Old Playlist

" Two Hearts " is a song by Phil Collins. The song reached number one in both United States and Canada in February 1989.It was composed by Lamont Dozier (of Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland), and lyrics by Collins, both of whom also produced this song for the 1988 crime comedy film Buster. Both promo-singles of the film, " Two Hearts " and " A Groovy Kind Of Love ", topped the U.S charts. Read more about the song

In 1987, Pet Shop Boys performed a synthpop version of " Always on My Mind " on Love Me Tender, an ITV network television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Presley's death, in which various popular contemporary acts performed cover versions of his hits. Their performance was so well-received that the duo decided to record the song and release it as a single. This version became the UK's Christmas number one single that year and topping the charts for four weeks in total. It is their best selling single in the official UK Singles Chart. Read more about the song

After three commercial flops from their debut album Wonderland, " Sometimes " became Erasure's first bonafide hit, peaking at number one in South Africa, number two in their native United Kingdom and in Germany, and becoming a huge international hit. The song became Erasure's second Top 5 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it charted alongside " It Doesn't Have to Be " and peaked at number four. Read more about the song

" Saving All My Love for You " is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin with arrangement by Gene Page. It was originally a minor hit for Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. in 1978 on their album Marilyn & Billy. A cover of the song was done by American recording artist Whitney Houston, for her debut, self-titled album, which was released on February 14, 1985, by Arista Records. The song was the second single from the album in the United States and third worldwide. Read more about the song

" We All Stand Together " is from the animated film Rupert and the Frog Song and reached number three in the UK Singles Chart in 1984. Originally released in June 1983, McCartney re-released the single on the Christmas charts in 1984. The " Frog Chorus " backing on the song was provided by the King's Singers choral group and the choir of St Paul's Cathedral. The ' flute playing frog ' was Elena Durán. Read more about the song

"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel. It was released on September 29, 1983 on his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983). The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl." Read more about the song

The most notable cover of the song was released in late 1982 as a single by Phil Collins from his second solo album, Hello, I Must Be Going! Collins' version reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart (becoming his first number-one solo hit in the UK Singles Chart, and peaking two positions higher than the original song did in that country), and reached number 10 in the United States. Read more about the song

" One of Us " from 1981 was the first single from Swedish pop group ABBA's final studio album The Visitors, their eighth for Polar, and their seventh for Epic and Atlantic. The song is also included on the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation. Read more about the song

" Celebration " is a number 1 hit song released in 1980 by Kool & the Gang from their album Celebrate!. Read more about the song

The band's third single was their first success, scoring number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1980 (making it the first number-one single of the 1980s), number one in Australia during May 1980, and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song takes its title from an expression Hynde heard from a member of Strangeways a Yorkshire-based support band who was looking for his money (" brass ", meaning money). Read more about the song

"Walking on the Moon" is a 1979 song by The Police, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc. The song was The Police's second number-one hit single in the United Kingdom. It reached number nine in Australia but did not chart in the United States. It is one of The Police's more reggae-influenced songs Read more about the song

"Back in My Life" is a song by Dutch group Alice DeeJay. It was released in November 1999 as the second single from the album, Who Needs Guitars Anyway?. The song reached number one in Norway and the top ten in Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Read more about the song

" Believe " is a song by American singer-actress Cher from her twenty-second album of the same name. It was first released on October 19, 1998 as the lead single from the album by Warner Bros.. It was written by Brian Higgins, Stuart McLennen, Paul Barry, Steven Torch, Matthew Gray, and Timothy Powell and produced by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling. Read more about the song

In 1997 a version of the song was showcased by the BBC in a lengthy corporate promotion of its diverse music coverage which was broadcast on BBC channels and in cinemas. It featured Lou Reed himself and other major artists in what the Financial Times described as "an astonishing line-up of world class performers ". In reference to the licence fee, the film ends with the message " Whatever your musical taste, it is catered for by BBC Radio and Television" . Read more about the song

"2 Become 1" is a song by English girl group Spice Girls. Written by the group members, Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice (1996). It was inspired by the special relationship that was developing between Geri Halliwell and Rowe during the writing session. Read more about the song

The song was covered by Björk in 1995. It remains her biggest hit, reaching #4 in the UK and spending 15 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. Fuelled by the Spike Jonze-directed music video clip, the single also shot Björk into the spotlight in Australia, where it reached #6. In the United Kingdom the single has been certified as Gold, having sold upwards of 400,000 copies. Read more about the song

"Stay Another Day" is a 1994 pop song recorded by British boy band East 17. It was released in late 1994 and became their only number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the Christmas number one of 1994, and also topped the charts in Sweden, Ireland and Denmark. To this day, it remains their biggest hit. Read more about the song

In 1993, Chaka Demus & Pliers recorded a reggae version featuring Jack Radics, which went to No. 1 on the UK charts in 1994. Read more about the song

" Heal the World " is a song from Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991. The music video (directed by Joe Pytka) features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially Burundi. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson's videos not to feature Jackson himself, the others being " Cry" , " HIStory " and " Man in the Mirror ". Read more about the song

