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.