Songs from 1989 remain overlooked despite once topping the charts, and American Songwriter has compiled a list of four pop hits from that year worth revisiting. The selection spans synth-pop, pop-rock and glam metal, illustrating how varied mainstream radio was at the tail end of the 1980s, and argues these tracks still hold up sonically today.

The list includes Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night" (originally written for Roy Orbison), Bad English's chart-topping "When I See You Smile", Warrant's "Heaven", and Tears For Fears' "Sowing The Seeds Of Love". Each track achieved significant commercial success at the time, with several reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 or peaking at number two, yet the author notes they are rarely played on radio today.

– Cyndi Lauper's "I Drove All Night" was a global Top 10 hit, originally intended for Roy Orbison
– Bad English's "When I See You Smile" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Canada's charts
– Warrant's "Heaven" peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1989
– Tears For Fears' "Sowing The Seeds Of Love" reached No. 2 in the US and No. 5 in the UK