Depeche Mode – People Are People
Depeche Mode’s “People Are People” is one of those rare singles that captures a particular cultural mood and packages it…
David Ryan
Jan Hammer – Crockett’s Theme
A theme that became a character Some television music becomes background—pleasant, functional, forgotten as soon as the next scene fades.…
Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen
If you’re building a time-capsule of mid-1980s pop, Billy Ocean’s “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)” belongs near…
Toto – Africa
Four decades after its release, Toto’s “Africa” remains one of the strangest success stories in pop. It’s a song that…
Whitesnake – Here I Go Again ’87
A Song With Two Lives—and Two Eras Some songs become hits. A few become anthems. “Here I Go Again” did…
Pat Benatar – Love Is A Battlefield
Few songs from the early MTV era fuse raw emotion, radio-ready hooks, and an unmistakable sense of personal agency as…
George Michael – Father Figure
When George Michael issued “Father Figure” on December 28, 1987, he wasn’t just releasing another single from his blockbuster debut…
Tiffany – I Think We’re Alone Now
A timeless pop confession Every few decades, a song comes along that captures the same feeling in a new voice.…
Chris Isaak – Wicked Game
A song that took the scenic route to immortality Every so often a record drifts into the world with little…
UB40 – Red Red Wine
If you only know “Red Red Wine” as the laid-back sing-along that drifts from beach bars and backyard speakers every…