Pitchfork: Best Songs of the 1980s

Purple Rain (Live In Utrecht - 2020 Remaster)

Prince (1987)

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

Michael Jackson (1982)

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A (1988)

Blue Monday

New Order (2007)

Fight The Power

Public Enemy (2005)

Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

Kate Bush (1985)

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Joy Division (1980)

Once In a Lifetime

Talking Heads (1980)

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1982)

How Soon Is Now?

The Smiths (1984)

When Doves Cry

Prince (2001)

Just Like Heaven

The Cure (1987)

Billie Jean

Michael Jackson (1982)

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

The Smiths (1986)

Teen Age Riot

Sonic Youth (1988)

Waiting Room

Fugazi (1989)

Into the Groove

Madonna (1984)

Sexual Healing

Marvin Gaye (1982)

Paid in Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix)

Eric B. & Rakim (1987)

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)

Whitney Houston (1987)

Kiss

Prince & The Revolution (1986)

This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

Talking Heads (1983)

Children's Story

Slick Rick (1988)

Where Is My Mind? (Live from Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver, CO. June 5th, 2005)

Pixies (2021)

Temptation

New Order (1983)

Bring The Noise

Public Enemy (2005)

Love Will Never Do (Without You)

Janet Jackson (1989)

Hounds of Love

Kate Bush (1985)

I'm Coming Out

Diana Ross (1980)

Shake Your Rump

Beastie Boys (1989)

Your Love

Frankie Knuckles (1986)

F***k Tha Police

N.W.A (1988)

I Would Die 4 U (Single Version)

Prince (1984)

Planet Rock

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force (1981)

The Sweetest Taboo

Sade (1985)

Human Nature

Michael Jackson (1982)

Genius of Love (Long Version)

Tom Tom Club (1981)

Push It (Re-Recorded) [Remastered]

Salt-N-Pepa (1999)

Lorelei

Cocteau Twins (1984)

Close to Me

The Cure (1985)

Welcome to the Jungle

Guns N' Roses (1987)

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Eurythmics (1983)

Bizarre Love Triangle

New Order (1986)

O Superman (For Massenet)

Laurie Anderson (2000)

Me Myself and I

De La Soul (1989)

Just Like Honey

The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)

Atmosphere

Joy Division (1977)

When I Think of You

Janet Jackson (1986)

Buffalo Stance

Neneh Cherry (1989)

Like a Prayer

Madonna (1989)

I'm On Fire

Bruce Springsteen (1984)

I Wanna Be Adored (Demo Remastered)

The Stone Roses (2009)

Computer Love

Kraftwerk (1981)

More Than This

Roxy Music (1982)

Ceremony

New Order (1983)

Could You Be Loved

Bob Marley & The Wailers (1980)

Follow the Leader

Eric B. & Rakim (1988)

I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)

Daryl Hall & John Oates (2009)

Never Let Me Down Again (Split Mix)

Depeche Mode (1987)

Moody

ESG (1980)

Dj Premier in Deep Concentration

Gang Starr (1988)

Moments In Love

Art of Noise (2006)

Edge of Seventeen

Stevie Nicks (2000)

Let's Dance (Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 18th July, 2002)

David Bowie (2015)

The Killing Moon

Echo & The Bunnymen (1985)

Alex Chilton

The Replacements (1987)

Sweet Child O' Mine

Guns N' Roses (1987)

Just a Friend

Biz Markie (1988)

When You Were Mine

Prince (1980)

West End Girls

Pet Shop Boys (1986)

Atlantic City

Bruce Springsteen (1982)

Pay to Cum

Bad Brains (1995)

Debaser

Pixies (1989)

Freak Scene

Dinosaur Jr. (1988)

Rise Above

Black Flag (1981)

Can You Feel It

Fingers Inc. (1988)

Master of Puppets

Metallica (1986)

Ghost Town (2015 Remaster)

The Specials (1980)

South Bronx

Boogie Down Productions (1987)

Computer Love

Zapp (1985)

Upside Down

Diana Ross (1997)

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Tears for Fears (1985)

you made me realise

my bloody valentine (1988)

Angel Of Death

Slayer (1986)

Never Too Much

Luther Vandross (1981)

Fast Car

Tracy Chapman (1988)

Ring the Alarm

Tenor Saw (2001)

Love Come Down

Evelyn "Champagne" King (1982)

Coffin for Head of State

Fela Kuti (1980)

Call Me

Blondie (2022)

Just the Two of Us (feat. Bill Withers)

Grover Washington, Jr. (2001)

Gypsy

Fleetwood Mac (1988)

With or Without You (Live from Paris, 07/04/87)

U2 (2008)

The Glow of Love (LP Version)

Change (1980)

Pull Up To The Bumper

Grace Jones (1981)

Saturday Love (feat. Alexander O'Neal)

Cherrelle & Alexander O'Neal (1985)

Ain't Nobody

Chaka Khan (1996)

Blister In The Sun

Violent Femmes (1982)

Bam Bam

Sister Nancy (2017)

Under the Milky Way

The Church (1988)

Boyz-n-the-Hood (feat. Ice Cube) [Remix]

Eazy-E (1988)

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)

Michael Jackson (1982)

How Will I Know

Whitney Houston (1985)

Back In Black

AC/DC (1980)

Pictures of You

The Cure (1989)

Borderline

Madonna (1983)

Eye in the Sky

The Alan Parsons Project (1982)

Baby Wants to Ride (feat. Jamie Principle) [Re-Directed]

Frankie Knuckles, Director's Cut & Eric Kupper (1997)

This Charming Man

The Smiths (1984)

The Mercy Seat (Live at Alexandra Palace, 2020)

Nick Cave (2020)

The Magnificent Seven

The Clash (1980)

About a Girl (Live Acoustic)

Nirvana (2007)

Between the Sheets

The Isley Brothers (1983)

Life's What You Make It (1997 - Remaster)

Talk Talk (1985)

Never Tear Us Apart (Live)

INXS (1991)

Is It a Crime?

