Top Hits of the 1980s

[tacomalo]

I was just reviewing all of my year end countdowns, and finally realized that AT40 did Decade end countdowns for the 70s and 90s--but never did a countdown of the top hits of the 1980s.

Anybody know why? ...and did Rick Dees or anyone else do a decade end countdown for the 80s?

I find it amazing that the 80s were neglected...were they ashamed that "Physical" was probably the #1 song? ;D

(Top for the 70s -You Light Up my Life was certainly worse!)

[pzimm7700]

I asked Rob Drukee about that in the chat room years ago, he said the reason is the people in charge of the show felt radio stations and listeners would not want to hear an 80's countdown, so they didn't do one.

[freakyflybry]

I know both Casey Kasem and Rick Dees did 80's decade end countdowns.

Much like the CT40 charts then, Casey's was based on R&R. "Every Breath You Take", which spent 8 weeks at #1, was #1 on that chart.

[Scott Lakefield]

The closest AT40 came to a top hits of the 80s countdown was 1987's "Top 40 Hits of the 80s SO FAR." Not quite the same, but the best we'll ever have.

[Caseyfan4everRyanfanNever]

Assuming that AT40 would have used the same formula for figuring that chart, I don't think there would have been much of a difference if "The Top 40 Hits of the 80s So Far" (broadcast in early July 1987) had been updated 2 1/2 years later at the end of 1989 .

Songs from the early part of the 1980s tended to chart higher, mainly because they had more weeks in the top 40 and were at #1 longer. From 1986 to 1989, the longest that any song remained at #1 was 4 weeks and very few logged more than 15 weeks in the top 40. From 1980 to 1985, I count 15 songs as having spent more than 4 weeks at #1 and many of those (and others) spent up to 20 or more weeks in the top 40.

I've been working on my own Top Hits of the 1980s charts and and have tried several models. All of them show that songs from the early 1980s (1980-1985) ranked higher than songs from the latter part of the 1980s (1986-89). In many cases, I found myself having to include inverse order points for positions on the year end charts (101-ye pos) to ensure that all years of the 1980s were represented.

[shadster]

CT40 Did do the Top40 of the 80s, or #1's of the 80s special, 1st week of Jan. 1990.

Heres a link to it: www.lionking.org/~shadow/arc/top40.80s.html

[vince]

I remember being disappoined that AT40 never did a Top 40 of the 1980s. I really enjoyed "The Top 50 of the 1970's", even if "You Light Up My Life" was #1. In my opinion I've always considered Billboard to be the official chart and wished some had done a Top 40 of the 1980's with Billboard data.

I did compile an unofficial Top 100 of the 1980's back in 1990. Since it is not a published chart, I think it can be posted.

