Music Television Was Born
Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles was the first video MTV broadcast back in August of 1981. That was the beginning of something really great. If you love the music of the 80s, the videos that went along with them were like icing on the cake. It was all new territory and video directors seized the opportunity with classic 80s excess. Below are just a sampling of the thousands of fabulous music videos from the 80s. We’ve tried to narrow down the 1000s of songs that make the 80s so awesome to a manageable 100 top songs of the 80s.
If there is an
80s music video that you like or miss that we don’t include here – let us know. We’ll try to track it down. We often have reader questions about music videos from the 80s in which they can remember snippets of the video, but not the artist or song name. We’ve found our 80s fans on Facebook are really great at taking these clues and helping identify these lost songs. So, if you’ve got one that you can’t quite remember, let’s use crowd-sourcing to put that nagging question to bed.
You can also try www.youtube.com and www.mtv.com (they may not play music videos on TV anymore, but they’ve got a great video archive available online).
Watch 80s Music Videos Online
Listed alphabetically by song title:
867-5309/Jenny, Tommy Tutone
99 Luftballoons, Nena
A Million Miles Away, Plimsouls
A Little Respect, Erasure
Addicted To Love, Robert Palmer
Another Part of Me, Michael Jackson
Are We Ourselves, The Fixx
Ask, The Smiths
Bad, Michael Jackson
Beat It, Michael Jackson
Beds Are Burning, Midnight Oil
Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
Bizarre Love Triangle, New Order
Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
Blue Monday, New Order
Borderline, Madonna
Brand New Lover, Dead or Alive
Burning Down the House, Talking Heads
Bust a Move, Young M.C.
California Girls, David Lee Roth
Come On Eileen, Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Queen
Cruel Summer, Bananarama
Dancing With Myself, Billy Idol
Der Kommissar, After The Fire
Dirty Diana, Michael Jackson
Don’t Believe The Hype, Public Enemy
Don’t You Forget About Me, Simple Minds
Don’t You Want Me, The Human League
Down Under, Men At Work
Everybody, Madonna
Faith, George Michael
Fight For Your Right, Beastie Boys
The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades, Timbuk3
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper
Going Back to Cali, LL Cool J
Good Thing, Fine Young Cannibals
Hangin’ Tough, New Kids on the Block
Here Comes the Rain Again, Eurythmics
Hey Ladies, Beastie Boys
Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar
Hit The Road Jack, Buster Poindexter
Holiday, Madonna
Home Sweet Home, Motley Crue
Hot For Teacher, Van Halen
Hot Hot Hot, Buster Poindexter
Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran
I Ain’t No Joke, Eric B. & Rakim
I Feel For You, Chaka Khan
I Hate Myself For Loving You, Joan Jett
I Love a Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbitt
I Love Rock n Roll, Joan Jett
I Melt With You, Modern English
I Ran (So Far Away), Flock of Seagulls
I Think We’re Alone Now, Tiffany
I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Boys Don’t Cry
If You See Kay, April Wine
In a Big Country, Big Country
In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel
Into the Groove, Madonna
Jack & Diane, John Mellancamp
Jane Says, Jane’s Addiction
Jessie’s Girl, Rick Springfield
Jump, Van Halen
Just a Gigolo, David Lee Roth
Kiss, Prince
Liberian Girl, Michael Jackson
Like a Prayer, Madonna
Like a Virgin, Madonna
Love Shack, B-52s
Lovesong, The Cure
Lucky Star, Madonna
Luka, Suzanne Vega
Maneater, Hall & Oates
Major Tom (Coming Home), Peter Schilling
Man In The Mirror, Michael Jackson
Maniac, Michael Sembello
Material Girl, Madonna
Me Myself and I, De La Soul
The Message, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
Mickey, Toni Basil
Missing You, John Waite
Money For Nothing, Dire Straits
Mr. Roboto, Styx
My Philosophy, Boogie Down Productions
Nasty, Janet Jackson
Nasty Girl, Vanity 6
Need You Tonight, INXS
No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Beastie Boys
Notorious, Duran Duran
Obsession, Animotion
Once In A Lifetime, Talking Heads
The One I Love, R.E.M.
One Night in Bangkok. Murray Head
Our House, Madness
Papa Don’t Preach, Madonna
Patience, Guns N Roses
People are People, Depeche Mode
Physical, Olivia Newton-John
Playing With The Boys, Kenny Loggins
Pour Some Sugar on Me, Def Leppard
Pretty in Pink, Psychodelic Furs
Pride (In the Name of Love), U2
Punk Rock Girl, The Dead Milkmen
Puttin’ On The Ritz, Taco
Rain, Dragon
Rapture, Blondie
The Reflex, Duran Duran
Relax, Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Rock This Town, Stray Cats
Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
Sex (I’m A . . .), Berlin
She Bop, Cyndi Lauper
(She’s) Sexy + 17, Stray Cats
Shout, Tears for Fears
Sledgehammer, Peter Gabriel
Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson
So Alive, Love & Rockets
Somebody, Depeche Mode
Some Like It Hot, Power Station
Something So Strong, Crowded House
Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A.
Straight Up, Paula Abdul
Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
Strictly Business, EPMD
Sunglasses at Night, Corey Hart
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
Take on Me, a-ha
Talking in Your Sleep, The Romantics
Temptation, New Order
Tempted, Squeeze
Tenderness, General Public
Things Can Only Get Better, Howard Jones
Thriller, Michael Jackson
The Tide is High, Blondie
Too Shy, Kajagoogoo
True Blue, Madonna
True Faith, New Order
Valley Girl, Frank Zappa featuring Moon Unit
Venus, Bananarama
Video Killed the Radio Star, the Buggles
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Wham!
Walk This Way, Run DMC feat. Aerosmith
Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Michael Jackson
Warrior, Scandal
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
We Are The World, Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie
We Got the Beat, The Go-Gos
We’re Not Going Take It, Twisted Sister
West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys
What I Am, Edie Brickell
What You Need, INXS
When Dove’s Cry, Prince
Whip It, Devo
Wicked Game, Chris Isaak
Wild Thing, Tone-Loc
With or Without You, U2
Words, Missing Persons
You Got It (The Right Stuff), New Kids on the Block
You Might Think, The Cars
You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC
Your Love, The Outfield
May 23, 2015
Hi!
I’m having a surprise 40th birthday party for my husband. I absolutely love all of your 80’s compilations. Do you have a compilation DVD of the 80’s that includes just clips of movies and music videos? I will have a projection screen at the party and DJ playing 80s music. I would love an hour long video of popular clips. Please contact me with any help. I would truly appreciate it!
Jenny
May 24, 2015
Hi Jenny, Sounds like a great party! Unfortunately, we do not sell directly on this site. We provide links to online resources when available. I am not aware of any compilation video of 80s music videos and movies as you describe it (unless you made it yourself). Bests of luck with the party!
February 19, 2017
Legs by ZZtop was a very popular video. I am surprised to not see it on your list.