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John Lennon's musical career grew from the Quarrymen into the Beatles and a songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney. Alongside recording, he published the books In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works,...

Ronnie Milsap is a North Carolina singer and keyboardist whose repertoire connects country with R&B, pop and classical training. Before establishing himself in Nashville, he recorded R&B-influenced material and...

Written for the comedy film of the same name, this song was inspired by Dolly Parton's experiences on the movie set.

A soft rock hit for the British pop veteran.

Raydio was the R&B and funk group established by Ray Parker Jr. with singers including Arnell Carmichael and Jerry Knight. Knight sang lead on Jack and Jill, and later Arista recordings included You Can't Change...

An early hit for John Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar.

A disco/R&B cover of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic.

An upbeat R&B track produced by Narada Michael Walden.

Written as a tribute to John Lennon, featuring Ringo Starr on drums and Paul McCartney on backing vocals.

From the soundtrack of "The Jazz Singer," a patriotic song about immigration.

A country-pop cover of Merrilee Rush's 1968 hit, reviving the song for a new generation.

Inspired by the funk and disco music of the era, particularly Chic's "Good Times."

Written for the film "Arthur," this collaboration with Burt Bacharach won an Oscar.

Heartbreak and lost love

Written by Smokey Robinson, this love song showcased his smooth vocals.

Bette Davis Eyes was written by Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss and became a defining recording on Kim Carnes's 1981 Mistaken Identity album. Carnes's official biography connects it with her Grammy recognition for...

A country-pop hit for the Canadian singer.

The Manhattan Transfer developed its celebrated four-part vocal approach in New York, bringing together Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and Laurel Masse in the early 1970s. Its repertoire crosses jazz, pop, swing...

A funk hit with a distinctive car-themed sound.

A hard rock track from the band's "Difficult to Cure" album.

A country-rock song from the singer-songwriter.

This feel-good anthem was inspired by the band's desire to create a universal party song.

A soft rock hit that showcased the band's melodic style.

A cover of Roy Orbison's 1961 hit, McLean's version became popular in 1981.

Despite its seemingly nonsensical title, the song is about the power of simple communication.

Another hit from the band's hugely successful "Hi Infidelity" album.

Inspired by Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" and Sting's experiences as a teacher.

Written by Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain about holding onto hope.

A funk and R&B hit that topped the R&B charts.

A funk song that popularized a style of slang called "Gibberish."

A celebration of Australian culture that became an international hit.

A pop hit for the British singer.

A country hit that crossed over to the pop charts, known for its distinctive bass vocals.

Written by Lionel Richie for the film of the same name, this duet became one of the best-selling singles of the year.

Another romantic ballad that solidified Air Supply's soft rock sound.

A country hit that crossed over to the pop charts.

A country hit that crossed over to the pop charts.

A rock hit from Benatar's "Precious Time" album.

A soft rock hit for the singer-songwriter.

The theme song for the James Bond film of the same name.

A progressive rock track featuring vocals by Lenny Zakatek.

A light-hearted pop-rock song from the band's "Live in the U.K." album.

A blues-rock hit that became McClinton's biggest mainstream success.

From Streisand's album of the same name, produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.

A disco and R&B hit known for its distinctive bassline.

A solo hit for the former Jefferson Airplane/Starship vocalist.

Neil Diamond gained recognition as a songwriter before becoming widely known as a recording performer. His catalog includes compact pop songs such as Solitary Man and Cherry, Cherry, as well as the ballads I Am... I...

A jazz-rock song about an older man's attraction to a younger woman.

A new wave hit from the New Zealand band.

Written by Eddie Schwartz, this rock anthem became one of Benatar's signature songs.

A rock and roll-inspired track from ELO's "Time" album.

A smooth R&B ballad that became the group's biggest hit.

Originally written for The Ramones, Springsteen kept it for himself at the suggestion of his manager.

Another hit from Wonder's "Hotter than July" album.

A blue-eyed soul hit for the band.

From Clapton's album "Another Ticket," showcasing his blues-rock style.

Written by Steve Dorff and Rick Carnes, this country-pop crossover hit showcased Rogers' versatility.

Inspired by a thunderstorm, Rabbitt wrote this song over several years.

A soft rock love song that became the band's biggest hit.

A country hit that crossed over to the pop charts.

A dramatic ballad that became one of Manilow's signature songs.

A soft rock hit for the singer-songwriter.

Diana Ross began her recording career with the Supremes, the Detroit vocal group associated with Motown's 1960s pop and soul sound. Her separate solo career brought Ain't No Mountain High Enough on her 1970 debut...

An R&B and disco hit for the vocal group.

A laid-back country-rock song from Buffett.

The theme song from the film of the same name, written by Michael Masser and Carole Bayer Sager.

A cover of Elvis Presley's 1960 hit by the "Dukes of Hazzard" star.

Inspired by Springfield's unrequited crush on a friend's girlfriend.

An R&B ballad from the former Sly & the Family Stone bassist.

A smooth R&B ballad that launched James Ingram's career.

This smooth jazz and R&B collaboration was inspired by the idea of a perfect romantic relationship.

Written by Kevin Cronin, this power ballad was inspired by his personal relationship struggles.

Originally intended as a demo for Janna Allen, the song became a hit for Hall & Oates.

Written by Lionel Richie, this song crossed over from country to pop charts in 1981.

The Commodores developed from musicians studying at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Their recordings joined tightly played funk with melodic ballads, giving space to several songwriters and contrasting lead voices....

A funk and disco hit that revitalized the band's career.

A soft rock ballad that showcased Vannelli's smooth vocals.

