The first time Don McLean saluted his ‘50s rock and roll heroes, it produced a timeless classic. Despite its length, “American Pie” has only faded from the radio relatively recently. And after more than 48 years, it still got nearly 300 spins last week according to Nielsen BDSRadio.
Nine years later, in the middle of a CHR downturn, and after eight years without an American hit, McLean scored a surprise No. 1 in the U.K. and top 5 in the U.S. with a remake of Roy Orbison’s “Crying.” That song became the No. 40 hit of 1981. Last week, it got no monitored airplay in North America.
That makes “Crying” the hit song of the 1980s with the highest “lost factor,” according to the calculations that the Ross On Radio column has been publishing since early April that measure the distance between a song’s popularity at the time and the amount of airplay it typically receives now. After calculating which hits of 1982, 1984, and 1989 are most lost, we’re looking this week at top 100 of the ‘80s overall.
To the ROR readers who’ve found our “Lost Factor” articles a helpful diversion in recent months, “Crying” fits a pattern now familiar from previous years: soft pop from the early ‘80s doldrums that doesn’t quite qualify even for the new Soft ACs that have popped up in recent years, much less the Classic Hits, Adult Hits, and Classic Rock stations that give any vintage title most of its current airplay. It also fits a pattern seen in songs ignored by today’s Soft AC—being an early ‘60s remake, it comes across as even older than it is.
The early ‘80s are responsible for a disproportionate number of the decade’s lost songs, but the No. 2 song is from 1989, a time when CHR was again in transition. But it’s from Sheena Easton, whose debut “Morning Train (9 To 5)” was a hit in the U.K. and U.S. at the same time as “Crying.” Easton dramatically reinvented herself throughout the decade, working with both Prince and Babyface. But the latter-penned “The Lover In Me” is the second most-lost song of the decade.
Each Billboard year-end chart of the ‘80s was calculated individually, then together to come up with the 100 most-lost songs, as well as a separate top 65 for the second half of the decade. More about the calculations and their backstory can be found here.
RANK | ARTIST | TITLE | YEAR | LOST FACTOR | SPINS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Don McLean | Crying | 1980 | 61 | 0 |
2 | Sheena Easton | The Lover In Me | 1989 | 60 | 1 |
3 | Buckner & Garcia | Pac-Man Fever | 1982 | 59 | 0 |
4 | Diana Ross | It's My Turn | 1981 | 59 | 0 |
5 | Olivia Newton-John | Twist Of Fate | 1984 | 59 | 0 |
6 | Kenny Rogers | I Don't Need You | 1981 | 57 | 0 |
7 | Rupert Holmes | Him | 1980 | 51 | 0 |
8 | Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Hooked On Classics | 1982 | 45 | 0 |
9 | Europe | Carrie | 1987 | 45 | 1 |
10 | Gary "U.S." Bonds | This Little Girl | 1981 | 43 | 0 |
11 | Donna Summer | Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) | 1982 | 42 | 0 |
12 | Cliff Richard | A Little In Love | 1981 | 40 | 0 |
13 | Isaac Hayes | Don't Let Go | 1980 | 38 | 0 |
14 | New Kids On The Block | I'll Be Loving You (Forever) | 1989 | 38 | 2 |
15 | Air Supply | Sweet Dreams | 1982 | 37 | 2 |
16 | Linda Ronstadt | How Do I Make You | 1980 | 33 | 1 |
17 | Irene Cara | Breakdance | 1984 | 32 | 0 |
18 | Charlene | I've Never Been To Me | 1982 | 32 | 2 |
19 | Tiffany | Could've Been | 1988 | 31 | 3 |
