61 articles
Kyrie (song)
Kyrie is a 1985 Mr. Mister pop rock single from Welcome to the Real World, written by Richard Page, Steve George, and John Lang; its Greek chorus "Kyrie eleison" (Lord, have mercy) topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in March 1986.
Lemon Tree (Fool's Garden song)
"Lemon Tree" (Fool's Garden song), credited to Peter Freudenthaler and Volker Hinkel, released late 1995 on Dish of the Day; number one in Germany for four weeks in 1996, six million copies sold, over 729 million Spotify streams.
Let's Dance (David Bowie song)
Let's Dance, David Bowie's March 1983 lead single co-produced with Nile Rodgers, became Bowie's biggest hit; title doubles as slang invitation to fight, artwork shows boxer pose.
Let's Go Crazy
"Let's Go Crazy" (1984) is a Prince and the Revolution rock-funk single opening the Purple Rain album and film; second single, released July 18, 1984 with B-side Erotic City; Billboard Hot 100 #1 for two weeks from September 29, 1984; re-recorded at The Warehouse with engineer Susan Rogers.
Life Is a Highway
Life Is a Highway is a 1991 Tom Cochrane song from Mad Mad World, No. 1 in Canada and No. 6 on the Hot 100, better known through Rascal Flatts' 8x Platinum 2006 Cars cover.
Listen to Your Heart (Roxette song)
"Listen to Your Heart" is a 1988 power ballad by Swedish duo Roxette, written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson for Look Sharp! It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1989 as Roxette's second US number one and was the first Hot 100 #1 never issued on vinyl 45.
Little Lies
Little Lies is a 1987 Fleetwood Mac song written by Christine McVie and Eddy Quintela for Tango in the Night; its third single, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 in the UK, distinct from the film, brand, and novels of the same name.
Live Is Life
"Live Is Life" (also rendered "Live is Life") is a 1984 live-recorded hit by Austrian band Opus, written by Ewald Pfleger in Oberwart; a 1985-86 European number-one and stadium anthem famous for Diego Maradona's 1989 warm-up video.
Love Is a Battlefield
"Love Is a Battlefield" is a 1983 Pat Benatar single from Live from Earth, written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight, produced by Neil Giraldo on a Linn Drum, a US No. 5 Grammy-winning hit.
Lovefool
"Lovefool" is a 1996 pop song by Sweden's The Cardigans, written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for First Band on the Moon; a Romeo + Juliet soundtrack hit that topped US airplay charts and reached UK No. 2.
Maneater (Hall & Oates song)
"Maneater" is a 1982 Hall & Oates song from H2O (RCA), written by Hall, Oates, and Sara Allen; four weeks at US No. 1 from 18 December 1982, UK No. 6, the duo's biggest hit.
Manic Monday
Manic Monday: 1986 Bangles hit written by Prince under the pseudonym Christopher, originally recorded in 1984 for Apollonia 6; reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 behind Prince's Kiss and peaked at number 2 in the UK.
MMMBop
MMMBop is Hanson's 1997 debut single, written by the three Oklahoma brothers, reworked from a slow 1996 indie track by the Dust Brothers, number one in at least 12 countries and a three-time 1998 Grammy nominee.
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now: 1987 Starship power ballad by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, produced by Narada Michael Walden, from Mannequin and No Protection; US and UK number one.
Purple Rain (song)
"Purple Rain" (1984) by Prince and the Revolution: ballad recorded live at First Avenue, Minneapolis, edited from 13 to 8:41 minutes; peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100; Rolling Stone's #1 guitar solo.
Raspberry Beret
Raspberry Beret: 1985 Prince and the Revolution single, lead track of Around the World in a Day, the first Paisley Park Records release. Recorded 1982, reworked 1984; US Hot 100 No. 2, UK No. 25.
Real Love (Beatles song)
Real Love is a Beatles song completed in 1995 by Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr with Jeff Lynne from a late-1970s John Lennon demo, released as a single on 4 March 1996 and as the opening track of Anthology 2, with a new 2025 mix on Anthology 4.
Rosanna (song)
Rosanna (Toto song): 1982 David Paich song, lead single of Toto IV on Columbia; peaked No. 2 Billboard, No. 12 UK; won 1983 Record of the Year Grammy; famous for Jeff Porcaro's half-time shuffle.
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" is a 1983 song by the rock band Journey, written by Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry as the lead single from the album Frontiers.
Smooth (Santana song)
Smooth (Santana song, also "Room 17"): 1999 Latin rock hit by Santana featuring Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, from Supernatural; 12 weeks at Hot 100 number one, three 2000 Grammys, ranked Billboard's second most successful song.
Summer of '69
Summer of '69 is a 1984 pop rock song by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance from Reckless, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100; Adams later said the '69' refers to the sexual position, not 1969.
Take Me Home Tonight (song)
Take Me Home Tonight is a 1986 Eddie Money rock single from Can't Hold Back, featuring Ronnie Spector reprising "Be my little baby" from the Ronettes' "Be My Baby"; it peaked at No. 4 on Billboard Hot 100.
Torn (Ednaswap song)
"Torn" is a pop rock song by Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, and Phil Thornalley, first recorded in Danish in 1993 and made famous by Natalie Imbruglia's 1997 hit version.
Uptown Girl
Uptown Girl: Billy Joel's 1983 single from An Innocent Man, a Four Seasons-homage pop rock song produced by Phil Ramone; US No. 3, UK No. 1, famous Christie Brinkley video, Westlife 2001 cover.
Walk Like an Egyptian
Walk Like an Egyptian is a 1986 hit by The Bangles, written by Liam Sternberg and produced by David Kahne for Different Light; it topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, peaked at number 3 in the UK, and popularized a stiff-armed dance pose.
Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves song)
"Walking on Sunshine" is a 1985 pop hit by Katrina and the Waves, written by Kimberley Rew and sung by Katrina Leskanich. First recorded in 1983 for a Canada-only debut, the Scott Litt-mixed 1985 re-recording reached No. 8 in the UK and No. 9 in the US.
We Built This City
Starship's 1985 synth-pop number-one hit "We Built This City" from Knee Deep in the Hoopla, written by Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf, later ranked the worst song of all time.
We Didn't Start the Fire
"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a 1989 Billy Joel list song from Storm Front that races through roughly 120 references from 1949 to 1989 and reached No. 1.
You Make My Dreams
You Make My Dreams (Come True) is a 1980 Hall & Oates song from Voices, written with Sara Allen, that reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 and later hit one billion streams.
You're the Voice
You're the Voice: 1986 pop-rock anthem by John Farnham, written by Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta, Maggie Ryder, and Keith Reid; seven weeks at No. 1 in Australia, UK No. 6, bagpipe solo, 2023 referendum Yes campaign song.