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Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rock Songs of the 80s


welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top

be counting down our picks for the top

be counting down our picks for the top 10 Billboard chart topping rock songs of

10 Billboard chart topping rock songs of

10 Billboard chart topping rock songs of the 80s for this list we focused on rock

the 80s for this list we focused on rock

the 80s for this list we focused on rock songs that reached number 1 on the

songs that reached number 1 on the

songs that reached number 1 on the Billboard charts while making a

Billboard charts while making a

Billboard charts while making a definitive mark on pop culture

number 10 here I go again

number 10 here I go again Whitesnake

brace yourself for a little rock’n’roll

brace yourself for a little rock’n’roll trivia mojo holics when this hard rock

trivia mojo holics when this hard rock

trivia mojo holics when this hard rock anthem was originally released in 1982

anthem was originally released in 1982

anthem was originally released in 1982 it didn’t quite have that manly vibe for

it didn’t quite have that manly vibe for

it didn’t quite have that manly vibe for mainstream audiences

in other word lead singer David

in other word lead singer David Coverdale of deep purple fame wanted to

Coverdale of deep purple fame wanted to

Coverdale of deep purple fame wanted to change the line hobo so that it didn’t

change the line hobo so that it didn’t

change the line hobo so that it didn’t quite sound like homo and well the

quite sound like homo and well the

quite sound like homo and well the version most people know today was

version most people know today was

version most people know today was re-released nearly five years later in

re-released nearly five years later in

re-released nearly five years later in 1987 in all honesty the musical

1987 in all honesty the musical

1987 in all honesty the musical arrangement was significantly revised as

arrangement was significantly revised as

arrangement was significantly revised as a whole and young Tawny Kitaen was

a whole and young Tawny Kitaen was

a whole and young Tawny Kitaen was propelled to fame in the utterly amazing

propelled to fame in the utterly amazing

propelled to fame in the utterly amazing music video

number nine I love rock and roll Joan

number nine I love rock and roll Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

okay some of you out there may equate

okay some of you out there may equate this song with Britney Spears and for

this song with Britney Spears and for

this song with Britney Spears and for that you should be ashamed of yourself

all joking aside it was Joan Jett who

all joking aside it was Joan Jett who put her own stamp on this 80s gem a good

put her own stamp on this 80s gem a good

put her own stamp on this 80s gem a good seven years after arrows released the

seven years after arrows released the

seven years after arrows released the original version in 1975 and I could

original version in 1975 and I could

original version in 1975 and I could tell there won’t be long – she was with

tell there won’t be long – she was with

tell there won’t be long – she was with me and as fate would have it MTV was

me and as fate would have it MTV was

me and as fate would have it MTV was quickly gaining momentum as an

quickly gaining momentum as an

quickly gaining momentum as an alternative to boring network television

alternative to boring network television

alternative to boring network television so Joan Jett took full advantage with

so Joan Jett took full advantage with

so Joan Jett took full advantage with her unforgettable black-and-white music

her unforgettable black-and-white music

her unforgettable black-and-white music video yeah we’ll be moving on and

video yeah we’ll be moving on and

video yeah we’ll be moving on and singing handsome old song man with me

singing handsome old song man with me

singing handsome old song man with me America Nita Joan Jett and she needed

America Nita Joan Jett and she needed

America Nita Joan Jett and she needed some exposure upon leaving The Runaways

some exposure upon leaving The Runaways

some exposure upon leaving The Runaways it all worked out in the end

number eight I want to know what love is

number eight I want to know what love is foreigner gotta take a little time a

foreigner gotta take a little time a

foreigner gotta take a little time a little time to think things over

little time to think things over

little time to think things over nothing like a classic 80s power ballad

nothing like a classic 80s power ballad

nothing like a classic 80s power ballad and who better to deliver than foreigner

and who better to deliver than foreigner

and who better to deliver than foreigner written by Mick Jones not to be confused

