Playlist of the Week: Top 250 Songs of the ’80s

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Playlist of the Week: Top 250 Songs of the ’80s

Each week we’re featuring a playlist to get your mind going and help you assemble your favorites. This week we take a deep dive into the top Billboard hits of the ’80s. The ’80s featured music as varied as you’ll find in perhaps any generation, and the variety in this playlist reflects that diversity.

Here are the Top 250 Songs of the ’80s, with a few more added for honorable mention. We welcome your comments. What songs are ranked too high? What songs are ranked too low? What songs are missing? Make your case. Also, please let us know concepts for playlists you’d like to see — or share a favorite list of your own.

RankArtistTitleYear
1SIMPLE MINDSDon't You (Forget About Me)1985
2JOAN JETT/BLACKHEARTSI Love Rock 'N Roll1982
3BON JOVILivin' On A Prayer1986
4WHITESNAKEHere I Go Again1987
5JOURNEYDon't Stop Believin'1981
6BRYAN ADAMSSummer Of '691985
7RICK SPRINGFIELDJessie's Girl1981
8SOFT CELLTainted Love1981
9MODERN ENGLISHI Melt With You1982
10OUTFIELDYour Love1986
11DURAN DURANHungry Like The Wolf1982
12PAT BENATARHit Me With Your Best Shot1980
13BON JOVIYou Give Love A Bad Name1986
14DEF LEPPARDPour Some Sugar On Me1988
15JOHN C MELLENCAMPJack & Diane1982
16PAT BENATARLove Is A Battlefield1983
17EURYTHMICSSweet Dreams(Are Made Of This)1983
18MEN AT WORKDown Under1982
19AC/DCYou Shook Me All Night Long1980
20J. GEILS BANDCenterfold1981
21QUEENAnother One Bites The Dust1980
22BON JOVIWanted Dead Or Alive1987
23TOMMY TUTONE867-5309/Jenny1982
24GUNS N' ROSESSweet Child O' Mine1988
25EDDIE MONEYTake Me Home Tonight1986
26TOM PETTYFree Fallin'1989
27A-HATake On Me1985
28NAKED EYESAlways Something There To Remind Me1983
29JOURNEYSeparate Ways (Worlds Apart)1983
30INXSNeed You Tonight1988
31SURVIVOREye Of The Tiger1982
32JOURNEYAny Way You Want It1980
33DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERSCome On Eileen1983
34ROMANTICSWhat I Like About You1980
35POLICEEvery Breath You Take1983
36BILLY IDOLWhite Wedding1983
37OMDIf You Leave1986
38PHIL COLLINSIn The Air Tonight1981
39DON HENLEYBoys Of Summer1984
40BILLY IDOLMony Mony1987
41JOHN C MELLENCAMPSmall Town1985
42BLONDIECall Me1980
43COREY HARTSunglasses At Night1984
44A FLOCK OF SEAGULLSI Ran (So Far Away)1982
45TEARS FOR FEARSShout1985
46BILLY IDOLRebel Yell1985
47PINK FLOYDAnother Brick In The Wall1980
48VAN HALENJump1984
49STEVIE NICKSEdge Of Seventeen1982
50DEF LEPPARDPhotograph1983
51POLICEEvery Little Thing She Does Is Magic1981
52JOHN C MELLENCAMPHurts So Good1982
53YESOwner Of A Lonely Heart1983
5438 SPECIALCaught Up In You1982
55REO SPEEDWAGONTake It On The Run1980
56PRINCEWhen Doves Cry1984
57PETER GABRIELIn Your Eyes1986
58FIXXOne Thing Leads To Another1983
59HUMAN LEAGUEDon't You Want Me1981
60CUTTING CREW(I Just) Died In Your Arms1987
61CLASHRock The Casbah1982
62POISONEvery Rose Has Its Thorn1988
63TUBESShe's A Beauty1983
6438 SPECIALHold On Loosely1980
65PRINCE19991982
66PRINCELet's Go Crazy1984
67BRYAN ADAMSRun To You1984
68QUEEN/DAVID BOWIEUnder Pressure1981
69NIGHT RANGERSister Christian1984
70GUNS N' ROSESParadise City1988
71ZZ TOPSharp Dressed Man1983
72DAVID BOWIELet's Dance1983
73CYNDI LAUPERGirls Just Want To Have Fun1983
74SOFT CELLWhere Did Our Love Go1982
75BILLY IDOLDancing With Myself1981
76MEN AT WORKWho Can It Be Now?1982
77ROLLING STONESStart Me Up1981
78TEARS FOR FEARSEverybody Wants To Rule The World1985
