This is a nostalgia-focused music list article looking back at four songs from 1985 that were staples for children listening on cassette players, such as the Walkman, on their way to school. The piece is part of a recurring "The List" series from American Songwriter that revisits decade-specific music memories, offering a light retrospective on the sounds that defined that era for young commuters rather than reporting any news event.

The four featured tracks are "Material Girl" by Madonna, from her hit album Like a Virgin; "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, from Brothers in Arms, later notable as the first video played on MTV Europe; "The Old Man Down the Road" by John Fogerty, marking his return after a decade away from Creedence Clearwater Revival; and "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen, highlighted as a more relatable alternative to his politically charged hit "Born in the U.S.A."