Our Favorite 1980s Pop Songs – by Vocal Type
Looking for new material to expand your vocal chops with? Or does your casting call specifically request non-musical theatre pop songs? With more pop musicals entering the scene, it’s becoming increasingly common to keep a prepared pop song in your back pocket. And because of that, we’ve put together a list of amazing 1980s pop songs, broken down by vocal type.
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Altos
“All Through the Night” – Cyndi Lauper
“Eternal Flame” – The Bangles
“Gloria” – Laura Branigan
“Listen to Your Heart” – Roxette
Baritones / Basses
“Blue Eyes” – Elton John
“And So It Goes” – Billy Joel
“Nikita” – Elton John
“The Way It Is” – Bruce Hornsby
Contras
“I Want to Break Free” – Queen
“Love Will Lead You Back” – Taylor Dayne
“Solitaire” – Laura Branigan
“Time After Time” – Cyndi Lauper
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Mezzos/Sopranos
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
“Greatest Love of All” – Whitney Houston
“Like a Prayer” – Madonna
“This Woman’s Work” – Kate Bush
Tenors
“Hello” – Lionel Richie
“Here I Am” – Air Supply
“Purple Rain” – Prince
“Two Less Lonely People in the World” – Air Supply
Related Posts:
• Pop Songs for Mezzo-Sopranos
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
Which of these 1980s pop songs is your favorite?
And what are you working on at the moment? We would love to hear all about it in the comments below! In the meantime, you can check out our database of best audition songs for specific musicals.
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.