Top 100 Synth-Pop Hits of the '80s

1. Paul Hardcastle - 19
2. Erasure - A Little Respect
3. Naked Eyes - Always Something There to Remind Me
4. Harold Faltermayer - Axel F
5. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
6. Alphaville - Big in Japan
7. New Order - Blue Monday
8. Gary Numan - Cars
9. Kraftwerk - Computer Love
10. Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
11. Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
12. Falco - Der Kommissar
13. Thompson Twins - Doctor Doctor
14. Yazoo - Don't Go
15. Human League - Don't You Want Me
16. Propaganda - Dr. Mabuse
17. Arcadia - Election Day
18. OMD - Enola Gay
19. Visage - Fade to Grey
20. The Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
21. Fiction Factory - Feels Like Heaven
22. Secret Service - Flash in the Night
23. Alphaville - Forever Young
24. Icehouse - Great Southern Land
25. Eurythmics - Here Comes the Rain Again
26. Icehouse - Hey Little Girl
27. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
28. Animotion - I Engineer
29. A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away)
30. Nik Kershaw - I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
31. Ph.D. - I Won't Let You Down
32. Midge Ure - If I Was
33. Sandra - In the Heat of the Night
34. Freeez - I.O.U.
35. Pet Shop Boys - It's a Sin
36. Talk Talk - It's My Life
37. OMD - Joan of Arc
38. Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
39. Thompson Twins - Lay Your Hands on Me
40. The Buggles - Living in the Plastic Age
41. Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling
42. Trans-X - Living on Video
43. The Human League - Love Action
44. King - Love and Pride
45. Camouflage - Love Is a Shield
46. Eurythmics - Love Is a Stranger
47. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
48. Tears for Fears - Mad World
49. OMD - Maid of Orleans
50. Peter Schilling - Major Tom
51. Michael Sembello - Maniac
52. Sandra - Maria Magdalena
53. The Assembly - Never Never
54. Yazoo - Nobody's Diary
55. Animotion - Obsession
56. Erasure - Oh L'amour
57. Yazoo - Only You
58. Depeche Mode - People Are People
59. M - Pop Muzik
60. Taco - Puttin' on the Ritz
61. Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
62. Duran Duran - Rio
63. Duran Duran - Save a Prayer
64. Real Life - Send Me an Angel
65. Depeche Mode - Shake the Disease
66. Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me with Science
67. Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy
68. The Communards - So Cold the Night
69. Erasure - Sometimes
70. Alphaville - Sounds Like a Melody
71. A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song
72. Talk Talk - Such a Shame
73. Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night
74. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
75. Soft Cell - Tainted Love
76. A-ha - Take on Me
77. Heaven 17 - Temptation
78. Camouflage - The Great Commandment
79. ABC - The Look of Love
80. Kraftwerk - The Model
81. Duran Duran - The Reflex
82. Nik Kershaw - The Riddle
83. Men without Hats - The Safety Dance
84. Matia Bazar - Ti Sento
85. Spandau Ballet - To Cut a Long Story Short
86. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder - Together in Electric Dreams
87. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
88. New Order - True Faith
89. Steve Winwood - Valerie
90. Yello - Vicious Games
91. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radiostar
92. Ultravox - Vienna
93. Desireless - Voyage Voyage
94. Kim Carnes - Voyeur
95. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
96. Howard Jones - What Is Love
97. Devo - Whip It
98. A Flock of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)
99. FR David - Words
100. Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

The songs are in alphabetical order.
Song snippets are kept short due to copyright reasons.
The old video was blocked due to copyright infringement.

[FTChomp]

The synthesizer is such an underrated instrument yet it created so many iconic 80s songs.

[photoshoott]

This is one of the best music lists I have seen. We have been in complete love with this synch music since the 80s. Even though a lot of people downplayed the ability of the actual "musician" aspect of it, it was great music and it were very talented people who made it. We have seen many concerts, attended many clubs and parties and all we listened to and played was this music. It is absolutely the best sound to enjoy and dance to. Love the 80s and all the entertainment that it provided, and still do love it very much.

[cameroncrews]

“Tainted Love” by Soft Cell has been always my favorite song from the 80s. Love the beat, the bass line, and the lyrics really get to me.

