Five influential songs that captured the 1980s
When we evaluate decades in music, we can often pinpoint very specific genres that succeeded throughout those ten-year spans. In the 1950s and ‘60s, it was rock ‘n’ roll, as the rockabilly movement and the rise to fame by bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones gave people an appetite for guitar music. In the ‘70s, it was a big time for more challenging rock music and disco; however, in the ‘80s, things were different.
It’s rare that you look at a decade and remember it as the time when everyone excelled, but that seemed to be the case throughout the ‘80s. As punk collapsed, it seemed to send a shockwave throughout the music industry that inspired creatives to get off their arse and not be restricted in what they created. This means that across all genres, be it pop, rock, soul, or funk, people were changing the game and releasing excellent music in the process.
Not only did genres start to push the boundaries of what they could achieve within their own style of music, but they also merged a lot more. The worlds of rap and rock collided, funk and disco became intrinsically linked, and nothing was off limits for the pop star. It felt like a period where there were no rules, and everyone was continuously trying to one-up each other.
During these periods of musical freedom, it’s difficult to pinpoint what songs define an entire decade of music; however, here are five amazing tracks that capture the spirit of the ‘80s.
Five tracks that capture the spirit of the 1980s:
The Clash – ‘London Calling’
The ‘70s saw the birth of punk, and the death of punk. When the Sex Pistols came through the ranks with their debut album, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols, they cemented themselves as a tour de force and certainly not a band to be messed with. Their unrelenting nature inspired many other bands who opted for something similar; however, as the genre fizzled out, few of them carried over to have an impact in the ‘80s.
An exception to that rule was The Clash, who, despite making music towards the end of punk, managed to gain traction and rack up fans around the world. Their song ‘London Calling’ reflected what punk music had the potential to be, as it remained political but had a more modern and exciting approach than a lot of other thrashing punk music. The Clash kept the spirit of punk alive with this track, which trickled into other genres, such as hip-hop, later in the decade.
AC/DC – ‘Back in Black’
There were a lot of big moments for rock music in the ‘80s, but none were as significant as AC/DC’s massive album Back In Black, whose titular song was a hit for the band and arguably one of the most important tracks of the decade. When Bon Scott died, many people thought AC/DC might call it a day, but when Brian Johnson came on board, they were able to pay homage to their former band member while embracing the band’s new sound.
Genres were developing at this point. In the face of artists merging genres such as rock, pop and disco, rock as a singular genre didn’t pack the punch it used to. However, with this track, AC/DC showed that people still had an appetite for it, which meant that the bands didn’t hesitate when making rock music. Other classics of the genre in that year included ‘Master of Puppets’, ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ and ‘Livin On A Prayer’.
Prince – ‘Purple Rain’
If ever there was an artist who defined a decade, it would have to be Prince. The musical perfectionist, with his carefree attitude towards creativity, as well as his variety of skills, was able to push the boundaries of music to create something that was equal parts outstanding and outrageous. Regardless of what topic he chose to write about, Prince could execute it perfectly.
While there are a number of tracks that define him as an artist, there is arguably nothing quite as poignant as his classic, ‘Purple Rain’. Despite four decades passing, it remains one of the strongest ballads ever written, completely encapsulating his power as an artistic force.
Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller’
Where do you even start with Michael Jackson? He was no stranger to having a hit record before the ‘80s, but in this decade, his solo career took off, and in doing so, he was rightly crowned the King of Pop. It seemed that Jackson could not make a song that wouldn’t go on to be a classic, but ‘Thriller’ was quickly his biggest.
‘Thriller’ did more than give people a song to dance to; it highlighted the true power of pop music. Everyone was into ‘Thriller’, regardless of whether their background was in punk, hip-hop, rock, soul, funk, or disco; there was something about ‘Thriller’ that they could latch onto and enjoy.
Madonna – ‘Like A Virgin’
Madonna is also a beacon that shows us just how powerful pop music can be, as her music is equally dominant. It wasn’t just her music that made Madonna stand out as an artist, but the whole image. She gave us a glimpse into the modern pop artist, someone who wasn’t scared of experimenting and reinventing themselves with every album cycle.
Madonna wasn’t just someone who made music; she catered to looks and personas towards her sound and wasn’t afraid to be controversial in what music she released. When you look at a lot of modern popstars, a huge amount of what they’re doing can be traced back to Madonna, a true icon of the time.
