by Amy Gold
The number one songs of the 1980s, which total 229, are listed in the table below in descending order by the total number of weeks they stayed on the Billboard Pop/Rock charts. "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield tops the list at 32 weeks. Listed at the bottom is "Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson which stayed on the charts for 14 weeks. Three #1 hits from the 1960s and 1970s were re-recorded in this decade by different artists whose versions also topped the charts: "Venus" (Bananarama), "Lean On Me" (Club Nouveau), and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (Kim Wilde).
The 1980s was the era of MTV, punk rock, synth pop, and New Wave music, and in the latter part of the decade, rap and hip hop were also on the rise. The two top charting performers who practically defined the 1980s were Michael Jackson and Madonna - with Whitney Houston not far behind. Some old familiar faces from previous decades who also topped the charts during the 1980s included Stevie Wonder, Hall and Oates, Diana Ross, Olivia Newton-John, the Beach Boys, Barbra Streisand, Billy Joel, Chicago, George Harrison, Paul McCartney/Wings, Starship, the Steve Miller Band, the J. Geils Band, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Heart, Boston, Queen, and Yes.
New Wave and synth pop (as well as punk rock and other related styles) originated in the late 1970s and really took off with the introduction of MTV in 1981. Top charting New Wave and synth pop bands and artists included Blondie, the Culture Club, Duran Duran, the Human League, a-ha, Simple Minds, Dire Straits, the Eurythmics, the Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears, Bananarama, and Berlin. Classic and hard rock also continued to flourish throughout the 1980s as heard in the top hits of U2, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses, INXS, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Poison, the Police, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Whitesnake, and Will To Power.
Although the 1980s saw the birth of many new forms of rock, this decade also had its fair share of pop bands and artists that were more mainstream. Besides Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Whitney Houston, top pop acts of the 1980s included Prince, George Michael/Wham!, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, New Kids On The Block, the Bangles, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Deniece Williams, John Cougar Mellencamp, Kim Carnes, Peter Cetera, Robert Palmer, Sheena Easton, Survivor, Toni Basil, Christopher Cross, Cyndi Lauper, and Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine. Last but not least was Rick Springfield (famous star of "General Hospital") who had a smash hit with "Jessie's Girl," the quintessential pop song of the 1980s.
As pop and rock were branching out into new directions, R&B and country were evolving steadily as well. Besides Michael Jackson, top charting R&B bands and artists of the 1980s also included Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Bobby Brown, and Billy Ocean. Country-pop also continued to flourish throughout the decade with Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Eddie Rabbitt, and Bonnie Tyler. Duets and larger combos made up of mostly famous artists from previous eras were also very popular. Top charting hits by such acts included "That's What Friends Are For" (Dionne and Friends: Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder), "Say Say Say" (Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson), "Ebony And Ivory" (Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder), and "Islands In The Stream" ("Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton"). Sometimes, artists from earlier times paired up with more contemporary ones, such as with "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Aretha Franklin and George Michael).
Many of the top songs of the 80s could be heard at the movies. Movie titles songs included "Chariots Of Fire - Titles" (Vangelis), "Endless Love" (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie), "9 To 5" (Dolly Parton), "Flashdance... What A Feeling" (Irene Cara), "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross), "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" (Phil Collins), "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" (John Parr), "Ghostbusters" (Ray Parker Jr.), "The Power Of Love" (Huey Lewis and the News), "A View To A Kill" (Duran Duran), and "Who's That Girl" (Madonna, from the movie by the same name in which she also starred). Other memorable #1 movie hits were "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (from "An Officer And A Gentleman"), "Maniac" by Michael Sembello (from "Flashdance"), "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds (from "The Breakfast Club"), "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (from "Dirty Dancing"), and "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler (from "Beaches," a movie in which Midler also co-starred).
Much like the late 1960s, the late 1980s was a time of experimentation, and this decade also saw the emergence of many types of alternative and indie rock bands such as R.E.M., the Replacements, and other non-mainstream acts that were very popular on college campuses. Although many of these bands made the Billboard Pop/Rock charts (with songs by R.E.M. often reaching the Top 40), none made the list of number one songs shown below. Some of these newer forms of rock gave way to Grunge and other edgier styles of the 1990s and beyond.
