Inleiding
Last year I published a list of 40 singles that, for me, defined 1985. The start of a tradition? Maybe, next up the 40 singles that gave 1985 its color.
1985
This year 1985 is 40 years old. I turned 19 that year and I came in touch with The Smiths, heard the phenomenal West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys, saw hip-hop rising ever more, noticed that Prince not only made music for himself, but also provided many satellite acts with genius music (The Family, André Cymone, Sheila E., The Bangles, etc) and lived through some major releases that year, some of which are still part of my favorite albums list.
Following the 40 favorites of 1984, I was prompted to compile a list of my personal favorites stemming from 1985. For now, have fun with the list. At the bottom of this article the list is available as a Spotify playlist. And remember: every single on this list is at least 40 years old…
N.B.: The list also contains 1 single released before 1984. However, it appeared in the Dutch charts for the first time in 1985.
N.B. 2: Unfortunately, the song by The Family (The Screams Of Passion) is not available on Spotify in its original form, so it’s missing from the playlist.
Pré 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Wham! | Everything She Wants | December 1984 |
January & February 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Run D.M.C. | King Of Rock | January 15, 1985 |
| Commodores | Nightshift | January 18, 1985 |
| Killing Joke | Love Like Blood | January 25, 1985 |
| The Smiths | How Soon Is Now? | January 28, 1985 |
| Maze | Back In Stride | February 1985 |
March & April 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Tears For Fears | Everybody Wants To Rule The World | March 22, 1985 |
| U2 | The Unforgettable Fire | April 22, 1985 |
| Paul Hardcastle | 19 | April 1985 |
May & June 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| The Style Council | Walls Come Tumbling Down | May 4, 1985 |
| New Order | The Perfect Kiss | May 13, 1985 |
| The Cult | She Sells Sanctuary | May 17, 1985 |
| Fine Young Cannibals | Johnny Come Home | May 31, 1985 |
July & August 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Madonna | Into The Groove | July 15, 1985 |
| Prince And The Revolution | Pop Life | July 15, 1985 |
| André Cymone | The Dance Electric | July 16, 1985 |
| Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds | Tupelo | July 29, 1985 |
| Propaganda | p:Machinery | July 29, 1985 |
| Kate Bush | Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) | August 5, 1985 |
| The Family | The Screams Of Passion | August 9, 1985 |
| Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew | The Show | August 13, 1985 |
| Bryan Ferry | Don’t Stop The Dance | August 16, 1985 |
| INXS | What You Need | August 26, 1985 |
| Hüsker Dü | Makes No Sense At All | August 1985 |
September & October 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| R.E.M. | Driver 8 | September 3, 1985 |
| The Cure | Close To Me | September 13, 1985 |
| The Jesus & Mary Chain | Just Like Honey | September 30, 1985 |
| Talking Heads | Road To Nowhere | September 30, 1985 |
| Sade | The Sweetest Taboo | October 4, 1985 |
| Echo & The Bunnymen | Bring On The Dancing Horses | October 7, 1985 |
| The Waterboys | The Whole Of The Moon | October 14, 1985 |
| Artists United Against Apartheid | Sun City | October 16, 1985 |
| Siouxsie & The Banshees | Cities In Dust | October 18, 1985 |
| Pet Shop Boys | West End Girls | October 28, 1985 |
| Big Audio Dyanamite | The Bottom Line | October 1985 |
| Grace Jones | Slave To The Rhythm | October 1985 |
| Ready For The World | Oh Sheila | October 1985 |
November & December 1985
| Artist | Single | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Simply Red | Holding Back The Years | November 4, 1985 |
| Dead Or Alive | You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) | November 5, 1985 |
| Talk Talk | Life’s What You Make It | November 1985 |
Top 40 20 July 1985
For your convenience below a copy of the Dutch Top 40 of July 20, 1985, exactly 40 years ago today.
In closing
I hope this ‘trip down memory lane’ was enjoyable. It was for me! Does the list miss songs that were essential to you? Let me know!
Video/Spotify
This story contains an accompanying video. Click on the following link to see it: Video: 1985 is 40 years ago: 40 singles that gave the year its color. The A Pop Life playlist on Spotify has been updated as well.
