Top 500 Rock Songs Of The 80s

Our Top 500 Rock Songs Of The 80s presents the best rock songs released throughout the decade of the 1980s. This list will focus pretty much on just rock music. While some rock artists very much carried over into the pop world, we have tried to stick to just rock songs and put an emphasis on the heaviest stuff. Of course, we also included some great rock tracks with a pop feel. There is always a fine line with some songs. Yet, if it was a great song by a rock artist, we included it. We considered all the legendary rock acts and those who came out of nowhere and left just as quickly.

There were many changes in rock and roll music in the 1980s. The classic rock music of the 1970s split into many different camps, including new wave, techno, Americana, blues, metal, and the big-hair glam metal sounds that really took over in the middle of the decade.

These 500 best rock songs represent hits and deep album tracks. A song did not have to be a hit or even released as a single to make this list. It didn’t have to be a superstar group, either. We included it on this list if it’s a great rock song released in the 1980s. We spent a lot of time in the 1980s buying thousands of CDs and cassettes and listening to this music every single day of our lives. All these 500 rock songs are listed on one page. There is no having to turn pages or any other nonsense like that. All our articles are always on one page to make it an easy and enjoyable read for our loyal readers.  These are the 500 Rock Songs of the 80s we enjoyed the most.

# 500 – Mr. Brownstone – Guns N’ Roses

# 499 – New Year’s Day – U2

# 498 – Rockin’ into the Night – 38 Special

# 497 – Stranger in My Home Town – Foghat

# 496 – Tall Cool One – Robert Plant

# 495 – Who’s Behind The Door? – Zebra

# 494 – Ace’s High – Iron Maiden

# 493 – Shadows Of The Night – Pat Benatar

# 492 – Vagabond Moon – Willie Nile

# 491 –  Road Expense – The Dixie Dregs

# 490 – Forever Man – Eric Clapton

# 489 – Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles

# 488 – Couldn’t Stand The Weather – Stevie Ray Vaughan

# 487 – Every day is Halloween – Ministry

# 486 – Experiment – Voivod

# 485 – Rock and a Hard Place –The Rolling Stones

# 484 – Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely – Husker Du

# 483 – Rock Me – Great White

# 482 – Ricky – Butthole Surfers

# 481 -Desire – U2

# 480 – Disaster Blaster – White Zombie

# 479 – Beat Surrender – The Jam 

# 478 – Nightrain – Guns N’ Roses

# 477 – Play the Game – Queen

# 476 – Surfing with the Alien – Joe Satriani 

# 475 – Looking for You (I Was) – Patti Smith

# 474 – Cold Metal – Iggy Pop

# 473 – Finish What Ya Started – Van Halen

# 472 – Any Way You Want It – Journey

# 471 – Burning Like a Flame – Dokken

# 470 – Sweating Bullets – Megadeth

# 469 – Touch and Go – Emerson Lake & Powell

# 468 – Heaven and Hell – Black Sabbath

# 467 – Cover Me – Bruce Springsteen

# 466 –  Don’t Misunderstand Me – Rossington Collins Band

# 465 – The Four Horsemen – Metallica

# 464 – Power Metal – Pantera

# 463 – I Know What Boys Like – The Waitresses

# 462 – Wasted Years – Iron Maiden

# 461 – We’re Only Gonna Die – Bad Religion

# 460 – Sole Survivor – Asia

# 459 -One Hit (To the Body) – The Rolling Stones

# 458 – Run To The Hills – Iron Maiden

# 457 – Another Tricky Day – The Who

# 456 – Peace Sells – Megadeth

# 455 – Hand in Glove – The Smiths

# 454 – Round and Round – Ratt

# 453 -Almost With You – The Church

# 452 – Stone Cold – Rainbow

# 451 – I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty

# 450 – Any Kind Of