Top 10 Annoyingly Catchy 80s Songs

WatchMojo

Get ready for an earworm invasion! We're counting down the most infectious tunes of the neon decade that burrow into your brain and refuse to leave. These songs had us bopping in the 80s and still have us humming along today, whether we want to or not. Catchy doesn't even begin to describe these synth-laden, hook-heavy anthems!

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best and

00:10most hooktastic songs that can get on your nerves with how catchy they are.

00:13Number 10, Our Lips Are Sealed, The Go-Go's.

00:25In what could be called a defining track of the new wave, the Go-Go's are in top form.

00:39They create something that's built for a Sunday drive.

00:42Our Lips Are Sealed could be considered a low-key rock masterpiece, with a subtle hook you can't deny.

00:47There's also a chorus that's almost minimal and straightforward.

00:59Hours after hearing it, you might be humming it to yourself.

01:06The band almost sneaks up on you with its easygoing style.

01:10By the time you get to the bridge, you realize it's been a joyful experience.

01:14It's got that earworm quality to it with its slick bass, guitars, and vocal magic.

01:19In the jealous case, people play, all that I see.

01:28Number 9, Cruel Summer, Bananarama.

01:31I'm from the streets and the pavements are burning, I sit around.

01:38You cannot deny that the band Bananarama has some certifiable hits.

01:42Cruel Summer is one of their most memorable, with a riff that's quickly identifiable.

01:47The group has lots of fun on this track and in their sunny music video.

01:56While it's wildly entertaining, the tune is much better for a summer party.

02:01The trio gives you an accurate trip through the highs and lows of the hottest season.

02:05Even if the instrumentation might be a little dated, it's still impossible to forget.

02:14You don't have to know the 1980s to connect with this one either.

02:18Nothing short of catchy.

02:20The pop single knows exactly what it's doing from the verses to the inescapable chorus.

02:33Number 8, Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners.

02:37With a Celtic spirit, Come On Eileen is hard to hate.

02:48Dexy's Midnight Runners make pop, rock and folk sound like a party.

02:52Their biggest hit features the kind of rhythm that'll get you dancing whether you like it or not.

02:57It's infectious to say the least, infiltrating your brain and not letting go.

03:01Don't get us started on the bridge either.

03:03It's hard to knock a song that's so free-spirited, but there's a hint of annoyance when you hear it.

03:24Kevin Rowland and his bandmates do all they can to make you feel part of the family.

03:29Buried underneath all the pomp and circumstance, there's still something lovable about this piece.

03:42Number 7, Don't Stop Believin' Journey.

03:52The second you hear the piano introduction, you know what's about to happen.

03:56In the United States and abroad, this music has served as the soundtrack for many concerts and a famous TV show.

04:03This song has become overused at public events and large venues.

04:08Hundreds of people all sing it in unison, but it starts to lose its luster after years of being overplayed.

04:21Despite it being a little too popular, Don't Stop Believin' carries with it an undeniable nostalgia.

04:26We can all slip back into our love for this journey hit when we want it.

04:37The universal story has the potential to touch every listener, even if it's not exactly your preferred genre.

04:43Don't Stop Believin'

04:52Number 6, Material Girl, Madonna.

04:54Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me, I think they're okay.

05:00This pop star has known success since her first years in the business.

05:05While she evolved as an artist, her early work can be both fun and somewhat cheesy.

05:10Material Girl might not be her highest peak as an artist.

05:14The single from 1984's Like a Virgin album is high fructose and heavily concentrated pop for everybody.

05:20Cause we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.

05:28That's exactly what some people want, but it's also difficult to take in larger doses.

05:33Even the artist herself doesn't love this one that much.

05:35Regardless, it definitely became popular for a reason with its hook.

05:39You know that we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.

05:46This side of her catalogue is chock full of entertaining moments that showed the greatness to come.

05:52A material, a material, a material world.

05:57Number 5, Sister Christian, Night Ranger.

06:01Sister Christian, oh the time has come.

06:05Originally released on the 1983 album Midnight Madness,

06:09this single rocked the airwaves and became a top 10 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

06:14Night Ranger is often best remembered for this unforgettable rock hit.

06:23The chorus is the catchiest part, but you probably get sick of it after a while.

06:35Sister Christian relies on that hook as both a crutch and a centerpiece.

06:39You could call it cheesy, but you might also want to sing along.

06:48The track has a towering sound, dramatic build, and a piano part that almost every power ballad deserves.

06:55Singer Kelly Kage gives a strong performance, making this iconic effort something to remember.

07:00You could call it hair metal, obnoxious, or just plain classic.

07:05And you know that you're the only one to say, okay.

07:15Number 4, Take On Me, Aha.

07:17As one of the purest pop statements of the 1980s, the sweetness of Take On Me might be unbearable to some.

07:31It sounds like all of the greatest and most controversial elements of the era.

07:35First of all, you have a synth line that you can hear for days.

07:44You then listen to Morton Harkett's vocals and tremendous high notes.

07:48The latter is one particular part that almost nobody can imitate, but everybody wants to try and perform.

07:54It's also retained a place in pop culture through various movies, media, and the Evergreen music video.

08:08For better or worse, the Norwegian group has not been able to escape the tune.

08:13And neither has anyone else.

08:15Number 3, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Wham.

08:33While George Michael went on to make better music, this song still feels part of pop history.

08:38The goofy lyrics and bouncy sound might be too much to bear.

08:45It's the kind of happy tune that you want sometimes, but not on a regular basis.

08:53The track brightens your mood until it becomes a little grating.

08:57Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go isn't supposed to sound like the best thing ever, but it is a memorable number.

09:08Michael and Andrew Ridgely deliver with a wild production and some hilarious words.

09:13Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo.

09:19Any song with the word yo-yo in it is silly, but this one you have to acknowledge for its catchiness.

09:25Take me dancing tonight.

09:31Number 2, Footloose, Kenny Loggins.

09:34If you see Kevin Bacon at a wedding, you really shouldn't play this song.

09:44Footloose is a certified banger, and it also needs to take a cultural breather.

09:48Kenny Loggins is the theme song Juggernaut, but even one of the greats doesn't need to be in constant rotation.

10:00For this 1980s classic, he brings out a cool guitar riff.

10:12It is without a doubt an essential piece of the decade's storied history.

10:16Loggins knows how to deliver thrills, but with a few whimsical production values.

10:28The end result is both iconic and something of a cliché.

10:31Fans of the film and the artist might rejoice, but the rest of us want to hear more than this on the dance floor.

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11:00Number 1, Under Pressure, Queen and David Bowie.

11:04It might be the ultimate team-up of the 1980s.

11:14Queen and David Bowie know how to write stunning music, creating a legendary combo with a message.

11:28Under Pressure is full of an improvised spirit and even some scatting.

11:32The central hook permeates music and pop culture, living on for decades after its release.

11:38It's hard not to love the song even if it's become overdone.

11:41With the great bass line, this work has also been sampled.

11:53The track's history becomes even more complicated when people like Vanilla Ice enter the picture.

12:04Through no fault of the original artists, the hit single has been picked apart and covered to death.

12:09It speaks to the power of the first version that it's still worthy of a listen.

12:13Did we forget another awesome hook that gets on our nerves? Let us know in the comments below.

12:26Under Pressure. Pressure.

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