40 Best 80s Karaoke Songs (Neon Anthems & Synth-Pop Classics)

12 June 2026 · 7 min read

The 80s might be the single best decade for karaoke — gigantic choruses, neon-bright synths, and anthems written to be sung by a stadium. Big hair optional, big energy required. Here are 40 of the best 80s karaoke songs, sorted by vibe. Search any title and sing it with the lyrics on screen.

The untouchable anthems

• “Don’t Stop Believin’” — Journey
• “Livin’ on a Prayer” — Bon Jovi
• “Sweet Child O’ Mine” — Guns N’ Roses
• “Total Eclipse of the Heart” — Bonnie Tyler
• “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” — Whitney Houston
• “Summer of ’69” — Bryan Adams

Synth-pop & new wave

• “Take On Me” — a-ha
• “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — Eurythmics
• “Don’t You Want Me” — The Human League
• “Tainted Love” — Soft Cell
• “Blue Monday” — New Order
• “Just Can’t Get Enough” — Depeche Mode
• “Africa” — Toto

Pop superstars

• “Like a Prayer” — Madonna
• “Material Girl” — Madonna
• “Billie Jean” — Michael Jackson
• “Thriller” — Michael Jackson
• “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” — Wham!
• “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” — Cyndi Lauper
• “Time After Time” — Cyndi Lauper

Rock & hair metal

• “Pour Some Sugar on Me” — Def Leppard
• “You Give Love a Bad Name” — Bon Jovi
• “Jump” — Van Halen
• “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” — Poison
• “Here I Go Again” — Whitesnake
• “Wanted Dead or Alive” — Bon Jovi

Movie & dance-floor hits

• “Footloose” — Kenny Loggins
• “Danger Zone” — Kenny Loggins
• “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” — Dirty Dancing
• “Flashdance... What a Feeling” — Irene Cara
• “Eye of the Tiger” — Survivor
• “The Power of Love” — Huey Lewis & The News

Feel-good singalongs

• “Come On Eileen” — Dexys Midnight Runners
• “867-5309/Jenny” — Tommy Tutone
• “Walking on Sunshine” — Katrina & The Waves
• “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” — Simple Minds
• “Never Gonna Give You Up” — Rick Astley

How to throw an 80s karaoke night

The 80s set runs itself — open with a synth-pop banger like “Take On Me,” keep the energy high with the rock anthems, and let everyone scream “Don’t Stop Believin’” at the peak. Lean into the camp: the decade rewards big, unironic commitment. For neighboring decades, see our 90s and rock lists.

Cue the neon

Pick an 80s anthem and search it on Starlight Karaoke — free, no signup. Missing a deep cut? Paste a link or AI-remove the vocals and sing it anyway.

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