Songs that defined the 80′s
From big hair to man-makeup, the 80′s will forever live in infamy as a decade that changed the face of music, characterized by all night parties up and down the Sunset Strip. Of course, who could help but cut loose with the one of a kind jams rocking 24/7 on the radio. Often imitated but never replaced, the 80′s were a time of big ballads and synthesizers, giving us tunes one can’t help but hum throughout the workday. Here’s a look at three classics that shaped a generation:Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison) While people under 25 might know lead singer Bret Michaels from his quest for love on VH1, the slightly older crowd best remembers him for strutting his headband behind a microphone (and perhaps an on-screen appearance with Pam Anderson you won’t find on IMDb). This 1980′s power ballad foreshadows Michaels’ love search as it explores the difficulty with relationships and finding the right special someone.Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) Most people think Thriller when they recount MJ’s greatest achievements, this track from the Thriller album is arguably Jackson’s crowning song. Many fans mistake the song as homage to tennis great Billie Jean King, as Jackson was an avid fan of the sport, but the song actually recounts his encounters with groupies, which makes sense if you look at the lyrics. Not only was this a great beat in its own right, but many of today’s artists have cited the song as inspiration for their more current work. [Read more →]