Have to agree with you there QwertyGirl, also add Train of Thought for me too. Why did the beeb ban Hunting High & Low? Was it because of the video?

i LOVE the 80's in music! the whole dynamic of music and the variation and the evolution of music! it's just amazing!

i cannot choose a single song but love a lot of what has been mentioned!

Madonna being my favourite artist makes it all that tougher! but i must say that Into The Groove is definitively 80's with the electro synths and the emotive lyrics and expression! one of the reasons why i love her.
(her Like A Virgin, True Blue and Like A Prayer albums are just beyond blockbuster! they're timeless)

Janet Jacksons Pleasure Principle and RHythm Nation are two songs that really represent the dynamic of pop in the 80's.

MJ of course with his Thriller and Bad albums!

the New Romantics era and movement!

Peter Gabriel (the So album) and Genesis!

Kate Bush's RUnning Up That Hill (Hounds Of Love album)

and of course the development of the music video too!

Thriller and Like A Prayer and Express Yourself just show why it changed the landscape of music!!!

my, that was a bit of an essay

It's because of the 1991 Iraq War. The video itself isn't controversial at all, just Morten morphing into animals such as an eagle, a shark and lion.

Never knew that about the Iraq War, HHAL was released in 1986 yet the beeb banned it 5 years on! Thanks QwertyGirl.

I think Aunty Beeb was offended by the song title, in case it sounded offensive in reporting a missing soldier.

The Promise by When In Rome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HI_xFQWiYU

I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight by the Cutting Crew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dOwHzCHfgA

The Other Side of Life by the Moody Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USujNc5uPBs

Plenty more........................

The Smiths - This Charming Man
The Jam - Town Called Malice
New Order - True Faith
Sheena Easton - Morning Train
Aretha Franklin & George Michael - I Knew You Were Waiting
Diana Ross - Chain Reaction
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
The Human League (Well, Oakley and Moroder) - Together In Electric Dreams

Indeed it is, the same way that Massive Attack had to become Massive at the same time.

Far too many to choose...so here's a short list:

The Art of Noise - Close (to the Edit)
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
Black - Wonderful Life
Nick Cave - The Mercy Seat
The Cocteau Twins - Musette and Drums
The Cure - A Hundred Years
Depeche Mode - Blasphemous Rumours
Duran Duran - The Chauffeur
Echo and the Bunnymen - All My Colours
Fields of the Nephilim - Last Exit for the Lost
John Foxx - Europe After the Rain
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Two Tribes
Grandmaster Flash - The Message
The Human League - Being Boiled
Japan - Night Porter
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Upside Down
Joy Division - Atmosphere
Killing Joke - Love Like Blood
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Gary Numan - I Die You Die
OMD - Joan of Arc
The Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven
The Psychedelic Furs - Fall
Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure
R.E.M. - Orange Crush
The Sisters of Mercy - Body Electric
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot
Spacemen 3 - Revolution
Stone Roses - Made of Stone
Talk Talk - Such a Shame
The Telescopes - The Perfect Needle
This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
Ultravox – Vienna
Undertones - My Perfect Cousin
The Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress

I agree that people should name the songs and not just put Youtube links. I haven't checked those out either MushymanRob.

The above songs were also among my top 40 of the 80s, and you even identified my no 1 Qwerty282!

INXS - Need you tonight
And anything by Jive Bunny ahem!!

Has not been mentioned yet , Yazz , NOT with The Only Way Is Up but a far superior track which received no where near as much air play Fine Time, in my opinion a much better song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSc4rXqoFoc

agreed!.... less commercial but imho superior.

Just one?!

I can probably come up with a Top 10:

1. Taylor Dayne - Tell it to my Heart

2. Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

3. Kate Bush - Running up that Hill

4. Laura Branigan - Self Control

5. Eighth Wonder - Cross My Heart

6. Duran Duran - View to a Kill

7. Pat Benatar - Love is a Battlefield

8. Pet Shop Boys - Heart

9. Kylie - Got to be Certain

10. Hazell Dean - They Say It's Gonna Rain

Love the 80s too, too many to choose from but I've noticed that Communards/Bronski Beat have been left out so far and they certainly shouldn't!

"Smalltown Boy" and their cover of "Don't leave me this way" are absolute classics!!

Was also a big fan of Tears for Fears - "Shout", "Everybody wants to rule the World", "Mad World" and many more can be added to the list...

Give Me The Night - George Benson
Love Has Come Around Donald Byrd
You're The One For Me - D Train
And The Beat Goes On - Whispers
Funkin For Jamaica - Tom Browne
I Need Your Lovin - Teena Marie

Soft Cell - Tainted Love

You have good taste

Talking about Walk Like an Egyptian, it was the song that made me fall in love with 80's music. I unfortunately wasn't here in the 80's and after getting an 80's compilation album, completely fell in love with the 80's but especially Walk Like an Egyptian. My love for the song hasn't diminished even though it's been years since I first heard it; a trademark of a brilliant song.

I though I'd add a few more songs, even though I have already posted, I can't resist!

Nena-99 Balloons
Rainbow-Since You've Been gone
Paul Young- Wherever I Lay my Hat that's my home
Toto-Africa
The Connells-74-75

That was 1979 though...

The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood is my favourite record.

1979. Good song, though.

It's always a particular delight when we at Digital Spy share the liking of an all-time fave song!

Although Paul Young is widely remembered as an 80s singer, I liked Now I Know What Made Otis Blue best. It was my fave song of 1993 in fact.

Another vote for The Cult
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8mWG6HlmU

Closely followed by this -
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2f...se-to-me_music

Sorry...Cars was #1 in 1979

"Hangin' On A String! by Loose Ends.

Wouldn't it be good-Nik Kershaw
Love comes quickly-Pet Shop Boys
Duel-Propaganda
Day before you came-ABBA
Pure-Lightning Seeds
Pride-U2
Run to you-Bryan Adams
All cried out-Alison Moyet
Big in Japan-Alphaville
Live it up-Mental as Anything