Back to: Top Songs By Decade
Notes: C#1 = COUNTRY #1; AC#1 = ADULT CONTEMPORARY #1
SONG | ARTIST | CHART DEBUT DATE | R&B #1 | C #1 | AC #1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jessie's Girl | Rick Springfield | 3/28/1981 | |||
Baby, Come To Me | Patti Austin (With James Ingram) | 10/16/1982 | |||
Another One Bites The Dust | Queen | 8/16/1980 | |||
Celebration | Kool And The Gang | 10/25/1980 | |||
Upside Down | Diana Ross | 7/12/1980 | |||
Total Eclipse Of The Heart | Bonnie Tyler | 7/16/1983 | |||
Wind Beneath My Wings | Bette Midler | 3/4/1989 | |||
I Love A Rainy Night | Eddie Rabbitt | 11/8/1980 | |||
Keep On Loving You | REO Speedwagon | 11/29/1980 | |||
Chariots Of Fire - Titles | Vangelis | 12/12/1981 | |||
Don't You Want Me | The Human League | 3/6/1982 | |||
What's Love Got To Do With It | Tina Turner | 5/19/1984 | |||
Here I Go Again | Whitesnake | 7/4/1987 | |||
Kokomo | The Beach Boys | 9/3/1988 | |||
Endless Love | Diana Ross And Lionel Richie | 7/11/1981 | |||
Who Can It Be Now? | Men At Work | 7/10/1982 | |||
Mickey | Toni Basil | 9/4/1982 | |||
Take On Me | A-HA | 7/13/1985 | |||
The Flame | Cheap Trick | 4/9/1988 | |||
Wild, Wild West | The Escape Club | 8/20/1988 | |||
The Tide Is High | Blondie | 11/15/1980 | |||
9 To 5 | Dolly Parton | 11/29/1980 | |||
Bette Davis Eyes | Kim Carnes | 3/28/1981 | |||
Physical | Olivia Newton-John | 10/3/1981 | |||
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) | Eurythmics | 5/14/1983 | |||
Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) | Billy Ocean | 8/11/1984 | |||
I Just Called To Say I Love You | Stevie Wonder | 8/18/1984 | |||
Don't Worry Be Happy | Bobby McFerrin | 7/30/1988 | |||
Another Brick In The Wall Part II | Pink Floyd | 1/19/1980 | |||
Call Me | Blondie | 2/16/1980 | |||
Lady | Kenny Rogers | 10/4/1980 | |||
Centerfold | J. Geils Band | 11/7/1981 | |||
Abracadabra | Steve Miller Band | 5/29/1982 | |||
Eye Of The Tiger | Survivor | 6/5/1982 | |||
Down Under | Men At Work | 11/6/1982 | |||
Beat It | Michael Jackson | 2/26/1983 | |||
Flashdance... What A Feeling | Irene Cara | 4/2/1983 | |||
Islands In The Stream | Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton | 8/27/1983 | |||
Need You Tonight | INXS | 10/24/1987 | |||
Wishing Well | Terence Trent D'Arby | 1/16/1988 | |||
Red Red Wine | UB40 | 8/13/1988 | |||
Groovy Kind Of Love | Phil Collins | 9/3/1988 | |||
Straight Up | Paula Abdul | 12/3/1988 | |||
Woman In Love | Barbra Streisand | 9/6/1980 | |||
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) | Christopher Cross | 8/15/1981 | |||
Hard To Say I'm Sorry | Chicago | 6/5/1982 | |||
Billie Jean | Michael Jackson | 1/22/1983 | |||
All Night Long (All Night) | Lionel Richie | 9/17/1983 | |||
Hello | Lionel Richie | 2/25/1984 | |||
Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) | Phil Collins | 2/25/1984 | |||
Missing You | John Waite | 6/23/1984 | |||
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go | Wham! | 9/8/1984 | |||
Everybody Wants To Rule The World | Tears For Fears | 3/16/1985 | |||
We Built This City | Starship | 9/7/1985 | |||