[brianbarnes]

Vince Clark appeared in a number of these chart toppers. Erasure with Andy Bell, Yazoo with Allison Moyet, and Depeche Mode. Very talented guy to be associated with three different acts through the 80's and beyond.

[olegpetrov]

The 80s is incredible music decade, hit by hit, super album by super album, was no internet but there was a lot of masterpiece music..no words just incredible

[alessandrorosetti]

It's almost impossible to say which are the best songs.... They are all masterpieces!! W '80

[simonneal]

Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again? Literally one of the greatest synth pop songs of all time and not included here... As well as Stripped and Strangelove

[gustavogomesdossantos]

Erasure. Alphaville. Eurythimisr. Sandra. Pet show Boys. Tears for fear. Duran Duran. Real live. A-HA. Saudades dos anos 80 e 90 saudades

[matteogrillo]

Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode are still my favs ever

[anthonyyoung]

Vince Clarke was Mr pop synth Depeche Mode the Assembly Yazoo Erasure Brilliant Musician .

[somerandomguy_music]

The old video was blocked due to copyright infringement, so I uploaded a new version. I also replaced three songs, the new ones are: 'Love Is a Shield' by Camouflage and Sandra's 2 hits 'In the Heat of the Night' and 'Maria Magdalena'.

[fsh_stcks]

I was born in 2002 but I listen to almost every song on this list. I love 80's music.

[drivingmebatty]

Vince Clark had such an impact with the age of synth music. He and Andy Bell are an iconic duo!

[admi]

Depeche Mode are the Number 1 in this genre.

[k.chriscaldwell]

I’m so sorry for those that didn’t experience the 80s.

The 80s: _Lived ‘em. Loved ‘em. Miss ‘em._

[elkermarquez]

08 Gary Numan ░ Cars 0:49
59 M ░ Pop Muzik 6:12
61 Frankie Goes to Hollywood ░ Relax 6:24
62. Duran Duran ░ Rio 6:30
64 Real Life ░ Send Me an Angel 6:43
66 Thomas Dolby ░ She Blinded Me with Science 6:55
70 Alphaville ░ Sounds Like a Melody 7:21
71 A Flock of Seagulls ░ Space Age Love Song 7:28

[nickpavia]

Some songs that I think would be great additions to this playlist:

Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
Self Control - Laura Branigan
Can Delight - My Mine
My Forbidden Lover - Tapps
Out of Touch - Hall and Oates
Domino Dancing - Pet Shop Boys
What Have I Done to Deserve This - Pet Shop Boys
Babe We're Gonna Love Tonight - Lime
Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Head Over Heels - Tears for Fears
The Promise - When in Rome
En Rouge et Noir - Jeanne Mas
Boys (Summertime Love) - Sabrina
Soul Survivor - C.C. Catch
Around My Dream - Silver Pozzoli
Touch in the Night - Silent Circle
No Tengo Dinero - Righeira

[bananahands]

Really should point out that Vince Clarke is on this list MULTIPLE times with multiple groups. The man is a powerhouse!

[BAztid]

OMD are the greatest synth-pop band, hands-down. No need for silly costumes or makeup, just awesome records. Their first four albums are some of the most influential ever made.

[roarinc]

A couple more:
A Forest - The Cure
Kids in America - Kim Wilde
Girls on Film - Duran Duran
Souvenir - OMD
Quiet Life - Japan
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - Soft Cell
Music for Chameleons - Gary Numan
Promised You A Miracle - Simple Minds
New Gold Dream - Simple Minds
Wishful Thinking - China Crisis
The Lebanon - The Human League
Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
Drive - The Cars
Out of Touch - Hall and Oates
Everything She Wants - Wham
We Close Our Eyes - Go West
Black Man Ray - China Crisis
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears (may have been included I can’t remember)
Duel - Propaganda
Don’t You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Head Over Heels - Tears for Fears
Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush
Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds
The Sun Always Shines on TV - a-ha
All the Things She Said - Simple Minds
If You Leave - OMD
Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
Brilliant Mind - Furniture
Wonderful Life - Black
Are ‘Friends’ Electric - The Tubeway Army