still the 80s

The 50 Best Modern Songs That Audio Like the 1980s

Photo-Analogy: Maya Robinson/Vulture

All calendar week on Vulture, we're examining '80s pop culture, and how it lives on today.

Owing to an array of i-hit wonders who overstuffed their tunes with synthesizers and went a petty also heavy on the Aqua Net, it'southward ofttimes piece of cake to dismiss the music of the 1980s — and for a long time, many people did. But so fans who grew upwards secretly loving those songs stopped existence embarrassed. Critics came around to laud the achievements of '80s artists they in one case dismissed. The cool kids appreciated the tracks without sarcasm. And a new crop of musicians, from pop stars to indie darlings, embraced those sounds, emulating them in the same way other artists repurposed the blues, archetype '60s rock, and '70s punk.

There are countless tracks since 2010 (the fourth dimension frame nosotros're using every bit our definition of "modern") that borrow from the '80s, and a dandy deal of them should exist embarrassed by neither their sound nor its provenance. Hither are the ones nosotros consider to be the 50 best, lovingly presented with respect and awe for that amazing, foreign, and often groundbreaking era.

50. MUNA, "Winterbreak"
The women of MUNA try to go over great love lost on "Winterbreak." The track could easily be mistaken for Sade, with gorgeous harmonies and keyboards that drip similar water out of a faucet. — Ilana Kaplan

49. Dum Dum Girls, "Lost Boys & Girls Gild"
Later on years of making lo-fi, girl-group-inspired garage rock, Dum Dum Girls took on a darker vibe for their 3rd total-length, 2014'southward Too True. "Lost Boys and Girls Social club," the anthology's first single, opens with a reverb-heavy guitar design reminiscent of the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" before powering into gloomier Jesus and Mary Concatenation–Cure territory. What '80s goth wouldn't love putting on mascara to lyrics like "Your optics are blackness x's/Of hate and of hexes"? —Dan Reilly

48. Jessie Ware, "Tough Love"
It's non every day you come up across a song that oozes Prince and isn't too an insult to his memory. "Tough Dearest," with its blatant vocals and classic Bobby Z. drum kicks (producer Benny Blanco's touch on), hits all the regal notes. I pray Prince heard it at least once while he was still alive. The music aside, even Ware's voice is awash in that unmistakably emotive, acrobatic style of the Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser. It'southward all so stunning. —Dee Lockett

47. Walk the Moon, "Shut Upwards and Dance"
The quartet'due south 2022 hit opens with a riff that's almost an exact copy of U2'south "Where the Streets Accept No Name." You tin go mad about that or, as the title suggests, get off your ass and enjoy the moment. Singer Nick Petricca wrote the vocal after a dark out at a gild with his girlfriend, later citing Pat Benatar, the Cars, and Rick Springfield equally influences. "The '80s and some of the '90s was a time when weird was historic," he later said. And you know what else won't be weird, soon enough? Hearing this vocal blasted at a wedding with at to the lowest degree one dude playing air-keytar during the solos. —DR

46. Christine and the Queens, "Science Fiction"
At first listen, the rolling bass line and buoyant synthesizers on French alt-pop star Christine and the Queens' "Science Fiction" sound uncannily like Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." Couple that with the fact that Christine (the moniker of singer Heloise Letissier) has a penchant for wearing menswear and doing a fair amount of stiff, hip-thrusting moves, and at surface level she could come up off as stridently worshiping the king of pop. Just dig a little deeper and you'll realize that "Science Fiction," and Letissier's Christine and the Queens project as a whole, is most then much more than musical hero worship. Letisser's an artist whose songs tackle gender fluidity and feelings of beingness an outsider, and "Science Fiction" uses seductive finger snaps and an upbeat tempo to sneak in lyrics about feeling alienated while out in public with her partner: "In this ocean of optics, every motility's a coup." Retrieve of it equally throwback bilingual popular made for our gender-neutral time to come. —Samantha Rollins

45. Lucius, "Born Once more Teen"
"Built-in Again Teen" is every bit emotionally crushing as it is holy, thanks to Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig's euphoric vocals. Catchy and captivating, "Built-in Again Teen" takes cues from '60s girl-popular with its enticing melodies, merely the pounding beat out and scathing keys put it firmly in '80s territory. With the sharp, witty lyrics about faith and reliving your youth, endeavor not to imagine it in your favorite quondam-schoolhouse teen movie. Nosotros dare you lot. —IK

