Billboard 1985: The Rankdown (Winner Revealed)

[newpower]

No!!! The wrong Wham! song

[Cody Wants Out...]

Oh come on! My #92 needs to leave already!

[Unhinged]

#8

Out Of Touch

Hall & Oates

Total Points: 1527

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽²⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 6

From: Big Bam Boom

Released in October of 1984, this song actually peaked at No. 1 in late 1984 on the Billboard Hot 100 but was only eligible for the 1985 year end due to Billboard year end rules.

It became the duos last visit to No. 1 and was their 14th consecutive Top 40 hit since 1980. It has been included in various video games, most famously in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

The song received 15 Top 40 placements and 7 of us lose a Top 10...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 20 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 46
mamooshka - 56 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 9 
craziaskowboi - 34 
singingrulebritannia - 27
newpower - 11 
Mirago - 15 
rgreen0625  - 24 
Red - 2 
Cody Wants Out...  - 3 
aerodynamite - 20 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 39 
Az Paynter  - 2 
mrmike855 - 51 
Glove Slap - 10 
Ky - 52 
Juanca  - 9 
Sambalada  - 68 
Unhinged - 3

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[filthy]

Go Careless Whisper!!

[Glove Slap]

This is my favorite single from them, particularly the single version with extra syncopation.

[Unhinged]

#7

Don't You (Forget About Me)

Simple Minds

Total Points: 1528

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 16

From: The Breakfast Club Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

A Top 10 hit in a dozen countries and No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, this song was released as a single from The Breakfast Club Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

In the UK, although it peaked at No. 7, it stayed on the chart until 1987 and was certified Gold.

I lose my No. 1 with this leaving the rankdown () and 6 others lose a Top 10...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 5 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 26
mamooshka - 19 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 2 
craziaskowboi - 39 
singingrulebritannia - 4
newpower - 7 
Mirago - 27 
rgreen0625 - 8 
Red - 10 
Cody Wants Out... - 92 
aerodynamite - 33 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 12 
Az Paynter  - 56 
mrmike855 - 59 
Glove Slap - 15 
Ky - 48 
Juanca - 17 
Sambalada - 12 
Unhinged - 1

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[Az Paynter]

Okay now I just need to not lose my #1 in the next reveal and we're good.

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

May 4, 2018 7:54:52 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

#9

Everything She Wants

Wham!

Total Points: 1469

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽²⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 25

From: Make It Big

The third consecutive No. 1 for Wham! from the album Make It Big, this track was written and produced by George Michael. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending May 25, 1985 where it stayed for two weeks eventually being kicked out by "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Tears For Fears.

George Michael was very proud of this song saying it was his favorite Wham! song and continued to perform this at live shows after the duos demise in 1986.

Doc Indie Party Rock - 16 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 11
mamooshka - 38 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 22 
craziaskowboi - 35 
singingrulebritannia - 15
newpower - 17 
Mirago - 61 
rgreen0625 - 85 
Red - 25 
Cody Wants Out...  - 2 
aerodynamite - 60 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 60 
Az Paynter  - 6 
mrmike855 - 9 
Glove Slap - 38 
Ky - 5 
Juanca  - 15 
Sambalada  - 29 
Unhinged - 4

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

I love this song, but I honestly never thought it would make it to the top 10. 😮😮😮😮

[Unhinged]

#6

The Boys Of Summer

Don Henley

Total Points: 1534

Billboard Hot 100: 5

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 53

From: Building the Perfect Beast

Lead single from Building the Perfect Beast, "The Boys of Summer" was released in later October of 1984 and reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending February 9, 1985. It also topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart for five weeks and won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1986.

The video won the Video of the Year at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards in addition to winning for Best Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography.

Two No. 1's fall with this leaving (sorry Az Paynter and Glove Slap - seriously though, it's been hilarious seeing you two go-back-and-forth knowing you both had the same No. 1) and 5 more of us lose a Top 10...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 34 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 67
mamooshka - 75 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 15 
craziaskowboi - 28 
singingrulebritannia - 8
newpower - 9
Mirago - 43 
rgreen0625 - 14 
Red - 20 
Cody Wants Out... - 11 
aerodynamite - 11 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 13
Az Paynter  - 1 
mrmike855 - 7 
Glove Slap - 1
Ky - 64
Juanca  - 7 
Sambalada - 48 
Unhinged - 9

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[Az Paynter]

May 4, 2018 8:41:52 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

Okay now I just need to not lose my #1 in the next reveal and we're good.

May 4, 2018 9:06:52 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

#6

The Boys Of Summer

Don Henley

Az Paynter  - 1 
Glove Slap - 1

WELP.

