Music Of The 80s

I would wholeheartedly define myself as someone who has an everlasting passion for Top 40 pop music; the type of mainstream stuff which happens to dominate our lives through endless radio play and various other media outlets. Although this "modern-day" music plays such a pivotal role in society today, it's always interesting to step back from what we currently know and think about the joys of music from past decades.

Over the last few months I have been delving deep into various musical delights which happened to be either written or released in the 1980s. I couldn't resist sharing some of my personal favourites with you today, but of course, I have only just scratched the surface with my passion for 80s music and hope to find out about many other artists, bands and songwriters who made incredible music during this time. All of the following seem to have conveyed a positive, thought-provoking message through their music- something which I strive for on a daily basis:

1. Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle

A small number of my musical influences relate back to what I remember my parents listening to when I was younger. As soon as I first heard Heaven Is A Place On Earth, I knew I was in for a musical treat! I found the tone of Carlisle's voice to be astonishingly unique and was impressed by how much it complimented the lyrics and melody, adding a whole other dimension to the overall song. Circle In The Sand is also a firm favourite of mine due to not only the relaxing nature of the song, but its ability to make me want to stop and think for a short while.

2. Gold by Spandau Ballet

As I live in the UK, I am always ready and willing to support British bands. When I found out that Spandau Ballet were going to reunite and play a few concert dates in my area, I was more than eager to hear them live for myself. Sadly I wasn't able to attend their concert, but luckily, I was able to rekindle my love for Gold- their iconic power song in which the lyrics aim to inspire us with words of wisdom and encouragement.

3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears

Tears For Fears are another one of the great British bands which started to make an influential mark on the music world in the 80s and continue to have growing relevance in our society today. Even though I only started listening to their Greatest Hits album many years after it was initially released, the messages it tries to convey are still extremely accurate in our world where everyone is striving for the best. Two of the most well-known Tears For Fears songs have got to be Mad World and the absolute gem that is Everybody Wants To Rule The World. I have adored both songs for a long time, but hearing the inspirational David Archuleta sing Everybody Wants To Rule The World during his concert at the Myrtle Beach MayFest in South Carolina a short while ago, has made me finally understand what this song actually means to me. David's performance of this song made me shed tears of happiness, enough said!

4. Another Day In Paradise by Phil Collins

I'd like to start off by declaring that this song is a piece of musical genius. Not only does this song have musical impact, it also has a strong social impact due to the vivid message about homelessness which it portrays. There are very few people in the world of music who are able to convey pure emotion at this level, which shows just how skilled Collins was and still is to this day. I'm so glad this song has done so well over the years. I'm always excited to hear cover versions of the song which  happen to pop up when you least expect them, often with a stylish twist. Whether it's by the addition of a synth beat or just a simply beautiful acoustic version, this song will always have a special place in our hearts.

While many songs are released and immediately forgotten about the next day, these songs have all stood the test of time and will, undoubtedly, remain this way for decades to come. All that's left for me to do now is to go out and buy an 80s compilation cd to broaden my music horizons!