You Give Love A Bad Name | Bon Jovi | 9/6/1986 | |||
I Think We're Alone Now | Tiffany | 8/29/1987 | |||
Never Gonna Give You Up | Rick Astley | 12/19/1987 | |||
Sweet Child O'Mine | Guns N' Roses | 6/25/1988 | |||
Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby) | Will To Power | 9/10/1988 | |||
Look Away | Chicago | 9/24/1988 | |||
My Prerogative | Bobby Brown | 10/22/1988 | |||
Funkytown | Lipps, Inc. | 3/29/1980 | |||
Magic | Olivia Newton-John | 5/24/1980 | |||
Kiss On My List | Daryl Hall And John Oates | 1/24/1981 | |||
Private Eyes | Daryl Hall And John Oates | 8/29/1981 | |||
Up Where We Belong | Joe Cocker And Jennifer Warnes | 8/21/1982 | |||
Maneater | Daryl Hall And John Oates | 10/16/1982 | |||
Come On Eileen | Dexys Midnight Runners | 1/22/1983 | |||
Owner Of A Lonely Heart | Yes | 11/5/1983 | |||
Footloose | Kenny Loggins | 1/28/1984 | |||
Out Of Touch | Daryl Hall And John Oates | 9/29/1984 | |||
Everytime You Go Away | Paul Young | 5/11/1985 | |||
That's What Friends Are For | Dionne And Friends: Elton John, Gladys Knight And Stevie Wonder | 11/9/1985 | |||
How Will I Know | Whitney Houston | 12/7/1985 | |||
On My Own | Patti LaBelle And Michael McDonald | 3/22/1986 | |||
Holding Back The Years | Simply Red | 4/5/1986 | |||
Walk Like An Egyptian | Bangles | 9/27/1986 | |||
Anything For You | Miami Sound Machine | 3/12/1988 | |||
Love Bites | Def Leppard | 8/13/1988 | |||
She Drives Me Crazy | Fine Young Cannibals | 1/28/1989 | |||
Blame It On The Rain | Milli Vanilli | 10/7/1989 | |||
How Am I Supposed To Live Without You | Michael Bolton | 10/28/1989 | |||
Opposites Attract | Paula Abdul | 12/16/1989 | |||
(Just Like) Starting Over | John Lennon | 11/1/1980 | |||
Jack And Diane | John Cougar Mellencamp | 7/24/1982 | |||
Maniac | Michael Sembello | 6/4/1983 | |||
Every Breath You Take | The Police | 6/4/1983 | |||
Say Say Say | Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson | 10/15/1983 | |||
Karma Chameleon | Culture Club | 12/3/1983 | |||
Don't You (Forget About Me) | Simple Minds | 2/23/1985 | |||
St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) | John Parr | 6/22/1985 | |||
Money For Nothing | Dire Straits | 7/13/1985 | |||
Saving All My Love For You | Whitney Houston | 8/17/1985 | |||
Miami Vice Theme | Jan Hammer | 9/7/1985 | |||
Broken Wings | Mr. Mister | 9/21/1985 | |||
Addicted To Love | Robert Palmer | 2/8/1986 | |||
Higher Love | Steve Winwood | 6/14/1986 | |||
The Way It Is | Bruce Hornsby And The Range | 9/20/1986 | |||
Shake You Down | Gregory Abbott | 10/18/1986 | |||
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now | Starship | 1/31/1987 | |||
Always | Atlantic Starr | 3/28/1987 | |||
Mony Mony "Live" | Billy Idol | 9/5/1987 | |||
Got My Mind Set On You | George Harrison | 10/24/1987 | |||
I'll Be There For You | Bon Jovi | 3/4/1989 | |||
Forever Your Girl | Paula Abdul | 3/11/1989 | |||
If You Don't Know Me By Now | Simply Red | 5/6/1989 | |||
Listen To Your Heart | Roxette | 8/26/1989 | |||
When I See You Smile | Bad English | 9/16/1989 | |||
Coming Up (Live At Glasgow) | Paul McCartney And Wings | 4/26/1980 | |||
It's Still Rock And Roll To Me | Billy Joel | 5/24/1980 | |||
Sailing | Christopher Cross | 6/14/1980 | |||
Morning Train (Nine To Five) | Sheena Easton | 2/14/1981 | |||
Medley | Stars On 45 | 4/11/1981 | |||
I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) | Daryl Hall And John Oates | 11/14/1981 | |||
Africa | Toto | 10/30/1982 | |||
Jump | Van Halen | 1/14/1984 | |||
The Reflex | Duran Duran | 4/21/1984 | |||
When Doves Cry | Prince | 6/2/1984 | |||
Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | 6/16/1984 | |||
I Want To Know What Love Is | Foreigner | 12/8/1984 | |||
Careless Whisper | Wham! Featuring George Michael | 12/22/1984 | |||
Crazy For You | Madonna | 3/2/1985 | |||
Oh Sheila | Ready For The World | 8/3/1985 | |||
Part-Time Lover | Stevie Wonder | 9/7/1985 | |||
Separate Lives | Phil Collins And Marilyn Martin | 10/5/1985 | |||
There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) | Billy Ocean | 4/19/1986 | |||
Sledgehammer | Peter Gabriel | 5/10/1986 | |||
Glory Of Love | Peter Cetera | 6/7/1986 | |||
Take My Breath Away | Berlin | 6/21/1986 | |||
The Next Time I Fall | Peter Cetera With Amy Grant | 9/20/1986 | |||
At This Moment | Billy Vera And The Beaters | 11/8/1986 | |||
Livin' On A Prayer | Bon Jovi | 12/13/1986 | |||
You Keep Me Hangin' On | Kim Wilde | 3/28/1987 | |||
Alone | Heart | 5/16/1987 | |||
La Bamba | Los Lobos | 6/27/1987 | |||
Heaven Is A Place On Earth | Belinda Carlisle | 9/26/1987 | |||
(I've Had) The Time Of My Life | Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes | 9/26/1987 | |||
Hold On To The Nights | Richard Marx | 5/21/1988 | |||
Every Rose Has Its Thorn | Poison | 10/29/1988 | |||
When I'm With You | Sheriff | 11/26/1988 | |||
Rock On | Michael Damian | 3/18/1989 | |||
I'll Be Loving You (Forever) | New Kids On The Block | 4/1/1989 | |||
Baby Don't Forget My Number | Milli Vanilli | 4/29/1989 | |||
Cold Hearted | Paula Abdul | 6/24/1989 | |||
Right Here Waiting | Richard Marx | 7/8/1989 | |||
Girl I'm Gonna Miss You | Milli Vanilli | 8/5/1989 | |||
Rapture | Blondie | 1/31/1981 | |||
I Love Rock 'N Roll | Joan Jett And The Blackhearts | 2/6/1982 | |||
Let's Dance | David Bowie | 3/26/1983 | |||
Time After Time | Cyndi Lauper | 4/14/1984 | |||
Everything She Wants | Wham! | 3/23/1985 | |||
Say You, Say Me | Lionel Richie | 11/9/1985 | |||
Kyrie | Mr. Mister | 12/21/1985 | |||
Sara | Starship | 12/28/1985 | |||
These Dreams | Heart | 1/18/1986 | |||
West End Girls | Pet Shop Boys | 3/1/1986 | |||
True Colors | Cyndi Lauper | 8/30/1986 | |||
Human | The Human League | 9/13/1986 | |||
Head To Toe | Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam | 4/11/1987 | |||
Lost In Emotion | Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam | 8/1/1987 | |||
Faith | George Michael | 10/24/1987 | |||
Seasons Change | Expose | 11/28/1987 | |||
Could've Been | Tiffany | 11/28/1987 | |||
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car | Billy Ocean | 2/13/1988 | |||
Foolish Beat | Debbie Gibson | 4/23/1988 | |||
Bad Medicine | Bon Jovi | 9/24/1988 | |||
Living Years | Mike And The Mechanics | 1/7/1989 | |||
Toy Soldiers | Martika | 5/20/1989 | |||
Miss You Much | Janet Jackson | 9/2/1989 | |||
The One That You Love | Air Supply | 5/16/1981 | |||
Ebony And Ivory | Paul McCartney (With Stevie Wonder) | 4/10/1982 | |||
Let's Hear It For The Boy | Deniece Williams | 4/7/1984 | |||
Let's Go Crazy | Prince And The Revolution | 8/4/1984 | |||
Like A Virgin | Madonna | 11/17/1984 | |||
Heaven | Bryan Adams | 4/20/1985 | |||
Shout | Tears For Fears | 6/15/1985 | |||
The Power Of Love | Huey Lewis And The News | 6/29/1985 | |||
Venus | Bananarama | 6/28/1986 | |||
Stuck With You | Huey Lewis And The News | 8/2/1986 | |||
When I Think Of You | Janet Jackson | 8/9/1986 | |||
(I Just) Died In Your Arms | Cutting Crew | 3/7/1987 | |||
So Emotional | Whitney Houston | 10/31/1987 | |||
Lost In Your Eyes | Debbie Gibson | 1/21/1989 | |||
Eternal Flame | Bangles | 2/4/1989 | |||
The Look | Roxette | 2/11/1989 | |||
We Didn't Start The Fire | Billy Joel | 10/14/1989 | |||
Truly | Lionel Richie | 10/9/1982 | |||
Tell Her About It | Billy Joel | 7/30/1983 | |||
Can't Fight This Feeling | REO Speedwagon | 1/19/1985 | |||
One More Night | Phil Collins | 2/9/1985 | |||
We Are The World | USA For Africa | 3/23/1985 | |||
Kiss | Prince And The Revolution | 2/22/1986 | |||
Greatest Love Of All | Whitney Houston | 3/29/1986 | |||
Live To Tell | Madonna | 4/12/1986 | |||
Papa Don't Preach | Madonna | 6/28/1986 | |||
Amanda | Boston | 9/27/1986 | |||
Open Your Heart | Madonna | 12/6/1986 | |||
With Or Without You | U2 | 3/21/1987 | |||
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) | Whitney Houston | 5/16/1987 | |||
Shakedown | Bob Seger | 5/23/1987 | |||
The Way You Make Me Feel | Michael Jackson | 11/21/1987 | |||
Where Do Broken Hearts Go | Whitney Houston | 2/27/1988 | |||
One More Try | George Michael | 4/16/1988 | |||
Together Forever | Rick Astley | 4/16/1988 | |||
Roll With It | Steve Winwood | 6/11/1988 | |||
Two Hearts | Phil Collins | 11/19/1988 | |||
Batdance | Prince | 6/17/1989 | |||
Don't Wanna Lose You | Gloria Estefan | 7/8/1989 | |||
Another Day In Paradise | Phil Collins | 11/4/1989 | |||
Sussudio | Phil Collins | 5/11/1985 | |||
A View To A Kill | Duran Duran | 5/18/1985 | |||
Rock Me Amadeus | Falco | 2/8/1986 | |||
Invisible Touch | Genesis | 5/31/1986 | |||
Lean On Me | Club Nouveau | 2/14/1987 | |||
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) | Aretha Franklin And George Michael | 2/21/1987 | |||
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For | U2 | 6/13/1987 | |||
Didn't We Almost Have It All | Whitney Houston | 8/1/1987 | |||
Father Figure | George Michael | 1/16/1988 | |||
Man In The Mirror | Michael Jackson | 2/6/1988 | |||
Good Thing | Fine Young Cannibals | 5/6/1989 | |||
Who's That Girl | Madonna | 7/11/1987 | |||
Monkey | George Michael | 7/9/1988 | |||
Like A Prayer | Madonna | 3/18/1989 | |||
Hangin' Tough | New Kids On The Block | 7/15/1989 | |||
Jacob's Ladder | Huey Lewis And The News | 1/17/1987 | |||
Satisfied | Richard Marx | 5/6/1989 | |||
I Just Can't Stop Loving You | Michael Jackson | 8/8/1987 | |||
Bad | Michael Jackson | 9/19/1987 | |||
Dirty Diana | Michael Jackson | 5/7/1988 |