"Funkytown" is a song by American disco act Lipps Inc. from their debut album Mouth to Mouth (1979). It was released as the album's lead single in 1980.
"Physical" is a song recorded by English-born Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1981 twelfth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 28 September 1981, by MCA Records. The song was produced by John Farrar and written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who had originally intended to offer it to English singer Rod Stewart. The song had also been offered to American singer Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients.
"Spirit in the Sky" is a song written and originally recorded by Norman Greenbaum and released in late 1969. The single became a gold record, selling two million copies from 1969 to 1970, and reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it lasted for 15 weeks in the Top 100, and #1 on WCFL on March 16, 1970 and on WLS on March 23, 1970, just before Easter. Billboard ranked the record the #22 song of 1970. It also climbed to #1 on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts in 1970. Rolling Stone ranked "Spirit in the Sky" #333 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was featured on the 1969 album of the same name. Cover versions by Doctor and the Medics and Gareth Gates have also made the #1 spot in the UK.
"Atomic" is a song by American rock band Blondie from their fourth studio album, Eat to the Beat (1979). Written by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri and produced by Mike Chapman, the song was released as the album's third single.
"The Tide Is High" is a 1967 song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid and performed by the Jamaican group The Paragons, with Holt as lead singer. The song gained international attention in 1980, when a reggae version by the American band Blondie became a US/UK number one hit. The British girl group Atomic Kitten also had a number one hit with their version of the song in 2002, while Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall had a minor hit with his interpretation in 2008.
"Shaddap You Face" is a novelty song written and performed by Joe Dolce about a rebellious Italian boy. Released in late 1980, it set a number of sales and longevity records.
"Tubthumping" is a song released by British rock band Chumbawamba from their eighth studio album, Tubthumper (1997). It is the band's most successful single, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. It topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and hit number six on the US Billboard Hot 100. At the 1998 Brit Awards, "Tubthumping" was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Single; it had sold 880,000 copies in the UK.
"Somebody to Love" is a song by the British rock band Queen, written by the lead singer/pianist Freddie Mercury. It debuted on the band's 1976 album A Day at the Races and also appears on their 1981 compilation album Greatest Hits.
"Celebration" is a song released in 1980 by Kool & the Gang from their album Celebrate!. It was the band's first and only single to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2021, Library of Congress selected "Celebration" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
"Get Down on It" is a 1981 song by American band Kool & the Gang. It was originally released on their Something Special album in 1981. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA.
"Where the Wild Roses Grow" is a murder ballad by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and pop singer Kylie Minogue. It is the fifth song and lead single from the band's ninth studio album, Murder Ballads (1996), released on Mute Records. It was written by the band's frontman Nick Cave and produced by Tony Cohen and Victor Van Vugt.
"The Land of Make Believe" is a 1981 single by British band Bucks Fizz. It reached No.1 in the UK in early 1982 - the second single by the band to do so. The song was produced by Andy Hill with music by Hill and lyrics by ex-King Crimson member Peter Sinfield. Despite the apparent sugar-coated style of the song, Sinfield later claimed it was a subtle attack on Margaret Thatcher and her government's policy at the time. "The Land of Make Believe" became a big hit across Europe in early 1982, topping the charts in Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland as well as the UK. The song was later covered by pop band allSTARS* for a 2002 single release.
"Woman in Love" is a song performed by Barbra Streisand and taken from her 1980 album, Guilty. The song was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who received the 1980 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It is her fourth of four Platinum records, and is considered her greatest international hit.
"Hold On Tight" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). The song is track twelve on the band's 1981 album Time and was the first song released as a single. The song went top ten in most countries, hitting the top spot in Spain and Switzerland, number two in Germany, number four in the UK, and number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as number two on the US Billboard Top Tracks chart the week of 12 September 1981. A verse sung in French, which is a reprise of the first verse, translates as "Hang on to your dream, Hang on to your dream, When you see your boat leaving, When you feel your heart breaking, Hang on to your dream".
"Grey Day" is a 2-Tone song written by Mike Barson and recorded by British pop/ska band Madness. The song was the first single released from the band's third studio album 7. It was a big departure from their early ska sound with a much darker, miserable feel. The song title does not appear in the lyrics as a single phrase, though a couplet rhyming "grey" with "day" features in the chorus.
"Rock This Town" is the second single by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released January 30, 1981 by Arista Records in the UK, where it peaked at No. 9 on the Singles Chart. It was taken from the band's 1981 debut album, Stray Cats.
"Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" is a song written, recorded, and produced by Barry White. Released as the first single from his album Can't Get Enough in 1974, the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts and has since become one of his signature tunes. It was his second US chart-topper, after "Love's Theme". It became a gold record in the US.
"Fantasy" is a song by the band Earth, Wind & Fire which was issued as a single in 1978 by Columbia Records.
"Can't Stay Away from You" is a 1987 single by American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan, credited to Estefan and her former band, the Miami Sound Machine. The song was the third single released from their multi-platinum album, Let It Loose. It became Estefan's fifth Top 10 hit in the United States, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it was their second #1 hit on the adult contemporary chart, following 1986's "Words Get in the Way". The song originally peaked at #88 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1988, however the song was re-released after the success of its follow-up, "Anything for You", peaking at #7 in March 1989.
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a rock song written by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker and first recorded by the Arrows in 1975. It is best known for its 1981 cover version by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, which was released as the first single from her album of the same name. Jett's rendition became her highest-charting hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the No. 3 song for 1982. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, representing two million units shipped to stores. Jett's version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.
