Readers' Poll: The 10 Worst Songs of the 1980s

rolling stone ^ | 10/6/2011 | Andy Greene

[SoFloFreeper]

A few weeks ago we asked our readers to vote for their least favorite songs from the 1990s, so it was the obvious next move to dial it back 10 years and see what you guys hated in the 1980s. The results are sure to infuriate a lot of people. For the record, I personally disagree with most of these selections. In fact, I love a lot of these songs...

10. Rick Astley - 'Never Gonna Give You Up'...

9. Taco - 'Puttin' On The Ritz'...

8. Toni Basil - 'Mickey'...

7. Bobby McFerrin - 'Don't Worry Be Happy'...

6. Falco - 'Rock Me Amadeus'...

5. Men Without Hats - 'The Safety Dance'...

4. Wham! - 'Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)'....

3. Chris de Burgh - 'Lady In Red'....

2. Europe - 'The Final Countdown'...

1. Starship - 'We Built This City'...

[usconservative]

Nope, anything by “Men At Work” is the absolutely worst POS ever pressed to vinyl .....

[usconservative]

Oh, come on. No Steve Miller? “Keep on a rocking me baby?”

That was from the '70s.....

[CrimsonTidegirl]

LMAO.

A Few months ago, I rediscovered that video on youtube and almost rolled on the floor at the comments. Hilarious.

I don’t know what was funnier: The video itself or the comments:)

[dfwgator]

I think that was the video where Beavis said, “This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before.”

[DCBryan1]

I eat cannibals by Toto Coelo should be in the top 10.....dreadful

[FreedomOfExpression]

That is a wonderful story. Wishing you many, many more anniversaries and much happiness.

Thank you so much!

[dfwgator]

And a really bad video from the 80’s was Up the Creek by Cheap Trick

And then there was "The Flame" by Cheap Trick.....Really, guys?

[DCBryan1]

LOL! we are kickers! I remember that! Thanks! just had scotch come out my nose!
OUCH!

[military cop]

This is the most hilarious read I’ve had on FR in a while.

As I lived through it the first time (Class of 85), here’s my personal list:

10. We built this city - Starship.
9. Safety Dance - Men without Pants...or hats..or whatever.
8. Any song by Kiss after the masks came off
7. You give love a bad name - Bon Jovi
6. Take my breath away. (More like take the song away) Berlin
5. Duran Duran. (Your argument is now invalid)
4. On the dark side - Springsteen wannabe John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
3. True -Spandau Ballet
2. All Random trash from Culture Club
1. Anything by Phil Collins

RLTW

[CrimsonTidegirl]

I remember when I first watched that video.

I was at a friend’s house with other friends and classmates. We were around thirteen years old and we liked Billy Squier.

While watching the video, at first we just looked at each other with confused looks and open mouths. Then we started laughing hysterically.

I have no idea what was going through his mind. The only excuse I can come up with is drugs, and lots of them:)

[Alberta's Child]

Not too much to complain about in that list!

Rather than post my entire 1980s playlist I'll just post my "Top 20" of the decade. This is an informal ranking based on the number of plays for each of them in my iTunes library. I figure if the song has been played a lot, it must be a good one!

These aren't necessarily my favorite tunes that were released in the 80s ... I just categorize them as "80s hits" because they were popular on Top 40 radio stations (as opposed to classic rock stations) at the time:

1. Boys Of Summer -- Don Henley
2. Hysteria -- Def Leppard (this is why I think it's underrated; I believe it really is one of the top 2-3 songs of the decade)
3. Never Surrender -- Corey Hart
4. Mandolin Rain -- Bruce Hornsby & The Range
5. It's All I Can Do -- The Cars (technically this was released in 1979, but it's got an "80s" sound to it and it is sort of a bridge from the 70s to the 80s)
6. Only The Young -- Journey
7. Solsbury Hill -- Peter Gabriel
8. Hold Me Now -- Thompson Twins
9. The Flame -- Cheap Trick
10. Suddenly Last Summer -- The Motels
11. Life In A Northern Town -- Dream Academy
12. Bad -- U2
13. Stand Or Fall -- The Fixx
14. Talk Of The Town -- The Pretenders
15. Valerie -- Steve Winwood
16. Bed Of Roses -- Bon Jovi
17. Patience -- Guns & Roses
18. Faithfully -- Journey
19. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic -- The Police
20. Your Love -- The Outfield

[DCBryan1]

Add I ran by flock of seagulls to the to top 25:

[BBell]

Let’s have a bachelor party with chicks and guns and fire trucks and hookers and drugs and booze!

[FreedomOfExpression]

That is such a sweet story :)

Thank you! I'm hesitant to share my private life on-line, but I figured I would go ahead with it this time.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

Any list of the worst songs that does not include the Paul McCartney-Michael Jackson duet The Girl is Mine is incomplete.

The banter between the two is physically painful to hear.

[dfwgator]

"You, Flock of Seagulls, you know why we're here?"

[DCBryan1]

Damn..forgot about Girls girls girl

[dfwgator]

Any list of the worst songs that does not include the Paul McCartney-Michael Jackson duet The Girl is Mine is incomplete. The banter between the two is physically painful to hear.

Especially the part where Michael said, "I'm going to buy all your songs, Paul."

[dfwgator]

“Is that a foot-long?”

“And then some.”

[Alberta's Child]

Great, great guitar tune from the 80s, for sure!