300 Best Dance Songs of the ‘80s
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You can't discuss '80s dance music without discussing Madonna.
The glitzy ‘80s were a memorable decade in dance music. Some of the biggest dance hits emerged in the decade. As the disco craze of the ‘70s lost steam in the early ‘80s, a number of dance music artists started exploring new musical landscapes that paved the way for a hybrid dance scene. As the use of digital recording increased, the sounds of synthesizers became the defining sound across electronic genres. Indeed, the ‘80s were an amalgamation of diverse musical styles that gave dance songs new meaning.
The list below showcases a massive collection of ‘80s dance songs from different dance genres. If you are a dance music buff of this nostalgic era, you will want to speak your mind. Feel free with your views, opinions, and song suggestions in the comments section.
Top 10 Best Dance Songs of the ‘80s
1. “Like a Virgin”—Madonna
2. “Billie Jean”—Michael Jackson
3. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”—Cyndi Lauper
4. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”—Whitney Houston
5. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”—Wham!
6. “Pump Up the Jam”—Technotronic
7. “Take on Me”—A-ha
8. “Funkytown”—Lipps Inc.
9. “Part-Time Lover”—Stevie Wonder
10. “Tarzan Boy”—Baltimora
New Wave in the ‘80s
The sounds of new wave became epic in the ‘80s. While numerous bands associated with the genre adopted a pop-oriented style, certain artists infused a polished rock sound with punk influences. The pop-rock electronic embellishments brought to life with aesthetically employed synthesizer sounds give distinctive identity to new wave in the realms of dance music. While the genre became prominent in the late ‘70s, it was the early ‘80s that gave new wave acts breakthrough success with their crossover dance hits. While numerous new wave artists did achieve commercial success with their dance songs, a large number of these artists were attributed to being one-hit wonders.
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The start-stop structures encompassed with poppy guitar riffs, keyboards, and melodic high pitched vocal delivery gave certain dance-rock artists associated with new wave aesthetics unique identity. Certain new wave bands that experimented with diverse influences of power pop, synth-pop, funk, disco, electronic, bubblegum pop and glam punk brought to life a unique robotic dance sound that synonymous with synth-pop bands and artists in the decade. The style and fashion exhibited by new wave artists in their music music videos became a cultural lifestyle identity with urban youth.
#11—20
11. “Self Control”—Laura Branigan
12. “Material Girl”—Madonna
13. “Never Gonna Give You Up”—Rick Astley
14. “Beat It”—Michael Jackson
15. “Let’s Hear it for the Boy”—Deniece Williams
16. “She Drives Me Crazy”—The Fine Young Cannibals
17. “Let’s Dance”—David Bowie
18. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”—Eurythmics
19. “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”—Dead or Alive
20. “Super Trouper”—ABBA
Synth-Pop in the ‘80s
A subgenre of new wave music, Synth-pop came into prominence in the ‘70s, and had astounding mainstream success in the ‘80s. Synth-pop songs formed an integral part of the mainstream pop in the 80s. A number of synth-pop acts had tremendous chart-topping success on club dance charts. The textural instrumentation with aesthetically employed dance beats and emotive vocal delivery gave unique flavor to synthpop songs. Themes associated with anomie, isolation, and emotional feelings were exceeding popular in in synth-pop songs of the ‘80s.
With the development of digital audio, creating and employing electronic sounds in the realms of dance music became easier as different types of synthesizers were available at affordable prices. This indirectly influenced the do-it-yourself philosophy where musicians started making music individually primarily with the use of synthesizers, drum machines and sequencers. While music purists criticized synth-pop musicians severely for their limited musical skills and their sole-dependence on technology to reproduce music, the fact remains that synth-based productions of the ‘80s had some of the most popular dance songs in dance music history.
