1. Madonna
   Def Leppard
2. Tina Turner
   Survivor

Madonna released "Like a Prayer" in 1989 on her fourth album. The song's lyrics are ostensibly religious in nature, although critics have pointed out that they contain sexual innuendos as well.

1. Bruce Springsteen
   Rick Springfield
2. Rick Astley
   Prince

"When Doves Cry" is a single from Prince's 1984 album "Purple Rain." The hit song, for which Prince played all the instruments, saw a surge in popularity again following his death in 2016.

1. The Police
   Survivor
2. Wham!
   Madonna

Sting from the Police wrote "Every Breath You Take" in 1983, during a breakup with his wife. He notes the irony that many people consider it a love song, given the creepy nature of the lyrics!

1. Van Halen
   Wham!
2. Whitesnake
   Tina Turner

Wham!, the pop duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, released "Careless Whisper" in 1984 on the album "Make It Big." Famous for its saxophone riff, the song plays during the end credits of "Deadpool."

1. Bonnie Tyler
   Cyndi Lauper
2. Jon Bon Jovi
   Tina Turner

Bonnie Tyler released "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in 1983, and it quickly became the biggest hit of her career. The power ballad, which is over seven minutes, had to be shortened for the radio.

1. David Bowie
   A-ha
2. The Police
   Metallica

David Bowie's 1983 single "Let's Dance" became a big hit and helped Bowie find new fans in the '80s who weren't familiar with his '70s music. The funky song includes a guitar solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

1. R.E.M.
   Bruce Springsteen
2. New Order
   Madonna

In 1984, Bruce Springsteen's album "Born in the U.S.A." included the hit single "Dancing in the Dark." The music video famously depicts Courteney Cox dancing on stage with Springsteen.

1. Whitney Houston
   Bon Jovi
2. Queen
   Guns N' Roses

Bon Jovi brought crowds to their feet with the 1986 hit song "Livin' on a Prayer." The song describes the working-class couple Tommy and Gina and how they hold onto their dreams amid life's struggles.

1. The Human League
   Eurythmics
2. Bon Jovi
   Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses released "Sweet Child o' Mine" in 1988 on their album "Appetite for Destruction." According to the band, they wrote the song quickly, not thinking it would become their number one hit.

1. Prince
   Blondie
2. Queen
   Def Leppard

Even today, at nearly every sporting event you attend, you're likely to hear Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." The 1980 single became one of Queen's best-known hits with its unmistakable beat.

1. Blondie
   Simple Minds
2. Cyndi Lauper
   U2

Although Robert Hazard first released the song in 1979, it was Cyndi Lauper's 1983 version of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" that became the smash hit. The song gained acclaim as a feminist anthem.

1. Metallica
   Salt-N-Pepa
2. KISS
   Pet Shop Boys

A major hip-hop hit, "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa was first released in 1987 and climbed to the top of the charts after the group performed it at a concert for Nelson Mandela's birthday.

1. Journey
   Men Without Hats
2. Dire Straits
   Salt-N-Pepa

"Don't Stop Believin'" is a single from Journey's album "Escape." The song reached No. 9 on the charts, but it has since grown more popular from its use in movies and TV shows, like "Glee."

1. Tina Turner
   Pat Benatar
2. Bobby Brown
   John Mellencamp

"What's Love Got to Do with It" is a single from Tina Turner's 1984 album "Private Dancer." The No. 1 hit also lent its name to the biopic about Turner and her marriage to Ike Turner, which came out in 1993.

1. Cyndi Lauper
   Kim Carnes
2. Madonna
   Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston released "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" in 1987 on her self-titled album. The dance song soon reached No. 1 on the charts, cementing its place as an '80s fave.

1. Eurythmics
   Duran Duran
2. Van Halen
   The Bangles

The Bangles' song "Walk Like an Egyptian" became the biggest hit of 1987. The music video depicted the band playing the song and people on the streets of New York dancing "like an Egyptian."

1. Bruce Springsteen
   David Bowie
2. Rick Astley
   Rick Springfield

Australian rocker Rick Springfield wrote "Jessie's Girl," which is about a guy pining for his friend's girlfriend. According to Springfield, he changed the name of his friend for the song — it could have been "Gary's Girl."

