The 1980s was a decade of iconic music, and 1987 stands out as a particularly vibrant year. Following our popular Best of the ’80s Redux series, Slicing Up Eyeballs readers have once again spoken, delivering a definitive ranking of the Top Songs Of 1987. This comprehensive list, compiled from thousands of votes, showcases the diverse and groundbreaking sounds that defined the year.
This isn’t just a nostalgic look back; it’s a curated selection of tracks that continue to resonate today. From alternative anthems to synth-pop masterpieces and rock staples, the top songs of 1987 reflect a pivotal moment in music history. Join us as we delve into the results of this extensive poll and rediscover the sounds that made 1987 such an unforgettable year for music lovers.
SLICING UP EYEBALLS READERS POLL: TOP 100 SONGS OF 1987
New Order True Faith song artwork, capturing the essence of 1987's top music.
1. New Order, “True Faith” 2. The Cure, “Just Like Heaven” 3. Echo & The Bunnymen, “Lips Like Sugar” 4. Depeche Mode, “Never Let Me Down Again” 5. R.E.M., “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” 6. R.E.M., “The One I Love” 7. Depeche Mode, “Strangelove” 8. The Replacements, “Alex Chilton” 9. The Smiths, “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before” 10. The Sisters of Mercy, “This Corrosion”
The top ten songs of 1987 alone demonstrate the breadth of musical talent that flourished that year. New Order’s “True Faith” takes the crown, followed closely by The Cure’s ethereal “Just Like Heaven.” Echo & The Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, and R.E.M. each secure multiple spots in this elite group, highlighting their dominance in the alternative scene. The inclusion of The Smiths and The Sisters of Mercy further cements the diverse landscape of the best music of 1987.
Love and Rockets No New Tale to Tell single cover, a standout track in the 1987 music scene.
11. Love and Rockets, “No New Tale to Tell” 12. The Sugarcubes, “Birthday” 13. U2, “With or Without You” 14. Sinead O’Connor, “Mandinka” 15. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “April Skies” 16. Pet Shop Boys, “It’s a Sin” 17. The Church, “Under the Milky Way” 18. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Happy When it Rains” 19. The Smiths, “Girlfriend in a Coma” 20. INXS, “Need You Tonight”
Moving into the teens, the top songs of 1987 continue to showcase a mix of genres and breakthrough artists. Love and Rockets, The Sugarcubes featuring Björk, and Sinead O’Connor all make their mark. U2’s anthemic “With or Without You” also appears, alongside the signature sounds of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Pet Shop Boys. INXS breaks into the top 20, demonstrating the global reach of the popular music of 1987.
U2 Where the Streets Have No Name album art, an iconic song from the Joshua Tree album in 1987.
21. U2, “Where the Streets Have No Name” 22. The Cult, “Love Removal Machine” 23. Midnight Oil, “Beds Are Burning” 24. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “The Passenger” 25. New Order, “Touched by the Hand of God” 26. The Cure, “Why Can’t I Be You?” 27. The Pogues, “Fairytale of New York” 28. Depeche Mode, “Behind The Wheel” 29. 10,000 Maniacs, “Like the Weather” 30. Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield, “What Have I Done To Deserve This”
The 20s section of the 1987 top songs list further emphasizes the diversity of the year. U2’s second entry, “Where the Streets Have No Name,” is featured alongside The Cult’s hard rock and Midnight Oil’s politically charged “Beds Are Burning.” Siouxsie and the Banshees, New Order, and The Cure continue to appear, reinforcing their influence on the music of 1987. The inclusion of The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” adds a touch of folk-punk to this eclectic mix.
The Replacements Cant Hardly Wait single cover, a classic song recognized among 1987's best.
31. The Replacements, “Can’t Hardly Wait” 32. INXS, “Never Tear Us Apart” 33. The Alarm, “Rain in the Summertime” 34. The Sisters of Mercy, “Lucretia My Reflection” 35. The Bangles, “Hazy Shade of Winter” 36. Flesh For Lulu, “I Go Crazy” 37. Public Image Ltd., “Seattle” 38. Prince, “Sign O’ The Times” 39. Suzanne Vega, “Luka” 40. New Order, “1963”
As we move through the 30s and 40s, the top songs of 1987 reveal even more gems. The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait,” INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart,” and The Bangles’ “Hazy Shade of Winter” are all present. Prince’s iconic “Sign O’ The Times” and Suzanne Vega’s poignant “Luka” showcase the range of songwriting during this year. New Order makes yet another appearance, solidifying their place among the best artists of 1987.
Squeeze Hourglass single artwork, a memorable song from the year's top hits.
41. Squeeze, “Hourglass” 42. The Stone Roses, “Sally Cinnamon” 43. The Sisters of Mercy, “Dominion/Mother Russia” 44. U2, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” 45. M|A|R|R|S, “Pump Up The Volume” 46. Sinead O’Connor, “Troy” 47. Happy Mondays, “24 Hour Party People” 48. Echo & The Bunnymen, “The Game” 49. The Smiths, “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” 50. Echo & The Bunnymen, “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo”
The list from 41 to 50 of the greatest songs of 1987 introduces The Stone Roses with “Sally Cinnamon” and Happy Mondays, hinting at the burgeoning Madchester scene. U2, The Sisters of Mercy, and Echo & The Bunnymen continue their strong showing. M|A|R|R|S’s groundbreaking “Pump Up The Volume” reflects the evolving soundscape of 1987 music hits.
