The Saxxy 80s: 'Endless Summer Nights' by Richard Marx (1988)

The Saxxy 80s returns, and this time its American rock-pop singer/songwriter/producer Richard Marx and his 1988 hit track Endless Summer Nights. Richard Marx is a Chicago-based artist, he has been active in music circa 1982, and he has produced many hit singles in his day. Endless Summer Nights was released in January of 1988 on his self-titled debut album Richard Marx  and it would peak at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #50 on the UK Singles chart.

So there is another Saxxy 80s track for you, watch this space for more to come. 

Rockin' In The 80s: 'Ah! Leah!' by Donnie Iris (1980)

Welcome back to Rockin' In The 80s! I've been away for awhile again, but am back with American rocker Donnie Iris, and his epic track Ah! Leah!. Donnie Iris is an American rock artist out of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, he's been active in the music industry circa 1965 playing with bands like The Jaggerz and Wild Cherry in the 1970s as well as his solo work later on. The song Ah! Leah! was a single released in 1980 off of his Back on the Streets album, and that is where it can be found.  For more info and music head over to his website HERE. Stay in there 80s fans, as there's always more posts to come.

#1 of DJ Akhu's' Top 100 80s Dance Hits Countdown!: 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson (1982)

Finally we've reached the #1 pick of DJ Akhu Enkiel's Top 100 80s Dance Hits Countdown! For some reason #1 was just too easy to pick, I knew it before I even started the countdown, its a 1983 released and guaranteed "dance floor-filler" by the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson...thats right its Billie Jean. Now, I know I said before that if I were to do this countdown again I would definitely change things, but this #1 song would still be #1, its almost in stone I think, and that makes it a little less than exciting to reveal, even though its the top spot. I actually enjoyed doing the higher numbers, because I felt they were less predictable, and not necessarily songs everyone and their grandma would be familiar with. That said, I tip my hat to the late King of Pop and his 80s masterpiece, Billie Jean. There's an 80s movie called The Legend of Billie Jean and I intend to watch it, though I don't know how much it has to do with this classic MJ song. Billie Jean was released on Jackson's epic 6th studio album Thriller, released in November of 1982, which also happens to be the reigning best-selling album of all time, with sales estimated by various sources as being between 65 and 110 million copies internationally and is also tied for the best-selling album in the United States. Thriller won 8 Grammy Awards at the 1984 Grammys, and it goes without saying that Billie Jean hit #1 on all the major charts world-wide. So there it is folks, maybe I will do another set of 80s hits, like a 100-200 or something, though I think sticking to genre's for now will be the plan. Keep it real folks, hope you enjoyed the Top 100 countdown... stay tuned for more 80s! :-)

Those Metal 80s: 'Dream Warriors' by Dokken (1987)

Those Metal 80s have returned again! Today we have 80s metal legends Dokken, and their 1987 track Dream Warriors. Dokken are an American heavy-metal band out of Los Angeles, California who formed originally way back in 1978, and consisted of original members Don Dokken (vocals and founder of the band), George Lynch (guitar), Juan Croucier (bass guitar), and "Wild"Mick Brown (drums). Dream Warriors was released in 1987 on the movie soundtrack for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and the track can also be found on the band's 1987 album Back for the Attack.Yup, thats a movie that scarred me as a child as I was at the neighbors house watching it when my parents never would have allowed it, and the graphic images of Freddy Kruger slicing and dicing up teenagers and killing them in their sleep really freaked me out for years to come. But then again, I had A Nightmare On Elm Street 4 poster in my room, so it is sort of paradoxical I suppose. I will soon be posting #1 80s Dance hit, although now that I have been doing this awhile I may consider doing a version 2 of the whole list as I have come across so many new-to-me 80s dance hits, but then again I could do a 200-300 list as well...watch this space to find out what unfolds. 

