Stuck between the ’70s and ’90s, literally and figuratively, the ’80s reached its midpoint in a melting pot of styles: rock, pop, metal, new wave, alternative, soul, dance and more.
As selected by the UCR staff, the Top 40 Songs of 1985 were both from the past and looking forward in their sound. The old wave made room for the new, and artists who dominated the charts and concert stages just a decade earlier found themselves remade for a new era.
In only a few years, the playing field opened up even more, as alternative rock, electronic music and hip-hop discovered new ways to express themselves within the guidebooks laid out for them by previous generations. 1985 was not a turning point but a transitional year in which the promise of bold new frontiers was beginning to be mapped out. These records helped discover the path.
40. Stevie Wonder, “Part-Time Lover” (From In Square Circle)
Stevie Wonder‘s hitting streak didn’t end in the ’70s. He chalked up three more No. 1s in the first half of the ’80s, including a duet with Paul McCartney (“Ebony and Ivory”) and “Part-Time Lover,” the last of his nine chart toppers. The first single from In Square Circle – Wonder’s first proper album since 1980’s Hotter Than July – was a tribute to the singer and songwriter’s past – specifically, to fellow Motowners the Supremes‘ ’60s hits.
39. Eurythmics, “Would I Lie to You?” (From Be Yourself Tonight)
After three albums of synth-spiked new wave, Eurythmics dove straight into the R&B waters they had been testing at the start, thanks to Annie Lennox’s warm, soulful voice. Be Yourself Tonight was the duo’s genre crossover, tuning into tougher guitars and meatier arrangements while coaxing even more heat from Lennox. The album’s lead single is pushed along by trumpet, organ and a full-band backing that’s new-gen Stax.
38. USA for Africa, “We Are the World” (From We Are the World)
Inspired by the recently issued “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” a group of American artists – corralled by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones – gathered in a Los Angeles studio after a music awards show and recorded a charity single for Ethiopian famine relief. Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen and Tina Turner were among the era’s biggest artists. “We Are the World” brought them together and made millions.
36. (tie) David Bowie and Pat Metheny Group, “This Is Not America” (From The Falcon and the Snowman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Nobody was all that happy with David Bowie‘s Tonight, the 1984 follow-up to comeback record Let’s Dance, not even Bowie. So he began pairing with artists for temporary situations, like soundtrack recordings. “This Is Not America,” a collaboration with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny for the Sean Penn spy film The Falcon and the Snowman, is the best of them, a moody, noir-like setpiece that foreshadows Blackstar‘s similar course.
36. (tie) John Cougar Mellencamp, “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to ’60s Rock)” (From Scarecrow)
Much was made about John Cougar Mellencamp‘s shift to socially conscious music that accompanied his reclaiming his birth name a few years earlier. Scarecrow surveys the plight of the American farmer affected by Reaganomics during the first part of the ’80s and its impact on the community at large. The album’s last cut, the tossed-off “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.,” is a throwback to his and music’s past, a name-checking of ’60s greats.
35. ‘Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry” (From Voices Carry)
MTV’s influence could still be felt in 1985. The debut album from the Boston new wave band ‘Til Tuesday sounds like a record from a few years earlier that probably would have gone unnoticed by most in 1985 if not for its push by the four-year-old music video network. The title track “Voices Carry” went Top 10, but follow-up records weren’t as successful. By the early ’90s, leader Aimee Mann was stirring buzz as a solo artist.
34. R.E.M., “Can’t Get There From Here” (From Fables of the Reconstruction)
After two albums of jangle-inspired college rock, R.E.M. ditched their producer and regional studio to record in London with Englishman Joe Boyd, who worked with folk-rock royalty Fairport Convention and Nick Drake, among others, in the ’70s. Fables of the Reconstruction reset the American band’s methodology, from dark, meaty rockers to the positively weird and horn-dotted “Can’t Get There From Here,” its first single.
33. The Pogues, “A Pair of Brown Eyes” (From Rum Sodomy & the Lash)
With producer Elvis Costello at the helm, the Pogues‘ second LP is where their identity was defined: rowdy punk softened by traditional folk music. Composed by singer Shane MacGowan, “A Pair of Brown Eyes” reveals a writer with a nostalgic heart and knack for musical and lyrical tribute (the tune is centuries old, Johnny Cash pops up on a jukebox). Rum Sodomy & the Lash is a key ’80s album; this song helped make it one.
32. R.E.M., “Driver 8” (From Fables of the Reconstruction)
Unlike Fable of the Reconstruction‘s first single, the follow-up is textbook R.E.M. Where “Can’t Get There From Here” was brassy and much unlike the Americana-leaning indie rock of the group’s earlier records, “Driver 8” falls into a familiar pattern, down to the evocative imagery set by the words and music. It’s since become one of R.E.M.’s most covered songs, with Hootie and the Blowfish to Jason Isbell giving it a go over time.
