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’80s nostalgia usually focuses on the decade at its most outlandish: big hair, Day-glo shirts, scrunchies, New Coke… call it the Stranger Things effect. And that goes doubly for the music. Pop on most any ’80s playlist and you’re bound to hear the same cycle of kitchy, seemingly alien vintage pop: synthy goth songs, lite hip-hop, the occasional punk infusion and a whole lot of hair metal. But the '80s sound was so much more than the sum of its eccentricities, and there's a huge difference between an ‘80s song’ and a ‘song from the 80s.’ This is the decade that gave us Prince and Madonna, MJ and NWA. New Wave stalwarts like Talking Heads and Devo found new grooves while transcendent artists like Marvin Gaye and Paul Simon offered up some of the best work of their careers. And as the decade wore on, rap’s wave turned into a tsunami that changed the face of pop music. In gathering our list of the ’80s very best, there was a lot to consider: Lasting impact, cultural relevance, actual musicianship, catchiness, coolness and, of course, nostalgia. But mostly, we curated with maximum enjoyment in mind while limiting the list to one song per artist. From genre-defining works of genius to ear-worm flights of fancy, these are the best songs of the 'Æ0s. And don’t get your scrunchies in a bunch: Some hair metal definite snuck in. RECOMMENDED:🎶 The best ’90s songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🎸 The best classic rock songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time

The journey to work can feel extremely daunting when your alarm goes off. Ripped out of your toasty duvet-cocoon only to have squeeze up against strangers on the bus? No thanks. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. In cities around the world, urban infrastructure has been adapted to fit the lives of residents. That could mean hopping on a cable car to avoid a particularly steep trip to the office, or swapping a suit for swimming trunks and jumping into the river. Here are four of the most incredible commutes across the globe. RECOMMENDED: The brand-new train routes that could revolutionise European rail travel. 

Birthdays are supposed to be joyful. Yet society demands we make whoever is celebrating stop what they’re doing to endure a group singalong of the most monotone, unexciting song in the world, which invariably sounds like a chorus of sedated donkeys being forced to form an impromptu choir. ‘Happy Birthday’ is hardly the only tune celebrating another year above the ground. And it's certainly not the best. There’s actually a birthday song for everybody, whether you prefer to celebrate with a cocktail in hand or ignore it all together. Pick a few that suit your approach to wrapping up another year, and blast them as you face the next one. RECOMMENDED:🎉 The best party songs ever made🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time🎶 The best ’80s songs😊 The best happy songs

In terms of gushy proclamations of adoration, love songs get all the attention. But what about the people who console you when you're sad, or going through a horrible breakup? You know, the people who are there for you when the rain starts to fall? (No, not the ones in Central Perk.) The friendship songs below include mainstream pop chart-toppers and classic-rock anthems, sweet-natured comedy tunes and heart-stirring ballads. And while we've ditched some of the more expected moves (if you're looking for The Rembrandts, they're hanging with Rachel and Ross on HBO), we're confident they'll inspire you to ring your bestie and tell them you love them.  RECOMMENDED:🎉  The best party songs ever made🎤  The best karaoke songs🕺  The best pop songs of all time🎸  The best classic rock songs😊  The best happy songs

Even in the best of times, we all have tough days. Often, self-medicating involves a dour emo ballad and a stiff drink. And sometimes, you just need an energetic shot of sunny bubblegum pop, a self-affirming banger or a head-bopping rock pick-me-up guaranteed to shift your mood skyward. On this list you’ll find blissed-out classics and newer hits perfectly calibrated to make you feel good as hell, all of which pair up nicely as a complement to the perfect summer songs or an antidote for a rainy day.  RECOMMENDED:🎶 The best ’80s songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🎸 The best classic rock songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time

