80s Top 10 Songs Not on Spotify

[hansenkd]

With the arrival of Def Leppard, that leaves Peter Gabriel as the only major 80s pop artist to still hold out on putting his back catalog on Spotify (and since he has acted like a tremendous douche on the subject, I doubt we'll see him cave anytime soon).  Anyway, I decided to take the occasion to post all 1980s Hot 100 Top 10 songs that remain unavailable on Spotify.  This is for reference and perhaps to put pressure on artists and labels for release.  Because my interest lies in the 1980s decade, the list is restricted to that decade.  An asterisk (*) indicates that the song spent a significant amount of time on Spotify since late 2015 or so, but has been removed for an unexplained reason.  Artist-authorized re-recordings will be noted.  If the only thing available is a dubious re-recording with a suspicious label indication, the song is listed as not available.  The list is sorted by peak position.  I may follow up this list by continuing through the rest of the Top 20 or Top 40.  Anyway, here you go:

#1 songs:
"I Love Rock n' Roll"--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Mickey"--Toni Basil* (again unavailable as of summer 2020.  Basil has put up a rerecording with a slightly different title, which bodes ill for the original coming back again anytime soon).
"Flashdance...What a Feeling"--Irene Cara* (recently sourced from a compilation; the parent album is still unavailable and fakes abound--don't count on its stability)
"Sledgehammer"--Peter Gabriel
"Rock On"--Michael Damian (a very good 2009 rerecording by Damian himself is available)

#2 songs:
"Electric Avenue"--Eddy Grant*
"All I Need"--Jack Wagner
"I Want Your $ex"--George Michael (available, but the charting song is not available in a separate track from its "Part 2" B-side, "Brass in Love")

#3 songs:
All are available, but take Anita Baker's "Giving You the Best That I Got" with a grain of salt.  Most of her hits appear to be available again, but as parts of compilations that may or may not be dubious or authorized by her.  They never play as part of her own albums, and the album art itself does not really show up.  "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" by The S.O.S. Band is sourcing from a compilation (including the compilation album art) with a cut-off fade out as of March 2020.  The parent album has been greyed out with the exception of the hit.

#4 songs:
"For Your Eyes Only"--Sheena Easton

All apparently available

#5 songs:
All apparently available

"Lookin' for Love"--Johnny Lee* (tends to periodically reappear via compliation, then disappear again after a short time--UPDATE March 2020: as of Summer 2019, seems to FINALLY be stable and sourcing from the original album

"Make a Move on Me"--Olivia Newton-John*

"She Blinded Me with Science"--Thomas Dolby*--UPDATE March 2020: now appears to be available and sourcing properly from the original parent album, hopefully stable.

#6 songs:
All apparently available

#7 songs:
"Crimson and Clover"--Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Spies Like Us"--Paul McCartney
"Sweet Freedom"--Michael McDonald

#8 songs:
"They Don't Know"--Tracey Ullman
"Breakdance"--Irene Cara*
"Big Time"--Peter Gabriel
"I Remember Holding You"--Boys Club--UPDATE March 2020: the song in its original recording has been made available as a single with a b/w image of the two band members as cover art.  The full album is not available nor is it in the database.  Stability questionable.

#9 songs:
"Don't Shed a Tear"--Paul Carrack* (available again as of March 2020)
"The Doctor"--Doobie Brothers* (has reappeared via compilation, then been removed again.  UPDATE March 2020: now sourcing from the original parent album and available)

Note that "Pac-Man Fever" by Buckner and Garcia has been available in the same version from several different sources, apparently an authorized re-recording.  Recently, a source showed up with an entire B&G album and good album art (unlike the typical "fake compilation" album art that is so ubiquitous on Spotify), but it is still unclear if the recording is the original.  It sounds authentic.

#10 songs:
"Hold on to My Love"--Jimmy Ruffin (it looks like all the available versions of this are re-recordings, even though they are not all indicated as such and they sound very good)

"Nothin' At All"--Heart* (1985 album removed as of 8/20/20--the other three Top 10 singles are playing from other sources).
"Baby Love"--Regina* (was available, but removed again as of March 2020)
"Where Are You Now"--Jimmy Harnen and Synch
"Cry"--Waterfront--UPDATE March 2020: available and sourcing from the original album

So...all things considered, that's a pretty short list.  Good job, Spotify!  Hopefully someone looks at this to know where work is needed.  All top 10 songs should be available.  In fairness, the entire "What a Feelin'" album from Irene Cara was recently removed without explanation.  Would be nice if someone from Spotify could find out why or work on it.  Gabriel...sigh.  Who knows if he will cave?  Nobody thought Prince's heirs, Seger or Def Leppard would [UPDATE: It happened!].  Some of the albums that have long been unavailable with no explanation, such as Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n Roll," deserve some effort [UPDATE: Finally, Joan Jett's catalog is fully available!].  And so do the really obscure tracks like Boys Club "I Remember Holding You" (half of that act was a member of the Jets, so the song, as a Top 10 hit, should have been included on one of those Jets compilations).  Jack Wagner's "All I Need" is the highest charting song of the decade to not be available in any digital format, including download.  Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" is also unavailable for download at iTunes or Amazon, but it was there at one point and then removed.