1 PHYSICAL Olivia Newton-John (1981)
2 BETTE DAVIS EYES Kim Carnes (1981)
3 ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Jr. (1981)
4 EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE The Police (1983)
5 BILLIE JEAN Michael Jackson (1983)
6 I LOVE ROCK ‘N ROLL Joan Jett & the Blacklhearts (1982)
7 EBONY AND IVORY Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (1982)
8 EYE OF THE TIGER Survivor (1982)
9 FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING Irene Cara (1983)
10 CALL ME Blondie (1980)
11 SAY, SAY, SAY Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson (1983)
12 CENTERFOLD J. Geils Band (1982)
13 LADY Kenny Rogers (1980)
14 LIKE A VIRGIN Madonna (1984)
15 (Just Like) STARTING OVER John Lennon (1980)
16 WHEN DOVES CRY Prince & the Revolution (1984)
17 JUMP Van Halen (1984)
18 ALL NIGHT LONG (All Night) Lionel Richie (1983)
19 UPSIDE DOWN Diana Ross (1980)
20 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Bonnie Tyler (1983)
21 ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL PT. 2 Pink Floyd (1980)
22 DOWN UNDER Men At Work (1983)
23 MANEATER Daryl Hall & John Oates (1982)
24 CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen (1980)
25 JACK & DIANE John Cougar Mellencamp (1982)
26 ROCK WITH YOU Michael Jackson (1980)
27 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST Queen (1980)
28 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne & Friends (1986)
29 SAY YOU, SAY ME Lionel Richie (1985)
30 MAGIC Olivia Newton-John (1980)
31 WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles (1986)
32 FUNKYTOWN Lipps Inc. (1980)
33 FAITH George Michael (1987)
34 DON’T YOU WANT ME The Human League (1982)
35 MISS YOU MUCH Janet Jackson (1989)
36 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand (1980)
37 LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi (1987)
38 WE ARE THE WORLD USA for Africa (1985)
39 BEAT IT Michael Jackson (1983)
40 ROLLWITH IT Steve Winwood (1988)
41 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT Tina Turner (1984)
42 COMING UP Paul McCartney & Wings (1980)
43 ARTHUR’S THEME (The Best That You Can Do) Cristopher Cross (1981)
44 ABRACADABRA The Steve Miller Band (1982)
45 AGAINST THE ODDS (Take A Look At Me Now) Phil Collins (1984)
46 JESSIE’S GIRL Rick Springfield (1981)
47 FOOTLOOSE Kenny Loggins (1984)
48 ESCAPE (The Pina Colada Song) Rupert Holmes (1980)
49 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder (1984)
50 KARMA CHAMELEON Culture Club (1984)
51 GHOSTBUSTERS Ray Parker Jr. (1984)
52 CARELESS WHISPER Wham! featuring George Michael (1985)
53 KISS ON MY LIST Daryl Hall & John Oates (1981)
54 WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO Wham! (1984)
55 DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME The Captain & Tennille (1980)
56 ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald (1986)
57 UP WHERE WE BELONG Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes (1982)
58 HARD TO SAY I’M SORRY Chicago (1982)
59 CELEBRATION Kool & the Gang (1981)
60 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton (1983)
61 STRAIGHT UP Paula Abdul (1989)
62 EVERY ROSE HAS A THORN Poison (1988)
63 ALONE Heart (1987)
64 MONEY FOR NOTHING Dire Straits (1985)
65 HURTS SO GOOD John Cougar Mellencamp (1982)
66 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING ANYMORE REO Speedwagon (1985)
67 IT’S STILL ROCK & ROLL TO ME Billy Joel (1980)
68 I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT Eddie Rabbit (1981)
69 LA BAMBA Los Lobos (1987)
70 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner (1981)
71 THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston (1986)
72 RIGHT HERE WAITING Richard Marx (1989)
73 BABY, COME TO ME Patti Austin & James Ingram (1983)
74 9 TO 5 Dolly Parton (1981)
75 SHOUT Tears For Fears (1985)
76 HELLO Lionel Richie (1984)
77 ONE MORE TRY George Michael (1988)
78 WITH OR WITHOUT YOU U2 (1987)
79 OWNER OF A LONELY HEART Yes (1984)
80 LOST IN YOUR EYES Debbie Gibson (1989)
81 STUCK WITH YOU Huey Lewis & the News (1986)
82 GLORIA Laura Branigan (1982)
83 ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco (1986)
84 LIKE A PRAYER Madonnna (1989)
85 MANIAC Michael Sambello (1983)
86 OUT OF TOUCH Daryl Hall & John Oates (1984)
87 PRIVATE EYES Daryl Hall & John Oates (1981)
88 I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (No Can Do) Daryl Hall & John Oates
89 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Foreigner (1985)
90 LOOK AWAY Chicago (1988)
91 PLEASE DON’T GO K.C. & the Sunshine Band (1980)
92 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY Deniece Williams (1984)
93 BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister (1985)
94 CARIBBEAN QUEEN Billy Ocean (1984)
95 THE REFLEX Duran Duran (1984)
96 SWEET DREAMS (Are Made Of This) The Eurythmics (1983)
97 EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears (1985)
98 KEEP ON LOVING YOU REO Speedwagon (1981)
99 RAPTURE Blondie (1981)
100 WHO CAN IT BE NOW? Men At Work (1982)

I used an inverse point formula and gave a lot of bonus points to numbers ones. I did not use a correction factor like I suspect AT 40 did when they ranked "The 50 of the 1970's", the "Top 40 Hits of the 1980's So Far" or "Top 40 Songs of the Rock Era" (aired in 1972).

The correction factor is suppose to allow songs from years with shorter chart runs to rank higher so they can be compared with songs from years with longer chart runs. I do not know how they calculate the correction factors.

Here are some examples of why I think a correction factor was used. On the "Top 40 Hits of the 1980's So Far", "That's What Friend Are For" ranked above songs like "Eye Of The Tiger" . "Tiger" spent more time at #1, in the top 10, top 40 and Hot 100.

On the "Top 50 of the 1970s" , "Bridge Over Troubled Water " ranked at #2 even though it had the shortest chart run of the songs in the 1970s that spent 6 weeks at #1. "Tonight's The Night" ranked at #6 and "Night Fever" ranked at #16 and both of those songs were #1 for 8 weeks.

On 1972's "Top 40 Songs of the Rock Era" special, "Hey Jude" ranked at #2 and "Mack The Knife" ranked at 3, even though the latter spent more time in the top 10, top 40 and Hot 100.

[dougray2]

There is no way you can justify some of the AT40 rankings for the Top 50 of the 70s. For example, they ranked I Jut Want To Be Your everything By Andy Gibb at #40 ad Let It Be by the Beatles at #39 even though Everything spent more weeks in the top 10 (16) than Let It Be spent on the entire Hot 100 (14). This is just one example. That show still had some great music, but from an accuracy standpoint, the rankings, except for Debbie Boone at #1, were really messed up.

