Would you agree? These are the 12 best pop songs in the world

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Last Christmas" and "Big in Japan": all songs that are now 40 years old. The music magazine "Rolling Stone" once called 1984 "Pop's Greatest Year". But is that true?

Many songs that are still played up and down the radio stations today date back to 1984, which means they are 40 years old these days.

These include "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder, "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "When the Rain Begins to Fall" by Pia Zadora and Jermaine Jackson, as well as "People Are People" and "Master and Servant" by the British band Depeche Mode.

Pop music reached its peak in 1984

The US music magazine "Rolling Stone" once called 1984 "Pop's Greatest Year":

"From Prince to Madonna and Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, 1984 was the year pop reached its peak."

Well, let's take a look at all the cool songs that were released in 1984:

1st Prince: "When Doves Cry"

Legendary song by Prince and the Revolution, which landed in the German charts in August 1984. The superstar Prince, who died in 2016 at the age of 57, liked to push the boundaries both lyrically and sexually (as in the video clip).

In this song, sounds and instruments merge seamlessly. Prince's later Oscar and Grammy-winning hit "Purple Rain" was also released in 1884.

2 Madonna: "Borderline"

Madonna's song, written by Reggie Lucas, about an unhealthy relationship in which the singer feels that her love is breaking up and she is afraid of going crazy.

"Borderline" comes from Madonna's 1983 debut album, but was only released as a single the following year. Madonna's single "Like A Virgin" was also released in 1984.

3 Michael Jackson: "Thriller"

The hit single by the King of the Pop Michael Jackson only entered the charts in many countries in February 1984, even though the album of the same name had already been released two years earlier.

"Thriller" works with effects such as creaking doors and footsteps on wooden floorboards. The horror movie-like 13-minute video by director John Landis ("American Werewolf") made pop history and is considered a milestone in music video production due to its sophisticated storyline.

4. Bruce Springsteen: "Born in the U.S.A."

Bruce Springsteen's rock song was initially misunderstood by some fans as a patriotic anthem.

However, the lyrics are actually about a Vietnam veteran who is abandoned by society. A reckoning with the neo-conservative US government of Roland Reagan at the time.

5 Cyndi Lauper: "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

Snare drum, bebop and lots of good humor: singer Cyndi Lauper explains that the lyrics were initially about a macho guy singing about his happiness that all the girls want to have fun with him.

After working on the song, it became an anthem for all women who want to have fun as they see fit. It entered the Swiss charts in April 1984 and climbed to number six.

6th Sade: "Smooth Operator"

This song is the epitome of saxophone-heavy cuddly rock. The catchy tune by Sade comes from their album "Diamond Life", which spent 35 consecutive weeks in the Swiss charts.

The lyrics are about an ice-cold womanizer who breaks hearts and rips women off. In the mid-1980s, the song was often played on the radio during the day and incessantly in bedrooms at night.

7th Limahl: "The Never Ending Story"

This is the film song for Wolfgang Petersen's 1984 Michael Ende film "The Never Ending Story". Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey co-wrote the song, which is sung by Limahl, ex-singer of the British band Kajagoogoo.

The trademark of the now 65-year-old singer was his two-tone mullet hairstyle. In Switzerland, the song made it to number three in the charts.

8th Corey Hart: "Sunglasses at Night"

In this typical New Wave hit by Canadian pop musician Corey Hart, the lyrical self wears sunglasses at night to keep an eye on his supposedly unfaithful lover.

The song later became a classic in TV commercials and video games ("Grand Theft Auto: Vice City"). Earlier this year, German model mom Heidi Klum also released a new (and unfortunately terrible) version of the song.

9 Jimmy Somerville: "Smalltown Boy"

A self-empowerment hit by the British band Bronski Beat with autobiographical features by their singer Jimmy Somerville.

The lyrics are about a young man who leaves his parents' house after coming out and feels misunderstood by his father and mother.

10th Talk Talk: "Such A Shame"

A song by the British band Talk Talk, the lyrics of which are about making important decisions with dice, which is actually a shame.

The anthemic hit is known for its unique synthesizer sound, which is reminiscent of an elephant call.

11th Band Aid: "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

The charity song, written by the duo Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, was released shortly before the first Advent in 1984.

The British and Irish artists Bono, George Michael, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Holly Johnson, Boy George, Phil Collins and the members of the bands Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet were among those involved in the Band Aid project.

The song has been increasingly criticized for some time because the lyrics are too Western-centric and condescending towards Africa.

12 "Last Christmas"

It's hard to imagine the repertoire of radio stations and Christmas markets without this long-lasting catchy tune, written by George Michael, who died in 2016.

It is about an infatuation that was disappointed at the last Christmas party. The music video was shot in the Valais ski resort of Saas-Fee.

Fun fact: the song by pop duo Wham! (George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley) only reached number one in Germany 37 years after its release (2021) and in the UK only after 39 years (2023). In Switzerland, the highest ranking to date was second place (2022).

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