1981

The Top 150 Hits of… 1981

#’s 1 and 2 for this year were #’s 2 and 3 for the decade.

1. Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes 435
2. Endless Love – Lionel Richie and Diana Ross 428.5
3. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield 380
4. Lady – Kenny Rogers 369
5. (Just Like) Starting Over – John Lennon 366.5
6. Celebration – Kool and the Gang 321.5
7. Arthur’s Theme – Christopher Cross 316.5
8. I Love a Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbitt 315.5
9. Theme from “Greatest American Hero” (Believe It or Not) – Joey Scarbury 310.5
10. Woman – John Lennon 310.5
11. Being with You – Smokey Robinson 309
12. 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton 307
13. Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon 307
14. Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones 306.5
15. Just the Two of Us – Grover Washington Jr. with Bill Withers 302.5
16. The Tide Is High – Blondie 302
17. Queen of Hearts – Juice Newton 300
18. Slow Hand – The Pointer Sisters 293.5
19. Love on the Rocks – Neil Diamond 293.5
20. Private Eyes – Daryl Hall and John Oates 285.5
21. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around – Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 277.5
22. Kiss on My List – Daryl Hall and John Oates 276.5
23. More Than I Can Say – Leo Sayer 265
24. The Best of Times – Styx 264.5
25. Medley – Stars on 45 263
26. Sukiyaki – A Taste of Honey 257
27. Every Woman in the World – Air Supply 257
28. Rapture – Blondie 253
29. A Woman Needs Love – Ray Parker Jr. & Radio 252
30. Urgent – Foreigner 249.5
31. Guilty – Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb 246.5
32. Who’s Crying Now – Journey 246.5
33. Morning Train (Nine to Five) – Sheena Easton 245.5
34. The One That You Love – Air Supply 243.5
35. Angel of the Morning – Juice Newton 242
36. (There’s) No Getting’ Over Me – Ronnie Milsap 241.5
37. Passion – Rod Stewart 240
38. Elvira – The Oak Ridge Boys 236
39. Hungry Heart – Bruce Springsteen 236
40. I Don’t Need You – Kenny Rogers 235.5
41. Step by Step – Eddie Rabbitt 234.5
42. For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton 224
43. Take It on the Run – REO Speedwagon 220.5
44. Crying – Don McLean 219.5
45. Living Inside Myself – Gino Vannelli 219
46. The Winner Takes It All – ABBA 216
47. Here I Am – Air Supply 213.5
48. The Night Owls – Little River Band 211
49. Hit Me with Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar 209.5
50. You Make My Dreams – Daryl Hall and John Oates 208
51. Lady (You Bring Me Up) – The Commodores 207.5
52. Boy from New York City – Manhattan Transfer 205.5
53. Oh No – The Commodores 205
54. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police 202
55. All Those Years Ago – George Harrison 200.5
56. Hearts – Marty Balin 195.5
57. It’s My Turn – Diana Ross 191
58. Tryin’ to Live My Life Without You – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band 188.5
59. Giving It Up for Your Love – Delbert McClinton 187.5
60. I Love You – Climax Blues Band 181
61. While You See A Chance – Steve Winwood 177
62. Hello Again – Neil Diamond 175.5
63. I’ve Done Everything for You – Rock Springfield 175.5
64. America – Neil Diamond 172.5
65. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police 171.5
66. Sweetheart – Franke and the Knockouts 165.5
67. Too Much Time on My Hands – Styx 162.5
68. I Can’t Stand It – Eric Clapton 162.5
69. This Little Girl – Gary U.S. Bonds 160
70. Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan 160
71. Hold On Tight – Electric Light Orchestra 160
72. Tell It Like It Is – Heart 156.5
73. Hard to Say – Dan Fogelberg 154
74. Our Lips Are Sealed – The Go-Go’s 152.5
75. Don’t Stand So Close to Me – The Police 152
76. When She Was My Girl – The Four Tops 149.5
77. Theme from “Hill Street Blues” – Mike Post 148.5
78. I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It – Stevie Wonder 148
79. Same Old Lang Syne – Dan Fogelberg 147.5
80. How ‘Bout Us – Champaign 147
81. Together – Tierra 144.5
82. The Breakup Song – The Greg Kihn Band 141.5
83. What Are We Doin’ in Love – Dottie West and Kenny Rogers 140.5
84. Time – The Alan Parsons Project 140.5
85. We’re In This Love Together – Al Jarreau 140
86. Somebody’s Knockin’ – Terri Gibbs 138
87. A Little in Love – Cliff Richard 135.5
88. I Made It Through the Rain – Barry Manilow 135
89. What Kind of Fool – Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb 131.5
90. Just Once – Quincy Jones feat. James Ingram 131.5
91. Watching the Wheels – John Lennon 129
92. Super Freak – Rick James 129
93. Ain’t Even Done with the Night – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 128.5
94. The Beach Boys Medley – The Beach Boys 127.5
95. Games People Play – The Alan Parsons Project 125.5
96. Cool Love – Pablo Cruise 122.5
97. It’s Now or Never – John Schneider 116.5
98. The Stroke – Billy Squire 116.5
99. Her Town Too – James Taylor and J.D. Souther 116
100. Suddenly – Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard 115.5
101. Steal the Night – Stevie Woods 114
102. Treat Me Right – Pat Benatar 113.5
103. Miss Sun – Boz Scaggs 113.5
104. Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime – The Korgis 113.5
105. Feels So Right – Alabama 111.5
106. Time Is Time – Andy Gibb 111
107. Share Your Love with Me – Kenny Rogers 111
108. The Voice – The Moody Blues 111
109. I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do) – Lulu 111
110. Winning – Santana 109.5
111. My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) – Chilliwack 109.5
112. Smokey Mountain Rain – Ronnie Milsap 109
113. Sweet Baby – Stanley Clarke and George Duke 108.5
114. The Old Songs – Barry Manilow 108.5
115. Gemini Dream – The Moody Blues 106.5
116. Modern Girl – Sheena Easton 103
117. Really Wanna Know You – Gary Wright 102
118. I Believe in You – Don Williams 102
119. Is It You – Lee Ritenour 99.5
120. She’s a Bad Mama Jama – Carl Carlton 99
121. Hearts on Fire – Randy Meisner 98
122. Fire and Ice – Pat Benatar 95.5
123. You Better You Bet – The Who 95.5
124. Say Goodbye to Hollywood – Billy Joel 94.5
125. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash 94
126. I Missed Again – Phil Collins 94
127. Breaking Away – Balance 91.5
128. In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins 90.5
129. Heartbreak Hotel – The Jacksons 90.5
130. Killin’ Time – Fred Knoblock and Susan Anton 90.5
131. Touch Me When We’re Dancing – The Carpenters 88.5
132. Don’t Stop the Music – Yarbrough & Peoples 87.5
133. Just Between You and Me – April Wine 87.5
134. Precious to Me – Phil Seymour 85.5
135. Double Dutch Bus – Frankie Smith 85.5
136. Love on a Two Way Street – Stacy Lattisaw 84.5
137. Fool in Love with You – Jim Photoglo 83
138. No Reply at All – Genesis 82.5
139. Seven Bridges Road – The Eagles 81.5
140. One Step Closer – The Doobie Brothers 81.5
141. Sausalito Summernight – Diesel 79.5
142. Say You’ll Be Mine – Christopher Cross 78.5
143. Hold On Loosely – 38 Special 78.5
144. The Waiting – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 76.5
145. In Your Letter – REO Speedwagon 75.5
146. That Old Song – Ray Parker Jr. & Radio 75.5
147. Ah! Leah! – Donnie Iris 75.5
148. Since I Don’t Have You – Don McLean 75.5
149. Sequel – Harry Chapin 74
150. Nobody Wins – Elton John 72.5
151. Turn Me Loose – Loverboy 72.5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1981

