10 Amazing Pop Songs By Rock Artists

10. Let's Dance - David Bowie

When you look at the career trajectory of David Bowie, it makes sense that he would get around to straight pop sooner or later. Considering the man practically invented different genres unto himself and made some of the most forward looking rock music in the world, it was only natural that the mainstream would come to him eventually. If he was going to go pop though, he was going to do it on his own terms.

Around the time that Bowie got the idea for Let's Dance, he drafted in funk legend Nile Rogers to help craft the song. With a bunch of chords that are normally reserved for jazz music, Bowie brought elements that are nowhere near the sound of pop and turned it into something that begged to be played on the radio. He hadn't forgotten his rock roots though, with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan being on hand to craft some tasty guitar licks in between the verses.

Granted, is this song a bit of a product of its time? Absolutely, especially with that glossy production and the many different synths at work on the backing track. Given Bowie's pedigree though, this is one of the few songs that manages to make it to the other side of the spectrum anyway. Although you can definitely nail down the time and place that this song came from, it's still a great track when you take all of the '80s hangups away.