This poll has closed! To find out the results, listen to our Season 6 episode devoted to the Best Song of 1985. Click here to listen now!
Some culture critics argue that 1985 was the pinnacle of American pop culture. We don’t know if that’s true, but we DO know it was a spectacular year for pop MUSIC. Madonna broke big. Foreigner wanted to know what love was. Starship built a city on rock ‘n’ roll. And in case you didn’t the message, we all realized we ARE the world. The midpoint of the Me Decade gave us dozens of incredible songs, and now the Great Pop Culture Debate wants to decide: what IS the Best Song of 1985? And we need YOUR help to do it!
Below find a list of the Billboard Hot 100 Songs from 1985, plus a handful of other memorable songs we thought should be in the mix. (You can also take the poll by clicking here.) Go through and pick your favorites — select as many as you like. Did we miss your favorite? Add it to the list in the space below.
The Top 16 top vote-getters will be added to a bracket and discussed in a special Patreon-sponsored minisode of the Great Pop Culture Debate podcast, set to drop in early 2023. Find out more at greatpopculturedebate.com.
The poll will run until August 31, 2022. Make sure to submit your answer by then! And send along to your 80s music-loving friends. The more votes we have, the better the bracket will turn out!