100 Greatest Songs From 1980
Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock 'n' Roll and related sub-genres. Rankings are based on initial and lasting popularity and on acclaim received from critics and musicians.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
1. Call Me
Blondie
2. Celebration
Kool & The Gang
3. Another One Bites the Dust
Queen
4. You Shook Me All Night Long
AC/DC
5. Whip It
Devo
6. Love Will Tear Us Apart
Joy Division
7. Rapture
Blondie
8. Back In Black
AC/DC
9. The Breaks
Kurtis Blow
10. Once in a Lifetime
Talking Heads
11. Upside Down
Diana Ross
12. Any Way You Want It
Journey
13. Crazy Train
Ozzy Osbourne
14. Fame
Irene Cara
15. More Bounce To the Ounce Part I
Zapp
16. Master Blaster (Jammin')
Stevie Wonder
17. The Spirit of Radio
Rush
18. Keep on Loving You
REO Speedwagon
19. Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Pat Benatar
20. Turning Japanese
Vapors
21. I'm Coming Out
Diana Ross
22. The Tide Is High
Blondie
23. Stomp!
Brothers Johnson
24. He's So Shy
Pointer Sisters
25. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
S.O.S. Band
26. Just the Two of Us
Grover Washington Jr. with Bill Withers
27. Double Dutch Bus
Frankie Smith
28. He Stopped Loving Her Today
George Jones
29. Ace of Spades
Motörhead
30. Mickey
Toni Basil
31. Dancing With Myself
Generation X/Billy Idol
32. Give Me the Night
George Benson
33. Vienna
Ultravox
34. Let My Love Open the Door
Pete Townshend
35. Never Knew Love Like This Before
Stephanie Mills
36. Misunderstanding
Genesis
37. It's Still Rock N Roll To Me
Billy Joel
38. On the Road Again
Willie Nelson
39. All Out of Love
Air Supply
40. Could You Be Loved?
Bob Marley & The Wailers
41. Shining Star
Manhattans
42. Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me?)
Gap Band
43. Hungry Heart
Bruce Springsteen
44. One In a Million You
Larry Graham
45. Games Without Frontiers
Peter Gabriel
46. Tunnel of Love
Dire Straits
47. Emotional Rescue
Rolling Stones
48. That's Entertainment
The Jam
49. I Know What Boys Like
The Waitresses
50. I Will Follow
U2
51. Against the Wind
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
52. Ashes To Ashes
David Bowie
53. The Winner Takes It All
ABBA
54. Biko
Peter Gabriel
55. Fantastic Voyage
Lakeside
56. (Just Like) Starting Over
John Lennon
57. Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love) Parts I and II
Isley Brothers
58. Don't Stand So Close To Me
The Police
59. You May Be Right
Billy Joel
60. It's My Turn
Diana Ross
61. Hells Bells
AC/DC
62. The River
Bruce Springsteen
63. Turn It On Again
Genesis
64. A Forest
The Cure
65. Late In the Evening
Paul Simon
66. Watching the Wheels
John Lennon
67. Going Underground
The Jam
68. Sukiyaki
A Taste Of Honey
69. The Glow Of Love
Change
70. Lately
Stevie Wonder
71. Hey Nineteen
Steely Dan
72. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
The Police
73. Talk of the Town
Pretenders
74. Geno
Dexys Midnight Riders
75. Redemption Song
Bob Marley & The Wailers
76. Fashion
David Bowie
77. Breaking the Law
Judas Priest
78. Romeo and Juliet
Dire Straits
79. She's So Cold
Rolling Stones
80. Enola Gay
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
81. Fade to Grey
Visage
82. Atmosphere
Joy Division
83. Mirror In the Bathroom
English Beat
84. While You See a Chance
Steve Winwood
85. People Who Died
Jim Carroll Band
86. Take It on the Run
REO Speedwagon
87. And the Cradle Will Rock
Van Halen
88. Holiday In Cambodia
Dead Kennedys
89. Los Angeles
X
90. 9 to 5
Dolly Parton
91. Lady
Kenny Rogers
92. Morning Train (9 To 5)
Sheena Easton
93. Theme from "New York, New York"
Frank Sinatra
94. Love Sensation
Loleatta Holloway
95. Heartbreak Hotel
Jacksons
96. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
Squeeze
97. Echo Beach
Martha & The Muffins
98. Private Idaho
The B-52s
99. Antmusic
Adam & The Ants
100. Runaway Boys
Stray Cats
Blondie
2. Celebration
Kool & The Gang
3. Another One Bites the Dust
Queen
4. You Shook Me All Night Long
AC/DC
5. Whip It
Devo
6. Love Will Tear Us Apart
Joy Division
7. Rapture
Blondie
8. Back In Black
AC/DC
9. The Breaks
Kurtis Blow
10. Once in a Lifetime
Talking Heads
11. Upside Down
Diana Ross
12. Any Way You Want It
Journey
13. Crazy Train
Ozzy Osbourne
14. Fame
Irene Cara
15. More Bounce To the Ounce Part I
Zapp
16. Master Blaster (Jammin')
Stevie Wonder
17. The Spirit of Radio
Rush
18. Keep on Loving You
REO Speedwagon
19. Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Pat Benatar
20. Turning Japanese
Vapors
21. I'm Coming Out
Diana Ross
22. The Tide Is High
Blondie
23. Stomp!
Brothers Johnson
24. He's So Shy
Pointer Sisters
25. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
S.O.S. Band
26. Just the Two of Us
Grover Washington Jr. with Bill Withers
27. Double Dutch Bus
Frankie Smith
28. He Stopped Loving Her Today
George Jones
29. Ace of Spades
Motörhead
30. Mickey
Toni Basil
31. Dancing With Myself
Generation X/Billy Idol
32. Give Me the Night
George Benson
33. Vienna
Ultravox
34. Let My Love Open the Door
Pete Townshend
35. Never Knew Love Like This Before
Stephanie Mills
36. Misunderstanding
Genesis
37. It's Still Rock N Roll To Me
Billy Joel
38. On the Road Again
Willie Nelson
39. All Out of Love
Air Supply
40. Could You Be Loved?
Bob Marley & The Wailers
41. Shining Star
Manhattans
42. Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me?)
Gap Band
43. Hungry Heart
Bruce Springsteen
44. One In a Million You
Larry Graham
45. Games Without Frontiers
Peter Gabriel
46. Tunnel of Love
Dire Straits
47. Emotional Rescue
Rolling Stones
48. That's Entertainment
The Jam
49. I Know What Boys Like
The Waitresses
50. I Will Follow
U2
51. Against the Wind
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
52. Ashes To Ashes
David Bowie
53. The Winner Takes It All
ABBA
54. Biko
Peter Gabriel
55. Fantastic Voyage
Lakeside
56. (Just Like) Starting Over
John Lennon
57. Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love) Parts I and II
Isley Brothers
58. Don't Stand So Close To Me
The Police
59. You May Be Right
Billy Joel
60. It's My Turn
Diana Ross
61. Hells Bells
AC/DC
62. The River
Bruce Springsteen
63. Turn It On Again
Genesis
64. A Forest
The Cure
65. Late In the Evening
Paul Simon
66. Watching the Wheels
John Lennon
67. Going Underground
The Jam
68. Sukiyaki
A Taste Of Honey
69. The Glow Of Love
Change
70. Lately
Stevie Wonder
71. Hey Nineteen
Steely Dan
72. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
The Police
73. Talk of the Town
Pretenders
74. Geno
Dexys Midnight Riders
75. Redemption Song
Bob Marley & The Wailers
76. Fashion
David Bowie
77. Breaking the Law
Judas Priest