1982

The Top 150 Hits of… 1982

Wha’ ‘appen?!?

That’s what I said when I compared my ’82 list to Billboard’s. Clearly the number of weeks at #1 was a key factor at the top of the chart. That’s the only explanation for “I Love Rock n’ Roll” and “Ebony and Ivory,” both of which spent 7 weeks at #1, being ranked above “Hurt So Good,” which spent 4 weeks at #2. But let’s look a little closer. “I Love…” spent 16 weeks in the top 40. “Hurt So Good” spent 16 weeks in the top 10. The former spent 20 total weeks on the chart. The latter spent 22 weeks in the top 40. I mean, come on! What kind of bonus points were these folks giving?

What gave me a clue as to what might be happening in the rest of the chart was looking at the chart runs of two songs: “Love Is in Control” by Donna Summer and “Think I’m in Love” by Eddy Money. They were on the chart simultaneously. For all but 4 of the 17 weeks they shared the chart, “Love” was ranked higher than “Think.” Yet Billboard’s year-end list had the latter at #58 and the former at #59. How was that even possible?!?! Here’s the only solution I can think of.

During the whole 14 weeks that “Love” was ahead of “Think,” it was only ahead by less than 10 places in any given week. During 2 of the weeks that the two songs switched relative places, “Think” was ahead of “Love” by as many as 60 places, #25 versus #85. For me, that’s a difference of 8 points. What if Billboard, at the time, used a simpler inverse point system in which #100 received 1 point, #99 received 2 points, all the way up to 100 points (and more) for #1? What if, for Billboard, that span of 60 places meant a difference of 60 points? That would explain it. What makes that kind of scale inaccurate is that 3 weeks at #68 (33x3) would be the same as a week at #2 (99). In the scale I use, a week at #2 (24) is the same as spending 3 weeks between #s 26 and 30 (8x3), which is much, much closer to being correct. Evidently Billboard thought better of their method later on, since our lists start looking much more similar starting in ’84.

Something that surprised me about the results of my list was where “Tainted Love” ended up (#35). It was on the Hot 100 for 43 weeks, 4 weeks more than “Bust a Move” needed to be the #1 song of 1989. I thought for sure it would sail into the top 10 like it almost did on Billboard’s list. Then I found out that it spent 11 weeks hovering between #s 91 and 100. In fact, its bottom 20 weeks were only worth 23.5 points. So it wasn’t nearly as impressive as I was expecting.

“Physical” was the #1 song of the decade. It rode the wave of the burgeoning fitness craze and was #1 for 10 weeks.

