A breakdown of my top singles from my favorite year in pop music
 | Do I Do Stevie Wonder Weeks in Hot 100: 14 Peaked: July 10 Album: Original Musiquarium I (Tamla) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 13 |
| Dance | 1 |
| R&B | 2 |
| Adult Contemporary | 25 |
 | Situation Yaz Weeks in Hot 100: 8 Peaked: October 16 Album: Upstairs at Eric's (Sire) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 73 |
| Dance | 1 |
| R&B | 31 |
 | Eye of the Tiger Survivor Weeks in Hot 100: 25 Peaked: July 24 Album: Eye of the Tiger (Scotti Bros.) and Rocky III soundtrack (Liberty) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 1 |
| Mainstream Rock | 1 |
| Adult Contemporary | 27 |
| Dance | 59 |
 | Jack & Diane John Cougar Weeks in Hot 100: 22 Peaked: October 2 Album: American Fool (Riva) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 1 |
| Mainstream Rock | 3 |
 | 867-5309/Jenny Tommy Tutone Weeks in Hot 100: 27 Peaked: May 22 Album: Tommy Tutone 2 (Columbia) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 4 |
| Mainstream Rock | 1 |
 | Hard to Say I'm Sorry Chicago Weeks in Hot 100: 24 Peaked: September 11 Album: Chicago 16 (Full Moon) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 1 |
| Adult Contemporary | 1 |
 | I Want Candy Bow Wow Wow Weeks in Hot 100: 7 Peaked: July 3 Album: The Last of the Mohicans (EP) (RCA) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 62 |
| Mainstream Rock | 22 |
| Dance | 36 |
 | Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Weeks in Hot 100: 14 Peaked: September 25 Album: Bad Reputation (Boardwalk) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 20 |
| Mainstream Rock | 21 |
 | Don't Talk to Strangers Rick Springfield Weeks in Hot 100: 21 Peaked: May 22 Album: Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet (RCA) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 2 |
| Mainstream Rock | 4 |
| Adult Contemporary | 30 |
 | Make a Move on Me Olivia Newton-John Weeks in Hot 100: 14 Peaked: April 3 Album: Physical (MCA) |
| U.S. charts: | |
| Hot 100 | 5 |
| Adult Contemporary | 6 |
These are my personal top 82 singles of those that charted in 1982. The list is solely my opinion. Chart information is from the US Billboard charts. Using Joel Whitburn's book, Pop Annual 1955-1999, I started with the 424 singles that charted on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 chart in 1982. An initial pass through that list narrowed it down to 116. Titles of those songs were written on index cards and the listening, ranking, and editing began. The top 82 are presented here, in order.
A very solid run of singles presented today climaxing with Miss Newton-John relaxing in a tree.
ReplyDeleteThis was fun to read -- and is inspiring me to consider creating my own list from what was a great year in music.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allen! Let me know when you get your list together - I'd love to see it.