44. Divine Fits, "For Your Heart"
Led by Spoon's Britt Daniel and Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner, this group's album was a hit with critics and fans, thanks to the surprisingly tight chemistry between the leaders. But credit is due to keyboardist Alex Fischel and drummer Sam Brown for anchoring 2012'due south A Affair Called Divine Fits, especially under Boeckner's vocals on this alternatingly tense and tender track. —DR

43. Classixx, "All You're Waiting For"
Like Chromeo, Classixx seem to have made it their mission to become every bit shut to time travel as possible. They breathe the '80s, and it'southward no more axiomatic than on "All Y'all're Waiting For." This is everything the in one case-thriving monoculture loved about Nile Rodgers–era Madonna, from the funk-infused groove to singer Nancy Whang serving shades of Madge'southward signature spoken-sung vocals (call back peculiarly "Holiday"). –DL

42. Neon Indian, "The Glitzy Hive"
If it's not apparent from Alan Palomo's moniker and song titles, his Neon Indian project is not subtle: On "The Glitzy Hive," he unabashedly draws from a grab bag of '80s influences, from pop and New Wave to Italo-disco and R&B. That Palomo'south vocal melody recalls Prince is basically a foregone decision at this point — and while that could make his music seem derivative, Neon Indian's woozy concoction of inspirations is just so diverse, flashy, and fun that information technology could never be considered anything but original. —SR

41. Lady Gaga, "Perfect Illusion"
Gaga's "Perfect Illusion" is the electro essential from her latest album, Joanne. While the tape tends to be heavily rooted in country folk and roots rock, the LP's lead single could hands have appeared on 2008's The Fame, which skewed style more toward electro-pop. Gaga'due south layered, vibrato-rich vocals are what give this rail shades of pinnacle Pat Benatar and Heart. —IK

twoscore. Arcade Burn, "We Be"
Nowadays, lawsuits go filed left and right for ripping off classics (and, more and more, artists are losing), and then it'southward surprising that Arcade Fire would also so brazenly elevator the bass line from "Billie Jean." Merely, hey, if you're gonna gamble information technology all, make it count. "We Exist" isn't full-on Michael, though. This is more than like Win Butler channeling Morrissey going through a disco stage. —DL

39. Foals, "My Number"
With production from Flood (New Social club, Ministry building, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, U2), it's no mystery why this funky electro kiss-off to both a relationship and city living sounds like it was written a few decades earlier its 2013 release. —DR

38. Tame Impala, "The Less I Know the Better"
For a human being with 2 '60s-indebted psych-rock albums in his catalogue and a voice that bears an uncanny resemblance to John Lennon'southward, Tame Impala'due south Kevin Parker is no stranger to leveraging his talents to pay tribute to the past. The Aussie's 3rd anthology, 2015's Currents, saw Tame Impala discover inspiration in a new decade, with Parker describing it equally his try to "convince a few die-hard stone fans that '80s synths can fit over a '70s drum beat." "The Less I Know the Amend" uses that formula to groovy effect, resulting in a track that deftly infuses its retro influences while managing to create something that transcends pastiche. —SR

37. La Roux, "Uptight Downtown"
Like other artists on this list, Elly Jackson is barely an '80s infant, and yet the decade has had a lasting impact on her work, particularly on 2014'due south Problem in Paradise. To wit: "Uptight Downtown" is equal parts Bowie'due south "Let's Dance" and the best of Duran Duran. Like and then many songs of the '80s, it masks the song's lyrics well-nigh political unrest (she wrote it about the 2011 London riots) with a danceable groove, and then information technology keeps light on its feet like you would exist, too, if you heard this in the lodge. —DL

36. Brandon Flowers, "Solitary Town"
Permit'south not pretend like the Killers weren't (aren't?) one big '80s tribute human activity — not to whatsoever one band in particular, but to the whole era. That's their schtick, and they wearable it well. But when front man Brandon Flowers went solo, he really ran away with information technology. "Solitary Town" is exactly the sort of vocal Iona would've played at her tape store in Pretty in Pink. Even the video screams John Hughes: a young woman dancing at home all lone, simply her and her Walkman. The damn song even makes reference to a Gravitron. It's a nostalgia-baiting synth-stone haven. —DL

35. Miranda Lambert, "Priscilla"
Country superstar Miranda Lambert tackles big ballads, porch-front folk jams, and rockers akin with the same Texas charm. "Priscilla," off her terminal album Platinum, wraps her vocals in acoustic guitars and drums that dance effectually the classic Bo Diddley beat, sounding for all the world like George Michael's "Organized religion" until the chords change midway through each verse. —Craig Jenkins

