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Billboard's Top 500 Songs of the '80s


filmman

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The '80s countdown, tabulated by Billboard, is based on songs' performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart, with titles ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras (including within the '80s) are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates over various periods.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8505622/billboard-siriusxm-80s-90s-pop-up-channel-countdowns

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200 // Toy Soldiers // Martika
199 // Girl You Know It's True // Milli Vanilli
198 // Father Figure // George Michael
197 // Stop Draggin' My Heart Around // Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty
196 // When I Think of You // Janet Jackson
195 // I Miss You // Klymaxx
194 // Wishing Well // Terence Trent D'Arby
193 // Forever Your Girl // Paula Abdul
192 // Lean on Me // Club Nouveau
191 // Don't Worry Be Happy // Bobby McFerrin
190 // Cherish // Kool & The Gang
189 // Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird // Will to Power
188 // Queen of Hearts // Juice Newton
187 // When I See You Smile // Bad English
186 // (I've Had) The Time of My Life // Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
185 // Truly // Lionel Richie
184 // Dancing on the Ceiling // Lionel Richie
183 // Open Arms // Journey
182 // Time After Time // Cyndi Lauper
181 // She Drives Me Crazy // Fine Young Cannibals
180 // Sledgehammer // Peter Gabriel
179 // Heaven Is a Place on Earth // Belinda Carlisle
178 // At This Moment // Billy Vera & the Beaters
177 // Uptown Girl // Billy Joel
176 // Miami Vice Theme // Jan Hammer
175 // Sara // Starship
174 // C'est La Vie // Robbie Nevil
173 // Easy Lover // Phil Collins & Philip Bailey
172 // The Look // Roxette
171 // Everything She Wants // Wham!
170 // Head to Toe // Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
169 // Let's Go Crazy // Prince
168 // Always // Atlantic Starr
167 // Human // Human League
166 // Chariots of Fire // Vangelis
165 // Heaven // Bryan Adams
164 // Addicted to Love // Robert Palmer
163 // One More Night // Phil Collins
162 // Love on the Rocks // Neil Diamond
161 // Keep On Loving You // REO Speedwagon
160 // Glory of Love // Peter Cetera
159 // A Groovy Kind of Love // Phil Collins
158 // Slow Hand // Pointer Sisters
157 // A View to a Kill // Duran Duran
156 // Missing You // John Waite
155 // Kiss on My List // Daryl Hall & John Oates
154 // Little Jeannie // Elton John
153 // Saving All My Love for You // Whitney Houston
152 // Red Red Wine // UB40
151 // I'm Gonna Miss You // Milli Vanilli
150 // Let's Hear It for the Boy // Deniece Williams
149 // There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) // Billy Ocean
148 // The Flame // Cheap Trick
147 // Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not) // Joey Scarbury
146 // Celebration // Kool & The Gang
145 // I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For // U2
144 // Who Can It Be Now? // Men at Work
143 // Don't Wanna Lose You // Gloria Estefan
142 // Wind Beneath My Wings // Bette Midler
141 // West End Girls // Pet Shop Boys
140 // I Think We're Alone Now // Tiffany
139 // Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go // Wham!
138 // Private Eyes // Daryl Hall & John Oates
137 // Two Hearts // Phil Collins
136 // All Out of Love // Air Supply
135 // Didn't We Almost Have It All // Whitney Houston
134 // Man in the Mirror // Michael Jackson
133 // Take on Me // A-Ha
132 // Start Me Up // The Rolling Stones
131 // Wild Wild West // The Escape Club
130 // Shakedown // Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
129 // Could've Been // Tiffany
128 // Just the Two of Us // Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers
127 // Let's Dance // David Bowie
126 // Papa Don't Preach // Madonna
125 // Being with You // Smokey Robinson
124 // Maniac // Michael Sembello
123 // The Tide Is High // Blondie
122 // Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) // Eurythmics
121 // Baby, Come to Me // Patti Austin & James Ingram
120 // Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car // Billy Ocean
119 // Blame It on the Rain // Milli Vanilli
118 // Mickey // Toni Basil
117 // Here I Go Again // Whitesnake
116 // Anything for You // Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
115 // Part-Time Lover // Stevie Wonder
114 // Don't Talk to Strangers // Rick Springfield
113 // How Will I Know // Whitney Houston
112 // The Way It Is // Bruce Hornsby & The Range
111 // Out of Touch // Daryl Hall & John Oates
110 // So Emotional // Whitney Houston
109 // My Prerogative // Bobby Brown
108 // Cold Hearted // Paula Abdul
107 // St. Elmo's Fire // John Parr
106 // Kiss // Prince
105 // Karma Chameleon // Culture Club
104 // Kyrie // Mr. Mister
103 // Don't You (Forget About Me) // Simple Minds
102 // Rosanna // Toto
101 // I Love a Rainy Night // Eddie Rabbitt
100 // Like a Prayer // Madonna
99 // Rock Me Amadeus // Falco
98 // 9 to 5 // Dolly Parton
97 // Got My Mind Set on You // George Harrison
96 // Don't Know Much // Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville
95 // Everytime You Go Away // Paul Young
94 // Sweet Child O' Mine // Guns N' Roses
93 // Never Gonna Give You Up // Rick Astley
92 // Party All the Time // Eddie Murphy
91 // Stuck with You // Huey Lewis & The News
90 // We Built This City // Starship
89 // Shake You Down // Gregory Abbott
88 // Harden My Heart // Quarterflash
87 // Need You Tonight // INXS
86 // Lost in Your Eyes // Debbie Gibson
85 // Please Don't Go // KC & The Sunshine Band
84 // Owner of a Lonely Heart // Yes
83 // Woman // John Lennon
82 // Right Here Waiting // Richard Marx
81 // Shout // Tears for Fears
80 // Hello // Lionel Richie
79 // Gloria // Laura Branigan
78 // Ghostbusters // Ray Parker, Jr.
77 // One More Try // George Michael
76 // Magic // Olivia Newton-John
75 // Funkytown // Lipps Inc/
74 // La Bamba // Los Lobos
73 // I Just Called To Say I Love You // Stevie Wonder
72 // The Greatest Love of All // Whitney Houston
71 // The Power of Love // Huey Lewis & The News
70 // With or Without You // U2
69 // Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now // Starship
68 // We Didn't Start the Fire // Billy Joel
67 // Everybody Wants to Rule the World // Tears for Fears
66 // Straight Up // Paula Abdul
65 // Roll with It // Steve Winwood
64 // Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) // Phil Collins
63 // Footloose // Kenny Loggins
62 // Look Away // Chicago
61 // It's Still Rock and Roll to Me // Billy Joel
60 // I Want to Know What Love Is // Foreigner
59 // Separate Lives // Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
58 // Rock with You // Michael Jackson
57 // What's Love Got to Do with It // Tina Turner
56 // Crazy for You // Madonna
55 // Beat It // Michael Jackson
54 // On My Own // Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
53 // Money for Nothing // Dire Straits
52 // Livin' on a Prayer // Bon Jovi
51 // I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) // Daryl Hall & John Oates
50 // I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) // Whitney Houston
49 // Every Rose Has Its Thorn // Poison
48 // Can't Fight This Feeling // REO Speedwagon
47 // Alone // Heart
46 // Broken Wings // Mr. Mister
45 // Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) // Christopher Cross
44 // Coming Up // Paul McCartney & Wings
43 // Islands in the Stream // Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
42 // Jump // Van Halen
41 // Jack & Diane // John Cougar
40 // We Are the World // USA for Africa
39 // Down Under // Men at Work
38 // Miss You Much // Janet Jackson
37 // Hard To Say I'm Sorry // Chicago
36 // Woman in Love // Barbra Streisand
35 // Jessie's Girl // Rick Springfield
34 // Don't You Want Me? // Human League
33 // Walk Like an Egyptian // The Bangles
32 // Careless Whisper // Wham!
31 // Total Eclipse of the Heart // Bonnie Tyler
30 // Crazy Little Thing Called Love // Queen
29 // Faith // George Michael
28 // Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2 // Pink Floyd
27 // Maneater // Daryl Hall & John Oates
26 // When Doves Cry // Prince
25 // Like a Virgin // Madonna
24 // Do That To Me One More Time // Captain & Tennille
23 // Another Day in Paradise // Phil Collins
22 // Hurts So Good // John Cougar
21 // Waiting for a Girl Like You // Foreigner
20 // All Night Long // Lionel Richie
19 // Say You, Say Me // Lionel Richie
18 // Abracadabra // Steve Miller Band
17 // Billie Jean // Michael Jackson
16 // Upside Down // Diana Ross
15 // That's What Friends Are For // Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder
14 // Ebony and Ivory // Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
13 // I Love Rock 'N Roll // Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
12 // (Just Like) Starting Over // John Lennon
11 // Centerfold // J. Geils Band
10 // Lady // Kenny Rogers
9 // Call Me // Blondie
8 // Say, Say, Say // Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
7 // Another One Bites the Dust // Queen
6 // Flashdance...What a Feeling // Irene Cara
5 // Every Breath You Take // Police
4 // Eye of the Tiger // Survivor
3 // Endless Love // Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
2 // Bette Davis Eyes // Kim Carnes
1 // Physical // Olivia Newton-John

FULL LIST: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rrt2ySy4Gujs6KjlnUuqNoqF3a_pMWUuAzkvrMGCZRE/edit?usp=sharing

 

Artist appearing in the most songs: 
Madonna 13
Michael Jackson 11 (8 solo, 2 duets, We Are The World)
Phil Collins 11 (6 solo, 3 Genesis, 2 duets)

George Michael 9 (5 solo, 4 Wham!)
Prince 8 (7 solo, 1 duet)
Lionel Richie 8 (6 solo, 1 duet, We Are The World)
Whitney Houston 8
Hall & Oates 8 (Including We Are The World)
Chicago 8 (Including 2 Peter Cetera)

Edited by filmman
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Not you posting all 500 songs:bibliahh:

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11 minutes ago, LookinIn said:

Not you posting all 500 songs:bibliahh:

Take seconds copy&paste. I fail to see what it's so fun haha

Edited by filmman
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1 minute ago, filmman said:

Take seconds copy&paste. I fail to see what it's so fun

no one wants to scroll through all that, it's just so extra :deadbanana2:

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23 minutes ago, filmman said:

George Michael 9 (5 solo, 4 Wham!)

Gay King Of Pop :clap3:

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2 minutes ago, LookinIn said:

no one wants to scroll through all that, it's just so extra :deadbanana2:

You don't speak for everyone, and I don't give a

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Not the whole top 500 :bibliahh: 

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bette davis eyes :jonny5:

 

 

say say say is so overshadowed by their other hits :skull:

 

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76 Miami Vice Theme

Jan Hammer

:jonny:

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141 West End Girls  Pet Shop Boys
140 I Think We're Alone Now Tiffany
139 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham!
this 1-2-3 punch :clap3:
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Physical being the number one song of the whole 1980s :rip: a classic bop, but how random tho

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Let me post half list for people to give clicks on the link and the owner don't sue me:sistrens:

Edited by filmman
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I'm so impressed at the number of ICONIC artists of color: Whitney, Janet, Tina, Stevie, Michael, Prince, Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Aretha, Marvin Gaye, Terrence Trent D'Arby, Dionne Warwick, Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Atlantic Starr, Smokey, Billy Ocean, Deneice Williams, Irene Cara, etc. 

 

Could so many co-exist at the top these days in popular music? Probably not. 

All had acclaim, unique talent, were battling each other at the Grammys, and made HITS. :clap3:

 

*I NEVER realized how big Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" was. :omg: Why didn't he delve deeper into music? 

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Hoping for Top 500 Songs of the '90s next week...

The list will include songs that did not appear on the Hot 100 at all or for the bulk of their runs, the Radio Songs (then-called Hot 100 Airplay) chart. 

Waiting for Iris, Don't Speak, Torn!!!!:cm:

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"Bette Davis Eyes" and "Call Me" in the top 10 :jonny:

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2 hours ago, Psycho said:

Physical being the number one song of the whole 1980s :rip: a classic bop, but how random tho

It was the only song to spend double digit weeks at #1 in the 80s so yea it was pretty big.

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even Kylie is on the list, what a legend :fan:

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Where is So Far Away by Dire Straits :deadbanana4:

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What a list! So full of quality classic songs!

Janet with 6 entries with Miss You Much placing inside the top 40 at #38  :clap3:

Edited by robbyds
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  • 3 months later...
On 4/14/2019 at 1:26 AM, filmman said:

That's What Friends Are For // Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder

This is the #1 song from the latter half of the 1980s (1985-8)

 

On 4/14/2019 at 2:20 AM, trainsskyscrapers said:

*I NEVER realized how big Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" was. :omg: Why didn't he delve deeper into music?

He tried, but the only song that turned out to be a big hit was PATT.

 

On 4/14/2019 at 1:26 AM, filmman said:

195 // I Miss You // Klymaxx

This is the lowest-peaking song from the 1980s.  IMY peaked at #5, but was the #3 song of 1986.  But, it spent 4 wks @ #5, 7 wks in the T 10, 17 wks T 40, and 20 weeks T 5. The 20 T 50 wks was HUGE for the latter 1/2 of the 1980s, given that time on the charts.  Obviously BB changed its ranking system, because Klymaxx deserved a higher ranking than this. 

 

Young MC's Bust A Move (1989-90) was the first song to reach 20 T 40 wks, since Every Breath You Take (1983, The Police) was also HUGE for that time.  And BAM is the #3 was tied for the 3rd pre-SS longest one  time H 100 run.  9 Months on the H 100 was only the 3rd song to stay that long in one H 100 run pre-SS.  The Twist also spent 39 wks, but over 2 separate chart runs.   

 

I Go Crazy (#7) Paul Davis (1977-8) ,spent 40 wks on the H 100, and one of the only 2 to reach 25 T 40 wks.  Bee Gees How Deep Is Your Love had the T 10 record with 17 wks and the only pre-SS to spend 26 wks. 6 full months in the T 40, but stopped at 33 wks on the H 100.  Tainted Love (1982-3, # 8) by Soft Cell stayed on for 43 wks, but spent its last 5 wks stalled at # 97, and only 15 T 40 wks.

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