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User:FraDany/List of my number-one singles of the 1980s

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The Singles Chart is a weekly record chart based on single sales from Sunday to Saturday; during the 1980s, a total of 86 singles reached number one. The most successful artist of the 1980s was American singer and dancer Michael Jackson, who topped the Singles Chart for 47 weeks with nine different singles. The charity single "We Are the World" (1985), recorded by the supergroup United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa was the best-selling single of the decade. The first number-one single of the 1980s was "I Have a Dream" by Swedish pop group ABBA – released in 1979, first reached number one in January, and remained at the top for six consecutive weeks. The final number one of the decade was "Another Day in Paradise" by English singer and drummer Phil Collins.

Number-one singles

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American singer and dancer Michael Jackson is the most successful male act of the decade; he spent 47 weeks at the top of the Singles Chart during the 1980s, longer than any other act. He also reached number one with nine different releases, more than any other artist. Jackson also had the most entries in the top 20 best-selling singles chart with two, (tying the record with Madonna): "Thriller" (1983) and "Bad" (1987) at number 8 and number 18 respectively.
The 1985 charity single "We Are the World" is the best-selling single of the decade; it spent 12 consecutive weeks at number one, longer than any other single. It was recorded by the supergroup United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa and was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones (pictured) and Michael Omartian.
American singer-songwriter Prince and his backing band the Revolution scored the best-selling single by a male act and the second overall of the decade with "Purple Rain", from the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name, in which Prince starred.
American singer-songwriter Madonna is the most successful female act of the decade; she spent 36 weeks at the summit, the most for a female singer and the second overall. She also reached number one with 5 different releases, the most for a female artist. Madonna also had the most entries in the top 20 best-selling singles chart with two, tying the record with Michael Jackson: "Like a Prayer" (1989) and "La Isla Bonita" (1987) at number 9 and number 15 respectively.
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984) by Band Aid, a supergroup put together by Bob Geldof (pictured) and Midge Ure is the 12th best-selling single and the best-selling Christmas song of the decade.
Swedish pop group ABBA are the most successful band of the decade; they had 5 number-one singles and spent 31 weeks at the top spot.
Key
Best-selling single of the year
Runner-up single of the year
Best-selling single of the decade
Runner-up single of the decade
Contents
← 1970s · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989 · 1990s→
Artist Song Weeks at
number one
Issue date
1980
Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" ‡ 8 6 January
Blondie "Atomic" 5 2 March
The Brothers Johnson "Stomp!" 5 6 April
Boney M. "I See a Boat on the River / My Friend Jack" 2 11 May
Lipps Inc. "Funkytown" † 9 25 May
Bob Marley and the Wailers "Could You Be Loved" 3 27 July
ABBA "The Winner Takes It All" 7 17 August
Stevie Wonder "Master Blaster (Jammin')" 6 5 October
ABBA "Super Trouper" 7 16 November
1981
Kool & the Gang "Celebration" 4 4 January
Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight" † 8 1 February
REO Speedwagon "Keep On Loving You" 5 29 March
Ultravox "Vienna" ‡ 7 3 May
Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes" 7 21 June
ABBA "Lay All Your Love on Me" 7 9 August
Soft Cell "Tainted Love" 7 27 September
Queen / David Bowie "Under Pressure" 4 15 November
Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" 7 13 December
1982
Meat Loaf / Cher "Dead Ringer for Love" 5 31 January
Imagination "Just an Illusion" 4 7 March
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" 6 4 April
Toto "Rosanna" 5 16 May
Asia "Heat of the Moment" 4 20 June
Survivor "Eye of the Tiger" † 8 18 July
F.R. David "Words" 3 12 September
Yazoo "Don't Go" ‡ 7 3 October
Joe Cocker / Jennifer Warnes "Up Where We Belong" 6 21 November
1983
Men at Work "Down Under" 7 2 January
Michael Jackson "Billie Jean" 6 20 February
Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart" 4 3 April
Michael Jackson "Beat It" 4 1 May
Irene Cara "Flashdance... What a Feeling" 6 29 May
Michael Jackson "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" 2 10 July
Mike Oldfield "Moonlight Shadow" ‡ 8 24 July
Elton John "I'm Still Standing" 4 18 September
Culture Club "Karma Chameleon" 5 16 October
Michael Jackson "Thriller" † 7 20 November
1984
Paul Young "Love of the Common People" 6 8 January
Queen "Radio Ga Ga" ‡ 8 12 February
Kenny Loggins "Footloose" 4 8 April
Queen "I Want to Break Free" 6 6 May
Elton John "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" 3 17 June
Bronski Beat "Smalltown Boy" 6 8 July
George Michael "Careless Whisper" 7 19 August
Prince / The Revolution "Purple Rain" † 10 7 October
Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 3 16 December
1985
Wham! "Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants" 2 6 January
Murray Head "One Night in Bangkok" 5 20 January
Dead or Alive "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" 4 24 February
Philip Bailey / Phil Collins "Easy Lover" 4 24 March
USA for Africa "We Are the World" † 11 21 April
Bryan Adams "Heaven" 5 7 July
Tina Turner "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" 6 11 August
Modern Talking "Cheri, Cheri Lady" 4 22 September
A-ha "Take On Me" ‡ 6 20 October
Elton John "Nikita" 7 1 December
1986
Dionne and Friends "That's What Friends Are For" 6 19 January
Modern Talking "Brother Louie" ‡ 6 2 March
Samantha Fox "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" 3 13 April
Queen "A Kind of Magic" 4 4 May
Whitney Houston "Greatest Love of All" 5 1 June
Madonna "Papa Don't Preach" 6 6 July
Europe "The Final Countdown" 3 17 August
Berlin "Take My Breath Away" † 11 7 September
Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer" 4 23 November
Madonna "Open Your Heart" 7 21 December
1987
Aretha Franklin / George Michael "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" 6 8 February
Starship "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" 4 22 March
Madonna "La Isla Bonita" 7 19 April
Whitney Houston "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" 4 7 June
George Michael "I Want Your Sex" 7 5 July
Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give You Up" 4 23 August
Michael Jackson "Bad" ‡ 8 20 September
"The Way You Make Me Feel" 2 15 November
Bill Medley / Jennifer Warnes "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" † 10 29 November
1988
Eric Carmen "Hungry Eyes" 4 7 February
George Michael "Father Figure" ‡ 7 6 March
Cher "I Found Someone" 3 24 April
Fleetwood Mac "Everywhere" 7 15 May
Michael Jackson "Dirty Diana" 6 3 July
Kylie Minogue "The Loco-Motion" 7 14 August
Whitney Houston "One Moment in Time" 2 2 October
Enya "Orinoco Flow" † 10 16 October
Michael Jackson "Smooth Criminal" 6 25 December
1989
Mike and the Mechanics "The Living Years" 6 5 February
Madonna "Like a Prayer" ‡ 8 19 March
Queen "I Want It All" 2 14 May
Madonna "Express Yourself" 3 28 May
Roxette "The Look" 6 18 June
Richard Marx "Right Here Waiting" 3 30 July
Kaoma "Lambada" † 8 20 August
Cher "If I Could Turn Back Time" 7 15 October
Phil Collins "Another Day in Paradise" 6 3 December

Singles with the most weeks at number one

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The following singles spent at least ten weeks at number one during the 1980s.

Artist Single Weeks at
number one
USA for Africa "We Are the World" 12
Berlin "Take My Breath Away" 11
Enya "Orinoco Flow"
Lipps Inc. "Funkytown" 10

By artist

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The following artists spent at least thirty weeks at number one during the 1980s.

Artist Number-one singles Weeks at number one
ABBA 5 31
Michael Jackson 9 47
Madonna 5 36

Best-selling singles

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No. Single Artist Year Weeks at number one
1 "We Are the World" USA for Africa 1985 12
2 "Purple Rain" Prince / The Revolution 1984 9
3 "Take My Breath Away" Berlin 1986 11
4 "Orinoco Flow" Enya 1988 11
5 "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" Bill Medley / Jennifer Warnes 1987 8
6 "Radio Ga Ga" Queen 1984 8
7 "Funkytown" Lipps Inc. 1980 10
8 "Thriller" Michael Jackson 1983 6
9 "Like a Prayer" Madonna 1989 9
10 "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" Pink Floyd 1979 8
11 "Don't Stop Believin'" Journey 1981 9
12 "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid 1984 1
13 "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins 1981 8
14 "I Want Your Sex" George Michael 1987 8
15 "La Isla Bonita" Madonna 8
16 "Moonlight Shadow" Mike Oldfield 1983 8
17 "Love of the Common People" Paul Young 5
18 "Bad" Michael Jackson 1987 5
19 "If I Could Turn Back Time" Cher 1989 8
20 "Don't Go" Yazoo 1982 8