The 50 Greatest Music Videos of the 1980s
by Long Live The 1980s
Welcome back, retro rockers, synthpop warriors, and big-hair believers! The 1980s weren’t just a golden age of music—they were the golden age of music videos. When MTV launched in 1981 with “Video Killed the Radio Star,” it wasn’t just a catchy tune—it was a prophecy. Suddenly, image mattered. Neon mattered. Spandex mattered. And thanks to music videos, your living room became a front-row seat to the most unforgettable, over-the-top, and occasionally absurd visual performances in pop culture history.
Today, we’re counting down the 50 Greatest Music Videos of the 1980s. We judged them on creativity, cultural impact, style, weirdness (in a good way), and sheer 1980s awesomeness. Get ready to moonwalk down memory lane—literally.
50. “Rock Me Amadeus” – Falco (1985)
A powdered-wig fever dream. Falco drops a history lesson wrapped in synths and 18th-century rave vibes. Mozart would’ve loved it. Maybe.
49. “She’s in Parties” – Bauhaus (1983)
Goth glamour meets art school weirdness. Peter Murphy might be a vampire. We still don’t know.
48. “We Got the Beat” – The Go-Go’s (1981)
Skating through a mall with punk-pop sass? Yes, please. The video screams early MTV rebellion.
47. “Don’t Come Around Here No More” – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1985)
Petty as the Mad Hatter. A woman gets turned into a cake and eaten. We’re still emotionally recovering.
46. “You Might Think” – The Cars (1984)
Early CGI meets zany fun. Ric Ocasek as a bug? Groundbreaking and oddly charming.
45. “Take On Me” – A-ha (1985)
The rotoscope animation. The comic book romance. This is the video every '80s kid wanted to live in.
44. “Safety Dance” – Men Without Hats (1982)
Folk dancing, jesters, and a strange sense that you’re in a Renaissance Faire fever dream. Irresistible.
43. “Walk Like an Egyptian” – The Bangles (1986)
Cool girls, sideways glances, and shoulder shimmying. Iconic street-style choreography you could actually copy.
42. “Cherish” – Madonna (1989)
Mermaids. Romance. Black and white beauty. Not Madonna’s flashiest—but quietly stunning.
41. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” – Bonnie Tyler (1983)
Gothic schoolboys, glowing eyes, wind machines, and melodrama dialed to eleven. A cinematic masterpiece of romantic doom.
40. “Wouldn’t It Be Good” – Nik Kershaw (1984)
The glowing suit. The wall of televisions. Emotionally haunting and stylishly ahead of its time.
39. “Rio” – Duran Duran (1982)
Yacht life, day-glo suits, and saxophones in the surf. Peak New Wave excess.
38. “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle (1987)
Galactic orbs and celestial choreography. It's like a rave in a planetarium hosted by angels.
37. “Pump Up the Volume” – M|A|R|R|S (1987)
A mashup of underground club life and early sampling. The video is as chaotic and wonderful as the track.
36. “867-5309/Jenny” – Tommy Tutone (1981)
Simple. Cheap. Legendary. Just a guy and a phone number that would torment Jennys for decades to come.
35. “Legs” – ZZ Top (1984)
Three words: Fuzzy. Spinning. Guitars. And an empowerment narrative that’s delightfully cheesy.
34. “Straight Up” – Paula Abdul (1988)
Black and white, jazzy moves, and future director David Fincher behind the camera. Paula nailed it.
33. “Land of Confusion” – Genesis (1986)
Puppet nightmares! Political satire! Phil Collins as a caricature! The weirdest and smartest of the decade.
32. “Somebody’s Watching Me” – Rockwell (1984)
Peepholes, paranoia, and Michael Jackson’s voice haunting every frame. Creepy in the best way.
31. “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” – Dead or Alive (1984)
Eye patches, wind machines, and androgynous glam. Pete Burns was a cyclone of charisma.
30. “When Doves Cry” – Prince (1984)
Purple bathtubs, mirrors, and eyeliner. Mysterious, sensual, and undeniably iconic.
29. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Cyndi parties with pro wrestlers, her real-life mom, and every color in the Crayola box. Feminist fun wrapped in neon.
28. “Material Girl” – Madonna (1985)
Marilyn Monroe gets a remix. Diamonds and choreo and satire, oh my.
27. “Out of Touch” – Hall & Oates (1984)
Drum kits the size of cars, spinning heads, and suits with shoulder pads that could block a pass.
26. “Private Idaho” – The B-52’s (1980)
Psychedelic pastels, vintage hairdos, and a whole lot of sass. Atomic kitsch at its finest.
