The whole thing is peak caf. Literally has just been theories with nothing to back them up vs a theory with loads to back it up that someone decided to make a meal out of.
Peak.
Caf.
I think the majority of people would like to listen to some 80s pop classics over 90s and early 00s pop, largely because the music was better and more timeless in a sense (even if it is very obviously 80s).
Maybe? I used the Billboard Year-End number one single in the "Pop" category (because it's about as objective as any other conceivable method). Here are all 30 songs from 1980 to 2009, in order of Spotify plays:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Year-End_number-one_singles_and_albums
I colour coded them by decade. Million plays in parentheses.
- 1983: Every Breath You Take (1185)
- 1995: Gangsta's Paradise (936)
- 2003: In Da Club (856)
- 2004: Yeah! (826)
- 2008: Low (676)
- 2002: How You Remind Me (634)
- 1985: Careless Whisper (596)
- 1993: I Will Always Love You (483)
- 2007: Irreplaceable (442)
- 2006: Bad Day (434)
- 1991: (Everything I Do) I Do It for You (409)
- 1999: Believe (385)
- 2005: We Belong Together (381)
- 1988: Faith (350)
- 1980: Call Me (276)
- 2009: Boom Boom Pow (270)
- 1981: Bette Davis Eyes (234)
- 1992: End of the Road (223)
- 1994: The Sign (186)
- 1987: Walk Like An Egyptian (177)
- 1984: When Doves Cry (171)
- 2001: Hanging by a Moment (154)
- 1998: Too Close (144)
- 1990: Hold On (129)
- 1997: Candle in the Wind (120)
- 1986: That's What Friends Are For (107)
- 2000: Breathe (90)
- 1982: Physical (49)
- 1996: Macarena (46)
- 1989: Look Away (19)
What does this tell us? First of all it tells us that it's been way too long since I did a Football Manager Experiment, if I've resorted to spending tine on making lists like this and colour coding them. But I don't think there's a lot else to take away from this if the thesis is "the 80s were objectively better and people would rather listen to it".
For the record, Running Up That Hill has 233 million plays, which would put it in a solid 17th spot on this list. Barbie Girl by Aqua (1997), has 279 million. Boom Boom Boom Boom!! by Vengaboys (1998) has 307 million. That's a bit unfair, though, as that last one is an undeniable classic.