READ MORE: Top 50 New Wave Songs
31. The Firm, “Radioactive” (From The Firm)
While Jimmy Page‘s Led Zeppelin bandmate Robert Plant jumped into a solo career after the band’s 1980 dissolution, the guitarist, save for a soundtrack recording, laid low during the first part of the decade. Then in 1985 he returned with former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers in the Firm, a short-lived supergroup that broke up after just one more album. “Radioactive,” their only Top 40, is a reminder of their unified strengths.
30. Tears for Fears, “Head Over Heels” (From Songs From the Big Chair)
It’s no small achievement that Tears for Fears managed to score a No. 1 album and song with a conceptual piece about sociopolitical and psychological conflict at a time when the pop charts were mostly dancing away problems inside and out. “Head Over Heels,” Songs From the Big Chair‘s third U.S. single, fourth in their native U.K., is no less complicated: a love song about emotional fragility. It made it to No. 3 in the States.
29. Husker Du, “Makes No Sense at All” (From Flip Your Wig)
Minneapolis punk trio Husker Du didn’t rest after their breakthrough 1984 LP, sprawling double Zen Arcade. They released two albums in 1985, New Day Rising and the quickly turned-around Flip Your Wig, which includes one of the band’s best singles, the 2:43 blitzkrieg “Makes No Sense at All.” The 7″ was paired with a cover associated with another Minneapolis legend: The Mary Tyler Moore Show theme, “Love Is All Around.”
28. Faith No More, “We Care a Lot” (From We Care a Lot)
The first version of “We Care a Lot,” with original Faith No More singer Chuck Mosley, might be the definitive version of the often rerecorded song (Mosley had another go at it in 1987, and the band continued to play it with Mosley’s replacement, Mike Patton). Lyrics changed over the years to fit the times: References to Madonna and Cabbage Patch Kids were later swapped for lines about Transformers and Garbage Pail Kids.
27. Ratt, “Lay It Down” (From Invasion of Your Privacy)
“Round and Round” almost took Los Angeles’ Ratt into the Top 10 in 1984 – quite the accomplishment for a glam-metal band during the era of Michael Jackson, Prince and Bruce Springsteen. For their follow-up record a year later, they stuck close to their debut’s playbook of slinky riffs and catchy choruses. “Lay It Down,” the lead single from Invasion of Your Privacy, made it to No. 40, the band’s last appearance in the Top 40.
26. The Waterboys, “The Whole of the Moon” (From This Is the Sea)
The Waterboys’ most popular song didn’t start with the enthusiastic support it receives today, though its place in the Scottish band’s canon was pretty much set from the beginning. Bandleader Mike Scott has cited The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis as inspiration for “The Whole of the Moon”: an artist who sees things on different levels. Musically, the Beatles, Prince and U2 show up for the rousing bigger-than-life anthem.
25. The Firm, “Someone to Love” (From The Firm)
Written by guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Paul Rodgers, the architects behind the blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em ’80s supergroup the Firm, “Someone to Love” is one of their self-titled debut‘s sturdiest tracks. Over a driven, Zeppelin-like riff, the former Bad Company singer closes in on Robert Plant territory as the rhythm section of bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Chris Slade build a solid foundation for the top-billed pair.
24. The Cure, “Close to Me” (From The Head on the Door)
The Cure was coming off one of their most dismal periods as they headed into their sixth album, The Head on the Door, in 1985. Bandleader Robert Smith‘s private issues plus the underwhelming 1984 LP, The Top, led to restructuring within the Cure. The result was their highest-charting record at the time and a newer, lighter approach to the music. “Close to Me” blends bubbly new wave, murky post-punk and irresistible pop.
23. Madonna, “Crazy for You” (From Vision Quest)
Like a Virgin proved that Madonna was around for the long run. In addition to carryover singles from her 1984 album, the only new songs she released in 1985 were found on movie soundtracks: “Into the Groove” from Desperately Seeking Susan, which she starred in, and this sultry ballad from the high school wrestling drama Vision Quest. “Crazy for You” became her second No. 1; Madonna was untouchable after this.
22. A-ha, “Take On Me” (From Hunting High and Low)
Known as much for its groundbreaking video as its musical merit, a-ha’s “Take On Me” helped break the Norwegian synth-pop trio worldwide upon its wide release in 1985 (a different, earlier version hit No. 3 in their homeland the year before). The group had one more chart single off Hunting High and Low before disappearing from the U.S. radar at the end of the ’80s. They’ve continued to release and chart records elsewhere.
