No doubt, this 1984 countdown was the hardest countdown I’ve ever done and it showed.  The amount of songs that could have made it were massive, and some would say their absence from this list was criminal.  However, when I asked others what their top 5 songs would be, most not only had this song in their list, but some had it at #1.  And it’s hard to not understand why.  The fact that this artist willfully ditched a long-standing instrument of pop and rock music from the track simply because he wanted to and could, and it never stopped …..more →

There might be a hint of bias in the placement of this next song, but this song is one of the greatest ballads of the 1980s.  When we talk about lightning in a bottle, this track is it.  Even the artist couldn’t deliver the song live the same way he did on this track.  That’s how good this song is, and the emotion coming out of it is massive.  It was one of my favorite songs when I grew up and I found it hard-pressed not to place this song higher in this list.  Coming in at #2 is Against …..more →

Boy was 1984 a really tough year to determine the top 20 songs.  There were so many tracks that each deserved a place in this countdown, it was downright insane how many did not make it, and most of them would be in other countdowns for sure.  Here is a list of all possible tracks that could have made it, and boy were there a lot: Animotion – Obsession Billy Idol – Eyes Without a Face Billy Joel – The Longest Time Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen Bon Jovi – Runaway Bryan Adams – Run to You Bruce Springsteen – Born …..more →

Jitterbug…face it, when you hear that word, what’s one of the first things you think of?  If you’re my age or even 20 years younger, it’s this song.  That’s how huge this song was back then and still is today.  Even the Spanish version that came out during the Transylvania movies was huge.  Some would think George Michael’s ultimate ballad should belong in this place, but in the end, after multiple listenings, this track ended up right here, and I would argue with anyone on its place above all the other competition below.  Coming in at #3 for the top …..more →

I’m willing to bet that when you learned that this song was coming up next, you were like wow, 1984 was a crazy year!  When I learned this song would be entering the discussion of 40 year old songs, I knew we were in for a doozy.  This track has been heard in every avenue imaginable, from commercials to movies, it’s been quoted over and over again, and part of it is because this track and its vocal performance is uncoverable.  A real lightning in a bottle moment. Coming in at #4 in the top 20 songs turning 40 years …..more →

Trying to position the top 5 songs released in 1984 was really hard, especially since this year spawned one of the most iconic soundtrack-based movies of the era.  The king of the soundtrack makes his return again to this countdown with another upbeat classic, and it’s hard to not feel like you want to dance when you hear this song.  This song would still sound fresh it were released today, but it was actually released in 1984 and is #5 in this countdown.  It’s Footloose by Kenny Loggins.