Pain – Frank Zappa

# 449 – Radioactive – The Firm

# 448 – Some Like It Hot – Power Station

# 447 – Timeless Love – Saraya

# 446 – Mystic Rhythms – Rush

# 445 – The River – Bruce Springsteen

# 444 – Crosscut Saw – Eric Clapton

# 443 – Twilight Zone – Golden Earring

# 442 – And We Danced – The Hooters

# 441 – Billy’s Got a Gun – Def Leppard

# 440 – Couldn’t Get It Right – UFO

# 439 – Monitor –Siouxsie and the Banshees

# 438 – Dancing with Myself – Billy Idol

# 437 – Big Time – Peter Gabriel

# 436 – Even Now – Bob Seger

# 435 – Loving The Alien – David Bowie

# 434 – Rhythm of Love – Yes

# 433 -Wait for the Blackout – The Damned

# 432 – Rock & Roll’s Gonna Save the World – Y&T

# 431 – More Than This – Roxy Music

# 430 – My Brave Face – Paul McCartney

# 429 – Our House – Madness

# 428 – No Surrender – Bruce Springsteen

# 427 – Subdivisions – Rush

# 426 – Angel of Death – Thin Lizzy

# 425 – Pressure – Billy Joel

# 424 – Cool the Engines – Boston 

# 423 – Hangman Jury – Aerosmith

# 422 – Slipping Away – Dave Edmunds

# 421 – Psycho Therapy – The Ramones

# 420 – No Mercy – The Stranglers

# 419 – Me Against the World – Lizzy Borden

# 418 – And the Bands Played On – Saxon

# 417 – Whiplash – Metallica

# 416 – I Can’t Stand It – Eric Clapton

# 415 – You Might Think  – The Cars

# 414 – Teas’n Pleas’n – Dangerous Toys

# 413 – Pride (In the Name of Love)- U2

# 412 – Lovesong – The Cure

# 411 – Alive and Kicking – Simple Minds

# 410 – Don’t You Ever Leave Me – Hanoi Rocks

# 409 – Bringin’ On The Heartbreak – Def Leppard

# 408 – After The Fire – Roger Daltrey

# 407 – Harlem Shuffle – The Rolling Stones

# 406 – Lyin’ in a Bed of Fire – Little Steven

# 405 – To Hell with the Devil – Stryper

# 404 – Ashes to Ashes – David Bowie

# 403 – I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow

# 402 – Gloria – U2

# 401 – Red Sector A – Rush

# 400 – Burning Down One Side – Robert Plant

# 399 – Since You’re Gone – The Cars

# 398 – Chequered Love – Kim Wilde

# 397 – Stray Cat Strut – The Stray Cats

# 396 –I Love You, Suzanne – Lou Reed

# 395 – Voodo – Black Sabbath

# 394 – Brilliant Disguise –  Bruce Springsteen

# 393 – In My Darkest Hour – Megadeth

# 392 – Emotional Rescue – The Rolling Stones

# 391 – Beds Are Burning – Midnight Oil

# 390 – Here I Go Again – Whitesnake

# 389 – Don’t You Want Me – The Human League

# 388 -Just Got Back – Cheap Trick

# 387 – Girls On Film – Duran Duran

# 386 – All the King’s Horses – The Firm

# 385 – Between a Rock and a Hard Place – UFO

# 384 – Promises In The Dark – Pat Benatar

# 383 – Sleeping Bag – ZZ Top

# 382 – Dirty Old Town – The Pogues

# 381 – Turning Japanese – The Vapors

# 380 – Talking In Your Sleep – The Romantics

# 379 – Magnificent Seven – The Clash

# 378 – The Boys of Summer – Don Henley

# 377 – The KKK Took My Baby Away – The Ramones

# 376 – Flamethrower – J. Geils Band

# 375 – Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2

# 374 – Touch of Grey – Grateful Dead

# 373 – Kiss Me On The Bus – The Replacements

# 372 – Mexican Radio – Wall Of Voodoo

# 371 – Cool Places – Sparks

# 370 – In France – Frank Zappa

# 369 – You Got Lucky – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

# 368 – Holiday in Cambodia – Dead Kennedys

# 367 – Three Lock Box – Sammy Hagar

# 366 – Rio – Duran Duran

# 365 – Flirtin’ with Disaster – Molly Hatchet

# 364 – Love Like Blood – Killing Joke

# 363 – Amanda – Boston

# 362 – Fight the Good Fight – Triumph

# 361 – Boxerbeat – JoBoxers

# 360 – Just Got Back – J. Geils Band

# 359 – Read ‘Em and Weep – Meat Loaf

# 358 – Is