Decade End Countdowns

[vince]

Since the decade is almost over I am going to post decade end countdowns for the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's.


The decade end countdowns I am posting are based on AT40's 1982 methodology. AT40 divided the records points by the average of the top 20 from the records year of origin as a correction factor. I am making a change and dividing the points by the average of the top 50 instead. I thought that gives a better representation of the turn over or lack of on the chart for a given year.


Here is the first one. The 1960's. The 1970's and 1980's will get posted soon.

TOP 100, 1960 – 1969

Points POS TITLE-Artist (Year)

2850 1 THE TWIST Chubby Checker ('60 & '62)
2550 2 HEY JUDE The Beatles ('68)
2198 3 THEME FROM "A SUMMER PLACE" Percy Faith and His Orchestra ('60)
2099 4 TOSSIN' AND TURNIN' Bobby Lewis ('61)
2062 5 I'M A BELIEVER The Monkees ('66)
2037 6 I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND The Beatles ('64)
1860 7 I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye ('68)
1816 8 AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN (Medley) The Fifth Dimension ('69)
1697 9 SUGAR SUGAR The Archies ('69)
1694 10 TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu ('67)
1650 11 SUGAR SHACK Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs ('63)
1614 12 I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU Ray Charles ('62)
1591 13 HELLO, DOLLY! Louis Armstrong ('64)
1587 14 BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY The Four Seasons ('62)
1579 15 LOVE IS BLUE Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra ('68)
1566 16 ARE YOU LONESOME TO-NIGHT Elvis Presley ('60)
1553 17 IT'S NOW OR NEVER Elvis Presley ('60)
1498 18 (I Can't Get No) SATISFACTION The Rolling Stones ('65)
1475 19 THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS SSgt. Barry Sadler ('66)
1464 20 BIG BAD JOHN Jimmy Dean ('61)
1456 21 HONEY Bobby Goldsboro ('68)
1442 22 WINDY The Association ('67)
1437 23 ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry ('67)
1436 24 WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL The New Vaudeville Band ('66)
1435 25 PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE The Rascals ('68)
1429 26 IN THE YEAR 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) Zager & Evans ('69)
1429 27 HONKY TONK WOMAN The Rolling Stones ('69)
1426 28 (Sittin' On) THE DOCK OF THE BAY Otis Redding ('68)
1425 29 DAYDREAM BELIEVER The Monkees ('67)
1423 30 THE LETTER The Box Tops ('67)
1410 31 LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors ('67)
1405 32 I'M SORRY Brenda Lee ('60)
1403 33 HE'S SO FINE The Chiffons ('63)
1399 34 ROSES ARE RED (My Love) Bobby Vinton ('62)
1392 35 HE'LL HAVE TO GO Jim Reeves ('60)
1391 36 DOMINIQUE The Singing Nun ('63)
1387 37 EVERYDAY PEOPLE Sly and the Family Stone ('69)
1387 38 WONDERLAND BY NIGHT Burt Kaempfert ('61)
1387 39 THE PEPPERMINT TWIST Joey Dee and the Starlighters ('62)
1384 40 YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN' The Righteous Brothers ('65)
