Music of the 1980’s

1980 Hit Songs

Rock with YouCrazy Little Thing Called LoveComing UpFunkytown

It's Still Rock and Roll to MeLost in LoveDo That to Me One More

Time

Grammy Awards

Sailing: Christopher Cross- record

Christopher Cross- AlbumSailing: song

Disco continued to sell well in 1980-

Songs like Blondie's "Call Me"Diana Ross "Upside Down"Irene Cara "Fame"

Listeners tastes were changing though

Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bob Seger were all becoming popular

Captain and Tennille: "Do That to Me One More Time"

Kenny Roger "Lady"Christopher Cross "Sailing"----

these were "mushy" ballads that were also very popular

The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" became the first rap record to make the Top Hundred (peaked at #36)

Digitally recorded LP's were widely marketed for the first time

Introduction of the Sony Walkman (portable stereo)

The Walkman changed the listening habits of the entire country

Single handedly responsible for the boom in cassette sales during the early 80's

New generation was discovering Jim Morrison and The Doors (thanks to the movie Apocalype Now because it used the song "The End" in it)

Morrison became a popular icon- Rolling Stone Magazine did a cover story on him

Headline: "He's Hot. He's Sexy. He's Dead."

John Lennon: assassinated in New York City by mental patient

Mark

David

Chapman

1981

LadyStarting OverKiss on My List9 to 5Take It On the Run

Morning TrainSlow Hand

Grammy Awards

Bette Davis Eyes: Kim Carnes- record

Double Fantasy: John Lennon, Yoko One- album

Bette Davis Eyes: song

MTV

MTV: all music video cable channel that was relatively commercial free

Debut was with Buggles' song "Video Killed the Radio Star"

Immediate sensation

Bars drew in extra business by hanging a sign out that said "We have MTV"

Original veejays were: Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, JJ Jackson, Mark Goodman, and Nina Blackwood

Channel was originally dominated by English artists, because American artists were not in the habit of making videos

Many critics noticed a lack of black artists

Disco backlash: many white record buyers were considering anything black to be "disco"

Black recording artists were having a tough time crossing over into the pop world

Rick James: Top 20 hit with "Super Freak"---couldn't get the video played on MTV

Prince: "Controversy" album---was booed off stage while opening for Rolling Stones at the LA Coliseum

Only two records by black artists topped the charts in 1981: Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" and "Celebration"

Blondie experimented with rap in "Rapture"

White America was still wanting: REO Speedwagon, Styx, Journey and pop country Eddie Rabbit and Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hall and John Oates---

Styx and Hall & Oates

Also: Rick Springfield: Australian actor and musician

Fluke hit in 1972 with "Speak to the Sky"

One of America's leading heartthrobs

Had a regular role as Dr. Noah Drake on soap opera General Hospital

Olivia Newton-John: "Physical"Christopher Cross: "Arthur's

Theme (Best That You Can Do)"

1982

Any Day NowJack and DianeAbracadabraHard to Say I'm SorryGloria

I Can't Go for ThatHurts So Good

Grammy Awards

Rosanna: Toto-recordToto IV: Toto- albumAlways on My Mind- song

Independent film: Wild Style came out this year

Explored rap music, breakdancing, and graffiti art scenes in the black community of New York's South Bronx

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- rap act that appeared in the movie

They released single called "The Message"

First rap hit to comment on the social issues and pressures facing urban blacks

Not a huge pop hit, but crossed over just enough to start getting white people to see that something was starting to develop in the ghettos of America

Pretty dull year for American music:

Hall and Oates and Lionel Richie dominated the charts

John Cougar starting to become popular

Steve Miller and Chicago still popular from the 1970's

Joan Jett brought real rock and roll to the charts

The Blasters and The Stray Cats were popular among American kids too

The Go-Go's: products of LA punk scene

Frank Zappa: he and daughter Moon Unit did "Valley Girl"

Used "valspeaking" residents of LA and gave him the biggest hit of his career

Liberace

his chauffeur Scott Thorson had been his companion

Filed a lawsuit against Liberace- wanted his belongings back

Liberace denied being homosexual

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts: "I Love Rock N Roll"

Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder: "Ebony and Ivory"

Survivor: "Eye of the Tiger"J. Geils Band: "Centerfold"Daryl Hall and John Oates:

"Maneater"

