I've been reading quite a lot of Into The Popvoid later and I was rather amazed about the quantity of 80's songs that are still much remembered nowadays but didn't go far in the British charts. Some of them were US or Continental Europe charttoppers, some are heavily played in 80's themed radio stations and parties but none of them cracked the UK top 40.

 

Here are some of my favorites:

 

After The Fire - Der Komissaar (#47)

Alphaville - Forever Young (#98)

Bryan Adams - Summer Of 69 (#42)

Bryan Adams - Straight From The Heart (#51)

Carly Simon - Let The River Run (#79)

Christopher Cross - Sailing (#48)

Cyndi Lauper - Change Of Heart (#67)

Falco - Jeany (#68)

Frida - I Know There's Something Going On (#43)

Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (#47)

Hall & Oates - Out Of Touch (#48)

Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora - When The Rain Begins To Fall (#68)

Michael Sembello - Maniac (#43)

Mike Oldfield - To France (#48)

Modern Talking - You're My Heart, You're My Soul (#56)

Modern Talking - You Can Win If You Want (#70)

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (#56)

Outfield - Your Love (#83)

Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted (#46)

Peter Cetera & Amy Grant - Next Time I Fall In Love (#78)

Peter Schilling - Major Tom (#42)

Ready For The World - Oh Sheila (#50)

Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl (#43)

Righeira - Vamos A La Playa (#53)

Sandra - (I'll Never Be) Maria Magadalena (#87)

Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life (#96)

Spagna - Easy Lady (#62)

Stacey Q - Two Of Hearts (#87)

Stéphanie - Irresistible (Ouragon) (#84)

Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight (#76)

Wax - Right Between The Eyes (#60)

Young MC - Bust-a-move (#73)

 

What others could be added up to that list?

The Church - Under The Milky Way (#88, 1988). Maybe not the most known of songs but a Top 40 hit in the US, used to great effect in Donnie Darko and definitely a bit of a cult classic.

A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away) #43, has gotta be one of my favourites

Edited November 30, 20177 yr by Hadji

Dolly Parton - 9 To 5 - #47

Air Supply - Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - #80

The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes - #86

Tom Petty - Free Fallin' - #59

 

Eric Carmen Hungry Eyes (peaked at 80)

Summer of 69, Bryan Adams (number 42)

 

I do believe this has managed to build up some respectable sales over the years since its release, but it is a classic song that has a number 1 feel to it.

First thought was Debbie Gibson - Lost in Your Eyes

 

That was the lead single of her 2nd album after the big success of album 1 (out of the blue)

It went easily to #1 in the US, but surprisingly only made it to #34 in the UK

Jolene? Or was that a big hit? I can’t quite remember.

Jolene? Or was that a big hit? I can’t quite remember.

 

It was #7

Jolene? Or was that a big hit? I can’t quite remember.

 

Top Ten. But 9 To 5 (already mentioned) and Here You Come Again both missed the Top 40.

I'm astounded that 'Let The River Run' failed to make an impact here, or even in the states, though it did of course receive an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. I always imagined it to have performed similar to 'Nobody Does It Better.'

Some Europop in the original list, didn't always crossover in the UK in the Eighties.

Personally preferred classic 80s Artists like Talk Talk who had near misses 'Such A Shame' (#49) and 'Living In Another World' (#48) and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions with 'Forest Fire' (#41).

I see Hall & Oates mentioned in the OP but to add to that 'You Make My Dreams' never charted in the UK.

Chris Rea Driving Home for Christmas & Waitresses Christmas Wrapping

 

 

Failed to chart in the 80s but have done better now!

Sheryl Lee Ralph - In The Evening is my nomination, as quite a well-known disco staple.

Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (obviously became a bigger hit in the download era)

Squeeze - Tempted

Bruce Springsteen - Hungry Heart (reached #28 on re-issue in 1995)

Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately

Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman (went top 40 in the download era after Fyfe Dangerfield covered it)

Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You Tonight (Boyzone's cover reached #2 in 1997)

 

I was shocked to find out that Pat Benatar wasn’t big in the U.K. Her videos practically sustained MTV when it started out.

Sheryl Lee Ralph - In The Evening is my nomination, as quite a well-known disco staple.

 

Still listen to that now! Almighty remixed it in the 90s - such a classic tune.

I'm a massive fan of European 80s pop that didn't for one reason or another make it to the UK...half of them weren't even given a release, shame as I think all these would have been huge in the UK given the chance:

 

Gazebo - I Like Chopin

Masquerade - Guardian Angel

Modern Talking - You're My Heart, You're My Soul

Sandra - Maria Magdalena

Mixed Emotions - You Want Love (Maria Maria)

Fancy - Flames of Love

Mysterious Art - Das Omen

A few more...

 

One 2 Many - Downtown (the lead singer Camilla Griehsel later married Colin Vearncombe aka Black)

Soulsister - Way To Your Heart

Fantastique - Mama Told Me

Lime - Guilty

Miquel Brown - So Many Men So Little Time (Miquel is Sinitta's mum and Amii Stewart's step sister)