A Totally Tubular Deep Dive into One of the Weirdest Countdowns Ever
As we cruise into 2026, it feels like the perfect time to fire up the flux capacitor and revisit the 1985 KROQ Top 106.7 — a year when New Wave ruled, hair gel was a personality trait, and SoCal’s little KROQ was the undisputed tastemaker of alternative radio.
Every New Year’s Eve, the “World Famous” KROQ counted down the top 106.7 songs as voted by listeners. They’d replay it on New Year’s Day too — which I remember listening to KROQ’s 1983 countdown in the car at an ungodly hour while heading to the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Peak 80s childhood.
1985 was stacked: Tears for Fears, Simple Minds, Oingo Boingo, Depeche Mode, OMD, The Cure, New Order, INXS — basically the Mount Rushmore of 80s Alternative. And yet… the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 countdown remains one of the strangest of the decade. Phil Collins? Twice? Mick Jagger in the Top 25? Did someone confuse KROQ with Casey Kasem’s Top 40?
Let’s break down the weird, the wild, and the “as if!” moments.
✈️ And Don’t Call Me Shirley
Surely, you can’t be serious with some of these artists on the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 list. I have zero recollection of KROQ playing any of these. “Sussudio”? Prince (twice)? Elton John? Gino Freaking Vannelli? Cheech & Chong? This isn’t the 70s anymore — this is the land of synths, eyeliner, and questionable fashion choices.
The offenders:
25. Mick Jagger – “Just Another Night”
27. Phil Collins – “Sussudio”
31. Artists United Against Apartheid – “Sun City”
68. Pete Townshend – “Face the Face”
70. Gino Vannelli – “Black Cars”
86. Cheech & Chong – “Born in East L.A.”
87. Prince & The Revolution – “Raspberry Beret”
91. Prince & The Revolution – “America”
99. Phil Collins – “Don’t Lose My Number”
104. Elton John – “Act of War”
KROQ, blink twice if you were being held hostage by boomers.
🤷 My Best Friend’s Sister’s Boyfriend’s Brother’s Girlfriend
Who are these people? I don’t know these songs. You don’t know these songs. Nobody knows these songs. Except apparently KROQ voters in 1985.
Fun fact: I recently discovered I saw Graham Parker open for the B‑52s in 1991. My brain apparently deleted that memory for storage space.
And #30 for John Palumbo — ahead of “A View to a Kill”? That sounds like a plot by SPECTRE.
The mystery guests:
- 30. John Palumbo – “Blowing Up Detroit”
- 64. The Armoury Show – “Castles in Spain”
- 84. Graham Parker & The Shot – “Break Them Down”
- 93. The Living Daylights – “Colleen”
- 106. The Living Daylights – “Kat Box Beach”
- 106.7. Video Kids – “Woodpeckers From Space”
🕶️ Strange Things Are Afoot at the Circle‑K
Some songs on the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 countdown ranked way too high — like “did someone let the New Coke marketing team handle the votes?” high. These tracks were at least twenty spots above where they belonged, and in some cases, they don’t belong anywhere near the top half of the list.
2. Felony – “Vigilante” How on earth did this hit #2? “The Fanatic” is a legit classic, but “Vigilante” doesn’t stack up against most of the top sixty songs. 91X in San Diego didn’t even include it on their 1985 list. A true mystery of the 80s universe. Sadly, Felony’s lead singer, Jeffrey Spry, had a tragic end to his life as depicted in KROQ legend Richard Blade’s autobiography, World in My Eyes.
22. David Bowie & Mick Jagger – “Dancing in the Street” According to Peter Griffin, this is the gayest music video ever made — and honestly, he’s not wrong. I remember staying up late to watch its world premiere on Friday Night Videos. Between the forehead‑to‑forehead singing and Bowie’s jazz hands, it was pure mid‑80s excess. Rumors swirled about their relationship, fueled later by Bowie’s ex‑wife. More likely? Cocaine. Lots and lots of it. Either way, this song didn’t deserve to be anywhere near the top twenty.
23. Jane Wiedlin – “Blue Kiss” I love the Go‑Go’s, but this ranking is way too generous. Most of the next thirty songs on the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 list are stronger.
28. Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder – “Good‑Bye Bad Times” Let’s be real — it’s no “Together in Electric Dreams.” Not a bad track, but it’s ranked about thirty spots too high.
46. The Danse Society – “Say It Again” A decent dance tune, but inexplicably placed ahead of Oingo Boingo and OMD. Should’ve been 20–30 spots lower.
52. King – “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” I just re‑listened to this and have zero memory of it ever existing. It’s fine, but ranked ahead of “What You Need”? Definitely not what I need.
