Because ’80s retro music is trending these days, here are some of the songs that left their mark on the decade. They are among the tracks often associated with “one-hit wonders,” artists who quickly faded from the spotlight after making one hugely popular song. Which of these songs do you remember?
“MICKEY” by Toni Basil (1981) — “Mickey,” also known as “Hey Mickey,” was originally recorded by English rock band Racey in 1979 and later covered by American singer Toni Basil. “Mickey” ranked No. 6 on the list of the 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the ’80s.
“TARZAN BOY” by Baltimora (1985) — You’re surely familiar with this song, the debut single of Italian-based act Baltimora. However, the group was essentially a “dummy” act created by Italian producer and composer Maurizio Bassi, who actually sang “Tarzan Boy.”
“MAJOR TOM” by Peter Schilling (1982) — This new wave song by German singer-songwriter Peter Schilling was inspired by David Bowie’s iconic 1969 song “Space Oddity.” “Major Tom” peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.
“(I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS” by Cutting Crew (1986) — The debut single of English rock band Cutting Crew became their biggest hit. It reached No. 1 in 16 countries, including the United States, Canada, Finland and Norway.
“PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ” by Taco (1982) — The 1930 classic was given a new version by Dutch singer Taco Ockerse, which became a global hit and reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.
“ELECTRIC AVENUE” by Eddy Grant (1983) — The new wave and synth-pop single “Electric Avenue” became Eddy Grant’s signature hit, earning platinum status and a Grammy Award nomination in 1984.
“TAKE ON ME” by A-ha (1985) — “Take On Me” came from the debut album of Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha. In 2023, the song ranked No. 26 on Billboard’s all-time list of the 500 Best Pop Songs.
“99 LUFTBALLONS” by Nena (1983) — The anti-war protest song by West German pop group Nena was one of the defining pop tracks of the ’80s. “99 Luftballons” reached No. 1 across Europe, the United States, Japan and several other countries.
“RUMORS” by Timex Social Club (1986) — “Rumors,” the debut single of Timex Social Club, reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Despite their popularity, however, the group eventually decided to disband because of internal conflicts.
“TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP” by The Romantics (1983) — The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. Their succeeding compositions, however, failed to achieve the same level of success. The band remains active to this day. / TRC S