1374 41 GET BACK The Beatles with Billy Preston ('69)
1372 42 WIPE OUT The Surfaris ('63 & '66)
1369 43 CATHY'S CLOWN The Everly Brothers ('60)
1364 44 SHERRY The Four Seasons ('62)
1358 45 SHE LOVES YOU The Beatles ('64)
1346 46 SOMETHIN' STUPID Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra ('67)
1341 47 LIMBO ROCK Chubby Checker ('62)
1341 48 GROOVIN' The Young Rascals ('67)
1338 49 DOWNTOWN Petula Clark ('65)
1333 50 LOVE CHILD Diana Ross & the Supremes ('68)
1332 51 I CAN'T HELP MYSELF The Four Tops ('65)
1325 52 HAPPY TOGETHER The Turtles ('67)
1317 53 EXODUS Ferrante and Teicher ('61)
1303 54 RUNAWAY Del Shannon ('61)
1303 55 OH, PRETTY WOMAN Roy Orbison ('64)
1293 56 BABY LOVE The Supremes ('64)
1286 57 THERE I'VE SAID IT AGAIN Bobby Vinton ('64)
1285 58 CRIMSON AND CLOVER Tommy James and the Shondells ('69)
1275 59 BLUE VELVET Bobby Vinton ('63)
1275 60 THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU Herb Alpert ('68)
1271 61 DIZZY Tommy Roe ('69)
1270 62 MRS. BROWN, YOU'VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER Herman's Hermits ('65)
1269 63 HEY PAULA Paul and Paula ('63)
1269 64 STRANGER ON THE SHORE Mr. Acker Bilk ('62)
1268 65 TURN! TURN! TURN! The Byrds ('65)
1268 66 WOOLY BULLY Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs ('65)
1261 67 PONY TIME Chubby Checker ('61)
1260 68 HELP! The Beatles ('65)
1248 69 MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK The Angels ('63)
1247 70 I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU The Temptations ('69)
1245 71 COME TOGETHER / SOMETHING The Beatles ('69)
1237 72 RUNNING BEAR Johnny Preston ('60)
1235 73 FINGERTIPS (Part 2) Little Stevie Wonder ('63)
1230 74 WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW The Shirelles ('61)
1227 75 SUKIYAKI Kyu Sakamoto ('63)
1225 76 COME SEE ABOUT ME The Supremes ('64)
1224 77 STUCK ON YOU Elvis Presley ('60)
1223 78 (You're My) SOUL AND INSPIRATION The Righteous Brothers ('66)
1222 79 GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL Steve Lawrence ('63)
1222 80 I GET AROUND The Beach Boys ('64)
1221 81 CALCUTTA Lawrence Welk ('61)
1210 82 YESTERDAY The Beatles ('65)
1207 83 LOUIE LOUIE The Kingsmen ('63)
1200 84 CAN'T BUY ME LOVE The Beatles ('64)
1199 85 SOLDIER BOY The Shirrelles ('62)
1199 86 INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS The Strawberry Alarm Clock ('67)
1198 87 MY GUY Mary Wells ('64)
1196 88 96 TEARS ? (Question Mark) and the Mysterians ('66)
1194 89 EL PASO Marty Robbins ('60)
1189 90 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO The Supremes ('64)
1185 91 I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Gladys Knight & the Pips ('67)
1184 92 RUNAROUND SUE Dion ('61)
1184 93 WE CAN WORK IT OUT The Beatles ('66)
1183 94 MR. LONELY Bobby Vinton ('64)
1182 95 TRAVELIN' MAN Ricky Nelson ('61)
1178 96 LEAVING ON A JET PLANE Peter Paul & Mary ('69)
1171 97 TELSTAR The Tornados ('62)
1170 98 I WILL FOLLOW HIM Little Peggy March ('63)
1170 99 SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER Diana Ross and the Supremes ('69)
1168 100 LET'S HANG ON! The Four Seasons ('65)