That Love – Squeeze

# 357 – Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles

# 356 – Killer on the Loose – Thin Lizzy

# 355 – Hate Breeders – The Misfits

# 354 – The Lights Burned Out – Magnum

# 353 – I Ran – A Flock Of Seagulls

# 352 – Solace – Play Dead

# 351 – The Killing Hand – Dream Theater

# 350 -Living Proof – Wishbone Ash

# 349 – Hot Dog and a Shake – David Lee Roth

# 348 – Gemini Dream – The Moody Blues

# 347 – Dirty Laundry – Don Henley

# 346 – Bébé le Strange – Heart

# 345 – Valley Girl – Frank Zappa

# 344 – Blinded By Science – Thomas Dolby

# 343 – Razor’s Edge – Meat Loaf

# 342 – Peek-A-Boo – Siouxsie and the Banshees

# 341 – The Number Of The Beast – Iron Maiden

# 340 – Caught Up In You – 38 Special

# 339 – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police

# 338 – Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

# 337 – Head Over Heels – Tears for Fears

# 336 – Chinatown – Thin Lizzy

# 335 – Love Stinks – J. Geils Band

# 334 – Working For A Living – Huey Lewis And The News

# 333 – Blue Light – David Gilmour

# 332 – No Pain No Gain – Social Distortion

# 331 – How Far Can Too Far Go? – The Cramps

# 330 – The Heat Is On – Glen Frey

# 329 – Tunnel Of Love – Bruce Springsteen

# 328 – What Difference Does It Make? – The Smiths

# 327 – Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan

# 326 – The Big Money – Rush

# 325 – White Wedding – Billy Idol

# 324 – Town Called Malice – The Jam

# 323 – Sitting At The Wheel – The Moody Blues

# 322 – A Certain Girl – Warren Zevon

# 321 –My Girlfriend’s Dead – The Vandals

# 320 – I Believe in Anarchy – Punks Not Dead

# 319 – Clubland – Elvis Costello

# 318 – Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz – Pretty Boy Floyd

# 317 – Rise Above – Black Flag

# 316 – Dude Looks Like A Lady –Aerosmith

# 315 – Learning To Fly – Pink Floyd

# 314 – New Sensation – INXS

# 313 – Turn It On Again – Genesis

# 312 – Edge Of A Broken Heart – Vixen

# 311 – Little Wing – Sting

# 310 – Temporary Beauty – Graham Parker

# 309 -Fallen Angel – Blue Oyster Cult

# 308 – In A Big Country – Big Country

# 307 – Dear God – XTC

# 306 – Games Without Frontiers – Peter Gabriel

# 305 – Radio Waves – Roger Waters

# 304 – Ah! Leah! – Donnie Iris

# 303 – Sentimental Hygiene – Warren Zevon

# 302 – Suddenly Last Summer – The Motels

# 301 – Fall Of The Peacemakers – Molly Hatchet

# 300 – Fortress Around Your Heart – Sting

# 299 – Sweetheart – Frankie and the Knockouts

# 298 – Hungry Like The Wolf – Duran Duran

# 297 – Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith

# 296 – Mama – Genesis

# 295 – Destroyer – The Kinks

# 294 – Boulevard – Jackson Browne

# 293 – Little Miss Dangerous – Ted Nugent

# 292 – Murder – Southside Johnny And The Asbury Jukes

# 291 – Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie

# 290 – Stand on It – Jeff Beck

# 289 – R.O.C.K In The USA – John Mellencamp

# 288 – Working For The Weekend – Loverboy

# 287 – American Storm – Bob Seger

# 286 -867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone

# 285 – High Fidelity – Elvis Costello

# 284 – Fantasy – Aldo Nova

# 283 – Good Morning – Blackfoot

# 282 – Bad Attitude – Deep Purple

# 281 – Silhouettes in Disguise – Kansas

# 280 – Steel Monkey – Jethro Tull

# 279 – Too Much Time on My Hands – Styx

# 278 – Lunatic Fringe – Red Rider

# 277 – Tainted Love – Soft Cell

# 276 – Cattle Drive – The Marshall Tucker Band

# 275 – 20th Century Man – Sammy Hagar

# 274 – We Got the Beat – The Go-Go’s

# 273 – Hungry Heart- Bruce Springsteen

# 272 – Glamour Profession – Steely