Number Ones |
| Week Ending | ACT + Links | TITLE | Weeks | TALLY | COMMENT |
| 19 Jan 1980 | Pretenders | Brass In Pocket | 2 | Only No 1 (1st for Chrissie Hynde) | Rock band led by British-based American Chrissie Hynde. She also had No 1 success with UB40 in 1985. |
| 2 Feb 1980 | The Special AKA (Specials) | The Specials Live EP (main track: Too Much Too Young) |
2 | 1st No 1 | Two-tone ska band from Coventry. |
| 16 Feb 1980 | Kenny Rogers | Coward Of The County | 2 | 2nd & last No 1 | He had a few more hits in the UK, but remains a major star in the US. |
| 1 Mar 1980 | Blondie | Atomic | 2 | 3rd No 1 | Third track lifted from their album "Eat To The Beat". |
| 15 Mar 1980 | Fern Kinney | Together We Are Beautiful | 1 | Only No 1 | Beautiful song from an American lady, but she became a UK One-hit Wonder. |
| 22 Mar 1980 | Jam | Going Underground | 3 | 1st No 1. | Led by Paul Weller, they were the most successful UK new wave band. |
| 12 Apr 1980 | Detroit Spinners | Working My Way Back To You | 2 | Only No 1 | Former Motown act with a remake of an old Four Seasons hit. |
| 26 Apr 1980 | Blondie | Call Me | 1 | 4th No 1 | From the film "American Gigolo", it was produced by Giorgio Moroder. |
| 3 May 1980 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | Geno | 2 | 1st No 1 | Led by the unpredictable Kevin Rowland, who wrote the song in celebration of US soul singer Gino Washington. |
| 17 May 1980 | Johnny Logan | What's Another Year | 2 | Only No 1 | Second Eurovision winner for Ireland. Logan won it again in 1987 and wrote a further winner in 1992. |
| 31 May 1980 | Mash | Suicide Is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H) |
3 | Only No 1 | Theme from the US tv series, by a group of studio session musicians. |
| 21 Jun 1980 | Don McLean | Crying | 3 | 2nd & last No 1 | Old Roy Orbison song that had been recorded by McLean two years earlier. |
| 12 Jul 1980 | Olivia Newton John & Electric Light Orchestra | Xanadu | 2 | 3rd & last No 1 for Olivia; Only No 1 for ELO | From Olivia's unsuccessful film "Xanadu". She became a superstar in the US. Led by Jeff Lynne, ELO had 14 Top 10 hits out of 28 from 1972 to 1986. |
| 26 Jul 1980 | Odyssey | Use It Up And Wear It Out | 2 | Only No 1 | US disco group who had reasonable success in the UK. This failed to make the US Top 100. |
| 9 Aug 1980 | Abba | The Winner Takes It All | 2 | 8th No 1 | Back at No 1 after 2½ years - from their "Super Trouper" album. By this time, both couples were divorced. |
| 23 Aug 1980 | David Bowie | Ashes To Ashes | 2 | 2nd No 1 | Continues the story of Major Tom from Bowie's "Space Oddity" No 1. |
| 6 Sep 1980 | Jam | Start | 1 | 2nd No 1 | They were immensely popular with new wave fans, but never really crossed over to mainstream popularity, as Blondie did. |
| 13 Sep 1980 | Kelly Marie | Feels Like I'm In Love | 2 | Only No 1 | Written by Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry. Scottish Kelly faded after three more hits. |
| 27 Sep 1980 | Police | Don't Stand So Close To Me | 4 | 3rd No 1 | From their album "Zenyatta Mondatta". Best selling single of 1980. |
| 25 Oct 1980 | Barbra Streisand | Woman In Love | 3 | Only No 1 | US film and music super star. Song written by the Bee Gees, and taken from her Barry Gibb-produced album, "Guilty". |
| 15 Nov 1980 | Blondie | The Tide Is High | 2 | 5th No 1 | Written by reggae star John Holt. This was their last No 1 until they made a surprise come-back in 1999. |
| 29 Nov 1980 | Abba | Super Trouper | 3 | 9th & last No 1 | Within two years they had split up, and the guys then concentrated on stage musicals (see 9/2/1985). |
| 20 Dec 1980 | John Lennon | (Just Like) Starting Over | 1 | 1st No 1 | From his come-back album "Double Fantasy". He had been shot dead in New York a week earlier. |
| 27 Dec 1980 Xmas No 1 |
St Winifred's School Choir | There's No-one Quite Like Grandma | 2 | Only No 1 (but see 8/4/1978) | School choir with a song which, like "Grandad" in 1971, captured the sentimental Christmas market. |
| 10 Jan 1981 | John Lennon | Imagine | 4 | 2nd No1 | Originally made No 6 in 1975, but rose to the top in the wake of the tragedy. |
| 7 Feb 1981 | John Lennon | Woman | 2 | 3rd & last No 1 | Everyone wanted John Lennon records at this time. This was another track from the "Double Fantasy" album. |
| 21 Feb 1981 | Joe Dolce Music Theatre | Shuddup You Face | 3 | Only No 1 | Italian-American who found comedy success in Australia. One-hit Wonder. |
| 14 Mar 1981 | Roxy Music | Jealous Guy | 2 | Only No 1 | Led by Bryan Ferry, the group recorded this John Lennon song as a tribute to the musical genius. |
| 28 Mar 1981 | Shakin' Stevens | This Ole House | 4 | 1st No 1 | Rock 'n' Roll revivalist who remade this Rosemary Clooney No 1 from 1954. |
| 18 Apr 1981 | Bucks Fizz | Making Your Mind Up | 3 | 1st No 1 | Fourth UK Eurovision winner. They surprised everyone, by developing a successful chart career. |
| 9 May 1981 | Adam & The Ants | Stand And Deliver | 5 | 1st No 1 | Theatrical act with flamboyant clothes and bizarre makeup. Immensely popular in the early 1980s. |
| 13 Jun 1981 | Smokey Robinson | Being With You | 2 | 2nd & last No 1 | Written by Robinson in the late 60s, this new recording stalled at No 2 in the US. |
| 27 Jun 1981 | Michael Jackson | One Day In Your Life | 2 | 1st No 1 | Taken from the Motown archives, this gave Jackson his first solo No 1, and Motown two No 1s in a row. |
| 11 Jul 1981 | Specials | Ghost Town | 3 | 2nd & last No 1 | The two-tone ska act got their second No 1 just as three members were leaving to form Fun Boy Three. |
| 1 Aug 1981 | Shakin' Stevens | Green Door | 4 | 2nd No 1 | Another 50s revival which had reached No 2 for Frankie Vaughan in 1956. |
| 29 Aug 1981 | Aneka | Japanese Boy | 1 | Only No 1 | Scottish folk singer who dressed and made up Japanese style to perform her only Top 40 hit. |
| 5 Sep 1981 | Soft Cell | Tainted Love | 2 | 1st No 1 (for Marc Almond) | Marc Almond was the main component of this early New Romantic duo. Best selling single of 1981, and was also a No 5 hit in 1991. |
| 19 Sep 1981 | Adam & The Ants | Prince Charming | 4 | 2nd No 1 | Extravagant promo videos, directed by Mike Mansfield, accompanied Adam's hits. |
| 17 Oct 1981 | Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin | It's My Party | 4 | Only No 1 | This pair came from Hatfield, Herts, to record this 1963 Lesley Gore hit. |
| 14 Nov 1981 | Police | Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic | 1 | 4th No 1 | The promo video was shot at George Martin's Montserrat studio, but he didn't produce the record. |
| 21 Nov 1981 | Queen & David Bowie | Under Pressure | 2 | 2nd No 1 (Queen); 3rd No 1 (Bowie) | Written and recorded when both parties met up in a German studio. The intro was sampled on Vanilla Ice's 1990 No 1. |
| 5 Dec 1981 | Julio Iglesias | Begin The Beguine | 1 | Only No 1 | Cole Porter song from 1935 with Spanish lyrics by this MOR heart-throb performer. |
| 12 Dec 1981 Xmas No 1 |
Human League | Don't You Want Me | 5 | Only No 1 | New Romantic band led by Phil Oakey. The recording was also No 1 in the US. |
| 16 Jan 1982 | Bucks Fizz | Land Of Make Believe | 2 | 2nd No 1 | Defying the critics, and appealing to a broad audience, the Euro winners hit the top again. |
| 30 Jan 1982 | Shakin' Stevens | Oh Julie | 1 | 3rd No 1 | This was one of his own songs, but the Welshman still recorded some revivals over the next few years. |
| 6 Feb 1982 | Kraftwerk | The Model | 1 | Only No 1 | German synthesiser and computer duo with a track recorded in 1978. |
| 13 Feb 1982 | Jam | A Town Called Malice | 3 | 3rd No 1 | Another Paul Weller song that came straight into the chart at No 1. |
| 6 Mar 1982 | Tight Fit | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | 3 | Only No 1 | Zulu folk tune that had charted several times in the past. The singers on the record were not the same ones who promoted it on tv. |
| 27 Mar 1982 | Goombay Dance Band | Seven Tears | 3 | Only No 1 | Group of Caribbean singers led by the fire-eating German, Oliver Bendt. Still working in Germany in 2000. |
| 17 Apr 1982 | Bucks Fizz | My Camera Never Lies | 1 | 3rd & last No 1 | The hits continued until 1986, but soon after the four went separate ways. |
| 24 Apr 1982 | Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder | Ebony And Ivory | 3 | 2nd No 1 (Paul); 1st No 1 (Stevie). |
From Paul's "Tug Of War" album. Stevie had accrued 34 hits since 1966, before reaching the top. Produced by George Martin. |
| 15 May 1982 500th No 1 |
Nicole | A Little Peace | 2 | Only No 1 | Eurovision winner for Germany, and third winner in a row to hit the UK No 1. |
| 29 May 1982 | Madness | House Of Fun | 2 | Only No 1 | The "Nutty Boys" from north London had 24 hits between 1979 and 1988, 15 of which made the Top 10. |
| 12 June 1982 | Adam Ant | Goody Two Shoes | 2 | 3rd & last No 1 | Slight change of name, but business as usual. His final Top 10 was in 1983, but he soldiered on into the 1990s. |
| 26 June 1982 | Charlene | I've Never Been To Me | 1 | Only No 1 | This 1976 recording was dusted off and reissued by Motown in 1982, by which time the American had retired to England. Fame was short-lived and she became a One-hit Wonder. |
| 3 July 1982 | Captain Sensible | Happy Talk | 2 | Only No 1 | Rodgers & Hammerstein song from "South Pacific", sung by a member of punk band, The Damned. |
| 17 Jul 1982 | Irene Cara | Fame | 3 | Only No 1 | From the film "Fame", which was based on the hit tv series about a New York drama school. |
| 7 Aug 1982 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | Come On Eileen | 4 | 2nd & last No 1 | Most of the group had been replaced since "Geno" in 1980, but success was not sustained. Best-selling single of 1982. |
| 4 Sep 1982 | Survivor | Eye Of The Tiger | 4 | Only No 1 | US rock band with the song from Sylvester Stallone's boxing movie, "Rocky III". |
| 2 Oct 1982 | Musical Youth | Pass The Dutchie | 3 | Only No 1 | Birmingham school boys, aged 11-16, with an old Jamaican reggae hit. Success was short-lived. |
| 23 Oct 1982 | Culture Club | Do You Really Want To Hurt Me | 3 | 1st No 1 | Led by the flamboyant cross-dresser, Boy George, who attracted much media attention for the group. |
| 13 Nov 1982 | Eddy Grant | I Don't Wanna Dance | 3 | Only No 1 | Former lead singer of the Equals who had a No 1 in 1968. Solo, he enjoyed much success in the 1980s, and charted with a remix in 2001. |
| 4 Dec 1982 | Jam | Beat Surrender | 2 | 4th & last No 1 | They split in 1983, and leader Paul Weller formed the Style Council which had 7 Top 10s in the 80s. Weller went solo in the 90s and became a cult figure. |
| 18 Dec 1982 Xmas No 1 |
Renée & Renato | Save Your Love | 4 | Only No 1 | UK-based Italian tenor and English girl, with a slushy song that captivated the Christmas record buyers. |
| 15 Jan 1983 | Phil Collins | You Can't Hurry Love | 2 | 1st No 1 | Lead singer of Genesis who had a simultaneous solo career. Former Motown hit for the Supremes. |
| 29 Jan 1983 | Men At Work | Down Under | 3 | Only No 1 | Australian act who found international fame in the US. Success was brief. |
| 19 Feb 1983 | Kajagoogoo | Too Shy | 2 | Only No 1 | Led by Limahl, they had four hits in 1983, but faded quickly after that. |
| 5 Mar 1983 | Michael Jackson | Billie Jean | 1 | 2nd No 1 | From his multi-million selling album "Thriller". His first No 1 away from Motown. |
| 12 Mar 1983 | Bonnie Tyler | Total Eclipse Of The Heart | 2 | Only No 1 | Welsh singer who had hits in the 1970s, with a song from Meatloaf's writer and producer, Jim Steinman. |
| 26 Mar 1983 | Duran Duran | Is There Something I Should Know | 2 | 1st No 1 | Most successful of the New Romantic groups. Led by Simon Le Bon. |
| 9 Apr 1983 | David Bowie | Let's Dance | 3 | 4th No 1 | A break from his previous complex material gave Bowie a new impetus in the singles and albums charts. |
| 30 Apr 1983 | Spandau Ballet | True | 4 | Only No 1 | New Romantic act, with lead singer Tony Hadley, who went solo in the 90s, and brothers Martin and Gary Kemp, who became actors. |
| 28 May 1983 | New Edition | Candy Girl | 1 | Only No 1 | US school-boy band which included Bobby Brown, who had solo hits from 1988, and married Whitney Houston. |
| 4 Jun 1983 | Police | Every Breath You Take | 4 | 5th & last No 1 | They split in 1984, and Sting became a highly successful and respected musican, particularly in the US. |
| 2 Jul 1983 | Rod Stewart | Baby Jane | 3 | 6th & last No 1 | Becoming US-based, he had hit singles and albums to the end of the 90s, and remains immensely popular. |
| 23 Jul 1983 | Paul Young | Wherever I Lay My Hat | 3 | Only No 1 | His first 6 releases went Top 10, and he remained successful through the 80s. |
| 13 Aug 1983 | K C & The Sunshine Band | Give It Up | 3 | Only No 1 | Good-time disco hit from the band led by Harry Wayne 'KC' Casey. |
| 3 Sep 1983 | UB 40 | Red Red Wine | 3 | 1st No 1 | British mixed race reggae band with a song written in the 1960s by Neil Diamond. |
| 24 Sep 1983 | Culture Club | Karma Chameleon | 6 | 2nd & last No 1 | Best-selling single of 1983. They broke up in 1986. Boy George went solo, gaining a No 1 in 1987. They reformed and charted again in 1998. |
| 5 Nov 1983 | Billy Joel | Uptown Girl | 5 | Only No 1 | New York singer-songwriter whose success was mainly in the album charts. |
| 10 Dec 1983 Xmas No 1 |
Flying Pickets | Only You | 5 | Only No 1 | They were actors, who formed this A-Cappella sextet, and scored with a former Yazoo hit. |
| 14 Jan 1984 | Paul McCartney | Pipes Of Peace | 2 | 3rd No 1 | Paul's 1st true solo No 1 (his first was as Wings). Was his 25th No 1 as a writer, and producer George Martin's 27th No 1. |
| 28 Jan 1984 | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | Relax | 5 | 1st No 1 | The song, famously banned by the BBC, remained on the chart for 48 weeks. Produced by Trevor Horn. |
| 3 Mar 1984 | Nena | 99 Red Balloons | 3 | Only No 1 | German band with an English translation of their European hit. The German version was a US No 2. |
| 24 Mar 1984 | Lionel Richie | Hello | 6 | Only No 1 | The former lead singer of the Commodores had great 80s success, especially in the albums chart. |
| 5 May 1984 | Duran Duran | The Reflex | 4 | 2nd & last No 1 | Despite line-up changes and long breaks from the studio, they were still going at the end of the 1990s. |
| 2 Jun 1984 | Wham! | Wake Me Up Before You Go Go | 2 | 1st No 1 | George Michael and Andrew Ridgely became hugely popular with the teenage record buyers. |
| 16 Jun 1984 | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | Two Tribes | 9 | 2nd No 1 | