From "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" by Poison to "Separate Ways" by Journey, there are many good '80s breakup songs that are perfect to listen to when you're going through a split of your own. Let's rank the best breakup songs from the '80s with the help of votes, and determine which lovesick tracks deserve to be called the greatest.
"Missing You" by John Waite is a fantastic '80s breakup songs that describes what it's like to be in denial about missing someone after being dumped. "Love Is a Battlefield" is a Pat Benatar classic that describes the hardships of love, while Scandal's "Goodbye To You" is an '80s song about breaking up from the perspective of the initiating the breakup. Other great '80s breakup songs are "Don't You Want Me" by Human League, "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" by Naked Eyes, and "Careless Whisper" by George Michael.
Add your favorite tracks to the list if they're not already here, so other people can vote them up along with the existing entries. The song must be a song released in the 1980s that's about breaking up with someone.
- 1
157
45
Total Eclipse of My Heart
Bonnie TylerAlbums:?Faster Than the Speed of Night
Composer:?Jim Steinman
Producer:?Jim Steinman
Length (seconds):?4:29
- 2
- 3
134
35
Alone
Heart - 4
178
67
Albums:?Crack a Smile... and More!, Open Up and Say... Ahh!
Composer:?Bret Michaels, Rikki Rockett, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall
Length (seconds):?3:47
- 5
151
50
Don't You (Forget About Me)
Simple Minds - 6
125
36
Missing You
John Waite - 7
128
41
I Hate Myself for Loving You
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan JettAlbums:?Up Your Alley
Composer:?Joan Jett, Desmond Child
Length (seconds):?4:6
- 8
132
47
Separate Ways (Words Apart)
JourneyAlbums:?Frontiers
Composer:?Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain
Length (seconds):?5:25
- 9
129
47
Albums:?The Joshua Tree
Composer:?Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr., Adam Clayton
Producer:?Daniel Lanois
Length (seconds):?4:56
- 10
138
56
Every Breath You Take
The PoliceAlbums:?Synchronicity
Composer:?Sting
Producer:?The Police, Hugh Padgham
Length (seconds):?4:13
- 11
113
39
Albums:?Naked Eyes, Burning Bridges
Composer:?Burt Bacharach
Length (seconds):?3:35
- 12
128
52
Love Is a Battlefield
Pat BenatarAlbums:?Tropico
Composer:?Holly Knight, Mike Chapman
Producer:?Neil Giraldo, Pete Coleman
Length (seconds):?4:8
- 13
124
55
Tainted Love
Soft CellAlbums:?Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Composer:?Ed Cobb
Producer:?Mike Thorne
Length (seconds):?2:32
- 14
120
54
Careless Whisper
George Michael, WHAM!Albums:?Make It Big
Composer:?George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley
Producer:?George Michael
Length (seconds):?4:49
- 15
101
42
Take My Breath Away
BerlinComposer:?Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock
- 16
114
56
Albums:?Heart of Stone
Composer:?Diane Warren
Length (seconds):?3:52
- 17
90
37
Hard Habit to Break
ChicagoAlbums:?Chicago 17, The Ultimate Chicago: Australian Tour Edition
Composer:?Steve Kipner
Length (seconds):?4:44
- 18
95
46
Don’t You Want Me
Human League - 19
86
46
If You Leave
Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark - 20
83
44
Broken Wings
Mr. MisterAlbums:?Welcome to the Real World
Composer:?Richard Page, Steve George
Length (seconds):?5:42
- 21
78
43
Close My Eyes Forever
Ozzy Osbourne, Lita FordAlbums:?Lita
Composer:?Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford
Length (seconds):?4:39
- 22
86
53
Should I Stay or Should I Go
The Clash - 23
68
43
The Breakup Song
Greg Kihn Band - 24
65
45
In Your Eyes
Peter GabrielAlbums:?So
Composer:?Peter Gabriel
Length (seconds):?5:29
- 25
70
51
Cruel Summer
BananaramaAlbums:?Bananarama
Composer:?Siobhan Fahey, Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward, Tony Swain, Steve Jolley
Producer:?Tony Swain, Steve Jolley
Length (seconds):?3:30