21. Huey Lewis and the News, “The Power of Love” (From Back to the Future: Music From the Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Like other artists in 1985, Huey Lewis and the News couldn’t resist putting a song on the big screen; unlike the others, that movie, Back to the Future, is an enduring classic from the year. “The Power of Love,” their first No. 1, has little to do with the film’s theme of going back in time and messing with life’s chain of events, though the band has another song on the soundtrack, “Back in Time,” that fits. “Power of Love” is the keeper.
20. Madonna, “Into the Groove” (From single)
“Into the Groove,” one of Madonna’s best songs, was never released as a single in the U.S., even though she was one of her country’s biggest artists following her second album in 1984, Like a Virgin. Instead, the song – written as a dance number with nothing deeper suggested – was issued as a B-side to the 12″ of “Angel,” Virgin‘s middling third single. It was also showcased in Madonna’s film debut, Desperately Seeking Susan.
READ MORE: Top 30 Albums of 1975
19. Robert Palmer, “Addicted to Love” (From Riptide)
Robert Palmer had been making music for two decades when he went supernova in 1985 with the third single from Riptide, his eighth album. Produced by Chic bassist Bernard Edwards and featuring guitar from Duran Duran‘s Andy Taylor – both were Palmer bandmates in the Power Station side project – “Addicted to Love” was aided by one of the era’s most popular and duplicated videos. It’s a great song, too.
18. The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary” (From Love)
The Cult‘s defining sound begins to take shape on their second album, Love, a record as steeped in post-punk goth as it is in balls-out hard rock. “She Sells Sanctuary,” the album’s lead single and centerpiece song, starts the transition with a wall of guitar noise that sounds like new doors opening for the band. The Cult’s alternative leanings would be chiseled away more by their next album in 1987. This is where they start to build.
17. Duran Duran, “A View to a Kill” (From A View to a Kill)
Few bands were bigger than Duran Duran when they were tapped to write and record the theme song for the 14th James Bond film. It helped that bassist John Taylor was a big 007 fan. “A View to a Kill” was the last song by the band’s original lineup before a 15-year split and, more importantly, the only Bond song to reach No. 1. Chic’s Bernard Edwards lends a production hand, a carryover from Duran offshoot the Power Station.
16. INXS, “What You Need” (From Listen Like Thieves)
INXS was building buzz outside their native Australia when their fifth album arrived in 1985. Listen Like Thieves catapulted to No. 11 as its first single, “What You Need,” went Top 5, then their highest chart placements in the U.S. The song was written after producer Chris Thomas told the band they needed a hit on their new LP. The new wave funk proved so successful that INXS built their next album, the massive Kick, around it.
15. The Replacements, “Bastards of Young” (From Tim)
After three punk-approved indie albums, Minneapolis’ the Replacements stepped to the big leagues for Album 4, Tim, a record marked by myriad problems, from guitarist Bob Stinson’s increasing unreliability to production conflicts behind the scenes. Meanwhile, singer and songwriter Paul Westerberg was moving beyond the band’s earlier two-minute punk blasts. The all-grown-up “Bastards of Young” sets an alt-rock template.
14. New Order, “The Perfect Kiss” (From Low-Life)
By 1985 New Order‘s transformation from brooding post-punks Joy Division to synth-pop aristocracy was complete. No longer hiding behind their past musical mask, the quartet pushed the pop quotient to the front on their third album, no more so than on the excellent lead single “The Perfect Kiss.” The band claims they have no idea what the song is about; the dark, underlying themes poke through the glossy exterior either way.
13. ZZ Top, “Sleeping Bag” (From Afterburner)
The MTV-driven success of Eliminator in 1983 made ZZ Top one of the year’s surprise breakout bands; the mix of synths and drum machines applied to their ’70s bluesy boogie yielded three popular singles. It wasn’t much of a shock when the Texas trio returned with their ninth album in 1985, with the hit recipe repeated. “Sleeping Bag,” Afterburner‘s first single, hit No. 8, tying “Legs” for their highest charting song.
12. Aerosmith, “Let the Music Do the Talking” (From Done With Mirrors)
With their eighth album in 1985, Aerosmith welcomed a return to their original lineup; it took a couple of more years before it was called a comeback, but Done With Mirrors was a step in that direction. Still shaking off the cobwebs, the band was short on new material, so they dusted off a song first recorded by guitarist Joe Perry‘s solo group in 1980. “Let the Music Do the Talking” led the album as the band’s new manifesto.
11. Talking Heads, “And She Was” (From Little Creatures)
Talking Heads was one of the most restless groups of the ’80s, jumping from world music to club sounds to Americana, on their 1985 album Little Creatures. But this being an art-centric New York City band, the shift toward the heartland amounts to small moments – steel guitar here, accordion there – rather than a grand leap. “And She Was,” a highlight of the LP, turns fanciful and showy – in other words, classic Talking Heads.
10. Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing” (From Brothers in Arms)
“Money for Nothing” is a pure product of its era: distorted guitar tone borrowed from ZZ Top, backing vocals by the freshly solo Sting and a tailor-made video enthusiastically aired by MTV. It made Dire Straits unexpected pop stars in 1985, with parent album Brothers in Arms going to No. 1 and the song – two workers complain about MTV – reaching the same position for three weeks. Multiple Grammy nominations followed.
9. Motley Crue, “Home Sweet Home” (From Theatre of Pain)
Motley Crue was best known for Sunset Strip rockers such as “Looks That Kill” and a cover of “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” when they released “Home Sweet Home” as a single in the fall of 1985. The song about life on the road, and accompanied by a verite video of the band on- and backstage, helped launch the ’80s power ballad, giving previously brittle hard-rock groups license to let down their guards once in a while.
8. John Cougar Mellencamp, “Small Town” (From Scarecrow)
“Pink Houses” helped John Mellencamp shed some of the manufactured image he’d been bristling under since the late ’70s; 1985’s Scarecrow is where he finally finds his voice. Heartland rock made in the American heartland, with an original singer-songwriter at the reins, the LP paved a way for like-minded artists to follow. “Small Town” sums up Mellencamp’s ethos in less than four minutes: “I can be myself here.”
READ MORE: Top 40 Songs of 1975
7. The Cure, “In Between Days” (From The Head on the Door)
Shedding the doom-and-gloom tag that had hounded them from the early part of the ’80s, the Cure is in pure jubilation mode in the first single from The Head on the Door. Robert Smith follows the springy acoustic guitar note for note as he glides along a Day-Glo melody. It was an obvious bid and choice for a pop single; it worked: “In Between Days” was the Cure’s first song to crack Billboard’s Hot 100. More was to come.
6. Bangles, “Manic Monday” (From Different Light)
Prince was so hot in 1985 that even the songs he gave away were huge. “Manic Monday” was originally slated for his female trio Apollonia 6 before he gave it to another all-women group, Los Angeles power pop quartet the Bangles. Released as a single at the tail end of 1985 and included on the group’s 1986 album Different Light, the paisley-colored “Manic Monday” made Bangles stars and furthered Prince’s hit streak.
5. Prince and the Revolution, “Raspberry Beret” (From Around the World in a Day)
Prince could do no wrong in 1985. He emerged as 1984’s biggest artist, quite a coup considering Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen dominated the charts. So when it came time to make Purple Rain‘s follow-up, Around the World in a Day, he filled it with leftover studio tracks, longish experimental pieces and pop candy such as “Raspberry Beret,” a sex-in-the-barn psychedelic romp complete with finger cymbals and strings.
4. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (From Southern Accents)
Problems plagued Tom Petty‘s sixth album from the start. Originally conceived as a concept LP about the South, Southern Accents lost its theme partway through; then Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart was brought in to produce some new songs. And then Petty smashed his hand in a fit of rage. Stewart’s glistening synth-pop is out of place with the Heartbreakers, but resistance to “Don’t Come Around Here No More” is futile.
3. Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill” (From Hounds of Love)
Make no mistake: “Running Up That Hill” was always a great song from Kate Bush‘s best album. But its return success in 2022, thanks to its placement in the Stranger Things TV show, made it an even bigger and greater song. Methodically built over five musically intense minutes – notice how the drums and Bush’s voice compete for space by the song’s end – “Running Up That Hill” is a masterclass in record construction.
2. Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (From The Breakfast Club [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack])
Soundtracks were the go-to destination for many artists in 1985, with films – and quickly sourced music videos from them – an easy means of delivering new work that didn’t have more permanent spots in artists’ catalogs. Glasgow band Simple Minds couldn’t even crack the Billboard Hot 100 before “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”; their U.S. debut went straight to No. 1 with help from the box-office Brat Pack hit The Breakfast Club.
1. Tears for Fears, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (From Songs From the Big Chair)
A deep, sometimes overbearing theme conceptualizing and pulling together their second album; a synth-pop duo from England that barely cracked the U.S. charts their first time around. It isn’t exactly the ingredients to make up not only one of the best songs of the ’80s but a No. 1 hit in places that didn’t even know the group existed a year before. But Tears for Fears became a huge success in 1985 with their sophomore album, Songs From the Big Chair, and its run of hit singles, starting with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” a seemingly unassuming pop song that gets heavier and more complex upon investigation. Maybe that’s why it became one of the year’s biggest hits. Or perhaps it’s just a great song, an instantly likable and a melodically precise work that comes around only a few times every decade.
25 Under the Radar Albums From 1975
You already know the Dylan, Springsteen and Zeppelin classics that came out that year. Now it’s time to go deeper.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
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