# 4 Songs From the 80s That Used the Legendary Yamaha DX7

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/4-songs-from-the-80s-that-used-the-legendary-yamaha-dx7/
- Published: 2026-07-22T12:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-22T13:19:34+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/4-songs-from-the-80s-that-used-the-legendary-yamaha-dx7/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Yamaha DX7 synth shaped iconic 1980s pop hits
- Featured songs: Berlin, Prince, Michael Jackson, A-ha
- "Take My Breath Away" won an Oscar and Golden Globe

## Summary

American Songwriter highlights four hit songs from the 1980s that showcased the Yamaha DX7, the pioneering digital synthesizer launched in 1983. The instrument quickly became a defining sound of the decade's pop music, appearing on numerous chart-topping tracks and cementing its place as one of the era's most influential pieces of studio technology.

The article picks out Berlin's Oscar and Golden Globe-winning "Take My Breath Away" (1986), whose distinctive bass line came from the DX7; Prince's "When Doves Cry" (1984), notable for lacking a traditional bass line; Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" from Bad (1987), which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100; and A-ha's "Take On Me", which used the synth's "15-Bass 1" patch for its signature bass sound.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.