written by Mick Jones not to be confused

written by Mick Jones not to be confused with Mick Jones of The Clash this

with Mick Jones of The Clash this

with Mick Jones of The Clash this heart-wrenching ballad was released in

heart-wrenching ballad was released in

heart-wrenching ballad was released in the heyday of big hair and big choruses

you know it’s the song you rock out you

you know it’s the song you rock out you in your car but only when you hear this

in your car but only when you hear this

in your car but only when you hear this existential phrase I want to know what

existential phrase I want to know what

existential phrase I want to know what love is

oh and it’s also the perfect cover song

oh and it’s also the perfect cover song for any band that wants to pick up

for any band that wants to pick up

for any band that wants to pick up chicks which means that foreigners

chicks which means that foreigners

chicks which means that foreigners chart-topper was quite popular on the

chart-topper was quite popular on the

chart-topper was quite popular on the Sunset Strip in the 80s

number seven another one bites the dust

number seven another one bites the dust Queen oh how the times have changed

Queen oh how the times have changed

Queen oh how the times have changed when this chic inspired single hit the

when this chic inspired single hit the

when this chic inspired single hit the airwaves in August of 1980 paranoid

airwaves in August of 1980 paranoid

airwaves in August of 1980 paranoid religious conservatives decided that

religious conservatives decided that

religious conservatives decided that Queen was secretly asking listeners to

Queen was secretly asking listeners to

Queen was secretly asking listeners to smoke marijuana and why they were

smoke marijuana and why they were

smoke marijuana and why they were listening to Queen Records backwards

listening to Queen Records backwards

listening to Queen Records backwards well I guess we’ll never know

well I guess we’ll never know

well I guess we’ll never know maybe they were the ones that were high

despite the controversy the massive

despite the controversy the massive joint went on to win an American Music

joint went on to win an American Music

joint went on to win an American Music Award and truth be told the voracious

Award and truth be told the voracious

Award and truth be told the voracious beat actually led the British Heart

beat actually led the British Heart

beat actually led the British Heart Foundation to promote another one bites

Foundation to promote another one bites

Foundation to promote another one bites the dust for medical training

number six money for nothing dire

number six money for nothing dire straits

as evangelists were freaking out over

as evangelists were freaking out over marijuana references in our number seven

marijuana references in our number seven

marijuana references in our number seven entry nothing could have prepared them

entry nothing could have prepared them

entry nothing could have prepared them for this mind trip of a music video that

for this mind trip of a music video that

for this mind trip of a music video that would come five years later that’s the

would come five years later that’s the

would come five years later that’s the way you do it play the guitar new TV and

way you do it play the guitar new TV and

way you do it play the guitar new TV and not only did this song features sting

not only did this song features sting

not only did this song features sting performing the iconic MTV phrase I want

performing the iconic MTV phrase I want

performing the iconic MTV phrase I want my MTV it was also the first video to

my MTV it was also the first video to

my MTV it was also the first video to premiere on MTV Europe

lyrically money for nothing was inspired

lyrically money for nothing was inspired by frontman Mark Knopfler spending a day

by frontman Mark Knopfler spending a day

by frontman Mark Knopfler spending a day watching MTV in the back of an appliance

watching MTV in the back of an appliance

watching MTV in the back of an appliance store

it may sound funny today but in the

it may sound funny today but in the early days of MTV it was a rock

early days of MTV it was a rock

early days of MTV it was a rock phenomenon

number five jump van halen from stone

number five jump van halen from stone cold eat our solos to a synthesizer

cold eat our solos to a synthesizer

cold eat our solos to a synthesizer after five studio albums van Halen

after five studio albums van Halen

after five studio albums van Halen shifted gears from a classic hard rock

shifted gears from a classic hard rock

shifted gears from a classic hard rock sound to a more synth rock approach

and while jump would become a pop

and while jump would become a pop culture anthem it’s also partly

culture anthem it’s also partly

culture anthem it’s also partly responsible for David Lee Roth’s

responsible for David Lee Roth’s

responsible for David Lee Roth’s departure from the group

even so he gave one of the most

even so he gave one of the most ridiculously awesome performances in the

ridiculously awesome performances in the

ridiculously awesome performances in the music video which he also directed and

music video which he also directed and

music video which he also directed and along with reaching number one on the

along with reaching number one on the

along with reaching number one on the Billboard charts jump became a classic

Billboard charts jump became a classic

Billboard charts jump became a classic example of arena rock

number four I still haven’t found what

number four I still haven’t found what I’m looking for you two

feels me

feels me produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois

produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois

produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois this invigorating rock ballad was

this invigorating rock ballad was

this invigorating rock ballad was inspired by gospel music and the popular

inspired by gospel music and the popular

inspired by gospel music and the popular music of America

while u2 was recording their Grammy

while u2 was recording their Grammy winning album the Joshua tree the edge

winning album the Joshua tree the edge

winning album the Joshua tree the edge recalled a particular Bob Dylan lyric

recalled a particular Bob Dylan lyric

recalled a particular Bob Dylan lyric and so the framework for another rock

and so the framework for another rock

and so the framework for another rock classic was cemented

with an existential theme I still

with an existential theme I still haven’t found what I’m looking for

haven’t found what I’m looking for

haven’t found what I’m looking for inspired listeners to search deep into

inspired listeners to search deep into

inspired listeners to search deep into their soul and led the band straight to

their soul and led the band straight to

their soul and led the band straight to number one in the US and in their home

number one in the US and in their home

number one in the US and in their home country of Ireland

not a bad follow-up to another

not a bad follow-up to another introspective number-one hits with or

introspective number-one hits with or

introspective number-one hits with or without you

after a successful yet artistically

after a successful yet artistically unsatisfying second album Bon Jovi took

unsatisfying second album Bon Jovi took

unsatisfying second album Bon Jovi took a grittier approach of their next

a grittier approach of their next

a grittier approach of their next release slippery when wet while

release slippery when wet while

release slippery when wet while maintaining their glam rock personas

as a result they created a workingman’s

as a result they created a workingman’s anthem with living on a prayer as the

anthem with living on a prayer as the

anthem with living on a prayer as the hard times of Tommy and Gina we’re

hard times of Tommy and Gina we’re

hard times of Tommy and Gina we’re detailed completes with a contagious

detailed completes with a contagious

detailed completes with a contagious hook

as their second consecutive number-one

as their second consecutive number-one hit von Jovi simultaneously cemented

hit von Jovi simultaneously cemented

hit von Jovi simultaneously cemented their status as legitimate rock stars

their status as legitimate rock stars

their status as legitimate rock stars and earn themselves a new following

and earn themselves a new following

and earn themselves a new following thanks to their blue-collar record

number two another brick in the wall

number two another brick in the wall part 2 pink floor you know

part 2 pink floor you know

part 2 pink floor you know education

education

education it opened up the minds of listeners

it opened up the minds of listeners

it opened up the minds of listeners around the world and ushered in a new

around the world and ushered in a new

around the world and ushered in a new decade of course it offered an escape

decade of course it offered an escape

decade of course it offered an escape from the disco jams that were taking

from the disco jams that were taking

from the disco jams that were taking over the charts as well

with its three separate parts another

with its three separate parts another brick in the wall was more of an

brick in the wall was more of an

brick in the wall was more of an experience than a typical Rock single

experience than a typical Rock single

experience than a typical Rock single all while allowing the progressive

all while allowing the progressive

all while allowing the progressive artists to address the school systems of

artists to address the school systems of

artists to address the school systems of their native England and it was part two

their native England and it was part two

their native England and it was part two specifically that was actually released

specifically that was actually released

specifically that was actually released as a single first in the UK in November

as a single first in the UK in November

as a single first in the UK in November of 1979 and then in the u.s. in January

of 1979 and then in the u.s. in January

of 1979 and then in the u.s. in January of 1980

and it was that composition that would

and it was that composition that would take over America and topped the

take over America and topped the

take over America and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in less than three

Billboard Hot 100 in less than three

Billboard Hot 100 in less than three months time decades later another brick

months time decades later another brick

months time decades later another brick in the wall remains an essential track

in the wall remains an essential track

in the wall remains an essential track for any classic rock playlist

before we unveil our topic here are a

before we unveil our topic here are a few honorable mentions

number one sweets child of mine Guns and

number one sweets child of mine Guns and Roses

mind me down

mind me down okay mojo holics now this is how it’s

okay mojo holics now this is how it’s

okay mojo holics now this is how it’s done before the release of their first

done before the release of their first

done before the release of their first studio album the members of Guns N’Roses

studio album the members of Guns N’Roses

studio album the members of Guns N’Roses were fooling around at their Sunset

were fooling around at their Sunset

were fooling around at their Sunset Strip home when a musical joke

Strip home when a musical joke

Strip home when a musical joke inadvertently transforms into a future

inadvertently transforms into a future

inadvertently transforms into a future billboard number one hit

from the opening riff by slash to the

from the opening riff by slash to the opening lyrics from Axl Rose sweet child

opening lyrics from Axl Rose sweet child

opening lyrics from Axl Rose sweet child of mine came together piece by piece for

of mine came together piece by piece for

of mine came together piece by piece for what would become one of the final head

what would become one of the final head

what would become one of the final head bangers of the hair band phenomenon of

bangers of the hair band phenomenon of

bangers of the hair band phenomenon of the 80s

Rolling Stone named sweet child of mine

Rolling Stone named sweet child of mine as one of the 40 songs that changed the

as one of the 40 songs that changed the

as one of the 40 songs that changed the world and while it was the bands only

world and while it was the bands only

world and while it was the bands only Billboard chart topper it’s our favorite

Billboard chart topper it’s our favorite

Billboard chart topper it’s our favorite number one of the entire decade and

number one of the entire decade and

number one of the entire decade and undoubtedly one of the most recognizable

undoubtedly one of the most recognizable

undoubtedly one of the most recognizable songs ever recorded

so do you agree with our selections what

so do you agree with our selections what is your favorite Billboard chart topping

is your favorite Billboard chart topping

is your favorite Billboard chart topping rock song of the 80s

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