Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Song Inductees (April 2021)

Originally posted 4/22/2021. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the DMDB blog on January 22, 2019, Dave’s Music Database launched its own Hall of Fame. This is the ninth set of song inductees. These inductees were selected because of their iconic presence on MTV in the 1980s. These are the 11 highest-ranked ‘80s songs on the overall DMDB list that make the DMDB’s list of the “Top 100 Videos of All Time”). It does not include previously inducted songs “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson (1982) and “Every Breath You Take” by the Police (1983).

Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1982) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

The one-two punch of Jackson’s #1 songs “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” from his monstrous Thriller album sent him into the superstar stratosphere. With Eddie Van Halen on guitar, it was the most rock-oriented song Jackson had ever done. He also broke down racial barriers as one of the first black artists to get massive airplay on MTV. The iconic video was a mini-movie version of West Side Story with rival gangs facing off in a choreographed rumble. Read more.

Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1982) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

This was the seventh and final single from Jackson’s album of the same name. It became the first album in history with seven top-ten hits. Jackson tapped director John Landis, who’d done An American Werewolf in London, to direct the nearly-fourteen-minute, zombie-themed mini movie which served as the video for the song. It became what the Library of Congress called “the most famous music video of all time.” It was the first video to be inducted into the National Film Registry in 2009. Read more.

Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1983) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were in the British pop group the Tourists in the latter half of the ‘70s before forming the new wave duo the Eurythmics in 1981. They released one album which went nowhere and then three singles from their second album before they found success with the title cut. It reached #2 in the UK and topped the charts in the United States, giving them what is arguably their signature song. The video, with its surreal imagery, is considered a classic of the early-MTV era. Read more.

Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

New wave singer Robert Hazard originally wrote and recorded this song in 1979. In his hands, it came across as misogynistic, but the remake by Lauper turned it into a sing-along party anthem for women’s empowerment. It was her first single as a solo artist and went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video, in which she got friends, family, and business assocates to serve as a volunteer cast, was a fun-filled romp that showcased her quirky look and sense of style – and played a huge role in making her a star. Read more.

Van Halen “Jump” (1983) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

In the late ‘70s, Van Halen established themselves as one of the most popular hard rock acts, thanks to Eddie Van Halen’s legendary prowess on guitar and David Lee Roth’s frontman-extrordinaire schtick. When Eddie presented the band with the synth-driven “Jump,” they initially rejected it as too much of a departure. Roth thought it would look like they were selling out for radio airplay. When producer Ted Templeman heard it, he convinced Roth to give the song lyrics and the result wasn’t just the band’s first top-10 pop hit, but a huge #1. The performance video captured the band’s charisma and playfulness and especially turned Roth into an early star of MTV. Read more.

A-ha “Take on Me” (1984) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

The pop trio A-ha first recorded “Take on Me” in 1984 and it reached #3 in their native Norway. However, after they re-recorded the song and a new video, it became an international hit. Steve Barron, who’d done Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” directed the revolutionary video which combined live action with pencil-sketch animation. It took 16 weeks to make, but got heavy rotation on MTV and won six awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards. The success of the video sent the song all the way to #1 on the U.S. pop charts. Read more.

Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” (1985) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

Steve Barron has a hand in three of the most important music videos ever made with Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” A-ha’s “Take on Me,” and Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing.” The video used innovative computer animation to bring to life the band’s song about working-class guys who lambast rock stars for garnering massive paychecks without having to work for their money. It gave the group a #1 hit in the United States. Read more.

Peter Gabriel “Sledgehammer” (1986) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

Gabriel was the lead singer for the British progressive rock band Genesis from 1967 to 1975 and then went solo. More than a decade later, he had the biggest success of his career with “Sledgehammer,” a #1 song fueled by a wildly inventive video which incorporated Claymation, stop motion, and pixilation. It eventually became MTV’s most played video of all time. Read more.

Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way” (1986) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

The rock band Aerosmith had a top-10 hit with this song from their 1975 album Toys in the Attic. More than a decade later, the rap group Run-D.M.C. remade the song. It became even bigger, becoming the first rap song to hit the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. The video humorously presented Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as Run-D.M.C’s neighbors trying to out-blast each other before they unite on stage to perform together. Read more.

Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1987) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

The 1980s saw the rise of hair bands, which were pop-metal groups with decadent images outfitted in tight leather pants and – of course – the massive ozone-destroying, hairsprayed-to-the-extreme poofed-up hair. Guns N’ Roses managed to simultaneously check all the boxes while simultaneously giving the genre a grittier vibe. However, it was “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” a sentimental love ballad, which gave the group a #1 hit and made the band an inescapable presence on MTV. Read more.

Madonna “Like a Prayer” (1989) Inducted April 2021 as “MTV in the ‘80s”

Madonna became a massive star and the Queen of MTV because of her ability to craft catchy pop songs and ooze charisma while always finding new ways to generate press with one controversy or another. The gospel-flavored “Like a Prayer” raised eyebrows with its mix of sex and religion, especially through its video fueled by images of burning crosses and Madonna kissing a black saint. In 2005, it was voted the most groundbreaking music video of all time. Read more.

