Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The song identified in the AnandTech mystery thread is “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” by the Greg Kihn Band. The original poster remembered “they don’t make them like that anymore,” while the recorded chorus uses the near-identical line “They don’t write ’em like that anymore.” That single-word difference explains why the clue feels familiar but does not return an exact lyric match. The Greg Kihn Band recording belongs to the 1981 power-pop and new-wave period, was written by Greg Kihn and Steve Wright, and appears on RocKihnRoll.
What 80s song is this?
The answer is “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” by the Greg Kihn Band. It is often shortened to “The Breakup Song,” but the parenthetical is important because it contains the phrase that solved the forum puzzle. The song was released in 1981, not later in the decade, so a memory labeled simply as an “80s song” is directionally right even if the year was not precise.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Song | “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” |
| Artist | Greg Kihn Band |
| Writers | Greg Kihn and Steve Wright |
| Album context | RocKihnRoll |
| Apple Music catalog date | June 1, 1981 |
| Style classifications | Pop/rock, album rock, contemporary pop/rock, new wave, power pop, and punk/new wave |
Those details line up with the clues in the AnandTech Forums thread, where the question was posted in 2010 under the technology, hardware, software, and deals community. The discussion was trying to identify a song from a hummed rhythm and a remembered sentence rather than from a complete lyric or title.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How did the AnandTech thread identify the song?
The thread’s solution came from treating the remembered sentence as a lyric clue instead of assuming it was the title. A participant suggested “the breakup song,” and the thread starter confirmed the guess with the playful response, “The Boston Dangler wins the game!” The confirmation matters: it establishes the intended song in that particular discussion rather than merely offering a plausible internet guess.
Popular on Amazon
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
The original clue
The poster wrote, “Buhbahbah bah bah…..they don’t make them like that anymore.” The first part is a rough vocal imitation of the tune. The second part supplies the searchable idea, but not the exact wording used on the record. That combination is common in song-identification questions: a phonetic melody narrows the shape of the chorus while an approximate sentence points toward its subject.
The decisive match
The Greg Kihn Band chorus contains “They don’t write ’em like that anymore.” “Make” and “write” carry almost the same meaning in the expression, so the remembered version remains recognizably close. Once the phrase is corrected, the song title and artist fit together cleanly.
Why is “make” remembered when the lyric says “write”?
“They don’t make them like that anymore” is a familiar English expression, while “They don’t write ’em like that anymore” is the song’s wording. When someone recalls a chorus years later, a common idiom can replace an unusual or less expected verb without changing the sentence’s overall sense. The contraction “’em,” meaning “them,” also makes the line sound different when remembered from a vocal performance than it looks on a page.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThis is why searching only the remembered wording can fail. A search for the exact phrase with “make” may produce sayings, comments, or unrelated songs. Substituting close verbs such as “write,” “make,” or “do,” then adding the distinctive ending “like that anymore,” is a more reliable way to recover the lyric. In this case, the one-word correction leads directly to the Greg Kihn Band title.
Also popular on Amazon
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
When was “The Breakup Song” released?
The recording is associated with 1981. Apple Music’s catalog metadata lists the RocKihnRoll version as June 1, 1981. A documented U.S. 7-inch single is listed as a May 1981 release on the Beserkley label, catalog B-47149. Those dates describe different catalog contexts—a physical single listing and an album-version metadata date—so they should not be treated as contradictory evidence about the song’s identity.
What the date tells you
If your memory places the song somewhere in the early 1980s, that is consistent with the available release information. If you remember hearing it later, that does not necessarily indicate a later recording: radio play, compilations, personal collections, and online services can all bring a 1981 track to listeners years after its original release.
Who wrote it?
The songwriting credits go to Greg Kihn and Steve Wright. Those credits are useful when several songs share generic breakup language, because searching the writers alongside the distinctive chorus phrase points to the specific recording rather than to a similarly titled track.
What kind of music is it?
AllMusic classifies the song under Pop/Rock and tags it as album rock, contemporary pop/rock, new wave, power pop, and punk/new wave. These labels place it in the energetic, hook-centered side of early-1980s rock rather than in a single narrowly defined genre. Reservoir Recordings describes Greg Kihn as a 1980s power-pop artist and identifies the 1981 recording as a major hit.
Also popular on Amazon
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Genre labels are especially helpful when a listener remembers the sound but not the words. Power pop and new wave can suggest a concise, melodic rock single with a strong refrain, while the broader Pop/Rock classification prevents the tags from being read as mutually exclusive categories. They are descriptive filters, not alternate song titles.
