We’ve reached the top 10 of what was an incredibly tough year of choices, and our next entry shows just why it was (this could have been #1 another year).  Starting at the bottom of the top half is the first of two songs that belonged to a movie and have since stood atop on their own.  A list of most recognizable 80s songs would almost certanly have this one, and it enters in at #10 in the top 20 1983 songs countdown.  It’s Flashdance (What a Feeling) by Irene Cara.

As I do these countdowns, I always try to comb back over tracks that I might have missed, and this is one of 2 songs I could not believe I initially missed.  I mean, this song remains a major summer anthem, and once you hear that classic marimba you know what it is.  A perfect song for those heatwave days, I reiterate – I can’t believe I almost forgot this song.  Wrapping up the bottom half of the top 20 songs turning 40 years old countdown, coming in at #11, it’s Cruel Summer by Bananarama.

If you are familiar with what 1983 brought, then you knew at some point this man was going to make an appearance here, and it won’t be the last.  It’s also fitting that the first track off the album that changed the course of pop music is his first entry, and I dare you to not be grooving and smiling when this track is done.  And if you have a problem with that, well as the title of the #12 1983 song by Michael Jackson says – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’?

Mr. William Joel makes his second appearance in this songs 40 years old countdown, and it’s a song whose popularity cannot be denied.  Just as I was looking at the songs for this countdown, I heard this track come up on store speakers – twice!  He was already a superstar, but this song and it’s corresponding video that introduced us to his future wife made him a megastar.  Coming in at #13, it’s Uptown Girl by Billy Joel.

If she wasn’t a strong female icon before, she was after this song came out. Definitely one of the best songs of her career, the video was one of the first to introduce the “dance fight”.  This song is still played a lot today and has just a great chorus and groove to it. I’m glad it made it to at least #14 in this countdown, enjoy Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar.

This awesome songwriter failed to make it in last year’s countdown a couple of times, which was a shame because he delivered some of the biggest hits of his career during this time. Now, this artist managed to get not one but two tunes into this list. The first is a personal favorite of my wife’s and it’s just a great upbeat song all around. Our #15 song turning 40 years old this year is Tell Her About It by Billy Joel.