1. Physical – Olivia Newton- John 464.5
2. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor 413.5
3. Hurt So Good – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 400.5
4. Centerfold – J. Geils Band 389.5
5. Waiting for a Girl Like You – Foreigner 387.5
6. Abrakadabra – Steve Miller Band 383.5
7. Gloria – Laura Branigan 365.5
8. Don’t You Want Me – The Human League 352.5
9. I Love Rock n’ Roll – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 340.5
10. Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder 339
11. Hard to Say I’m Sorry – Chicago 340.5
12. I Can’t Go for That – Daryl Hall and John Oates 331.5
13. Jack and Diane – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 326.5
14. Harden My Heart – Quarterflash 326
15. Rosanna – Toto 311.5
16. Don’t Talk to Strangers – Rick Springfield 299.5
17. Who Can It Be Now? – Men at Work 297
18. Chariots of Fire – Vangelis 285
19. Eye in the Sky – Alan Parsons Project 280
20. Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind and Fire 275
21. Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes 267.5
22. We Got the Beat – The Go-Go’s 267.5
23. Open Arms – Journey 267
24. Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac 260.5
25. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone 257.5
26. Shake It Up – The Cars 253.5
27. The Sweetest Thing – Juice Newton 243.5
28. You Should Hear How She Talks About You – Melissa Manchester 242.5
29. Heart Attack – Olivia Newton- John 237.5
30. Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson 235.5
31. Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks and Don Henley 235.5
32. Sweet Dreams – Air Supply 235
33. Turn Your Love Around – George Benson 234
34. Key Largo – Bertie Higgins 231.5
35. Tainted Love – Soft Cell 230.5
36. Let It Whip – The Dazz Bnad 230.5
37. The Other Woman – Ray Parker Jr. 228.5
38. That Girl – Stevie Wonder 221.5
39. Even the Nights Are Better – Air Supply 218.5
40. Young Turks – Rod Stewart 217.5
41. You Can Do Magic – America 214.5
42. I Keep Forgettin’ – Michael McDonald 211.5
43. Heat of the Moment – Asia 210
44. Freeze-Frame – J. Geils Band 208.5
45. I’ve Never Been to Me – Charlene 204.5
46. Only the Lonely – The Motels 201
47. ’65 Love Affair – Paul Davis 200
48. Why Do Fools Fall in Love – Diana Ross 196
49. Trouble – Lindsey Buckingham 191.5
50. Heartlight – Neil Diamond 185.5
51. Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne 185
52. Leader of the Band – Dan Fogelberg 184.5
53. Keep the Fire Burnin’ – REO Speewagon 179.5
54. Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me – Juice Newton 176.5
55. Take It Easy on Me – Little River Band 168.5
56. Pac-Man Fever – Buckner and Garcia 166.5
57. Wasted on the Way – Crosby, Still & Nash 166.5
58. Do You Believe in Love – Huey Lewis and the News 163
59. Make a Move on Me – Olivia Newton- John 160.5
60. Muscles – Diana Ross 158.5
61. Take It Away – Paul McCartney 156
62. Cool Night – Paul Davis 154.5
63. I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls 153
64. Hooked on Classics – The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 152.5
65. Did It in a Minute – Daryl Hall and John Oates 151.5
66. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey 149.5
67. Coming In and Out of Your Life – Barbra Streisand 148.5
68. Love Is in Control – Donna Summer 147
69. Caught Up in You – 38 Special 146.5
70. Yesterday’s Songs – Neil Diamond 145.5
71. Crimson and Clover – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 143.5
72. Vacation – The Go-Go’s 142.5
73. Making Love – Roberta Flack 136.5
74. Mirror, Mirror – Diana Ross 134.5
75. Get Down on It – Kool and the Gang 132
76. Love Will Turn You Around – Kenny Rogers 131
77. Blue Eyes – Elton John 128.5
78. It’s Gonna Take a Miracle – Deniece Williams127.5
79. Break It to Me Gently – Juice Newton 127
80. You Could Have Been with Me – Sheena Easton 126
81. Think I’m in Love – Eddie Money 124.5
82. Waiting on a Friend – The Rolling Stones 124
83. Love in the First Degree – Alabama 123.5
84. Take My Heart – Kool and the Gang 123
85. Personally – Karla Bonoff 119.5
86. What’s Forever For – Michael Murphey119
87. Empty Garden – Elton John 118.5
88. One Hundred Ways – Quincy Jones feat. James Ingram 118
89. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks 115.5
90. Nobody – Sylvia 112.5
91. (Oh) Pretty Woman – Van Halen 112.5
92. You Don’t Want Me Anymore – Steel Breeze 112.5
93. Through the Years – Kenny Rogers 111.5
94. Spirits in the Material World – The Police 110.5
95. Do I Do – Stevie Wonder 110.5
96. Should I Do It – The Pointer Sisters 109
97. Any Day Now – Ronnie Milsap 108.5
98. Man on Your Mind – Little River Band 107.5
99. Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight – Eddie Rabbitt 104.5
100. I Wouldn’t Have Missed It for the World – Ronnie Milsap 104.5
101. The One You Love – Glenn Frey 103.5
102. Bobbie Sue – Oak Ridge Boys102.5
103. Hold On – Santana 102.5
104. Southern Cross – Crosby, Still & Nash 102
105. A Penny for Your Thoughts – Tavares 102
106. Body Language – Queen 101.5
107. Gypsy – Fleetwood Mac 101.5
108. Goin’ ‘Down – Greg Guidry 100.5
109. The Beatles Movie Medley – The Beatles 98.5
110. Hot in the City – Billy Idol 96.5
111. Kids in America – Kim Wilde 96.5
112. Working for the Weekend – Loverboy 94.5
113. Play the Game Tonight – Kansas 94.5
114. Love Is Alright Tonight – Rick Springfield 93.5
115. Still They Ride – Journey 93.5
116. Out of Work – Gary U.S. Bonds 92.5
117. American Music – The Pointer Sisters 91.5
118. Take Me Down – Alabama 90.5
119. Theme from Magnum P.I. – Mike Post 89.5
120. Only Time Will Tell – Asia 88
121. Pressure – Billy Joel 88
122. Come Go with Me – The Beach Boys 87
123. Take Off – Bob and Doug McKenzie 86.5
124. Run for the Roses – Dan Fogelberg 85.5
125. On the Wings of Love – Jeffrey Osborne 85.5
126. Love Me Tomorrow – Chicago 85
127. Love Come Down – Evelyn “Champagne” King 84.5
128. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 84.5
129. What Kind of Fool Am I – Rick Springfield 84.5
130. Let Me Tickle Your Fancy – Jermaine Jackson83.5
131. American Heartbeat – Survivor 83
132. Forget Me Nots – Patrice Rushen 82.5
133. Somewhere Down the Road – Barry Manilow 81.5
134. Tonight I’m Yours – Rod Stewart 81.5
135. She’s Got a Way – Billy Joel 80.5
136. Under Pressure – Queen and David Bowie 80.5
137. All Our Tomorrows – Eddie Schwartz 80
138. Fantasy – Aldo Nova 78
139. Heart Like a Wheel – Steve Miller Band 78
140. Daddy’s Home – Cliff Richard 77.5
141. Still in Saigon – Charlie Daniels Band 77
142. Find Another Fool – Quarterflash 76.5
143. Without You (Not Another Lonely Night) – Franke & the Knockouts 75.5
144. Be My Lady Jefferson Starship 75
145. When All Is Said and Done – ABBA 74.5
146. If the Love Fits Wear It – Leslie Pearl 74.5
147. Everybody Wants You – Billy Squire 73.5
148. And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going – Jennifer Holliday 72
149. Nobody Said It Was Easy – Le Roux 71.5
150. Early in the Morning – The Gap Band 71.5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1982