Pay attention to this list, Spotify, and get the job done!  The labels and artists (where applicable) need to be "persuaded."

As I said, I may follow up with Top 20 and Top 40 songs.

[hansenkd]

Yes, sorry, "Don't Close Your Eyes."  ONJ "Soul Kiss" is back too, in a remaster as I suspected would happen.

[Jameshagan75]

I’m so glad you are on top of your Top 40 songs not on Spotify list. I keep track of all songs, since I have that list. Anyways, I’m very happy to announce to everyone that “Electric Avenue” and “I Don’t Wanna Dance” Eddy Grant are now on Spotify! Hopefully “Romancing The Stone”, will appear soon. 

[Struggles13]

I’ve been waiting for Electric Avenue for over ten years! Eddy held out longer than TOOL did!

[hansenkd]

Eddy Grant's album is gone again. He has been intransigent about streaming, so it must have been made playable by mistake.

[ThomWim]

Has anyone considered making a list of missing 2000's hits?

"God Bless the U.S.A." by American Idol Finalists (#4, 2003)

"I'll Stand By You" by Carrie Underwood (#6, 2007). This song was only available on iTunes for a limited time.

"Get Over Yourself" by Eden's Crush (#8, 2001). This song has never been on Spotify.

From the 1970's, "No" by Bulldog has been on Spotify for about a year now. The song was a near hit, peaking at #44 in 1972.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0lV3pSuyijuz00rUZ7WvOr

[ThomWim]

As for missing 90's hits:

"Lately" by Divine (#1, 1998)

"P.A.S.S.I.O.N." by Rythm Syndicate (#2, 1991)

"Come With Me" by Puff Daddy (#4, 1998)

"Girls Nite Out" by Tyler Collins (#6, 1990)

"Theme from Mission: Impossible" by Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen (#7, 1996)

"Whole Wide World" by A’Me Lorain (#9, 1990)

[ThomWim]

It looks like “Electric Avenue" has returned to Spotify. Again.

[Yoshi961]

Let's hope that "Electric Avenue" stays for good.

"Holdin' On" by Tane Cain (#37) also returns.

[Yoshi961]

"Talk to Me" by Chico DeBarge (#21) has been removed.

"Wake Up Little Susie" by Simon & Garfunkel (#27) returns.

[ThomWim]

The original version of "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" returned to Spotify earlier this week. (That was the most recent US #1 hit missing from Spotify.)

https://open.spotify.com/track/7vo0ILIm1He4wo30ikYBHh

"Baby Love" by Regina (#10, 1986) is not available on Spotify. The artist herself said that any past uploads were not authorized by her.

In the United States, there's a copyright law that allows the rights to revert to the creator after 35 years (for works made since 1978), or 56 years (works made before 1978). But the author (or their heirs) must file a request two to ten years in advance. This might explain why some of the tracks were removed.

https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-and-scholarship/copyright-services/forms/rights-reversion

[ThomWim]

There's a song called "Where Are You Now" by Synch on Spotify, but it clearly isn't the hit single. Different lyrics.

[Jameshagan75]

The original version of “Don’t Close Your Eyes” by Kix, is back on Spotify. 

[hansenkd]

"Pilot of the Airwaves" by Charlie Dore was recently removed.  It had been available for the past 5 years or so.  Sadly, the utterly DREADFUL re-record in a lower key is still there.

[Jameshagan75]

So, for the last few years, I’ve compiled a playlist of all 1980’s songs that charted on the Hot 100. The criteria is that a song from 1979 that peaked in 1980, is counted as an 80’s song. However, a song from 1989 that peaked in 1990 is considered a 90’s song. For those songs that have recharted within the decade, they count separately, regardless if the recharted song is the original one that was released or a remix or edit. They do however, have to be released in different years, but I can’t recall any song that was released twice and peaked in same here. That’s the criteria for the Joel Whitburn Record Research Top Pop Annual Book, which lists all the songs released for each year. It can be a challenge to keep up with the 1980’s songs that appear and disappear, so I try to save greyed songs to a private playlist and follow artists, However, there are some I find through search. I know the OP’s subject lists the Top 40 songs that aren’t on Spotify. As of today, there are 53 that are missing. I won’t be including “I Want Your **bleep**”,George Michael. I do count the version on the album. Also, some of these you can find as studio or live re-recordings, such as “Mickey” Toni Basil. Here’s the list. If any of these I listed as missing, let me know and feel free to post any Top 40 songs that appear or disappear as I’m not always checking this.