20 | Vangelis | Chariots Of Fire | 1982 | 30 | 3 |
21 | Prince | Batdance | 1989 | 29 | 2 |
22 | Milli Vanilli | Girl I'm Gonna Miss You | 1989 | 28 | 3 |
23 | Stars On 45 | Stars On 45 Medley | 1981 | 26 | 3 |
24 | Neil Diamond | Love On The Rocks | 1981 | 25 | 3 |
25 | Debbie Gibson | Foolish Beat | 1988 | 23 | 3 |
26 | Tiffany | All This Time | 1989 | 23 | 0 |
27 | Dino | I Like It | 1989 | 23 | 2 |
28 | Andy Gibb | Desire | 1980 | 22 | 2 |
29 | Laura Branigan | Solitaire | 1983 | 21 | 2 |
30 | Pablo Cruise | Cool Love | 1981 | 21 | 0 |
31 | Styx | Don't Let It End | 1983 | 21 | 2 |
32 | Cyndi Lauper | Change Of Heart | 1987 | 20 | 2 |
33 | John Schneider | It's Now Or Never | 1981 | 19 | 0 |
34 | Quarterflash | Take Me To Heart | 1983 | 18 | 0 |
35 | Chicago | I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love | 1988 | 18 | 3 |
36 | Olivia Newton-John | Make A Move On Me | 1982 | 17 | 1 |
37 | Boys Club | I Remember Holding You | 1989 | 16 | 0 |
38 | Commodores | Oh No | 1981 | 16 | 2 |
39 | Paul McCartney | Take It Away | 1982 | 16 | 2 |
40 | Arcadia | Election Day | 1986 | 15 | 1 |
41 | Shalamar | Dead Giveaway | 1983 | 15 | 1 |
42 | Donny Osmond | Soldier Of Love | 1989 | 15 | 3 |
43 | Samantha Fox | Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) | 1988 | 15 | 5 |
44 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Everything Your Heart Desires | 1988 | 15 | 2 |
45 | Dirt Band | An American Dream | 1980 | 15 | 2 |
46 | New Kids On The Block | Cover Girl | 1989 | 14 | 2 |
47 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Wait For Me | 1980 | 13 | 1 |
48 | Steve Winwood | Don't You Know What The Night Can Do? | 1988 | 13 | 1 |
49 | Neil & Dara Sedaka | Should've Never Let You Go | 1980 | 13 | 2 |
50 | Jan Hammer | Miami Vice Theme | 1985 | 12 | 6 |
51 | Boz Scaggs | Jojo | 1980 | 12 | 1 |
52 | Charlie Dore | Pilot Of The Airwaves | 1980 | 12 | 2 |
53 | Little River Band | Take It Easy On Me | 1982 | 12 | 5 |
54 | Ray Parker, Jr. | I Still Can't Get Over Loving You | 1984 | 12 | 2 |
55 | Pointer Sisters | Should I Do It | 1982 | 12 | 1 |
56 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Did It In A Minute | 1982 | 12 | 3 |
57 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Family Man | 1983 | 11 | 3 |
58 | Roberta Flack | Making Love | 1982 | 11 | 5 |
59 | Jets | Cross My Broken Heart | 1987 | 11 | 1 |
60 | Ray Parker, Jr. | The Other Woman | 1982 | 11 | 7 |
61 | Alan Parsons Project | Time | 1981 | 11 | 5 |
62 | White Lion | When The Children Cry | 1989 | 10 | 4 |
63 | Kool & the Gang | Victory | 1987 | 10 | 0 |
64 | Olivia Newton-John & Cliff Richard | Suddenly | 1981 | 10 | 0 |
65 | Bob Seger | Shame On The Moon | 1983 | 10 | 9 |
66 | Stevie Wonder | I Ain't Gonna Stand For It | 1981 | 9 | 3 |
67 | Billy Idol | To Be A Lover | 1987 | 9 | 4 |
68 | Huey Lewis & the News | Perfect World | 1988 | 9 | 4 |
69 | Sheena Easton | You Could've Been With Me | 1982 | 9 | 4 |
70 | Barbra Streisand | Comin' In And Out Of Your Life | 1982 | 9 | 3 |
71 | Christopher Cross | Think Of Laura | 1984 | 9 | 2 |
72 | Little River Band | Man On Your Mind | 1982 | 9 | 1 |
73 | Little River Band | The Other Guy | 1983 | 9 | 4 |
74 | Paul McCartney | Spies Like Us | 1986 | 9 | 1 |
75 | Rod Stewart | Passion | 1981 | 9 | 7 |
76 | Taylor Dayne | Don't Rush Me | 1989 | 9 | 7 |
77 | Bangles | In Your Room | 1989 | 9 | 4 |
78 | Ray, Goodman & Brown | Special Lady | 1980 | 8 | 7 |
