As you know I am really big on charts and countdowns, well here's another one. I have a book called "Totally awesome 80's" by Matthew Rettenmund and he lists what he thinks are the quintessential 80s songs. Here they are:

80 Sweet child o' mine-Guns N' Roses
79 Owner of a lonely heart-Yes
78 A girl in trouble (is a temporary thing)-Romeo Void
77 With or without you-U2
76 Rapper's delight-Sugarhill Gang
75 Don't forget me (when I'm gone)-Glass Tiger
74 Mr Roboto-Styx
73 We don't have to take our clothes off-Jermaine Stewart
72 Oh L'Amour-Erasure
71 Tell it to my heart-Taylor Dayne
70 Perfect way-Scritti Politti
69 Rock you like a hurricane-Scorpions
68 Push it-Salt N Pepa
67 Muscles-Diana Ross
66 The politics of dancing-Re-Flex
65 Nobody-Sylvia
64 The sweetest taboo-Sade
63 Back on the chain gang-Pretenders
62 Elvira-Oak Ridge Boys
61 Africa-Toto
60 Edge of seventeen-Stevie Nicks
59 Blue Monday-New Order
58 Don't you want me-Jody Watley
57 I just called to say I love you-Stevie Wonder
56 Hangin' tough-New Kids on the Block
55 Kids in America-Kim Wilde
54 Party all the time-Eddie Murphy
53 Eye of the tiger-Survivor
52 Girl you know it's true-Milli Vanilli
51 Hurts so good-John Cougar
50 Love will tear us apart-Joy Division
49 Shout-Tears for Fears
48 Hold on to the night-Richard Marx
47 Pump up the volume-M/A/R/R/S
46 Carribean queen-Billy Ocean
45 Cum on feel the noixe-Quiet Riot
44 Bette Davis eyes-Kim Carnes
43 Islands in the stream-Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
42 Sister christian-Night Ranger
41 Jump (for my love)-Pointer Sisters
40 Abracadabra-Steve Miller Band
39 Walk this way-Run-DMC and Aerosmith
38 Major Tom (coming home)-Peter Schilling
37 Valley girl-Frank and MoonUnit Zappa
36 Fresh-Kool and the Gang
35 I beg your pardon-Kon Kan
34 Rumors-Timex Social Club
33 Shattered dreams-Johnny Hates Jazz
32 (I just) died in your arms-Cutting Crew
31 Maneater-Daryl Hall and John Oates
30 Electric avenue-Eddy Grant
29 Two of hearts-Stacey Q
28 Walking on sunshine-Katrina and the Waves
27 Every breath you take-Police
26 Touch me-Samantha Fox
25 Somebody's watching me-Rockwell
24 Hold me now-Thompson Twins
23 Come go with me-Expose
22 Jungle love-The Time
21 Hot girls in love-Loverboy
20 She bop-Cyndi Lauper
19 Jessie's girl-Rick Springfield
18 Our house-Madness
17 Don't you want me-Human League
16 867-5309/Jenny-Tommy Tutone
15 Rock the casbah-Clash
14 Der Kommisar-After The Fire
13 West end girls-Pet Shop Boys
12 Gloria-Laura Branigan
11 Never gonna give you up-Rick Astley
10 I can't wait-Nu Shooz
9 Bad-Michael Jackson
8 Born in the USA-Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
7 What have you done for me lately-Janet Jackson
6 Greatest love of all-Whitney Houston
5 Don't you (forget about me)-Simple Minds
4 Heat of the moment-Asia
3 Obsession-Animotion
2 Too shy-Kajagoogoo
1 Let's go crazy-Prince and the Revolution

Gotta love a countdown with Prince at #1. I question a lot of the choices but all in all not too bad. I question the lack of some choices as well.

I think "Take on me" by A-Ha should be on there...and anything by Madonna.

I think "Oh L'Amore" should be taken off for "Chains of love" or "A little respect".

"Bad" shouldn't be top 10 but "Billie Jean" or "Beat it" should

"She bop" is cool and all but what about "Girls just want to have fun"

Let's hear your thoughts now, what do you think he should have added and what songs should be changed?

I think Ozzy Osboune's "shot in the dark" perfectly captures the feels of 80's hair metal and should be on there or maybe that's better off in a hard rock category, this chart is mostly pop. And van halen's "jump" should be on there.

I'm going to have to take a closer look at this one but one thing's for sure - HE LEFT OUT DEPECHE MODE!!! *tsk* :mad: How dare he :p ;) Oh well - 80 songs could never cover the 80s for me anyway so I'd always be displeased about something. It takes at least a 2CD for each year to make a decent compilation.......

No Depeche Mode!! Not even Just Can't Get Enough, but Samantha Fox made it into #26. I guess the guys from DM didn't have the chest it took to get in. :lol:

What? No Duran Duran? How can you have an 80's list without Duran Duran. I agree with the others on Depeche Mode as well. Also I would have Culture Club, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard.

WOW, you are right Stacy! At least "Hungry like the wolf". If I added Ozzy I would put "Crazy train" in. As for Depeche Mode, as much as I love them, their biggest hits in the US (which is what this list is representing) were "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the silence" both from 1990. "People are people" was a top 40 hit but not exactly a huge hit. "Karma chameleon" would be a great choice too.

No A-ha or Depeche...... He should be bitchslapped!

He has NKOTB and no Duran Duran or Depeche Mode?! This guy on crack? :laugh: Decent list, but as has been mentioned....lacking big time :p

Hmm...yes, this list is definetly centered on the U.S., but is still lacking of some artists who were either influential or had left their marks in the 80s.

I'm thinking of DEVO...B-52's...FOREIGNER...ZZ TOP...and so many more; while other artists were way overrated, regarding their position in the list (Nu Shooz on #10?).
Generally, I think that it's almost impossible to create a Top 100 of 80s music, since there were so many new artists and styles (after the relative static 70s with exception of the last 3 years of that decade) - you couldn't even cover it with a Top 1000 IMHO.

Other (sometimes even in the U.S.) important/influential artists:

Front 242
Modern Talking (you may loathe their music, but you can't deny that they were extremely successful :D)
INXS
Nik Kershaw
Motörhead
Slayer
Anthrax
Beastie Boys
Public Enemy
LL Cool J
Kraftwerk (hi daffy ;))
Soft Cell

...and so on...

No Olivia!?! Wasn't Physical on the 80s charts for like 13 weeks or something? He should have atleast that one mentioned.

No Pat Benatar? I think "Love Is A Battlefield," "We Belong," or "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" should have made one spot.