Welcome back to this week’s Countdown! Today’s songs bring me back to a great time. Well, I suppose any week of ’80s music brings us back to a great time.
If you want to listen to this great music, you can click on the song title to get the YouTube video, and you can click on the album cover to get the song on Amazon.
New, let’s return to the week ending November 8, 1986, and continue the countdown on, One, Two, One, Two, Three, Four!
30. “A Matter of Trust” by Billy Joel
29. “Throwing It All Away” by Genesis
28. “Heartbeat” by Don Johnson
27. “Somebody’s Out There” by Triumph
26. “Freedom Overspill” by Steve Winwood
25. “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles
24. “Girl Can’t Help It” by Journey
23. “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” by Wang Chung
22. “To Be a Lover” by Billy Idol
21. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by Aretha Franklin
What a way to go out! What do you think of the countdown so far this week? Come back tomorrow as we continue this week’s countdown.
Welcome back to this week’s Top 40 Countdown! If you missed the previous songs, you can go ahead and check out 
Bucks Fizz was a U.K. pop group that had enormous success in Europe from 1981-84. Although they had no hits in the U.S., they had a string of top 10 hits in the early ’80s. This song was their 6th Top 10 hit.
This song by the synth-pop group, would peak at #3 in the U.K. It did not chart on the Mainstream U.S. chart, but did hit #1 in the U.S. Dance Clubs. I love this band, and Alison Moyet’s voice is so mesmerizing for me.
This one is a bit familiar to everyone around the world. This was the opening track on Thriller, and the fourth single released. It would peak right here this week at #8 in the U.K., and reach #5 in the U.S.
I love me some play on words! I had never heard of this group before. This was The Australian group’s most successful single, peaking right here this week at #7.
Has anybody seen the Elton John movie, Rocketman? I haven’t seen it yet, but I heard it wasn’t that great. Anyway, this was one of Elton John’s biggest hits of the ’80s. It would peak at #5 in the U.K. and #4 in the U.S.
This was the third single released from Wham!’s debut album, Fantastic. I was not familiar with this song. If I had heard of it when it was first released, I would have made fun of it. I was in the beginning of my rocker phase, and Wham! singing about bad boys would have been funny to me.
Here’s another smash hit that is very familiar tom U.S. audiences. This is pretty much Irene Cara’s signature song. This is the theme song for the iconic ’80s movie Flashdance.
Here is a smash hit by the late, great David Bowie, from his iconic Let’s Dance album. This song was written by Bowie and Iggy Pop in 1977, and actually first appeared on 
Here is another music legend. This song was Rod Stewart’s final #1 single in the U.K. As the decade went on, Stewart was actually more popular in the U.S. He had a huge amount of success with his Out of Order album in the U.S. This song, from his Body Wishes album, peaked at #14 in the U.S.
And we wrap up this week’s countdown with what I consider one of the most overrated and overplayed songs of the ’80s. There were so many much better songs on their Synchronicity album. However, this is the one that became their signature song. It was a #1 hit in the U.S. for 8 straight weeks, and was #1 here in the U.K. for 4 straight weeks. I may think the song is overrated, but there’s no denying its success. And it does give me nostalgia for the ’80s. So there’s that.
The Midge Ure-led New Wave band never charted high in the U.S. However, this is a different story in the U.K. where they scored seven Top 10 albums and seventeen Top 40 singles. This song, from their 6th album Quartet, would peak at #18.
Mike Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist and composer. Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly, who had collaborated with Mike Oldfield since 1980, performed the vocals on this song. While it did not chart in the U.S., this song was a smash hit all over the rest of the world, topping the charts in many countries. It would peak at #4 here. In the U.S., Mike Oldfield may be best known for his 1973 song, “
Kajagoogoo was a one-hit wonder in the U.S. with their smash, “Too Shy”. But, they had a few more hits in the U.K., including this one. This was the third single released from their debut album White Feathers. It would peak at #13 here.