1983

Down UnderBillie JeanEvery Breath You TakeManiac

Total Eclipse of the HeartSay, Say, SayIslands in the Stream

Grammy Awards

Beat It, Michael Jackson- record

Thriller: Michael Jackson- album

Every Breath You Take- song

Michael Jackson: Off the Wall had been a huge hit in 1979

Came out with Thriller this year

Had 6 Top Ten hits on it: "Billie Jean""Beat It""Wanna Be Startin' Somethin""Human Nature""PYT""Thriller"

Quiet Riot: LA: album "Metal Health"

Popularity of heavy metal was coming

Spandex pants and big hair

Styx: Kilroy Was HereTalking Heads: New York art-

rock combo- "Burning Down the House" was in Top 10

REM: Athens, Georgia- Top 40 with "Murmur"

The Velvet Underground: had been popular in the late 60's

By '85 all records were back in print, selling better than in the 60's

1984

FootlooseJumpTime After TimeOwner of a Lonely Heart

GhostbustersUptown GirlSelf Control

Grammy Awards

What's Love Got to Do with It: Tina Turner- record

Can't Slow Down: Lionel Richie- album

What's Love Got to Do with It- song

Breakdancing was everywhere- in TV commercials, music videos- even at the opening of the LA Summer Olympics

Hollywood made four low-budget "Breaksploitation" flicks: "Beat Street" "Body Rock" "Breakin'" and "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo"

MTV was a major influence on music and film

Quick edits & lighting that had been just in music videos were now going into Hollywood films-Beverly Hills Cop, Footloose, Streets of Fire, Purple Rain

Executives started realizing that by putting scenes from the film into the music video, you could sell a movie better as well as the soundtrack

Purple Rain: blockbuster film and a multi-platinum album

Born in The USA: Bruce Springsteen

Heavy Metal: Van Halen: 1984 -band's final

album with David Lee Roth"Jump""Panama""Hot for Teacher"

Ratt, Motley Crue"Out of The Cellar""Shout At The Devil"

Twisted Sister: "We're Not Gonna take It"

RUN-DMC: Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels

"Rock Box" mixture of street raps and metallic guitars

Marvin Gaye

1983: "Sexual Healing" comebackworking on a follow-up to "Midnight

Love" albumApril 1 was shot and killed by his

father in an argument

Other big hits of the year:Madonna: "Like A Virgin"Prince: "When Doves Cry"

1985

Wake Me Up Before You Go-GoI Feel for YouGlory DaysCrazy for YouCareless WhisperOne Night in Bangkok

Grammy Awards

We Are the World- U.S.A. for Africa- record

No Jacket Required: Phil Collins- album

We Are the World: song

Live Aid, Farm Aid, and founding of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Year of the compact disc: higher priced than turntables and LPs

CD players and CDs were immediately so successful that it was predicted that vinyl would be almost completely obsolete by the end of the decade

PMRC: self appointed moral watchdog committee formed by wives of several prominent politicos

Began to pressure record companies to save the youth of America by putting warning stickers on records containing "offensive" lyrical content

22 record companies pledged to slap parental warnings on any product containing potentially offensive material

LL Cool J: rap's newest superstar with debut album "Radio"

Starship's "We Built This City"Mr. Mister "Broken Wings"Whitney Houston's "Saving All My

Love For You"

Lionel Richie "Say You, Say Me"Madonna's: "Crazy For You"John Parr: "St Elmo's Fire"Huey Lewis and The News':

"The Power of Love"

More top songs

USA for Africa: "We Are The World"

REO Speedwagon: "Can't Fight This Feeling"

Dire Straits: "Money For Nothing"

1986

How Will I KnowKyrrieGreatest Love of AllLive to Tell

On My OwnThere'll Be Sad SongsSledgehammer

Grammy Awards

Higher Love: Steve Winwood- record

Graceland: Paul Simon: albumThat's What Friends Are For: song

Madonna: shortened hair and tried to "class up" her image

Third album: "True Blue

The Bangles: all female quartet Two massive pop hits: "Manic

Monday" - which was written by Prince

"Walk Like An Egyptian"

Bon Jovi:Sounded like a cross between

Bruce Springsteen and a metal band

"You Give Love A Bad Name""Livin On A Prayer"

Metallica: thrash metal classes "Master of Puppets"

Momentum lost when bassist Cliff Burton died in a bus crash during the band's Swedish tour