79 | Dan Fogelberg | Leader Of The Band | 1982 | 8 | 8 |
80 | Frank Stallone | Far From Over | 1983 | 8 | 0 |
81 | Peter Cetera | One Good Woman | 1988 | 8 | 4 |
82 | Regina | Baby Love | 1986 | 8 | 2 |
83 | Beach Boys | The Beach Boys Medley | 1981 | 8 | 0 |
84 | Jacksons | State Of Shock | 1984 | 8 | 5 |
85 | Diana Ross | Why Do Fools Fall In Love? | 1982 | 8 | 6 |
86 | Dr. Hook | Sexy Eyes | 1980 | 8 | 10 |
87 | Breathe | How Can I Fall? | 1989 | 7 | 10 |
88 | Madonna | Who's That Girl | 1987 | 7 | 8 |
89 | Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson | Friends And Lovers | 1986 | 7 | 12 |
90 | Herb Alpert | Diamonds | 1987 | 7 | 3 |
91 | Milli Vanilli | Baby Don't Forget My Number | 1989 | 7 | 10 |
92 | Franke & the Knockouts | Sweetheart | 1981 | 7 | 7 |
93 | REO Speedwagon | Keep The Fire Burning | 1982 | 7 | 7 |
94 | Billy Preston & Syreeta | With You I'm Born Again | 1980 | 7 | 11 |
95 | Billy Joel | An Innocent Man | 1984 | 7 | 4 |
96 | Paul McCartney | No More Lonely Nights | 1985 | 7 | 4 |
97 | Daryl Hall | Dreamtime | 1986 | 7 | 0 |
98 | George Michael | Monkey | 1988 | 7 | 8 |
99 | Heart | Tell It Like It Is | 1981 | 7 | 2 |
100 | Peaches & Herb | I Pledge My Love | 1980 | 7 | 3 |
100 | Samantha Fox | I Wanna Have Some Fun | 1989 | 7 | 2 |
The early ‘80s aren’t typically what comes to mind when listeners or programmers think of “’80s music.” We also ran a separate top 65 for the last five years of the decade, 1985-89. That countdown is dominated by music from the last 2-3 years of the decade, after hair metal pop and more hip-hop influenced R&B had changed the sound of the format. While we’re already seeing more music from that era gain acceptance, especially as Classic Hits pushes into the ‘90s, many other songs remain lost to time.
Top 65 Lost Songs, 1985-89
RANK | ARTIST | TITLE | YEAR | LOST FACTOR | SPINS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sheena Easton | The Lover In Me | 1989 | 60 | 1 |
2 | Europe | Carrie | 1987 | 45 | 1 |
3 | New Kids On The Block | I'll Be Loving You (Forever) | 1989 | 38 | 2 |
4 | Tiffany | Could've Been | 1988 | 31 | 3 |
5 | Prince | Batdance | 1989 | 29 | 2 |
6 | Milli Vanilli | Girl I'm Gonna Miss You | 1989 | 28 | 3 |
7 | Debbie Gibson | Foolish Beat | 1988 | 23 | 3 |
8 | Tiffany | All This Time | 1989 | 23 | 0 |
9 | Dino | I Like It | 1989 | 23 | 2 |
10 | Cyndi Lauper | Change Of Heart | 1987 | 20 | 2 |
11 | Chicago | I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love | 1988 | 18 | 3 |
12 | Boys Club | I Remember Holding You | 1989 | 16 | 0 |
13 | Arcadia | Election Day | 1986 | 15 | 1 |
14 | Donny Osmond | Soldier Of Love | 1989 | 15 | 3 |
15 | Samantha Fox | Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) | 1988 | 15 | 5 |
16 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Everything Your Heart Desires | 1988 | 15 | 2 |
17 | New Kids On The Block | Cover Girl | 1989 | 14 | 2 |
18 | Steve Winwood | Don't You Know What The Night Can Do? | 1988 | 13 | 1 |
19 | Jan Hammer | Miami Vice Theme | 1985 | 12 | 6 |
20 | Jets | Cross My Broken Heart | 1987 | 11 | 1 |
21 | White Lion | When The Children Cry | 1989 | 10 | 4 |
22 | Kool & the Gang | Victory | 1987 | 10 | 0 |
23 | Billy Idol | To Be A Lover | 1987 | 9 | 4 |
24 | Huey Lewis & the News | Perfect World | 1988 | 9 | 4 |
25 | Paul McCartney | Spies Like Us | 1986 | 9 | 1 |
26 | Taylor Dayne | Don't Rush Me | 1989 | 9 | 7 |
27 | Bangles | In Your Room | 1989 | 9 | 4 |
