Need an 80s-inspired musical accompaniment for your next video or podcast? Tune into these top 20 80s inspired royalty-free music tracks.
Guilty pleasures or the glory years of rock and pop? However you remember this iconic era, our round-up of the best Envato Elements and AudioJungle 80s music tracks will immediately transport your listeners back in time.
Why is 80s Music Popular?
The 80s was a time when computers and pop culture collided. Just as increasingly sophisticated technology brought about a whole new 80s graphic design aesthetic – featuring bold fonts, futuristic styles and neon colors – machines became more and more instrumental in making music. Cue the synth-heavy soundscapes, digital drum beats and 8-bit loops and samples that continue to reverb with listeners today.
From hair-raising perms to voluminous parachute pants, there’s no denying that the 80s was an eye-catching era. And that’s why – 30 years later – retro graphic design trends inspired by the decade are popping up everywhere, from movie posters and music flyers to TV shows and catwalks.
In addition, the decade’s signature sounds – from scorching guitar riffs to catchy synth lines – are also back in fashion. In fact, we identified retro audio as one of the biggest music trends on social media right now.
And it’s not just music that’s making a comeback. From the neon red title sequence of Stranger Things to Spielberg’s nostalgia-soaked Ready Player One, our small and big screens have been busy satisfying our appetite for all things 80s, too.
How is 80s Music Being Used Today?
In order to remind today’s listeners of their childhoods and teenage years, multimedia-makers are revelling in an old-school audio vibe – from adding retro intros to podcasts and promotional content to giving YouTube videos and films shot with a smartphone an 80s-inspired soundtrack. You can even complete the nostalgia fest and channel an MTV aesthetic with eye-catching music video fonts that celebrate the colorful, questionably cool decade in all its glory.
All this said, it really doesn’t matter if the audience wasn’t even born in the 80s – these royalty-free tracks – especially selected by our Content Specialist for Audio, Adrien Gardiner – immediately evoke an era that never really went away.
What Is Royalty-Free Music?
While it’s been around for a while, with the rise DIY content creators, royalty-free music has started to become part of everyday vernacular.
Royalty-free music refers to the sort of music licensing that lets the purchaser pay for the music license only once, and then use that tune for as long as they want, for a range of different content. For example, if you’re creating a YouTube ad for your app, you’ll pay a single price for a piece of music, and be able to use it in the background of your video for as long as you want, whether you have one visitor or 100,000 visitors on your channel.
If you’re looking for great royalty-free music, Envato Elements is a great place to start. Sign up for a creative subscription to get access to thousands of premium, royalty-free audio tracks to use in your projects. All the tracks are expertly composed, high-quality audio files, across a range of genres.
Ready to go back to the 80s? Let’s dive in!
Top 10 Royalty-Free 80s Music Tracks on Elements
10. For 80s by LumenMedia
Kicking off our list of 80s offerings, this unapologetically energetic, electronic track pulses to a dynamic and anticipation-building beat.
9. 80s Retro Synth Rock by BlueSkyAudio
If you’re putting together a music-backed montage then you have come to the right place. Thanks to its toe-tapping tempo, this relentlessly upbeat track has 80s inspo covered.
8. 80s Retrowave dimadjdocent
Prepare for some serious sci-fi action with this epic electronic track. Attention-grabbing beats and awesome synth riffs scream space exploration, cyborgs and star-gazing.
7. 80s Hip-Hop by 99 Instrumentals
Buzzing with upbeat energy, this street-savvy synth arrangement channels a too-cool-for-school feel. Play it over skateboard or basketball footage for a sporting slam dunk.
6. 80s Disco Funk by Light_Sound
Inviting listeners to grab something sequinned and sashay their way onto the dance floor, this catchy track is the audio equivalent of a mirror ball.
5. Dark Synth Horror 80s by lucafrancini
Intense beats and staccato synths create an edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. Use this spellbindingly sinister offering to give your audience a scare.
4. 80s Retro Disco by R-Production
Bold beats lend this 115 BPM track from R-Production a cool confidence that really ramps up at 0.17. Expect an inspirational vibe that’s all about getting things done and kicking goals.
3. Retro 80s Logo by ArtHaiz
This short snippet is just a few seconds long, but has an instant impact as an intro or outro thanks to its shimmering sound that fades to silence.
2. 80s Game Electronica by -MARiAN-
Let the moment build with this retro video game-inspired track from -MARiAN-, which gradually ramps up the tension before really spinning out at 0.52.
1. Cyberpunk by GreenRocketAudio
Crunching keyboards and glitch effects combine to give a feeling of man-meets-machine menace. Short snatches of calm give your protagonist a moment to catch their breath, but otherwise this is one menacing, mayhem-inducing piece of music.
Top 10 Royalty-Free 80s Music Tracks on AudioJungle
10. Lady of the 80s by DJ_Grand_Studio
When it comes to motivational music, this going-for-gold track is all about superheroes overcoming adversity, screen-filling blockbuster action and epic sporting clashes.
9. 80s by moonlight_sounds
Strutting to the sound of a synthesiser? Yes please. All our retro disco dreams come true with this get-the-party-started pop package, which features the full version, a range of mini versions and a 45-second loop.
8. 80s by AudioRocket
Featuring several essential ingredients for an 80s music hit – like punchy toms and warm synths – AudioRocket’s decade-defining sound adds a hint of vintage VHS to today’s online videos and games.
7. 80s Synth by VensAdams
Conjuring up images of Cadillacs cruising along surf coasts, this 80s music track serves up a lifestyle-driven dose of electronic nostalgia.
6. This is 80s by LumenMedia
LumenMedia offers some computerized cool with this energetic, synth-heavy disco track.
5. 80s Retro Synthwave by Magic_Tunes
For audio and visual projects in search of some synthpop, there’s this pulsing array of five different-length tracks.
4. Victory Rock For Strong Champions by Vlad_Annenkov
Guaranteed to inspire some cheesy air-guitar action, this drum-thumping, guitar-wrangling stomper channels a Bon Jovi-meets-Van Halen sound. As the name suggests, this is a winning 80s-inspired track.
3. Christmas Pop 80s by SergePavkin
Cheesy? Maybe. But who can resist those rhythmic drums and the uplifting piano melody that kicks in at 1.45 – energizing and inspiring, this is pick-me-up pop at its best.
2. 80s Synthpop Ballad Female Song by Antracto
Immerse yourself in this moody power ballad with its soaring guitar solo and emotive female lead vocals.
1. Retro 80s by AlexanderVolosnikov
Sunny synths give this retro recording from AlexanderVolosnikov a vacation vibe. You’ve got the music, now all you need are some vintage Ray-Ban.
Need some more nostalgia in your life? Step into the 80s whenever you want and get unlimited access to royalty-free tracks with an Envato Elements subscription. And for more audio inspiration, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. For those who are interested in making it big on AudioJungle or Envato Elements, check out how to become a stock music bestseller on AudioJungle.