Miami Vice's Don Johnson: Top 5 hit with "Heartbeat"

Janet Jackson: younger sister of Michael Jackson

"Control"

James Brown: 4th decade of hits with “Living In America”

Paul Simon: South African musicians on new Graceland album---“world music” style

Run DMC: teamed up with Aerosmith for a remake of “Walk This Way”

More top hits:Dionne and Friends “That’s

What Friends Are For”Falco: “Rock Me Amadeus”

1987

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us NowAloneHere I Go AgainThe Way It Is

ShakedownLivin' on a PrayerEverybody Have Fun Tonight

Grammy Awards

Graceland: Paul Simon- recordThe Joshua Tree: US- albumSomewhere Out There- song

Top Albums

Dirty Dancing SoundtrackWhitney Houston: WhitneyU2: The Joshua TreeThe Beastie Boys: Licensed to

IllMichael Jackson: Bad

Other Top Singles:George Michael: FaithLos Lobos: La BambaU2: With or Without You

CD market had sales of over $102 million

Bad sold 8 million copies this year, had 5 Number One singles- including “Man In The Mirror” and “Bad”

Tiffany: Tiffany Darwinsch16 years old“Could’ve Been”“I Think We’re Alone Now

Debbie Gibson: “Only In My Dreams”“Shake Your Love”

Grateful Dead: hit first Top 10 hit with “Touch of Grey”

Deadheads complained that the single was making the band too popular

Newcomers were ruining the “vibe” of he Dead’s concerts

PoisonSlayerThese replaced Twisted Sister

and Quiet Riot for the headbangers

The Beastie Boys: debut album by New York white rap trio was Licensed to Ill

Had hit “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party”

Sold 5 million copies and became the first rap record to top the pop album charts

10 years after Elvis Presley’s death:20,000 fans from around the world

went to MemphisLiberace died this year from AIDSHe had an outrageous sense of

onstage style

1988

FaithNeed You TonightSweet Child O'MineHands to Heaven

One More TryWild, Wild WestGroovy Kind of Love

Grammy Awards

Don't Worry, Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin- record

Faith: George Michael- albumDon't Worry, Be Happy: Bobby

McFerrin- song

More Top Singles:Steve Winwood: Roll With ItPoison: Every Rose Has Its

ThornChicago: Look Away

Top Albums

George Michael: FaithDef Leppard: HysteriaUS: Rattle and HumGuns N Roses: Appetite for

DestructionBon Jovi: New Jersey

Guns N’ Roses

Changing the face of musicNo lipstick, teased hair, and

spandexThey had leathers, bandanas

and the look of “fresh from the gutter”

Public Enemy:It Takes A Nation Of Millions

To Hold Us BackMixed rage with big beats

Will To Power: “Free Baby”Disco-muzak of Peter

Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”

Beach Boys: “Kokomo”

Bobby McFerrin: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”

George Bush would try to use this song as his theme for 1992 campaign

James Brown: arrested this fallHe lead several Georgia state

police cars on a chase while under influence of PCP

6 year jail sentence was reduced to a little over 25 months

1989

My PrerogativeStraight UpGiving You the Best that I GotThis Time I Know It's for Real

Fight the PowerCold HeartedCherish

Grammy Awards

Wind Beneath My Wings: Bette Midler- record

Nick of Time: Bonnie Raitt- album

Wind Beneath My Wings- song

Phil Collins: Another Day in Paradise

Janet Jackson: Miss You MuchRichard Marx: Right Here WaitingMadonna: Like a Prayer

Top Albums

Paula Abdul: Forever Your GirlMilli Vanilli: Girl You Know It’s TrueFine Young Cannibals: The Raw and

the CookedBobby Brown: Don’t Be CruelMadonna: Like a Prayer

Rap music very popular nowNovelty rap singles like Young

MC’s “Bust A Move”2 Live CrewTone Loc’s “Funky Cold Medina”

Paula Abdul, Richard Marx, and New

Kids on the BlockMadonna: Like a Prayer: strongest

album for her to that pointBobby Brown: left New Edition and

came out with “Don’t Be Cruel”

Harry Connick Jr.: 22 year old jazz pianist

When Harry Met Sally soundtrackGuns N’ Roses: “Patience”

MTV: came out with MTV Unplugged

Debuted in November with singer-songwriter Jules Shear