This is the first of two Top 40 hits for the Scottish band H2O. It was released just ahead of their debut album, Faith. It would peak right here at #17. Their follow-up single “
Marillion is a very cool Prog-Rock band from England. Unfortunately, they were never able to get a break in the States. But, they did have many hits in the U.K.
Long before Shaquille O’Neal came out with his Shaq Attaq sneaker line (which you would need to take out a second mortgage in order to afford), this jazz-funk band, Shakatak, went on a string of hits in the U.K. This song would peak right here at #15.
The legendary Bob Marley recorded this song in 1978. It was released on his posthumous 1983 album Confrontation. According to Wikipedia, the title and lyrics refer to the black U.S. cavalry regiments, known as “Buffalo Soldiers”, that fought in the Indian Wars after 1866. Marley linked their fight to a fight for survival, and recasts it as a symbol of black resistance.
The soulful Youngstown, Ohio native didn’t score very big in his home country. But, he had a big hit with this song in the U.K., where it peaked at #6. I like this song a lot. It has a “
Shalamar had limited success in the States, unfortunately. They should have been way bigger. But, our friends in the U.K. appreciated them! This song did do pretty well in the U.S., peaking at #22. But, it landed all the way up to #8 in the U.K. This was off of Shalamar’s album, The Look, which would be the final album with Jody Watley as part of the group as she would embark on a successful solo career.
Here is another song that was moderately successful in the States (charting at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100, #21 on the Soul singles chart and #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart), but shot up the charts in the U.K., peaking right here at #11.
The synth-pop group followed up their smash hit, “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)” with another Top 10 hit. In that previous song, they had sampled Leonard Nimoy’s voice from the Star Trek episode “Errand of Mercy”. In this song, they sampled William Shatner as James T. Kirk saying “It is useless to resist us” from the Star Trek episode, “Mirror, Mirror”, and James Doohan as Scotty saying “Let’s Go See!” from the Star Trek episode, “Wolf in the Fold”. They did not have any other top 10 hits after this song. Maybe they needed to sample Doctor McCoy saying “I’m a doctor, not a ____”.
Yes, Rick Astley had other songs besides “Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Together Forever”. Somebody better inform the ’80s radio stations and shows that are out there.
My second ’80s crush of this countdown! This was the first song released from Samantha’s third album, I Wanna Have Some Fun. I always loved her music. And 16-18 year old me really appreciated that every one of her songs at that time were about sex or love…but mostly sex. Pretty much the pop version of the band Kiss.
This was one of Sheena Easton’s biggest hits in the U.S., peaking at #2. After having a strong run throughout the early ’80s, this would be her final Top 10 hit. This song was written by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Daryl Simmons, who were quite the powerhouse at that time.
This awesome ballad would be Tiffany’s final Top 10 hit. I personally think she is very underrated. She has a very cool and unique voice, and puts a lot of emotion into her songs. And she is another ’80s artist who is still out there recording new music….most recently, 2018’s Pieces of Me.
Speaking of unique voices, here is another awesome power ballad. White Lion had a really good run in the late ’80s/early ’90s before they called it quits.
2-3-4!!! Bon Jovi was not slowing down one bit at this time. This was the 2nd single released from the New Jersey album, and was the 2nd of 5 Top 10 songs from that album alone. That was the most top 10 hits for any hard rock album.
Thanks Wikipedia for letting us know that the title is a reference to the phrase “doin’ the wild thing,” a euphemism for sex. Duh!!!! This song would peak at #2. It is a lot of fun. I do like rap with guitar and heavy drums. As usual, if a rap song has a great rock sound to it, that means it was stolen. In this case, it used an uncredited sample of Van Halen’s “Jamie’s Cryin'”. There was a lawsuit that was settled out of court.
This was the third song released from Paula Abdul’s Forever Your Girl album (after “Knocked Out” and “The Way That You Love Me”), but this is the one that shot her up to superstardom. This was the first week the song topped the charts, and would stay here for 3 weeks. She had a long string of hits in a short time after this. And the former Laker Girl already had a huge career as a choreographer in many, many music videos and blockbuster movies.