Dan

# 271 – Centerfield – John Fogerty

# 270 – Tonight, Tonight, Tonight – Genesis

# 269 – The Doctor – The Doobie Brothers

# 268 – Hate to Lose Your Lovin – Little Feat

# 267 – Bang the Drum All Day – Todd Rundgren

# 266 – Infatuation – Rod Stewart

# 265 – True Love True Confession – The Babys

# 264 – Assembly Line – The Dixie Dregs

# 263 -Ravenous Medicine – Voivod

# 261 – Perfect Stranger – Deep Purple

# 260 – She’s So Cold – The Rolling Stones

# 259 – The Voice  – The Moody Blues

# 258 – Dream House – John Eddie

# 257 – Steppin’ Out – Joe Jackson

# 256 – Lick It Up – Kiss

# 255 – Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers

# 254 – Wasting My Time – Jimmy Page and John Miles

# 253 – Tube Snake Boogie – ZZ Top

# 252 – When the Hammer Falls – Sammy Hagar

# 251 – Big Love – Fleetwood Mac

# 250 – No Easy Way Out – Robert Tepper

# 249 – On The Dark Side – Beaver Brown Band (Eddie and The Cruisers)

# 248 – Shock the Monkey – Peter Gabriel

# 247 -Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer

# 246 – Walking On Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves

# 245 – My Perfect Cousin – The Undertones

# 244 – Everyday I Write the Book – Elvis Costello

# 243 -16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six – Tom Waits

# 242 – Rebel Yell – Billy Idol

# 241 – I Can’t Drive 55 – Sammy Hagar

# 240 – Brothers of the Road – The Allman Brothers Band

# 239 – She Was Hot – The Rolling Stones

# 238 – Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen

# 237 – Free Falling –Tom Petty

# 236 – YYZ – Rush

# 235 – Never – Heart

# 234 – Some Heads Are Gonna Roll – Judas Priest

# 233 – These Times are Hard for Lovers – John Waite

# 232 – The Ballad Of Jayne – L.A. Guns

# 231 – Cars – Gary Numan

# 230 – Lightning Strikes – Aerosmith

# 229 – Red Rain – Peter Gabriel

# 228 – Home Sweet Home – Mötley Crüe

# 227 –  E=MC2 – Big Audio Dynamite

# 226 – Skyscraper – David Lee Roth

# 225 – “I Want a New Drug – Huey Lewis And The News

# 224 – Time – The Alan Parsons Project

# 223 – Fire And Ice – Pat Benatar

# 222 – Like A Rock – Bob Seger

# 221 – I Hate Myself For Loving You – Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

# 220 – I’ll Fall in Love Again – Sammy Hagar

# 219 – Come Dancing – The Kinks

# 218 – In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel

# 217 – This Little Girl – Gary U.S. Bonds

# 216 – Wrack My Brain – Ringo Starr

# 215 – Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi

# 214 – Like China –Phil Collins

# 213 – Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds

# 212 – Nothing But A Good Time – Poison

# 211 – My City Was Gone – The Pretenders

# 210 – The End of the Innocence – Don Henley

# 209 – The House Is Rockin’ – Stevie Ray Vaughan

# 208 – Precious – The Pretenders

# 207 – The Attitude Song  – Steve Vai

# 206 – Darlin Nicki – Prince

# 205  – Hot Sherrie – Danny Spanos

# 204 – I Can’t Wait – Stevie Nicks

# 203 – Go Through It – Blondie

# 202 – Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

# 201 – Pretty In Pink – The Psychedelic Furs

# 200 – Rough Boys – Pete Townshend

# 199 – Let My Love Open the Door – Pete Townshend

# 198 -Exquisitely Bored – Pete Townshend

# 197 – Need You Tonight – INXS

# 196 – Just Got Lucky – JoBoxers

# 195 – Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy – Sammy Hagar

# 194 – Take It Away – Paul McCartney

# 193 – Middle of the Road – The Pretenders

# 192 – Always With Me, Always With You – Joe Satriani

# 191 – I’m Still Standing – Elton John

# 190 – She’s a Beauty – The Tubes

# 189 – Love