Here are all the awesome ’80s songs that soundtrack the brilliant prom episode of ‘The Society’

Also a song from the '60s. Sorry not sorry.

When a storm forces a bunch of Connecticut high school students to cut a camping trip short, they return to find their town’s adults vanished. Left to fend for themselves with limited food and no idea when the rest of their resources will run out, the teens try to figure out how to fend for themselves – after initially running wild, that is.

In the Netflix series’ third episode, they try to maintain some level of normalcy and even hold their prom as planned, before the strange turn of events. Seeing as there’s no internet or phone data, putting on a Spotify playlist to soundtrack the event would prove a little tricky. So instead they take it old school and spin vinyl, providing the episode with a very ‘80s-heavy selection of tunes. Want to dig deeper into the kids’ retro prom playlist?

Milli Vanilli, ‘Girl You Know It’s True’

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The debut single from shamed pop duo Milli Vanilli was an instant hit, reaching the top of the charts around the world thanks to its smooth new jack swing sound and loved up raps.

Fun fact! Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch once recorded a cover of the track, modifying the rapped verses to diss fellow boybands Westlife and 5ive.

Plastic Bertrand, ‘Ça Plane Pour Moi’

Don’t use this song to help you impress in French class – the lyrics to the surfy punk hit are complete nonsense, translating into English to tell a story about whiskey-drinking cats and “cellophane puppets with Chinese hair”.

Fun fact! While ‘Ça Plane Pour Moi’ was intended to be a pastiche of punk, it won over one notable fan from the movement: The Clash’s Joe Strummer, who described it as “probably a lot better than most so-called punk records.”

The Cure, ‘Just Like Heaven’

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Taken from the band’s 1987 album ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’,  this swirling beauty is one of the best pop songs when it comes to nailing that feeling of all-consuming breathless love.

Fun fact! The video featured an appearance from Robert Smith’s wife, Mary Poole, making her the only woman to feature prominently in one of the band’s videos.

Boomtown Rats, ‘Up All Night’

‘Up All Night’ wasn’t exactly a hit for Bob Geldof’s band, with it failing to chart anywhere but Germany. But its bouncy rhythms and “ooh za za” refrain make it a fun party failsafe.

Fun fact! The Boomtown Rats were originally called The Nightlife Thugs but changed it after guitarist Garry Roberts threatened to quit the band over their moniker.

Modern English, ‘I Melt With You’

It’s fitting that ‘I Melt With You’ featured on The Society’s soundtrack somewhere. The track is about having sex during a nuclear war and, while the teens aren’t being subjected to that kind of terror, the chaos surrounding them does provoke some inadvisable hook-ups.

Fun fact! This new wave classic has been covered by a couple of unlikely acts, both for film soundtracks. Jason Mraz first tackled it in 2004 for 50 First Dates, while Bowling For Soup followed in their footsteps a year later for the Sky High soundtrack. 

Aretha Franklin, ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’

OK, so this one’s actually from the ‘60s, but you’ve got to have a big romantic song at prom and what better one than this Aretha classic, with its graceful strings and her distinctive, soulful voice?

Fun fact! The track features two of Franklin’s sisters, Erma and Carolyn, on backing vocals. Both were professional musicians, but neither could match their sister for success.

Phil Collins, ‘One More Night’

Mr. Genesis himself offers the perfect opportunity for awkwardly holding onto a classmate’s waist and avoiding eye contact while you sway out of time with this gentle, emotional ode to not being with the person you love.

Fun fact! Collins has appeared in several films over the years, including The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, which he was paid to scream in.

The Waitresses, ‘I Know What Boys Like’

This wiry new wave track, driven by Patty Donahue’s sneering, deadpan delivery, has been called one of the greatest one-hit wonders of all-time more than once, despite it only bothering the upper echelons of the charts in Australia.

Fun fact! The saxophone you can hear on the track was played by Ralph Carney – aka the uncle of The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney.

Aretha Franklin, ‘Baby, Baby, Baby’

Another ‘60s cut from the Queen Of Soul keeps things classy, elegant, and emotional, as Aretha promises a lover: “I really didn’t mean to hurt you”. Sounds like a classic apology track for when you’ve done something embarrassing after one too many illicit alcopops, if you ask us. 

Fun fact! In 1986, the state of Michigan declared Aretha’s voice a “precious natural resource”. Damn straight.

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