34. Chance the Rapper, "All Night"
When nosotros talk about '80s music, too often Chicago house gets overlooked. Only not now, not here, and especially not when information technology's reemerged in such a major style and existence championed by the metropolis'south newest generation. Chance comes from Chicago, and fifty-fifty though he's but 23, he isn't ignorant of his city's rich musical history. "All Night" is his biggest nod to the genre nonetheless, with terrific production past immature business firm addict Kaytranada. Many Risk songs feel and sound like unbridled joy, and this one'due south a smash from kickoff to finish. Frankie Duke would be proud. —DL

33. Justin Timberlake, "Pusher Beloved Girl"
After Prince died in April 2016, Justin Timberlake said, "He's somewhere within every vocal I've ever written." Nowhere is that more apparent than in this Timbaland-assisted cut from 2013's The twenty/xx Experience, where JT gets intoxicated and funky over a particular lady. In the cease, he actually contradicts himself, proving that, as the Purple I once said with a pinch or two of shade, "sexy never left." —DR

32. Charli XCX, "London Queen"
Charli XCX was making records for years before screaming into America on the hook of Icona Pop's "I Dear It," and on her ensuing smash hitting Sucker, she was at her absolute pop-punk best. "London Queen" peculiarly shines, and sounds like it was pulled from the "Going Hole-and-corner" era of the Jam. —Jordan Crucchiola

31. The 1975, "Somebody Else"
Their name might exist the 1975, but this ring's latest album is zero but '80s, babe. "Somebody Else" has all the sexual tension, ho-hum-burning sensuality, and suspense of a song like Tangerine Dream'due south "Love on a Dream," but likewise the control of a Tears for Fears fever dream. To (sort of) borrow from this album'southward long-winded title, the song is so beautiful still only a trivial self-enlightened of it. –DL

30. Vince Staples, "Blueish Suede"
On this 2022 rails, the Long Beach rapper utilizes an unsettling Bernard Herrmann–like riff and a beefy bass-and-drums beat out to underscore a tale of Long Beach life. Echoing N.W.A, Staples raps nearly the duality of life in the hood — one side projects a masculine identity of a immature man who likes parties and the ladies, the other despairing over how growing up amongst poverty and gangs probable leads to a "young grave." The stop features a hell of a claw, with Vince repeating that all he wanted out of life was a particular pair of Jordans, the tragedy of being born into a world where the highest hope for a kid is to own some sneakers and survive a picayune longer than expected. —DL

29. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, "Stranger Things"
It didn't require much to evidence that Netflix'southward Stranger Things was, above all, a dearest letter to the '80s — you lot felt it in the clothes, the cultural references, its Goonies and Due east.T. lineage — but having a theme song drive that point home felt like the necessary bow to tie it all together. Who better for the job than Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of the '80s-indebted South U R Five I 5 East? The ring is modern, but you'd exist forgiven for mistaking their electronica style for that of Depeche Fashion or Pet Shop Boys, sans lyrics. Dixon and Stein's Stranger Things theme song may be cursory (though there'south an extended version!), just it's got a long heartbeat echoing back to precisely three decades ago. It'south no wonder every heed feels like stepping through the same portal to the Upside Down, but straight into the '80s-laden world the prove so authentically re-creates. Both volumes of the soundtrack are the perfect homage to the sounds of that era. —DL

28. Danny Brown, "Fields"
In many ways, Detroit has been a place where the '80s never ended. The decade's factory closures devastated the Motor Metropolis, and the ensuing unemployment and crime struck so harshly that it has yet to recover. As a dispatch from that aging world, delivered by an creative person intimately attached to it, Danny Brown's "Fields" harks back to the social commentary pioneered 30 years ago by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in "The Message." The older song'south refrain ("Don't push me 'crusade I'one thousand close to the edge / I'm trying non to lose my head") is a motto that could easily apply to the younger artist'southward unabridged catalogue. —Frank Guan

27. Daft Punk, "Instant Crush ft. Julian Casablancas"
The robotic DJ duo said they were inspired heavily on Random Admission Memories past the tardily '70s and early on '80s sounds of Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder, both of whom contributed to this 2013 album. The addition of Julian Casablancas, whose solo LP Phrazes for the Young was its own kind of '80s tribute, brought new and old together for this kicking dance jam. —JC

