Pop Shots – A Look At The Charts … From 41 Years Ago

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m hopping into my time machine again, this time setting the coordinates for 41 years ago this week.

Touching down in 1985, I turn on the radio, and I hear … pretty much exactly the same tunes I hear in 2026 when I turn on classic rock radio, or my favorite “oldies” station.

There are a plethora of songs on this edition of the Hot 100 that everyone still sings along to today, regardless of when they were born, although there are a few bands that seem to have slipped through the cracks of time, and deserve a little more love.

Thankfully, this countdown starts out with a heaping dose of love, as Huey Lewis and The News were at #1 with “The Power of Love,” so let’s begin there as we get into this exploration of chart history.

Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

1. Huey Lewis and The News – The Power of Love

What greater power is there than the power of love? None, I say, and Huey Lewis and The News agrees.

“The Power of Love” was off the Back to the Future soundtrack, so while we won’t get a Patrick Bateman speech about it, I’m not sure he was all in on this particular emotion anyway.

2. John Parr – St. Elmo’s Fire

We’re going back-to-back with soundtrack songs, and this one’s another classic.

According to lore, as well as John Parr, he and David Foster wrote “St. Elmo’s Fire” in the span of just two hours. This begs the question – what do you do with the rest of your day after you write a song this incredible? You can’t act normally, right? You can’t just make a sandwich, you just wrote “St. Elmo’s Fire” for God’s sake!!!

5. Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69

Some people may think I’m crazy, but I always point to “Summer of ’69” as an example of perfect songwriting. None of us personally know any of the characters in the song, but as Bryan Adams quickly acquaints us with his failed band, and teenage romance, it makes us think of our own past, and summer loves.

That’s songwriting magic!

6. Tears for Fears – Shout

No other band has ever, or will ever, sound like Tears for Fears.

As equally incredible as they are unique, with “Shout” they created a protest song that became a pop hit. You think we might need some of that ingenuity today?

10. Dire Straits – Money for Nothing

There’s something wonderfully poetic about Dire Straits making a song that critiques what was then the newfound concept of MTV fame, and then having the video for that song not only go into heavy rotation on MTV, but become one of the most iconic music videos of all-time.

Hey, that’s the way you do it, money for nothing, and your chicks for free.

15. Heart – What About Love?

After years of rocking out, in the mid-‘80s Heart made a major musical shift, and decided to focus on power ballads. The results were pretty damned impressive.

Who among us hasn’t cranked up “What About Love” and made hilariously failed attempt after failed attempt to match the impressive vocals? You’re about to do it again, aren’t you?

22. Dead or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

People who weren’t alive in the ‘80s think this is a song that completely embodies the music of the decade. Clearly, based on just this chart alone, they’re mistaken, but it’s such a stupidly fun tune that is definitely representative of one aspect of the era, it will always be beloved.

25. The Motels – Shame

In 1985 The Motels were right there on Top 40 radio with all the artists who have since been given eternal life on classic rock, and “oldies” stations, but for some reason they weren’t invited into that club. It’s surprising, because they had some really good tunes.

Their absence on modern radio is a real “Shame.”

26. Ready for the World – Oh Sheila

This song will always be a party waiting to happen. Put on “Oh Sheila,” and you’re gonna fill the dance floor. Simply put, it’s a jam, which is why in October of ’85 it made its way all the way to #1 on the Hot 100.

I’m sure a few of you are thinking, “Adam, could Ready for the World be a future One Hit Wondering artist?” The answer is no, because before “Oh Sheila” they had “Love You Down,” which was another Top 10 hit.

28. a-ha – Take on Me

In 1985 we were still in the larval stages of the music video format, yet between the aforementioned “Money for Nothing,” and a-ha’s “Take on Me,” we were quickly given two of the greatest music videos of all-time.

I guess it just goes to show that the limitations of the ‘80s bred far more creativity than all the “ease of use” technology of the present.

30. John Cougar Mellencamp – Lonely Ol’ Night

John Cougar Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album was in heavy rotation in my household as a kid because my mom absolutely loved it. Any song from it, including “Lonely Ol’ Night,” gives me such good childhood vibes, and I can feel the warmth of my mother’s spirit, and those weekend nights spent listening to my parents playing song after song from their record collection.

32. Bruce Springsteen – Glory Days

Between “Summer of ’69,” and “Glory Days,” it seems like we were quite wistful for the past in 1985 as August was coming to close.

You know what I’m wistful for now? The glory days of the Mets, and there just so happens to be a few clips of Doc Gooden in his prime in the video for this song!

46. Depeche Mode – People are People

Depeche Mode was making radically unique music in the ‘80s, and then essentially became their own genre in the early ‘90s. Their influence is far greater than they’re given credit for, as a lot of modern music wouldn’t exist without them.

On “People are People” they tackled a tough topic – racism. Since this is Depeche Mode we’re talking about, making a synth pop-rock song that was overtly political, but still sounded amazing, was something they could pull off with aplomb.

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.

If you liked this article, check out my latest book – One Hit Wondering: The Stories of 40 One Hit Wonders + Other Tales From The Crates. Available now!