25. “Love is a Battlefield” – Pat Benatar (1983)
A teenage rebellion musical number. Street dancing. And yes, a dramatic shoulder shimmy showdown.
24. “China Girl” – David Bowie (1983)
Tender and tragic, controversial and compelling. Bowie pushes boundaries as only he could.
23. “Word Up!” – Cameo (1986)
Red codpiece. Alien tech. Funk so strong it short-circuits your VHS player.
22. “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell (1981)
Goth-glam lighting, sideways glances, and a new wave vampire vibe. Mesmerizing and moody.
21. “Like a Prayer” – Madonna (1989)
Stigmata. Burning crosses. Race and religion in one explosive package. The Pepsi deal didn’t survive—but the art did.
20. “Hungry Like the Wolf” – Duran Duran (1982)
Jungle! Models! Indiana Jones vibes! Peak 80s adventure music video insanity.
19. “Thriller” – Michael Jackson (1983)
A mini-horror film. Zombies. The moonwalk. Directed by John Landis. This isn’t just a music video—it’s a cultural event.
18. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” – Eurythmics (1983)
Cows in offices. Orange hair. Suit and tie surrealism. You’re either confused or enlightened—sometimes both.
17. “Addicted to Love” – Robert Palmer (1986)
Expressionless model band. Synchronized guitar strumming. Iconic, spoofed, and strangely hypnotic.
16. “Centerfold” – J. Geils Band (1981)
Schoolboy fantasy played out with wink-wink goofiness. Chalkboards never looked so cool.
15. “Bizarre Love Triangle” – New Order (1986)
Abstract, weirdly philosophical, and beautifully shot. The most elegant existential crisis of the ‘80s.
14. “With or Without You” – U2 (1987)
Moody, shadowy, and emotionally raw. Bono broods in glorious soft lighting.
13. “Rhythm Nation” – Janet Jackson (1989)
Monochrome. Precision. Power. This wasn’t just a dance video—it was a movement.
12. “Karma Chameleon” – Culture Club (1983)
Riverboats, redcoats, and Boy George being Boy George. You’re not sure what just happened, but you want to watch it again.
11. “Under Pressure” – Queen & David Bowie (1981)
Clips of humanity, chaos, and compassion. No frills. Just feelings. And legends.
10. “Money for Nothing” – Dire Straits (1985)
CGI so cutting-edge it now looks adorably clunky. But back then? Mind-blowing. Also: Sting sings. That’s money.
9. “Faith” – George Michael (1987)
Simple. Sexy. Swaggering. Tight jeans and that jukebox flip—George defined the decade in 3 minutes.
8. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” – Whitney Houston (1987)
Color explosions. Joy. Dance floor dreams. Whitney lights up the screen with sparkle and soul.
7. “Every Breath You Take” – The Police (1983)
Black and white surveillance chic. Sting stalks us with intense eye contact. Creepy? Yes. Timeless? Also yes.
6. “Sledgehammer” – Peter Gabriel (1986)
Claymation, fruit faces, stop motion madness. You couldn’t take your eyes off it then—and still can’t.
5. “Beat It” – Michael Jackson (1983)
A knife fight becomes a dance battle. Only in the 80s. Michael revolutionized storytelling in videos.
4. “Here I Go Again” – Whitesnake (1987)
Tawny Kitaen on a car hood. Enough said. The power ballad dream of an entire generation.
3. “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson (1983)
Sidewalks that light up. That glove. That lean. The birth of a music video icon.
2. “Like a Virgin” – Madonna (1984)
Venice, lace, and a lion. Madonna made the art of music videos a global headline.
1. “Thriller” – Michael Jackson (Yeah, again.) (1983)
Look, we know we already mentioned it. But it deserves both #1 and #19. There’s before Thriller, and after Thriller. It’s the gold standard of ‘80s videos—and maybe all videos, ever.
So, there you have it—our totally tubular, painstakingly ranked, and lovingly nostalgic countdown of the 50 Greatest Music Videos of the 1980s.
Did we forget your favorite? Is your VCR broken from rewinding “Dancing in the Dark” too many times? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Share your top picks. Debate. Reminisce. And above all—keep the 80s alive, one rewind at a time.
🎵 Long live the neon. Long live the hairspray. Long live the 1980s. 🎵
Have a favorite music video from the 80s that didn’t make the list? Leave a comment below or send us your own countdown! And don’t forget to subscribe for more blasts from the past—because the 80s never really ended. They just switched to DVD and Streaming.
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