A solo effort from the Bee Gees member.

From the soundtrack of "The Jazz Singer," this ballad showcased Diamond's emotional vocals.

A rock hit for the Cleveland-based band.

A country-rock song that gained popularity on Adult Contemporary charts.

A jazz-pop song from Franks' "Objects of Desire" album.

An R&B and disco hit for the vocal group.

A tribute to Bob Marley, incorporating reggae rhythms into Wonder's sound.

An extended version of the Beatles medley that became a dance hit.

Boz Scaggs developed a mixture of blues, R&B, rock and ballad singing after growing up in Oklahoma and Texas. He recorded in Stockholm and played on the Steve Miller Band's Children of the Future and Sailor before...

The follow-up to Easton's debut hit "Morning Train (Nine to Five)."

A cover of a 1959 Buddy Holly song, Sayer's version became an international hit.

Easton's debut single in the U.S., often confused with Dolly Parton's "9 to 5."

A country cover of the 1954 hit by The Chordettes.

A rock hit for the Canadian band.

Independence and personal journey

The title track from Vandross' debut solo album.

From John's album "21 at 33," this track showcased his piano-driven pop style.

Although recorded in 1975, this ballad was released as a single in 1981.

A disco-influenced track from Stewart's "Foolish Behaviour" album.

A power pop hit from the former Dwight Twilley Band member.

A funk and new wave dance hit with suggestive lyrics.

A country-rock song that became Newton's biggest crossover hit.

This song was one of the first to feature rap in a mainstream pop context.

A soft rock hit from the "Dream Weaver" singer.

Ride Like the Wind was included on Christopher Cross's self-titled debut, released by Warner Bros. in 1979 and produced by Michael Omartian. Cross's own songbook lists it in that original program. The 1979 album...

Dan Fogelberg grew up in a musical family in Peoria, Illinois, with a father who worked as a musician, teacher and bandleader. Piano preceded guitar in his development, and hearing the Beatles sharpened his interest...

A rock hit for the Dutch band, about a road trip to Sausalito, California.

From Cross's Grammy-winning debut album.

A country-pop crossover hit written by Cash about her troubled marriage.

This sensual R&B track was written by Michael Clark and John Bettis.

A country-pop ballad that became one of Milsap's signature songs.

A country-pop hit written by Dick Feller.

A country-pop crossover hit for the blind singer-songwriter.

This disco medley featured snippets of Beatles songs and other popular hits.

A country-pop crossover hit that followed the success of "I Love a Rainy Night."

Stop Draggin' My Heart Around was written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell and became a duet on Stevie Nicks' 1981 solo debut Bella Donna. Producer Jimmy Iovine proposed the collaboration. The release connects Nicks...

A duet from the soundtrack of "Xanadu."

An English-language cover of Kyu Sakamoto's 1961 Japanese hit.

Sweet Baby appears on the 1981 Clarke/Duke Project, bringing Stanley Clarke together with keyboardist and singer George Duke. Clarke recalled that their friendship and frequent sessions led Epic's Vernon Slaughter to...

Another romantic ballad from the Australian soft rock duo.

The debut single from this New Jersey rock band.

Tenpole Tudor is the British band associated with singer and actor Edward Tudor-Pole. Its theatrical mixture of punk, roots rock and pop found a home at Stiff Records. The 1981 debut Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary...

Take It on the Run was part of REO Speedwagon's Hi Infidelity when the album was released in 1980. The band's archive credits Kevin Cronin as lead vocalist and Gary Richrath as lead guitarist on that record. Its...

A cover of Aaron Neville's 1966 hit, given a rock treatment by Heart.

A medley of the band's classic hits that returned them to the charts.

A power ballad from their concept album "Paradise Theater."

A cover of the 1964 hit by The Ad Libs, given a jazzy twist by The Manhattan Transfer.

A new wave rock song about the end of a relationship.

This romantic ballad solidified Air Supply's popularity in the U.S.

A rock hit with a distinctive drum intro and guitar riff.

A cover of a 1967 song by The Paragons, Blondie added a new wave twist.

Inspired by Björn Ulvaeus' divorce from bandmate Agnetha Fältskog.

Stephen Geyer recalled writing the lyrics for Believe It or Not after discussing The Greatest American Hero with creator Stephen Cannell and reading early scripts. Geyer and Mike Post developed the song together,...

A comeback hit for Bonds, produced by Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt.

A progressive rock track featuring vocals by Eric Woolfson.

One of the last hits for the youngest Gibb brother.

A Latin soul ballad that became the group's biggest hit.

Styx formed in Chicago around Dennis DeYoung and brothers Chuck and John Panozzo, making its record debut in 1972. Early albums drew on British progressive rock before the band developed a more accessible pop...

Another rock hit from Benatar's "Crimes of Passion" album.

Known for its distinctive saxophone solo by Junior Walker.

Released posthumously, this song reflected on Lennon's years away from the music industry.

A country duet that crossed over to the pop charts.

The title track from Khan's third solo album, showcasing her powerful vocals.

Another collaboration from Streisand's "Guilty" album.

A solo hit for the former Traffic and Blind Faith member.

A new wave hit with a distinctive video that became an early MTV favorite.

A power ballad from the band's "Escape" album.

A rock hit featuring vocals by Alex Ligertwood.

Written as a tribute to his wife Yoko Ono and to women in general.

Written by Barry and Robin Gibb, a powerful ballad about being in love.

The lead single from the band's "Face Dances" album.

An upbeat pop-rock song that has become one of the duo's most enduring hits.

A cover of The Righteous Brothers' classic about fading love.