The Best Ballads of the 80s

Though many of the best ballads to come out of the 80s come in the form of power ballads, that's not to say they all do. In fact, the top 80s ballads span a range of genres and even tempos, but they all have one thing in common: they're ballads. What exactly is a ballad? Though there may be some room for argument, ballads are typically those songs consisting of love-infused lyrics—but they don't have to be. Ballads tell stories, so they can often be seen as narratives set to song. Whatever the true definition may be, we all have our idea of ballads and, therefore, we all have our favorites when it comes to the best 80s ballads of all time. What are yours?

Again, the 80s was a great time for power ballads—many of which came from those guys with big hair and tight pants. However, the 80s graced us with more than just a bunch of epic power ballads that climb from slow intros to all-out instrumentals accompanying a love story. From Eurythmics' "Here Comes the Rain Again" to "Total Eclipse of My Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, the greatest 80s ballads certainly don't stick to a single genre. Nevertheless, they all possess that classic 80s sound.

What are you favorite ballads of the 80s? Do you think they can be called the best ballads ever? Check out the list of the most popular 80s ballads below and vote up your top choices. If you see something is missing from the list, feel free to add it. You can also vote on the top ballads of the 90s while you're at it.