Take On Me — a-ha (1985)

'Take On Me' remains a-ha's defining hit, with its pioneering pencil-sketch music video accumulating over 1.4 billion YouTube views, making it the most-viewed 1980s video on the platform. Morten Harket's stratospheric falsetto, hitting a G5 note, is about 20% higher than the typical pop vocal range, creating an instantly recognizable hook. The song's synth-pop production was cheaper than the average major label release at $100,000, yet it outperforms #7's 'Purple Rain' in global chart longevity, spending 20 weeks in the US Top 40. Its enduring appeal lies in the fusion of innovative visuals and near-perfect pop structure, setting a standard for the genre.