1983

The Top 150 Hits of… 1983

It’s at this point, going backwards through the years, that my list and Billboard’s start to look more dissimilar. I’ll go more into why I think that is when I post the list for ’82. One factor that clearly means more to Billboard than it does to me is the number of weeks spent at #1. I give bonus points, but they must have done so even more. I could understand “Every Breath You Take” being ranked higher than “Flashdance”. The former spent 2 more weeks at #1 than the latter and their point totals on this scale are pretty close. But “Billie Jean”?

However, you may notice that even though “Total Eclipse of the Heart” has one point more than “Billie Jean” I gave the latter the higher position. Even for me, when it’s that close, 7 weeks at #1 trumps 4.

1. Flashdance… What a Feeling – Irene Cara 411
2. Every Breath You Take – The Police 403.5
3. All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie 365.5
4. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson 353.5
5. Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler 354.5
6. Maneater – Daryl Hall and John Oates 342
7. Down Under – Men at Work 338
8. Islands in the Stream – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton 334.5
9. Beat It – Michael Jackson 331.5
10. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics 309
11. Mickey – Toni Basil 307.5
12. Baby Come to Me – Patti Austin and James Ingram 306.5
13. Do You Really Want to Hurt Me – Culture Club 294
14. Maniac – Michael Sembello 291
15. Shame on the Moon – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band 290.5
16. Uptown Girl – Billy Joel 285.5
17. Let’s Dance – David Bowie 281.5
18. Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye 276.5
19. Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran 275.5
20. Electric Avenue – Eddie Grant 275.5
21. Making Love Out of Nothing at All – Air Supply 274.5
22. You and I – Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle 265.5
23. She Works Hard for the Money – Donna Summer 265
24. Dirty Laundry – Don Henley 263.5
25. Never Gonna Let You Go – Sergio Mendes 259
26. The Girl Is Mine – Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney 258
27. The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats 255.5
28. Come On Eileen – Dexey’s Midnight Runners 251.5
29. Jeopardy – The Greg Kihn Band 248
30. Truly – Lionel Richie 246.5
31. Steppin’ Out – Joe Jackson 245
32. Africa – Toto 243.5
33. Time (Clock of the Heart) – Culture Club 240
34. Mr. Roboto – Styx 239
35. She Blinded Me with Science – Thomas Dolby 237.5
36. Love Is a Battlefield – Pat Benatar 230.5
37. Tell Her About It – Billy Joel 229.5
38. Overkill – Men at Work 222.5
39. Back on the Chain Gang – The Pretenders 217.5
40. Puttin’ on the Ritz – Taco 214.5
41. Stray Cat Strut – Stray Cats 214
42. True – Spandau Ballet 214
43. Little Red Corvette – Prince 212
44. We’ve Got Tonight – Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton 210.5
45. You Are – Lionel Richie 210
46. Cum On Feel the Noize – Quiet Riot 209.5
47. Der Kommisar – After the Fire 208.5
48. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) – Journey 208
49. Rock the Casbah – The Clash 205.5
50. One Thing Leads to Another – The Fixx 205
51. Stand Back – Stevie Nicks 204.5
52. One on One – Daryl Hall and John Oates 199
53. Is There Something I Should Know – Duran Duran 193.5
54. Twilight Zone – Golden Earring 190.5
55. Rock This Town – Stray Cats 189.5
56. King of Pain – The Police 188.5
57. You Can’t Hurry Love – Phil Collins 186.5
58. (Keep Feeling) Fascination – The Human League 182
59. Telefone – Sheena Easton 179.5
60. Wanna Be Startin’ Something – Michael Jackson 178
61. Don’t Let It End – Styx 176
62. I Know There’s Something Going On – Frieda 174.5
63. Heartbreaker – Dionne Warwick 174
64. Too Shy – Kajagoogoo 173.5
65. Tonight, I Celebrate My Love – Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson 173
66. Our House – Madness 167.5
67. Solitaire – Laura Branigan 166.5
68. My Love – Lionel Richie 165.5
69. Suddenly Last Summer – The Motels 165.5
70. Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes 165
