Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown

This week on the Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we blast back to May 15, 1982, a wild mix of rock giants, new wave upstarts, and heartfelt anthems. From Joan Jett’s leather-jacket swagger to Vangelis’s sweeping synths, and Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder topping it all off with a timeless message of unity, this countdown is pure early-80s magic.

Plus, we’ve just cracked open the vault, Episode 1 of our Top 100 Rock Songs Turning 4...

We’re cracking open the vault for the first episode in our Top 100 Rock Songs Turning 40 series—spotlighting the unforgettable sound of 1985.

Originally created for Patreon, this series now rolls out to the main feed, fully intact and fully electric. This episode kicks off the countdown with the opening 20 tracks—deep cuts, sleeper hits, and maybe a few you forgot you loved.

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Smooth Criminals, soda jingles turned smash hits, holiday chart invasions, and bros with actual Bros, this week’s Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown UK takes you back to December 2, 1988, where the charts were a swirling blend of groove, glitter, and glorious contradictions. From Robin Beck’s fizzy anthem to Pet Shop Boys’ orchestral pop existentialism, this episode covers it all, with the stories, trivia, and deep dives only we bring.

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On this week’s Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we time-travel back to December 3, 1988, a week when pop ballads met rock grit, and unexpected mashups topped the charts. From Poison’s tear-soaked anthem to George Michael’s smooth restraint, from Bon Jovi’s adrenaline to Duran Duran’s stylish defiance, this countdown has it all.

And we’re celebrating in style, because we’ve just opened the vault and dropped two bonus episodes: the Top...

¡Directo del archivo de Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown! Este episodio fue grabado originalmente como parte de nuestra serie exclusiva de Patreon, y ahora está disponible para todos los oyentes.

Hoy contamos las 20 canciones latinas más importantes del 13 de agosto de 1988, con artistas legendarios como Yuri, José José, Gloria Estefan, Raphael, y muchos más. Este episodio especial se presenta sin ediciones, tal como se publicó origin...

Straight from the Gen X 80s Countdown Vault, this Patreon-exclusive episode is now available to all listeners for the first time ever!

We’re diving into the Top 20 Latin tracks from August 13, 1988—a chart full of passion, rhythm, and unforgettable performances from Yuri, José José, Gloria Estefan, Raphael, and many more. Recorded as part of our exclusive Patreon series, this bonus episode is being released exactly as it was ori...

This week, we’re flashing back to a UK chart absolutely bursting with energy—where ballads soared, synths sparkled, and rock heroes battled it out for dominance. From Madonna’s underground soundtrack single to Jennifer Rush’s record-smashing power ballad, we’ve got every shade of 80s magic in one top-to-bottom stunner.

Expect glam, grit, heartbreak, and heat—plus a few surprises you probably forgot you loved.

So hit play and ...

Step into the glitter and groove of October 12, 1985, as we count down the hottest 20 tracks from a week when MTV ruled, cassette decks were king, and the charts were soaked in synth, soul, and swagger.

Join host Bret as he rewinds through unforgettable hits like Take On Me, Oh Sheila, Part-Time Lover, Freedom, and Dress You Up—plus deep trivia, nostalgic stories, and a few surprises along the way. You’ll hear about mall memorie...

Feeling a little tender? This week, we’re turning down the tempo and turning up the emotion with a Bonus Episode: the Adult Contemporary Top 20 from March 25, 1989.

From Rick Astley and Debbie Gibson to Roy Orbison and Anita Baker, this countdown is packed with slow-burn ballads, soft rock gems, and the kind of deep-feeling tracks that wrapped around us like a hug in the Walkman era.

💬 No Patreon anymore? No problem, these bonus...

Rewind to the UK Top 20 from February 28, 1988, where synths sizzled, house music took hold, and pop legends reigned supreme. In this week’s Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we’ve got it all—from Kylie Minogue’s glittering debut and Billy Ocean’s dream-car anthem, to a French-language hit that conquered the UK charts, and a protest-funk jam from Eddy Grant that made the dancefloor political.

