The musical landscape of the 1980s was filled with numerous changes and evolutions. We were deeply immersed in classic rock, but the scene had progressed significantly from punk rock. New Wave music, marked by increased use of keyboards and electronics, had emerged as its successor. Power ballads were omnipresent during this era, while pop, disco, and funk continued to hold their ground.
1980s music was just as flamboyant as the trends of the era. Massive hairdos reigned supreme alongside broad shoulder pads. To emulate Don Johnson’s character on Miami Vice, it was fashionable for cool kids to roll up their jacket sleeves. The music scene mirrored these fashions, adopting styles and sounds that were in vogue.
At the beginning of the decade, a brief music trend emerged and vanished swiftly. In hindsight, it might have been beneficial as it cleared the way for new trends! Do you remember the flurry of medley singles dominating the charts in 1981 and 1982? These songs were all popular hits on the Hot 100 at that time.
Stars on 45 started the 1980s medley single music craze
The story began with a track commonly recognized as “Stars On 45 Medley.” However, its original title was less catchy. This hit song originated from a Dutch producer and was distributed under the name Stars On 45 in June of 1984, not 1991 as previously mentioned.
This composition was a seamless blend of multiple songs, one flowing into the next, all set against a disco rhythm with clapping and drum loops. The majority of the tunes were inspired by Beatles’ songs and became an enormous success on dancefloors and at parties. The title for this pioneering style was officially recognized as “Intro Venus/Sugar Sugar/No Reply/I’ll Be Back/Drive My Car/Do You Want to Know a Secret/We Can Work It Out/I Should Have Known Better/Nowhere Man/You’re Going to Lose That Girl/Stars on 45.
“Stars on 45 Medley II”
Shortly following this, in August of 1981, a sequel was launched that maintained the same style and structure. It boasted nine Beatles songs, with the consistent beat and drum loop serving as its backbone. The title remained uncomplicated, and the tracks included “Good Day Sunshine,” “My Sweet Lord,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Tax Man,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Please Please Me,” “From Me to You,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” and “Stars on 45.
Nowadays, it seems almost every gathering, whether it’s a party, wedding, or family event, is filled with these songs playing loudly. Even the extended versions of these tracks can be overwhelming due to their continuous play. Over time, what should have been enjoyable has turned into a tedious task.
Going beyond the Stars on 45 releases
“The Beach Boys Medley”
Back in October 1981, I found myself immersed in a unique musical project as a Beach Boys fan. Instead of their tunes taking a break, they decided to blend them together, mirroring the style of Stars On 45. They seamlessly merged their top hits like “Good Vibrations” and “Surfin’ USA” into one continuous medley.
“Hooked On Classics”
In January 1982, Louis Clark, formerly of ELO, began conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra through various excerpts of popular classical music pieces. Despite being intended for dancefloors, many listeners found themselves trying to identify which commercial or film these extracts originated from. This approach did succeed in making classical music more accessible to mainstream audiences, and numerous albums from this series were successfully sold. Overall, this shift was generally beneficial, according to most assessments.
The other Four Seasons and a touch of Doo Wop
In an unusual twist, the classic journey didn’t include Vivalsi’s Four Seasons, but instead, the Frankie Valli group garnered a shout-out in early 1981. A compilation single of some of the Four Seasons’ greatest hits was played at Gidea Park, with Adrian Baker, who later joined the Four Seasons, serving as the vocalist. Furthermore, doo-wop tunes were highlighted through “Memories of Days Gone By,” a single released by Fred Parris and the Five Satins in March 1981.
Movie Music
Next on the agenda were movie themes and soundtracks to be worked on. Meco achieved success with an assortment of themes from eight iconic films such as “Gone With the Wind” and “The Magnificent Seven.” Notably, he had previously garnered some recognition with a collection primarily focusing on sci-fi movie themes, incorporating “Star Wars” among others. Additionally, another compilation of Beatles songs was issued under the title “The Beatles Movie Medley.
Some final flourishes for the medley craze
1982 continues to be our timeframe, and another Stars on 45 mix made its way onto the Hot 100, this time featuring songs by Stevie Wonder. Following suit was “Hooked On Big Bands,” which injected some swing into the tunes with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Just as we yearned for a respite from the Medley craze, “Hooked On Swing” continued to chart with more Glenn Miller-inspired tunes. In the same December of that year, an Elvis Presley medley was introduced and climbed the charts.
After that, more mashups ensued. Notable acts like Abba and the Rolling Stones, among others, were included. However, these mixes didn’t make it to the Hot 100 charts, and the trend seemed to lose steam. That was until Jive Bunny emerged in 1989 with “Swing the Mood.” As I remember, it revived a few of the earlier mashups on the playlists of party DJs. While it was enjoyable initially, the excitement didn’t sustain for too long, despite having some fantastic songs at its heart.
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2025-03-06 17:00