Orhan wanted me to give him a list of songs from the 1980s so he could make a CD. As a 21 year old Turk, he has not received much exposure to foreign (non-Turkish) songs of the eighties.

I started making a list and then could not stop. The list is not strictly from the 80s as there are a few songs from the late 70s and early 90s. For me some of the songs are cringe-worthy; all are memorable.

A-ha: Take On Me
Abdul, Paula: Rush Rush
B-52s: Love Shack
Bad English: When I See You Smile
Bananarama: Venus

Bangles: Walk Like An Egyptian
Basil, Toni: Mickey
Benatar, Pat: Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Big Audio Dynamite II: Rush
Blondie: Call Me

Bowie, David: Let’s Dance
Branigan, Laura: Gloria
Carlisle, Belinda: Heaven Is A Place On Earth
Carnes, Kim: Bette Davis Eyes
Charlene: I’ve Never Been to Me

Concrete Blonde: Joey
Cooper, Alice: Poison
Cross, Christopher: Ride Like The Wind
Crowded House: Don’t Dream It’s Over
Culture Club: Karma Chameleon

Dayne, Taylor: Love Will Lead You Back
De Burgh, Chris: The Lady In Red
Dead or Alive: You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
Dexys Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen
Devo: Whip It

Dolce, Joe: Shaddap You Face
Duran Duran: Hungry Like The Wolf
Easton, Sheena: Morning Train
EMF: Unbelievable
Europe: The Final Countdown

Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Relax
Gaye, Marvin: Sexual Healing
Hart, Corey: Sunglasses At Night
Hawkins, Sophie B.: As I Lay Me Down
Higgins, Bertie: Key Largo

Hot Chocolate: You Sexy Thing
INXS: New Sensation
J. Geils Band: Centerfold
Juice Newton: Angel Of The Morning
Katrina & The Waves: Walking On Sunshine

Lauper, Cyndi: Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Lewis, Huey and the News: The Power Of Love
Lipps, Inc.: Funkytown
Loggins, Kenny: Footloose
Los Lobos: La Bamba

Madonna: La Isla Bonita
Madness: Our House
Martika: Toy Soldiers
MC Hammer: U Can’t Touch This
McFerrin, Bobby: Don’t Worry Be Happy

Men At Work: Who Can It Be Now
Morrison, Van Brown: Eyed Girl
Moving Pictures: What About Me
Myles, Allanah: Black Velvet
Naked Eyes: Always Something There to Remind Me

Nena: 99 Luftballons
New Order: Blue Monday
Newton-John, Olivia: Physical
Ocean, Billy: Get out of my dreams, get into my car
Opus: Life is Life

Palmer, Robert: Addicted To Love
Parker, Ray Jr.: Ghostbusters
Poison: Nothin’ But A Good Time
Pop, Iggy: Candy
Pretenders: Don’t Get Me Wrong

Proclaimers: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Rabbitt, Eddie: I Love a Rainy Night
Run DMC: Walk This Way
Scorpion: Wind of Change
Simple Minds: Don’t You (Forget About Me)

Split Enz: Six Months in a Leaky Boat
Soft Cell: Tainted Love
Spandeau Ballet: True
Starship: We Built This City
Taco: Puttin’ on the Ritz

Tears For Fears: Shout
The Buggles: Video Killed the Radio Star
The Church: Under the Milky Way
The Cure: A Forest
The Pointer Sisters: I’m So Excited

Toto: Africa
Vanilla Ice: Ice Ice Baby
Vapors: Turning Japanese
Waite, John: Missing You
Warrant: Cherry Pie

Wilde, Kim: Kids In America
Deniece Williams: Let’s Hear It for the Boy
Wilson Phillips: Hold On
XTC: Dear God
Young MC: Bust a Move