[pzimm7700]

Wow, I see what you guys mean about the first few years of the decade getting higher rankings than the later years. Didn't realize it was THAT one sided.

[vince]

I have to agree the rankings for AT40's "Top 50 of the 1970's" are questionable. The example with "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and "Let It Be" is a good one.

Even with songs from the same year, where a correction factor to give more points to songs from years with shorts chart runs should not come into play, the rankings seem inconsistant. For example, "Best of My Love" by the Emotions ranked quite a bit higher at #20 than I Just Want To Be Your Everything" that ranked at #40. This could be explained by significantly more bonus points awarded for five weeks at #1 than for 4 weeks at #1, but for other years like 1978, it seems it was not the case. "How Deep Is Your Love", (#8) with 3 weeks at #1, and "Stayin' Alive" (#9),with 4 weeks at #1, out ranked "Shadow Dancing" (#12), with 7 weeks at #1, and "Night Fever" (#16), with 8 weeks at #1.

Another example of inconsistancy is "One Bad Apple" which ranked at #11. It had the shortest chart run of any song in the 70s to spend 5 weeks at #1. "I'll Be There", a 5 weeks #1 from just a few months before, ranked at #19, dispite its longer chart run, with more weeks in the top 40 and top 10. "Killing Me Softly", a 5 week #1 from 1973 did not make the Top 50 at all.

I am curious how they actually did the ranking for "The Top 50 of the 1970's". I suspect there may have been some subjectivity on the part of the AT40 staff and it was not based purely on a mathematical formula.

[vto66]

tacomalo said:

I was just reviewing all of my year end countdowns, and finally realized that AT40 did Decade end countdowns for the 70s and 90s--but never did a countdown of the top hits of the 1980s.

Anybody know why? ...and did Rick Dees or anyone else do a decade end countdown for the 80s?

I find it amazing that the 80s were neglected...were they ashamed that "Physical" was probably the #1 song? ;D

(Top for the 70s -You Light Up my Life was certainly worse!)

I, for one, happen to LOVE "You Light Up My Life." I can remember listening to that song in my 5th-grade CCD class, and even years later, I am still moved by the lyrics and the way Debby Boone put so much heart and spirit into the tune. Compared to some of that stuff out these days, "You Light Up My Life" is a classic. But, that's just my opinion.

[domino5s]

You and me both, vto66. While I can't say that "You Light Up My Life" is one of my top 10 favorites of all time, I agree that it's one of the greatest songs of the 70s--and the 70s are my favorite music decade. I kind of think of it as a dividing line for the end of the 3rd quarter of the decade, because after its 10 week reign at the top, "How Deep Is Your Love" hit #1 and the Saturday Night Fever era kicked into high gear.

[tacomalo]

I knew I'd smoke out the Debby Boone fans sooner or later

I like the song, but for those of us who grew up in the 70s, I really don't associate the 70s with that song...I could have probably accepted "Night Fever" or "How Deep is your Love" as the Number One song of the decade, as they certainly were classic songs from the dominant genre of the second half of the decade---but Debby's song doesn't really fit in all that well with either the early 70s or the disco of the late 70s.

Admittedly, for me, I have a hard time accepting any song other than "Maggie May" as the Number One song of the decade

[Hervard]

bassjl2 said:

Assuming that AT40 would have used the same formula for figuring that chart, I don't think there would have been much of a difference if "The Top 40 Hits of the 80s So Far" (broadcast in early July 1987) had been updated 2 1/2 years later at the end of 1989 .

Probably not, but they would have figured out a way to place songs from 1987 through 1989 in the countdown, just so every year would have a song or two, for fairness' sake. I imagine "Hurts So Good" would have been bumped out, since it wasn't a #1 song.

Bry mentioned that Rick Dees did a top hits of the 1980s show. Do you happen to have the list? My station dropped Rick Dees in December, 1989, so I didn't get to hear that one. I know Dees did a Top hits of the 80s - so far show in October, 1986. I happen to have a list, which I'll try to post when I have time.

[Hervard]

vince said:

I am curious how they actually did the ranking for "The Top 50 of the 1970's". I suspect there may have been some subjectivity on the part of the AT40 staff and it was not based purely on a mathematical formula.

Honestly, it sounds like it was figured out by pulling names out of a hat, or using a dartboard, because it makes absolutely no sense for "One Bad Apple" to rank over "Night Fever". The latter spent more weeks at #1, the Top Ten, the Top 40 and the Hot 100 than the former. Someone mentioned "Let It Be" by the Beatles ranking one spot above "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" Well, what about "Bridge Over Troubled Water" being in the runner-up position while "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" was way down at #40? I know that "Bridge" spent two more weeks at #1, but it was on the chart for two LESS weeks than "Everything" was in the TOP TEN.
And "Killing Me Softly" not making it was just wrong.