26. Chromeo, "Dark past Night"
In many means, electro-funk is a totally contemporary fusion of styles, fabricated possible largely because of advances in the machinery that births electronic music and our collective cultural longing for the music that predated and then many of us. (Vocoders have come a long way, trust.) It's a type of retro-futurism that isn't so divorced from the mode information technology borrows from that you can't pick up the references. Chromeo could exist Cameo, but on designer drugs and with a lot fewer members. Just what the duo of David "Dave one" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel really excel at is replicating '80s freestyle dance music with a funky twist. "Night by Night" really isn't so different from a song like Shannon's "Let the Music Play" — the aim is to shrug off love's frustrations, dance your face up off, and never, ever cease moving. —DL

25. Bleachers, "I Wanna Go Better"
Vince Clarke of Depeche Way, Yaz, and Erasure helped Jack Antonoff produce Strange Desire, the 2022 debut album of his band Bleachers, and so it's no wonder the songs have, in the front man'due south own words, "an '80s John Hughes movie feel," with "I Wanna Get Better" being the flagship track of Antonoff'south jubilant, neon-soaked manifesto. —JC

24. Chris Stapleton, "Nobody to Blame"
Chris Stapleton is a curious presence in country radio — his music owes as much to back-to-basics '80s crooners and left-of-the-dial roots rockers as anything in the contemporary landscape. "Nobody to Blame" displays the nimble balance; the product is full of tense, mood-setting flourishes that call back to the generation of new traditionalists Stapleton probable grew upwards on, but somehow all of the songs' overwhelming sense of pain and regret comes from the song. —CJ

23. Grimes, "Oblivion"
The John Carpenter–similar opening synth riff sets upwards Claire Boucher's 2012 single, but her gorgeously delicate singing somehow alleviates the sense of dread. Only that all returns when you pay attention to the lyrics, particularly the "see y'all on a dark night" refrain, and larn that the song is about her sexual assault. To the Montreal vocalizer-songwriter-producer'due south credit, it's simultaneously dark, bubbly, and catchy as all become out. —DR

22. Haim, "Falling"
The start fourth dimension I heard Haim's "Falling," I was bellyaching. Not considering it's bad, but because I couldn't believe that this vocal, which was so conspicuously an quondam '80s hit I must have heard somewhere before, had mistakenly turned up in rotation on this satellite radio station that was supposed to exist playing the newest tracks of the week. I've since made my peace with the fact that Haim ofttimes sound of some other era, because their songs are merely too catchy for me to hold a grudge. Mostly, I can't fault middle sis Danielle for nailing those breathy, staccato vocals. —SR

21. Drake, "Hold On, We're Going Home"
While Drake made a name for himself channeling '90s R&B à la Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak, the biggest hit off the Toronto rapper'south 3rd anthology Nothing Was the Same harks back to '80s R&B with no filter at all. With its relaxing rhythm, polish melodies, and utterly moving lyrics, the track leaves the status-anxious space Drake typically inhabits and settles into a charmed and charming globe where the love between two people is all that counts. —FG

20. Kavinsky, "Nightcall"
If you heed to the Drive soundtrack's "Nightcall" with your optics closed and concentrate real hard, you tin can supervene upon Ryan Gosling's Driver with Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken as he trawls through the streets of Manhattan in Escape From New York. Kavinsky uncannily revived the sound of John Carpenter on the soundtrack — icy, hot pink, and breaking under the weight of its own heavy synth. —JC

nineteen. Sleigh Bells, "Infinity Guitars"
The parallels between Sleigh Bells and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are as striking as their music: The punk-influenced rock outfits both pair crunching riffs with badass vocalists as they blur the distinction between raw and refined. "Infinity Guitars" is a percussive behemoth where the titular objects are serrated with distortion, so framed by an obliterating bass drum, hand claps, and what sound like actual sleigh bells that build to an atomic climax. It'south a perfect successor to Joan's greatest hits. —FG

18. The State of war on Drugs, "Red Optics"
Front man Adam Granduciel echoes the likes of Mark Knopfler and Born in the The statesA.–era Springsteen on this done-out highlight from the Philly band's 2022 LP, Lost in the Dream. But actually, this song's Deoxyribonucleic acid probably has the most direct connection to the Grateful Dead's 1987 song "Bear upon of Grey," which the War on Drugs simply so happened to cover equally the lead track of the National's charity compilation Day of the Expressionless. —DR