#21—40
21. “Flashdance…What a Feeling”—Irene Cara
22. “The Way You Make Me Feel”—Michael Jackson
23. “All Night Long (All Night)”—Lionel Richie
24. “Express Yourself”—Madonna
25. “Mickey”—Tony Basil
26. “Together Forever”—Rick Astley
27. “It’s Raining Men”—The Weather Girls
28. “Musique Non-Stop”—Kraftwerk
29. “The Safety Dance”—Men Without Hats
30. “Footloose”—Kenny Loggins
31. “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”—Wang Chung
32. “Bad”—Michael Jackson
33. “Whip It”—Devo
34. “Blue Monday”—New Order
35. “Super Freak”—Rick James
36. “Brother Louie”—Modern Talking
37. “Hungry Like the Wolf”—Duran Duran
38. “Rumors”—Timex Social Club
39. “Bust a Move”—Young MC
40. “Love Sensation”—Loleatta Holloway
Dance-Pop in the ‘80s
The catchy musical structure of dance-pop made it exceedingly popular with contemporary radio stations and nightclubs. While the origins of the genre are rooted in the ‘70s, the development of the genre took shape after the disco craze diminished in the early ‘80s. Combining diverse elements of pop music and dance music with disco, synth-pop, and post-disco influences, dance-pop came into its own in the ‘80s. This mainstream style of music characterized by its strong uptempo beats and club-ready production ruled the music charts in the decade.
Aesthetically aligned with genres such as, contemporary R&B, house, techno, trance, new jack swing, electropop, funk, and Hi-NRG, dance-pop showcased a broad spectrum of aesthetics that made it highly popular with youth. The freeform uncomplicated musical structure of dance-pop songs became hugely popular with teens and young adults globally. The young brigade of pop musicians, women in particular, took dance-pop to new heights in the ‘80s. A great number of female artists associated with the genre had phenomenal success with their singles and albums.
#41—60
41. “High Energy”—Evelyn Thomas
42. “Fame”—Irene Cara
43. “Tell It to My Heart”—Taylor Dayne
44. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”—Michael Jackson
45. “Genius of Love”—Tom Tom Club
46. “I Like Chopin”—Gazebo
47. “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”—Information Society
48. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”—Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
49. “Only in my Dreams”—Debbie Gibson
50. “Celebration”—Kool & the Gang
51. “Into the Groove”—Madonna
52. “When I Think of You”—Janet Jackson
53. “Axel F”—Harold Faltermeyer
54. “Word Up!”—Cameo
55. “Kiss”—Prince
56. “Walking on Sunshine”—Katrina and the Waves
57. “Cheri, Cheri Lady”—Modern Talking
58. “Like a Prayer”—Madonna
59. “Thriller”—Michael Jackson
60. “Let’s Groove”—Earth, Wind & Fire
Italo Disco in the ‘80s
Italo disco a music genre which developed in Italy in the late ‘70s had a great deal of success in European countries. Italo disco dance songs are characterized by catchy pop melodies, electronic sounds, drum machines, synthesizers, vocoders and heavily accented lyrics in English. Popular themes associated with love, space and robots are brought to life with these songs. Although the genre had a cult following in the underground music movement of the ‘70s it never managed to attain mainstream status. However, fortunes changed in the ‘80s, as the Italo disco movement spread from Italy to the regional dance music scene across Europe and US.
The efforts of German record label ZYX Music GmbH & Co. KG who began licensing and marketing Italo disco outside Italy played a pivotal role in shaping the Italo disco blueprint in UK and US. The astatically laid out smooth disco-pop sounds of the genre hit hard with the dance music aficionados globally. Along with Euro disco, Italo disco had significant success on the dance music charts. While artists associated with the genre did not have success with albums, numerous Italo acts scored big with their dance singles.