28 | Peter Cetera | One Good Woman | 1988 | 8 | 4 |
29 | Regina | Baby Love | 1986 | 8 | 2 |
30 | Breathe | How Can I Fall? | 1989 | 7 | 10 |
31 | Madonna | Who's That Girl | 1987 | 7 | 8 |
32 | Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson | Friends And Lovers | 1986 | 7 | 12 |
33 | Herb Alpert | Diamonds | 1987 | 7 | 3 |
34 | Milli Vanilli | Baby Don't Forget My Number | 1989 | 7 | 10 |
35 | Paul McCartney | No More Lonely Nights | 1985 | 7 | 4 |
36 | Daryl Hall | Dreamtime | 1986 | 7 | 0 |
37 | George Michael | Monkey | 1988 | 7 | 8 |
38 | Samantha Fox | I Wanna Have Some Fun | 1989 | 7 | 2 |
39 | El DeBarge | Who's Johnny | 1986 | 7 | 5 |
40 | Chicago | Look Away | 1989 | 7 | 15 |
41 | Jets | Rocket 2 U | 1988 | 7 | 5 |
42 | Duran Duran | I Don't Want Your Love | 1989 | 7 | 6 |
43 | Rick Astley | She Wants To Dance With Me | 1989 | 7 | 2 |
44 | Pointer Sisters | Neutron Dance | 1985 | 6 | 10 |
45 | Madonna | Causing A Commotion | 1987 | 6 | 9 |
46 | Debbie Gibson | Shake Your Love | 1988 | 6 | 13 |
47 | Huey Lewis & the News | Jacob's Ladder | 1987 | 6 | 10 |
48 | Robbie Nevil | C'est La Vie | 1987 | 6 | 16 |
49 | Survivor | Is This Love | 1987 | 6 | 4 |
50 | Sting | We'll Be Together | 1988 | 6 | 3 |
51 | Martika | Toy Soldiers | 1989 | 5 | 13 |
52 | Exposé | Seasons Change | 1988 | 5 | 16 |
53 | Natalie Cole | Pink Cadillac | 1988 | 5 | 5 |
54 | Thompson Twins | King For A Day | 1986 | 5 | 0 |
55 | Tina Turner | Typical Male | 1986 | 5 | 6 |
56 | Sa-Fire | Thinking Of You | 1989 | 5 | 0 |
57 | Richard Marx | Satisfied | 1989 | 5 | 10 |
58 | Kool & the Gang | Misled | 1985 | 5 | 7 |
59 | Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram | Somewhere Out There | 1987 | 4 | 14 |
60 | Taylor Dayne | With Every Beat Of My Heart | 1989 | 4 | 12 |
61 | Billy Ocean | There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) | 1986 | 4 | 20 |
62 | Rod Stewart | My Heart Can't Tell You No | 1989 | 4 | 12 |
63 | Debbie Gibson | Lost In Your Eyes | 1989 | 4 | 21 |
64 | Suzanne Vega | Luka | 1987 | 4 | 12 |
65 | Stevie Nicks | Talk To Me | 1986 | 4 | 11 |
Just as some major hits have become lost to time, others, typically pop/rock titles, have gotten a boost over the years. These are songs that received significant airplay—more than 800 spins per week—disproportionate to their year-end placing at the time. These are the “Turboed Ten.”
Which Songs Got Better With Time
RANK | ARTIST | TITLE | YEAR | SPINS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stevie Nicks | Edge Of Seventeen | 1982 | 1519 |
2 | Tom Petty & Heartbreakers | Refugee | 1980 | 1096 |
3 | Beastie Boys | (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) | 1987 | 1238 |
4 | Poison | Nothin' But A Good Time | 1988 | 1027 |
5 | Loverboy | Working For The Weekend | 1982 | 1004 |
6 | Def Leppard | Photograph | 1983 | 1697 |
7 | Guns N' Roses | Paradise City | 1989 | 1925 |
8 | Journey | Don't Stop Believin' | 1982 | 3561 |
9 | Bryan Adams | Summer Of '69 | 1985 | 2892 |
10 | Bruce Springsteen | Born In The U.S.A. | 1985 | 846 |
Finally, there were a number of songs that managed to show a particularly low “lost factor,” not because they were getting a lot of airplay, but because they were relatively low charting year-end titles that were getting modest airplay disproportionate to their placing. Getting between 100-400 spins per week, and spanning a variety of genres, these are the “Near-Hit Nine.”