As successful as the 1974 record had been, it was as a duet with George Michael that "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me " had its greatest success. The pair had performed the song at the Live Aid concert in 1985. Recorded live at a concert at Wembley Arena, Read more about the song

"Ice Ice Baby " is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of " Under Pressure " by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit. Originally released on Vanilla Ice's 1989 debut album Hooked and later on his 1990 national debut To the Extreme, it is his most well known song. It has appeared in remixed form on Platinum Underground and Vanilla Ice Is Back! A live version appears on the album Extremely Live, while a rap rock version appears on the album Hard to Swallow, under the title " Too Cold". Read more about the song

"I Don't Wanna Lose You " is a song by recording artist Tina Turner. It was written by Albert Hammond and Graham Lyle and produced along with Roger Davies for Turner's 1989 album Foreign Affair. Released as the album's second single in Europe, it became a top ten hit in Belgium and the United Kingdom, while reaching the top thirty on the majority of all charts it appeared on. Read more about the song

"Especially for You" is a song performed by the Australian recording artists Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, from the U.S. version of Minogue's second studio album Enjoy Yourself (1989) and Donovan's debut album Ten Good Reasons (1989). The single was released on 28 November 1988 and was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. Read more about the song

Of Harrison's three number-one singles in the US, it was the only song not written by Harrison and the only one without religious overtones. Not only was this the last US number 1 hit by Harrison, but from any of the ex-Beatles in the US. When the song hit number 1, it broke a three-way tie among Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr, all of whom had two number 1 hit singles as solo artists. Paul McCartney leads in this category, with nine number 1 hits in the US. The single's B-side is "Lay His Head" , written by Harrison. The 12-inch version of the single also adds an extended version of " Got My Mind Set On You ". The single was also featured on his November 1987 album Cloud Nine. The song happened to be the #1 single in the US the week immediately preceding the induction of the Beatles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Read more about the song

" Open Your Heart " is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album True Blue on November 12, 1986, by Sire Records. It has since appeared remixed on the compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009). Written originally as a rock 'n roll song with the title "Follow Your Heart ", it was written for singer Cyndi Lauper by songwriters Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson, although it was never played to her.  Read more about the song

" West End Girls " is a song by British pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the song was released twice as a single. The song is influenced by hip hop music, with lyrics concerned with class and the pressures of inner-city life which were inspired partly by T.S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land. It was generally well received by contemporary music critics and has been frequently cited as a highlight in the duo's career. Read more about the song

" Do They Know It's Christmas? " is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 28 November 1984. In October 1984, a BBC television report by Michael Buerk was aired in the UK, which highlighted the famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. Irish singer Bob Geldof saw the report and was inspired to raise money to relieve those affected by the famine. He called Midge Ure from Ultravox and together they quickly co-wrote the song, " Do They Know It's Christmas? " Read more about the song

Although fairly inauspicious upon initial release, " Relax " finally reached number one on the UK singles chart on 24 January 1984, ultimately becoming one of the most controversial and most commercially successful records of the entire decade. The single eventually sold a reported 2 million copies in the UK alone, making it the seventh best-selling single in the UK Singles Chart's history.  Read more about the song

Released in November 1982, it peaked at #5 in the UK singles chart and was their biggest hit in the United States, reaching #7 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. Though Madness produced many successful singles over a period of 20 years especially in their native United Kingdom, the enormous American popularity of " Our House " means that they are often regarded as one hit wonders in the USA (though technically they are two hit wonders in America, as their version of " It Must Be Love " also subsequently entered the US top 40). It won Best Song at the May 1983 Ivor Novello awards Read more about the song

" Don't You Want Me " is a single by British synthpop group The Human League, released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album Dare (1981). It is the band's best known and most commercially successful recording to date. In 1981 it was the Christmas number one in the UK, where it has since sold over 1,560,000 copies, making it the 23rd most successful single in UK Singles Chart history. It later topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on 3 July 1982 where it stayed for three weeks. Read more about the song

" Lady " is a song written by Lionel Richie, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in September 1980 as a previously unreleased single on the album, Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits. It is listed at #47 on Billboard's All Time Top 100. Read more about the song

"I Have a Dream" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was featured on the group's sixth studio album Voulez-Vous and released as a single in December 1979. The single became a big hit, topping the charts in many countries and peaking at No.2 in the UK over the Christmas week of 1979. Twenty years later, Irish pop group Westlife released a successful version of the song which reached No.1 in the UK over the Christmas week of 1999. Read more about the song

"Ordinary World " is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, better known as The Wedding Album. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. Hot 100 Airplay chart, U.S. Top 40 Mainstream and the Canadian singles chart. It also peaked at No. 3 in the American charts, No. 2 on the U.S. Alternative rock chart and No. 6 in the British charts. Read more about the song