#61—80
61. “This Time I Know It’s for Real”—Donna Summer
62. “Sledgehammer”—Peter Gabriel
63. “Mercedes Boy”—Pebbles
64. “Papa Don’t Preach”—Madonna
65. “You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul”—Modern Talking
66. “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”—Indeep
67. “Round and Round”—New Order
68. “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”—Michael Jackson
69. “Let the Music Play”—Shannon
70. “Stomp!”—The Brothers Johnson
71. “Lay All Your Love On Me”—ABBA
72. “Control”—Janet Jackson
73. “Tainted Love”—Soft Cell
74. “Love Shack”—B-52s
75. “That’s the Way Love Is”—Ten City
76. “Fresh”—Kool & the Gang
77. “19”—Paul Hardcastle
78. “Open Your Heart”—Madonna
79. “Give It to Me Baby”—Rick James
80. “Swept Away”—Diana Ross
Post-Disco in the ‘80s
Post-disco also referred to as electro-funk, came to life through the dying disco scene in the early ‘80s. As the sounds of disco began to fade away, the electronic sounds of new disco came alive through hi-ENRG and Euro disco. At the same time a music movement with stripped down electronic aesthetics and radically sonic sounds emerged in the East Coast, and this style of music gradually shaped into the post disco scene. Post-disco songs were known for their funk-oriented basslines encompassed with keyboard-centric passages, synth sounds, and lush orchestration similar to disco songs of the ‘70s.
The urban sounds of post-disco struck the right chords with young audiences globally. The technologically centric songs associated with the genre were marketed by major record labels and independent record producers in the singles-driven music market. While post-disco was catered to niche urban markets, the genre achieved major mainstream-driven popularity in the mid-80s. Different forms of dance-pop, house, alternative dance, and techno emerged through the post-disco era. The funky dance R&B style that mushroomed through post-disco had phenomenal chart-topping success towards the end of the decade.
#81—100
81. “Miss You Much”—Janet Jackson
82. “Girl You Know It’s True”—Milli Vanilli
83. “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)”—Billy Ocean
84. “Touch Me (I Want Your Body)”—Samantha Fox
85. “Girlfriend”—Pebbles
86. “Respectable”—Mel and Kim
87. “Push It”—Salt-n-Pepa
88. “Monkey”—George Michael
89. “Freeway of Love”—Aretha Franklin
90. “Brand New Lover”—Dead or Alive
91. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”—Tears for Fears
92. “Me Myself and I”—De La Soul
93. “Call Me”—Spagna
94. “Dance Hall Days”—Wang Chung
95. “Nobody’s Diary”—Yazoo
96. “We Close Our Eyes”—Go West
97. “In the Name of Love”—Thompson Twins
98. “Smalltown Boy”—Bronski Beat
99. “Out of Touch”—Hall & Oates
100. “Talking in Your Sleep”—The Romantics
Best Dance Songs of the ‘80s #101—200
101. “(Keep Feeling) Fascination”—The Human League
102. “New Attitude”—Patti LaBelle
103. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”—Simple Minds
104. “West End Girls”—Pet Shop Boys
105. “How Will I Know”—Whitney Houston
106. “Situation”—Yazoo
107. “I Can’t Wait”—Nu Shooz
108. “The Second Time Around”—Shalamar
109. “Good Thing”—Fine Young Cannibals
110. “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”—The S.O.S. Band
111. “Double Dutch Bus”—Frankie Smith
112. “I Should Be So Lucky”—Kylie Minogue
113. “So Many Me – So Little Time”—Miquel Brown
114. “High on Your Love”—Debbie Jacobs
115. “The Telephone Call”—Kraftwerk
116. “Give Me Tonight”—Shannon
117. “So Emotional”—Whitney Houston
118. “Real Love”—Jody Watley
119. “Two of Hearts”—Stacey Q
120. “Baby Talk”—Alisha
121. “Holiday”—Madonna
122. “Keep on Movin’”—Soul 2 Soul
123. “Showing Out (Get Fresh on the Dancefloor)”—Mel and Kim
124. “Get on the Dance Floor”—Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
125. “Do You Want Me”—The Human League
126. “Karma Chameleon”—Culture Club
127. “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”—The Gap Band
128. “Wild Thing”—Tone Loc
129. “Show Me”—The Cover Girls
130. “Hustle! (To the Music…)”—The Funky Worm
131. “Strangelove”—Depeche Mode
132. “Ain’t Nobody Better”—Inner City
133. “In My House”—Mary Jane Girls
134. “Looking for a New Love”—Jody Watley
135. “In Love with Love”—Debbie Harry
136. “Oh Sheila”—Ready for the World
137. “I Want to Be Your Property”—Blue Mercedes
138. “She Works Hard for the Money”—Donna Summer
139. “Fading Away”—Will to Power
140. “Human”—Human League
141. “Let it Roll”—Doug Lazy
142. “French Kiss”—Lil Louis
143. “The Right Stuff”—Vanessa Williams
144. “Electric Avenue”—Eddie Grant
145. “Tina Cherry”—Georgio
146. “Let it Whip”—Dazz Band
147. “No Parking (On the Dance Floor)”—Midnight Star
148. “Living on Video”—Trans-X
149. “Secret Rendezvous”—Karyn White
150. “Atlantis is Calling (S.O.S. for Love)”—Modern Talking
151. “Just Can’t Get Enough”—Depeche Mode
152. “Poison Arrow”—ABC
153. “Rapture”—Blondie
154. “You Came”—Kim Wilde
155. “Someone Like You”—Sylvester
156. “Do You Love What You Feel”—Inner City
157. “Love Comes Quickly”—Pet Shop Boys
158. “Some Kind of Lover”—Jody Watley
159. “Can’t Fake the Feeling”—Geraldine Hunt
160. “Touched By the Hand of God”—New Order
161. “Beat Dis”—Bomb the Bass
162. “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”—Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield
163. “Love Will Save the Day”—Whitney Houston
164. “Thinking of You”—Earth, Wind & Fire
165. “Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But the Rent”—Gwen Guthrie
166. “Instinctual”—Imagination
167. “Upside Down”—Diana Ross
168. “Come Go with Me”—Expose
169. “All She Wants Is”—Duran Duran
170. “Lucky Star”—Madonna
171. “Theme from S-Express”—S’Express
172. “Victim of Love”—Erasure
173. “Point of No Return”—Nu Shooz
174. “On and On and On”—ABBA
175. “Dare Me”—The Pointer Sisters
176. “We Are the Young”—Dan Hartman
177. “Fascinated”—Company B
178. “Prove Your Love”—Taylor Dayne
179. “Let’s Go Crazy”—Prince and the Revolution
180. “Do You Wanna Get Away”—Shannon
181. “Trapped”—Colonel Abrams
182. “Divine Emotions”—Narada Michael Walden
183. “K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”—Siedah Garrett
184. “We Call it Acieed”—D Mob featuring Gary Haisman
185. “Spy in the House of Love”—Was (Not Was)
186. “You’re the One for Me”—D. Train
187. “Like a Child”—Noel
188. “One Look (One Look Was Enough)”—Paul Parker
189. “Sending All My Love”—The Jets
190. “This Is My Night”—Chaka Khan
191. “Adventure”—Eleanor
192. “Catch Me (I’m Falling)”—Pretty Poison
193. “Big Fun”—Inner City
194. “This is Acid”—Maurice
195. “Head to Toe”—Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam
196. “When Smokey Sings”—ABC
197. “Loverboy”—Billy Ocean
198. “Say It’s Gonna Rain”—Will Power
199. “The Promise”—When in Rome
200. “Go Home”—Stevie Wonder
Best ‘80s Dance Songs #201—300
201. “Baby Love”—Regina
202. “Diamonds”—Herb Alpert featuring Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith
203. “Batdance”—Prince
204. “The Real Thing”—Jellybean
205. “Pump Up the Volume”—MARRS
206. “Big in Japan”—Alphaville
