What are you listening to?

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I've always enjoyed the Latin-pop sounds of Gloria Estefan's music. This is a song she released in 2003. The lyrics are very catchy and the track has interesting chord changes and great vocals. It's a great power ballad!

A Little Push

A live performance of Te Amaré is from the same era in her career. Lots of energy in this one! I believe Te Amaré translates to I will love you.

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The Australian band Men at Work had numerous hits in the US in the early to mid 80s. Among the best, in my opinion, were the two below. The latter one, Overkill, has a haunting melody at the end of the chorus with interesting chord changes around the line "ghosts appear and fade away".

It's a Mistake

Overkill

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This is a cool and enjoyable live cover version of You're No Good (Linda Ronstadt) by The Hindley Street Country Club.

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This talented young lady, Beatrice Florea, has an amazing voice and tons of great videos of cover songs, including this oldie:

I like her style of singing the song in three part harmonies and presenting the track as triplets of herself in the video.

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Alyona Yarushina recorded an excellent cover of the song Burning Heart, originally released by Survivor and portrayed in Rocky IV in 1985. Aloyna has an amazing voice!

...and she has some really great tips for creating the best vocals.  

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Jefferson Starship had some good hits in the 70s. These are a couple that come to mind:

Miracles -- soft rock

Jane -- hard rock

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This is a cool #1 80s track from Yes: Owner of a Lonely Heart

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Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida) of ABBA recorded a cool euro-pop-rock solo album in 1982. Phil Collins produced a track from the album titled I Know There's Something Going On. He also played drums on the track and added backing vocals to it. The song reached #13 in the US on Billboard's Hot 100, but it reached #1 and the top 5 in quite a few countries around the world.

 

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For mellowing out and relaxing, new age or tranquil classical music works well. Here's an excellent new age piano instrumental from David Lanz, titled Reverie, from 1993. It's a very cerebral track.

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This is an excellent Rick Springfield rock track from 1983. It reached #9 on Billboard's Hot 100. Great guitar work!

Affair of the Heart

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The 1987 Christmas episode of Top of the Pops featured the Brothers Gibb performing You Win Again, which was number 1 that week. It was also the number 1 song of the year in the UK.

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Pat Benatar had a number of strong hits in the 80s. Two that come immediately to mind are Fire and Ice and Love is a Battlefield.

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Toto had a number of solid hits in the late 70s and 80s. Here are a few that come to mind:

99

Africa

...and my favorite from Toto, Lea

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This is an excellent power rock ballad from Metallica, released in 1992.

Nothing Else Matters

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Aimee Mann and her band 'Til Tuesday released a cool Euro-synth pop-rock track in 1985 titled Voices Carry. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.