to cast my vote just yet but I'm always more or less torn between Toto's "Africa" (1982) and A-Ha's "Take On Me" (1985).

I try to leave out famous iconic singers like Madonna or Michael Jackson and concentrate on littler one-hit wonders that are exclusively associated with a hit and therefore a musical decade, or songs that are associated with movies (Back to the Future's "Power of Love"). But be my guest.

 

[tippy2k2]

I couldn't really tell you WHY I think 80's when I think of this song...

...but you're going to agree. You may not know why you totally agree but you will agree.

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Maybe it's the synthesizer. Maybe it's the Rock & Roll. Maybe it's the long hair. Maybe it's the cheesiness. Maybe it's the clothing. Whatever it is; it's the 80's in song-form.

EDIT: Ooooh....Kenbo Slice right below me has a very strong contender as well.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

Everyone knows this is the ultimate 80's song:

 

[Daystar Clarion]

First thing that comes to mind.

An absolute killer of a track, perfectly encompasses the sound of that decade for me.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Just getting in at the tail-end of the 80s.

I know he's famous and iconic but it's just so awesome.

 

[purf]

Tough one. BUT! I'm in the process of moving and was packing records today. Among those, a pop-compilation from '88. I could just turn it around and throw a dart at the tracklist but I'm going to pick noscratchthat that specific one this one, because Samplers!


... and games!, right?

 

[Frezzato]

Hmm. I'm going to have to go with three:

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Naked Eyes

or

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Dexy's Midnight Runners

or

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Adam Ant

.

The hell am I thinking? This is the penultimate 80's song:

Spoiler

 

[shootthebandit]

Spoiler: some the iconic hits that epitomise the 80s

Edit: general rule of thumb if its on the vice city soundtrack (the best soundtrack ever) then it should be on here

 

[PsychicTaco115]

So '80s that even people today rush out to get their Nintendo Entertainment Systems and watch manly action movies whenever they hear it

 

[Casual Shinji]

Ah fuck it, the good ones are already taken, so I'm just gonna post some from nostalgia.

Spoiler

Spoiler

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[viscomica]

Anything by Journey sounds like the heart and soul of the 80s to me.
Also... "wake me up before you go go" and "your love" (I don't remember from what bands they were)

 

[Total LOLige]

First thing that comes to mind.

An absolute killer of a track, perfectly encompasses the sound of that decade for me.

I partially agree with this, in that a Tears For Fears song is the most 80s but for me it has to be Shout.

You just can't help but sing along.

 

[stroopwafel]

Also... "wake me up before you go go" and "your love" (I don't remember from what bands they were)

Wham or George Michaels probably? The '80s was the pinnacle of corny music. There was also a lot of really good stuff like Madonna wss really at the top of her game in the 80s. Anyways the one song that is like a time warp for me is this one:





Love this song. <3 It helped me through many a heartbreak.

 

[Private Custard]

This thread needs more classic movie tunes!

Spoiler: source, for those that somehow missed this one!

 

[Gottesstrafe]

I Ran by A Flock of Seagulls, of course.


It's quintessentially the 80's in a nutshell if that opening riff didn't give it away. It has bad hair, cheesy production values, bloomed and synthed out the ass, large plastic sunglasses, excessive use of mirrors and fog, and the song writer was probably high on cocaine, possibly aliens. The only things missing are bright pastels, fingerless gloves, sport coats on t-shirts, Reagan, and jokes about programming VCRs.

 

[alrekr]

I'd have to go with Danger Zone by ole K-Log

 

[Godhead]

This could be in part of me spending one too many days at National's Park, but I always think about this song when I think the 80's that isn't Iron Maiden.

 

[CaptainMidlands]

 

[Bobic]

Well, my personal picks have been taken already (in particular 'Safety Dance', 'Africa' and 'Take on Me') so I'll go with some lesser known gems.

First, with insane cheese, a song unashamedly about silly sci-fi nonsense, and of course plenty of synth, I give you Styx!


And then, sticking with the sci fi theme, I give you one of the more absurd eighties music trends.


Now, that choice isn't so much the song itself, but it's source. That was the song that was chosen to go over the credits of a violent, dystopian, Arnie Action Extravaganza, with no irony whatsoever (well, no more irony than is usually present in silly Arnie films). That is the kind of weird baffling decision that only happened in the 80's (seriously Commando, First Blood, and probably others, end with similar cheesy tunes too, this one's just my favourite), so the combination of a cheesy 80's macho action film, and cheesy 80's rock, make for the 80's-est song possible. It's 80's^2.

 

[Vault101]

snip.

I love 80's synth and I take that shit dead serious, only in the 80's would you have a film set in 1914 about Australians going to Galipoli to fight the war....and it have a synth soundstrack...imagine lord of the rings if it was synth awsomness?

for some throwback stuff I'd recomend Lazerhawk, Powerglove and Kavinsky...also some of Celldwellers stuff (his more recent work)

OT: its a reeeeeaaly hard choice but I'm actually gonna go with "Push it" by Salt'n Peppa

reason being as much as I love that song it hasn't aged well...which is what makes it awsome becase its so unashamed of its outdatedness

EDIT: that or "jump" by Van Halen

how many synths can you put in one song?

ALL THE SYNTHS!!!