The definitive collection of good 80s music

Yes, there IS such a thing

In a recent Rain team meeting, an unnamed cohort expressed some suspicion over the quality of music produced in the 1980s — a wrong we immediately knew we had to set right.

While there are some fair points to be made (we see you, big hair and cheesy ballads), it is also important to note that some true timeless gems emerged during that period — and you probably already know all the words.

Along with the emergence of genres like new wave and hip hop, this era also saw the rise of MTV, which ushered in a whole new way of expressing musical creativity through video.

So in true retro spirit, we’ve compiled a video playlist as our loving defence of good 80s music for your enjoyment.

The full list:

Salt-N-Pepa — Push It
N.W.A. — Straight Outta Compton
The Cars — Drive
Pet Shop Boys — West End Girls
RUN DMC — Walk This Way ft. Aerosmith
Biz Markie — Just A Friend
Pat Benatar — Love Is A Battlefield
Bronski Beat — Smalltown Boy
Beastie Boys — (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)
Bryan Ferry — Slave To Love
Blondie — Call Me
Bruce Springsteen — I’m On Fire
Peter Gabriel — Sledgehammer
Eurythmics — Here Comes The Rain Again
The Stone Roses — I Wanna Be Adored
Pet Shop Boys — What Have I Done To Deserve This
Fleetwood Mac — Little Lies
The Police — Don’t Stand So Close To Me
The Romantics — Talking in Your Sleep
Roxy Music — More Than This
Sade — Your Love Is King
Pixies — Here Comes Your Man
Cyndi Lauper — I Drove All Night
’Til Tuesday — Voices Carry
Whitney Houston — So Emotional
Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty — Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
Talk Talk — It’s My Life
Billy Idol — Flesh For Fantasy
The Sugarhill Gang — Rapper’s Delight
The Specials — Ghost Town
Talking Heads — Burning Down the House
Eurythmics — Would I Lie to You?
Jane’s Addiction — Been Caught Stealing
David Bowie — Ashes To Ashes
Duran Duran — Girls On Film
The Jesus And Mary Chain — Just Like Honey
Siouxsie And The Banshees — The Passenger
A Flock Of Seagulls — Space Age Love Song
Thomas Dolby — She Blinded Me With Science
Chaka Khan — I Feel for You
Kate Bush — Hounds of Love
Public Enemy — Fight The Power
Pretenders — Brass In Pocket
Love and Rockets — So Alive
The Waitresses — I Know What Boys Like
Janet Jackson — Nasty
Red Hot Chili Peppers — Taste the Pain
The Replacements — Within Your Reach
MC Lyte — Cha Cha Cha
Sinéad O’Connor — I Want Your Hands On Me
Frozen Ghost — Pauper in Paradise
Cocteau Twins — Cherry Coloured Funk
The Payolas — Eyes Of A Stranger
Kensington and Haus — Walk On By feat. Nao Kodama
SQUEEZE — Tempted
Soft Cell — Torch
Madonna — Causing a Commotion
The Cure — Just like heaven
Prince — When U Were Mine (Live)
The Bangles — Hazy Shade of Winter

Did we miss any of your 80s favourites?

Tell us in the comments!