Power ballads are a uniquely 1980s thing, though they certainly didn’t disappear when the decade came to an end. But there’s something about these types of songs that just transports listeners back to that very decade. Let’s listen to a few amazing power ballads from 1985, specifically, that will take you back to a very special time in rock music.
“One More Night” by Phil Collins
I’m sure some 80s rock fans would argue that this Phil Collins song isn’t a power ballad, but it fits the bill to me. “One More Night” was one of several singles off of Collins’ No Jacket Required, and it’s the favorite off the record of man diehard Collins fans. I can see why.
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This power ballad is a soft rock classic, and it peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year. If the megahit “We Are The World” by USA For Africa never happened, I imagine this song would have dominated the chart for quite a few additional weeks.
“The Search Is Over” by Survivor
This song from Survivor was a pretty big power ballad hit in 1985. And it’s one of the most memorable power ballads of the era. In fact, when I think of power ballads, my brain usually goes straight to “The Search Is Over”. This hit song from Survivor made it all the way to No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1985. It also topped the US Adult Contemporary chart.
“It [‘The Search Is Over’] wasn’t about my life as much as a friend of mine who had a girlfriend,” said one of the song’s writers, Jim Peterik. “Really a play pal throughout their growing up years – and never thought it could be anything more than that. It was looking him straight in the face that this was the girl of his destiny, and he looked everywhere to find that dream girl only to come back to the sandbox.”
“We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” by Tina Turner
The late great Tina Turner does not get enough love for her power ballads, including this absolute jam from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985. Written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” really turned this song into her own. She also made waves as a double-threat by starring in the film alongside Mel Gibson. This pop-rock power ballad topped quite a few charts in 1985 and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100.
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