Some songs from the 80s prove artists were onto something with their futuristic concepts and forward-thinking songs. Many were futuristic creatively, but also when it came to the way they saw the world. These songs sing about the changing of times and the growth of technology towards a newer, more modern age. Some of these might spook you.
“1999” by Prince
While there are countless songs by Prince that prove he was ahead of his time, “1999” literally attempts to predict the future. I couldn’t not include this track. Prince wrote this one when the US was knee-deep in the Cold War, which explains some of its apocalyptic themes.
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“We were sitting around watching a special about 1999, and a lot of people were talking about the year and speculating on what was going to happen,” Prince told Larry King. “And I just found it real ironic how everyone that was around me whom I thought to be very optimistic people were dreading those days, and I always knew I’d be cool. I never felt like this was going to be a rough time for me. I knew that there were going to be rough times for the Earth because of this system is based in entropy, and it’s pretty much headed in a certain direction. So I just wanted to write something that gave hope…”
“Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles
“Video Killed The Radio Star” might be The Buggles’ only major hit. However, it’s a pretty unforgettable song when you consider the fact that it was also MTV’s first music video. “Video Killed The Radio Star” sings about new technology overthrowing old forms of media. At the time this song was released, videos were just on the cusp of becoming a huge player in song success. It’s kind of wild if you think about it.
“Computer Love” by Kraftwerk
As you could likely predict from the title, “Computer Love” is about computers and the influence they have on romance in the modern age. This song is incredibly foreshadowing of online dating and sings about going on a “data date” and spending nights alone staring at the TV.
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