1. Salt-N-Pepa
   Dexy's Midnight Runners
2. Wham!
   Katrina and the Waves

The peppy "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves remains an upbeat song of the '80s. It's been covered by Dolly Parton and Aly & AJ and is now popular in TV advertisements.

1. George Michael
   Kenny Loggins
2. Bryan Adams
   Prince

Kenny Loggins wrote "Footloose" for the 1984 movie of the same name. The song was a success and was even nominated for an Academy Award. Blake Shelton recorded a new version of the song for the "Footloose" remake.

1. John Mellencamp
   George Michael
2. Rick Astley
   Madonna

Singer-songwriter John Mellencamp released the hit song "Jack & Diane" in 1982. The rock song peaked at No.1 on the Billboard chart, making it a major hit of the '80s.

1. Robert Palmer
   Bobby Brown
2. Kim Carnes
   Bruce Springsteen

Kim Carnes made the song "Bette Davis Eyes" popular in 1981, when it spent nine weeks at the top of the charts. The actress Bette Davis reportedly thanked Carnes and the songwriters for the tribute.

1. KISS
   AC/DC
2. Metallica
   Guns N' Roses

Australian band AC/DC first released "You Shook Me All Night Long" in 1980 on the album "Back in Black." The rock song remains one of the band's best-known hits and features an intense guitar solo.

1. R.E.M.
   Tina Turner
2. The Cranberries
   The B-52's

After experiencing a slump in the mid-'80s, the B-52's made a comeback with the 1989 hit "Love Shack." The new wave song was inspired by a cabin the band stayed at, located near Athens, Georgia.

1. The B-52's
   Whitney Houston
2. Blondie
   Eurythmics

Eurythmics' breakthrough single "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" propelled them into the spotlight in 1983. The new wave song allowed Lennox and Stewart to experiment with new synthesizers.

1. Tears for Fears
   The Bangles
2. Rick Springfield
   INXS

The English band Tears for Fears released "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" in 1985, and it became one of their signature songs. Audiences could relate to the song's theme of the desire for control!

1. A-ha
   Dexy's Midnight Runners
2. The Police
   Soft Cell

"Come On Eileen" ranks as one of the top songs of the '80s. The British band Dexy's Midnight Runners incorporated an Irish lullaby into the chorus and asserts that there is no actual Eileen.

1. The Police
   Genesis
2. David Bowie
   U2

The Irish band U2 released "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in 1983 as a political song protesting the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The song is memorable for its intense drumbeat and wailing vocals.

1. John Mellencamp
   Phil Collins
2. Cutting Crew
   Katrina and the Waves

Phil Collins' first solo album, "Face Value," contains the hit single "In the Air Tonight." The 1981 song is popular for its powerful drum break — in addition to singing, Collins is known for his drumming!

1. Pet Shop Boys
   INXS
2. The B-52's
   Toto

Toto's 1982 song "Africa" remains a popular hit of the '80s. According to David Paich, he wrote the song despite never having visited Africa; he used National Geographic magazines to help him describe the land.

1. Men Without Hats
   The Cure
2. Journey
   Culture Club

The Canadian new wave band Men Without Hats released "The Safety Dance" in 1982, and it soon crossed the border to become a hit in the U.S. too. The song reached a younger audience when it appeared on "Glee."

1. Blondie
   Duran Duran
2. Modern English
   Simple Minds

"The Breakfast Club" popularized the rock anthem "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds. In fact, the music video of the song includes images from the iconic John Hughes movie.

1. Modern English
   Guns N' Roses
2. The Cure
   Journey

"I Melt with You" was a hit single from Modern English's 1982 album "After the Snow." Vocalist Robbie Grey says he wrote the song while imagining lovers together during an atomic bomb drop.

1. Survivor
   The Police
2. Tears for Fears
   The Human League

Sylvester Stallone asked the band Survivor to write "Eye of the Tiger" as the theme for "Rocky III." The rock song is appropriate as a workout song to get athletes primed for competition!

1. Soft Cell
   R.E.M.
2. Eurythmics
   Duran Duran

R.E.M. modeled the 1987 song "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" after Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." The lyrics ramble in a stream of consciousness.

1. Tears for Fears
   The Cranberries
2. Echo and the Bunnymen
   INXS

Echo and the Bunnymen's 1984 song "The Killing Moon" remains a mystifying track that explores the question of fate versus free will. It also appears appropriately in the opening scene of "Donnie Darko."