207. “Certain Things Are Likely’—Kissing the Pink
208. “Say It Isn’t So”—Hall & Oates
209. “Break 4 Love”—Raze
210. “Say It, Say It”—E.G. Daily
211. “Let’s Go All the Way”—Sly Fox
212. “Good Life”—Inner City featuring Paris Grey
213. “I Like You”—Phyllis Nelson
214. “Sugar Walls”—Sheena Easton
215. “I’m Beggin’ You”—Supertramp
216. “Turn Around and Count 2 Ten”—Dead or Alive
217. “Just Wanna Dance / Weekend”—The Todd Terry Project
218. “Shout”—Tears for Fears
219. “Love on Top of Love”—Grace Jones
220. “Don’t You Want Me”—Jody Watley
221. “Relax”—Frankie Goes to Hollywood
222. “I Don’t Want Your Love”—Duran Duran
223. “C’est la Vie”—Robbie Nevil
224. “Hold Me Now”—Thompson Twins
225. “Love’s Gonna Get You”—Jocelyn Brown
226. “Din Daa Daa”—George Kranz
227. “Baby, Don’t Forget My Number”—Milli Vanilli
228. “Point of No Return”—Expose
229. “1999”—Prince
230. “Can You Feel It”—The Jacksons
231. “Trouble”—Nia Peeples
232. “System of Survival”—Earth, Wind & Fire
233. “It’s My Life”—Talk Talk
234. “The Pleasure Principle”—Janet Jackson
235. “I’m Coming Out”—Diana Ross
236. “Rockit”—Herbie Hancock
237. “Whenever You Need Somebody”—O’Chi Brown
238. “Breakin’… There’s No Stopping Us”—Ollie & Jerry
239. “Never Let You Go”—Sweet Sensation
240. “White Horse”—Laid Back
241. “Shake Your Love”—Debbie Gibson
242. “Let’s Work”—Prince
243. “Call Me Mr. Telephone (Answering Service)”—Cheyne
244. “The Great Commandment”—Camouflage
245. “Glad to Know You”—Chaz Jankel
246. “Jump to the Beat”—Stacy Lattisaw
247. “A Lovers Holiday”—Change
248. “Just Got Paid”—Johnny Kemp
249. “Lovely One”—The Jacksons
250. “Call Me”—Go West
251. “I’m in Love”—Evelyn King
252. “Loveride”—Nuance
253. “Hold Tight”—Change
254. “Do I Do”—Stevie Wonder
255. “Boys (Summertime Love)”—Sabrina
256. “Electric Youth”—Debbie Gibson
257. “Buffalo Stance”—Neneh Cherry
258. “If You Should Ever Be Lonely”—Val Young
259. “Out of Time”—Noel
260. “The Glamorous Life”—Sheila E.
261. “No Frills Love”—Jennifer Holliday
262. “Slave to the Rhythm”—Grace Jones
263. “Beat Box—Art of Noise
264. “Shoot Your Best Shot”—Linda Clifford
265. “Tell Me I’m Not Dreamin’ (Too Good to Be True)”—Jermaine Jackson featuring Michael Jackson
266. “Bad Habits”—Jenny Burton
267. “Thinking About Your Love”—Skipworth & Turner
268. “Nasty Girl”—Vanity 6
269. “I’m Not Gonna Let You”—Colonel Abrams
270. “Lies”—Thompson Twins
271. “Right on Target”—Paul Parker
272. “Who’s Zoomin’ Who”—Aretha Franklin
273. “Love Come Down”—Evelyn King
274. “You Can”—Madleen Kane
275. “The Medicine Song”—Stephanie Mills
276. “Murphy’s Law”—Cheri
277. “Deep in Vogue”—Malcolm McLaren
278. “Jeopardy”—The Greg Kihn Band
279. “Never Give You Up”—Sharon Redd
280. “I Want a New Drug”—Huey Lewis and the News
281. “Breaking and Entering”—Dee Dee Sharp
282. “Try It Out”—Gino Soccio
283. “Menergy”—Patrick Cowley
284. “Don’t Come Crying to Me”—Linda Clifford
285. “Heartbeat”—Tanna Gardner
286. “I Wonder If I Take You Home”—Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
287. “Sidewalk Town”—Jellybean
288. “I Can’t Go for That (No One Can Do)”—Daryl Hall and John Oates
289. “Angel Man (G.A.)”—Rhetta Hughes
290. “So Fine”—Howard Johnson
291. “Wordy Rappinghood”—Tom Tom Club
292. “Thanks to You”—Sinnamon
293. “Do You Love Me”—Patti Austin
294. “Red Light”—Linda Clifford
295. “You’re Too Late”—Fantasy
296. “Dynamite!”—Stacy Lattisaw
297. “The Look of Love”—ABC
298. “Dancin’ the Night Away”—Voggue
299. “Zulu”—The Quick
300. “Walk Right Now”—The Jacksons
© 2022 Ansel Pereira