[vince]

Here are the biggest pop singles of the 1970's. Not exactly what AT40 came up with back in 1979. By the way because of the correction factor point totals are comparable between decades.

TOP 100, 1970 – 1979

Points POS TITLE-Artist (Year)

2475 1 YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE Debby Boone ('77)
1884 2 NIGHT FEVER The Bee Gees ('78)
1863 3 TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT (Gonna Be Alright) Rod Stewart ('76)
1807 4 HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees ('77)
1786 5 SHADOW DANCING Andy Gibb ('78)
1774 6 THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE Roberta Flack ('72)
1773 7 I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING Andy Gibb ('77)
1769 8 JOY TO THE WORLD Three Dog Night ('71)
1760 9 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally) Gilbert O'Sullivan ('72)
1730 10 LE FREAK Chic ('78)
1647 11 RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD B. J. Thomas ('70)
1631 12 MY SHARONA The Knack ('79)
1616 13 MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE Rod Stewart ('71)
1592 14 AMERICAN PIE (Parts 1 and 2) Don McLean ('72)
1590 15 I'LL BE THERE Jackson 5 ('70)
1586 16 STAYIN' ALIVE The Bee Gees ('78)
1577 17 IT'S TOO LATE / I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Carole King ('71)
1550 18 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel ('70)
1531 19 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE Tony Orlando and Dawn ('73)
1520 20 BEST OF MY LOVE The Emotions ('77)
1483 21 HOT STUFF Donna Summer ('79)
1463 22 LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER The Captain & Tennille ('75)
1454 23 KNOCK THREE TIMES Dawn ('71)
1449 24 THE WAY WE WERE Barbra Streisand ('74)
1447 25 RHINESTONE COWBOY Glen Campbell ('75)
1446 26 LET'S GET IT ON Marvin Gaye ('73)
1436 27 SILLY LOVE SONGS Wings ('76)
1435 28 BAD GIRLS Donna Summer ('79)
1432 29 DO YA THINK I'M SEXY? Rod Stewart ('79)
1424 30 I THINK I LOVE YOU The Partridge Family ('70)
1421 31 I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor ('79)
1400 32 PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM The Elton John Band ('75)
1398 33 (They Long To Be) CLOSE TO YOU The Carpenters ('70)
1387 34 KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG Roberta Flack ('73)
1381 35 Y.M.C.A. The Village People ('79)
1372 36 KISS YOU ALL OVER Exile ('78)
1358 37 WITHOUT YOU Nilsson ('72)
1344 38 A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band ('76)
1343 39 HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART The Bee Gees ('71)
1340 40 ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds ('71)
1339 41 PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC Wild Cherry ('76)
1324 42 LOVE THEME FROM "A STAR IS BORN" (Evergreen) Barbra Streisand ('77)
1323 43 I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW Johnny Nash ('72)
1317 44 MY SWEET LORD / ISN'T IT A PITY George Harrison (#'70)
1311 45 MY LOVE Paul McCartney & Wings ('73)
1311 46 YOU'RE SO VAIN Carly Simon ('73)
1308 47 INDIAN RESERVATION (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) The Raiders ('71)
1308 48 REUNITED Peaches and Herb ('79)
1307 49 LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER Andy Gibb ('78)
1293 50 SEASONS IN THE SUN Terry Jacks ('74)
1271 51 BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE A Taste Of Honey ('78)
1246 52 THE CANDY MAN Sammy Davis Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation ('72)
1246 53 I GOTCHA Joe Tex ('72)
1246 54 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John ('74)
1242 55 KEEP ON TRUCKIN' Eddie Kendricks ('73)
1240 56 CROCODILE ROCK Elton John ('73)
1236 57 ME AND MRS. JONES Billy Paul ('72)
1236 58 GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL Donny Osmond ('71)
1234 59 BRAND NEW KEY Melanie ('71)
1232 60 FAMILY AFFAIR Sly and The Family Stone ('71)
1225 61 MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA Gladys Knight and the Pips ('73)
1218 62 I GO CRAZY Paul Davis ('78)
1217 63 ESCAPE (The Pina Colada Song) Rupert Holmes ('79)
1216 64 BABY COME BACK Player ('78)
1216 65 I'M SORRY / CALYPSO John Denver ('75)
1215 66 A HORSE WITH NO NAME America ('72)
1210 67 BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN Jim Croce ('73)
1203 68 THE STREAK Ray Stevens ('74)
1193 69 RING MY BELL Anita Ward ('79)
1192 70 BRANDY (You're a Fine Girl) Looking Glass ('72)
1190 71 BABY DON'T GET HOOKED ON ME Mac Davis ('72)
1188 72 I WANT YOU BACK Jackson 5 ('70)
1187 73 LET IT BE The Beatles ('70)
1184 74 DANCING MACHINE Jackson Five ('74)
1184 75 LET'S STAY TOGETHER Al Green ('72)
1182 76 THE JOKER The Steve Miller Band ('74)
1179 77 WAR Edwin Starr ('70)
1178 78 TOO MUCH HEAVEN The Bee Gees ('79)
1168 79 SAD EYES Robert John ('79)
1167 80 BEFORE THE NEXT TEARDROP FALLS Freddy Fender ('75)
1166 81 THREE TIMES A LADY The Commodores ('78)
1164 82 THE TEARS OF A CLOWN Smokey Robinson and the Miracles ('70)
1164 83 ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER The Fifth Dimension ('70)
1164 84 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL Charlie Rich ('73)
1162 85 AMERICAN WOMAN / NO SUGAR TONIGHT The Guess Who ('70)
1159 86 LOVE'S THEME Love Unlimited Orchestra ('74)
1157 87 DISCO DUCK (Part 1) Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots ('76)
1156 88 ONE OF THE THESE NIGHTS The Eagles ('75)
1155 89 POP MUZIK M ('79)
1154 90 GYPSIES, TRAMPS AND THIEVES Cher ('71)
1154 91 STILL The Commodores ('79)
1151 92 I WRITE THE SONGS Barry Manilow ('76)
1151 93 THAT'S THE WAY (I Like It) K.C. and the Sunshine Band ('75)
1150 94 TOP OF THE WORLD Carpenters ('73)
1150 95 IF YOU LEAVE ME NOW Chicago ('76)
1149 96 LEAN ON ME Bill Withers ('72)
1144 97 JUST MY IMAGINATION (Running Away With Me) The Temptations ('71)
1144 98 AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross ('70)
1143 99 KISS AND SAY GOODBYE The Manhattans ('76)
1142 100 DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART Elton John and Kiki Dee ('76)