Kris Kross “Jump” hit #1

Jump Kris Kross

Writer(s): Jermaine Dupri, Joe "The Butcher" Nicolo, et al (see lyrics here) Released: February 6, 1992 First Charted: March 28, 1992 Peak: 18 US, 13 CB, 14 GR, 3 RR, 2 RB, 2 UK, 11 CN, 13 AU, 9 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.2 US, 0.2 UK, 2.47 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 151.17 video, 158.38 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: While rap was “unambiguously Black music” SG the first crossovers to the pinnacle of the Hot 100 were “carefully vetted for white consumption.” SG When the “kiddie-rap duo” SG Kris Kross came along, they were “unthreatening but…also made straight-up rap music.” SG Their debut single, “Jump,” was “the most credible version of rap music that had ever made its way to the top of Billboard Hot 100.” SG “There’s no melody on ‘Jump,’ no singing. It’s pure rap music.” SG It “is a ridiculously catchy and memorable song” SG “targeted directly at the kids…who had never known a pre-rap world.” SG The song is “a stitched-together collection of samples” SG that realistically couldn’t have been released in the era when samples have to be cleared. Jermaine Dupri is credited as the primary songwriter, followed by 26 more credits. WK It was Dupri who discovered and assembled the Atlanta duo and came up with their “deeply impractical trademark…look” of wearing their baseball jerseys and jeans backwards. SG Chris Smith and Chris Kelly had been friends since first grade. SG They were only 12 and 13 when they recorded “Jump.” FB These were charismatic kids who didn’t cuss, but “came off tougher and meaner than a lot of the other pop-rap…in the major-label system at the time.” SG They actually addressed “adult themes like gang violence and drug problems” FB “instead of singing about what was happening on the playground.” FB Dupri went on to be a very successful producer and songwriter but Kris Kross’ success petered out. They landed a few more top-20 hits over the next few years, but never reached the top ten again. Their final album was released in 1996. It’s gotta suck to “be considered washed-up at 17.” SG Chris Kelly sadly died of a drug overdose at 34 years old. Still, in the spring and summer of 1992, they were a cultural phenomenon. They “weren’t titans or anything, but their success was an important moment in rap history, and their one big song is still pretty great.” SG Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Kris Kross FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 807. SG Stereogum (1/12/2022). “The Number Ones” by Tom Breihan WK Wikipedia First posted 6/22/2023.

Van Halen hit #1 with “Jump”

Jump Van Halen

Writer(s): Eddie Van Halen/Alex Van Halen/Michael Anthony/David Lee Roth (see lyrics here) Released: December 21, 1983 First Charted: January 13, 1984 Peak: 15 US, 12 CB, 15 RR, 18 AR, 7 UK, 12 CN, 2 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.4 UK, 3.4 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 92.0 video, 531.36 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “This is heavy metal in excelsis.” MA The song’s riff, which Eddie Van Halen crafted on synthesizer in 1981, WK “is a direct descendent of the Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ but with sweeter more cogently stated melody.” MA It wasn’t as much of a stretch for guitarist to veer into new territory as some thought. He’d grown up being trained in classical piano and didn’t take up the guitar until his teen years. SF Daryl Hall says Eddie told him he copied the synth part from Hall & Oates’ “Kiss on My List.” Hall said, “I don’t have a problem with that at all.” WK The band initially rejected the song for being too much of a departure from the band’s harder-edged, guitar-based sound. WK Lead singer David Lee Roth thought it would look like the band was selling out for radio airplay. SF However, when the band’s producer, Ted Templeman, heard the song two years later, he said, “It just killed me. It was perfect.” FB He said everyone at Warner Brothers, the band’s record company, “flipped out.” FB He convinced Roth to take a stab at writing some lyrics. According to Roth, he wrote the lyrics in the back of 1951 Mercury low rider while band roadie Larry Hostler drove through the Hollywood Hills, up the Coast Highway, and through the San Fernando Valley. FB Roth had seen a TV news report the night before about a man threatening to jump off a building. He imagined an onlooker shouting “go ahead and jump.” WK Roth opted to turn the phrase into an invitation for love instead of a song about suicide, WK although he’s also said the song is about a stripper. SF He dedicated the song to Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, a martial artist who trained Roth. WK The song was released as the lead single for their sixth studio album, 1984. The band had charted top 40 hits before, but never even hit the top ten. A cheap, but ground-breaking performance video showcased the band’s charisma and playfulness. After the album, Roth went solo, but the band soldiered on with Sammy Hagar at the helm, continuing to be commercially successful. Resources: FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 584. MA Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New York, NY; New American Library. Page 26. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/13/2019; last updated 10/29/2022.

