Billboard 1984: The Rankdown (Winner Revealed)

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

Mar 11, 2018 1:36:19 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

Gonna showcase a few of my own personal favorites from that year. 11--30. Most of these already appeared too.

11. Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry (1)

12. Talking In Your Sleep - Romantics (1)

13. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go -Wham!
I love this song so much, it got early chart action fro me. It would crossover into my 1985 charts , and end up at a very high position.

14. ?

15. The Reflex - Duran Duran (1)

16. Modern Day Delilah - Van Stephenson  (1) (B22)
A one hit wonder on Billboard Hot 100. I doubt many of you heard this one? I use to hear this one KLOS all the time and MTV played it all the time. The lyrics were based on that dangerous brand of woman that men obsessed over in those days.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3soJBmu_cFI

17. I Want A New Drug - Huey Lewis and The News (3)

18. Eyes Without A Face - Billy Idol (2)

19. ?

20. (You Can Still) Rock In America - -Night Ranger (4) (B51)
As you can see I was a huge Night Ranger fan. Still am too. This was the actual first single off "Midnight Madness"; which peaked at #51 on Billboard Hot 100. I love the fact that everyone on this band was a guitarist and one drummer. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GZSFgnORlc

21. Lick It Up -Kiss (3) (B66)
Kiss is my favorite Hard Rock band. No questions about it. They are Guitar hooks heaven,and Paul Stanley has one of the strongest vocal tones I ever heard, and "Lick It Up" is one of my favorite songs from them. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcj34XixuYg

22. When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger (4)

23. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell (1)

24. Union Of The Snake - Duran Duran (2)

25. Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart (2)

26. Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung (2)

27. Rock You Like A Hurricane - Scorpions (2) (B25)
It's obvious, I was raised on MTV. This song has one of the fiercest Guitar hooks. Thanks to the older potheads on my block I got into Metal at a very young age.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQRprgbYdTw

28. Looks That Kill - Mötley Crüe (3) (B54)
I used to love the post-apocalyptic music videos Heavy metal bands would put out. This one and "Lick It Up" . I was already heavy into the Crüe, by the time "Shout at the Devil" came out. Believ it or not, this Metal favorite also charted on Billboard Hot 100.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJcUcELlBQ

29. The Warrior - Scandal (4)

30. Strip - Adam Ant (4) (B42)
We haven't gotten around to ranking any Adam and The Ants songs yet, but rest assured I will be one of the highest rankers when "Goody Two Shoes" rolls around. "Strip" was one of my favorite New wave songs back then. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7fV-wB2z8

Modern Day Delilah was/is awesome...1 of those songs I hadn't heard in years til Napster came around & I could finally find the lost 80s hits

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

here are some of my favorites from the year that didn't make the cut:

4 Ghost In You The Psychedelic Furs
5 Relax Frankie Goes To Hollywood
7 It’s My Life Talk Talk
8 What Is Love? Howard Jones 
12 Smalltown Boy Bronski Beat
15 Blasphemous Rumours Depeche Mode
16 Erotic City Prince
17 Original Sin INXS
18 Don’t Tell Me Blancmange
19 Sexcrime (1984) The Eurythmics
20 Rebel Yell Billy Idol
21 Everyday Is Halloween Ministry
22 Come Back And Stay Paul Young
23 Deeper And Deeper The Fixx
24 No More Words Berlin
25 Close (To The Edit) The Art Of Noise
26 Hyperactive Thomas Dolby
27 Wouldn’t It Be Good Nik Kershaw
29 White Horse Laid Back
30 I Send A Message INXS
31 Who’s That Girl? The Eurythmics
32 Tenderness General Public
34 Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) Icicle Works
35 Doctor, Doctor The Thompson Twins
36 Pride (In The Name Of Love) U2
37 Are We Ourselves? The Fixx
41 Only When You Leave Spandau Ballet
42 Go! Tones On Tail
43 New Song Howard Jones
44 Flesh For Fantasy Billy Idol
45 Heaven The Psychedelic Furs
46 Love Is The Law The Suburbs
47 You Can’t Get What You Want (Til You Know What You Want) Joe Jackson
48 Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing) Romeo Void
49 Strip Adam Ant
50 Lebanon Human League

