Looking for suggestions: Relaxing pop/rock numbers from the 1980s
Over the years, a lot of 1980s classics that I’ve been exposed to and enjoyed have been mocked and marred because of stenotypes of music form the 1980s in general as being too cheesy or being too slow/sleepy/boring. There are people I know who continue to dress down 1980s music and certain artists specifically because of the era and…
And they’re still good songs so shut up.
There are rich pop songs that are slower and perfect for night when trying to relax (if not sleep). I’ve got a playlist for it, but I know I’m lacking a lot of the music from that era that would fit:
- ”All out of Love” – Air Supply
- “Another Day in paradise” – Phil Collins
- “Don’t Dream It’s Over” – Crowded House
- “Drive” – The Cars
- “I’ve Been Waiting For A Girl Like You” — Foreigner
- “One More Night” – Phil Collins
- “Steppin’ Out” – Joe Jackson (which I wrote about recently)
- “Take My Breath Away” – Berlin
The whole reason I blog about this is because I’m looking for other 1980s songs like these – soft rock, pop, mid tempo. I’m aware of other options from some of these artists (Air Supply and Collins specifically) but I’m looking for other artists. Hearing different examples or suggestions wouldn’t be a bad thing.
And yeah, there are songs from other decades that fit the bill quite easily (“Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel; “Tears In Heaven” (unplugged) by Eric Clapton), but right now the quest is to discover from 30 years ago, not rediscover from the 1990s and be introduced to numbers form the 00s/2010s.
Hi John,
Here are a few of my favorites. I too fall asleep to music. Hope you like some of them. They are all from a playlist I put together of soft rock/ballads favorites.
Rupert Holmes – Escape (1979)
Robert John – Sad Eyes (1979)
Cheap Trick – The Flame
Whitesnake – Is this love
Tears of Passion – Angel
Lake of Tears – To Blossom Blue
Gary Moore – Empty Rooms
Patrick Swayze – She’s like the wind
Saigon Kick – Love Is On The Way
Kix – Don’t Close Your Eyes
White Lion – When the Children Cry
Alan Parson’s Project – Eye in the Sky
America – Horse with no Name
Dennis De Young – Call Me
Robbie DuPree – Steal Away
Kansas – Dust in the Wind
Dave Loggins – Please Come to Boston
John Waite – Missing You
Gino Vanelli – Hurts to be in Love
James Taylor – Carolina on my Mind
Sting – Desert Rose
Al Stewart – Time Passages
Steely Dan – Rikki Don’t Lose that Number
Starland Vocal Band – Afternoon Delight
Bob Seger – Against The Wind
Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
Stevie Nicks – Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?
Michael Martin Murphey – Wildfire
Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years
Looking G lass – Brandy
Little River Band – Cool Change
Smooth Operator – Sade
Sailing – Christopher Cross
Say Say Say – Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
Never Surrender – Corey Hart
Oh Sherrie – Steve Perry
Out of Touch – Hall & Oates
Do You Believe In Love – Huey Lewis & the News
I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight – Cutting Crew
Heaven – Bryan Adams
Toy Soldiers – Martika
Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
All great ones!
Seriously great stuff, guys. Mish, I’d forgotten a lot of those (though I know them but haven’t deliberately listened in a long while).
Bill, I know some of the list well and some of it has my interest piqued. I”ll have to be checking into them.
Thank you both!
Thanks John
Mish, I didn’t reply directly to you but I need to reconnect with some of what you suggested (Hall and Oates; I already listened through to an online version of “Say, say, say”_. Thank you for the suggestions.