'80s Rock

Hey, the '80s weren't only about skinny ties, shoulder pads, and synth-pop. Fact is, the second-to-last decade of the 20th century was prime time for real-deal, straight-ahead rock 'n' roll, and we've got the '80s Rock Basics to prove it, with tracks like John Mellencamp's true-blue heartland sing-along "Jack & Diane" and Bon Jovi's blue-collar fist-pumper "Livin' on a Prayer." Elsewhere, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers take us on a slo-mo roll through small-town America on "Free Fallin'" and heavy metal madman Ozzy Osbourne boards a hard-charging "Crazy Train."

Keep it rolling into Next Steps for more righteous '80s rock.

The beauty of '80s rock is that you could score a little bit of everything. So while hair-metal hell-raisers Mötley Crüe were revvin' it up on the Sunset Strip, hot on the trail of "Girls, Girls, Girls," Rick Springfield had his sights set on one lady in particular, in the hook-heavy blast "Jessie's Girl." Meanwhile, the Romantics were packing some Detroit thunder into the power pop classic "What I Like About You" and prog-rock powerhouse Yes were left all alone to ponder the "Owner of a Lonely Heart."

Ten great years, three great playlists — Deep Cuts have more '80s rock extravaganzas.

If there's one thing that defines great '80s rock, it's that there's no one sound to define it. Billy Squier may have scored with rafter-raising arena rock on his heavy-pettin' "The Stroke," but the Georgia Satellites nailed it just as dead-on with their down-home, southern-fried stomper "Keep Your Hands to Yourself." Ratt apply their brand of metalicious "ratt 'n' roll" to the subject of karma on "Round and Round," and the late, lamented John Lennon sings while the world turns on a poignant "Watching the Wheels."

A decade that kicks off with Pink Floyd's scary-good alienation anthem "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" and closes out with Elvis Costello's momentous collaboration with Paul McCartney, "Veronica," has got to be good. The '80s crammed a lot of great rock in between those two sonic bookends, as U2 planted a landmark with a tune as expansive and inspirational as the great American West on "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and on "Call Me" Blondie beckoned for a more intimate good time. The Clash unleashed their post-punk classic "Rock the Casbah" and Canadian power trio Rush conjured up their mainstream breakthrough epic, "Tom Sawyer." We've got all that, and then some, in our '80s Rock Essentials, a set of songs that makes collecting the sounds of a decade as easy as a download.