We’ll dive into the backstories, the quirk...

Get ready for a time-travel jolt back to February 27, 1988, a week where R&B slow jams, pop anthems, rock comebacks, and sample-driven dance hits all vied for the top. Bret takes you on a countdown loaded with Michael Jackson’s call for change, Cher’s epic return, Debbie Gibson’s teenage triumph, and so much more. We’ll also explore why the 80s never stayed in one musical lane for long.

Plus, big announcement: our Patreon is...

This is it, the final chapter of The Top 80 Protest Songs of the 80s.

Originally a Patreon-exclusive, this series is now free for everyone, because these songs deserve to be heard.

The biggest, boldest, most history-making protest anthems of the decade are all right here.

From Public Enemy and Midnight Oil to U2 and Tracy Chapman, these are the anthems that called for justice, demanded change, and left a permanent mark on ...

This week, we’re doing something different.

There’s no countdown. No rankings. No flashy transitions.

Just 30 songs from the 1980s that offer light when the world feels heavy.

This is a playlist of power, compassion, resilience, and love—songs that say: you’re not alone, and you’re not done yet.

These aren’t just hits from a bygone decade. These are lifelines.

And in times like these, we all need something to hold on...

Some songs get played. Others get banned. Fears. Censored.

Originally a Patreon-exclusive, this series is now free for everyone, because these songs matter now more than ever.

In Part 3 of The Top 80 Protest Songs of the 80s, we continue the countdown with tracks that were so powerful, they were seen as a threat.

From Simple Minds and The Human League to The Style Council and The Clash, these anthems didn't just define a d...

This week, we count down the Top 20 songs in the UK—from soul-drenched ballads and synth-laced pop to arena-sized rock and unexpected chart-toppers.

🎶 New Order delivers a synth masterpiece

🎤 Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Heart battle it out in the Top 5

🎙️ Pet Shop Boys take us to church (and back)

💥 Bruce Willis surprises us with a soulful throwback

🎉 And Los Lobos bring it all home at #1 with a classic reimagined

This isn...

This week on the Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we’re diving into the pop power, cultural crossover, and quiet courage of the week ending August 7, 1987; a chart that didn’t just bring the hits, it brought the heart.

We’ve got:

💃 Whitney, Madonna, and Janet bringing the dancefloor heat

🎸 Richard Marx and Bob Seger turning up the guitars

🎤 Suzanne Vega’s Luka quietly shifting the world

🎬 Three songs from Beverly Hills Cop II tha...

Originally a Patreon-exclusive, this series is now free for everyone—because these songs need to be heard.

In Part 2 of The Top 80 Protest Songs of the 80s, we continue counting down the tracks that challenged the system, spoke truth to power, and left a lasting impact.

From Tracy Chapman and Public Enemy to Paul McCartney and the Dead Kennedys, these songs tackled the biggest issues of the decade—with lyrics that still reson...

The UK charts were electric on September 30, 1983—a vibrant mix of genres, shifting sounds, and timeless icons. This week’s countdown is a ride through everything that made the early 80s unforgettable.

🎶 New Order brought the future with “Blue Monday”

🎶 Culture Club lit up the top spot with “Karma Chameleon”

🎶 David Bowie, UB40, Paul Young, Genesis, and Soft Cell all make powerful appearances

🎶 And a few unexpected gems from M...

This week on the Gen X 80s Top 20 Countdown, we rewind to October 1, 1983—a moment when new wave, power ballads, retro flair, and synth-pop all collided in glorious, unforgettable harmony.

We’ve got Bonnie Tyler’s thunderous #1 hit, Men Without Hats’ quirky dance revolution, and The Police delivering heartbreak in perfect harmony—not once, but twice. Plus:

 🎤 A surprise appearance from Frank Stallone (yes, really!)

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