What were the best college rock songs of 1985?
We were still six years away from alternative rock becoming a more mainstream format, but college radio stations were quite essential in getting some of the great alternative music talent into the ears of young listeners while helping to build their base in some cases to bigger things down the road.
That’s not to say that all college rock radio songs didn’t find commercial acceptance. Bands such as Tears for Fears and Simple Minds had huge years in 1985, crossing over to the masses, while Sting’s post-Police career got off on a strong note.
But there were also bands such as The Replacements, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Husker Du that were still years away from getting commercial acclaim.
READ MORE: WTF Is College Rock? – 10 Songs That Defined the Pre-Grunge Alternative Era
In revisiting this special period in music history, we’re doing it in a manner reflective of the times. We’re putting the best of 1985 college rock music together in a mixtape format. Not only are these the songs that represent the year and the theme well, but they’re put together with a nice flow in case you’d want to make a playlist out of it (and this author did).
You’ll even notice that it all clocks in under 90 minutes (the average length of an ’80s cassette mixtape).
So enjoy this mixtape reflection of the 20 Best College Rock Songs of 1985.
20 Best College Rock Songs of 1985 – The Mixtape
You may have had to turn left of center of the dial to hear these songs in 1985, but they’ve left their mark on the decade.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
Best Rock Songs of 1985 – The Mixtape
It’s only fitting that we share with you the best rock songs of 1985 the way we did it back then …. in a mixtape playlist.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
