{"id":673461,"date":"2026-03-22T09:27:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T09:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/673461\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T09:27:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T09:27:26","slug":"80s-songs-we-have-a-secret-crush-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/673461\/","title":{"rendered":"80s songs we have a secret crush on"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Greaties from the \u201980s<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019re all familiar with the concept of a \u201cguilty pleasure\u201d\u2014those secret indulgences we guard closely, often too embarrassed to admit them publicly. Many of us cultivate an image of refined taste, preferring to discuss high art and critically acclaimed works. Yet, the reality is that behind closed doors, most of us secretly enjoy music that might generously be described as \u201cquestionable.\u201d<\/p>\n

To liberate us from this shared, unspoken shame, we\u2019re bravely unveiling our own curated list of top \u201cguilty pleasure\u201d songs. We hope our transparency encourages you to embrace your own hidden musical affections, whether it\u2019s a heartfelt, solo rendition of \u201cMy Heart Will Go On\u201d or something even more unexpected.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.<\/p>\n

\u2018Africa\u2019 by Toto (1982)<\/b><\/p>\n

For reasons modern science cannot explain, everyone loves \u201cAfrica\u201d by Toto, yet they will not disclose this publicly. This state of affairs is egregiously wrong, and you should run out onto your front lawn in broad daylight to belt out the chorus at passing cars.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.<\/p>\n

\u2018Rock You Like a Hurricane\u2019 by Scorpions (1983)<\/b><\/p>\n

Face it \u2013 the first time you heard this song, you immediately boarded the good ship Scorpions. Then, you read the lyrics, and you promptly disembarked. However, those power chords and the Teutonic vocals of Klaus Meine act in tandem as a siren call, beckoning you to not only put the song on at a neighbor-vexing volume but to re-enact the moment in the music video when Meine holds his microphone the wrong way.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: IMDb<\/p>\n

\u2018Livin\u2019 on a Prayer\u2019 by Bon Jovi (1986)<\/b><\/p>\n

Like fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi tells the story of a struggling couple who wax and wane out of various states of employment. The lyrics contain such power ballad chestnuts as holding on, making it, and not making it, and it\u2019s easy to see it resonating with anyone who has no paycheck in their near-term future. Sadly, singer Jon Bon Jovi eventually decided he was the next Bruce Springsteen, so we stopped paying attention.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.<\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019 by Journey (1981)<\/b><\/p>\n

In 2007, the hit HBO series \u201cThe Sopranos\u201d ended with a scene in which \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Believin’\u201d by Journey is playing. Even though the song was decades old at the time, it came roaring back to life with a nostalgic vengeance, and for a while you couldn\u2019t go anywhere without hearing it. Luckily, many of us already secretly liked the song, creating a rare moment in musical history in which some stupid fad was not entirely unwelcome.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Wikipedia<\/p>\n

\u2018Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go\u2019 by Wham! (1984)<\/b><\/p>\n

Before George Michael made a name for himself as a solo artist, he was in a teenybopper duo called Wham! that was geared towards pre-pubescent girls and trafficked in giddy, effervescent pop that you couldn\u2019t hate even if you wanted to. The pair showed maturity with their next single, \u201cCareless Whisper,\u201d so people will freely admit to liking that song. Meanwhile, affection for \u201cWake Me Up Before You Go-Go\u201d remains a closely-guarded secret for many.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.<\/p>\n

\u2018Total Eclipse of the Heart\u2019 by Bonnie Tyler (1983)<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cTotal Eclipse of the Heart\u201d is hands down one of the goofiest and most overwrought songs ever recorded, but mysteriously, this has always played in its favor. It has been parodied beyond recognition by disdainful Gen Xers who want you to believe they never listen to anything but Sonic Youth, but they\u2019re overcompensating. They love this ridiculous song and will play it on endless repeat on Spotify, a secret they will take to the grave.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon<\/p>\n

\u2018You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)\u2019 by Dead or Alive (1984)<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cYou Spin Me Round (Like a Record)\u201d by Dead or Alive perfectly illustrates what a \u201cguilty pleasure\u201d song is. On first listen, it\u2019s an inane and noisy dance tune with utterly moronic lyrics and vocals courtesy of some low-rent opera singer. Nevertheless, it will not vacate your head when you hear it because the song is, as the kids say, a \u201cbanger.\u201d So feel as guilty as you want for liking it \u2013 that won\u2019t get the song out of your head any sooner.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Final Countdown\u2019 by Europe (1986)<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Final Countdown\u201d by the Swedish band Europe (shouldn\u2019t they be called \u201cScandinavia\u201d?) is a simplistic song based around a single keyboard figure that goes around and around for five minutes. While that description makes it sound unbelievably annoying, that single keyboard figure just keeps on yielding fruit! The band was last seen in a television commercial for the insurance company GEICO, which can be seen as either a colossal indignity or an excellent opportunity for more people to hear the song. We believe the band has embraced the latter view.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon.com.<\/p>\n

\u2018Physical\u2019 by Olivia Newton-John (1981)<\/b><\/p>\n

Olivia Newton-John became a star in the 1970s, but by the 1980s she needed to revamp her look and sound. She rose to the occasion with \u201cPhysical,\u201d a dance tune that captured the hearts of an aerobicizing-mad world, and don\u2019t pretend you were upset when it came on the radio. When she passed away in 2022, the New York Times ran an article about her<\/a> titled, \u201cOlivia Newton-John: That Headband Was a Crown,\u201d and we agree wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Amazon<\/p>\n

\u2018Mickey\u2019 by Toni Basil (1981)<\/b><\/p>\n

Choreographer Toni Basil became an early star of MTV with her bare-bones video for the song \u201cMickey,\u201d featuring her alongside a bunch of cheerleaders, and almost nothing else. The Farfisa-laden song is so infernally catchy it stamps itself on one\u2019s memory, to the extent that the video could have been a single still shot of an empty folding chair against a white background and it probably would have been just as popular.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: This list was created based on the opinions of the author. The choices presented are subjective and can vary depending on personal preferences and perspectives.<\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n