On The Phone – Suzanne Fellini 

# 188 – Downtown Train – Tom Waits

# 187 – Tempted  – Squeeze

# 186 – Love in an Elevator – Aerosmith

# 185 – Shy Boy – David Lee Roth

# 184 – 2 Minutes To Midnight – Iron Maiden

# 183 -There’s Only One Way to Rock – Sammy Hagar

# 182 – Cold Sweat – Thin Lizzy

# 181 – If Looks Could Kill – Heart

# 180 – Limelight – Rush

# 179 – Dreams in the Dark – Badlands

# 178 – Urgent – Foreigner

# 177 – Romeo and Juliet – Dire Straits

# 176 – Love Has Taken Its Toll – Saraya

# 175 – You Better You Bet – The Who

# 174 – Rosanna – Toto

# 173 – R.O.C.K. – Garland Jeffreys

# 172 – The Adultress – The Pretenders

# 171 – Bark at the Moon – Ozzy Osbourne

# 170 – You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi

# 169 – In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins

# 168 – Run To You – Bryan Adams

# 167 – The One I Love – R.E.M.

# 166 – How Can I Refuse – Heart 

# 165 – Sometimes A Fantasy – Billy Joel

# 164 – The Waiting – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

# 163 – Stand Back – Stevie Nicks

# 162 – The Spirit of Radio – Rush

# 161 – Ballroom Dancing – Paul McCartney

# 160 – Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard

# 159 – We’re Not Going To Take It – Twisted Sister

# 158 -Androgynous – The Replacements

# 157 – Central Park n’ West – Ian Hunter

# 156 – Got My Mind Set on You – George Harrison

# 155 – East of Eden – Lone Justice

# 154 – Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top

# 153 – Light Of Day – Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

# 152 – Kids In America – Kim Wilde

# 151 – I Drink Alone-  George Thorogood and the Destroyers 

# 150 – Under a Raging Moon – Roger Daltrey

# 149 – Tuff Enough –  The Fabulous Thunderbirds

# 148 – Come On Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners

# 147 – You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)- Dead or Alive

# 146 – A Room of Our Own – Billy Joel

# 145 – Knocking At You Back Door – Deep Purple

# 144 – You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon

# 143 – Pamela – Toto

# 142 – What I Like About You – The Romantics

# 141 – Legs – ZZ Top

# 140 – Arc of a Diver – Steve Winwood

# 139 – City’s Burning – Heart 

# 138 – Janie’s Got a Gun – Aerosmith

# 137 – You May Be Right – Billy Joel

# 136 – Nobody’s Fool” – Cinderella

# 135 – The Stroke – Billy Squier

# 134 – The Unforgettable Fire – U2

# 133 – Eminence Front – The Who

# 132 – She’s Waiting – Eric Clapton

# 131 – Once Bitten, Twice Shy – Great White

# 130 – Juke Box Hero – Foreigner

# 129 –  Burnin’ For You” – Blue Öyster Cult

# 128 – Woman – John Lennon

# 127 – The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby

# 126 – I.G.Y. – Donald Fagen

# 125 – Once in a Lifetime – Talking Heads

# 124 – Angeline – The Allman Brothers Band

# 123 – Cruise Control – The Dixie Dregs

# 122 – Against the Wind – Bob Seger

# 121 -Ways to Be Wicked – Lone Justice

# 120 – Bad Reputation – Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

# 119 – Yankee Rose – David Lee Roth

# 118 – White Lady White Powder – Elton John

# 117 – It’s So Easy – Guns N’ Roses

# 116 – Skin Deep – The Stranglers

# 115 – Blue Jean – David Bowie

# 114 – Time Out of Mind – Steely Dan

# 113 – Teacher, Teacher – Rockpile

# 112 – Sister Christian – Night Ranger

# 111 – Poison – Alice Cooper

# 110 – Bad To The Bone –  George Thorogood and the Destroyers 

# 109 – Do You Remember Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio? – The Ramones

# 108 – Paradise City –  Guns N’ Roses

# 107 – Back on the