71. Affair of the Heart – Rick Springfield 165
72. (She’s) Sexy & 17 – Stray Cats 164
73. It’s a Mistake – Men at Work 162.5
74. Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant 162
75. Come Dancing – The Kinks 161
76. The Other Guy – Little River Band 158.5
77. Heart and Soul – Huey Lewis and the News 158.5
78. Delirious – Prince 156
79. Family Man – Daryl Hall and John Oates 155
80. Allentown – Billy Joel 153.5
81. 1999 – Prince 153
82. The Look of Love – ABC 152.5
83. I’ll Tumble 4 Ya – Culture Club 148.5
84. Human Nature – Michael Jackson 148
85. Promises Promises – Naked Eyes 146.5
86. I Won’t Hold You Back – Toto 141.5
87. China Girl – David Bowie 140
88. All Right – Christopher Cross 139.5
89. Heart to Heart – Kenny Loggins 139.5
90. Crumblin’ Down – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 139.5
91. Burning Down the House – Talking Heads 138.5
92. She’s a Beauty – The Tubes 137.5
93. How Am I Supposed to Live Without You – Laura Branigan 136.5
94. What About Me – Moving Pictures 136.5
95. Don’t Cry – Asia 135
96. Faithfully – Journey 134.5
97. Straight from the Heart – Bryan Adams 133.5
98. Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy – Sammy Hagar 133
99. Pass the Dutchie – Musical Youth 133
100. I’m Still Standing – Elton John 132
101. Hot Girls in Love – Loverboy 132
102. Far From Over – Frank Stallone 131.5
103. It’s Raining Again – Supertramp 129
104. Lawyers in Love – Jackson Browne 126.5
105. Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar 120.5
106. Take Me to Heart – Quarterflash 117.5
107. P.Y.T. – Michael Jackson 117
108. Photograph – Def Leppard 116
109. You Got Lucky – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 114.5
110. All This Love – DeBarge 113.5
111. Hand to Hold On To – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 112.5
112. I’ve Got a Rock ‘n’ Roll Heart – Eric Clapton 107.5
113. Try Again – Champagne 105.5
114. Dead Giveaway – Shalamar 106.5
115. Fall in Love with Me – Earth, Wind and Fire 104.5
116. Breaking Us in Two – Joe Jackson 104
117. Even Now – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band 104
118. Baby Jane – Rod Stewart 101.5
119. Human Touch – Rick Springfield 101.5
120. It Might Be You – Stephen Bishop 99
121. Rock of Ages – Def Leppard 98
122. If Anyone Falls – Stevie Nicks 97.5
123. Ain’t Nobody – Rufus feat. Chaka Khan 97.5
124. Saved by Zero – The Fixx 97
125. Shock the Monkey – Peter Gabriel 97
126. Missing You – Dan Fogelberg 96.5
127. Big Log – Robert Plant 94.5
128. Modern Love – David Bowie 92.5
129. Heart of the Night – Juice Newton 92.5
130. Rock ‘n’ Roll Is King – Electric Light Orchestra 91
131. Cuts Like a Knife – Bryan Adams 89.5
132. Rio – Duran Duran 88.5
133. Stranger in My House – Ronnie Milsap 88.5
134. On the Loose – Saga 88.5
135. Poison Arrow – ABC 84.5
136. I Like It – DeBarge 83.5
137. Space Age Love Song – A Flock of Seagulls 82.5
138. Little Too Late – Pat Benatar 81.5
139. Tender Is the Night – Jackson Browne 81.5
140. Souls – Rick Springfield 79.5
141. Love in Store – Fleetwood Mac 78.5
142. Send Her My Love – Journey 78
143. I Do – J. Geils Band 78
144. Mornin’ – Al Jarreau 77.5
145. Some Kind of Friend – Barry Manilow 77.5
146. Wishing – A Flock of Seagulls 76
147. Kiss the Bride – Elton John 74.5
148. After the Fall – Journey 73.5
149. Don’t You Get So Mad – Jeffrey Osborne 73
150. Welcome to Heartlight – Kenny Loggins 73

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1983

1984

The Top 150 Hits of… 1984

At Last… “Thriller”

I say “at last” because I’m talking about the song now. “Thriller” was the record 7^th top 10 single from the album of the same name, and is another special case as far as chart performance. 1983 had belonged to Michael Jackson. The Thriller album had debuted in December of ’82 and was the undisputed best seller of the year, and of all time. Still, by the summer of ’83, the album was no longer #1. To renew interest, it was decided that a video would be made for the title track. And not just a video, a short film. I don’t need to tell you that it made history.

