5 Flop Love Songs From The '80s That Have Earned Respect From Younger Generations

Younger audiences seem to have a knack for uncovering hidden gems, particularly love songs, from decades past, and the love-filled 1980s have been no different. The music of this era, from disco to rock 'n' roll and R&B, was all about love, and inescapable romantic odes, including many No. 1 hits from that decade's best years for love songs, dominated the charts. Despite these heights for numerous artists and songs, plenty of tracks were left behind, whether they flopped in the charts, were poorly received by fans and critics, or were overshadowed by other hits, with some released as B-sides. 

Since then, however, tracks that showcased the best of the 1980s' take on love have reemerged thanks to younger generations, through streaming explosions, social media, or placements in movies and TV. These now-established artists are all names you may know, but these flop love songs weren't yet emblematic of the heights of their careers upon release, though they've now been acknowledged and enjoyed as time has passed. Whether you enjoy love's tales from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, or other romantic artists, here are five flop love songs that have turned it around by reaching the hearts of younger generations.

The 1980s were a good time to be Bruce Springsteen. He chased his own acoustic, non-commercial dreams with "Nebraska" in 1982 and followed it up with "Born in the U.S.A.," an oft-misunderstood Bruce Springsteen project, in 1984, which became one of the best-selling albums of all time. And though his next album release in 1987, "Tunnel of Love," was a moderate success, its singles, namely "Tougher Than the Rest," didn't land the same in the U.S., with the track not even being released as a single on Springsteen's home turf.

"Tougher Than the Rest" resonated well in Europe thanks to its large '80s instrumental and gritty, complicated tale of love — "And if you're rough and ready for love / Honey, I'm tougher than the rest" — and these same factors have led to it reemerging as an essential Springsteen track in the age of streaming. It's accumulated over 100 million streams on Spotify, and though it still hasn't touched the supreme heights of Springsteen's mid-'80s magic, it's now the defining hit of his 1987 album.

This grand, expressive ballad from an '80s musician you may have forgotten is a hard one to forget once you've experienced it. "Is It a Crime" is one of Sade's defining tracks of the 1980s, blending Sade Adu's explosive vocals with the new-age jazz backing of the band, but it wasn't much of a hit compared to the other singles released near it in the mid-1980s. Singles like "The Sweetest Taboo" and "Smooth Operator" reached the upper echelons of the charts, but "Is It a Crime" never even broke into the Billboard Hot 100.

The song may have outlived some of its contemporaries, though, as it's found new life since. Though the track asks only a simple question — "Is it a crime? / That I still want you / And I want you to want me, too" — it's compounded by stunning melodies and knockout vocals, as well as dramatic lyrics that build into the near-desperation of the plea. Modern fans have connected with "Is It a Crime," and though Sade's music has reemerged on a large scale in the 2020s, this song has become one of the most successful, stacking up over 180 million streams on Spotify alone.

Paul Simon's storied career enjoyed heights in the '60s, '70s, and '80s alike, and his comeback on the 1986 album "Graceland" vaulted him back into the mainstream following a lull. The album would go on to win a Grammy for album of the year, but among the success, a now-revered love song on the LP was largely forgotten: "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes," which was released as a single yet did not chart in the U.S.

The nearly six-minute song features vocals and sounds from Simon's time in South Africa, and it sonically may not have been built to be a radio hit, though it's undoubtedly a groovy and sweet love song. Simon's vocals are excellent and bright, matching the light love of the narrative, and the jazzy track has found a new audience in recent years, with streaming numbers surpassing 120 million on Spotify. "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" has become one of Simon's most popular tracks, certainly removing its flop label from the time of its release, and is now an essential track for the legendary singer-songwriter.

The Smiths, one of the defining British groups of the '80s, are best known for its rousing rock songs like "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" or "Back to the Old House," but this mostly acoustic love song, which doesn't even reach a full two minutes, has become one of its most successful tracks thanks to younger generations. "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (ironically, a very long name for a very short track) was released as a B-side for the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing," and wasn't built for chart success.

The song shortly chronicles a desperate, nearly hopeless longing — a theme common for the band. The frank and cutting nature of Morrissey's vocals — "So, for once in my life / Let me get what I want / Lord knows it would be the first time" — has connected especially with younger audiences, and the song has blown up online, with streams on Spotify tallying over 500 million. Though its length may hold it back from the heights of the Smiths' discography, "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" is a song that bluntly captures the desperation of love, and can be replayed indefinitely.

Pixies were never a No. 1 hit type of band, but it had a number of respectable hits and songs throughout its career. "Here Comes Your Man," now one of the band's most recognizable songs, was challenged and beaten only by "Where Is My Mind?" Originally written by Black Francis in his youth, "Here Comes Your Man" toiled through unsatisfactory recordings throughout the late '80s. It could have appeared on the band's debut record, but its own label initially considered it a flop before re-recordings landed it on its 1989 album "Doolittle." 

The song nearly reached the top 50 on the U.K. singles chart in July of '89, as well as the top three of the alternative airplay chart in the U.S., but didn't stick anywhere else. The upbeat, energetic track had an unstoppable energy hidden within it, though, and it has mainly received its comeback through on-screen media. It featured in the 2009 film "500 Days of Summer" and a number of other films, and then the series finale of the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things." These appearances have significantly revived the track, which has since been streamed over 300 million times on Spotify.