Chain Gang – The Pretenders

# 106 – Mine All Mine – Van Halen

# 105 – Shout – Tears For Fears

# 104 – Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes

# 103 – Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel 

# 102 – The Old Man Down The Road – John Fogerty

# 101 -Modern Lovers –  Garland Jeffreys

# 100 – Even It Up – Heart

# 99 – In God’s Country – U2

# 98 – Pretending – Eric Clapton

# 97 – Dreams – Van Halen

# 96 – Lonely Is the Night – Billy Squier 

# 95 –  Africa – Toto

# 94 – Don’t Stand So Close to Me – The Police

# 93 – The One Thing – INXS

# 92 – Ghost Riders In The Sky – Outlaws

# 91 – China Girl – David Bowie

# 90 – For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) AC/DC

# 89 – Dr. Feelgood – Motley Crue

# 88 – Only a Memory –  The Smithereens

# 87 – I’ll Wait – Van Halen

# 86 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fears

# 85 – You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ – Judas Priest

# 84 -Money for Nothing – Dire Straits

# 83 – Rock Bottom – Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes

# 82 – Real Wild Child (Wild One) – Iggy Pop

# 81 – It’s in the Way That You Use It – Eric Clapton

# 80 – These Dreams – Heart

# 79 – With or Without You- U2

# 78 – Atlantic City – Bruce Springsteen

# 77 –  Burning Heart – Vandenberg

# 76 – Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash

# 75 – Jump – Van Halen

# 74 – Rockin’ in the Free World – Neil Young

# 73 – Crimson And Clover – Joan Jett And The Blackhearts

# 72 – Beat It – Michael Jackson

# 71 – Edge Of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks

# 70 – Cheap Sunglasses – ZZ Top

# 69 – Dirty Blvd – Lou Reed

# 68 – Centerfold – The J. Geils Band

# 67 – Come On Feel The Noise – Quiet Riot

# 66 – You Better Run – Pat Benatar

# 65 -The Groom’s Still Waiting At The Altar – Bob Dylan

# 64 – Laura – Billy Joel

# 63 – Oh Sherrie – Steve Perry

# 62 – Bad –  U2

# 61 – Mean Street – Van Halen

# 60 -Modern Love – David Bowie

# 59 – Drive – The Cars

# 58 – Other Arms – Robert Plant

# 57 – Cult Of Personality – Living Colour

# 56 – Separate Ways – Journey

# 55 – Black and Blue – Van Halen

# 54 -Rock the Casbah – The Clash

# 53 – Never Say Never – Romeo Void

# 52 – Black Limousine –The Rolling Stones

# 51 – Glory Days-  Bruce Springsteen

# 50 – I Will Follow – U2

# 49 – Seek and Destroy – Metallica

# 48 – Jack And Diane – John Cougar

# 47 -I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

# 46 – Heavy Metal – Sammy Hagar

# 45 – Unchained – Van Halen

# 44 – Bad Love – Eric Clapton

# 43 – Roll Me Away – Bob Seger

# 42 -The Final Countdown” – Europe

# 41 – Let’s Go Crazy – Prince

# 40 – Metal Fatigue  – Allan Holdsworth

# 39 – Girls, Girls, Girls – Motley Crue

# 38 – For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica

# 37 – Get Up – Van Halen

# 36 – Summer of 69″– Bryan Adams

# 35 – Every Breath You Take – The Police

# 34 – Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

# 33 – Cold Shot – Stevie Ray Vaughan

# 32 – Master of Puppets – Metallica

# 31 – Loving the Alien – David Bowie

# 30 – Where The Streets Have No Name – U2

# 29 – Flying High Again – Ozzy Osbourne

# 28 – Higher Love – Steve Winwood

# 27 –  Hit Me with Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar

# 26 – Let’s Dance – David Bowie

# 25 – Photograph – Def Leppard

# 24 – Hells Bells – AC/DC

# 23 – Ace of Spades – Motorhead

# 22 – When Doves Cry – Prince

# 21 –  Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan

# 20 – Rock You Like A Hurricane – The Scorpions

# 19 – Panama –Van Halen

# 18 – Mr. Crowley – Ozzy Osbourne

# 17 – Heat Of The Moment – Asia

# 16 – Another Brick In The Wall – Pink Floyd

This one came out in December 1979, the last month of the 1970s, but it dominated radio for the entire decade of the 1980s. This is an 80s song.