[Glove Slap]

Don Henley's hair deserved its own 90s X-Files episode.

[Unhinged]

#5

Smooth Operator

Sade

Total Points: 1540

Billboard Hot 100: 5

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 62

From: Diamond Life

Sade's first Top 10 hit in the US, this was released in February of 1985 from the album Diamond Life. It was their biggest hit internationally and reached the Top 40 in almost a dozen countries.

16 Top 30 placements fall with this leaving the rankdown...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 66 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 10
mamooshka - 29 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 6 
craziaskowboi - 53 
singingrulebritannia - 11 
newpower - 18 
Mirago - 25 
rgreen0625  - 29 
Red - 15 
Cody Wants Out... - 55 
aerodynamite - 19 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 9 
Az Paynter - 10 
mrmike855 - 13 
Glove Slap - 6 
Ky - 7 
Juanca - 11 
Sambalada - 3 
Unhinged - 67

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[Az Paynter]

This has bottom 50 rankings... why? :sip2:

[Juanca]

Sorry for my multiple posts these past few hours. I was planning on spacing posts out, but life came in the way and I couldn't post much earlier in the week.
Anyway.

I forgot one song in my previous list:
- If I was (Midge Ure)
Midge was Ultravox' frontman and IIW was his debut solo song. It was a medium hit (top 25), but the melody and music sounds strong now and very 80s representative till now.


I'd like to share now another group of 1985 hits from more unknown artists, not included in the BB Hot 100 or in Doc Indie's posts :)

- Woodpeckers from Space (Video Kids):
Another Italo disco hit back home, that charted in 1984-85. It was a country top 10 and a personal chart-topper. Yup. As ridiculous as it may seem now in retrospect, the song was the definition of guilty pleasure. I still have the 45 RPM I bought, as this was a song that everyone in the family liked :) (among other things because the woodpecker -or the 'pajaro loco', i.e. crazy bird- was one of our favorite cartoons) I'm not even ashamed now, as the music is awesome and the song is super catchy

Their followup later in 1985 was not as catchy and it was basically a flop where catchiness was replaced more by annoyingness


- Live Is Life (Opus):
This was a BIG hit back home. A personal and country chart-topper, with good longevity throughout the 1980s.

As per rumors, the big success of this song in Latin America led Colombian singer Fausto to release a single with similar vibe (claps and all), Susana, which also became a big hit back home:

People thought Susana was a sorta cover of Opus, when in reality it was a cover of Dutch band VOF de Kunst/ The Art Company' Suzanne/Susanna from 1983

Also, years later in 1992 Ricky Martin also covered Susana and released it as a single. What a trip!!!

- Shout To The Top (Style Council):
A personal and country chart-topper from the Vision Quest soundtrack. I really liked the use of piano and string sounds here. It hasn't had as much longevity, but I do keep a soft spot for it


- Wake Up (Stop):
A country top 10 and a personal chart-topper. One of my favorite instrumental songs ever!! Eclectic, Latin, dance, electro. Love it! And the video is practically an ode to all things mid-80s


- My Toot Toot (Jean Knight)
I guess our parents helped this song reached the top of the radio charts at that time :) it was also a personal top 3, as this had a fun retro vibe, although soon afterwards the sound became quite dated and the song itself was quite forgettable, except for night TV shows where vedettes would be dancing with little clothes on and showing their toot-toot


- Kayleigh (Marilion)
This was a medium hit back home, and a personal top 20, but has aged pretty well for me. This was one of 2 songs they entered in my personal chart -the second one being Cover My Eyes in 1991)


- Zarah (Nina Hagen)
This was a guilty pleasure. It entered my personal chart in early 1985 but only stayed for a few weeks below the top 20. I rediscovered it earlier this decade and has stayed in my playlist as a weird song to be awake lol. I remember being a fan of this video and that of her previous medium hit back home, Smack Jack


- Do They Know It's Christmas? (Band Aid)
Unfortunately this song wasn't played in 1984 back home, but since 1985 it became a personal Christmas classic.... like an All I Want for Christmas Is You situation lol. And it's one of my favorite Christmas songs ever (as I shared in Cynthia's RD :) ). Based on what happened with WATW here, this one would've been unfairly been super low though >:(

[Unhinged]

#4

Raspberry Beret

Prince and The Revolution

Total Points: 1574

Billboard Hot 100: 2⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 51

From: Around the World in a Day

Lead single from Around the World in a Day, this was originally recorded in 1982 and was reworked for inclusion on the album.

It's time to say good-bye to your No.1 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 and singingrulebritannia ...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 12 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 1
mamooshka - 31 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 17 
craziaskowboi - 67 
singingrulebritannia - 1 
newpower - 3 
Mirago - 48 
rgreen0625 - 18 
Red - 7 
Cody Wants Out... - 24 
aerodynamite - 13 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 23 
Az Paynter - 68 
mrmike855 - 16 
Glove Slap - 9 
Ky - 11 
Juanca  - 37 
Sambalada - 10 
Unhinged - 31

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[Unhinged]

May 4, 2018 9:28:57 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

This has bottom 50 rankings... why?

I could ask you the same about "Raspberry Beret"... :sip2:

[aerodynamite]

C'mon, T4F! You can do this!

[filthy]

May 4, 2018 9:49:58 GMT -5 aerodynamite said:

C'mon, T4F! You can do this!

Careless Whisper deserves this smh

[Zeebz]

Wow, what a solid top 10 and rankdown overall. Several surprises, but pleasant ones at that.

Sad that “The Boys Of Summer” is out. Would’ve for sure been a top five contender for me.

“Smooth Operator” remains a timeless classic and I’m thrilled it made its way into the top five.

Also a tad surprised that Madonna was ousted so early, I initially expected her to go all the way to the top ten. Love that “Dress You Up” made it that far though, it’s an underrated gem in her 80’s discography. Also lol @ the notion that Madonna’s 80’s work is her worst

[Unhinged]

#3

Careless Whisper

Wham!

Total Points: 1584

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽³⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 1

From: Make It Big

Often attributed to just George Michael as his debut single, this Wham! track was released in the UK in July of 1984 but it did not see a release in the US until after "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" finished its chart run in late 1984.

The song features a well known prominent saxophone riff and it reached No. 1 in nearly 25 countries, selling about 6 million copies worldwide.

It was the No. 1 song of 1985 in the US.

Two of you say good-bye to your No. 1 (sorry Doc Indie Party Rock and Juanca ) and 13 of us lose a Top 20...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 1 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 18
mamooshka - 2
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 10 
craziaskowboi - 72 
singingrulebritannia - 9
newpower - 69 
Mirago - 4 
rgreen0625 - 20 
Red - 4 
Cody Wants Out... - 41 
aerodynamite - 65 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 10 
Az Paynter  - 4 
mrmike855 - 47 
Glove Slap - 11 
Ky - 25 
Juanca - 1 
Sambalada - 6 
Unhinged - 17

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

[Juanca]

I knew it!!
I mean, not a bad song at all, but #4 for Raspberry?? I guess it’s just because it’s Prince
Happy to see 2 of my top 5s still in!
I like Everybody... but I like Shout even more, so I’ll be very happy to see it leave at #3

[filthy]

Noooo :'( >

[Glove Slap]

Wow, I was expecting this one to win it.

[Az Paynter]

It's 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' vs. 'Take On Me' if I'm not mistaken?

Tears For Fears FTW plz, although both songs are in my top 20 so either one is a decent winner.

[aerodynamite]

Now we just need that goddamn meme to lose and all will be right with the world.

[Cody Wants Out...]

13 vs. 68.

Hoping my 13 can pull it off!

[Unhinged]

The Top 2

I was pleasantly surprised to see these two songs make the final two as I thought for sure it'd be "Careless Whisper."

I didn't realise there was so much Tears For Fears love on this board (which is great to see)...

#2

Take On Me

a-ha

Total Points: 1631

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽¹⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 10

From: Hunting High and Low

Made famous by its ground-breaking video, this song was released in mid-1985 in the US where it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on its 15th chart week (October 19, 1985).

The video used a pencil-sketch animation/live-action combination called rotoscoping where approximately 3,000 frames were rotoscoped, which took 16 weeks to complete. The end result was one of the most famous videos of the 1980's and of all time.

mamooshka loses their No. 1 and 15 Top 20 placements fall with this leaving the rankdown...

Doc Indie Party Rock - 8 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 17
mamooshka - 1 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 13 
craziaskowboi - 43 
singingrulebritannia - 7
newpower - 2 
Mirago - 7 
rgreen0625  - 6 
Red - 3 
Cody Wants Out...  - 68 
aerodynamite - 87 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 40 
Az Paynter - 18 
mrmike855 - 5 
Glove Slap - 19 
Ky - 22 
Juanca - 4 
Sambalada - 9 
Unhinged - 10

#1

Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Tears For Fears

Total Points: 1714

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽²⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1985: 7

From: Songs From The Big Chair

The lead single (in the US) from Songs From The Big Chair, this was released in March of 1985 and was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending June 8.

It won "Best Single" at the 1986 Brit Awards and has been honoured at the annual BMI Awards in London for achieving 6 million radio airplays.

The only song Pulse could (sort of) agree on as it placed within the Top 50 on all but one of your lists and within the Top 20 on 16 of them...though it did not receive any No. 1 placements which might be a first for a rankdown?

Doc Indie Party Rock - 17 
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 5 
mamooshka - 12 
Butterflies & Hurricanes - 4 
craziaskowboi - 68 
singingrulebritannia - 3
newpower - 5 
Mirago - 2 
rgreen0625 - 9 
Red - 5 
Cody Wants Out... - 13 
aerodynamite - 7 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 14 
Az Paynter - 11 
mrmike855 - 6 
Glove Slap - 31 
Ky - 42 
Juanca - 19 
Sambalada - 32 
Unhinged - 2

Observers

alexcuse
Albie
filthy  

That's it folks!

Hope you enjoyed the rankdown!

Thanks for participating and for all the wonderful conversation that took place about this awesome year in music!

Moving along to the Billboard 1986 Rankdown next and submissions are due June 30^th!

The Billboard 1985 Rankdown

Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
Take On Me - A-Ha
Careless Whisper - Wham!
Raspberry Beret - Prince & The Revolution
Smooth Operator - Sade
The Boys Of Summer - Don Henley
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Out Of Touch - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Everything She Wants - Wham!
Shout - Tears For Fears
I Feel For You - Chaka Khan
We Belong - Pat Benatar
Crazy For You - Madonna
Like A Virgin - Madonna
Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears
Would I Lie To You? - Eurythmics
Dress You Up - Madonna
The Power Of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Obsession - Animotion
Material Girl - Madonna
Strut - Sheena Easton
Freeway Of Love - Aretha Franklin
Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
A View To A Kill - Duran Duran
Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
Summer Of '69 - Bryan Adams
Private Dancer - Tina Turner
Heaven - Bryan Adams
Some Like It Hot - Power Station
Better Be Good To Me - Tina Turner
Easy Lover - Phil Collins & Philip Bailey
You Belong To The City - Glenn Frey
We Don't Need Another Hero - Tina Turner
Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder
All Through The Night - Cyndi Lauper
Solid - Ashford & Simpson
Run To You - Bryan Adams
I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner
Don't Lose My Number - Phil Collins
The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey
One Night In Bangkok - Murray Head
I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
Oh Sheila - Ready For The World
The Wild Boys - Duran Duran
Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon
Sussudio - Phil Collins
Lover Girl - Teena Marie
All She Wants To Do Is Dance - Don Henley
Neutron Dance - Pointer Sisters
St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) - John Parr
Lover Boy - Billy Ocean
Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen
One More Night - Phil Collins
Voices Carry - 'Til Tuesday
Jungle Of Love - The Time
Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
Who's Zoomin' Who - Aretha Franklin
Lay Your Hands On Me - Thompson Twins
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting
Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting
Be Near Me - ABC
Fresh - Kool & The Gang
Rhythm Of The Night - Debarge
In My House - Mary Jane Girls
You Give Good Love - Whitney Houston
Method Of Modern Love - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young
What About Love - Heart
Freedom - Wham!
Nightshift - Commodores
Angel - Madonna
Lonely Ol' Night - John Cougar Mellencamp
We Built This City - Starship
Sugar Walls - Sheena Easton
Cherish - Kool & The Gang
Misled - Kool & The Gang
Too Late For Goodbyes - Julian Lennon
Cool It Now - New Edition
Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
Suddenly - Billy Ocean
Valotte - Julian Lennon
Never Surrender - Corey Hart
Missing You - Diana Ross
I Can't Hold Back - Survivor
Who's Holding Donna Now - Debarge
We Are The World - U.S.A. For Africa
No More Lonely Nights - Paul McCartney
You're The Inspiration - Chicago
Sea Of Love - Honeydrippers
The Search Is Over - Survivor
Do What You Do - Jermaine Jackson
California Girls - David Lee Roth
Penny Lover - Lionel Richie
Sentimental Street - Night Ranger
Separate Lives - Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
All I Need - Jack Wagner

[aerodynamite]

[filthy]

This was a very successful rankdown

[Red]

though it did not receive any No. 1 placements which might be a first for a rankdown?

Nah, "Little Talks" won 2012 Alt without having a single #1 ranking. I'm sure there's some others, too.

The lowest of my rankings in the top 3 wound up winning, but a) they were all top five, b) they were 3-4-5, and c) I adore every song in my top ten, let alone my top five. It's really cool to see "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" win this, as I would have expected it to make the top ten, but not quite win.

Another great job, Unhinged. I'll be there for 1986, too.