" Shout " is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley and sung by Orzabal (with Curt Smith duetting on the chorus), it was the band's eighth single release (the second taken from their second album Songs from the Big Chair) and sixth UK Top 40 hit, peaking at no. 4 in January 1985. In the USA, it reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 3 August 1985 and remained there for three weeks. " Shout " would become one of the most successful songs of 1985, eventually reaching the Top Ten in 25 countries. " Shout " is regarded as one of the most recognizable songs from the mid-eighties and is also recognized as the group's signature song. Read more about the song

" Sleeping My Day Away " is the most successful single from the Danish rock band D-A-D. The single was released in 1989, with " Ill Will " as the b-side. Both songs appear on their No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims album. Read more about the song

"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones (and co-produced by Jackson), the song is credited as being a rhythm and blues song. Read more about the song

" Kiss " started as a short acoustic demo, about a minute in length, with one verse and the chorus. Prince gave the song to the funk band Mazarati for their debut album. Mazarati and producer David Z drastically reworked the song, giving it its stripped-down minimalist sound. When Mazarati delivered the song to Prince, he was amazed at their work and decided to take back the song for himself. He replaced their lead vocal, added the guitar break in the chorus and edited the song to its present form. Mazarati were credited for their backing vocals, which Prince left intact. Prince added the song at the last minute to Parade. Read more about the song

The original single was banned by the BBC because of the controversial cover (an alternative cover was released in some places). As Sting described: " The reason they [the BBC] had a problem with "Can't Stand Losing You" was because the photo on the cover of the single had Stewart standing on a block of ice with a noose around his neck, waiting for the ice to melt. " Despite this, or perhaps because of the extra attention from the controversy, it became the group's first single to break the charts, and has held a spot in their live sets ever since it was written. Read more about the song

" Everybody Wants to Rule the World " is a hit song by the English band Tears for Fears. It was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom (the third from their second LP: Songs from the Big Chair) and seventh UK Top 30 chart hit, peaking at number two in April 1985.  Read more about the song

" Addicted to Love " is a song by English rock singer Robert Palmer released in 1986. The song has become known as his signature song, thanks in part to a highly popular video featuring high fashion models. Other artists have released versions since. It is the third song on Palmer's Riptide album. The most commonly heard version runs around four minutes, but the full album version runs a little over six minutes. Read more about the song

" Sweet Child O' Mine " is a song by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and the third single from their 1987 debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction. Released on August 17, 1988, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's first and only number-one single in the U.S. It reached number six on the UK Singles Chart, when re-released in 1989. Read more about the song

" You Give Love a Bad Name " is a song written by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child, and Richie Sambora about a woman who has jilted her lover. The track was released as the first single from the album Slippery When Wet and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 29, 1986, Bon Jovi's first number one hit. The song reentered the charts at #29 after Blake Lewis performed it on American Idol. In 2009 it was named the 20th-greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.  Read more about the song

" I Want to Break Free " is a song by the British rock band Queen, which was written by its bassist John Deacon. The song was featured on the Queen's 1984 album The Works and distributed as a single on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl records and 3-inch and 5-inch CDs. The song had three versions: album, single and extended, differing in length by more than a factor of 2. It came to be included in most live concerts by the group, in several videos, and in The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert where it was sung by Lisa Stansfield. Read more about the song

A third hit version was done by Mick Jagger and David Bowie as a duo in 1985, as part of the Live Aid charity movement. The original plan was to perform a track together live, with Bowie performing at Wembley Stadium and Jagger at John F. Kennedy Stadium, until it was realized that the satellite link-up would cause a half-second delay that would make this impossible unless either Bowie or Jagger mimed their contribution, something neither artist was willing to do. Read more about the song

"Walk of Life" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits. It appeared on their best-selling album Brothers in Arms. It subsequently appeared on their live album On the Night. It was released as a single in November 1985 but had first been available as the B-side of " So Far Away" released in advance of Brothers in Arms. The track peaked at number seven in the US charts and was their biggest commercial hit in the UK, peaking at number two. Read more about the song

" Thunderstruck " is the first song on the 1990 album The Razors Edge by the hard rock group AC/DC. The song was released as a single in Germany, Australia, and Japan, and peaked at No. 5 on U.S. the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. In 2010, " Thunderstruck " topped Triple M's Ultimate 500 Rock Countdown in Melbourne, Australia. The top five were all AC/DC songs. Read more about the song

" Enter Sandman " is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica in 1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Hetfield wrote the lyrics, which deal with the concept of a child's nightmares. Read more about the song

" Poison " is a song by artist Alice Cooper, co-written by Desmond Child and John McCurry, and produced by Desmond Child. It was released worldwide as a single in 1989, and is featured on Alice Cooper's 18th studio album Trash. The song was one of Cooper's biggest hit singles in the United States, peaking at number 7 on the singles chart, while peaking at number 2 in the UK, only being held off the top spot by hit dance record , "Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers. Read more about the song

The song was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the albums early writing process (which took place in the south of France), but it was long rumoured that the song had originally been written for rock artist Tina Turner. Read more about the song

" Missing You " is a song co-written and recorded by English musician John Waite. It was released in June 1984 as the lead single from the album No Brakes. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of September 22, 1984, and number nine on the UK Singles Chart. Read more about the song