DeleteOK, Mark ... in Casey Kasem fashion, first here is the front half (100-51) of my top 100 from the great year of music that was 1982. I will own up to a bias of having grown up listening to WLS in Chicago, which by 1982 was so done with the disco era that a good tune like "Let's Groove" got little air-wave love, and therefore is not one I've built a deep fondness for. That WLS influence probably also gives my list a bit more of a rock edge than AT40. If you think I'm apologizing for either of those, You've Got another Thing Comin'. ;-)
Delete100. The One You Love – Glenn Frey
99. I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
98. Dancing in the Street -- Van Halen
97. Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar
96. Still They Ride – Journey
95. American Heartbeat – Survivor
94. She’s Got a Way – Billy Joel
93. Love Plus One – Haircut 100
92. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin by Judas Priest
91. 65 Love Affair – Paul Davis
90. Leader of the Band – Dan Fogelberg
89. What Kind of Fool Am I – Rick Springfield
88. Do You Wanna Touch Me – Joan Jett
87. Get Down on It -- Kool & The Gang
86. Did It In a Minute – Hall and Oates
85. Take It Away – Paul McCartney
84. Sweet Time - REO Speedwagon
83. Up Where We Belong by Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker
82. Wasted on the Way – Crosby Stills Nash
81. Truly -- Lionel Richie
80. Workin for a Livin – Huey Lewis & the News
79. Nobody – Sylvia
78. Spirits in the Material World – Police
77. Make a Move on me – Olivia Newton John
76. Should I Stay of Should I Go – Clash
75. Someday, Someway, - Marshall Crenshaw
74. Kids in America – Kim Wilde
73. You Dropped a Bomb on Me - The Gap Band
72. Fantasy – Aldo Nova
71. Paperlate – Genesis
70. Empty Garden – Elton John
69. Loves Been a Little Bit Hard On Me – Juice Newton
68. You Don’t want Me Anymore – Steel Breeze
67. Cool Night – Paul Davis
66. New World Man - Rush
65. Turn Your Love Around – George Benson
64. I Ran – Flock of Seagulls
63. Hollywood – Shooting Star
62. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
61. "It’s Raining Again" by Supertramp
60. Lonely Nights – Bryan Adams
59. Since You’re Gone – Cars
58. Maneater – Hall and Oates
57. Under Pressure – David Bowie and Queen
56. You Can Do Magic -- America
55. Gloria – Laura Branigan
54. Juke Box Hero – Foreigner
53. I Need You – Paul Carrack
52. Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac
51. Keep the Fire Burning -- REO Speedwagon
And, without further adieu, I give you number 50-1. A couple interesting facts when compared to your list ... my three highest ranking songs which do not make your top 82: Abacab, Take It Easy on Me, Harden My Heart (though the first two make your honorable mentions). Your three highest which do not make my top 100: Valerie (great tune, but I see this as a 1987 song since that's when it charted highest), I Want Candy (very narrowly missed my list), and Situation by Yaz.
Delete50. Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
49. Leather and Lace – Don Henley and Stevie Nicks
48. Vacation – Go Go’s
47. Mickey – Toni Basil
46. I Keep Forgettin' – Michael McDonald
45. Summer Nights – Survivor
44. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
43. Hurts So Good – John Cougar
42. Rosanna – Toto
41. Even the Nights are Better – Air supply
40. My Kinda Lover by Billy Squier
39. Centerfold – J Geils Band
38. Shakin’ - Eddie Money
37. If You Want My Love - Cheap Trick
36. Sweet Dreams – Air Supply
35. Workin for the Weekend – Loverboy
34. You Should Hear How She Talks – Melissa Manchester
33. Pressure – Billy Joel
32. Let It Whip – Dazz band
31. Everybody Wants You – Billy Squier
30. Jack & Diane – John Cougar
29. Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne
28. Love Me Tomorrow – Chicago
27. Freeze Frame – J Geils Band
26. Open Arms – Journey
25. Africa – Toto
24. Heat of the Moment – Asia
23. Abracadabra – Steve Miller
22. Eye In The Sky – Alan Parsons
21. Don’t You Want Me – Human League
20. Goodbye to You – Scandal
19. Shake It Up – Cars
18. Don’t Talk to Strangers – Rick Springfield
17. 867-5309 – Tommy Tutone
16. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
15. Harden my Heart – Quarterflash
14. Only the Lonely – Motels
13. Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson
12. I Love Rock n roll – Joan Jett
11. Think I’m in Love – Eddie Money
10. Caught Up In You – 38 Special
9. Only Time Will Tell – Asia
8. I Can’t Go For That – Hall and Oates
7. We Got the Beat – Go Go’s
6. Don’t Fight It – Kenny Loggins / Steve Perry
5. Take It Easy on Me - The Little River Band
4. Abacab - Genesis
3. Who Can It be Now – Men at Work
2. Do You Believe in Love – Huey Lewis & the News
1. Hard to Say I’m Sorry – Chicago
For anyone on Apple Music whose interested in taking this musical trip down memory lane, you can access my Mark-inspired top 100 of 1982 in descending order here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/wrb-top-100-songs-of-1982/pl.u-yZdqZsaZDqM
Excellent list, sir! Don't be a stranger.
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