5 Songs That Take Generation X Back To Their First High School Party

Gen X enjoyed one of the golden ages of music during their coming of age years, with quality hit songs for all tastes and preferences — and one definite strength of the era's music was its high school hits. Some songs felt almost engineered to soundtrack a party, with upbeat, fun, and romantic hits of all shapes and sizes from bands we can't forget. In this list, we'll jump back to the soundscape of a high school party during the time Gen X was growing up in the '80s and '90s, showcasing some surefire hits that still are just as easy to listen to today. 

These five songs balance undoubted nostalgia with of-the-time sounds to perfectly soundtrack this one of a kind era, setting a memorable ambiance, especially to those teens experiencing the revelry of high school parties for the first time. All five of these tracks would've been a blast for any young Gen Xer to hear playing at a function, and we hope these bring you right back into the experience of a first-ever high school party.

Robert Smith, frontman of English alternative rock band the Cure, has returned to the spotlight thanks to performances and collaborations with music prodigy and pop star Olivia Rodrigo, but his best work undoubtedly came during the '80s and '90s, when this stellar hit was released. "Just Like Heaven" started the band's full commercial success in 1987, peaking in 1988 on the Hot 100 at No. 40 and spending 19 weeks on the charts. The three-and-a-half-minute love song pulls you in from its first moment, mixing warm guitars with pretty synths in a cinematic ambiance.

The sound of its instrumental alone made it a perfect fit for Gen X parties, but the vocals of Smith take it to the next level. It's imbued with a coming of age nostalgia in the lyrics he sings, which are both revealing of the song's dynamics and anthemic in their delivery: "'Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick / The one that makes me scream,' she said / 'The one that makes me laugh,' she said / Threw her arms around my neck."

"Just Like Heaven" has multiple meanings, according to Smith. His trademark voice is excellent throughout the duration of the track, prompting an easy singalong for knowledgeable partygoers. It's hard to top "Just Like Heaven," and there could hardly be a more fun song to hear turned on at a late '80s party.

For our youngest of Generation X, this 1994 hit in the era of slacker rock was a chilled out but good time for any high school party. Beck released "Loser" in 1993, and it became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of '94. Blending hip-hop influences with its rock 'n' roll influences, "Loser" became the biggest U.S. hit Beck ever had, and its direct speech to the era's youth is no doubt to thank.

Most '90s rock fans and Gen Xers should know this iconic, drawling chorus: "Soy un perdedor / I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me? (Double barrel buckshot) / Soy un perdedor / I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me?" It's a relaxed melody, but an addicting one, and would undoubtedly bring  low-key kickback style party to life in this era. As a first-time partygoer, the effortlessly cool tune of "Loser" would have certainly left a lasting impression and paved the way for many parties to come.

The simple call and response vocal sample that drives "It Takes Two" is a recognizable beat that Gen Xers will remember immediately. The song emerged as an early success for hip-hop music in the late '80s, with the duo of Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock crafting a definitive party hit of the era. Even as the burgeoning genre was still new to many audiences, "It Takes Two" reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1988, and its memorability feels as though it could've been much higher.

"It Takes Two" is made for dancing, with a catchy hook — "It takes two to make a thing go right / It takes two to make it outta sight" — to pair with a number of memorable lyrics and punchlines throughout the song's five minutes (though radio cuts were shorter). It's a fun and groovy track, tailor-made for the goings on for high schoolers and beyond, and a surefire success at parties when it was cranked all the way up.

This incredibly fun new wave tune from the Psychedelic Furs was one of their top hits ever in the United States, likely thanks to its perfect engineering for an '80s dance song. High schoolers in particular would have certainly had this simple but addicting song on at their parties, and "Love My Way" may have been the first experience fully letting loose for a number of coming-of-age Gen Xers. First released in 1982, "Love My Way" broke into the U.S. charts in the spring of '83, peaking in the top 50 in mid-April.

The most memorable part of the song is its catchy key loop, building into a hands in the air harmonic during its chorus, which features a simple but thoughtful proclamation: "Love my way, it's a new road / I follow where my mind goes." "Love My Way" is both vocally and melodically excellent, and it's one of the best feeling songs of the '80s, making it a perfect vessel for older Gen Xers to relive their earliest, and hopefully most fun, high school memories.

As the second most prolific hit in the legendary Bruce Springsteen's career, this song is an upbeat and melodic tune that would have certainly become a nostalgic moment for the oldest members of Gen X at their first high school party. The ambiance of "Hungry Heart," released in 1980 and included on "The River," is undoubtedly cinematic thanks to its bright keys and slightly pitched up vocals. Particularly for the earliest born of Generation X, this top 5 hit that peaked in December of 1980 took off right as they were of age to attend their first high school party.

"Hungry Heart" is an anthemic blend of smooth rock 'n' roll with pop and blues inspirations, particularly in its standout chorus that feels larger than life: "Everybody's got a hungry heart / Everybody's got a hungry heart / Lay down your money, and you play your part / Everybody's got a hu-hu-hungry heart." The Boss delivers a career performance here, helped by harmonic background vocals and dazzling organ compliments. "Hungry Heart" would have instantly made for a memorable moment high school parties, and certainty left an impression for the kids taking it all in for the first time.