[dukelightning]

So there should have been a #2 hit in the top 50 of the 70s special on AT40 as there was on the 80s special. Though that one, "Hurts So Good" would not have been on it at the end of the decade as its #39 ranking would have been eclipsed by at least 2 songs in the 2 and a half years after the show aired. Biggest disparities between this official ranking and those on the AT40 decade end show were 68 notches for "Aint No Mountain High Enough" (#30 AT40, #98 official ranking) and 56 notches for "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (#44 AT40, #100 official ranking). Another disparity worthy of notice is "I Just Want to be Your Everything" which was #7 officially but only #40 according to AT40. Highest ranked officially ranked song which did not appear on the AT40 show was "Knock Three Times" at #23 (#25 "Rhinestone Cowboy" and #26 "Let's Get it On" also failed to appear on the show). Highest ranked song on AT40 which did not make the top 100 official ranking was "I Honestly Love You" at #41, though that had a second chart run that may have caused the disparity. But #42 "December 1963" also did not make the top 100 official ranking either.

[doofus67]

I still don't understand how "Waiting for a Girl Like You" was left out of that 1987 ranking!

[dukelightning]

^That is an easy one to track as those were both songs which appeared in the 1982 year end. And while Hurts was at #6, Waiting was at #9; so AT40 was consistent in leaving it off the 1987 special. The argument here is to say that bonus points for being at #2 (as there is for #1 songs)should kick in at some point. Those bonus points should have gotten Waiting over the top as the biggest #2 hit of the 80s, if not all time as of 1990 before the Hot 100 methodology changed.

[doofus67]

I know that when AT40 ranked the songs "in-house," they generally based their formula on just the weekly top 50. I still have the official letter from the staff to prove it. So was the 1987 list done that way too, or no?

[OnWithTheCountdown]

I'm not a fan of overly weighted #1 points. I do think #1's should be a bit more than #2, but the exponential points for a lengthy stay was, IMO, a bit much. Any #2 song would have to stay at that same position for many more weeks than Foreigner did to get close to the number of points a #1 would get. I like the 1982 methodology; I'd still tweak it a tiny bit, but is pretty good overall. If we want to throw in bonus points for consecutive weeks, then any song in the top 3 or top 5 at a position for several weeks is worthy of them. And I'm not exactly over the top of counting a song's full chart run in a given survey year, especially if a good chunk of it was in the prior year, thereby short-changing a decent and worthy hit in said survey year.

I absolutely love how vince re-did those year-end tabulations.

My thoughts, for whatever they're worth. Love the discussion on this!

[doofus67]

OK, here's my own analysis of "Hurts" and "Waiting" and their original week-by-week runs in the top 50. This clarifies things a little. But I'm more convinced than ever that AT40's formula was flawed.

"Hurts": 4 wks at #2, 9 wks in the top 5, 16 wks in the top 10, 23 wks in the top 50.

"Waiting": 10 wks at #2, 13 wks in the top 5, 15 wks in the top 10, 20 weeks in the top 50.

The AT40 formula gave too much weight to positions 6 through 10 and not enough to 2 through 5. To me, point values should be assigned to each chart position more on a curve and less on an inverse scale, as Dann Isbell and Bill Carroll did in the book Ranking the 70s.

