In today's Bruce Springsteen Region matchup, we pit two quintessentially 80s masterpieces against each other: 6-seed George Michael's soulful saxophone-driven ballad "Careless Whisper" versus 11-seed Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield's synth-pop collaboration "What Have I Done to Deserve This?". Both songs represent the decade's most innovative production techniques, but in completely different ways.
"Careless Whisper" embodies the 80s through its manufactured perfection: the song's lush production, complete with digital reverb and carefully layered overdubs, represented the era's embrace of technology-enhanced emotion.
Meanwhile, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" showcases the synth-pop revolution at its absolute pinnacle, with Pet Shop Boys' arsenal of synthesizers creating a digital orchestration that perfectly complemented Dusty Springfield's soulful vocals.
Which song better captures the 80s spirit? You decide!