The video debuted on MTV on Dec. 2^nd, and was presumably launched to radio around the same time. But release of the single was delayed by 7 weeks. The results were that A) without a single available, the album jumped back to #1 and B) when the single was finally released, it debuted on the Hot 100 at #20. At the time it was unusual to see a song debut in the top 40, let alone the top 20.

During those 7 weeks between the launch of the video and the release of the single, the song received saturation level airplay. It was #1 on KIIS FM’s (the biggest top 40 station in LA) playlist for several weeks. Airplay had begun to decline by the time the single was available. So while it sold a million copies, and is certainly one of the most famous songs in Jackson’s catalogue, it only peaked at #4 and was an unimpressive #78 on the year-end chart. This won’t do.

So for the sake of this chart, I’m going to pretend that the single was released at the same time as the video. In addition to its established 14 week chart run, I’m giving it 4 weeks at #1 (106 points). That moves it from #71 to a much more accurate #18.

If you’re a movie as well as music geek like I am, it may interest you to know that 1984 is the only year in which all 5 Oscar nominees for Best Song were also #1 hits. They are #s 4, 8, 9, 10, and 16 here. #9 won. In addition, Prince received an Oscar for the song score of Purple Rain.

1. Say Say Say – Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson 388.5
2. When Doves Cry – Prince 330.5
3. What’s Love Got to Do with It – Tina Turner 329
4. Against All Odds – Phil Collins 316.5
5. Jump – Van Halen 309.5
6. Hello – Lionel Richie 307.5
7. Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes 307.5
8. Footloose – Kenny Loggins 304.5
9. I Just Called to Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder 298
10. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr. 290
11. Missing You – John Waite 289.5
12. Karma Chameleon – Culture Club 284.5
13. I Feel for You – Chaka Khan 280
14. Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen 278.5
15. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham! 275
16. Let’s Hear It for the Boy – Deniece Williams 271
17. Say It Isn’t So – Daryl Hall and John Oates 271
18. Thriller – Michael Jackson 160 + 106 = 266
19. Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) – Billy Ocean 265.5
20. Talking in Your Sleep – The Romantics 264.5
21. Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper 261
22. The Reflex – Duran Duran 259.5
23. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper 257
24. Let’s Go Crazy – Prince 254.5
25. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell (feat. Michael Jackson) 250
26. Break My Stride – Matthew Wilder 247.5
27. Hold Me Now – Thompson Twins 245.5
28. Jump (for My Love) – The Pointer Sisters 245
29. Hard Habit to Break – Chicago 244.5
30. Joanna – Kool and the Gang 240.5
31. Self Control – Laura Branigan 235
32. Oh, Sherrie – Steve Perry 227.5
33. Stuck on You – Lionel Richie 227.5
34. She Bop – Cyndi Lauper 227.5
35. 99 Luftballoons – Nena 225
36. I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues – Elton John 225
37. Drive – The Cars 222
38. Union of the Snake – Duran Duran 221.5
39. Here Comes the Rain Again – Eurythmics 218
40. Eyes Without a Face – Billy Idol 214.5
41. Twist of Fate – Olivia Newton-John 212.5
42. The Glamorous Life – Sheila E. 212
43. The Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll – Huey Lewis and the News 210
44. I Can Dream About You – Dan Hartman 205.5
45. Purple Rain – Prince 203.5
46. The Warrior – Scandal 202.5
47. Sunglasses at Night – Corey Hart 201.5
48. Automatic – The Pointer Sisters 201.5
49. Borderline – Madonna 194.5
50. To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before – Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias194
51. Strut – Sheena Easton 193
52. Running with the Night – Lionel Richie 192
53. That’s All – genesis 191.5
54. Sister Christian – Night Ranger 190.5
55. Better Be Good to Me – Tina Turner 190
56. All Through the Night – Cyndi Lauper 188.5
57. I Want a New Drug – Huey Lewis and the News 188