We’ll start off today’s songs with a little synth-pop action. There is no mistaking that this is an 80s song. Erasure had some awesome hits in the U.S. in the late 80s. And they were even bigger in the U.K., as they had 24 straight Top 40 hits there. And by 2009, 34 of their 37 chart-eligible singles and EPs had made the UK Top 40, with 17 climbing into the Top 10. They are still very active, and are constantly releasing new albums. The latest was 2018’s World Beyond.
This was the fourth single released from Taylor Dayne’s awesome debut album, Tell It to My Heart. This joins a list of songs about not rushing, such as this, “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off”, and “Keep Your Hands to Yourself”.
2 years after the release of the legendary Hysteria album, Def Leppard was still dominating the charts. This was the sixth single released off of the album, and had landed at #3.
This is one of those songs that did not look familiar to me at all. But once I heard the chorus, it all came back to me. This is a cute, fun R&B song. It would peak at #13 on this chart, and it was a #1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
In a decade full of incredible duets, this was one of my favorites. It doesn’t hurt that it is Ann Wilson from Heart and Robin Zander from Cheap Trick that are singing it. Also, it was written by Richard Marx, who knows his way around a power ballad. This was featured on the soundtrack to the 1988 film Tequila Sunrise starring Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell.
The second boy band entry on today’s list. I hate to admit it, but this song is kind of catchy. And the New Kids are local to me, so I won’t trash them. You can’t argue with their success. But, I’d rather watch an episode of Blue Bloods, starring Donnie, instead. They have been touring in recent years, and it sounds like they have been very successful tours. If anybody is willing to admit that they have seen them, please let me know how they are singing these songs. I don’t know if it would be cool and fun, or just weird.
Off of the Rattle and Hum album, this is not one of my favorite U2 songs.
This was the lead single from Karyn White’s debut, self-titled album. Even though I was definitely more into rock in these days, I still liked Karyn White a lot for some reason. This song was written and produced by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Daryl Simmons, and it was the first of four Top 10 singles from Karyn White.
80s CRUSH ALERT!!!! This would be Debbie’s biggest hit, staying at the top of the charts for 3 straight weeks. This was the first single released from her Electric Youth album, ensuring that there would be no sophomore slump. And this was the third song on today’s list for the teen crowd.
This was the debut single for Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. This was the beginning of the end of the ’80s. It could have easily blended in with the ’90s and the singer/songwriters from that period.
This is the song that will live in music-world infamy, as it was the song that was playing when Milli Vanilli were exposed as lip synchers. Up to that point, they were wildly popular, and even won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist (which they had to return). The sin wasn’t just that they were lip synching, but they were lip synching to somebody else’s vocals. Milli Vanilli get all the attention for the scandal. But, what I want to know is, what ever happened to the real singers, and how ugly could they have been in order to not be allowed to be seen?! They had a lot of great hits, so you would think they would have come out of the shadows, and performed for real.
This song did not sound familiar at all to me. It was actually Breathe’s debut single. It was released in the UK in early 1986. However, it did not chart very high at all, peaking at #77. But, after Breathe’s international success with “Hands to Heaven” and “How Can I Fall?”, “Don’t Tell Me Lies” was reissued, and became much more successful the second time around. It would become their third top 10 hit in the U.S., peaking at #10.
This is a song that I had forgotten about, but remembered when I just started playing it. It sounds very similar to “Wild Wild West”. It would peak right here at #28.
This was the highest charting single of Rod Stewart’s awesome Out of Control album, peaking at #4. It had originally been written for Barbara Mandrell to cover, but Rod Stewart took it instead. This song also features Duran Duran and Power Station guitarist, Andy Taylor.
As the decade was coming to a close, Duran Duran’s sound started changing a bit. Some of it may be due to the musical climate, and some of it may also be that they were now without Andy Taylor. This was Warren Cuccurullo’s first full album with Duran Duran after Andy Taylor’s departure.
This is my favorite Guns N’ Roses tune. “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child o’ Mine” rocked. But, they got way overplayed for me. But, I never got sick of this song at all. Each band member really stands out in this song.
