3 Country Songs From 1984 That Brought Old-School Heartache Into the MTV Age

Country music wasn’t exactly falling apart in the 1980s. In fact, the genre had a renaissance of its own. But one can’t deny that when the MTV age came about, pop, rock, and new wave began to dominate radio and television in tandem. The following country songs from 1984, though, managed to shine during the MTV era. Let’s take a look!

“Let’s Fall To Pieces Together” by George Strait from ‘Right Or Wrong’

George Strait dominated country music from the 1980s onward, and this particular honky-tonk classic had that traditional country sound, yet still managed to appeal to audiences in the age of glitzy and glamorous pop.

“Let’s Fall To Pieces Together” by George Strait was a No. 1 hit on both the US and Canadian country charts in 1984.

“Angel In Disguise” by Earl Thomas Conley from ‘Don’t Make It Easy For Me’

Earl Thomas Conley figured out how to get 1984 listeners’ interest in the polished Nashville sound when new wave and rock were taking over the airwaves… and our TVs. “Angel In Disguise” has that classic, emotional, and attention-grabbing storytelling wrapped in a country-pop sound that managed to cut through much of what was dominating the charts at the time. And that music video? It’s incredibly 80s, in a good way.

“Angel In Disguise” by Earl Thomas Conley hit the top of both the Hot Country Songs chart in the US and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

“Your Heart’s Not In It” by Janie Fricke from ‘The First Word In Memory’

Janie Fricke’s “Your Heart’s Not In It” is one of the country songs that even MTV diehards in 1984 might have found some appeal in. It’s such a good song, and while it maintains that country foundation, those glittery synths and Fricke’s overall modern fashion sense made the song a hit in an era when many country listeners were straying away from the genre. Fricke’s ballad brought some of them back.

“Your Heart’s Not In It” by Janie Fricke peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Photo by CBS via Getty Images

The post 3 Country Songs From 1984 That Brought Old-School Heartache Into the MTV Age appeared first on American Songwriter.