58. State of Shock – The Jacksons with Mick Jagger 186.5
59. Sad Songs (Say So Much) – Elton John 185
60. Infatuation – Rod Stewart 183
61. If This Is It – Huey Lewis and the News 181.5
62. If Ever You’re in My Arms Again – Peabo Bryson 177
63. Let the Music Play – Shannon 177
64. Lucky Star – Madonna 176.5
65. Love Somebody – Rick Springfield 175.5
66. Miss Me Blind – Culture Club 175.5
67. Almost Paradise – Mike Reno and Ann Wilson 175
68. Cover Me – Bruce Springsteen 170.5
69. Penny Lover – Lionel Richie 170.5
70. Legs – ZZ Top 169.5
71. You Might Think – The Cars 168.5
72. Adult Education – Daryl Hall and John Oates 159
73. I’m So Excited – The Pointer Sisters 157
74. Breakdance – Irene Cara 154.5
75. I Can’t Hold Back – Survivor 153
76. They Don’t Know – Tracy Ullman152.5
77. Church of the Poisoned Mind – Culture Club 152.5
78. On the Dark Side – John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band 149.5
79. Nobody Told Me – John Lennon 147.5
80. Desert Moon – Dennis DeYoung 144
81. Major Tom (Coming Home) – Peter Schilling 141.5
82. Undercover of the Night – The Rolling Stones 139.5
83. Cruel Summer – Bananarama 139
84. Breakin’… There’s No Stopping Us – Ollie and Jerry 138
85. Head Over Heels – The Go-Go’s 137
86. Blue Jean – David Bowie 137
87. An Innocent Man – Billy Joel 136.5
88. Wrapped Around Your Finger – The Police 136.5
89. Think of Laura – Christopher Cross 136
90. Pink Houses – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 133.5
91. I Still Can’t Get Over Loving You – Ray Parker Jr. 127.5
92. Got a Hold on Me – Christine McVie 127.5
93. Magic – The Cars 127
94. Round and Round – Ratt 126.5
95. Tonight – Kool and the Gang 124.5
96. New Moon on Monday – Duran Duran 124.5
97. The Longest Time – Billy Joel 123
98. Time Will Reveal – DeBarge 122.5
99. Some Guys Have All the Luck – Rod Stewart 121.5
100. Doctor! Doctor! – Thompson Twins 121.5
101. Dance Hall Days – Wang Chung 120
102. Give It Up – KC 119
103. Lights Out – Peter Wolf 119
104. Holiday – Madonna 117.5
105. Why Me? – Irene Cara 117
106. Dancing in the Sheets – Shalamar 114.5
107. Rock Me Tonight – Billy Squier 112.5
108. When You Close Your Eyes – Night Ranger 111.5
109. Yah Mo Be There – James Ingram and Michael McDonald 110.5
110. Dynamite – Jermaine Jackson 109.5
111. I’ll Wait – Van Halen 107.5
112. The Language of Love – Dan Fogelberg 105.5
113. It Ain’t Enough – Corey Hart 105
114. Stay the Night – Chicago 105
115. Panama – Van Halen 103.5
116. Authority Song – John (Cougar) Mellencamp 102.5
117. You Can’t Get What You Want – Joe Jackson 102.5
118. What About Me – Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and James Ingram 102.5
119. If I’d Been the One – 38 Special 101.5
120. Read ‘em and Weep – Barry Manilow 101
121. Stay with Me Tonight – Jeffrey Osborne 100.5
122. In a Big Country – Big Country 100
123. Modern Day Delilah – Van Stephenson 100
124. It’s a Miracle – Culture Club 99.5
125. Girls – Dwight Twilley 98.5
126. Middle of the Road – The Pretenders 98
127. Synchronicity II – The Police 97.5
128. Don’t Answer Me – The Alan Parsons Project 97
129. Walking on a Thin Line – Huey Lewis and the News 95.5
130. Sexy Girl – Glenn Frey 94.5
131. The Politics of Dancing – Re-Flex 93
132. Are We Ourselves? – The Fixx 92.5
133. Run, Runaway – Slade 92.5
134. Baby I Lied – Deborah Allen 91.5
135. Almost Over You – Sheena Easton 91.5
136. Who Wears These Shoes – Elton John 91.5
137. Alibis – Sergio Mendes 91.5
138. No Way Out – Jefferson Starship 91.5
139. All of You – Diana Ross and Julio Iglesias 90.5
140. Go Insane – Lindsey Buckingham 90.5
141. Swept Away – Diana Ross 90
142. Eat It – Weird Al Yankovic 88.5
143. We Are the Young – Dan Hartman 87.5
144. Bop ‘Til You Drop – Rick Springfield 87.5
145. No More Words – Berlin 85.5
146. The Lucky One – Laura Branigan 84.5
147. Come Back and Stay – Paul Young 84.5
148. There Goes My Baby – Donna Summer 83.5
149. A Fine Fine Day – Tony Carey 83.5
150. The Curly Shuffle – The Jump ‘n the Saddle Band 83.5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1984

2001

The Top 150 Hits of… 2001

Everything that applied to 2000 applies here.

