Top 10 Era-Defining Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Songs Of The 80s

What Was Your Favorite Jam?
The criteria is simple: it should embody the 80s. You know, when you hear it, you automatically think of this decade and how influential the track is at the time of its release. From big and loud hairstyles to tight pants and leg warmers, let’s take a trip down memory lane and find out which songs best represent the golden age of hard rock.
10. Motรถrhead – “Ace of Spades” (1980)
Cheers to the song that eventually became the definitive Motรถrhead anthem. It was Lemmy Kilmisterโs way of showing the world they werenโt here to follow anyoneโs footsteps. They won fans over because of their no-nonsense approach to hard rock. Nothing flashy or cheesy โ they were all about unleashing that blunt power, furious speed (which actually turned out to become their signature sound) and boundless energy.
Fun Fact: Q Magazine wrote about the track saying, โThis song has an intro which wouldn’t be out of place ushering in the end of the world.โ
โข Ranked no. 10 on VH1โs โGreatest Hard Rock Song of All Timeโ
โข Ranked no. 155 on NMEโs โThe 500 Greatest Songs of All Timeโ
This is the title track of the album that broke them. And it was chaotic and unrepentant. Itโs like if all hell broke loose, this is the song you can hear playing in the background.
9. Mรถtley Crรผe – “Dr. Feelgood” (1989)
https://youtu.be/1XHcPYorSJw
Letโs give credit where itโs due. Mรถtley Crรผe and their penchant for overindulgence and basically anything excessive was legendary. But then again, so was their music. Before making this album, they were all about girls, parties, drugs and alcohol. But during recording, they knew they needed to get their acts together and so they did.
โI knew it was a classic from the time I heard that very first โbomp bomp bomp bompโ โ that intro just kind of grabs you. This song has been popular for 20 years. It was funny because I was watching VH1 and they had the Greatest Hard Rock Songs and โFeelgoodโ was 15 or something. I was like, โWow, of all time.โ Then you have Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith and AC/DC and โFeelgood.โ I was like, โWow, thatโs cool.โ Itโs our signature song in some ways.โ โ Vince Neil to Rolling Stone
Well, it sure paid off nicely. It became their highest ranked single and also received gold certification from the RIAA.
8. AC/DC – “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)
https://youtu.be/D0p1CXpLQVY
Even if the song stopped after Angus Youngโs first guitar note, this would still be a brilliant masterpiece. Decades after it was released, people still crave for it like gooey, melty grilled cheese or salted butter popcorn. You just canโt get enough of it. Besides, it was the first single that featured their newest frontman, Brian Johnson. So what better way to introduce him to fans than having him belt out this beast of a track?
โThe boys had a title. Malcolm and Angus [Young] said, ‘Listen, we’ve got this song. It’s called ‘Shook Me All Night Long.’ That’s what we want the song to be called.’ And if you listen to the chords, [the chorus] just fell into place so I can’t claim any credit on that thing. It was as quick as it had to be, which was that night. I guess I had to try and impress somebody. It was just a thing that came at the time, and I still think it’s one of the greatest rock and roll riffs I’ve ever heard in my life.โ โ Brian Jonson to Absolute Radio
Itโs a timeless classic for sure. It still rocks hard even today!
7. Van Halen – “Jump” (1983)
Should we say Van Halenโs magnum opus? Itโs their most successful single and basically what propelled most people to jump into the VH bandwagon. It was different from their earlier material since this oneโs driven by a rolling synth line.
โโJumpโ is a song that we wrote for several different reasons, primarily because it is leap year and secondly, because I was watching television one night and it was the 5 oโclock news, and there was a fellow standing on top of the Arco Towers in Los Angeles and he was about to check out early, he was going to do the 33-story drop โ and there was a whole crowd of people in the parking lot downstairs yelling โDonโt jump, donโt jumpโ and I thought to myself, โJump.โ So, I wrote it down and ultimately it made in onto the record, although in a much more positive vein. Itโs easy to translate it the way you hear it on the record as a โgo for itโ attitude, positive sort of affair โ an I-jog-therefore-I-am approach.โ โ David Lee Roth
Whatever the meaning or origin is, itโs definitely an anthem of the 80s.
6. Def Leppard – “Photograph” (1983)
It was a massive success and the one song that basically catapultedย them into rock superstardom. Thereโs a pretty interesting story here. Joe Elliott was once quoted saying that the track is about โsomething you can’t ever get your hands on.โ And aside from featuring a Marilyn Monroe look-a-like in the music video, they also dedicated some of their performances to the iconic actress.
