80's Songs That Are Recorded Well (S.Q. 80's)

[JimmyDee]

I had chimed-in on a thread about 80's music, and it got me thinking...
Since I am a product of the 80's, and most of the music I listen to is from the 80's... I figured I'd compile a list of 80's songs that are recorded well.
There's lots of music from that era, that is recorded like crap. So let's have some input on songs that you know, are recorded well.
Here's a few that come to mind:

She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
All Through The Night - Cyndi Lauper
Cosmetics - Gowan
Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
Shake It Up - The Cars
Need You Tonight - INXS
White Wedding - Billy Idol
Who's Crying Now - Journey
Think I'm In Love - Eddie Money
Sussudio - Phil Collins
Winning - Santana
Roll With The Changes - REO Speedwagon
Mother - Pink Floyd (lots of hiss, but still recorded well)
Heart of Glass - Blondie
Tom Sawyer - Rush
No One Is To Blame - Howard Jones / Phil Collins
La Isla Bonita - Madonna
Panama - Van Halen
I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
Joyride - Roxette
Industrial Disease - Dire Straits
Avalon - Roxy Music
Obsession - Animotion
Worlds Away - Strange Advance
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
Spaceship Superstar - Prism (technically from 1977, but still a wicked song)
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News
Don't You Want Me - Human League
Eyes of A Stranger - Payola$
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
Africa - Toto
River of Dreams - Billy Joel (circa 1993 - but still a wicked SQ song)
Thriller - Michael Jackson
Under Pressure - Queen / Bowie
Victory Day - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider
Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins

[Uncle Fungus]

Tina Turner - Private Dancer
Johnny Hates Jazz - Shattered Dreams
Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies, 7 Wonders, As Long as you Follow
Icehouse - Street Cafe, Paradise, Hey Little Girl
Phil Collins - All of my life

FYI I think River of Dreams is a 90s song. If you like that, try Hazard by Richard Marx, Hypnotized by Simple Minds and Come Undone by Duran Duran.

[Ribrown]

That's a great list! New member here also raised on 80s. I 2nd Thriller! Michael Jackson's Thriller is definitely a must. But for good ole Classic Rock, 38 Specials Greatest Hits is a great sounding CD.

Keep the list going!

[JimmyDee]

Just listened to another good one...

Moving In Stereo - The Cars

[Smitty]

I agree with most of your list since many of those songs are on my list when evaluating and tuning a new build.

Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes
P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson (pretty much anything on the Thriller album)
Wicked Game - Chris Isaak
Careless Whisper - George Michael
Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz
Lucky Star - Madonna (you already listed my #1 for her)
Vogue - Madonna
One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head
Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
Smooth Operator - Sade
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Voices Carry - Til Tuesday
Rough Boy - ZZ Top

and the best of all...

Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley

[Hillbilly SQ]

Nice list so far. I listened to a lot of 80's contemporary music riding in mom's '85 Sunbird wagon as a toddler. Oh, "River of Dreams" is from the 90's

[JimmyDee]

"River of Dreams" is from the 90's

Yes. My bad. Circa 1993.
Still a good SQ song...

[Hillbilly SQ]

Yes. My bad. Circa 1993.
Still a good SQ song...

It will probably end up on my next demo cd since you jogged my memory on it. I've been a HUGE Billy Joel fan since 1987 when my folks bought me "An Innocent Man" at the age of 5. Wore out two cassette tapes and my first non-kid cassette tape was also my very first cd that mom bought me. Over 30 years later it's still probably my favorite album of all time. Actually, I'll add any of the 10 songs from "An Innocent Man" to the list here. I own quite a few of his albums and really love his lounge type music from the 70's too.

[Omicron]

The entire Donald Fagen Nightfly SACD. That is one of my all time favorites.

[YellowC4S]

Spyro Gyra "Alternating Currents"