1983 is one of those landmark years in pop music: it shaped everything that’s come after. Thriller on its own changed music. It’s also the year the Police—who started as a punk-reggae hybrid—became the biggest band in the world. The most popular songs from that year show a surprising variety, and many stand the test of time surprisingly well (others, not so much). Be sure to check out our College Rock playlist, too, since many of those songs were released around the same time.