Here is another song that I had forgotten about. I wish this got more airplay. It would be Steve Winwood’s fourth and final #1 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, and would peak at #11 on this chart. The music video was directed by famed director, David Fincher.
This is the second time we see Bobby Brown this week. This is a slower tempo song. It would reach all the way up to #3. The song was written by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
I bought the 45 of this song as soon as it was released. There was no need of that. You could not turn on the radio, or put on MTV, without hearing this song. I got so sick of this. This is another one that I like more now after I haven’t listened to it in a while. It was featured on the Buster soundtrack. Between this song, and “A Groovy Kind of Love” from that movie, I would have thought the movie would have been a smash hit. I don’t know a single person who has seen it, and I’m not even sure if it was released in the U.S.
This world-wide smash hit would top the U.S. charts next month. This is a very moving song, with Paul Carrack on vocals, as it addresses a son’s regret over unresolved conflict with his now-deceased father. It would be nominated for four Grammy awards in 1990, including Record and Song of the Year, as well as Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best Video.
This Bangles smash hit broke into the Top 40 right here. This ballad would eventually top the charts. After topping the charts with “Walk Like an Egyptian”, this song helped the Bangles be only the third all-female group to score multiple number-ones in the United States, after the Supremes and the Shirelles.
This was the second single released from the Up Your Alley album (after “I Hate Myself for Loving You”). This is one of those awesome songs that I had forgotten about. It has that classic late ’80s/early ’90s rock sound. It had peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
This is the second song in a row that I love, and had forgotten about! This came off of Money’s Nothing to Lose album, which had the big hit, “Walk on Water”.
Time to sound like a broken record…this is another one I vaguely remember. This was not as a big a smash as Minogue’s cover of “Locomotion”, but it is still a decent throwback to late ’80s pop. Kylie Minogue is still releasing new music to this day. She just released her 14th studio album, Golden, last year. Her single, “
I remember this song, but didn’t realize it was from the ’80s. This was released from Vanessa Williams’ debut album, The Right Stuff, and was her first top 40 and first number-one hit on the Billboard R&B chart, where it stayed at the top of the chart for two weeks.
And now we have the second awesome R&B ballad in a row. This was off of Anita Baker’s #1 smash hit album, Giving You the Best That I Got.
Unless you lived under a rock in the late ’80s, you know this song. It was Poison’s biggest hit, staying at the top of the chart for 3 straight weeks. I loved it when it was first released. But, it got exhausting hearing it everywhere all the time. Of course, some of that was self-inflicted, as I had the 45 of this song. After keeping my distance for a while, I do enjoy going back to this.
I always loved this song, from the great Chicago 19 album. I don’t remember the version from this video. There seems to be a lot of electric guitar in it, which is pretty cool. From September ’88 through this time of February ’89, I had a job working for the newspaper The Providence Journal. I would deliver papers for paper routes that did not have any paperboys. After that, I would go back to the office, and go back out and bring newspapers to people that called in, saying that they didn’t get their paper. So, while I was driving around delivering papers, Chicago 19 would be in heavy rotation in my car. Any of those songs immediately bring me back to that time.
I had totally forgotten about this song! It was the debut single of the Canadian synthpop band Kon Kan. I love this as it has that classic ’80s sound. It would be Kon Kan’s only top 40 hit inthe U.S.
Sadly, Bobby Brown is known more for his problems, including the train wreck involving the relationship between him and Whitney Houston. We forget how huge a star he was at this time in the late ’80s though. This song was a #1 hit. The album from which it came, Don’t Be Cruel, topped the Billboard 200 album charts, and spawned 5 top 10 hits. It was the best selling album of 1989.
I had never heard this song in my life. However, it had topped the charts in the U.K. This was Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s third single, aft “Relax” and “Two Tribes”. This song is often regarded as a Christmas song, even though it doesn’t reference Christmas in the song lyrics. But, the video and the single cover are kind of Christmas themed
Paul Young had a handful of hits in the U.S>, including the #1 smash, “Every Time You Go Away”. But, he was even bigger in the U.K. This was his 5th top 10 hit there, and “Every Time You Go Away” hadn’t even been released as a single yet! I was unaware of this song, but I am liking it now.
Wow, this worldwide smash hit had staying power in the U.K. It had been the #2 song for three weeks in September the previous year, and is still in the Top 10 here! The song even re-entered the UK Top 75 on November 2, 2008, at No. 49.
This is one of the most recognizable songs of the mid-80s, and was a worldwide smash hit, hitting the top 10 in 25 countries.
You Brits are mad! I love this! This 1956 children’s song was made into a punk rock song by Toy Dolls. It became a #4 hit.
And this is another children’s song from the animated film Rupert and the Frog Song. Except this isn’t a punk song. This is the early-mid 80s Paul McCartney style that sticks in your head whether you want it to or not.
We all know this power ballad by Foreigner. It was a Top 10 hit in many countries, and #1 in some of them. We’ve heard this song millions of times. But to mix things up, the YouTube link goes to the newly recorded version featuring Shriners Hospitals For Children patients. This is very cool! And the proceeds from this version, which was just released on January 1, 2019, go to Shriners Hospitals For Children. You can donate at 
Here is yet another worldwide smash. This was the lead single from the Like a Virgin album.
I love this song. However, when you start hearing it in stores in September and October, it’s a little ridiculous. I know it is after Christmas now, but I can understand that it is still charted this high at this point, because it was released in December. Wham! thought they would have had the Christmas song market cornered in December 1984. And they would have too, if it wasn’t for…
I still love this song, and it was for such a great cause. It is so funny to see how young everybody looks in the video! And I just figured this out. In this song, these awesome British artists asked to “Feed the World”. Later on in the year, U.S. artists came out and proclaimed “We Are the World”. Were they expecting to get fed? Greedy bastards! I am just kidding of course. Both songs, as well as Wham!’s “Last Christmas”, raised money for the people suffering the famine in Ethiopia.
Wow, Spandau Ballet did songs other than “True”?! I actually like this one better.
This is a cover of George and Ira Gershwin’s popular song from the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. It has been covered many times, including this version, from Bronski Beat’s debut album, which reached up to #16 on this chart.
The novelty act, Black Lace, is back with another hit! This is similar to Buster Poindexter’s “
Sal Solo had been the lead vocalist of Classix Nouveaux, as part of the New Romantic movement. He embraced the Roman Catholic faith after a pilgrimage to San Damiano, a small village in Italy near Piacenza. He began a solo career, scoring a hit with this song, which would peak at #15. After 1987, Solo stopped recording music commercially, and became active in youth ministry in the Catholic Church in the UK.
Here is the song from Chess that I did know about already, and love! Murray Head raps the verses and the chorus is sung by Anders Glenmark, a Swedish singer, songwriter and producer. For fans of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show, Murray Head is the brother of Anthony Stewart Head, who played Giles.
Smiley Culture was a reggae rapper. We did not hear this style music in the U.S. at this point. This was the supposedly autobiographical tale of how Smiley Culture was arrested for the possession of cannabis, but then let off in return for an autograph when the policeman recognized him as a famous reggae artist. In a cruel twist of irony, Smiley Culture died at the age of 48 in 2011 during a police raid on his home.
Nik Kershaw was huge in the U.K. through the mid-80s. He did not break through in the U.S. Most likely, U.S. audiences would mainly have seen him from his 
This was the first song released from the album Here’s to Future Days. It peaked right here at #13 in the U.K., and reached #14 on the U.S. charts. This song and “
Great song from the Emergency album! I owned the cassette, and the whole first side is flawless, in my opinion. I love the funky R&B sound of this song. It peaked at #11 here, and cracked the Top 10 in the U.S., peaking at #9 there.
My long-time readers and podcast listeners know of my love of rap, and how I loved to break out the cardboard and boom box, throw on my parachute pants, and throw down some break dance moves. Well, this is right in my wheelhouse! I love how the Chaka Khan/I Feel For You rap got mixed in here too.
Return to the 80s 