The Biggest Songs About Love from the 1980s

Love songs are so easy to listen to. They tell these wonderful and passionate stories and aren’t confined to one genre of music. You can easily listen to a jazz, pop, or rock/metal love song with just a few clicks. It isn’t uncommon for genres of music to mesh together either.

One of the best decades for love songs is the 1980s. During this time, hits like “Eternal Flame,” “I Want to Know What Love Is” and “Take My Breath Away” were released. These are just a few songs that made their way into our hearts and are still listened to today. Many of the top artists of the 80s were creating love songs. Some of these artists include Guns N’ Roses, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Van Halen, The Police and Whitney Houston. These are internationally known names. Even if you don’t recognize the names of the artists, you’ve probably heard a song or two from them.

Music and fashion from the 80s has seen a revival. A lot of punk rock looks, pop makeup and accessories are sold today. This is partially because history repeats itself and fashion is no different. It is also due to the rise of 1980 movie and TV show remakes. Regardless of the reason, many elements of the 1980s are back.

Not all love songs are happy. Some love songs hurt and are about letting go, or of love that is passionate, but borders the line of toxic. Many of these songs were used in films and TV shows. You may have even heard them while watching cult classic films from this decade. (After this article, check out the top cult classics that defined the ’80s.)

To determine the biggest songs about love from the 1980s, 24/7 Tempo reviewed historic performance data from the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Songs containing the word “love” in their title that charted between 1980 and 1989 were ranked based on an inverse point system wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Only songs that reached No. 10 or higher on the Hot 100 were included. Chart data is current through March 16, 2024.

Here is the list of the biggest songs about love from the 1980s. 

50. Berlin, “Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From “Top Gun”)”

• Entered Hot 100: June 21, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

49. The Spinners, “Cupid/I’ve Loved You For A Long Time”

• Entered Hot 100: May 17, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 19 weeks

48. Sheena Easton, “Telefone (long Distance Love Affair)”

• Entered Hot 100: August 20, 1983
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 9 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

47. The Honeydrippers, “Sea Of Love”

• Entered Hot 100: October 13, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks

46. Chicago, “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love”

• Entered Hot 100: June 4, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

45. Peter Cetera, “Glory Of Love (Theme From “The Karate Kid Part II”)”

• Entered Hot 100: June 7, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

44. Huey Lewis & The News, “The Power Of Love”

• Entered Hot 100: June 29, 1985
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 19 weeks

43. Billy Ocean, “Lover Boy”

• Entered Hot 100: December 1, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

42. Chicago, “Will You Still Love Me?”

• Entered Hot 100: November 15, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks

41. Paula Abdul, “(It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me”

• Entered Hot 100: November 12, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

40. Phil Collins, “You Can’t Hurry Love”

• Entered Hot 100: November 6, 1982
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 10 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

39. Whitney Houston, “Saving All My Love For You”

• Entered Hot 100: August 17, 1985
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

38. Sheena Easton, “The Lover In Me”

• Entered Hot 100: November 5, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

37. Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”

• Entered Hot 100: June 14, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

36. New Kids On The Block, “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)”

• Entered Hot 100: April 1, 1989
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

35. Stevie Wonder, “Part-Time Lover”

• Entered Hot 100: September 7, 1985
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

34. Whitney Houston, “Greatest Love Of All”

• Entered Hot 100: March 29, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks

33. Debbie Gibson, “Shake Your Love”

• Entered Hot 100: October 3, 1987
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

32. Karyn White, “The Way You Love Me”

• Entered Hot 100: October 15, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 7 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

31. Robert Palmer, “Addicted To Love”

• Entered Hot 100: February 8, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

30. Carl Anderson & Gloria Loring, “Friends And Lovers”

• Entered Hot 100: July 5, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

29. Teena Marie, “Lover Girl”

• Entered Hot 100: December 15, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 24 weeks

28. Pat Benatar, “Love Is A Battlefield”

• Entered Hot 100: September 24, 1983
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

27. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘N Roll”

• Entered Hot 100: February 6, 1982
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 7 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks

26. Atlantic Starr, “Secret Lovers”

• Entered Hot 100: December 28, 1985
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks

25. Whitney Houston, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”

• Entered Hot 100: May 16, 1987
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks

24. Phil Collins, “Groovy Kind Of Love”

• Entered Hot 100: September 3, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

23. George Benson, “Turn Your Love Around”

• Entered Hot 100: October 24, 1981
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 22 weeks

22. Bon Jovi, “You Give Love A Bad Name”

• Entered Hot 100: September 6, 1986
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 24 weeks

21. The Pointer Sisters, “Jump (for My Love)”

• Entered Hot 100: April 28, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 24 weeks

20. Will To Power, “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley”

• Entered Hot 100: September 10, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 24 weeks

19. Stephanie Mills, “Never Knew Love Like This Before”

• Entered Hot 100: August 9, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 6 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

18. Philip Bailey With Phil Collins, “Easy Lover”

• Entered Hot 100: November 24, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks

17. Foreigner, “I Want To Know What Love Is”

• Entered Hot 100: December 8, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 21 weeks

16. Billy Ocean, “Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)”

• Entered Hot 100: August 11, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 26 weeks

15. Samantha Fox, “Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)”

• Entered Hot 100: February 27, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks

14. Neil Diamond, “Love On The Rocks”

• Entered Hot 100: November 1, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 20 weeks

13. Air Supply, “Lost In Love”

• Entered Hot 100: February 9, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 4 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 23 weeks

12. Tesla, “Love Song”

• Entered Hot 100: September 30, 1989
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 10 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks

11. Stevie Wonder, “I Just Called To Say I Love You”

• Entered Hot 100: August 18, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 26 weeks

10. Air Supply, “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”

• Entered Hot 100: July 30, 1983
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 25 weeks

9. Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio, “A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)”

• Entered Hot 100: March 7, 1981
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks

8. The B-52s, “Love Shack”

• Entered Hot 100: September 2, 1989
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks

7. Taylor Dayne, “I’ll Always Love You”

• Entered Hot 100: June 11, 1988
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 30 weeks

6. Soft Cell, “Tainted Love”

• Entered Hot 100: January 16, 1982
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 8 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 43 weeks

5. Barbra Streisand, “Woman In Love”

• Entered Hot 100: September 6, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 24 weeks

4. Air Supply, “All Out Of Love”

• Entered Hot 100: June 14, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 2 (for 4 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks

3. REO Speedwagon, “Keep On Loving You”

• Entered Hot 100: November 29, 1980
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 1 week)
• Total time on Hot 100: 28 weeks

2. Tina Turner, “What’s Love Got To Do With It”

• Entered Hot 100: May 19, 1984
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 28 weeks

1. Diana Ross & Lionel Richie, “Endless Love”

• Entered Hot 100: July 11, 1981
• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 9 weeks)
• Total time on Hot 100: 27 weeks