Recommended Western music for men in their 50s: world classics and popular songs

I’m In the Mood for DancingThe Nolans

The Nolans – I’m In the Mood for Dancing (Official Video)

A five-sister group from the UK.

With their friendly pop sound and adorable looks, they gained idol-like popularity.

Notably, they enjoyed greater success in Japan than in their home country: while “I’m in the Mood for Dancing” peaked at No.

3 in the UK, it reached No.

1 in Japan.

We Are The WorldUSA For Africa

U.S.A. For Africa – We Are the World

A charity song in which early-80s superstars gathered for a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration to help relieve famine and poverty in Africa, timed with the Grammy Awards.

Co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, it became a hit selling about 10 million copies worldwide.

Dancing QueenABBA

ABBA – Dancing Queen (Official Music Video)

The ABBA craze that swept the world in the mid-1970s also reached Japan, and Dancing Queen became a rare Western hit at the time that was sung by everyone from children to adults.

In 1980, they performed 11 shows, including at the Budokan—the first and last concerts they ever gave in Japan.

Time after timeCyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (Official HD Video)

A single cut from Cyndi’s second album, True Colors, which rivaled Madonna in popularity in the ’80s.

This era marked the transition from analog records to CDs, and the album’s high-quality digital recording was praised by audio critics.

We’re All AloneBoz Scaggs

We’re All Alone

Isn’t this person perhaps the prime example of the kind of relaxed, urban-feeling rock known as AOR (Adult Oriented Rock) that became popular with the general public from the late ’70s to the ’80s? Their accessible sound and beautiful ballads were hugely popular in Japan.

Take On Mea-ha

a-ha – Take On Me (Official Video) [4K]

Released in 1985, a-ha’s synth-pop masterpiece is known as one of the defining mega-hits of the ’80s.

The fresh sound crafted by the Norwegian trio blends seamlessly with Morten Harket’s striking high-register vocals.

Centered on the courage to take a chance on love, the lyrics underscore the importance of embracing risks and striving forward.

Its innovative animated music video became a sensation as well, winning six MTV Video Music Awards.

Capturing the radiant spirit of the 1980s, this work overflows with a universal appeal that anyone can hum along to.

Karma ChameleonCulture Club

Culture Club – Karma Chameleon (Official Music Video)

As a leading act of the British Invasion that saw UK bands dominate the U.S.

music charts in the early 1980s alongside Duran Duran, Culture Club’s signature songs also drew attention for lead singer Boy George’s cross-dressing fashion.