The quintessential 80s pop song?

[Chester]

Objectively () west end girls ticks all boxes for a quintessential 80s song.

It’s an electronic rap song, and too ahead of its time to be considered quintessential 80’s pop…..in my opinion

 

[Puddingbuks]

Can’t stop posting other candidates.

https://youtu.be/0sajngb0W6I

 

[Puddingbuks]

 

[DWPress]

Lots of great stuff, thanks to all for omitting the hair metal. This thread is a giant time suck!

This. Still relevant 40 years later...

 

[mhardy6647]

Oh yeah!

Or how about one of those el cheapo cover version albums.

Well, the K-Tel universe was pretty low-rent.
(but, yeah, at least it was the original artists/recordings, if poorly transferred and typically faded in and/or out, radio style, instead of the full tracks)

 

[zman01]

Till Tuesday - Voices Carry

 

[eddantes]

I can't believe you people! 5 pages of posts on ultimate 80s tune and this isn't here?

 

[eddantes]

I'll add one more... Us kids who hungered for that synth sound, found our way here early in the 80s

 

[eddantes]

You bastards... My Spotify algorithm is gonna be so messed up now...

 

[Zaireeka]

 

[dBiz]

 

[ryanosaur]

With the Bangles, mentioned above... We can't forget about Walk Like An Egyptian!

 

[Zaireeka]

Special french pop, amongst so many gems...

 

[Scott Lanterman]

Robert Palmer, Addicted to Love. Bored models but quite a catchy tune caught some of the good and bad of the time.

 

[ryanosaur]

How about...

Samantha Fox, Touch Me

...And as somebody mentioned the Divinyls earlier... We can't leave out I Touch Myself:

 

[poxymoron]

80's music was much maligned in the 90's and maybe a bit later but there really are so many cracking tunes from that era. Can't disagree with too many of what you guys posted. I'll have a listen over the weekend to the ones I'm not familiar with.

 

[ryanosaur]

80's music was much maligned in the 90's and maybe a bit later but there really are so many cracking tunes from that era. Can't disagree with too many of what you guys posted. I'll have a listen over the weekend to the ones I'm not familiar with.

I think the overt Pop-candy and dated synth sounds of so much of the music ran afoul after a little bit. You really see the burgeoning Indy/College music scene start to make a big point of departure from the rest of 80's Pop.
Production values (fortunately) changed for the better in many cases. Bands started emoting more in other cases, or dealing with less ridiculous subject matter for weightier topics sometimes.

I think a lot of folk were glad to be away from the general vibe for a bit and it was a much needed break in order to allow many of us to look back and remember that it wasn't all bad. A lot was... ...but not all.

 

[JaMaSt]

Beyond obvious.

 

[Scott Lanterman]

October 3, 1988. Maybe not quintessential but still complaining about the egocentrism of the 80's.

 

[Timcognito]

A very good Compilation

Title Artist(s)
-=-=- -=-=-=-=-
I Wanna Be Sedated The Ramones
What I Like About You The Romantics
Lucky Number Lene Lovich
Never Say Never Romeo Void
Mexican Radio Wall Of Voodoo
People Who Died Jim Carroll Band
I Melt With You Modern English
Our Lips Are Sealed The GoGo's
Sex (I'm A...) Berlin
Election Day Arcadia
Behind The Wall Of Sleep The Smithereens
Love My Way The Psychedic Furs
Saved By Zero The Fixx
Poison Arrow ABC
Money Flying Lizards
Free Nelson Mandela The Specials