I harp on it, I know, but their method is the most accurate one I've come across. When I run these two songs through the RT70s point scale -- which uses the full top 100 and doesn't involve bonus points -- I get a score of 6837 for "Hurts" and 8009 for "Waiting." Just putting it out there...

[vince]

Here is the list for the 1980's. It is somewhat different AT40's 1987 ranking as I used the average of the top 50 instead of top 20 for the correction factor.

TOP 100, 1980 – 1989

Points POS TITLE-Artist (Year)

2311 1 PHYSICAL Olivia Newton-John ('81)
2074 2 BETTE DAVIS EYES Kim Carnes ('81)
2026 3 ENDLESS LOVE Diana Ross and Lionel Richie ('81)
1965 4 EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE The Police ('83)
1749 5 FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING Irene Cara ('83)
1742 6 EYE OF THE TIGER Survivor ('82)
1697 7 SAY, SAY, SAY Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson ('83)
1691 8 CALL ME Blondie ('80)
1685 9 CENTERFOLD The J. Geils Band ('82)
1630 10 BILLIE JEAN Michael Jackson ('83)
1619 11 LADY Kenny Rogers ('80)
1615 12 I LOVE ROCK 'N' ROLL Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ('82)
1591 13 EBONY AND IVORY Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder ('82)
1577 14 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST Queen ('80)
1547 15 (Just Like) STARTING OVER John Lennon ('80)
1519 16 WHEN DOVES CRY Prince and the Revolution ('84)
1507 17 THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne and Friends ('86)
1446 18 LIKE A VIRGIN Madonna ('84)
1441 19 JUMP Van Halen ('84)
1428 20 UPSIDE DOWN Diana Ross ('80)
1419 21 DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME The Captain & Tennille ('80)
1415 22 ALL NIGHT LONG (All Night) Lionel Richie ('83)
1405 23 SAY YOU, SAY ME Lionel Richie ('85)
1405 24 ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (Part 2) Pink Floyd ('80)
1398 25 WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles ('86)
1397 26 HURTS SO GOOD John Cougar ('82)
1397 27 DOWN UNDER Men At Work ('83)
1393 28 ABRACADABRA The Steve Miller Band ('82)
1380 29 DON'T YOU WANT ME The Human League ('82)
1378 30 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Bonnie Tyler ('83)
1376 31 ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE Phil Collins ('89)
1357 32 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT Tina Turner ('84)
1353 33 MANEATER Daryl Hall and John Oates ('82)
1347 34 CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Queen ('80)
1343 35 ROCK WITH YOU Michael Jackson ('80)
1338 36 JESSIE'S GIRL Rick Springfield ('81)
1336 37 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand ('80)
1328 38 JACK AND DIANE John Cougar ('82)
1322 39 FAITH George Michael ('87)
1311 40 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU Foreigner ('81)
1309 41 CARELESS WHISPER Wham! Featuring George Michael ('85)
1292 42 BEAT IT Michael Jackson ('83)
1291 43 MISS YOU MUCH Janet Jackson ('89)
1289 44 AGAINST ALL ODDS (Take a Look at Me Now) Phil Collins ('84)
1286 45 ON MY OWN Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald ('86)
1276 46 FOOTLOOSE Kenny Loggins ('84)
1265 47 LIVIN' ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi ('87)
1260 48 GLORIA Laura Branigan ('82)
1246 49 ALONE Heart ('87)
1244 50 HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY Chicago ('82)
1233 51 HELLO Lionel Richie ('84)
1231 52 ROLL WITH IT Steve Winwood ('88)
1230 53 OWNER OF A LONELY HEART Yes ('84)
1227 54 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton ('83)
1227 55 STRAIGHT UP Paula Abdul ('89)
1226 56 KARMA CHAMELEON Culture Club ('84)
1226 57 COMING UP (Live At Glasgow) Paul McCartney and Wings ('80)
1226 58 IT'S STILL ROCK & ROLL TO ME Billy Joel ('80)
1226 59 EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN Poison ('89)
1218 60 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Foreigner ('85)
1217 61 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder ('84)
1213 62 LOOK AWAY Chicago ('88)
1209 63 GHOSTBUSTERS Ray Parker Jr. ('84)
1206 64 MAGIC Olivia Newton-John ('80)
1193 65 CELEBRATION Kool and the Gang ('81)
1189 66 WE ARE THE WORLD USA For Africa ('85)
1187 67 I CAN'T GO FOR THAT (No Can Do) Daryl Hall and John Oates ('82)
1181 68 I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Who Loves Me) Whitney Houston ('87)
1177 69 LA BAMBA Los Lobos ('87)
1174 70 NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US NOW Starship ('87)
1170 71 NEED YOU TONIGHT INXS ('88)
1169 72 SEPERATE LIVES Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin ('85)
1169 73 AT THIS MOMENT Billy Vera and the Beaters ('87)
1165 74 GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston ('86)
1161 75 HARDEN MY HEART Quarterflash ('82)
1159 76 CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon ('85)
1158 77 SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott ('87)
1156 78 ARTHUR'S THEME (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross ('81)
1153 79 PLEASE DON'T GO K.C. and the Sunshine Band ('80)
1150 80 FUNKYTOWN Lipps Inc. ('80)
1149 81 MONEY FOR NOTHING Dire Straits ('85)
1148 82 BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister ('85)
1146 83 OUT OF TOUCH Daryl Hall and John Oates ('84)
1144 84 WITH OR WITHOUT YOU U2 ('87)
1142 85 WE DIDN'T START THE FIRE Billy Joel ('89)
1138 86 WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO Wham! ('84)
1137 87 DON'T KNOW MUCH Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville ('89)
1135 88 ONE MORE TRY George Michael ('88)
1132 89 RIGHT HERE WAITING Richard Marx ('89)
1130 90 STUCK WITH YOU Huey Lewis and the News ('86)
1128 91 BABY COME TO ME Patti Austin and James Ingram ('83)
1125 92 LOST IN YOUR EYES Debbie Gibson ('89)
1121 93 BLAME IT ON THE RAIN Milli Vanilli ('89)
1117 94 ROSANNA Toto ('82)
1114 95 MY PEROGATIVE Bobby Brown ('89)
1112 96 9 TO 5 Dolly Parton ('81)
1112 97 I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT Eddie Rabbitt ('81)
1110 98 C'EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil ('87)
1109 99 HERE I GO AGAIN Whitesnake ('87)
1108 100 CRAZY FOR YOU Madonna ('85)

