Top 10 Greatest Soft Rock Songs of the 1980s

Top 10 Greatest Soft Rock Songs of the 80s

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the 1980s rock songs that traded leather and lighters for white wine and ocean air.

#10: Steal Away (1980)

Robbie Dupree

No need to adjust your stereo youre not the only one who hears the uncanny resemblance to the Doobie Brothers 1978 hit What a Fool Believes. In fact, Michael McDonalds publishing company once considered suing singer-songwriter Robbie Dupree over the similarity, though McDonald himself reportedly had no interest in pursuing legal action. Whatever the case, Steal Away became a soft rock staple and Duprees lone top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. He may have never reached those heights again, but this one smooth gem is more than enough to cement his place in yacht rock history.

#9: Hard to Say Im Sorry (1982)

Chicago

In the 1970s, Chicago was synonymous with bold horn arrangements and an even bigger sound. But that changed in the early 80s when the band brought in Canadian producer David Foster. Out went the brassy bombast, in came polished synths and the rising dominance of singer-bassist Peter Cetera. Some longtime fans balked, but the makeover paid off just look at Hard to Say Im Sorry, a #1 hit from 1982s Chicago 16. The ballad more than earns its soft rock stripes, bolstered by the studio finesse of Totos David Paich and Steve Porcaro.

#8: Youre the Only Woman (You & I) (1980)

Ambrosia

You might not know these versatile L.A. rockers by name and thats a shame, because Ambrosia delivered some of the grooviest soft rock not just of the 80s, but of all time. Originally a prog band in the vein of Rush, they gradually pivoted toward the smooth, blue-eyed soul sound of the era. Youre the Only Woman captures that transition in full: a steady, driving rhythm, funky organ and sax solos, and crucially, David Packs irresistibly soulful vocals. File this one under: songs to play when your significant other needs a little reassurance.

#7: Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) (1984)

Phil Collins

Did you really think wed get through a list of soft rock essentials without a little Phil Collins? The real question was which Collins track deserved the nod. And while In the Air Tonight is, of course, a stone-cold classic, we felt that it didnt quite fit the soft rock mold. Instead, we went with this sweeping, Oscar-nominated power ballad, recorded as the theme to a mostly forgotten 1984 romantic thriller starring Jeff Bridges. The movie may have vanished from memory, but Against All Odds became Collins first U.S. #1 hit, proving he could tug at heartstrings just as powerfully as he could pound the drums.

#6: Africa (1982)

Toto

Sure, its been meme-ified into oblivion, but theres a reason that Africa hit #1 back in 1982, and its not just ironic appreciation. Yes, the lyrics are borderline nonsensical. Yes, its an earnest ode to a continent Totos David Paich had never actually visited (inspired instead by a National Geographic article). And yet, thats exactly what makes it great. Africa is soft rock at its most wide-eyed and overproduced, full of shimmering synths, soaring harmonies, and unironic grandeur. Its ridiculous, its irresistible, and its the kind of song that couldve only come from the 80s and we wouldnt change a thing about it.

#5: I Want to Know What Love Is (1984)

Foreigner

Lets face it: soft rock is a tough term to pin down. It means different things to different people, but more often than not, its a vibe you just know it when you hear it. Nowhere is that clearer than in this global smash, which remains Foreigners defining anthem. To borrow a line from Bill Haders legendary SNL character Stefon: I Want to Know What Love Is has everything: dreamy synths, a steady groove, Lou Gramms emotional vocals, and a chorus so huge and moving that it seems to echo through the heavens.

#4: I Cant Go for That (No Can Do) (1981)

Hall & Oates

Some songs glide across genre lines so effortlessly, they end up defining an entire era. Hall & Oates I Cant Go for That (No Can Do) is one of them a masterclass in groove-forward soft rock that fused blue-eyed soul, synth-driven minimalism, and radio-ready polish. With its laid-back rhythm, silky vocal harmonies, and a bassline so smooth it inspired Michael Jacksons Billie Jean, this 1981 chart-topper blurred the lines between R&B, pop, and rock. But make no mistake: this is rock music, just with a looser collar and better cologne. Its the sound of the '80s, pressed to perfection.

#3: Hey Nineteen (1980)

Steely Dan

No band blurred the line between soft rock sophistication and jazz-fusion cynicism quite like Steely Dan. Co-founders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker crafted Hey Nineteen as a deceptively breezy portrait of generational drift: all shimmering keys, slinky grooves, and immaculate production. Fagens deadpan vocals glide over Beckers surgically precise arrangements, painting a scene of an aging hipster trying (and failing) to connect with a much, much younger woman. The gap is cultural, emotional, and deeply pathetic and thats the point. Sure, it goes down like a top-shelf cocktail, but the aftertaste is pure existential hangover. This is soft rock at its most brainy and biting cynical, stylish, and unmistakably Dan.

#2: Cant Fight This Feeling (1980)

REO Speedwagon

Power ballads dont get much more textbook than this. With Cant Fight This Feeling, REO Speedwagon traded in their arena rock swagger for something softer, sappier and totally irresistible. Frontman Kevin Cronin leans all the way into the melodrama, delivering a love-struck confession that teeters on the edge of overwrought but somehow never tips over. Its the sound of a man white-knuckling his feelings in real time, backed by swelling piano, chiming guitars, and a chorus engineered to be belted out in the car with the windows up. If soft rock is about sincerity without shame, this is a gold standard.

#1: Every Breath You Take (1983)

The Police

Of course we had to make room for one of the most deceptively romantic songs of the 80s or so it sounds. Every Breath You Take is often mistaken for a heartfelt ballad, but Sting has long insisted its about obsession, surveillance, and control. It sounds like a comforting love song, he once said, but I didnt realize at the time how sinister it is. And yet, even with its cold undercurrent, the songs spare arrangement, mellow groove, and emotional restraint hit squarely in soft rock territory. Its a clever inversion of the soft rock formula, using its trademark sounds and stylings to deliver a decade-defining tune.

Which soft rock song on our list is your favorite? Are there any iconic 80s tunes that we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!