9 Female-Written Songs That Completely Defined the 1980s

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered about the writer's intentions? Have you ever thought about who penned the lyrics to your favorite tune? Unless the songwriter is also the singer, they can be easily forgotten. But their genius should not go unnoticed.

A big boom of women songwriters hit the music industry in the 1970s. By the 1980s, women were hitting their stride in the world of song, giving us some of the greatest hits of all time. These bangers and ballads put women at the forefront of musical talent.

Here are nine songs written by women that defined the '80s and made space for women in the music industry.

"9 to 5" (1980)
"Edge of Seventeen" (1981)
"Love Is a Battlefield" (1983)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1983)
"Time After Time" (1984)
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (1987)
"Fast Car" (1988)
"Like a Prayer" (1989)
"If I Could Turn Back Time" (1989)

"9 to 5" (1980)

Dolly Parton is a renowned singer-songwriter who writes her own songs and thousands for other singers as well. Her hit, "9 to 5," was released in 1980 along with the movie of the same name, in which Parton had a starring role. It's an anthem for all working women trying to make it through each day.

The song's title also references 9to5, a movement formed to protect women in the workforce. Dolly Parton's song might seem like another tune about trudging through the workday, but it is a symbol of the women who fought for better working conditions and those who still fight today.

"Edge of Seventeen" (1981)

Stevie Nicks wrote and co-wrote several songs during her time in Fleetwood Mac, including "Landslide" and "Rhiannon." For her solo debut album, Bella Donna, Nicks continued using her songwriting skills, along with a deeply personal meaning behind her songs. She wrote "Edge of Seventeen" as a way of processing grief.

Nicks lost her uncle to cancer the same week that John Lennon was killed. "Edge of Seventeen" is about those losses, with the white-winged dove representing a spirit leaving a body. This has become one of Stevie Nicks' most well-known songs, and she has never rearranged it, hoping to keep the original meaning alive all these years.

"Love Is a Battlefield" (1983)

Pat Benatar has written some of her own songs throughout the years and is an incredibly talented songwriter as well as singer. The songwriter behind one of Benatar's most famous hits, however, is Holly Knight. "Love is a Battlefield" was one of the first songs Knight wrote, along with Mike Chapman, whom she met through her band, Spider.

"Love is a Battlefield" was written to be a ballad, and Holly Knight actually hated Benatar's version at first. After the song hit number one on the charts and the music video became one of the most-played on MTV, Knight admitted that Benatar made it what it was meant to be.

"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1983)

Annie Lennox is just *chef's kiss* as a performer and a songwriter. Her very appearance defied traditional standards for female singers, and her music packed a powerful punch. After splitting with her band The Tourists, Lennox formed The Eurythmics with Dave Stewart. Their first big hit as The Eurythmics was "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."

Lennox said that after leaving The Tourists, it felt like she was living in a dream world with her dreams far away. The feelings of emptiness and surrealism went into the creation of "Sweet Dreams." The song and the music video topped the charts and became a quintessential part of the 1980s.

"Time After Time" (1984)

Cyndi Lauper is another fantastic singer-songwriter with numerous tracks to her name. While her songs, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "True Colors," also helped define the 1980s, the song Lauper actually wrote was "Time After Time."

Co-writing with musician Rob Hyman, Lauper found inspiration for "Time After Time" in her rocky relationship with her boyfriend at the time. The song was Lauper's first number one hit and was voted one of the greatest love songs of all time.

"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (1987)

Diane Warren is an all-out queen when it comes to writing popular songs. She's written songs for Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Chicago, and many others over several decades. But what was her first song to reach number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100? That is Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now."

"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was written as the theme song for the film Mannequin, starring Kim Cattrall and Andrew McCarthy. The song is filled with hope and a sense that love can conquer all obstacles. It was Starship's third hit song, and it was nominated for an Academy Award.

"Fast Car" (1988)

A heartbreaking song about the loss of hope in the struggle for a better life, "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman launched her career. Chapman was unknown and did little to promote her songs, relying on the power of the messages in them. "Fast Car" became famous when Chapman sang it at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday.

Chapman wrote "Fast Car" based on growing up with a single mom in a poor neighborhood. Everyone around her was dealing with poverty and dreaming of better circumstances. The song won a Grammy in 1989 and has topped the charts several times since its release in 1988. It still resonates with many people and shows Chapman's skill in telling a story through her music.

"Like a Prayer" (1989)

Madonna is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters of all time, and her songs are some of the most controversial. Madonna loves to experiment with provocative lyrics that explore sexuality and religion. That is especially true with her hit, "Like a Prayer."

Based on her complicated feelings with Catholicism, Madonna wrote "Like a Prayer" with Patrick Leonard. While Leonard was uncomfortable with the sexual double entendre in her lyrics, Madonna refused to change them. It has become one of the best-selling singles of all time (even though the Vatican condemned the song and the music video).

"If I Could Turn Back Time" (1989)

Remember when we said that Diane Warren had written songs for numerous singers? Well, she wrote another song on our list, this time for Cher. Maybe that's why AllMusic.com said that "If I Could Turn Back Time" had a Starship-type sound. Warren wrote their songs too!

"If I Could Turn Back Time" was written specifically for Cher, but she refused to sing it at first. Diane Warren had to get down on her knees and beg Cher just to demo the song. Once she finally gave in, Cher admitted that Diane was right. The song hit the top 10 in the US, Australia, the UK, and other European countries. If only we could turn back time to listen to this song for the first time once more!