It’s no surprise that after Like a Prayer, Madonna would bring a song that would define dance and modeling for a generation, and it would probably be one of the biggest songs of her career. I love the intro, right to when she tells you to “strike a pose”, and the song takes off from there. It’s hard not to groove this tune arriving at #6 in this countdown; it’s Vogue by Madonna.
The sixth song on this countdown wouldn’t be on many others’ countdowns but it’s here for personal reasons. It’s one of my all time favorite Genesis songs during the post-Gabriel/Hackett era, and I worn this song out when I first listened to it. I still love it and could listen to it non-stop. Coming in at #6 is Turn it On Again by Genesis.
Who doesn’t remember those weird, red energy domes? They are synonymous with 80s pop culture, and the video and song that launched them into the public consciousness is the #7 song of 1980. Nobody else that I can think of could have pulled off this song and production the way these guys did, and the song is still playable to this day. Coming in at #7 is Whip it by Devo.
We now start getting into songs that were pretty hard to place in this countdown. The first of these tracks is a song that will make you say “What is it?” Well, it’s also a tune that would open the door for a band like Red Hot Chili Peppers to kick down entirely. Mixing rap and metal, this song was a huge hit and it’s still known to this day. Coming in at #7 is Epic by Faith No More.
Continuing our dive into the hip hop of this countdown is another great song, even if it was a one-hit-wonder. This was also another song you could not get away from hearing in 1990 and for years afterward. Great production and a memorable shout make this track hard to forget. Take a listen to The Power by Snap!, the #8 song in this countdown.
Pat Benatar returns for the second time in this countdown with her best track from Crimes of Passion. The song’s chorus is actually quite anthem-like when you listen to it, and the song doesn’t get old the more you listen to it. The fact that this track lives on to this day is a testament to it’s greatness. At #8 is Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar.