Tunes Du Jour Presents 1985

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The year 1985 was a remarkable one for music, as it showcased a variety of genres, styles, and influences. From pop to rock, from synth to soul, from rap to reggae, the music of 1985 reflected the diversity and creativity of the artists and the listeners. Whether it was the catchy melodies, the powerful lyrics, or the innovative sounds, the music of 1985 had something for everyone.

One of the most notable trends of 1985 was the emergence of new wave and synth-pop, which dominated the charts and the airwaves. Artists like Tears for Fears, a-Ha, Simple Minds, and The Cure blended synthesizers, guitars, and drums to create catchy and memorable songs that captured the mood and the spirit of the times. Songs like “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, “Take On Me”, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, and “Close to Me” became anthems for a generation that was looking for fun, freedom, and adventure.

Another trend of 1985 was the influence of dance and disco, which brought energy and excitement to the music scene. Artists like Madonna, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Dead Or Alive, and Sade combined dance beats, catchy hooks, and sensual vocals to create songs that made people want to move and groove. Songs like “Into the Groove”, “Relax”, “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)”, and “Smooth Operator” became hits that defined the style and the attitude of the era.

A third trend of 1985 was the resurgence of rock and roll, which showed the diversity and the versatility of the genre. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Dire Straits, and The Smiths demonstrated their musical skills, their lyrical talents, and their artistic visions. Songs like “Born In The U.S.A.”, “Raspberry Beret”, “Money For Nothing”, and “How Soon Is Now” became classics that showcased the range and the depth of rock music.

A fourth trend of 1985 was the rise of social awareness and activism, which inspired many artists to use their music as a platform for change and charity. Artists took part in USA For Africa and Band Aid to raise funds and awareness for famine relief.

The music of 1985 was a year of diversity and innovation, as it offered a wide range of musical experiences and expressions. The playlist below features some of the best songs of 1985, which represent the different trends and influences of the year. Enjoy the music and relive the memories of 1985!

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Ringo + Madonna

Throwback Thursday – 1985

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Ringo + Madonna

In 1984, Madonna peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her first charting single, “Holiday.” By the following year, she had established herself as the Queen of the Pop Charts. She followed “Holiday” with three singles that hit the top ten in 1984: “Borderline,” “Lucky Star” and “Like a Virgin,” the latter hitting #1 and remaining there for six weeks. She opened 1985 with the #2 hit “Material Girl,” followed closely by the #1 “Crazy for You.” “Crazy” is from the film Vision Quest, in which Madonna had a small part as a nightclub singer.

Madonna had a much larger role in the film Desperately Seeking Susan. Released in April 1985, the smash film featured a new track from Madonna, “Into the Groove.” As one might expect when a new superstar has a new song, and a great song at that, the track received lots of radio airplay. “Groove” hit #1 on the Dance Club chart, and the only record on which it appeared, a 12-inch single where it was the b-side of “Angel,” went gold, selling over a million units in the US.

Though it was a big seller with a ton of airplay and club play, “Into the Groove” never hit Billboard’s Hot 100. Though that chart is supposed to accurately reflect a song’s popularity in the US, Billboard imposes rules that hang around longer than they should, throwing off historians looking into a song’s popularity. One of the arcane rules in 1985 was that a song had to be available on a commercial 7-inch vinyl single to be eligible to chart. Commercial availability solely on a 12-inch vinyl single, even one that sold over a million copies, is not enough. Widespread radio play on a variety of formats (the song hit the top twenty on the r&b chart, which for reasons that made sense to Billboard’s chart editors, allowed 12-inch singles to chart) is not enough.

Eventually, Billboard got around to revising these rules. The advent of cassingles (cassette tape singles) and CD singles expanded the formats eligible. The music industry’s decision to hold back the release of singles in any format to force consumers to shell out big bucks for a full-length album to get the one song they liked forced Billboard to make radio airplay without a commercial single good enough for a Hot 100 chart placement, but that change didn’t come into being until December of 1998, thirteen years too late for Madonna and historians.

This week’s Throwback Thursday kicks off with one of the best-known songs to have never charted on Billboard’s Hot 100, Madonna’s “Into the Groove.” It is followed by other music highlights of 1985.


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