[vince]

Dec 31, 2019 19:06:59 GMT -5 doofus67 said:

I know that when AT40 ranked the songs "in-house," they generally based their formula on just the weekly top 50. I still have the official letter from the staff to prove it. So was the 1987 list done that way too, or no?

From what I can tell AT40 did use their 1982 methodology to calculate their 1987 Top Hits of the '80 So Far special. I came really close when I did a ranking of the '80s using their formula with the top 13 matching the 1987 special. That ranking is posted somewhere.

[vince]

Bumping up due to question about decade end countdowns.

[chrislc]

>
1773 7 I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING Andy Gibb ('77)
1769 8 JOY TO THE WORLD Three Dog Night ('71)
1760 9 ALONE AGAIN (Naturally) Gilbert O'Sullivan ('72)
1730 10 LE FREAK Chic ('78)
1647 11 RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD B. J. Thomas ('70)
1631 12 MY SHARONA The Knack ('79)
1616 13 MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE Rod Stewart ('71)
1592 14 AMERICAN PIE (Parts 1 and 2) Don McLean ('72)
1590 15 I'LL BE THERE Jackson 5 ('70)
1586 16 STAYIN' ALIVE The Bee Gees ('78)
1577 17 IT'S TOO LATE / I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Carole King ('71)
1550 18 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel ('70)
1531 19 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE Tony Orlando and Dawn ('73)
1520 20 BEST OF MY LOVE The Emotions ('77)
<

Looks to me like the 1979 issue was more about shortchanging IJWTBYE than it was about BOML being too high. I guess it probably was just some bad math.

Or maybe it was payback for the Baker Street thing.

[chrislc]

>
1112 96 9 TO 5 Dolly Parton ('81)
1112 97 I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT Eddie Rabbitt ('81)
<

Two peas in a pod. Made the Top 40 within a week of each other. #1 in consecutive weeks. And both have 1112 points. If only they both were the same type of mus--- oh wait.

[doofus67]

Well, if the AT40 folks really were after payback, they would have knocked "Shadow Dancing" down a few more notches!