80s Songs You Might Have Loved but Make You Cringe Today

The 1980s get a bad rap when it comes to pop music, but the decade actually produced some great sing-along and dance-along tunes. Anyone who doesn't recognize the genius of "Come on Eileen" doesn't understand what makes some pop songs great and others forgettable.

That being said, the 80s also produced some truly terrible pop songs. You might have sung along with them back in the day, but try listening to these tunes today. You'll cringe. I guarantee it.

So, without further delay, here are a handful of 80s songs that will make your ears bleed should you have the misfortune of hearing them today.

Billy Ocean was surprisingly popular during the 1980s, and this song, released in 1988, somehow managed to make it to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Why? Who knows? It might have been the video, which featured singer Ocean interacting with a variety of cartoon characters. It looks corny now, but was considered rather cutting edge back in the 80s.

People really liked the duo Milli Vanilli in the 80s. The pair even earned a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Then came the revelation that the duo—Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus—didn't actually provide the vocals on any of their songs. Yep, they were just the front men for the real singers behind the duo's songs. After this came to light, Milli Vanilli became a punch line, and the pair were stripped of their Grammy.

The cause behind this song was legit: Proceeds from the single's sales went to combat famine in Africa. And the single, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, certainly had star power, with stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Tina Turner and more contributing their vocal talents. The problem? The song is terrible. It's boring and corny. Does anyone want to listen to this today? I think not.

Remember Eddie Murphy? Funny guy. Pretty good comedic actor. But a singer? Not so good. That didn't stop Murphy, though, from recording Party All the Time in 1985, with help from Rick James. The song isn't particularly deep, focusing on Murphy complaining that his girlfriend would rather dance with other men than hang out with him. Maybe she heard this song. I'd want to leave, too.

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder are both musical legends. But the less said about this collaboration, the better. Yes, the message behind the song is a positive one, that we should all get along, no matter the color of our skin. But the song itself is dreadfully dull and simplistic. The piano metaphor? That's as obvious as it gets.

Prince released a ton of amazing singles. Batdance was not one of them. The song came out in 1989 as part of the soundtrack for the Michael Keaton-Jack Nicholson Batman movie. Back then, everything Bat-related boomed, so it's little surprise that this song was popular. But listening to it today, and watching the music video that came with it, is definitely a painful experience.

Billy Joel kind of ran off the rails in the late 80s. Songs such as Uptown Girl were popular, but they weren't very good. Joel reached his bottom with 1989's We Didn't Start the Fire. The song's lyrics are little more than Joel reading off headlines starting with the year of his birth, 1949. Joel himself has criticized the song, comparing its melody to a dentist's drill. I have to agree.

Cheeseball. That's the best way to describe the entirety of Richard Marx's career. Hold on to the Nights doesn't deviate. This power ballad is pure sap. And, like many an 80s ballad, is a real snooze to listen to. That didn't stop the song from reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988.