17. Kanye West, "Fade"
Were we to include songs from pre-2010, we'd give high praise to Kanye'southward greatest '80s moment to date, 808s & Heartbreaks, merely that's non where his callbacks began and ended. "Fade," much like Run a risk'south "All Dark," serves as Kanye'southward ain have on Chicago house, reaching deep into his vault of reference points to sample the legendary Mr. Fingers' "Mystery of Honey" from 1985. Further proof that this is Kanye'southward ode to the '80s: Its video stars Teyana Taylor in what is essentially a mini Flashdance remake. Need nosotros say more? —DL

16. CHVRCHES, "The Mother We Share"
The Glasgow trio's first official single is carried by the ethereal lead vocals of Lauren Mayberry, simply the instrumental work of Iain Cook and Martin Doherty give "The Female parent We Share" an added emotional uppercut. In short, it's Depeche Mode that'due south way heavier on the depression cease and fronted by the atomic number 82 soprano of a divine choir. —DR

15. Beyoncé, "Schoolin' Life"
Information technology's one of the great popular crimes of the decade that Beyoncé's sleek, clever "Schoolin Life" ended upwards a B-side on the deluxe edition of her iv anthology and not a proper single. It's one of co-author and producer The-Dream's corking Prince homages (see too: "Fast Car" and "Yamaha"), full of howling guitars, gleefully alien synths, and busy pulsate programming. The lyrical conceit — that there isn't a unmarried decade where life ceases to be amazing — is warm and funny, and information technology's worth your fourth dimension off the strength of the hilariously enunciated "motherfucker" in verse i solitary. —CJ

xiv. Marker Ronson, "Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars"
The definition of a great party song, ane you'd envision in the opening credits of a movie, thanks to the big-band entreatment. Bruno Mars's powerful vocals fuel the funk-filled pop jam, and the vocal speaks to influences from both the '70s and '80s, especially the "Minneapolis Sound" of Prince and the Fourth dimension. Like their greatest tracks, "Uptown" has a vibe that'southward both vintage and futuristic. —IK

thirteen. Taylor Swift, "New Romantics"
Taylor shocked fans and skeptics alike past releasing her offset full-on pop anthology, 1989, in 2014. "New Romantics" is i of the faster-paced tracks on the record, featuring her sharp-tongued lyrics nigh romantic outcasts, à la The Breakfast Club. Originally intended every bit a bonus track, information technology became the LP'due south seventh and last single, and deserves even more than attention than it got. —IK

12. Killer Mike, "Big Beast"
The first runway on Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music heralds the offset of a cute friendship. Produced by El-P, "Large Beast," with its eerie, brutally straight force, marks the kickoff collaboration between Mike and El that would culminate in the formation of Run the Jewels. But the vocal looks to the past equally well. With a powerful, agile voice and lyrics focused, sometimes hilariously, on political themes, Mike had long garnered comparisons to Ice Cube. Backed by El-P's retro-futurist production (itself reminiscent of the Bomb Team instrumentals Cube rapped over at his height), the similarity isn't just remarkable — it's undeniable. —FG

11. Futurity Islands, "Seasons (Waiting on Yous)"
This electro-pop group had the musical equivalent of a debutante ball on a taping of Letterman in 2014, largely thanks to singer Samuel T. Herring. His sweetly exaggerated dance moves and vocals that veer between Tom Jones and Tom Waits just enhanced how damn slap-up this song is, and why it topped the yr-finish singles polls of Pazz & Jop, Pitchfork, Spin, Effect of Sound, and NME. —DR

10. The Weeknd, "In the Dark"
Abel Tesfaye wasn't alive in the '80s, but why let that minor detail stop him from imagining himself at that place? The Weeknd didn't start out wanting to expect to the past, merely when he shifted to 2015's Beauty Behind the Madness, he did and so with the expressed intent of making himself a popular star. Though he never said which kind of star he strove to be, after i play of "In the Nighttime," you lot know it's Michael Jackson. The track, as perhaps a courtroom will someday fence, re-creates the vibe of "The Style Yous Make Me Feel" in such a mode that he even alters the top of his vocal range to mirror Jackson'south. Information technology's uncanny and highly effective. Equally far every bit MJ knockoffs go, there's not much here to be mad at. —DL

