The eighties – hate them or love them, but they’re surely hard to ignore. Eighties fashion, typical 80’s bands and 80’s hairstyles – even those who are too young to remember get drawn into this crazy decade as 80’s music is still popular all over the world.
In 1984, it was undeniable that the 80’s music style was a force to be reckoned with, producing typical 80’s bands like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Wham and solo artists like Madonna, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson. This year, German 80’s bands like Alphaville, Modern Talking and Nena contributed with many chart busters.
To make the Top 20 hit list of 1984 below, bands could be from anywhere in the world but the songs had to fulfill all of the following criteria:
- Be pop or dance songs – not rock, R&B or any other genre;
- exemplify the 80’s music style: be fresh, bold and full of spunk (not purely instrumental songs);
- artists were chosen only among 80’s bands, with the eighties being the decade of their biggest hits;
- only one hit song per 80’s solo artist or band was included per year for variety sake.
Eighties Movies, 80’s TV Shows and Other Events of 1984
To really get the feel for a decade, let alone a year, it makes sense to take a look at related areas like movies, TV shows and world events. On TV, 1984 brought the debut of the Cosby Show and Miami Vice and the end of shows such as Fantasy Island, Happy Days and Hart to Hart.
1984 was the year of the 80’s hit movies with Footloose, Police Academy, Sixteen Candles, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Karate Kid, Beverly Hills Cop and Terminator releasing.
Other events of 1984 were:
- The Winter Olympics were held in Sarajewo, Yugoslavia.
- In Bhopal, India, methyl isocyanite leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide plant, killing 2,000 people instantly and more than 20,000 later in one of the worst industrial disasters.
- Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi was assassinated on October 31.
- One of the worst famines in Ethiopia kills a million people by the end of the year.
- Crack cocaine was introduced in Los Angeles.
- France become Euro Cup champions after beating Spain 2:0.
- The Macintosh computer was introduced.
Top 20 Eighties Songs in 1984
1984 can safely be called the year of the German bands with Nena, Alphaville and Modern Talking taking up coveted Top 5 spots around the world. In fact, Modern Talking, though not much of a success in the US and UK, was doing well all over Europe and went on to become the single most successful pop group in Germany by sales.
- “99 Red Balloons” / “99 Luftballons” – Nena
- “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” – Phil Collins
- “Eyes without a Face” – Billy Idol
- “Footloose” – Kenny Loggins
- “Forever Young” – Alphaville
- “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
- “Here Comes the Rain Again” – Eurythmics
- “Holiday” – Madonna
- “I Just Called to Say I Love You” – Stevie Wonder
- “Jump (For My Love)” – the Pointer Sisters
- “Karma Chameleon” – Culture Club
- “Owner of a Lonely Heart” – Yes
- “Shout” – Tears for Fears
- “Thriller” – Michael Jackson
- “What’s Love Got to Do With It” – Tina Turner
- “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – Wham
- “When Doves Cry” – Prince & the Revolution
- “That’s Why They Call It the Blues” – Elton John
- “The Wild Boys” – Duran Duran
- “You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul” – Modern Talking
In 1984, one can see how the divide in movies – either romantic comedies or sleek sci-fi or action movies – is also visible in the hit songs of the year: Romantic ballads like “When Doves Cry,” “Here Comes the Rain Again” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You” exist next to typical spunky 80’s beats like “Footloose,” “Holiday” and “Shout.” Don’t the titles just say it all?
For more ultimate 80’s hits like “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” or “Funkytown,” check the previous years 1983 and 1980-1982, respectively. Or find out what happened the following year, 1985!
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