69. Thompson Twins – “Don’t Mess With Doctor Dream” Revoke their medical license. The “ooh, ooh ow” background vocals make me want to barf. Gag me with a spoon. If you need a doctor, go with “Doctor Detroit” by Devo.
77. David Bowie – “Loving the Alien” Sorry, David — I’m a huge fan. My second concert ever was Bowie (along with Siouxsie and the Banshees that we’ll talk about later). But this is like the aging MLB star who keeps getting voted into the All‑Star Game even though he’s batting .225. Pretty sure I’ve never heard this song before.
94. The Boomtown Rats – “Dave” Love the title, but by this point Bob Geldof should’ve focused full‑time on famine relief.
102. David Bowie – “This Is Not America” I know it sounds like I’m picking on Bowie. He’s part of my favorite song ever (“Under Pressure”) and also part of my favorite Christmas duet. But I absolutely despise this song.
BONUS: 105. Lone Justice – “East of Eden” The LA Times hyped this band so relentlessly they might as well have been the house band for the Calendar section. Personal note: they were the first band I ever saw live, opening for U2 at the L.A. Sports Arena.
🍔 Where’s The Beef?
Even with all the chaos on the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 list, the biggest shock is what didn’t make the countdown. These songs are now staples on SiriusXM 1st Wave, beloved by fans, and in some cases absolute decade‑defining classics. Even worse all of these songs made San Diego alternative station 91X’s year-end list. Apparently, these songs were lost somewhere along the 5 freeway. How KROQ missed them is a mystery worthy of a John Hughes subplot.
The Smiths – “How Soon Is Now?” Did Morrissey cancel a KROQ interview or something? This is a top‑20 — maybe top‑10 — alternative anthem of the entire decade. Leaving it off the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 list feels like a clerical error. It’s so egregious I’m surprised Morrissey didn’t write a song complaining about it. Here is a video I took of Morrissey singing this classic live.
New Order – “Love Vigilantes” Not your typical New Order track, but one of their best. When I first heard it on 1st Wave years later, I remember thinking, “How did I miss this?” Oh right — because it wasn’t on KROQ.
The Cure – “A Night Like This” Top 10 on 91X, nowhere on KROQ. Boys do cry.
Talking Heads – “And She Was” A highlight from Little Creatures and a song that still sounds fresh today.
Sting – “Fortress Around Your Heart” Sting was a megastar, and this was from his first solo album. How did this not crack the KROQ Top 106.7 1985?
R.E.M. – “Can’t Get There From Here” Early R.E.M. before they became the soundtrack to every college dorm in America.
The Waterboys – “Whole of the Moon” A timeless classic still played constantly on 1st Wave. As the Scots say: “If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap!”
Divinyls – “Pleasure and Pain” A killer track from an Aussie band that deserved more KROQ love.
Ministry – “Every Day Is Halloween” Before they went full industrial metal, Ministry gave us this synth‑goth gem — and it didn’t even make the list.
Squeeze – “Last Time Forever” Maybe overrated on the 91X list, but still worthy of a spot on KROQ’s.
The Clash – “This Is England” The only decent track on the comically titled Cut the Crap. The rest is the musical equivalent of a hangover: painful, confusing, and full of regret. Not their best era, but still a defensible entry for the KROQ Top 106.7 1985.
🌋 BONUS: The Gothiest Snub of All
How on earth was the volcanic‑apocalypse masterpiece “Cities in Dust” by Siouxsie and the Banshees only ranked #96? Sure, it came out late in the year — but come on. This is the goth national anthem and is likely singularly responsible for millions of dollars in sales of black mascara and hair-dye. If we re‑ranked the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 today, it would easily land in the top 20. At least.
🎧 Fade‑Out on the Countdown
Revisiting the KROQ Top 106.7 1985 countdown is like cracking open a time capsule filled with Aqua Net, cassette singles, and questionable fashion choices. It’s chaotic, nostalgic, occasionally baffling, and totally emblematic of what made 80s alternative radio so fun.
Some songs were ranked way too high, some didn’t belong anywhere near the list, and some absolute classics were left out entirely. But that’s the charm — KROQ was still shaping its identity, still figuring out what “ROQ of the 80s” meant, and still letting listeners steer the ship… even if those listeners occasionally voted like they’d just wandered out of a Tower Records listening booth after too much Orange Julius.
Looking back now, the countdown feels less like a definitive ranking and more like a snapshot of a moment — a messy, neon‑lit, synth‑soaked moment when alternative music was exploding in every direction. And honestly? That’s what makes it worth revisiting.