The Smiths Shoplifters of the World Unite single cover, a politically charged song from 1987's top tracks.
51. The Smiths, “Shoplifters Of The World Unite” 52. Men Without Hats, “Pop Goes the World” 53. INXS, “New Sensation” 54. R.E.M., “Finest Worksong” 55. The Cure, “Catch” 56. X, “4th of July” 57. Pixies, “Caribou” 58. The Godfathers, “Birth, School, Work, Death” 59. Hüsker Dü, “Could You Be The One?” 60. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Darklands”
Entering the second half of the top 100 songs of 1987, we find The Smiths again with “Shoplifters Of The World Unite,” alongside INXS, R.E.M., and The Cure. Pixies’ “Caribou” marks the emergence of alternative rock icons, and The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Darklands” shows their lasting impact on the 1987 music scene.
Hoodoo Gurus Whats My Scene album art, an energetic song from 1987's top music selections.
61. Hoodoo Gurus, “Whats My Scene” 62. Icehouse, “Crazy” 63. ABC, “When Smokey Sings” 64. Camouflage, “The Great Commandment” 65. Bryan Ferry, “Kiss and Tell” 66. The Cure, “Hot Hot Hot!!!” 67. Sinead O’Connor, “I Want Your (Hands On Me)” 68. Nitzer Ebb, “Join in the Chant” 69. Terence Trent D’Arby, “Wishing Well” 70. 10,000 Maniacs, “Don’t Talk”
The 60s and 70s of the best songs of 1987 introduce Hoodoo Gurus, Icehouse, and ABC, showcasing the global appeal of 80s music. Bryan Ferry, The Cure (with a lighter track “Hot Hot Hot!!!”), and Sinead O’Connor reappear. Terence Trent D’Arby’s “Wishing Well” adds a soulful dimension to this diverse collection of 1987 hits.
Eric B and Rakim Paid in Full album cover, a groundbreaking hip-hop track from the top songs of 1987.
71. Eric B. & Rakim, “Paid in Full” 72. Pet Shop Boys, “Rent” 73. Echo & The Bunnymen, “People are Strange” 74. The Smiths. “Shella Take A Bow” 75. The Dukes Of Stratosphear, “Vanishing Girl” 76. Guadalcanal Diary, “Litany (Life Goes On)” 77. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “This Wheel’s On Fire” 78. INXS, “Devil Inside” 79. Pet Shop Boys, “Always On My Mind” 80. Prince, “U Got The Look”
The list from 71 to 80 of the top songs of 1987 includes a landmark hip-hop track: Eric B. & Rakim’s “Paid in Full.” Pet Shop Boys, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Smiths continue to dominate. INXS’s “Devil Inside” and Prince’s “U Got The Look” keep the energy high in this section of the best music of 1987.
Wire Ahead album artwork, representing the diverse range of 1987's top song selections.
81. Wire, “Ahead” 82. Faith No More, “We Care A Lot” 83. Guns N’ Roses, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” 84. Prince, “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man” 85. U2, “In God’s Country” 86. The Cult, “Wild Flower” 87. The House of Love, “Shine On” 88. INXS, “Mystify” 89. Sonic Youth, “Schizophrenia” 90. The Cure, “How Beautiful You Are”
The 80s and 90s of the 1987 top songs list features Guns N’ Roses with their breakthrough hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” alongside Prince and U2. Sonic Youth’s “Schizophrenia” represents the noise-rock scene, and The Cure makes yet another appearance, proving their consistent output of quality 1987 music.
Erasure Victim of Love single cover, a synth-pop gem among 1987's top hits.
91. Erasure, “Victim of Love” 92. Danny Wilson, “Mary’s Prayer” 93. Gene Loves Jezebel, “The Motion Of Love” 94. U2, “Bullet the Blue Sky” 95. Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle” 96. Rodney Allen, “Come Around Suzy” 97. Suzanne Vega, “Tom’s Diner” 98. Oingo Boingo, “We Close Our Eyes” 99. That Petrol Emotion, “Big Decision” 100. The Fall, “Hit The North”
Rounding out the top 100 songs of 1987, we see Erasure’s synth-pop classic “Victim of Love,” U2’s “Bullet the Blue Sky,” and Guns N’ Roses’ second entry, “Welcome to the Jungle.” Suzanne Vega and Oingo Boingo add further variety to this final section of the best music from 1987. The inclusion of The Fall at number 100 perfectly encapsulates the eclectic and innovative spirit of the top songs of 1987.
1987 was clearly a remarkable year for music, delivering a diverse range of genres and iconic songs that continue to be enjoyed today. This reader poll truly reflects the enduring appeal of the top songs of 1987. What are your favorite tracks from this list? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments below!
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