78. Romeo and Juliet
Dire Straits
79. She's So Cold
Rolling Stones
80. Enola Gay
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
81. Fade to Grey
Visage
82. Atmosphere
Joy Division
83. Mirror In the Bathroom
English Beat
84. While You See a Chance
Steve Winwood
85. People Who Died
Jim Carroll Band
86. Take It on the Run
REO Speedwagon
87. And the Cradle Will Rock
Van Halen
88. Holiday In Cambodia
Dead Kennedys
89. Los Angeles
X
90. 9 to 5
Dolly Parton
91. Lady
Kenny Rogers
92. Morning Train (9 To 5)
Sheena Easton
93. Theme from "New York, New York"
Frank Sinatra
94. Love Sensation
Loleatta Holloway
95. Heartbreak Hotel
Jacksons
96. Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)
Squeeze
97. Echo Beach
Martha & The Muffins
98. Private Idaho
The B-52s
99. Antmusic
Adam & The Ants
100. Runaway Boys
Stray Cats
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Super Trouper
ABBA
102. Baggy Trousers
Madness
103. Rough Boys
Pete Townshend
104. Woman in Love
Barbra Streisand
105. I Need Your Lovin'
Teena Marie
106. Don't Stop the Music
Yarbrough & Peoples
107. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
Korgis
108. Love Stinks
J. Geils Band
109. The Magnificent Seven
The Clash
110. Happy Birthday
Stevie Wonder
111. Lay All Your Love On Me
ABBA
112. The Wanderer
Donna Summer
113. Drivin' My Life Awa
Eddie Rabbitt
114. I Love a Rainy Night
Eddie Rabbitt
115. Joy and Pain
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
116. I Heard It Through the Grapevine Part I
Roger
117. Love T.K.O.
Teddy Pendergrass
118. Start!
The Jam
119. The Big Beat
Billy Squier
120. Switchin' To Glide
Kings
ABBA
102. Baggy Trousers
Madness
103. Rough Boys
Pete Townshend
104. Woman in Love
Barbra Streisand
105. I Need Your Lovin'
Teena Marie
106. Don't Stop the Music
Yarbrough & Peoples
107. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
Korgis
108. Love Stinks
J. Geils Band
109. The Magnificent Seven
The Clash
110. Happy Birthday
Stevie Wonder
111. Lay All Your Love On Me
ABBA
112. The Wanderer
Donna Summer
113. Drivin' My Life Awa
Eddie Rabbitt
114. I Love a Rainy Night
Eddie Rabbitt
115. Joy and Pain
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
116. I Heard It Through the Grapevine Part I
Roger
117. Love T.K.O.
Teddy Pendergrass
118. Start!
The Jam
119. The Big Beat
Billy Squier
120. Switchin' To Glide
Kings
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1980
An unheralded great record from 1980
Jeff's choice:
Greatest Single Re-entry:
* Imagine (#1 UK for four weeks)
John Lennon
Jeff's choice:
* Jersey Girl
Tom Waits
Lew's choice:
* Ah! Leah!
Donnie Iris
Bruce's choice:
* Till The Walls Come Tumblin' Down
J. Geils Band
Brett's choice:
* Weep For Love
Denny Laine
Ryan's choice:
* Independence Day
Comsat Angels
Adam's choice:
* Can't Put A Price On Love
Knack
Jeff's choice:
Greatest Single Re-entry:
* Imagine (#1 UK for four weeks)
John Lennon
Jeff's choice:
* Jersey Girl
Tom Waits
Lew's choice:
* Ah! Leah!
Donnie Iris
Bruce's choice:
* Till The Walls Come Tumblin' Down
J. Geils Band
Brett's choice:
* Weep For Love
Denny Laine
Ryan's choice:
* Independence Day
Comsat Angels
Adam's choice:
* Can't Put A Price On Love
Knack
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Edited By: Jeff B.
Last Updated: 2014-01-16
Last Updated: 2014-01-16