Sade (1985)

Strings Of Life

Rhythim Is Rhythim (1986)

History Lesson Part 2

Minutemen (1998)

Back to Life

Soul II Soul (1989)

Give It to Me Baby

Rick James (1981)

La-Di-da-Di

Doug E. Fresh (1986)

White Lines (New Remix) [aka White Lines (Don't Do It)

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1983)

It's Like That (12" Version)

Run-DMC (2019)

Eye Know (feat. Otis Redding)

De La Soul (1989)

Bastards of Young (Ed Stasium Mix)

The Replacements (1985)

Control

Janet Jackson (1986)

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Cyndi Lauper (1983)

Radio Free Europe

R.E.M. (2021)

Song to the Siren

This Mortal Coil (1984)

In the Air Tonight

Phil Collins (2013)

Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt

Yellowman (1984)

Cry

Godley & Creme (2014)

Everywhere (Remastered)

Fleetwood Mac (1987)

Under Pressure (Single Version) [2017 Remastered Version]

Queen & David Bowie (2017)

Gigantic (Live from Brixton Academy, London. June 3rd, 2004)

Pixies (2020)

Ace of Spades (Acoustic Version)

Motörhead (2010)

That's When I Reach For My Revolver

Mission of Burma (1981)

It Takes Two

Rob Base (1988)

Walkin' with Jesus

Spacemen 3 (1995)

Smalltown Boy

Bronski Beat (1984)

Indian Summer

Beat Happening (1987)

Head Over Heels (Live From Franklin, TN)

Tears for Fears (2024)

Tempo

Anthony Red Rose (2015)

Ain't No Half-Steppin'

Big Daddy Kane (1988)

Optimo

Liquid Liquid (1982)

Modern Love

David Bowie & Junior's Eyes (1983)

I Keep Forgettin (Every Time You're Near)

Michael McDonald (1982)

Nite and Day

Al B. Sure! (1988)

Let the Music Play

Shannon (1983)

Paul Revere

Beastie Boys (1986)

Holiday in Cambodia

Dead Kennedys (1987)

Tugboat

Galaxie 500 (1988)

Steppin' Out

Joe Jackson (1982)

Love On a Real Train (Risky Business) [From 'Risky Business' Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Tangerine Dream (1983)

Voodoo Ray

A Guy Called Gerald (1988)

Cities In Dust (Single Version)

Siouxsie & The Banshees (1985)

Rip It Up

Orange Juice (1982)

Pacific State

808 State (1989)

Atomic Dog

George Clinton (1982)

The Glamorous Life

Sheila E. (1984)

Sunday Bloody Sunday (Live from Paris, 07/04/87)

U2 (2008)

Mouhamadou Bamba

Orchestra Baobab (1993)

In Your Eyes

Peter Gabriel (1986)

Pink Turns to Blue

Hüsker Dü (1984)

Good Life

Inner City (1988)

Give Me the Night

George Benson (1980)

Walking on Thin Ice

Yoko Ono (2013)

I Can't Live Without My Radio

LL COOL J (1985)

Pink Frost

The Chills (1983)

Clear

Cybotron (1982)

Ja Funmi

King Sunny Ade (1981)

Birthday

The Sugarcubes (1988)

Youth of America

Wipers (1981)

Institutionalized

Suicidal Tendencies (1983)

Beat Bop (Edit)

Rammellzee & K-Rob (1983)

P.S.K. 'What Does It Mean'?

Schoolly D (1985)

Brass In Pocket

Pretenders (2022)

Fodder in Her Wings

Nina Simone (1981)

Stand on the Word (1982 Version)

The Joubert Singers (2009)

Forget Me Nots

Patrice Rushen (1982)

Teardrops

Womack & Womack (1988)

Set It Off (Vocal)

Strafe (2007)

Is It All Over My Face? (Male Version)

Loose Joints (1979)

Under Me Sleng Teng

Wayne Smith (1984)

Weekend (Larry Levan Mix) [feat. Chris Wiltshire]

Class Action (1983)

Rock the Casbah

The Clash (1982)

Juicy Fruit

Mtume (1982)

Why (12" Version)

Carly Simon (1982)

You Gots 2 Chill '97

EPMD (1997)

Night Nurse

Gregory Isaacs (1982)

Jagadishwar

Alice Coltrane (2021)

Good Name

William Onyeabor (2012)

I'm Ready

Kano (1980)

Freaky Tales

Too $hort (1987)

Straight Out the Jungle

Jungle Brothers (1988)

#5 (Go Bang!) [Francois K Mix]

Dinosaur L (1980)

Love Has Come Around

Donald Byrd (1980)

Shack Up

A Certain Ratio (2024)

Nave Maria (Ao Vivo)

Tom Zé (2006)

I Cry (Night After Night)

The Egyptian Lover (1983)