These Songs Are Hanging In There
RANK | ARTIST | TITLE | YEAR | SPINS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Soul II Soul | Keep On Movin' | 1989 | 144 |
2 | Ready For The World | Love You Down | 1987 | 138 |
3 | Tom Petty & Heartbreakers | You Got Lucky | 1983 | 371 |
4 | Cars | Magic | 1984 | 346 |
5 | Don Henley | All She Wants To Do Is Dance | 1985 | 258 |
6 | Madonna | Dress You Up | 1985 | 175 |
7 | Kenny Rogers | Through The Years | 1982 | 116 |
8 | Bobby Brown | Rock Wit'cha | 1989 | 344 |
9 | Peter Schilling | Major Tom (Coming Home) | 1984 | 282 |
Thanks for your enthusiastic response to the Lost Hits of the ‘80s. Now check out the top 10 for each year of the decade here.
Loving this Sean and in awe of the amount of data analysis that must have gone into producing this categorization. Not noted in your commentary is how so many Daryl Hall & John Oates songs seem to appear on these lists. Presumably due to their prolific hits production during much of the first half of the decade (and second half of the 70’s too). Their albums: Private Eyes (1981), H2O (1982), and Big Bam Boom (1984), produced a steady stream of radio-friendly hits creating a large pool for some of them to have since gotten “lost” during the ensuing years. In one sense this is a testimony to their power as hit machines, but another analysis can ask: What is it about their music that no longer resonates with 2020 programmers’ ears?
Having done a lot of music research for classic hits stations, there aren’t that many songs of theirs that endure, but I think they also face a perception that ’80s pop in general isn’t as enduring as the rock or new-wave/pop music, which then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because radio plays less of it. But there aren’t a ton of ’80s artists who are represented by more than 3-4 different songs. Just so happens that they had a lot unlike, say, Billy Idol, who has 3-4 playable songs but a much higher “hit” rate.
These lost songs of the 80s columns are the GOODS, Sean! Some of the most intriguing deep-dive research I’ve ever seen from you… and just great fun to read. THANKS!
Thanks, Chuck! I’m glad people are enjoying it.
Have heard so many of these songs recently, simply because they’re in my own personal rotation: “Breakdance,” “Leader of the Band,” etc. Am also a big fan of the Kmart Tapes, and this level of tracks exists prominently in that world – not “Pac-Man Fever” or whatever, but you know what I mean.
Might take another 35 years form “Summer Of ’69” to move out of wallpaper status for me. Too many spins!
“Leader Of The Band” is an interesting one because it’s so personal to so many guys, which makes it more than just another wimpy early ’80s song. I also see the same thing sometimes with Bob Seger, “Roll Me Away,” which is a personal anthem for guys who remember it, even though it was barely a radio hit.
Surprise appearances:
The 100 Most Lost Songs Of The 1980s
14 New Kids On The Block I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) 1989 38 2
22 Milli Vanilli Girl I’m Gonna Miss You 1989 28 3
25 Debbie Gibson Foolish Beat 1988 23 3
50 Jan Hammer Miami Vice Theme 1985 12 6
62 White Lion When The Children Cry 1989 10 4
88 Madonna Who’s That Girl 1987 7 8
96 Paul McCartney No More Lonely Nights 1985 7 4
97 Daryl Hall Dreamtime 1986 7 0
98 George Michael Monkey 1988 7 8
Top 65 Lost Songs, 1985-89
39 El DeBarge Who’s Johnny 1986 7 5
39 El DeBarge Who’s Johnny 1986 7 5
48 Robbie Nevil C’est La Vie 1987 6 16
51 Martika Toy Soldiers 1989 5 13
57 Richard Marx Satisfied 1989 5 10
59 Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram Somewhere Out There 1987 4 14
62 Rod Stewart My Heart Can’t Tell You No 1989 4 12
63 Debbie Gibson Lost In Your Eyes 1989 4 21
64 Suzanne Vega Luka 1987 4 12
Number of reasons:
* Big songs from big movies – and yes, there are some from not so big movies on my list. But some of them are enough fan favorites to eventually not get so lost.
* Among an act’s biggest, most recognizable hits – or so you would think.
