Dan Hartman scored a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1984 with ‘I Can Dream About You’. It was his only top 20 hit on the pop charts although he did score three number one hits on the Dance charts during his career.
Boy Meets Girl – ‘Waiting For A Star To Fall’ Official Music Video
In 1988, the duo Boy Meets Girl scored a number one hit on the Adult Contemporary charts with ‘Waiting For A Star To Fall’! It was their only hit on the charts, but it was a memorable one.
Enjoy this look back at Boy Meets Girl’s music video for ‘Waiting For A Star To Fall’ from 1988!
Mr. Mister – ‘Kyrie’ Official Music Video
Mr. Mister were one of those rare bands that burst onto the scene in 1985 and scored two number one singles in a row, and that was basically it for their career. They did score a top ten hit with ‘Is It Love’, the third single from their ‘Welcome To The Real World’ album, but after that album, their career on the charts was over.
But, this song, ‘Kyrie’ can be heard at any time day or night on multiple radio formats around the world, which is why we call Mr. Mister the greatest three-hit wonder band of the ’80s!
More Videos from Mr. Mister:
Scandal – ‘The Warrior’ Music Video from 1984
Scandal scored a top ten hit in 1984 with ‘The Warrior’! It also hit number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. Some consider them a one-hit wonder as this was their only top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The Warrior has stood the test of time and can still be heard on radio stations coast-to-coast every day! They scored four additional top 30 hits on the Mainstream Rock charts, so to us, they’re by no means a one hit wonder.
Enjoy this look back at Scandal’s music video for ‘The Warrior’ from 1984 as well as a kick ass live performance from 2006!
Night Ranger – ‘Sister Christian’ Official Music Video
Sister Christian was Night Ranger’s highest charting single on the Billboard charts, peaking at number five on the Hot 100 charts. It was also their only number one single on any charts when it peaked at number one on the Canadian charts in 1984.
According to Wikipedia, the song is about drummer Kelly Keagy’s sister Christy. Keagy wrote the song at his apartment, near Divisadero and California streets in San Francisco, after he had just returned from a visit to his hometown of Eugene, Oregon. He had been struck at how fast his teenaged sister, 10 years younger than he was, was growing up.
“After we started playing it a lot, Jack turned to me and said, ‘What exactly are you saying?'” Keagy recalled. “He thought the words were Sister Christian, instead of Sister Christy, so it just stuck.”
Enjoy this look back at Night Ranger’s music video for Sister Christian, one of the ’80s best rock ballads!
UB40 – ‘Red Red Wine’ Music Video
Culture Club – ‘Karma Chameleon’ Official Music Video
Prince – ‘1999’ Official Music Video
Whitney Houston – ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Music Video
Elton John – ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues’ Music Video
Kenny Loggins – ‘Footloose’ Music Video
George Michael – ‘Careless Whisper’ Music Video
U2 – ‘With Or Without You’ Music Video
For the first half of the ’80s, U2 were very popular in their native Ireland, but were considered more of an alternative rock band in the U.S. They had achieved moderate success in the U.S. with their album ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, but nothing compared to the release of their 1987 album ‘The Joshua Tree’, which spawned three top 20 hits including two number one songs for ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ and this song, ‘With Or Without You’, which launched the band into super stardom worldwide! And, the rest (as they say) is history!
Men At Work – ‘Down Under’ Music Video
Quiet Riot – ‘Bang Your Head (Metal Health)’ – Official Music Video
Quiet Riot may not have scored a lot of hits on the charts, but their 1983 album Metal Health went to number one on the Billboard charts, and the first single ‘Bang Your Head (Metal Health)’ solidified the band as one of the best hard rock bands of the 80’s (and beyond).
An interesting trivia question for you – Quiet Riot’s late lead singer Kevin Dubrow is the brother of which famous plastic surgeon/famous husband of a housewife? Answer: Dr. Terry DuBrow, who co-hosts the plastic surgery TV show Botched and is the husband of Heather Dubrow, of The Real Housewives of Orange County fame!
Loverboy – ‘Lovin’ Every Minute Of It’ Music Video from 1985
In 1985, Loverboy released their fourth studio album titled Lovin’ Every Minute of It. The title track was the first single released from the album, and it became their first top ten hit on the Hot 100 charts, peaking at number nine in 1985. It also peaked at number three on the Mainstream Rock charts, making it their second highest charting single on the rock charts behind 1981’s Working for the Weekend, which peaked at number two in 1981.
The album spawned another top ten hit on the Hot 100 charts when This Could Be the Night peaked at number ten in 1986. They went on to score two more top 40 singles on the Hot 100 charts in the ’80s with Heaven in Your Eyes, peaking at number 12 in 1986, and Notorious, peaking at number 38 in 1987.
Enjoy this look back at Loverboy’s music video for Lovin’ Every Minute of It as well their videos for Working for The Weekend, This Could Be the Night, Heaven in Your Eyes, and Notorious!
Taylor Dayne – ‘Tell It To My Heart’ Music Video from 1987
Taylor Dayne burst onto the scenes in 1987 with the release of her debut album, Tell It To My Heart. The album produced four top ten hits on the Hot 100 charts as well as one number one hit on the Dance charts.
The first single, Tell It To My Heart peaked at number seven on the Hot 100 charts and number four on the Dance charts in 1987. The next three singles were all massive hits as well with Prove Your Love peaking at number seven on the Hot 100 charts and hitting number one on the Dance charts.
The next two singles were top five hits on the Hot 100 charts with I’ll Always Love You hitting number three in 1988, and Don’t Rush Me hitting number two in 1988.
Enjoy this look back at Tayler Dayne’s music video for her debut single Tell It To My Heart as well as the videos for her other three singles from her debut album, Prove Your Love, I’ll Always Love You, and Don’t Rush Me!
Rick Astley – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ Music Video
Bertie Higgins – ‘Key Largo’ Music Video
If you need any evidence that ’70s style creeped into the ’80s, here you go. In 1981, Bertie Higgins scored a number one hit on the Billboard AC charts and a top 10 hit with ‘Key Largo’. For Higgins, he would score one more top ten on the AC charts with ‘Just Another Day In Paradise’. Enjoy this flashback to 1981 with Bertie Higgins and ‘Key Largo’!
Alannah Myles – ‘Black Velvet’ Music Video
In 1989, Alannah Myles came out of nowhere and scored a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with Black Velvet! Unfortunately for Myles, it was the last song she charted in the U.S. But, if you’re gonna be known as a one-hit wonder, at least it was a number one hit!
Enjoy this look back at the music video for Black Velvet from Alannah Myles!
Rick James – ‘Super Freak’ Music Video
At the beginning of the ’80s, Rick James was on top of the world, and in 1981, he scored a number one hit on the Dance charts with ‘Super Freak’! Rolling Stone magazine ranked ‘Super Freak’ as the 477th greatest song of all time. Enjoy Rick James’ music video for ‘Super Freak’!
Eddie Murphy – ‘Party All The Time’ Music Video
In the 80s, Eddie Murphy could do anything! And, in 1985, he scored a top two hit with ‘Party All The Time’! The song was written by Rick James and Kevin Johnston, and since 2014, the song has enjoyed a small resurgence in popularity in Scotland due to the supporters of St. Johnstone F.C. who have adopted the song as the unofficial club anthem. Enjoy Eddie Murphy’s music video for ‘Party All The Time’!
Dokken – ‘It’s Not Love’ Music Video
Dokken were probably the most talented musicians of all the “hair bands” of the late 80s, but they never achieved success on the charts like Poison, the Crue or Def Leppard. But, they released some of the best rock songs of the 80s including this one, ‘It’s Not Love’ from their 1986 ‘Under Lock and Key’ album. And, how many bands can say they cruised down the Sunset Strip in L.A. on the back of an 18-wheeler singing one of their biggest hits? Dokken can!
Red Rider – ‘Lunatic Fringe’ Music Video
Red Rider scored a number of top 20 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, but they’re remembered for the most part for their 1981 single Lunatic Fringe, which peaked at number 11 on the Rock charts. A huge part of the song’s lasting success comes from being featured in the ’80s classic movie, Vision Quest.
Enjoy this look back at Red Rider’s music video for Lunatic Fringe!
AC/DC – ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ Live At Donington
If you’re putting together a list of the best pure rock songs of all time, AC/DC’s ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ has to be in the top ten. The song was the first single released from AC/DC’s 1980 Back In Black album, which is arguably one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Enjoy this live performance from AC/DC of You Shook Me All Night Long!
Motley Crue – ‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room’ Video from 1985
One of the first times I saw Motley Crue on TV was this video for Smokin’ In The Boys Room! This was their first top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at number 16, and it was their first top 10 rock hit peaking at #7 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. The video features Michael Berryman (see below) as the principal. You’ll all remember him from the movies Weird Science, The Hills Have Eyes and many more.
Enjoy this look back at Motley Crue’s music video for Smokin’ in the Boys Room as well Brownsville Station performing the song live back in 1973! Brownsville Station originally recorded the song in 1973 and scored a number three hit on the Hot 100 charts for the song.
Michael Berryman in Weird Science
Great White – ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’ Music Video
Great White have been jammin’ on stage since 1984, and in 1989, they finally scored their first and only top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts when Once Bitten Twice Shy peaked at number five on the charts. They had one more top 40 hit the same year when The Angel Song hit number 30. They did however score seven top ten Billboard Mainstream Rock hits!
Poison – ‘Fallen Angel’ Music Video
Poison’s 1988 Open Up and Say… Ahh! album is arguably one of the most successful albums ever for an 80’s hair band. All four singles released from the album were top 12 hits on the pop charts including a number one for Every Rose Has Its Thorn. Fallen Angel was our personal favorite from the album, and the music video below was one of our all time favorite music videos from the 80s. Enjoy!
Vixen – ‘Edge Of A Broken Heart’ Music Video
Vixen were a female hair band that achieved success during the late 80s. They scored a couple of top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The first of those hits was their debut single ‘Edge of a Broken Heart’! Their next single, ‘Cryin’ was their highest charting single at number 22 on the pop charts.
New Kids On The Block – ‘(You’ve Got It) The Right Stuff’ Music Video
In 1988, the New Kids on the Block scored a top three hit for ‘(You’ve Got It) The Right Stuff’ on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and it started a string of six top ten hits in the late 80s for one of the most famous “boy bands” in the history of American pop music. Enjoy NKOTB’s music video for ‘(You’ve Got It) The Right Stuff’!