"You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" by The Ronettes

The Ronettes took their name from the featured vocalist, Veronica Bennett, who soon became Ronnie Spector after marrying the famed producer Phil Spector in 1968. She was joined by her sister and cousin to round out the group.

The Ronettes scored their biggest hit right out of the box in 1963 when "Be My Baby" peaked at #2 for three weeks. The classic refrain saw Ronnie Spector being invited to contribute to Eddie Money's comeback hit, "Take Me Home Tonight," which went to #4 in 1986.

The Ronettes never saw that sort of success again, but managed to land several other Top 40 hits through the 60s like "Baby, I Love You" (#24), "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up" (#39), "Do I Love You?" (#34), and "Walking In The Rain" (#23). 1970 saw Ronnie Spector leaving the group to start a solo career.

"You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" seemed like a hit in the making but it bubbled under the chart in 1969 as the group ran out of gas. The Ronettes would reappear on the chart decades later in 2018 thanks to their rendition of "Sleigh Ride" during the holiday season.

"Already Gone" by Romeo's Daughter

Robert John "Mutt" Lange was behind some of the biggest releases of the 80s and 90s, including legendary albums from Def Leppard, Shania Twain, and Bryan Adams. He was also at the helm of Romeo's Daughter, a rock trio from England fronted by the vocal powerhouse of Leigh Matty. But somehow, even the magic of Lange's production with help from AOR hitmaker John Parr couldn't make this deserving band a household name.

Romeo's Daughter did manage to score one minor chart hit in the US with "Don't Break My Heart," which reached #73 in 1988. While future hits eluded them, several of their songs were made into hits or popular album cuts by others, including Heart, Bonnie Tyler, and Eddie Money. After a 1993 sophomore effort, the band appeared to be done.

After a near 20 year absence, Romeo's Daughter returned to release a pair of excellent studio albums: 2012's "Rapture" and 2015's "Spin," from which "Already Gone" can be found (not an Eagles cover). Let's hope they're not done yet.

"Maureen" by Eddie Money

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Edward Mahoney left the police force to pursue a recording career as Eddie Money. Turns out to have been a wise decision. He nearly broke into the top 10 with his chart debut in 1978 when "Baby Hold On" soared to #11.

Money would manage to creep into the top 10 twice in his career with "Take Me Home Tonight" (which featured Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes singing the signature line, "Be My Baby") and "Walk On Water." These songs hit #4 and #9, respectively.

Some of Money's other "hits" that everyone knows might not have done as well on the charts as you might expect. "Two Tickets To Paradise" only reached #22 and "Shakin'" topped out at #63. One of his lesser known songs, 1989's "Peace In Our Time" almost put Money in the top 10 again, but it halted at #11.

Money was starting to write checks his songs couldn't cash by the early 90s, his last chart appearance being "Fall In Love Again" in 1992 (the song went to #54).

"Maureen" is a gem buried on Money's 1978 record, "Life For The Taking." The tune has a Bruce Springsteen vibe and just puts you in a good mood.

"How About Now" by Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins is best known as king of 80s film soundtracks. They helped earn him a #1 hit for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Footloose," but also gave him "I'm Alright" (#7, theme from Caddyshack), "I'm Free" (#22, another one from Footloose), "Danger Zone" (#2) and "Playing With The Boys" (#60, both from Top Gun), "Double Or Nothing" (a duet with Gladys Knight from Rocky IV), "Meet Me Half Way" (#11, from Over The Top), and "Nobody's Fool" (#8, from Caddyshack II). Loggins would have one more soundtrack hit in 1997 from the movie One Fine Day with "For The First Time," which reached #60, was nominated for an Oscar, and became his last chart appearance to date.

But films are not the only reason why Loggins is ranked the 30th most successful artist of the 80s. Loggins has an amazing voice with stunning range. He is a diverse singer/songwriter, writing songs for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (including "House At Pooh Corner," #53 in 1971) and earning more chart achievements as Loggins and Messina in the early 70s. Through the years, Loggins has done everything from rock, pop, adult contemporary, blue-eyed soul, country, children's music, holiday music, and more. Several of his songs were written for his children.

After going solo, he made a habit of working with lots of different people. His first big solo hit was actually a duet with Stevie Nicks: "Whenever I Call You Friend," co-written with Melissa Manchester, hit #5 in 1978. His longtime collaborator, Michael McDonald, co-wrote the song "This Is It," which went to #11 and earned Loggins a Grammy for Pop Male Vocal. Eddie Money contributed backing vocals on "I'm Alright" and Mickey Thomas did so for his 1988 ballad, "I'm Gonna Miss You," which stalled at #82. Richard Marx and Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket) co-wrote and sang tunes on his 2003 release, "It's About Time." Finally, there is the famous anthem "Don't Fight It," his 1982 duet with Journey's Steve Perry, which hit #17.

With his 13th album in 2007, Loggins seemed poised for a comeback. The title track to this excellent record, "How About Now" should have restored his presence on the charts, but it fell on deaf ears. Maybe if it were featured on a soundtrack...