And I'm talking about songs that charted in the 70s, not a song written in 1979 that charted primarily in 1980.

I'd say "Message in a Bottle" by the Police. I mean for goodness sakes, I had no idea it was from the 70s when I first heard of it (keep in mind this was all well before I was born)...........sounds like something from 1982.

Any others?

Anything by Kraftwerk

And a whole lot of 1979 stuff as that's when new wave got going and when people really turned against disco.

If I had to nominate one song though it'd be Bad Case of Loving You by Robert Palmer, that was 1978 and it could easily pass for 1988.

I'd say "Message in a Bottle" by the Police.


Hmm, just listening to it. It definetly has some early 80's sounds in it, but overall it is very 70's IMO; especially the electric guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldyx3KHOFXw
Cars by Gary Numan

Cars by Gary Numan


Yeah, that's very early 80's. I'd put it into the 1980-81 time frame, however it was only released in August 1979 - so it's very close. The video style could also go for the deeper 80's; 1985 or so.

Yes: "Cars" by Gary Numan is an excellent choice


I'd say "Message in a Bottle" by the Police. I mean for goodness sakes, I had no idea it was from the 70s when I first heard of it (keep in mind this was all well before I was born)...........sounds like something from 1982.

Any others?

-Anything from the 1979 Police's album "Reggatta de Blanc" sounds 80s like (that's the album "Message in a bottle" is from)


-"Dance away" by Roxy Music.
- Several selections from "The Cars" first 2 albums (released in 1978 and 1979) sound 80s. (Good times roll, Let's go, Just what I needed, etc..)
-Take me to the river (Talking heads) .  Heck with the Talking Heads, even "Psycho killer" from 1977 sounds 80s.
- Making plans for Nigel (XTC)..from 1979

Lots of 1979 songs sound 80s, don't they.

Yeah, that's very early 80's. I'd put it into the 1980-81 time frame, however it was only released in August 1979 - so it's very close. The video style could also go for the deeper 80's; 1985 or so.


So if it was released in 1979 why couldn't he make it in 1979? ???

So if it was released in 1979 why couldn't he make it in 1979? ???


I wanted to underline, that the song was coming out very late in the 70's and that it was released just a few months before the actual 80's.

Yes: "Cars" by Gary Numan is an excellent choice
-Anything from the 1979 Police's album "Reggatta de Blanc" sounds 80s like (that's the album "Message in a bottle" is from)


-"Dance away" by Roxy Music.
- Several selections from "The Cars" first 2 albums (released in 1978 and 1979) sound 80s. (Good times roll, Let's go, Just what I needed, etc..)
-Take me to the river (Talking heads) .  Heck with the Talking Heads, even "Psycho killer" from 1977 sounds 80s.
- Making plans for Nigel (XTC)..from 1979

Lots of 1979 songs sound 80s, don't they.

Re: The Cars......it's a very interesting band and I'm a huge fan.

But while "Good Times Roll" has a bit of a New Wave vibe, it also has lots of psychedelic sounds reminiscent of the late 60s. "Let's Go" is another good one, but I wouldn't have mistaken it for something from the 80s. "Just what I needed", on the other hand, could easily pass for something from 1981 IMO.

New Wave in general had a bit of a different, more primitive sound in the late 70s, which quickly evolved to something more slick by 1981 or so. "My Sharona" was a fun and catchy early New Wave hit, but to me it doesn't sound 80s at all.

Take me to the River and Making Plans for Nigel.......WOW. Just youtubed them and I'm impressed :)

So if it was released in 1979 why couldn't he make it in 1979? ???

I generally categorize a song's year as the time when it peaked on the charts.......so if a song was released in late 1979 and then peaked a few months into 1980, it's a 1980 song in my book because that's when it got the most airplay.

I've gotta admit though, with "Message in a Bottle" and "Cars" by Gary Numan, it's kinda tough to pin down.

Here are a few more:

Blondie - Heart of Glass (1979)
Foreigner - Double Vision ( 1978)
Exile - Kiss you all over (1978)
Cheap trick - Surrender (1978)
David Bowie - Golden Years (1975)
Roxy Music - Angel Eyes (1979)
Police - So lonely ( 1978)

This one is a Canadian gem from the mid 70s:  'Into the Mystic' by Jackson Hawke.  Fit this into the early 80s and let someone who's never heard it before listen, and they'd probably never know it was a 70s song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPnrDfyBeg8

This one is a Canadian gem from the mid 70s:  'Into the Mystic' by Jackson Hawke.  Fit this into the early 80s and let someone who's never heard it before listen, and they'd probably never know it was a 70s song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPnrDfyBeg8


Another Canadian gem: Saga, Their first album released in 1978. Many tracks are very 80s. Here's one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHXkRoQNDZ4