Linda Ronstadt – “How Do I Make You” (1980) 

New wave edge. Same powerhouse voice.

With “How Do I Make You,” Linda Ronstadt kicked off a new decade by reinventing herself—again. Gone were the soft country ballads and California rock harmonies. In their place: a tight, high-octane burst of new wave energy, clocking in at just over two minutes and hitting like a sonic jolt.

 Featured on her 1980 album Mad Love, the track was originally written by Billy Steinberg (later known for penning hits like “Like a Virgin”). Ronstadt took it, supercharged it, and made it hers—delivering vocals that were fierce, urgent, and unapologetically modern.

 With pounding drums, jagged guitars, and a rhythm section that doesn’t let up, “How Do I Make You” felt right at home among rising MTV-era acts. But Linda wasn’t chasing trends—she was leading the charge, showing that her voice could cut through any genre, even amid the neon-lit rush of early ’80s pop.

 “How do I make you… when I can’t make you mine?”
That hook hits fast—and sticks hard.

The single soared to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and helped Mad Love earn a Grammy and platinum status. But more than chart stats, the song proved what fans already knew:
Linda Ronstadt wasn’t just a singer—she was a chameleon, and a fearless one at that.