[1980s Western Music] Nostalgic 80’s Best Hit Songs

Jessie’s GirlRIck Springfield

Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl (Official Video)

It hit No.

1 in the U.S.

in 1981.

After appearing on the TV drama General Hospital, he became an instant star thanks to his handsome looks.

Riding that momentum, this song also shot to No.

1 in his main field of music.

It likely became a hit not because of his acting popularity, but because the song itself was good.

Rick, who plays guitar whenever he has a spare moment, also loves slide guitar, and there are rumors he’ll release a blues album next.

Once In A LifetimeTalking Heads

Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime (Official Video)

It’s a song that jolts you in those moments when your life suddenly feels like it’s on autopilot.

Created by the innovative American band Talking Heads, it sets existential questions about everyday life against a sound that fuses New Wave and Afrobeat.

The protagonist’s bewilderment—having acquired a beautiful house yet asking, “Why am I here?”—is memorably conveyed through David Byrne’s anxious, spoken delivery.

Released as a single from the classic album Remain in Light in January 1981, it was also featured in the film Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Hailed by NPR as one of the “100 most important American musical works of the 20th century,” this masterpiece might offer a fresh perspective when you find yourself questioning the everyday.

Born in the U.S.A.Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A. (Official Video)

Bruce Springsteen, a quintessential rock musician active since the 1970s, scored a massive hit with “Born in the U.S.A.” released in 1984.

Despite its upbeat sound, the lyrics are serious, centered on the Vietnam War.

Interpreted in various ways over the years, it remains a beloved song and can be considered one of the defining hits of the 1980s.

Blue MondayNew Order

New Order – Blue Monday (Official Lyric Video)

Overcoming the tragedy of their predecessor band and steering toward the dance floor, the British rock band New Order released this track in March 1983.

A groundbreaking dance tune running over seven minutes, it revolutionized the club scene.

In contrast to its mechanical, cool beat, the lyrics portray confusion and heartache over mistreatment by someone they once trusted.

Some may remember it being used in a Sunkist commercial.

Often hailed as a bridge between ’70s disco and ’90s house, this song seeps deep into the heart on nights when you want to be alone with your thoughts, its stylish, melancholic sound resonating all the more.

Mr. RobotoStyx

Styx – Mr. Roboto (Official Video)

A band representing American progressive hard rock that has been active since the 1970s.

In the 1980s, this song—part of the rock opera “Kilroy Was Here” and featuring Japanese lyrics—quietly drew attention in Japan, where it was treated somewhat like a novelty.

Let’s GrooveEarth, Wind & Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove (Official HD Video)

This is a track included on the album “Raise!” released in 1981 by the American funk band Earth, Wind & Fire.

The song is pure groove—both the lyrics and the performance scream that tonight’s party anthem is set! It’s a dance number through and through.

Burn Rubber On MeGap Band

Gap Band – Burn Rubber On Me (1981) • TopPop

The Gap Band, an American group that established a sound influencing everything from funk and R&B to modern hip-hop.

Their signature hit, which lit up the disco scene of the ’80s, is a masterpiece that expresses the sorrow of a man betrayed by his lover through an uptempo funk groove.

Featured on the album The Gap Band III, the track is marked by an exquisite groove driven by Charlie Wilson’s Minimoog synthesizer bassline.

It topped the U.S.

R&B chart in 1980 and earned the band their first platinum record.

It’s a song that shines not only on the dance floor but also for cruising and party scenes, and was even included on the soundtrack of the racing game DiRT 3.