9. Tegan and Sara, "Closer"
The Quin twins were already favorites among rock fans thank you to acclaimed albums like So Jealous and The Con, where they experimented with a blend of indie pop, punk, and folk. But after turning xxx, Tegan and Sara decided to pursue larger success and move in a more mainstream pop management. "Closer," the first unmarried from their 2013 anthology Heartthrob, leans heavily on the throwback sounds of the sisters' childhood, a Cyndi Lauper–like dance-flooring jam virtually young dear. Information technology was a crossover moment for the duo, winning the Juno for Single of the Year, actualization on Glee, topping the Billboard nautical chart for Hot Dance Gild Songs, and leading to a cameo operation with Taylor Swift during her Red bout. —DR

eight. Robyn, "Call Your Girlfriend"
It'south difficult to believe Robyn is even of the modernistic era; everything about her but feels and so reminiscent of '80s Europop. Her whole aesthetic is throwback, even when information technology feels ahead of its time. "Call Your Girlfriend" is glossy and unpredictable (that glitchy electro breakdown toward the end just kills), a massive pop anthem that'll brand you wonder how different things might've turned out had Cyndi Lauper also hailed from Sweden. —DL

7. Bon Iver, "Beth/Residual"
This song, with its melancholic saxophones and glowing keyboard tones, is then steeped in the '80s that information technology sounds like Lionel Richie meant to put it on Dancing on the Ceiling, but the demo tape slipped between the seats and didn't turn upwardly again until Justin Vernon properly recorded it for his 2nd Bon Iver album. –JC

6. Heaven Ferreira, "Everything Is Embarrassing"
"Everything Is Embarrassing" is directly out of a prom scene. The track is dance pop at its finest, and Ferreira couples the anthemic, sleeky grunge with sensual, drastic lyrics. It'due south the standout from her 2012 Ghost EP, bolstered by its Joan Jett–similar swagger, just with more keyboards instead of guitars. —IK

v. Kendrick Lamar, "King Kunta"
"Rex Kunta" screams neo-soul and funk correct out of the gate, while paying homage to '90s hip-hop stalwarts similar Dr. Dre, Tupac, and Ice Cube. It's a pure gangsta-rap party that makes you desire to bring together in and trip the light fantastic, even if the grooves portend a darker mood. The militantly tight instrumentation takes cues from '70s James Brown, but the virtually obvious '80s callback comes when Kendrick lifts "Annie, are you okay?" from MJ'southward "Smooth Criminal." — IK

4. Carly Rae Jepsen, "Run Away With Me"
From the moment "Run Away With Me" blares its faux-saxophone notes to indicate the opening of Carly Rae's roundly praised 2022 anthology, Emotion, it'south clear this is a record that borrows heavily from the decade all-time known for twinkling synth sounds and booming drums. For Jepsen, the trip back in fourth dimension works. As an creative person whose first megahit was pure bubblegum popular ("Call Me Maybe"), this infusion of '80s musical tropes is the perfect complement to her propensity for teetering on the line betwixt the irresistibly tricky and the outright cheesy. With an '80s flair — hither provided by a beat from Swedish super-producer Shellback — CRJ's unabashedly sincere proclamations and anthemic choruses are injected with throwback cool. —SR

3. Claret Orange, "You're Not Good Enough"
Alongside girlfriend Samantha Urbani, Blood Orange's Dev Hynes does his all-time Prince on "Yous're Not Good Plenty." The Cupid Deluxe jam features funky R&B melodies and lyrics that are straight-up vindictive: "I never was in beloved / You know that you were never proficient plenty." There's a lack of sensitivity that runs throughout the track, but information technology's Hynes'due south ability to channel the Purple One that makes the song stand out. —IK

ii. Rihanna, "Kiss It Improve"
Guitar on a Big Pop song? In 2016? Oh yes, "Kiss It Better" only screams '80s throwback. Rihanna took plenty of risks on her new album, Anti, with one of the greatest being this effort at an former-school stone-and-roll power carol. It's her philharmonic of "The Beautiful Ones" and "Don't Stop Believin'" or a sexy siren Tina Turner singing alongside Slash, with some not-so-subtle innuendo. In five years, it'll exist karaoke gold. Just watch. —DL

ane. M83, "Midnight Metropolis"
"Midnight City" put French electronic group M83 on the map. Throughout the 4-infinitesimal Hurry Up, Nosotros're Dreaming track, Anthony Gonzalez's vocals soar hazily into the ether and the main riff sparks like a neon light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation axle. Then, but when you think you've heard it all, in comes the saxophone solo from James King of Fitz and the Tantrums that transports yous 25 years back in time. As Gonzalez told The Guardian, "Sometimes a song needs an element to be finished. Yous know that this element has been overused in the past and is considered cliched or cheesy, but the song needs it." Thus, information technology's the epitome of '80s music. —IK

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