The 30 Biggest Hits of the 1980s, Ranked by the Year-End Charts

Every DJ who has worked a 1980s night knows the songs people rush the floor for. Here are the 30 biggest hits of the decade according to the year-end Top 100 charts, ranked by how high each finished (a song that placed on two year-end lists earns points from both).

These are chart giants rather than a pure dance-floor list, so a few slow songs sit among the fast ones. Press ▶ to load any song into the mixer. For the full decade, see the Top 100 of the 1980s, or tune to a single year with the dial on the home page.

The No. 1 song of every year in the 1980s

Based on the year-end Top 100 singles charts, 1956–2025, as compiled on Wikipedia. Artist counts include lead and featured credits. How we handle the data.