1. Hanging by a Moment – Lifehouse
2. Family Affair – Mary J. Blige
3. Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) – Train
4. Independent Women Part 1 – Destiny’s Child
5. I’m Real – Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule
6. Fallin’ – Alicia Keys
7. It’s Been Awhile – Staind
8. If You’re Gone – Matchbox Twenty
9. All for You – Janet Jackson
10. Let Me Blow Ya Mind – Eve feat. Gwen Stefani
11. Thank You – Dido
12. Again – Lenny Kravitz
13. Hit ‘Em Up Style – Blu Cantrell
14. The Way You Love Me (pop mix) – Faith Hill
15. It Wasn’t Me – Shaggy feat. Ricardo “RikRok” Ducent
16. Stutter – Joe feat. Mystikal
17. Case of the Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do) – Mya
18. Where the Party At – Jagged Edge with Nelly
19. U Remind Me – Usher
20. Angel – Shaggy with Rayvon
21. Differences – Ginuwine
22. Ride wit Me – Nelly feat. City Spud
23. Follow Me – Uncle Kracker
24. Peaches & Cream – 112
25. Drive – Incubus
26. He Loves U Not – Dream
27. Ms. Jackson – OutKast
28. This I Promise You – *NSYNC
29. Livin’ It Up – Ja Rule feat. Case
30. Turn Off the Light – Nelly Furtado
31. What Would You Do? – City High
32. Survivor – Destiny’s Child
33. Lady Marmalade – Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya, Pink
34. Love Don’t Cost a Thing – Jennifer Lopez
35. Butterfly – Crazy Town
36. I Do!! – Toya
37. Put It on Me – Ja Rule feat. Lil’ Mo & Vita
38. Only Time – Enya
39. I Hope You Dance (pop mix) – Lee Ann Womack
40. South Side – Moby feat. Gwen Stefani
41. Don’t Tell Me – Madonna
42. Get Ur Freak On – Missy Elliott
43. Fill Me In – Craig David
44. Dance with Me – Debelah Morgan
45. Crazy – K-Ci & JoJo
46. Rock the Boat – Aaliyah
47. Someone to Call My Lover – Janet Jackson
48. All or Nothing – O-Town
49. Bootylicious – Destiny’s Child
50. I’m Like a Bird – Nelly Furtado
51. Fiesta – R. Kelly feat. Jay-Z
52. I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) – Jay-Z
53. Izzo (H.O.V.A.) – Jay-Z
54. Crazy for This Girl – Evan & Jaron
55. When It’s Over – Sugar Ray
56. Jaded – Aerosmith
57. Promise – Jagged Edge
58. Missing You – Case
59. I Wish – R. Kelly
60. Superwoman Pt. II – Lil’ Mo feat. Fabolous
61. Beautiful Day – U2
62. One Minute Man – Missy Elliott
63. Emotion – Destiny’s Child
64. E.I. – Nelly
65. Nobody Wants to Be Lonely – Ricky Martin with Christina Aguilera
66. What’s Your Fantasy – Ludacris
67. Danger (Been So Long) – Mystikal feat. Nivea
68. Never Had a Dream Come True – S Club 7
69. Stranger in My House – Tamia
70. Everywhere – Michelle Branch
71. No More (Baby I’ma Do Right) – 3LW
72. Irresistible – Jessica Simpson
73. Heard It All Before – Sunshine Anderson
74. The Space Between – Dave Matthews Band
75. There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
76. Love – Musiq Soulchild
77. It’s Over Now – 112
78. Hemorrhage (In My Hands) – Fuel
79. Be Like That – 3 Doors Down
80. Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You – Brooks and Dunn
81. Raise Up – Petey Pablo
82. Play – Jennifer Lopez
83. I’m Already There – Lonestar
84. My Baby – Lil’ Romeo
85. You Rock My World – Michael Jackson
86. Austin – Blake Shelton
87. Southern Hospitality – Ludacris
88. Ugly – Bubba Sparxxx
89. Grown Men Don’t Cry – Tim McGraw
90. I’m a Thug – Trick Daddy
91. My Next Thirty Years – Tim McGraw
92. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm
93. Loverboy – Mariah Carey feat. Cameo
94. Lifetime – Maxwell
95. Contagious – The Isley Brothers feat. Ronald Isley
96. Who I Am – Jessica Andrews
97. Music – Eric Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye
98. I Wanna Be Bad – Willa Ford
99. Don’t Happen Twice – Kenny Chesney
100. One More Day – Diamond Rio
101. Can’t Deny It – Fabolous
102. It’s a Great Day to Be Alive – Travis Tritt
103. Here’s to the Night – Eve 6
104. Only in America – Brooks and Dunn
105. My First Love – Avant
106. Without You – Dixie Chicks
107. You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This – Toby Keith
108. Get Over Yourself – Eden’s Crush
109. So Fresh, So Clean – Outkast
110. Oochie Wally – QB Finest feat. Nas & Bravehearts
111. Just Friends (Sunny) – Musiq
112. I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight – Toby Keith
113. She Couldn’t Change Me – Montgomery Gentry
114. More Than That – Backstreet Boys
115. Girls, Girls, Girls – Jay-Z
116. Bow Wow (That’s My Name) – Lil Bow Wow
117. Breathless – The Corrs
118. What I Really Meant to Say – Cyndi Thomson
119. I’m a Believer – Smashmouth
120. Angry All the Time – Tim McGraw
121. We Danced – Brad Paisley
122. Born to Fly – Sara Evans
123. Could It Be – Jaheim
124. Stronger – Britney Spears
125. Where I Come From – Alan Jackson
126. When I Think About Angels – Jamie O’Neal
127. Dance with Me – 112
128. I Lost It – Kenny Chesney
129. AM to PM – Christina Milian
130. You Gets No Love – Faith Evans
131. But for the Grace of God – Keith Urban
132. Where the Blacktop Ends – Keith Urban
133. My Everything – 98 Degrees
134. I Could Not Ask for More – Sara Evans
135. Love of a Woman – Travis Tritt
136. Around the World (La La La La La) - ATC
137. Tell Her – Lonestar
138. Area Codes – Ludacris
139. Maybe I Deserve – Tank
140. Flavor of the Weak – American Hi-Fi
141. Burn – Jo Dee Messina
142. Purple Hills – D-12
143. Drowning – Backstreet Boys
144. There Is No Arizona – Jamie O’Neal
145. You Make Me Sick – Pink
146. A Long Walk – Jill Scott
147. Liquid Dreams – O-Town
148. Wait a Minute – Ray J feat. Lil’ Kim
149. Pop – *NSYNC
150. Emotional – Carl Thomas

     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_2001