22 love songs from the 80s that will take you back in time
So many great songs!
Can you name your favourite love song from the 80s? There were so many we can't name our favourite, but here are some of the best around. From Air Supply's 'All Out of Love' and REO Speedwagon's 'Keep On Loving You', we've got you covered at Greatest Hits Radio.
In this gallery full of 80s love songs, we've also got hits from the likes of Lionel Richie, both solo and when he teamed up with Diana Ross for 'Endless Love', George Michael's 'Careless Whisper' and Rod Stewart's 'Have I told You Lately?'.
Take a look through love songs from the 80s:
Air Supply - 'All Out Of Love' (1980)
Way back in 1980, Graham Russell and Australian Russell Hitchcock, better known as Air Supply released their huge hit 'All Out Of Love'. The song featured on the band's fifth album and is about a man who is desperate to get back his partner, after they separated, following something he did. The song reached Number 11 in the UK.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Fern Kinney - 'Together We Are Beautiful' (1980)
Fern Kinney released her version of 'Together We Are Beautiful' in 1980 and it was a huge success going to Number 1 in the UK. The song was originally set to be the B-side to 'Baby, Let Me Kiss You', but after DJs began to pick up on 'Together We Are Beautiful', it was released as the A-side and became a hit.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
REO Speedwagon - 'Keep On Loving You' (1980)
'Keep On Loving You' was a Top 10 hit from REO Speedwagon in 1980. It was the band's only song to break the Top 10 in the UK, and regularly features in soft rock compilations from the early 80s.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Foreigner - 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' (1981)
Foreigner released several songs during the 70s and 80s, but their 1981 hit 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' was one of their biggest love songs. The song reached Number 8 in the UK where it has been certified Silver.
Listen to the song on YouTube.
Madness - 'It Must Be Love' (1981)
Madness' cover of the 1971 Labi Siffre song 'It Must Be Love' was a big hit from the band back in the early 80s. The song reached Number 4 when it was released in 1981. It was released again 1992 by the band, again reaching the Top 10.
You can watch the music video on YouTube.
Lionel Richie and Diana Ross - 'Endless Love' (1981)
Lionel Richie and Diana Ross released their huge love song 'Endless Love' in 1981. The song that was recorded at 3.30am(!) was used in the film Endless Love, starring Brooke Shields, and reached Number 7 in the UK when it was released. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Lionel Richie, and the pair performed it at the awards (pictured).
Listen to the song on YouTube.
Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes - 'Up Where We Belong (1982)
Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes teamed up together to record the 1982 classic 'Up Where We Belong'. The song featured in the film An Officer and a Gentleman, and won the pair a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, while the songwriters won both an Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Here in the UK the song reached Number 7 and was certified Gold.
Listen to the song on YouTube.
Spandau Ballet - 'True' (1983)
Spandau Ballet's hit 'True' was released in 1983, and was a massive hit for the band, going to Number 1 in the UK. Lead guitarist Gary Kemp wrote this song about Altered Images singer Clare Grogan.
Watch the music video YouTube.
Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville - 'Don't Know Much' (1983)
Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville released their version of 'Don't Know Much' in 1983 and it was a huge hit for the pair, winning them a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and getting them a nomination for Song of the Year. The song was originally recorded by several other singers before Linda and Aaron's hit, including Bill Medley and Bette Midler.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Lionel Richie - 'Hello' (1984)
Lionel Richie's classic 'Hello' was a Number 1 around the world for the singer. It was the third single from his album 'Can't Slow Down' which won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1985. The song spent six weeks at Number 1 in the UK.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Jennifer Rush - 'The Power Of Love' (1984)
Jennifer Rush's 1984 power ballad 'The Power Of Love' was released in December of that year, with most of its success coming the following year, when it became the biggest-selling single of 1985 in the UK, and the ninth-biggest in the decade! The song was subsequently covered by several artists including Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
George Michael - 'Careless Whisper' (1984)
Released back in 1984 from Wham!'s second album 'Make It Big', 'Careless Whisper' was a massive hit reaching Number 1 in the UK and in several other countries. George Michael was just 17-years-old when he wrote the song with Andrew Ridgeley and it went on to win them an Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Chicago - 'You're The Inspiration' (1984)
Chicago's hit 'You're The Inspiration' was written by Peter Cetera and David Foster, with singing lead vocals on the track. Speaking about the song, Peter previously said that he wrote it with Kenny Rodgers in mind, however, after changing some of the lyrics, it was recorded by Chicago, and became the hit is it today. The song reached Number 14 in the UK, but was a bigger hit in the US when it reached Number 3 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Cyndi Lauper - 'Time After Time' (1984)
'Time After Time' was a Top 3 hit for Cyndi Lauper in the UK when it was released in 1984. The song's name comes from the film of the same name, which inspired Cyndi to write the hit when she saw it in a TV guide back in 1979. Along with its chart success, the song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Madonna - 'Crazy For You' (1985)
Madonna's 'Crazy For You' was written and recorded for the movie Vision Quest, with the singer recording it in just one take. The song reached Number 2 when it was released in 1985, and the song gave Madonna her first Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Alison Moyet - 'That Ole Devil Called Love' (1985)
Originally written way back in 1944, 'That Ole Devil Called Love' was recorded by Billie Holiday in 1945, before Alison Moyet covered it in 1985, making it a big hit. The song went to Number 2 in the UK and stayed in the UK charts for 10 weeks in total.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Kool & The Gang - 'Cherish' (1985)
Kool & The Gang's 'Cherish' became the biggest contemporary chart hit of the 80s in the USA, while here in the UK it reached Number 4. 'Cherish' appeared on the band's 16th album called 'Emergency', which also spawned hits 'Fresh' and 'Misled'.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Chris DeBurgh - 'The Lady In Red' (1986)
Chris DeBurgh wrote his song 'The Lady In Red' about his wife Diane, and it went to Number 1 in 25 countries, including the UK. Chris also recorded the song in Spanish a year after its original release, called 'La Dama de Ayer'.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Berlin - 'Take My Breath Away' (1986)
Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away' featured on the soundtrack for Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. The song won an Oscar and Golden Globe in 1986 for Best Original Song, with Terri Nunn singing lead vocals. Here in the UK the song was Number 1 hit.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Boris Gardiner - 'I Wanna Wake Up With You' (1986)
'I Wanna Wake Up with You' was originally released by American country singer Mac Davis, but the song found success with the release of Boris Gardiner's cover in 1986, when it spent three weeks at Number 1 in the UK. The song also became the third best-selling single of the year.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Janet Jackson - 'Let's Wait Awhile' (1987)
'Let's Wait Awhile' was the fifth song to be released from Janet Jackson's 'Control' album, and the first song she ever performed on Top Of The Pops. The song reached Number 3 in the UK.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - 'Anything But You' (1988)
Written by Gloria Estefan 'Anything But You' was sung by Gloria and Miami Sound Machine, becoming a Top 10 hit in the UK. The song featured on the the band's 10th album 'Let It Loose', which ended up being re-released under the new name 'Anything But You', outside of the US, due to the song's success.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
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