Your 80s Hip-Hop Rewind: 'Kill That Noise' by MC Shan (1987)

Welcome back fans, its time for another issue of Your 80s Hip-Hop Rewind, and this week we have MC Shan, and his fly 1987 track Kill That Noise. MC Shan (born Shawn Moltke) is an American rapper from  Queens, NYC who has been active out on the scene circa 1985. He is well known for his collaboration with Canadian rapper Snow, and his 1992 international hit track Informer. Kill That Noise was released on MC Shan's 1987 debut album Down By Law, which apparently was released at the height of the Bridge Wars, which was a feud between rappers from Queensbridge, NYC (MC Shan), and those from the South Bronx (e.g. KRS-One). It seems that the feuds of the hip/hop/rap world have always been going on. Well, that does it for this issue, stay tuned, numero uno of the countdown is soon to be announced!

Italo Disco 80s Hits: 'Music In The Night' by Solid Strangers (1985)

We're coming back at you 80s addicts with another Italo Disco 80s Hit by German disco-pop group Solid Strangers called Music In The Night. The group was active in the mid-80s, based out of Germany, and were produced by Kalle Trapp and Rolf Köhler. Their music fits into the Italo-Disco genre of 80s music. Music In The Night was released in 1985 as a single. Its a great song to add to your 80s Nights collection as well, you know, that one you drive around the city at night too ;-) That is about all the info I can find on this group, so if you are hungry for more then check out their LastFM page HERE.

Hot 80s Nights!: "Good Man in a Bad Time" by Ian Hunter (1985)

Welcome back to Hot 80s Nights!, or should I say welcome to Fright Night! This edition of Hot 80s Nights! goes to English singer/songwriter Ian Hunter and his 1985 song Good Man in a Bad Time. Ian Hunter is an English musician who entered the music scene in 1958, and was the lead singer of the band Mott the Hoople from 1969-74, and has continued on as a solo-artist for many years. Good Man in a Bad Time was a song he recorded for the Fright Night movie soundtrack (1985 version), and that is where it can be found. I watched this movie (the original, not the newer version), and its sequel (1989) just recently and dug the music, I just love those 80s movies and their classic soundtracks, and the lesser known but great songs found on them! Check out the movie and the rest of the soundtrack if you like what you hear, and note that Ian Hunter appeared on a few more rare 80s movie soundtracks with songs that are well worth listening to, so check the out too. 

Rockin' in the 80s: 'Runaway' by Bon Jovi (1983)

Your Rockin' in the 80s song of the month goes to Bon Jovi, and their 1983 song Runaway. Bon Jovi are of course the American rock band formed in 1983, in New Jersey, by members Jon Bon Jovi (vocals), Richie Sambora (guitar), David Bryan (keyboards), Tico Torres (drums), and Hugh McDonald (bass guitar). Runaway is a single from the band's debut self-titled album Bon Jovi, which was released in January of 1984 and peaked at #39 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

On another note, the posts have become so far in between that I am now dubbing them as "monthly," seeing that's how often I actually get around to doing them, but alas I don't get paid to do this, its just a hobby, so enjoy what you can, while it lasts, and watch this space for more to come!

Tragic Love in the 80s: 'Time Starts Now' by Boys Club (1988)

Its time for some more Tragic Love in the 80s, and this time the song is Time Starts Now by Minneapolis, Minnesota based R-and-B duo Boys Club.  Boys Club were the duo of Gene Hunt and Joe Pasquale, who according to Wikipedia were regarded as Minnesota's own version of Wham!. Time Starts Now was single release by the duo, and was released on the movie soundtrack for the 1987 teen Corey's film License to Drive. They had it on Netflix streaming last month, and I got to watch it again for the first time in years, and it was a classic 80s flick for sure, and my second favorite Corey's film of the 80's, behind Lost Boys. This song also just happens to fit into the Saxxy 80s genre as well, so it might reappear some day.  Watch this space for more 80s!

