Perhaps more so than any other decade, the 80's were defined by the music. With some of the greatest artists and most memorable moments of music history packed into the beloved decade it is hard to choose only 20 songs that define the era but the ones the follow are the songs that best defined the decade, saw some of the greatest success, and still have the power to inspire us for one reason or another.

20.  “I Love Rock N' Roll” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts- Originally released in 70's by The Arrows, this song did not become famous until it was released by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts when its gritty feel and driving guitar riffs made it a hit in 1982.

19. “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye- Bringing Marvin Gaye back onto the scene with his biggest hit in the previous five years, “Sexual Healing” topped the charts at number three but remained on the charts for ten weeks to become the longest running R&B song of the 80's and would be the artist's last hit as he tragically died a year later.

18. “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits - Winning a Grammy for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal in 1985, “Money for Nothing” was one of those iconic 80's songs that hit it big for both its ground breaking music, complete with a guest appearance from Sting, and its unforgettable animated video which had the honor of being the first video played by MTV's European network when it launched in August of 1987. (“Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles had that honor for the US launch of MTV six years earlier). Writing credits for Money for Nothing was shared between Sting who takes credit only for the famous line “I want my MTV” and Mark Knopfler, the bands lead guitarist and vocalist. Although the song met with great popularity it was not without its controversy over a portion of the lyrics; however, the general success of the song seemed to overshadow any of the criticism and the song become more known for the distinctive guitar riffs that grounded this great 80's classic.

17. “Take on Me” by A-Ha- Seeing only moderate success on the charts abroad, A-Ha's song “Take on Me” met with great success in the US where the video also became wildly popular winning over 6 awards. This synthpop tune featured a variety of instruments that lead to its unique sound including synthesizers and acoustic guitars. The wildly popular video featuring a split between live action and a comic book styled animation, “Take on Me” propelled this Norwegian pop band to the top of the Billboards chart in 1985.

16. “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins – One of the things that set much of the music of the 80's apart from more recent decades was the message behind the music. Artists of the 80's were not afraid to embrace political and social issues and that was certainly the case with this hit from Phil Collins. Claiming the top spot just before Christmas of 1989, “Another Day in Paradise” aimed to draw attention to suffering of the homeless and became a universal hit around the globe, climbing the charts and winning Collins a number of awards including a Grammy for Album of the year a couple of years later. While this song was a departure from some of his earlier dance beats, it, like many of his songs, highlighted Collins smooth vocal talents and his exceptional ability to tell a story with his music. The song is from his 1989 album, But Seriously and landed him on Billboards list of the greatest songs of all time at #86.

Will your favorite song make the list?  Continue with the countdown to find out.