Golden age of Western music! Recommended summer songs that were hits in the 80s
When it comes to the music scene of the ’80s, it’s often said that here in Japan, Western music was at its most dazzling, and the era produced countless hit songs that remain vivid in both memory and record.
With the disco boom, the spread of synthesizers that brought glittering, flashy sounds, and the visual strategies built around music videos following the birth of MTV, a succession of legendary superstars emerged.
In this article, we’ve focused on summer hits from the ’80s, while also weaving in tracks with a summery feel and timeless songs that seem perfect for listening to in the summer.
For those who lived through the era, it’s nostalgic; for younger listeners, it’s fresh.
Enjoy this selection of hits!
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- Classic nostalgic summer hits from the ’80s. A roundup of summer songs.
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- Get fired up for the hot season! Summer songs recommended for Gen Z
- Songs you want to listen to at the end of summer: Late-summer classics to look back on the season
- [Oldies] Summer Songs Recommended for People in Their 50s [2026]
- [Western Music] Summer songs that were hits in the ’90s: Recommended classics and popular tracks
- Summer songs from Western music that were hits in the 2000s
- A special feature on classic and hit songs by bands that were active in the 1980s
- Hidden gems of Western music. Lesser-known songs.
- Recommended Summer Songs for People in Their 60s: Classic and Popular J-Pop Hits [2026]
Golden Age of Western Music! Recommended Summer Songs That Hit in the ’80s (71–80)
The Power of LoveHuey Lewis & The News
This is the song The Power of Love by the San Francisco-based band Huey Lewis and The News.
The song was used in the film Back to the Future and became a huge hit.
It even achieved the remarkable feat of being nominated for an Academy Award.
The synthesizer sounds are refreshing and pair well with the heavy guitars.
Huey Lewis’s husky voice is masculine and really cool, isn’t it?
Cruel SummerBananarama
This female group with the distinctive name Bananarama is a trio from England formed in 1981.
Riding the disco boom of the time, they produced many hit songs that became well known here in Japan.
The track—given the Japan-only subtitle “Chigireta Heart” (“Shredded Heart”)—was released in their home country in 1983, and later became their breakout hit in America after being featured in the classic film The Karate Kid.
For some, the song may bring back nostalgic memories of a scene from the movie.
Including the slightly amateurish vocals, it’s a breezy, poppy tune, yet—as you might guess from the title—the lyrics intriguingly recount the bittersweet experiences of summer.
You Give Love A Bad NameBon Jovi
Bon Jovi is a rock band that represents not only America but the global hard rock scene.
Their songs are used across various media in Japan, so even younger people are likely familiar with them.
Among Bon Jovi’s tracks, one of the most popular is “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Released in 1986, it’s crafted as a sharply executed hard rock number.
As such, it’s the perfect song for summer driving music.
Coming UpPaul McCartney
A track released as a single by Paul McCartney in 1980.
His wife, Linda McCartney, contributed vocal harmonies.
It is said to have been a track that John Lennon liked, and it reached No.
1 on the charts in the U.S.
and Canada.
Coming UpPaul McCartney
This is the song Coming Up by Paul McCartney, a former member of the legendary rock band The Beatles.
It’s included on the album McCartney II, released during his solo career.
The track makes extensive use of synthesizers and vocal effects, showcasing the same experimental spirit he had in the Beatles era.
Its intricately interwoven rhythms are sure to get under your skin!
Eye Of The TigerSurvivor
It’s Survivor’s well-known “Eye of the Tiger.” That’s right—the BGM that always plays at the climax of TBS’s TV special “All-Star Thanksgiving” during the Akasaka 5-chome Mini Marathon.
The song was a huge hit as the theme for Rocky III.
Released in 1982, it topped the U.S.
Billboard charts, reached number one in both the UK and Australia, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance.
KissPrince & The Revolution
Released in 1986, this track brilliantly blurs the line between funk and pop, overturning musical conventions with an innovative approach—one of Prince’s quintessential songs that showcases his genius.
By completely eliminating the bassline and building a minimalist arrangement from just drum machine, choppy guitar, and a mesmerizing falsetto vocal, it stands as a milestone that opened up a new frontier for funk music.
Featured on the album Parade and used as part of the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon, it hit No.
1 on the U.S.
charts in April 1986, becoming Prince’s third American number-one single.
Sparse yet overwhelmingly groovy, it’s a classic I highly recommend to anyone who wants to feel funk coursing through their whole body—even on sweltering summer days.