How can you verify that this is the song you remember?
Use several independent clues rather than relying on one half-remembered phrase. The following checks reproduce the logic that solved the forum question.
- Check the chorus wording. Look for “They don’t write ’em like that anymore,” allowing for typographic variations such as “They don’t write them like that anymore.”
- Check the title. The result should identify “The Breakup Song” and include the parenthetical “They Don’t Write ’Em.”
- Check the artist. The performer should be credited as the Greg Kihn Band, not simply Greg Kihn as a solo act or an unrelated group with “breakup” in its name.
- Check the period. The release information should point to 1981 and the RocKihnRoll context.
- Check the writing credits. Greg Kihn and Steve Wright should appear as the songwriters.
- Check the musical classification. Listings should place it in pop/rock with power-pop and new-wave or punk/new-wave associations.
If all six checks agree, the “make” versus “write” discrepancy is a memory variation, not evidence that you have the wrong song.
Recommended Free Tools
Where does the physical single fit?
For collectors, the relevant documented edition is a Greg Kihn Band 7-inch single on Beserkley, catalog B-47149, listed as a May 1981 U.S. release. Searching for “Greg Kihn Band The Breakup Song vinyl” is the most direct way to locate catalog listings and determine which copies are currently offered. A search result may describe the single, a reissue, or a marketplace listing, so confirm the label and catalog number before assuming it is the original U.S. edition.
Also popular on Amazon
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Widely Compatible: Transform any USB-C port into a USB-A port and USB-A port into a USB-C port, and connect up a wide range of USB-C(including MacBook, iPad Pro/Air/Mini, iPhone models with USB C ports, Samsung Galaxy series, and Google Pixel series. ) and USB A devices(including external hard drives, phones, mice, printers, and more)
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
The catalog number is more dependable than a photograph alone. Sleeve designs can vary by territory or seller, while B-47149 gives you a specific identifier to compare against a listing. Availability and prices change, and the identification of the song does not establish what any particular seller has in stock.
What if your remembered line is not exact?
Memory uncertainty does not automatically rule out this answer. People commonly preserve the rhythm, the emotional idea, and the final words of a chorus while changing a short connecting word. “They don’t make them like that anymore” retains the sentence’s cadence and meaning closely enough to point toward the recorded line.
There is a practical limit, however. If the remembered lyric has a different ending, the artist is not the Greg Kihn Band, and the recording belongs to a different period or style, then this identification may not apply. Compare candidates on four axes—lyric wording, credited artist, release year, and genre classification—rather than choosing a song solely because its title contains the word “breakup.”
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Why does the 2010 forum answer still matter?
The AnandTech exchange preserves a complete identification chain: an approximate vocal pattern, a paraphrased lyric, a proposed title, and an explicit confirmation by the person who asked. That is stronger than an isolated comment that merely says a song “might be” the answer. The thread also documents the exact reason the clue can be difficult to search: the remembered verb is “make,” while the recording says “write.”
Also popular on Amazon
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
For anyone revisiting the question, the thread functions as a compact example of collaborative identification. One person supplies a fragment, another recognizes the song’s title, and the original poster verifies the result. The surviving wording is enough to connect the memory to the 1981 Greg Kihn Band recording without inventing a different lyric or release date.
What should you remember about the identification?
Keep the full title and the corrected lyric together: “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em)” by the Greg Kihn Band. The song was written by Greg Kihn and Steve Wright, associated with RocKihnRoll, and released in 1981. The phrase remembered as “they don’t make them like that anymore” is a near-match for the actual chorus line, “They don’t write ’em like that anymore.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “The Breakup Song” the complete title or a nickname?
The identifying title is “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ’Em).” The parenthetical is part of the title as commonly listed and distinguishes this track from other songs that may be called “The Breakup Song.”
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallWhy are two 1981 dates associated with the recording?
A physical U.S. 7-inch listing places the Beserkley single in May 1981, while Apple Music metadata gives June 1, 1981 for the RocKihnRoll version. They refer to different release-record contexts rather than two separate songs.
What should I check before buying a copy on vinyl?
Confirm that the listing identifies the Greg Kihn Band, the Beserkley label, and catalog number B-47149. Photos, condition, pressing territory, and current availability can vary, so the catalog number is the useful starting check.
Could the forum’s “80s” memory be off by several years?
The documented recording belongs to 1981, which is early in the decade. A later listening date can make a song feel newer than its release date, but the available catalog information places this recording firmly in 1981.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Say something about this film