52 Two Tribes Frankie Goes To Hollywood
53 Since Yesterday Strawberry Switchblade
54 Caterpillar The Cure
55 That Was Then But This Is Now ABC
56 Sunshine In The Shade The Fixx
57 Burn For You INXS
60 Blue Jean David Bowie
62 Killing Moon Echo & The Bunnymen
63 It’s A Miracle Culture Club
65 Romancing The Stone Eddy Grant
67 Melting In The Sun INXS
68 Big In Japan Alphaville
69 Right By Your Side The Eurythmics
70 Beat Box The Art Of Noise
72 Why? Bronski Beat
73 What Difference Does It Make? The Smiths
74 I Would Die 4 U Prince 
77 Cccan’t You See? Vicious Pink
78 Less Cities, More Moving People The Fixx
79 More You Live, The More You Love A Flock Of Seagulls
80 Eighties Killing Joke
81 Tesla Girls OMD
82 My Ever Changing Moods The Style Council
83 Only Flame In Town Elvis Costello
85 Show Me The Pretenders
86 Radio Ga-Ga Queen
88 Doubleplusgood The Eurythmics
89 Homecoming Queen’s Gotta Gun (Everybody Run) Julie Brown
92 Bad U2
93 Heartbeat The Psychedelic Furs
94 Red, Red Wine UB40
95 Somebody Depeche Mode
96 Hello Again The Cars
97 Don’t Let Go Wang Chung
98 Gratitude Oingo Boingo
99 Dancing With Tears In My Eyes Ultravox

102 Pink Cadallac Bruce Springsteen
103 Gap The Thompson Twins
104 Catch My Fall Billy Idol
105 Money Changes Everything Cyndi Lauper
107 Blind Vision Blancmange
108 Waterfront Simple Minds
110 (What) In The Name Of Love…? Naked Eyes
111 Infatuation Rod Stewart
112 Locomotion OMD 
114 Fields Of Fire Big Country 
117 Hot You’re Cool General Public
118 You Take Me Up The Thompson Twins 
120 Jump Aztec Camera 
122 Modern Day Delilah Van Stephenson 
125 Wire U2
127 South Central Rain (I’m Sorry) REM
128 10-9-8 Face To Face
129 Ministry Of Love The Eurythmics
130 Thieves Like Us New Order
131 Hero Takes A Fall The Bangles
132 Dear Prudence Siouxsie & The Banshees
133 Turn To You The Go Gos
134 Catch Me, I’m Falling Real Life
135 General Public General Public
137 Leave It Yes
138 I Love You Suzanne Lou Reed 
140 (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville REM 
142 Go Insane Lindsey Buckingham
143 Anywhere With You Rubber Rodeo
144 Lifeline Spandau Ballet 
146 Boys Do Fall In Love Robin Gibb
147 Heaven (Must Be There) The Eurogliders
148 Blue Highway Billy Idol  
150 New Day Killing Joke

151 One In A Million The Romantics
152 Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now The Smiths
153 Thin Line Between Love And Hate The Pretenders
154 Dancing In Berlin Berlin 
156 Distant Early Warning Rush
157 Pearl In The Shell Howard Jones
158 Going Down To Liverpool The Bangles
159 Apollo 9 Adam Ant
160 This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) Peter Gabriel
161 Room 101 The Eurythmics
162 Lights Out Peter Wolf
163 Mistake # 3 Culture Club
164 I Will Dare The Replacements
165 Free Nelson Mandela The Specials 
168 68 Guns The Alarm
169 Speed Your Love To Me Simple Minds
170 It’s Like That Run DMC 
172 Be My Number Two Joe Jackson
173 What’s Gone Wrong? The Untouchables
174 State Of The Nation Industry
175 Rock Me Like A Hurricane The Scorpions
177 Dazzle Siouxsie & The Banshees
178 Sister Of Mercy The Thompson Twins
179 Up On The Catwalk Simple Minds
180 2000 Miles The Pretenders
181 Illegal Alien Genesis
182 Sensoria Cabaret Voltaire
183 Julia The Eurythmics
184 Wild Life Bananarama
185 Such A Shame Talk Talk 
187 You’re The Best Thing The Style Council
188 Communication Spandau Ballet
189 Pretty Persuasion REM
190 Hand On My Heart Shriekback 
192 William, It Was Really Nothing The Smiths
193 Give Missing Persons
194 Wonderland Big Country
195 Watusi Rodeo Guadalcanal Diary
196 Red Sector A Rush
197 War Song Culture Club
198 Passion Planet The Thompson Twins
199 Robert DeNiro’s Waiting Bananarama
200 Stand The Alarm

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

I have to proudly admit that I have everyone of those songs. If not mp3, than 45',L.P. ,CD comps,or even cassette.

