Top 20 Songs of the 80's Countdown 5-1

USA for AfricaWrapping up the countdown of the top 20 songs of the 80's, here are the top 5 of the best of the best.

5.  “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister- From the 1985 album Welcome to the Real World, “Broken Wings” was the first #1 hit for Mr. Mister. One of the things most memorable about this song is the pitting of the disjointed rhythm of the electric guitar against the beat of the drum which actually flow together smoothly giving it a very unique song. The lyrics are poetic, like much of the music from the time, featuring the talents of lyricist John Lang.

4. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson- It is difficult to separate the success of this song from that of the album and corresponding video, all of which have won a number of awards and been heralded as some of the greatest productions in music history and is still held by many as the greatest music video ever made. It rose quickly on the charts and the single made platinum finishing off a round of hits for the like titled album. Like most of Jackson's music, it is filled with the dance energy that he became so well known for but is perhaps most famous for the guest talent of famous horror actor Vincent Price who serves as narrator. Written by Rod Temperton and produced by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, “Thriller” is rich with sound effects, great vocals, and musical variety that secures its place in music history.

3. “St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)” by John Parr- Climbing to the #1 spot in 1985 and earned John Parr a number of awards including a Grammy nomination. It was the theme song from the movie St. Elmo's Fire starring several members of the Brat Pack including Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, and Emilio Estevez making it one of those songs that firmly plants you in the 80's.

2.  “Don't You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds- Certainly the defining song of the 80's this song became a hit for Simple Minds in various countries, holding its #1 spot in the US for three weeks. It's the memorable theme song from the quintessential 80's classic movie The Breakfast Club. Originally Billy Idol was asked to record the song but refused, he did; however, do a cover of the song several years later. The band never really embraced the song to spite the fact that it became their only big hit in the US.

1. “We Are the World” by USA for Africa- Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie this is perhaps one of the greatest songs of not only the 80's but of any era if due to nothing else than the fact that it featured the talents of some of the most influential names in the industry including Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers, Cyndi Lauper, Bod Dylan, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Bette Midler, and many others. In fact, over 47 musical talents from nearly every genre came together in perfect harmony to fight for a cause greater than themselves. That feat alone makes this moving song produced by Quincy Jones the top song of the 80's.  Unfortunately, the recent remake of "We Are the World" is a miserable attempt to redo this classic that failed miserably.