Van Halen released 1984

1984 Van Halen

Released: January 9, 1984 Peak: 2 US, 15 UK, 14 CN, 9 AU Sales (in millions): 10.0 US, -- UK, 16.8 world (includes US and UK) Genre: hard rock/hair band

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. 1984 (instrumental) [1:07] Jump [4:01] (12/21/83, 15 US, 12 CB, 15 RR, 18 AR, 7 UK, 12 CN, 2 AU Panama [3:31] (1/21/84, 13 US, 13 CB, 9 RR, 2 AR, 61 UK, 15 CN, 74 AU) Top Jimmy [2:59] Drop Dead Legs [4:14] Hot for Teacher [4:42] (1/28/84, 56 US, 24 AR, 83 CN, 89 AU) I’ll Wait (E. Van Halen, A. Van Halen, Anthony, Roth, Michael McDonald) [4:40] (2/4/84, 13 US, 17 CB, 8 RR, 2 AR, 85 UK, 21 CN) Girl Gone Bad [4:35] House of Pain [3:19] Songs written by Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, and David Lee Roth unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 33:22 The Players: David Lee Roth (vocals) Eddie Van Halen (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) Michael Anthony (bass, backing vocals) Alex Van Halen (drums)

Rating: 4.076 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings) Quotable: “Set the standard for ‘80s pop metal” – Genevieve Williams, Amazon.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Van Halen’s sixth outing, 1984, “was not a profound album in terms of its lyrics” RD but “it contained solid, catchy hard rock” AZ and “was revolutionary in its sound.” RD “At a time when new wave was the dominant pop genre, the metal band did the unthinkable and fused keyboards into their sound,” RD “the first metal album to do so to any serious extent.” AZ That “hoopla…was a bit of a red herring since the band had been layering in synths since their third album, Women and Children First. [However] those synths were either buried beneath guitars or used as texture.” AM Guitarist Eddie Van Halen had much to do with the new sound. He “made stringest efforts to exercise greater artistic control with 1984.” AB He set up his own studio and insisted they record the album there. He was also the one who pushed for synthesizers to play a more dominant role in the band’s sound. AB He wanted “to move away from the play-it-safe attitude of the past.” AB “Of course, the mere addition of a synth wasn’t enough to rope in fair-weather fans – they needed pop hooks and pop songs, which 1984 had, most gloriously on the exuberant, timeless Jump.” AM “The synths played a circular riff that wouldn’t have sounded as overpowering on guitar, but the band didn’t dispense with their signature monolithic, pulsating rock. Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony grounded the song…and David Lee Roth simply exploded with boundless energy.” AM It was “one of the chief reasons [1984] became a blockbuster.” AM Eddie said he came up with the arrangement for “Jump” years before the band recorded it. Roth says the lyric was inspired by leap year and a television story about a man who threatened to commit suicide by jumping off a building. WK “Songs like ‘Jump’ contain a pop element that gave 1984 mainstream appeal, and David Lee Roth turned the frontman role into an art form.” AM He was a natural showman who knew how to make his gift explode on MTV. To that extent, the band “set about releasing entertaining videos for the single releases, which helped add a TV-based audience to their fanbase.” AB Despite all the attention of the synth-fueled lead single, this is still “the same fiery band that’s been performing with a brutal intensity since Women and Children First. But where those albums placed an emphasis on the band’s attack, this places an emphasis on the songs, and they’re uniformly terrific, the best set of original tunes Van Halen ever had.” AM As Rolling Stone’s J.D. Considine said, it is “the album that brings all of Van Halen’s talents into focus.” WK “’Jump’ showcased Eddie’s adept keyboard skills, but most of the other tracks – except for the instrumental 1984 and the synth-heavy ballad I’ll Wait – proved that he had not lost his virtuosity as a guitarist, with his trademark fingertapping, slides, and fancy harmonics.” RD “The anthems Panama and Hot for Teacher grab center stage.” AM “The former is the band’s signature sound elevated to performance art, with the latter being as lean and giddy, their one anthem that could be credibly covered by garage rockers.” AM “Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs, and the dense yet funky closer, House of Pain, are full-fledged songs, with great riffs and hooks in the guitars and vocals.” AM The latter is “a fast-paced heavy song that dates back to the band’s early club days of the mid-1970s.” WK “It’s the best showcase of Van Halen’s instrumental prowess as a band, the best showcase for Diamond Dave’s glorious shtick, the best showcase for their songwriting, just their flat-out best album overall. It’s a shame that Roth left after this album, but maybe it’s for the best, since there’s no way Van Halen could have bettered this album with Dave around (and they didn’t better it once Sammy joined, either).” AM “To a large extent, it was 1984 that set the standard for ‘80s pop metal.” AZ “Roth’s own macho-aggressive vision…where sex is first and foremost, be it legs that make you wanna hump or teachers who seduce their pupils,” RD “set the standard (or takes the blame, depending on your point of view) for the aggressively good-time attitude most pop-metal bands took for their own.” AZ

Resources: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine AZ Amazon.com review by Genevieve Williams RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 519. AB Michael Spilling (editor) (2015). Best-Selling Albums: From Vinyl Records to Digital Downloads. Amber Books Ltd.: London, United Kingdom. Page 118. WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 1/9/2012; last updated 6/25/2025.