* So much part of the culture at large at the time, you wouldn’t ever think it would eventually get “lost”.
* Eventually got covered/sampled later, so you would think the original would get some cool points by association.
* Streaming in very decent numbers.
* This one probably from my own biases. I personally don’t believe in timelessness in art – every piece of work always ends up containing some kind of time-specific signature. But “Dreamtime” (yes, “Dreamtime”!) and “Luka” are probably the songs from these lists you probably couldn’t pinpoint to an exact time and space. They feel so melodically “classic”, you would think radio would somehow hold on to them.
PS: Why didn’t I include “Batdance” on my list? Simple: never was that much of a radio-friendly record, so I’m not surprised programmers let it go once Batmania subsided.
Whee El Debarge appears for a second time, you should read this:
44 Pointer Sisters Neutron Dace 1985 6 10
Interesting that both “Luka” and “Fast Car” sound untethered from their era in the same way, but “Fast Car” has much more of a footprint (or tire tread) now.
Also, possibly: sometimes people hear a song that doesn’t sound like the pop music of the time and instead of hearing it as “not faddish,” it already sounds dated.
Could any of those songs find new life on the radio?
Given my market’s penchant for rock-40 of the late ’70s and early ’80s, I’m surprised to see any REO Speedwagon song on the list.
Mostly I just want to know who was spinning Stars on 45.
I’m looking at airplay this week on “Stars On 45,” and it looks like it was on “American Top 40” this week, so this week it has a lot of big call letters, but so does T.G. Shepard/I Loved Them Every One.
Ah, I didn’t realize those vintage AT40 replays would register in the database. KCMO-FM definitely ran an episode from 1981 recently.
“Stars On 45” was a secret weapon for K-Earth 101 for a while at some point in the mid-’00s.
Here’s the funny thing, Sheena Easton’s “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” was number one for two weeks in 1981, before it was unseated by Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes,” which was knocked off after five weeks by…”Stars on 45!” Then after one week, “Bette Davis Eyes” regained the number one spot, and would stay there for four more weeks until Air Supply claimed bragging rights with “The One That You Love.”
Interesting. A number of these songs I don’t even remember and many of the ones I do, I don’t ever want to hear again. But, there are some that I really like and am disappointed that radio has lost interest in them. Too bad they couldn’t replace some of the stuff that still gets played that I think should be buried. I guess I am not the only one who feels this way.
Curious what songs you miss, Norm, and which you’d happily keep buried. My sense is that everybody truly likes about 20% of these songs, but it’s not the same 20%. A lot of it is from the early ’80s which, for you in Canada, were generally better (XTC and Squeeze had hits; Franke & the Knockouts got played, but they weren’t the hottest thing on the radio).
Around a year ago I was listening to a CHR aircheck from the Summer of 1981. Even if I knew this was the heart of the doldrums era I was shocked at how soft they were. The song that I got the biggest charge out of, by far, was Kenny Rogers-I Don’t Need You. I totally forgot about that song. I got a kick out of the fact that it excited me so much now because in 1981 it was boring to me even if I could appreciate his name power. It was gratifying to see the song that give such a big “oh wow” was in fact one of the most lost 80s songs.
I just want to tell you how much I love this. I don’t want you to think all this work isn’t worth your time. Now, compile them into a Spotify playlist for us or get a DJ to make a mix on Soundcloud. PLEASE.
You’ve got it, Don, thanks! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0oO74GJWLf35C0qMM2K37h?si=Gu-TlY-jRiS_vLqDevEpVA
Would it be fair to classify a good many of these songs as “turntable” hits or in a true sense, not hits at all? Charts were so influenced by so many factors before monitored airplay became the metric. Then in the 90s, the idea became popular that it was better to stay with a proven hit longer rather than cycle songs on and off the playlist quickly. That was precipitated by the more wide acceptance of callout, so the turntable hit was less common.
Rick – I started to answer this question and I wrote so much that I had practically written a column. So in the next few weeks, I’m going to write a column about what I think constitutes a turntable hit. But the fast answer is that there are some very real songs in here that we just don’t like playing now (usually ballads). There are a lot of hits by declining superstars that were prodded up the charts to #9, just short of power. There are definitely those songs that got decent airplay by being fun and uptempo–This Little Girl, Breakdance–but were never close to being power. Those are the songs we think of as turntable hits. Then there’s that strata of Steel Breeze/You Don’t Want Me Anymore song that radio wanted to play, but proved not to be real pretty quickly. I think we’re seeing a new type of turntable hit now–the uptempo superstar song that gets about six weeks before radio gives up (e.g., Halsey/You Should Be Sad).
Amazing how “Edge of Seventeen” has become Stevie Nicks’ most enduring song, while “Talk to Me” has become her most lost song, but what about “Stand Back?” I thought that song has endured, even after Prince’s passing. (He played the synthesizers after coming in. That song was inspired by his “Little Red Corvette.”)
As for Regina’s “Baby Love,” would that song endure more if Madonna had accepted it instead of rejecting it? It is a fun and upbeat song with catchy beats and lyrics.
Anyway great countdown. Perfect for this holiday weekend!
Thanks! “Stand Back” has faded a little over the years. It hasn’t been a big tester in the 15+ years that I’ve been seeing music research, but it sounds great on the radio and it’s one of those songs that people want to play.
Interesting about “Baby Love” is that there’s not much of the Madonna-esque that gets played now. Not much Janet Jackson, Jody Watley, Jets, or much else from the Power 106/LA-era. Hard for me to accept that people hold on to Cutting Crew (even one song) and reject so much fun rhythmic pop.
Songs I most expected to see pop up somewhere on any of these lists but didn’t:
“Boy From New York City”, Manhattan Transfer (#36, 1981)
“Daydream Believer”, Anne Murray (#61, 1980)
“Respect Yourself”, Bruce Willis (#89, 1987)
Also, a big shout-out to whoever played “Election Day.”
“Respect Yourself” would have been #66 on the 1985-89 list.
“Boy From New York City” is around the #150 range.
“Daydream Believer” is more like #235. It gets some help from the inclusion of Canadian stations.
Daydream Believer does get played on some classic country stations here in the US as well. You’d think some of these retro songs recorded by still widely revered bands such as The Boy From New York City by the Manhattan Transfer, Suzanne Vega is still an active artist and widely revered in singer-songwriter circles and still writes, records, and tours when artists are able to tour, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany are both on a lot of TV talent shows, on nostalgia tour packages, etc. and pack crowds, Debbie had done Broadway. The movie An American Tail is still on cable TV from time to time as well so you’d think that Somewhere Out There would still be played widely. New Kids on The Block also do the nostalgia tours and pack crowds these days.
I just remembered about the “’80s Weekend” and weeknight “’80s Night” blocks on Mexico City’s Universal. Unfortunately, the reason I was reminded of them is that the entire format will be bounced off of its current home (XERC 97.7) at the end of the month–due to financially challenged Grupo Radio Centro selling off the station (but not the format’s IP). (The thinking is that the format will get demoted to AM and maybe an HD subchannel, although I don’t think that has been officially announced.)
I can’t say that it includes any of these “Lost” songs, but it does include some tunes that weren’t big pop hits in the U.S.
http://xerc.tunegenie.com
Ironically, now that I’ve posted that comment, GRC just announced (yes, tonight) that Universal will essentially move back to 88.1 XHRED–sharing that station with a severely downgraded schedule of News programs (which will still utilize the La Octava brand, which also will continue on TV). Even more ironically, GRC’s forays into TV have been one of the main factors (possibly even the biggest one) in the company’s current financial issues.
To revisit this a bit, the move did take place as scheduled–and the Universal on-air playlist (including the ’80s blocks) is now at http://xhred.tunegenie.com. However, the old TuneGenie link is still active–but now reflects the brand’s recently launched music-only stream (apparently without any specialty blocks).
HELLO ALL!! siriusXM is counting down the top 100 of each year of the 1980s here and now! If you’re not a subscriber, the service is available free and clear through may… 80s on 8! // Here on Monday/May 25, I’m swooning through what I consider the great year in pop music… 1981, where a little bit of EVERYTHING scored… including my consummate title “Morning Train” from Sheena Easton… which in its way, led me to obsess about the Hot 100 and ultimately… helped me live my dream as a SEAN ROSS successor… as Billboard’s Radio Editor… Sheena was MY version of Sean’s fave “Mickey.”
ENJOY, comrades!
Thanks, Chuck. Remember also that if you’re a SiriusXM subscriber, but haven’t spent much time in the car lately, they’ve also opened up streaming to all subscribers.