# 15 – In The Dead Of Night – U.K.

# 14 – One – Metallica

# 13 – Burning Down the House- Talking Heads

# 12 – You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC

# 11 – Tom Sawyer – Rush

The Top 10 Rock Songs of The 1980s

This was the toughest part……….

# 10 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For- U2

We have always been bug U2 fans. Yet the band soared to incredible artistic heights with the release of the Joshua Tree album. This was their peak. An extraordinary rock song with a gospel-like feel that asks more questions than it can answer……. and that’s rock and roll.

# 9 – Born In The U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen

Yes, there was a time when Bruce Springsteen was bigger than Elvis Presley. A lot has changed since 1984. This one was huge. It also stands as one of the most misunderstood songs of all time. Even a United States President made remarks about the song that were completely wrong.

# 8 – Don’t Stop Believin – Journey

While this song was certainly big in the 1980s, it continued to get even more popular as time went on into the 1990s and beyond. Thanks to Tony Soprano, it’s just too legendary not to be included in the top 10.

# 7 – Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd

The Wall album was released at the end of December 1979 in the US and in January of 1980 in the UK. This is an 80s album. It’s also the last great Pink Floyd album. Why does everyone always have to fight?

# 6 – Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones

It was nice to get a very 1970s-sounding classic rock Rolling Stones song in the 1980s, perhaps because this was originally written in the 1970s but never released until the 1980s.

# 5 – Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses

Two songs in the top five is a pretty impressive feat. One of the greatest bands of all time that just let us down so hard when they broke up way too early. You don’t get those years back, my friend.

# 4 – Hot For Teacher – Van Halen

We will never tire of listening to this one or watching the video, either.

# 3 – Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne had many great moments in his career, this was his finest moment of the 1980s.

# 2 – Sweet Child Of Mine – Guns N’ Roses

It is the greatest song the band ever released and very close to being the greatest rock song of the 1980s, in our opinion. What a moment in time it was when this band broke big time in the late 1980s and blew all our minds right out of our skulls.

# 1 – Back In Black – AC/DC

We close out our 500 Rock Songs of the 1980s with the great band AC/DC and their classic song “Back In Black.” It was a big-time duel between the top two songs on this list. Ultimately, the simplicity and power of the song’s opening guitar licks, met by Brian Johnson’s legendary vocals, are almost too much to take. The song was a tribute to the band’s former singer, Bon Scott. However, the song also set the tempo for the band’s next chapter, becoming one of the greatest rock and roll bands ever.

The best 80s rock songs list was compiled by editor-in-chief Brian Kachejian and contributing journalist Thomas Neokleous.

Updated November 21, 2024

Top 500 Rock Songs Of The 80s article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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