However, Joe set the record straight when he said:
โI donโt want to break anybody’s heart here, but Marilyn Monroe was just another average actress to me. The song was about somebody thatโs out of the picture. โAll Iโve got is a photograph, but itโs not enough.โโ โ Joe Elliott to VH1
Not that it actually mattered. It received heavy radio airplay and has been a crowd favorite during their concerts and live shows. From the vocal performance to the guitar riff, this song just refuses to be forgotten.
5. Guns ‘n Roses – “Welcome To The Jungle” (1987)
https://youtu.be/g_enNmzWn6Y
Love โem or hate โem (maybe just Axl Rose for the most part) but the fact remains that they helped shaped the hard rock sound in the 80s. Theyโre probably getting more credit than they actually deserve but with a massive following and after rolling out one hit after another, Guns โn Roses should definitely be on this list.
โI was at my house and I had that riff happening and Axl came over and he got those lyrics together, and then the band sort of arranged it. We got an arrangement for the whole band, ’cause that’s how we work. Someone comes in with an idea and someone else has input and in that way everyone’s happy. That came together really quickly too, that was arranged in one day.โ โ Slash
This is how rock โn roll is supposed to be โ pure, raw, authentic and untouchable. Besides, itโs Axl Rose in his prime. What more can you ask for?
4. Megadeth – “Peace Sells” (1986)
If by any chance, you need a solid proof why Megadeth deserves a spot on this list, just watch this live performance and see for yourself. Playing insane riffs without missing a beat and basically performing flawlessly in front of a massive audience? Donโt even get us started on the killer bass line! โIncredibleโ doesnโt even cut it. Yep, they pulled it off pretty nicely.
โEven in the studio, half-baked, Megadeth was capable of extraordinary musicianship. The twin guitar attack on โThe Conjuring,โ the guitar harmony line in โPeace Sellsโ โ these were achieved not only through careful composition, but through camaraderie that comes when a band is really clicking.โ โ Dave Mustaine
There may have been lineup changes over the years, but this one is definitely the best. The whole album was a tour de force โ you couldnโt shrug them off even if you wanted to. Itโs a real standout and an absolute masterpiece.
3. Iron Maiden – “Run to the Hills” (1982)
In the UK, this was the bandโs first top 10 hit. It talks about the European settlers and their arrival to the New World and also their conflict with the Native American tribes. The lyrics reflect the perspective from both sides. What made it controversial was the singleโs cover artwork which was set in Hell and depicted a Native American wielding an axe while wrestling with a devil.
According to bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris, โI wanted to try and get the feeling of galloping horses. But when you play this one, be careful not to let it run away with you.โ
Bruce Dickinsonโs vocal performance is almost otherworldly. He hits the high notes with so much power and energy, itโs mind-blowing. What a song! If it doesnโt give you goosebumps, you need to crank it up more. Seriously, we pity anyone who canโt appreciate this song even one bit.
2. Ozzy Osbourne – “Crazy Train” (1980)
https://youtu.be/bwDpAfFzcRQ
Whether youโre a big fan of Ozzy Osbourne or not, you canโt deny that his voice sounds incredible in this particular performance. Heโs probably high as a kite but dang, he killed this one. As a solo artist, this is one of Osbourneโs most popular tracks. It ranked at no. 9 on VH1โs โ40 Greatest Metal Songs.โ
โRandy had the basic riff, the signature riff. Then we worked on music together. He needed something to solo on so I came up with a chord pattern and the section for him to solo over.
Before it was called ‘Crazy Train,’ before we even had a title, Randy and I were working on the music. He had his effects pedals, and coming through his amp was a weird kind of chugging sound. It was a phase-y kind of psychedelic effect, this chugging sound that was coming through his amp from his effects pedal.โ โ Bob Daisley
Also, letโs not forget how legendary Randy Rhoadsโ guitar work is in this song. The man had serious talent.
1. Metallica – “Master of Puppets” (1986)
Itโs difficult to pinpoint what exactly makes โMaster of Puppetsโ remarkable. But in a nutshell, it became the epitome of hard rock in the 80s. Itโs practically responsible for propelling thrash metal into the mainstream scene. It basically raised the bar for this genre and if anything, it only secured Metallicaโs spot as one of metalโs greats.
โI just went to this party in S.F. and there was a bunch of sick freaks shooting up, and it made me sick. It’s not about any drug in general but people being controlled by drugs and not the other way around.โ โ James Hetfield on the song’s inspiration
It was adventurous and elaborate. The face-melting solo alone is enough to send chills down your spine. The opening guitar line is quite epic as well. All in all, it was the best metal had to offer in the 1980s. It didnโt just capture the spirit and vibe of the decade, it was also Metallica at their absolute finest.