[Juanca]

10. Drive (16): The Cars is one of my favorite 1980s group. My favorite songs are Shake It Up, Tonight She Comes, and Drive. This was a quick mover and #1 in my personal chart. Love the somber, melancholic vibe of this one and the subdued but connecting vocals. VERY happy to see this in the top 10.
9. Borderline (28): Back in 1984, I initially thought this was by someone like Stephanie Mills (it reminded me of Never Knew Love Like This Before). It was a nice surprise to see this was by the same chick that sang that lesser flop Everybody and the semi-bop Holiday. It was a top 10 in my chart and ended up in my yearend top 30. It is a good song, but this year was so strong, that I had to rank this in my lower 20s --sorry Madge, I love you, but yeah...
8. Love Is A Battlefield (3): YAASSSS!!!! I was very afraid that this wasn't going to make top 5. This is my all-time favorite from Pat, a multi-week chart-topper and one of the top songs of the decade and 1900s back home and personally. Of course, the extended version is my go-to version. The disco-rock mix, her attitude and vocals, the whistles, and of course that video!!
7. Time After Time (2): One of my favorite 1980s ballads. Cyndi sang her heart off in that one. And The Hooters' Rob Hyman complemented her superbly with those background vocals, plus being responsible of the strong lyrics. The simple but effective music made the song even more perfect. Again-such a strong set of hits from She's So Unusual! This one is still often heard back home, where it was a big hit for the decade.
6. What's Love Got To Do With It (4): My mom LOVED Tina's comeback story and this song. I also really liked it. Music, vocals, production, harmonica, etc. A 2-week chart-topper in my personal ranking, and yearend top 5. And another big hit back home.
5. Let's Go Crazy (12): I love Prince, and I love that guitar solo, as well as the energy throughout song, the intro, etc. It was a runner-up in my personal chart, as it felt that the main part of the song (not intro nor outdo) needed a bit more, but I've grown to like the song better in time. Just not enough for a top 10 placement in this RD.
4. Here Comes the Ran Again (6): Sweet Dreams is one of my favorite songs of the 1980s. This was the follow-up back home, and another super strong song. I loved the strings and the whole production and music, plus Annie's unique lead and background vocals (shoo-wop, shoo-wop). Eurythmics wasn't as played back home unfortunately. In radios we heard Sweet, Here, Sexcrime (which was more popular in my personal chart than in my country), There Must Be An Angel, Would I Lie To You, and Don't Ask Me Why (also more popular in my personal chart). Then I bought the Greatest Hits album and became a big fan of them and then of Annie Lennox (which is the only artist I've had the pleasure to meet and talk in person while having breakfast )
3. Thriller (11): Definitely pure 1980s music here, and a VERY popular song back home. Personally, I think it's unique and strong, specially the last minute... but it was just not enough to have it in my top 10 for this RD.
2. Dancing In The Dark (19): This was hard to rank, and I believe I slightly under-ranked it. I was a big fan of the song -and the video!! Actually, I looked up to his style and vibe. Having a hoarse voice myself, it was great to hear his type of voice in the radio. I actually sang his parts in a school play of We Are The World :) Dancing was a big hit back home. The extended version also became quite popular and even replaced the main version in one of our radio stations. The video was also extremely popular back home. With time, I still listen to this one, but I've grown to like a bit more some of his less pop songs. Surprised this was the #2 in this RD. Won't complain much, but feel it's a bit too high...
1. When Doves Crazy (1): There was no doubt in my mind this was my #1 song. Like, since the first time I heard this song in 1984 I was haunted and always felt the need to pay attention to the entire song, as it was like a pop symphony with lots of musical and vocal intricacies. It's one of the best amalgamations of styles, the production and music are complex but accessible, and the vocals are extraordinary. A gem that's among the best songs ever. Awesome Perfect Ranking here!!

@u̶n̶hinged, THANKS for hosting this RD with a really good pace and with room for comments. This is the RD I've enjoyed the most so far, because it's a KEY year in my life, and I felt several of us had the opportunity to share and fully enjoy each set of reveals :)

[Juanca]

A few additional Top 10s and #1s in my personal chart from 1984 worth to remember :)

- Rain (Dragon)
Personal chart-topper that actually charted twice. First in 1984 reaching my top 5 and then in 1985 reaching the top for 2 weeks. Another song that is an 80s classic back home (I saw that it reached the e low 80s in 1983 in the US though)


- I Want To Break Free (Queen)
- Radio Gaga (Queen)
Both songs quite strong hits back home and personally, including thanks to their videos and that with the decade rank downs became even more popular and radio staples. IWTBF is a song that we can actually listen frequently, including in like weddings (And everyone singing the Peruanized chorus: "A Huacho Me Fui"



- La Canción de la Guerra (Culture Club)
This one, Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want to Hurt Me are the most popular Culture Club songs for sure. Especially thanks to CC deciding to release a version with the Spanglish chorus "Guerra, guerra estupida, y la gente estupida". This was my first chart-topper of 1985. I remember buying the 45 RPM that had both versions of The War Song.


- Shine Shine (Barry Gibb)
- Boys Do Fall In Love (Robin Gibb)
As a fan of the Bee Gees, both were received with high expectations. Regarding Shine, we especially liked the Latino/tropical vibe and it was a personal and country top 3 :) Regarding Boys, Robin had already had a big hit back home with Juliet, and this one followed the same path and became a chart-topper back home and in my personal chart. I remember the 12" version receiving medium rotation as well.



- Dr. Beat (Miami Sound Machine)
This one was A MOMENT!! Latinos had enjoyed MSM's music since the late 1970s, with so many classics like Regress a Mi, Dingui-Li-Bangue, Me Enamore Otra Vez, Baila Conmigo, A Today Maquina. So it was really exciting to see their efforts to cross over with this tune. It wasn't a big hit back home, not as a strong as the songs in Spanish, but still a midsize, top 10 hit --and we were paying attention at their future in the Billboard charts!


- Lights Out (Peter Wolf)
Peter was the former leader of the J. Geils Band and there was lots of expectations of this song. It became a hit, chart-topper at country and personal level. Love the percussion and background vocals in the last minute or so. This was another case where the extended (12") version became quite popular. Later this year, I Need You Tonight became another top 10 in my personal chart.


- Tenderness (General Public)
This one was also a personal and country top 5, with longevity throughout the 1900s. Also popular was the extended version with a longer laughter and more trombone sounds.


- Livin' In Desperate Times (Olivia Newton-John)
The follow-up to Twist of Fate was a midsize hit back home, and personal top 10, although definitely not as successful as ToF.


- Stay the Night (Chicago)
A midsize hit on radio, but a big, big hit on video, as its rotation was pretty high in the mid and late 1980s back home.


- Strut (Sheena Easton)
This was Sheena's last personal chart-topper and country top 5. I do love the instrumentation of this song, as well as Sheena's attitude here.


- A Little Love (Juice Newton)
Her last song played in our radios and a personal #2, although it then got a bit forgotten / stale with time. Still, I always have a soft spot for Juice :)


- 10-9-8 (Face To Face)
The video had high rotation in the mid-1980s, and the song was a top 5 back home and in my personal chart. The follow-up, Under the gun, unfortunately didn't do much...


- Let It Go (Luba)
This has the 'Look What You Made Me Do' record in my personal chart lol. It managed to reach the top quickly as I got really into this among other reasons because of its Latin flavor. It then quickly left my chart as well, though. At a country level this was had medium rotation and practically was never heard after 1985. I had forgotten a bit about it, until I re-discovered it in the late 1990s.


- Darlin' (Frank Stallone)
After the success of Far From Over, this song had some minor rotation in some radios back home, but a higher video rotation. In my personal chart, this was a top 10 as I liked the more traditional, retro vibe of it.