Like Totally the Top Songs of the ’80s with ‘LIKE’ in the Title

We have already given you an awesome list of ’80s songs that have the word “love” in the title. Sometimes love can be too strong of a word to describe an affection for something. When you don’t quite want to admit love, sometimes “LIKE” might be the proper sentiment. So, let’s come up with a list of our favorite songs from the ’80s with the word “like” in the title.

The word like is quite versatile, though. Like is not simply a version of love with less conviction. In addition to a term of endearment or enjoyment, it is probably even more often used for comparison and describing similarities. It was also popularized in ’80s valley girl speak with terms such as “Like totally”, “Like, Oh my God” and “Like as if” to name a few. The word gained additional significance when it became a way to count the number of approvals a social media post or picture received. Like can be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, particle, conjunction, hedge, quotative and filler. It was also used in quite a few song titles during the ’80s.

The list can include any song released from 1980-1989 that includes the word “like” in the title. My rankings will be based on a combination of perceived quality of work and pop culture significance, but mostly just my personal taste level both then and now (which admittedly can change daily). Like it or not, it’s like totally time for the TOP SONGS OF THE ’80s WITH “LIKE” IN THE TITLE:

30. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Johnny Mathis (1986) – He recorded his version of this classic holiday tune for his album Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis and it later gained even more popularity after its inclusion in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

29. “Somebody Like You” by 38 Special (1986)

28. “Like a Surgeon” by Weird Al Yankovic (1985) – His parody of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” was included on his Dare to Be Stupid album.

27. “Never Knew Love Like This Before” by Stephanie Mills (1980) – Won Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1981 Grammy Awards

26. “I Like” by Guy (1989) – From their 1988 debut self-titled album

25. “Doowutchyalike” by Digital Underground (1989) – Originally released independently by the group in October of 1989, it was later included on their debut studio album Sex Packets.

24. “I Like It” by Dino (1989) – It peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot Dance chart

23. “You’re Lookin’ Like Love to Me” by Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack (1983) – Their album of duets also included the hit single “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love”

22. “How Ya Like Me Now” by Kool Moe Dee (1987) – This song is a diss-track directed at rival rapper LL Cool J

21. “She’s Like the Wind” by Patrick Swayze (1987) – Swayze actually co-wrote this song that ended up on the popular soundtrack for Dirty Dancing

20. “I Know What I Like” by Huey Lewis & the News (1986) – Like another single from the Fore! album, “Hip to Be Square”, this one also featured background performances by then-San Francisco 49ers football players Dwight Clark, Riki Ellison, Ronnie Lott, and Joe Montana.

19. “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” by Elton John (1988) – Peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August of 1988 making it Elton John’s highest-charting hit of the ’80s in the U.S.

18. “I’m Not Going Out Like That” by Run-DMC (1988) – This is an under-rated single from their Tougher Than Leather album.  Should also mention their debut single “It’s Like That” released in 1983 and included on their 1984 debut album as well as “Can You Rock It Like This” from 1985’s King of Rock.

17. “I Know What Boys Like” by The Waitresses (1980) – Find out lots more in our interview with the song’s writer and founder of the band Chris Butler

16. “Miss You Like Crazy” by Natalie Cole (1989) – Peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, but reached #1 on the Billboard R&B and Adult Contemporary charts

15. “Ride Like the Wind” by Christopher Cross (1980) – Even though the album it was on was released in December of 1979, I am going to count it because the single was released in February of 1980. It peaked at #2 on the charts, so you can see where it ranks on our Songs from the ’80s That Peaked at #2

14. “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” by Aerosmith (1987) – Originally titled “Cruisin’ for a Lady”, it changed while at a bar when Steve Tyler had mistaken Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil for a woman with long blonde hair.

13. “Like To Get to Know You Well” by Howard Jones (1984) – Featured in the 1985 film Better Off Dead

12. “Just Like Paradise” by David Lee Roth (1987) – The lead single from Roth’s second solo album, 1988’s Skyscraper

11.  “Like a Rock” by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (1986) – Most people recognize this from Chevy truck commercials from 1991 to 2004

10.  “Some Like it Hot” by The Power Station (1985) – The band was a side project originally made up of singer Robert Palmer, former Chic drummer Tony Thompson, and Duran Duran members John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor (guitar) along with producer Bernard Edwards.

9.  “Walk Like an Egyptian” by The Bangles (1986) – Find out a little more in our interview with Vicki Peterson of The Bangles and in this Flashback Video article

8. “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by Scorpions (1984)

7. “Cuts Like a Knife” by Bryan Adams (1983) – Find out a little more in our interview with the song’s co-writer Jim Vallance

6. “Waiting For a Girl Like You” by Foreigner (1981) – Another one that peaked at #2 on the charts where it stayed for a record-setting 10 weeks, so you can see where it ranks on our Songs from the ’80s That Peaked at #2

5. “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon (1980) –  This would be his final single released in his lifetime as it was released October 23, 1980 and Lennon was murdered on December 8th. It would reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of December and hold the top spot for 5 weeks crossing over into January of 1981.

4. “Like a Virgin” by Madonna (1984) – Find out a little more in our interview with the song’s co-writer Billy Steinberg

3. “What I Like About You” by The Romantics (1980) – It was technically released as a single in December of 1979, but the album it was featured on was released in January 1980.

2. “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure (1987) – This was The Cure’s first American breakthrough hit but it surprisingly only reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988.

1. “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran (1982) – Among all of its praise, the song also includes one of my all-time favorite lyrics “I smell like I sound, I’m lost and I’m found.” Find out a little more about the song’s music video in this Flashback Video article.

There’s my list. As usual and as I mentioned earlier, these are based on my personal preferences and the order could very well change a little depending on my mood or nostalgia on a given day. Are there any songs from the ’80s that you feel I have overlooked? If so or if you’d rank any differently, please leave them in the comments section below. So if you totally LIKED this list, please LIKE it and share it because we’d LIKE that and it would be LIKE totally appreciated.