#2 of DJ Akhu's Top 100 80s Dance Hits Countdown!: 'Hungry Like the Wolf' by Duran Duran (1982)

Well, well, at #2 of the Top 100 80s Dance Hits Countdown we have 80s legends Duran Duran (once again), and their massive 1982 hit Hungry Like the Wolf. This song was originally released on the group's second studio album Rio in May of 1982, and it would hit #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #5 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as receiving a silver certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The music video for the song was based on the Raiders of the Lost Ark film and in 1984 it won the first Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video. Many good reasons to check it all out. I find that as I have come to the end of the top 100 countdown it actually becomes less interesting and more predictable, but since I started it I have discovered heaps of great 80s songs I never previously knew about that would make it on now, and probably bump some of the other places, but that is for another year or day. #1 will be presented shortly, and its hardly a surprise so see if you can guess it, most of you will first try I'd imagine :) Always more to come, so stay tuned. 

The Saxxy 80s: 'You're a Friend of Mine' by Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne (1985)

Welcome back to the Saxxy 80s, and today I have for you the 1985 duet of Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne with their collaboration You're a Friend of Mine. Clarence Clemons (who just past away in June of 2011) was a well known musician, actor, and saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, and Jackson Browne is a famous American singer/songwriter who has sold over 17 million albums in the USA and been around circa 1966. This duet for You're a Friend of Mine, which I might mention is pretty farkin' amazing, was by written by Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen and released by Clemons and Browne in 1985, and it appeared on solo-album Hero that year. Hope you like it, and watch this space for more great 80s posts. 

The Beachy 80s: '(Bop Bop) On the Beach' by The Flirts and Jan and Dean (1984)

Welcome back to The Beachy 80s! Its been a long winter, and the 'beachy' posts have been suffering as well, so its time to break the cold spell and inject some sun...and the song is (Bop Bop) On the Beach, by collaboration of The Flirts and Jan and Dean. Jan and Dean are a popular rock and roll duo from Southern California, and The Flirts are a female trio from New York City, and they came together in 1984 for their contribution to The Karate Kid soundtrack with the song Bop Bop On the Beach. Im going to try and get another post up within the next week as I have been busier lately and getting fewer posts in, but there is always more 80s, so stay tuned. 

The Metal 80s: 'Somebody Save Me' by Cinderella (1987)

I don't know why I haven't already had an 80s metal series, but here it begins, and it starts with American heavy-metal/glam-metal band Cinderella and their 1987 hit Somebody Save Me. Cinderella originated out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and was founded in 1983 by Tom Keifer (singer-songwriter, keyboardisand bassist Eric Brittingham and also included guitarist Michael Smerick and drummer Tony Destra. The band would produce many multi-platinum albums in the 1980s. Somebody Save Me was the third single off of the band's 1987 triple platinum album Night Songs.  It would peak at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and hit #37 on the Album Rock Chart. And so, there is the first heavy-metal 80s post, stay tuned for more 80s fans.  :-)

Your 80s Hip Hop Rewind: 'Supersonic' by J.J. Fad (1987)

Its been awhile since I posted anything, much less an 80s Hip Hop Rewind song, so today I have the 1988 hit Supersonic, by American hip-hop/rap group J.J. Fad. J.J Fad originated out of Los Angeles, California in 1988, and consisted of members MC J.B. (Juana Burns), Baby-D (Dania Birks), and Sassy C. (Michelle Franklin), who regrouped in 2009 and are active to this day. The name J.J. Fad originally stood for Just, Jammin', Fresh And Def. Supersonic was the first album by the group, released in June of 1987 it would be certified Platinum, and the song itself came to be ranked #76 in VH1's 2009 special "100 Greatest One-Hit wonders of the '80s." Stay tuned for more great 80s!

Hot 80s Nights!: 'Bad Boy' by Den Harrow (1985)

Hot 80s Nights! is back once again, after a bit of a holiday, and tonight I present to you the song Bad Boy, by Italian pop project Den Harrow. Den Harrow is an Italo-disco project out of Nova Milanese , Italy, which was fronted (the songs were actually sung by other various vocalists, including American vocalist Tom Hooker) by fashion model Stefano Zandri, who enjoyed a string of hit singles in the 1980s. Bad Boy was released as a single in 1985, where it would reach #11 in Switzerland, #17 in France, #5 in Italy, and #20 in Germany. Check out the video, pretty cool!