79SCANDALThe Warrior f/Patty Smyth1984
80U2Pride (In The Name Of Love)1984
81U2I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For1987
82CLASHShould I Stay Or Should I Go1982
83EDDY GRANTElectric Avenue1983
84PAT BENATARWe Belong1984
85BILLY JOELIt's Still Rock And Roll...1980
86BRUCE SPRINGSTEENDancing In The Dark1984
87DEAD OR ALIVEYou Spin Me Round (Like A Record)1985
88U2With Or Without You1987
89GREG KIHN BANDBreakup Song1981
90TALKING HEADSBurning Down The House1983
91LOVERBOYWorking For The Weekend1981
92PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTIONKiss1986
93SCORPIONSNo One Like You1982
94ROBERT PALMERAddicted To Love1986
95FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOODRelax1984
96PRINCELittle Red Corvette1983
97JOHN C MELLENCAMPPink Houses1983
98MICHAEL JACKSONBillie Jean1983
99QUEENCrazy Little Thing Called Love1980
100PAT BENATARShadows Of The Night1982
101REO SPEEDWAGONKeep On Loving You1980
102ROMANTICSTalking In Your Sleep1983
103CARSYou Might Think1984
104POLICEDon't Stand So Close To Me1981
105GUNS N' ROSESWelcome To The Jungle1988
106BRYAN ADAMSCuts Like A Knife1983
107SCORPIONSRock You Like A Hurricane1984
108BILLY SQUIEREverybody Wants You1982
109WANG CHUNGDance Hall Days1984
110POISONNothin' But A Good Time1988
111AC/DCBack In Black1980
112AEROSMITHDude (Looks Like A Lady)1987
113DURAN DURANRio1982
114DEF LEPPARDAnimal1987
115AEROSMITHRag Doll1987
116PRINCERaspberry Beret1985
117MICHAEL JACKSONBeat It1983
118B-52'SLove Shack1989
119ZZ TOPLegs1984
120BRUCE SPRINGSTEENGlory Days1985
121BILLY SQUIERThe Stroke1981
122JOURNEYFaithfully1983
123ASIAHeat Of The Moment1982
124KENNY LOGGINSDanger Zone1986
125ROBERT PALMERSimply Irresistible1988
126'TIL TUESDAYVoices Carry1985
127TOM PETTYRunnin' Down A Dream1989
128HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWSPower Of Love1985
129TOM PETTYI Won't Back Down1989
130MADNESSOur House1983
131ANIMOTIONObsession1985
132OZZY OSBOURNECrazy Train1980
133KENNY LOGGINSFootloose1984
134RICK JAMESSuper Freak1981
135MEN WITHOUT HATSSafety Dance1983
136JOHN PARRSt Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)1985
137DEVOWhip It1980
138BON JOVIRunaway1984
139TEARS FOR FEARSHead Over Heels1985
140ZZ TOPGimme All Your Lovin1983
141DIRE STRAITSMoney For Nothing1985
142JOAN JETT/BLACKHEARTSI Hate Myself For Loving You1988
143BEASTIE BOYS(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right1986
144BLUE OYSTER CULTBurnin' For You1981
145STRAY CATSRock This Town1982
146DEF LEPPARDHysteria1988
147PET SHOP BOYSWest End Girls1986
148GEORGIA SATELLITESKeep Your Hands To Yourself1986
149FOREIGNERJuke Box Hero1981
150BANGLESWalk Like An Egyptian1986
151CARSShake It Up1981
152UB40Red Red Wine1983
153GO-GO'SOur Lips Are Sealed1981
154R.E.M.The One I Love1987
155GENESISThat's All1983
156DEF LEPPARDLove Bites1987
157FOREIGNERUrgent1981
158DEF LEPPARDRock Of Ages1983
159GO-GO'SWe Got The Beat1982
160SCANDALGoodbye To You1982
161INXSWhat You Need1986
162QUIET RIOT... On Feel The Noize1983
163JOHN CAFFERTY/BEAVER BROWN BNDOn The Dark Side1983
164GEORGE MICHAELFaith1987
165FINE YOUNG CANNIBALSShe Drives Me Crazy1989
166ROXETTEThe Look1989
167PRETENDERSBrass In Pocket1980
168VAN HALENPanama1984
169BANANARAMACruel Summer1984
170TOM PETTY/HEARTBREAKERSRefugee1980
171VAN HALENWhy Can't This Be Love1986
172CURELove Song1989
173AEROSMITHJanie's Got A Gun1989
174DEPECHE MODEPersonal Jesus1989
175DON HENLEYDirty Laundry1982
176R.E.M.It's The End Of The World As We Know It1988
177EURYTHMICSHere Comes The Rain Again1983
178MIDNIGHT OILBeds Are Burning1987
179TWISTED SISTERWe're Not Gonna Take It1984
180CARSMagic1984
181U2Where The Streets Have No Name1987
182MR. MISTERKyrie1985
183HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWSHeart And Soul1983
184BILLY JOELYou May Be Right1980
185WHEN IN ROMEThe Promise1988
186THOMPSON TWINSHold Me Now1984
187DAVID BOWIEModern Love1983
188KATRINA & THE WAVESWalking On Sunshine1985
189DON HENLEYAll She Wants To Do Is Dance1985
190AEROSMITHAngel1987
191INXSNew Sensation1988
192HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWSDo You Believe In Love1982
193RATTRound And Round1984
194STEVE PERRYOh Sherrie1984
195PROCLAIMERSI'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)1989
196RUSHTom Sawyer1981
197HOWARD JONESThings Can Only Get Better1985
198HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWSHeart Of Rock & Roll1984
199CYNDI LAUPERTime After Time1984
200JOHN C MELLENCAMPAuthority Song1984
201J. GEILS BANDFreeze-Frame1982
202PETER SCHILLINGMajor Tom (Coming Home)1983
203BRYAN ADAMSHeaven1985
204AFTER THE FIREDer Kommissar1983
205AEROSMITHLove In An Elevator1989
206BANGLESManic Monday1985
207HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWSI Want A New Drug1984
208CUREJust Like Heaven1987
209LOVERBOYTurn Me Loose1981
210JOHN WAITEMissing You1984
211HALL & OATESManeater1982
212BRUCE SPRINGSTEENBorn In The U.S.A.1984
213DURAN DURANThe Reflex1984
214MR. MISTERBroken Wings1985
215STEVIE NICKSStand Back1983
216BRYAN ADAMSSomebody1985
217U2New Year's Day1983
218HOOTERSAnd We Danced1985
219HEARTWhat About Love1985
220BILLY SQUIERLonely Is The Night1981
221TONE-LOCFunky Cold Medina1989
222GOLDEN EARRINGTwilight Zone1982
223PETER GABRIELSledgehammer1986
224JACKSON BROWNESomebody's Baby1982
225BON JOVIBad Medicine1988
226STEVE MILLERAbracadabra1982
227GENESISInvisible Touch1986
228REO SPEEDWAGONCan't Fight This Feeling1985
229AEROSMITHWhat It Takes1989
230EDDIE MONEYShakin'1982
231TOTOAfrica1982
232PRINCEI Would Die 4 U1984
233GREG KIHN BANDJeopardy1983
234GARY NUMANCars1980
235MADONNAInto The Groove1985
236JOURNEYWho's Crying Now1981
237GREAT WHITEOnce Bitten Twice Shy1989
238DEF LEPPARDFoolin'1983
239GO-GO'SVacation1982
240JOURNEYOpen Arms1982
241MADONNALike A Prayer1989
242NAKED EYESPromises, Promises1983
243INXSDevil Inside1988
244TOM PETTY/HEARTBREAKERSDon't Come Around Here No More1985
245DEF LEPPARDArmageddon It1988
246CROWDED HOUSEDon't Dream It's Over1987
247MOTLEY CRUEHome Sweet Home1985
248LOVERBOYLovin' Every Minute Of It1985
249STEVE WINWOODHigher Love1986
250STYXToo Much Time On My Hands1980
Honorable Mention
251YOUNG MCBust A Move1989
252EDDIE MONEYThink I'm In Love1982
253WANG CHUNGEverybody Have Fun Tonight1986
254KIM WILDEYou Keep Me Hangin' On1986
255WHITESNAKEIs This Love1987
256TALKING HEADSOnce In A Lifetime1980
257DEPECHE MODEPeople Are People1985
258POLICEWrapped Around Your Finger1983
259ROD STEWARTYoung Turks1981
260TONE-LOCWild Thing1988
261TOM PETTY/HEARTBREAKERSYou Got Lucky1982
262BRUCE SPRINGSTEENHungry Heart1980
263HEARTNever1984
264CLASHTrain In Vain1980
265JOHN C MELLENCAMPR-O-C-K In The USA1986
266GENESISLand Of Confusion1986
267MOTLEY CRUEGirls, Girls, Girls1987
268MADONNAHoliday1983
269GENESISMisunderstanding1980
270NENA99 Red Balloons1983
271PHIL COLLINSSussudio1985
272STEVIE NICKS/TOM PETTYStop Draggin' My Heart Around1981
273VAN HALEN(Oh) Pretty Woman1982
274KENNY LOGGINSI'm Alright1980
275PETE TOWNSHENDLet My Love Open The Door1980
276B-52'SRoam1989