Afternoon De-Lights, The-General Hospi-tale

Baker, Anita-Just Because

Basil, Toni-Mickey

Beach Boys, The-Medley

Beatles, The-Medley

Bryant, Sharon-Let Go

Buckner & Garcia-Pac-Man Fever

Cavaliere, Felix-Only A Lonely Heart Sees

Charles, Sonny-Put It In A Magazine

Cheri-Murphy’s Law

Cummings, Burton-You Saved My Soul

Damian, Michael-Rock On

                             Cover Of Love

1. Danny Wilson-Mary’s Prayer

Dr. Hook-Girls Can Get It

                Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk

Dore, Charlie-Pilot Of Ths Airwaves

Fixx, The-The Sign Of Fire

         Are We Ourselves?

Giant Steps-Another Lover

Gibb, Barry-Shine, Shine

Grant, Eddy-Romancing The Stone

Guidry, Greg-Goin’ Down

Hunter, John-Tragedy

Kemp, Johnny-Birthday Suit

Knobloch, Fred-Why Not Me

                          Killin’ Time

Manilow, Barry-Oh Julie

McKenzie, Bob & Doug-Take Off

Meco-Pop Goes The Movies

Mills, Stephanie-Two Hearts

New Edition-Earth Angel

Osmond, Donny-Sacred Emotion

Parr, John-Naughty, Naughty

Pointer, Bonnie-I Can’t Help Myself

Presley, Elvis-Guitar Man (1981 Version)

Regina-Baby Love

Sa-Fire-Thinking Of You

Schwartz, Eddie-All Our Tomorrows

Sneaker-More Than Just The Two Of Us

Spence, Judson-Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

Steel Breeze-You Don’t Want Me Anymore

                       Dreamin’ Is Easy

Stephenson, Van-Modern Day Delilah 

Stewart, John-Lost Her In The Sun

Synch?-Where Are You Now?

Taylor, Andy-Take It Easy

Times Two-Strange But True

Walsh, Joe-All Night Long

Wolf, Peter-Lights Out

                   I Need You Tonight

                   Come As You Are

[ThomWim]

Here's my comprehensive list of every Billboard Top 10 hit that's not currently on Spotify in the USA

#1 hits:

Divine - Lately. Only available in the UK/Ireland.

Michael Damian - Rock On [Original Version]. There is only a 2009 re-recording.

Toni Basil - Mickey [Original Version]. Not available in the USA.

#2:

Color Me Badd - I Wanna S*x You Up [New Jack City Version]. The film soundtrack incorrectly contains the single version, which has different lyrics than the version I'm looking for.

George Michael - I Want Your S*x Part 1. Parts one and two are only available together.

Rythm Syndicate - P.A.S.S.I.O.N.

#3

Linda Scott - I’ve Told Every Little Star. Not available in the USA or Australia.

#4

American Idol Finalists - God Bless the USA. Only available in Southeast Asia.

Byron MacGregor - Americans

Puff Daddy feat. Jimmy Page - Come With Me

#5:

Chris Gaines (aka Garth Brooks) - Lost In You. He has an exclusive deal with Amazon.

David Naughton - Makin’ It [Original Version].Only a re-recording is available.

Peter McCann - Do You Wanna Make Love [Original Version]. A few re-recordings are available.

#6

Carrie Underwood - I’ll Stand By You

J. Cole - 7 Minute Drill

Tyler Collins - Girls Nite Out

#7:

Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen - Theme from Mission Impossible. Only available in Canada.

#8

Az Yet feat. Peter Cetera - Hard to Say I’m Sorry [David Foster Remix] (US #8). Another incorrect credit and/or audio file. Peter Cetera does not appear on the album version, even though he is credited as such on Spotify. The single version, aka the David Foster remix, is not available on Spotify.

The Delegates - Convention '72

Eden's Crush - Get Over Yourself

#9

A’Me Lorain - Whole Wide World

Linda Scott - Don't Bet Money, Honey. Not available in the USA or Australia.

R. Kelly - Gotham City. Only a remix is available.

#10

Jimmy Ruffin - Hold On to My Love [Original Version]. A few re-recordings are available.

Jimmy Harnen with Synch - Where Are You Now. There’s a song called “Where Are You Now?” by Synch on Spotify… But it clearly isn’t the song I’m looking for.

Johnny Rivers - Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancin')

Regina - Baby Love. The artist herself said that any past uploads were not authorized by her. There’s a song called “Baby Love” by Regina Belle on Spotify, but I’m looking for Regina Richards.

[Yoshi961]

"This Little Girl" (#11) and "Out of Work" (#21) both by Gary U.S. Bonds are removed.

"Talk to Me" (#21) by Chico DeBarge returns.

[Jameshagan75]

This is rather odd as “Jole Blon” (#65), is still available.