so lets try this guys-you have to name your top 5 songs from the 70s,then the 80s and then why you like them below that....heres mine....

THE 70S

1.HOTEL CALIFORNIA-EAGLES

2.DONT FEAR THE REAPER-BLUE OYSTER CULT

3.2-4-6-8 MOTORWAY-TOM ROBINSON BAND

4.BOSTON-MORE THAN A FEELING

5.SWEET HOME ALABAMA-LYNRYD SKYNYRD

generally i love seventies music,especially the rock and prog rock type-i believe these are the ultimate seventies songs

THE 80S

1.ASIA-HEAT OF THE MOMENT

2.JOURNEY-DONT STOP BELIEVIN'

3.BOOMTOWN RATS-I DONT LIKE MONDAYS

4.HUMAN LEAGUE-MIRROR MAN

5.ULTRAVOX-VIENNA

merged a little pop with the prog rock there,but thats just the way i am!my heart lies with the period 1970-1990 and lets face it it suits our hobby very nicely-the 90s were a good decade and as a teenager i bought lots of blur,oasis,pulp and the like,but as i say you cant whack the 70s and 80s.....and todays music.....what a load of sh#te

so guys....over to you

Clio - Faces    1985

If it wasn't for youtube, I'll never come across this track.

Luv the synths.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Seen this at the other post !

Love it !!

Here is a 1980s italo from a Greek group

One more Legendary and underrated track from the 1980s !

Or maybe two ?

So many to chose from !!!!!!

Glam - More than ever   (same band Clio)

1985

This was tough but I have to choose

70's

1. Kashmir           Led Zeppelin

2. Comfortably Numb         Pink Floyd

3.  2112          Rush

4. Baba O Riley           The Who

5  Smoke On The Water          Deep Purple

80's

1. Don't Be Late          Saga

2. Where the Streets Have No Name         U2

3. Bad         U2

4. Children Of The Sea          B. Sabbath

5. Learning To Fly         Pink Floyd

These songs to me were the epitome of their decades (IMHO) and for just personal reasons. I could fire off another 20 U2 or Floyd tunes but 5 is the limit

hey Brutus,love your selections man,kashmir by led zep is awesome,but in a decade packed with such awesome songs its such a hard decision,but great songs there

Andy your list is an essential listening list as well. I wish you changed the rules to say "Your best 5000 songs of the 70's and 80's" Maybe then I wouldn't have such a hard time choosing

Great topic though...makes you think hard

just too many to choose from...I'll have to have a think

funnily enough I've seen live one band from your 70's list and one from your 80's list

70's -

Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols

Trans Europe Express - Kraftwerk

I Feel Love - Donna Summer

Heroes - David Bowie

80's - 

Fascination Street - The Cure

I Am the Resurrection - Stone Roses

West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys

Blue Monday - New Order

Never Let Me Down - Depeche Mode 

5 is not enough

Nice ones Tim....I missed Heroes...again this list is almost impossible to filter down to 5

Yep, could have gone 

70's

Rock Lobster - B52s

London Calling - The Clash

The Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones

Whats Going On - Marvin Gaye

Disco Inferno - Trammps

80's 

Seconds - Human League 

Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Say Hello Wave Goodbye - Soft Cell

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

Straight Outta Compton - NWA

albums would have been easier andy,heres some of my favourites

70s-

uneasy sunny day hotsy totsy-ian dury and the blockheads

anything off darkside of the moon-pink floyd

groovin with mr bloe

funky worm-ohio players

papa was a rolling stone-the temptations

80s-

all day long-new order

strings of life-rythym is rythym

performance-happy mondays

made of stone-the stone roses

pumpkin and the profile allstars-here comes that beat