Top Ten Dance Songs of the 80's

Ah, the 80’s – big hair, big earrings, big belts. Leg warmers, headbands, and Pat Benatar makeup. Pacman, MTV, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The Brat Pack, AquaNet Hairspray, and Vans shoes. Like, for sure dude, a lot of totally awesome gnarly words were coined in the 80’s, too. But who can forget 80’s music? Pop, new wave, punk, and rock and roll were all popular. Here’s my list of top ten dance songs of the 80’s!

1. “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead or Alive. Number one of the top ten dance songs of the 80's, this buoyant and infectious song was a huge dance club hit in 1985. Because music videos were going full force by then, much attention was given to the flamboyant and androgynous style of front man Pete Burns. Big hair and lots of makeup were not just for women anymore!

2. “1999” by Prince. You can’t have an 80’s dance song list without Prince. Although he released his first album in 1978, he became well known for the song “1999” released in the early 80’s. It was a HUGE dance hit. He too sported big hair, flamboyant clothes and a “beautiful people” lifestyle. He went on to release several successful albums, but nothing holds a place in my heart like “1999”.

3. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. When the Thriller music video came out, my friends and I were glued to MTV. We couldn’t get enough of the movie-style story, the killer costumes, and the awesome dancing. Thriller was also a big dance club hit. It was so long, it was like doing aerobics, but we loved it anyway. Kudos to the movie 13 Going on 30 for that fun trip back to the 80’s with the “Thriller” dance scene. Go Jennifer Garner.