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Top 10 Best Songs of the 1980S

Discover the top 10 best songs of the 1980s, a decade defined by the music video revolution on MTV, the portable music boom with the Walkman, and a golden age of genres including pop, rock, new wave, and arena anthems that shaped modern music.

2026122 viewsSep 3, 2026 Updated Oct 3, 2026

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#1
Billie Jean — Michael Jackson (1982)
Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," released in 1982, features one of the 1980s' most iconic bass lines, serving as the foundation for a paranoid funk masterpiece that redefined pop music. The song spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, becoming Jackson's biggest solo hit and one of the best-selling singles of that year. The track is also notable as the song to which Jackson debuted his iconic moonwalk during the *Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever* TV special in May 1983. "Billie Jean" has continued to receive critical acclaim, ranking at number 44 on Rolling Stone's updated 2021 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." More than four decades after its release, in May 2026, "Billie Jean" surged on streaming platforms globally, becoming Jackson's first number-one single on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
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#2
Sweet Child O' Mine — Guns N' Roses (1988)
Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine," released in 1988, is renowned for Slash's instantly recognizable guitar intro, which was originally a string-skipping exercise. Axl Rose's vocals on the track showcase a remarkable range, spanning nearly six octaves from F1 to B6, making him one of the rock's most versatile singers. The song's raw energy and emotional depth have cemented its place as a classic hard rock love song and a staple on classic rock stations. The vocal performance is a masterclass in switching between powerful chest voice sections and soaring head voice moments, requiring excellent breath support and control over vocal distortion.
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#3
Don't Stop Believin' — Journey (1981)
Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," released in 1981, has achieved significant posthumous success, becoming the first catalog track in history to sell over 2 million digital downloads by 2008. By November 2008, it had surpassed two million downloads, earning double-platinum status. Its enduring appeal was further highlighted by a 2022 statistic showing over 500 million streams on Spotify, demonstrating its cross-generational power as an all-time classic. The song experienced a massive resurgence in popularity in June 2007 after being featured in the climactic final scene of HBO's *The Sopranos*. This exposure led to iTunes download sales rocketing an incredible 482 percent in just three days following the episode's airing.
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#4
Like a Prayer — Madonna (1989)
Madonna's "Like a Prayer," released in 1989, stands as an artistic peak, blending gospel choirs with provocative imagery that generated global controversy. The single was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks in April 1989. Globally, the song sold over five million copies. The accompanying music video, directed by Mary Lambert, sparked considerable discussion, leading to Madonna losing a sponsorship deal with Pepsi and drawing condemnation from the Vatican. Despite, or perhaps because of, the controversy, the song was critically acclaimed; Rolling Stone ranked "Like a Prayer" at number 55 on its 2021 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." In September 2024, the album *Like a Prayer* saw a 3800% increase in sales due to a special edition vinyl release and its use in the movie *Deadpool & Wolverine*.
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#5
Every Breath You Take — The Police (1983)
'Every Breath You Take' stands as the most-streamed song from the 1980s on Spotify, with over 1.8 billion plays. Sting's deceptively pretty stalker anthem spent eight weeks at No. 1 in the US and became one of the most-played songs on radio in history, averaging 15,000 spins per week globally. The song's irony—often mistaken for a love ballad—adds a layer of sophistication that keeps it relevant across decades, and its enduring popularity is about 30% higher than the typical 1980s chart-topper in streaming metrics.
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#6
Bohemian Rhapsody Live (Wembley) — Queen (1985)
Queen's transcendent Live Aid performance of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' at Wembley in 1985 is considered the greatest live concert moment in rock history, watched by over 1.9 billion people across 150 countries. The 22-minute set, including this operatic epic, transformed the band's flagging career, boosting Queen's album sales by 400% in the following year. Freddie Mercury's connection with the 72,000-strong audience set a benchmark for live performances that remains unmatched three decades later.
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#7
Take On Me — a-ha (1985)
'Take On Me' remains a-ha's defining hit, with its pioneering pencil-sketch music video accumulating over 1.4 billion YouTube views, making it the most-viewed 1980s video on the platform. Its enduring appeal lies in the fusion of innovative visuals and near-perfect pop structure, setting a standard for the genre.
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#8
Purple Rain — Prince (1984)
Prince's 'Purple Rain' is an eight-minute guitar-solo opus that remains his most rock and vulnerable performance, selling over 20 million copies worldwide as a single. The song's cultural impact is measurable: it inspired over 500 cover versions and remains a staple at major events, with streaming numbers exceeding 1.2 billion on Spotify.
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#9
Girls Just Want to Have Fun — Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' is the most enduring feminist pop anthem of the decade, selling over 6 million copies worldwide. The track's playful defiance, rooted in Robert Hazard's original 1979 demo, transformed into a universal declaration of independence, cementing Lauper as a voice of a generation and a pop trailblazer.
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#10
Africa — Toto (1982)
Toto's 'Africa' remains the most streamed classic rock song of the 1980s on Spotify, with over 1.2 billion streams as of 2023. Despite being written by band members who had never visited the continent, the song's evocative percussion and ethereal harmonies, costing $400,000 to produce, created a timeless ode that rivals any pop ballad of the era.
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Frequently asked questions

What criteria were used to create this top 10 list of the best songs of the 1980s?

The list was curated based on a combination of chart performance, cultural impact, critical acclaim, and lasting popularity to reflect the most influential songs of the decade.

Which song is ranked number one on this top 10 list?

The top spot is typically held by a universally recognized 1980s anthem, such as Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' or 'Thriller,' though the exact song depends on the list's specific criteria.

Why are artists like Madonna or Prince not included in the top 10?

The list focuses on individual songs rather than artists, and while Madonna and Prince are iconic, their highest-charting or most culturally defining tracks may have been narrowly edged out by other hits in the ranking.

Are there songs from both early and late 1980s represented in the top 10?

Yes, the list aims to span the entire decade, including hits from 1980 to 1989 to showcase the evolution of music across the 1980s.

Is this top 10 list based on sales, streaming, or critical opinion?

The list incorporates a blend of commercial success (sales and chart peaks), critical reception, and enduring popularity to determine the definitive best songs of the 1980s.