Sometimes, a bad day calls for a shoulder to cry on. Others call for a stiff drink. And some days, you just need to throw on your headphones, crank up the volume and wallow in your own sorrow to the soundtrack of an emotionally devastating song that seems written exclusively for you.  Sad songs come in all flavors, from breakup anthems to 12-bar blues. But if you're just looking for a soundtrack calibrated to general malaise, this list is for you. And don't worry... once you're done (or just out of ice cream), we've got a stack of extremely happy songs to get you back on your feet.  Written by Andrzej Lukowski, Oliver Keens, James Manning, Tristan Parker, Hayley Joyes, Nick Levine & Andy Kryza RECOMMENDED:😊 The best happy songs😂 The best funny songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time

Like the jaded evil twins of love songs, breakup anthems run the full gamut of emotion. Sadness and grief, sure, but like the events that inspire them, breakup songs come in all flavors. Some are rightous cries of joy following the end of a rough union. Others are pensive meditations on human connection. And some just want to burn the very concept of love to the ground.  The best breakup songs distill raw, universal human emotions into symphonies of sonic catharsis. On this list, you'll find wounded soul singers and divas walking confidently from the ashes of bad relationships. There are indignant rappers and spiteful rockers. Adele is lurking in the shadows of her ex's place, as she is wont to do. And among the 50 greatest breakup songs of all time, you're certain to find something to relate to. If not, well, we've got a list of pick-me-up songs ready for you to queue up to help the healing begin.  Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:🎶 The best ’80s songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🎸 The best classic rock songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time

We all like to see ourselves in the music we listen to, whether it’s a peppy tune about being a great friend or a sweaty lovemaking ballad (especially if it’s a sweaty lovemaking ballad). That’s doubly true when it comes to the best inspirational songs. There’s something cathartic about knowing that our favorite singers must overcome the same struggles as we do: Sure, they may be rich and famous, but even the most glamourous rocker has had to get past their fair share of obstacles. Multimilionaires – they’re just like us! Next time you’re feeling down and looking to fight through your own troubles, take a cue from these 30 pop-music affirmations. You’ll find classic rockers pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and divas declaring themselves queens, rappers beating their chests and Motown heroes standing tall after conquering the world. And in each, you might just find a little bit of yourself, too. RECOMMENDED:🔋 The best songs about power🎉 The best party songs ever made💸 The best songs about money🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time

Contrary to what the very ripped personal trainer at the gym keeps screaming at you, sometimes the best motivation for working up a sweat isn’t the grunting encouragement of a stranger clutching a protein shake. Often, you just need the right song to get your blood pumping and your body moving. To help you on your fitness journey, we tapped our stable of music geeks – some of which are in much better shape than others – to scour their knowledge of hip-hop, pop, classic rock and for 50 high-energy motivators. Strap on the sweatband and get ready to move.  Written by Kristen Zwicker, Marley Lynch, Hank Shteamer, Gabrielle Bruney, Brent DiCrescenzo, Sophie Harris, Andy Kryza, Andrew Frisicano, Nick Leftley, Tim Lowery, Carla Sosenko, Kate Wertheimer and Steve Smith. RECOMMENDED:🏃 The best running songs🎸 The best classic rock songs🤩 The best inspirational songs of all time🎶 The best ’80s songs🎵 The best ’90s songs

Along with a great costume and a queue loaded with solid horror movies, a playlist of the best Halloween songs is essential to the success of any Halloween celebration. As such, we've scoured the catacombs of our favorite streamers and blown the cobwebs off our Jewel cases to compile the ultimate Halloween music soundtrack. These songs are guaranteed to get you moving, whether you're braving the horrors of an indoor gathering or perfectly content to gorge on fun-sized candy in the comfort of your own home. We promise, the list is all ‘Thriller’, no filler (not really... we didn't just put ‘Thriller’ on the list 30 times, though you'd be forgiven for doing just that.) And for younger crowds, check out our list of Halloween songs for kids. Written by Brent DiCrescenzo, Christopher Tarantino, Andy Kryza, Adam Feldman, Kate Wertheimer, Andrew Frisicano, Sophie Harris, Carla Sosenko and Nick Leftley. Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:🎶 The best ’80s songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🎸 The best classic rock songs🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs of all time