The 1980s invented karaoke culture — and for good reason. The decade gave us synth-pop, power ballads, new wave, hair metal, and pop anthems so big they still fill rooms forty years later. Whether you want to shred a guitar solo, hit a key change, or channel your inner George Michael, the 80s delivers.
Every song below is in our karaoke catalogue at The Old School Yard in London Bridge.
The Absolute 80s Essentials
A-ha — Take On Me
The most iconic karaoke moment of the decade. That opening synth riff gets the room every time — and the falsetto challenge at the end gives everyone something to aim for.
Madonna — Like a Prayer / Material Girl / Holiday / Like a Virgin / Papa Don’t Preach
Madonna’s 80s run gives you an entire evening’s worth of options. Like a Prayer is the showstopper. Material Girl if you want pure fun. Holiday to open with energy.
Wham! — Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go / Club Tropicana / I’m Your Man / Freedom
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go is mandatory at some point in any 80s night. Club Tropicana sets the mood immediately. Four songs worth queuing.
George Michael — Faith / Careless Whisper / Freedom! ’90
Careless Whisper rewards complete commitment — that saxophone intro is all you need to own the room. Faith for Uptempo swagger. Freedom! ’90 for the slow build that absolutely lands.
Michael Jackson — Billie Jean / Thriller / Beat It / Bad / Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
The full MJ 80s catalogue. Beat It and Bad are more achievable than Billie Jean but all reward commitment above all else.
Prince — Kiss / When Doves Cry / 1999 / Purple Rain
Kiss is stripped back and works entirely on personality — which makes it brilliant karaoke. Purple Rain for the full emotional commitment required.
Synth-Pop & New Wave — The Sound of the Decade
The synthesiser songs that still sound completely fresh:
Duran Duran — Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, Girls on Film
Depeche Mode — Just Can’t Get Enough, Personal Jesus
The Cure — Friday I’m in Love, Close to Me
New Order — Blue Monday
Pet Shop Boys — West End Girls, It’s a Sin
Eurythmics — Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Culture Club — Karma Chameleon, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Human League — Don’t You Want Me
Soft Cell — Tainted Love
Frankie Goes to Hollywood — Relax, Two Tribes
Tears for Fears — Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Simple Minds — Don’t You (Forget About Me)
OMD — Enola Gay
Spandau Ballet — Gold, True
Talking Heads — Psycho Killer
The B-52s — Love Shack (always works as a group)
80s Power Ballads — Maximum Emotion Required
These songs demand full commitment. Save them for when the session is warmed up:
Bonnie Tyler — Total Eclipse of the Heart / Holding Out for a Hero
Total Eclipse is the power ballad. The key change, the drama, the sheer scale of it. There is no half-measure with this song.
Cyndi Lauper — Girls Just Want to Have Fun / Time After Time
Girls Just Want to Have Fun to open. Time After Time when you want something more emotional.
Belinda Carlisle — Heaven Is a Place on Earth
Criminally underrated karaoke choice. The chorus absolutely soars.
Tina Turner — What’s Love Got to Do with It / Simply the Best / The Best / Private Dancer
Simply the Best is one of those songs where volume matters more than accuracy — which is the ideal karaoke condition.
Whitney Houston — I Wanna Dance with Somebody / How Will I Know / Greatest Love of All
I Wanna Dance with Somebody is pure joy. Greatest Love of All demands your full vocal range.
Phil Collins — In the Air Tonight, Against All Odds, Easy Lover
Bryan Adams — (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (technically 1991 but quintessential 80s ballad energy)
Foreigner — I Want to Know What Love Is
Berlin — Take My Breath Away
REO Speedwagon — Can’t Fight This Feeling
80s Rock Anthems
The songs that demand air guitar and absolute volume:
Bon Jovi — Livin’ on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name
Def Leppard — Pour Some Sugar on Me, Hysteria
Whitesnake — Here I Go Again
Europe — The Final Countdown (the intro alone earns you the room)
Journey — Don’t Stop Believin’
Survivor — Eye of the Tiger
Starship — We Built This City, Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
Huey Lewis — The Power of Love
Kenny Loggins — Footloose, Danger Zone
More 80s Classics in Our Catalogue
Katrina and the Waves — Walking on Sunshine
The Bangles — Walk Like an Egyptian, Eternal Flame
Kim Wilde — Kids in America
Blondie — Heart of Glass, Call Me, Rapture
Pat Benatar — Love Is a Battlefield
Rick Astley — Never Gonna Give You Up, Together Forever
Bobby Brown — Every Little Step
INXS — Need You Tonight, New Sensation
The Police — Every Breath You Take, Roxanne
The Smiths — How Soon Is Now?, There Is a Light
U2 — With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name
Genesis — Invisible Touch, Land of Confusion
Dexy’s Midnight Runners — Come On Eileen
Toto — Africa
Kenny Loggins — Footloose
Banarama — I Heard a Rumour
80s Karaoke Tips
Use the decade’s structure. Most 80s songs have a clear verse–chorus–bridge–key change format. Learn where the key change hits and treat it as your big moment.
Synth-pop rewards style over skill. Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order — these songs are about attitude, not vocal range. Own the delivery and the song will carry you.
Double up on Wham! Club Tropicana and Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go back-to-back is one of the most reliably fun two-song combos in karaoke.
Plan your emotional arc. Start with something high-energy (Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Footloose), build through the rock anthems, and close with a power ballad that empties the tank.
Book Your 80s Night
All these songs are loaded and ready in our private karaoke rooms in London Bridge.
See also: Most Popular Karaoke Songs → | 90s Karaoke Songs → | Best Karaoke Duets → | Full Song List →
The Old School Yard | 111 Long Lane, London Bridge, SE1 4PH