Classic rock was in fine form in 1980 with Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and Queen having major success on the album charts. London Calling by the Clash and Bruce Springsteen’s The River topped the critic polls. John Lennon released his first album in over five years, while punk rock/new wave energy was still spitting out fantastic songs by The Vapors, poet turned rocker Jim Carroll, and the hysterically offensive Angry Samoans. George Jones, country music’s most soulful singer, released a song that was so powerful, it was selected as the Country Music Association’s “Song of the Year” for 1980. And then received the same award in 1981.
1959, John Anderson
Academy Fight Song, Mission of Burma
Ace of Spades, Motorhead
Against the Wind, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
Ah! Leah!, Donnie Iris
Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), Pink Floyd
Another One Bites the Dust, Queen
Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Talking Heads
Brass in Pocket, Pretenders
Call Me, Blondie
Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Queen
Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne
Games Without Frontiers, Peter Gabriel
Gimme a Ride to Heaven, Terry Allen
Hawks and Doves, Neil Young
He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones
Heart, Rockpile
Hey Nineteen, Steely Dan
Hungry Heart, Bruce Springsteen
I Stand Accused, Elvis Costello
I Will Follow, U2
I’m Coming Out, Diana Ross
Inside My Brain, Angry Samoans
(Just Like) Starting Over, John Lennon
Living After Midnight, Judas Priest
London Calling, The Clash
Master Blaster (Jammin’), Stevie Wonder
Me and the Boys, NRBQ
Mirror in the Bathroom, The English Beat
Off the Wall, Michael Jackson
On the Radio, Donna Summer
On the Road Again, Willie Nelson
Once in a Lifetime, Talking Heads
People Who Died, Jim Carroll
Play It All Night Long, Warren Zevon
Private Idaho, The B-52s
Pulling Mussels (From the Shell), Squeeze
Redemption Song, Bob Marley & The Wailers
Refugee, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Right Side of My Mind, Angry Samoans
Rock With You, Michael Jackson
Romeo’s Tune, Steve Forbert
Skateaway, Dire Straits
Stomp!, The Brothers Johnson
Talk of the Town, The Pretenders
This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide, The Kings
Turn It On Again, Genesis
Turning Japanese, The Vapors
What I Like About You, The Romantics
Whip It, Devo
You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC