
Today we’ll be counting down the #11 through #20 songs on the 1984 year-end Hot 100.
20 – Laura Branigan, "Self Control": Laura Branigan covered this song by Italian pop star Raf, which reached #1 in Italy and Switzerland and #2 in West Germany. Laura’s cover was the first single from her 1984 album of the same name. The song was written by Giancarlo Bigazzi (who had also written her first hit, "Gloria"), Steve Piccolo, and Raf. Laura’s cover reached #4 on the Hot 100, #1 in Canada, #5 in the UK, and #3 in Australia, and reached the Top 10 in most of Europe.
19 – The Romantics, "Talking In Your Sleep": The Detroit New Wave band reached #3 in the US for their biggest hit, #1 in Canada, and #14 in Australia. The cover by Bucks Fizz reached #14 in the UK and #15 in Ireland.
18 – The Pointer Sisters, "Jump (For My Love)": This was the third single from their tenth album, 1983’s Break Out. It reached the Top 10 on the Hot 100 (#3), R&B (#3), and Dance (#2) charts in the US, #8 in Canada and Australia, and #6 in the UK. It was a Top 10 single in most of Europe as well.
17 – Cyndi Lauper, "Time After Time": Cyndi wrote this with Rob Hyman, and it was the second single from her debut album She’s So Unusual (1983). It reached #1 in the US and Canada, #3 in the UK, and #6 in Australia. It won American Video Awards for Best Female Performance and Best Pop Video, The Billboard Award for Best Female Performance, and was nominated for several MTV awards, and achieved Platinum status in the US, silver status in the UK, and Gold status in Canada. And it wasn’t her only hit for 1984…
16 – Queen, "Radio Ga Ga": The song was written by drummer Roger Taylor and appeared on their 1983 album The Works. It reached #1 in 19 countries, #2 in the UK and Australia, and #16 on the Hot 100.
15 – Cyndi Lauper, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun": This song was written and first released by Robert Hazard in 1979, and was covered by Cyndi Lauper in late 1983, peaking at #2 in the US and UK, and #1 in Australia and Canada in early 1984. It was a Top 10 single in most of the world, was certified Platinum in the US and UK and 2X Platinum in Canada, won the 1983 American Video Awards for Best Female Performance, and won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. Cyndi had a very good year in 1984…
14 – Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing In The Dark": This was the first single released from his album Born In The USA, spent four weeks at #2 on the Hot 100, went to #3 in Canada, #6 in Australia, and #28 in the UK. It was certified Platinum in the US, the UK, and Canada, and 3X Platinum in Australia.
13 – Deniece Williams, "Let’s Hear It For The Boy": From the soundtrack album for the movie Footloose, this went to #1 on the Hot 100, R&B and Dance charts in the US, #2 in the UK (behind Wham’s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"), #1 in Canada and #3 in Australia. It was certified Platinum in the US, Gold in Canada, and Silver in the UK.
12 – Lionel Richie, "All Night Long (All Night)": From the album Can’t Slow Down, it reached #1 on the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B charts in the US, #1 in Canada and Australia, and #2 in the UK. It was certified Platinum in the UK and Gold in the US.
11 – John Waite, "Missing You": Co-writen by John and the lead single from his album No Brakes, the song reached #1 in the US and #9 in the UK.
Next week, 1985. That’s Top Ten Tuesday for October 12, 2021.
I know all of these and love many of them (the 80s were my teen years after all).
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I was 28 in 1984… 🤣 Amazing I remember all of these, too…
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WOW Cyndi Lauper had 2 on the charts at the same time.
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I think she had “Girls” early in the year and “Time” midyear. This is the year-end Hot 100. Still, quite an accomplishment…
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Absolutely fantastic choices everyone a power ballard or Rock enjoyed every one of them.
Love Radio Ga Ga….it’s era less and is almost an anathema! Great choices all 💜
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Remember, I’m just getting it off the Hot 100. I don’;t think I actually knew some of these…
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Well you picked well, I knew them all 💜
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Wow! Great song list!
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Record buyers had good taste…
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Great list, John. Definitely all classic 80s. It was around this time I went to see the Pointer Sisters in concert in Alaska. They could put on a show.
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That’s what I’ve heard….
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Some fabulous songs in this listing. Time After Time is a favourite and Jump (For My Love) is featured in my playlist for the exercise class I’m leading this evening.
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Enjoy exercise class when it comes on…
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I remember more of these than I thought I would, John, including some least favorite songs by Springsteen and Queen 🙂
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A lot of people liked this, I was a little underwhelmed….
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