Picture a year when synthesized rhythms echoed through packed dance floors. 1981 birthed iconic tunes that cemented their place in pop culture. These songs inspired fashion trends, film moments, and societal shifts. They showcased incredible musical creativity. Ready to inject your playlists with some authentic 80s magic?
#10: Celebration – Kool & The Gang
Ah, “Celebration”—the song that’s been slowly torturing DJs since January 1981 by being absolutely impossible to avoid at any gathering involving humans and a sound system. This biblical-inspired party starter has become the auditory equivalent of breathing at weddings and sports victories. Its groove is so infectious it should come with a warning label, and despite being played approximately seventeen trillion times, people still haven’t gotten sick of it. With sales exceeding 2 million copies, it’s the musical cockroach that survived the apocalypse of changing tastes.
#9: Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones
Have you ever wondered why certain riffs define rock? “Start Me Up,” released August 1981, embodies rock swagger. Originally conceived as a reggae track, its transformation shocked. Mick Jagger’s voice and Keith Richards’ guitar merged. The song hit number 2 on Billboard Hot 100 charts. Its iconic riff makes it a must-play for rock lovers. It’s a testament to music reinvention.
#8: Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) – Christopher Cross
For those magical moments when you find yourself “caught between the moon and New York City” (which happens to the best of us), Christopher Cross delivered the perfect soundtrack. Released in July 1981 for a movie about a lovable drunk millionaire, this Burt Bacharach collaboration achieved the impossible feat of making moviegoers actually remember the theme song. This whimsical tune didn’t just reach #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100—it snagged an Academy Award in 1982, essentially the musical equivalent of winning both the marathon and the spelling bee.
#7: Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon decided the world needed more power ballads in February 1981 (spoiler alert: they were absolutely right). “Keep On Loving You” burst onto the scene like that friend who’s normally quiet but then delivers an unexpectedly emotional wedding toast. Kevin Cronin penned this track as a marital peace offering—possibly history’s most successful apology since it reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and achieved platinum status. The song proves that the most direct route to musical immortality is sincere emotion wrapped in guitar solos.
#6: Waiting for a Girl Like You – Foreigner
If patience had an official anthem, “Waiting for a Girl Like You” would be it. Released in November 1981, this track spent a stubborn 10 weeks at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 without ever claiming the top spot (talk about the musical equivalent of always being the bridesmaid). Lou Gramm’s vocals deliver emotion with surgical precision, creating the perfect soundtrack for both romantic evenings and dramatically staring out of rainy windows.
#5: Physical – Olivia Newton-John
Just when everyone thought Olivia Newton-John was permanently typecast as the good girl from “Grease,” she dropped “Physical” in September 1981 and collectively raised the eyebrows of America. This sweat-inducing track transformed from Rod Stewart’s reject pile into the anthem that launched a thousand leotards. Its suggestive lyrics caused such pearl-clutching that some radio stations banned it—which, predictably, only made everyone want to hear it more. The song spent 10 unrelenting weeks at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the unofficial soundtrack to the aerobics revolution.
#4: Endless Love – Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
Warning: deploying “Endless Love” at weddings may cause spontaneous outbreaks of ugly crying. Released in August 1981, this ballad has been responsible for more emotional slow dances than any other song in history. Lionel Richie’s movie soundtrack assignment turned into Motown’s biggest-ever hit, spending nine consecutive weeks dominating the US Billboard Hot 100. The vocal chemistry between Ross and Richie is so perfect it should be studied in science labs.
#3: Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
The ultimate anthem for the friend-zoned everywhere, “Jessie’s Girl” arrived in February 1981 to give voice to unrequited yearning with a side of catchy guitar work. Rick Springfield turned real-life envy (about a stained glass classmate’s girlfriend) into chart-topping gold. This musical therapy session hit #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and continues to provide comfort to everyone who’s ever longingly stared across the room at someone who’s completely unaware of their existence.
#2: Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes
In a sea of musical conformity, “Bette Davis Eyes” arrived in March 1981 like someone wearing a tuxedo to a pool party—unexpectedly perfect. This reinvention of a 1974 song gave Kim Carnes a signature hit that sounds like it was beamed in from a cooler dimension. Her raspy vocals—which sound like she gargled with gravel and whiskey before recording—perfectly complement lyrics about a woman so captivating she could probably talk you into buying oceanfront property in Arizona. The track dominated the US Billboard Hot 100 for nine weeks and even earned a thank-you note from Bette Davis herself.
#1: Urgent – Foreigner
If musical emergencies had a call button, “Urgent” would be it—the auditory equivalent of flashing lights and sirens wrapped in a sleek package. Released in June 1981 from Foreigner’s “4” album, this track grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. Four decades later, it still sounds exactly like its title suggests—immediate, necessary, and impossible to ignore. When it comes on, speed limits are mysteriously exceeded and even the coolest among us find it impossible not to move.
