When perusing Rolling Stone's 100 Best Singles List for 1984, it's hard not to come up with the argument that the year may have been one of the best ever for pop music.

Ominous for its Orwellian overtones, 1984 was a mix of New Wave, R & B, hair bands, hip hop, and good old fashioned blue collar rock and roll. They were all represented on this list, which from top to bottom holds up well over time.

Legends like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Madonna, The Police and even the late John Lennon are represented on the Rolling Stone roll call for 1984. The variety and the emergence of New Wave, Hip Hop and Punk make the year interesting and diverse.

Here are my five favorite videos from 1984.

 

  • 5

    "The Warrior" Patty Smyth and Scandal


    Patty took over top billing in this seminal early '80s band that peaked well too soon. Some of the ideas in this video have been adapted in current videos by Lady GaGa and Marina and the Diamonds.

  • 4

    "Cover Me" Bruce Springsteen


    A song more in his wheelhouse than the pop hit "Dancing In The Dark", I was surprised at how far up the pop charts this song moved.

  • 3

    "Drive" The Cars


    This song typifies what made 1984 a special year. A top 10 hit for the band, and yet it was a stark departure from their New Wave boppy sound. Sung by bassist Benjamin Orr, rather than leader Ric Ocasek, the song is more in lines with a hair band ballad.

  • 2

    "Jam On It" Newcleus


    Soul groups in the early '80s were some of the earliest adapters of technology, using synth beats and sampling over their raps. Newcleus' club staple of the era typified this genre.

  • 5

    "Take On Me" a-ha


    The European New Wave scene was also embracing an electronic sound, and Norway's a-ha surprised the pop world with this highly melodic confection, know as much for its interesting video using a techniaue know as rotogravure.

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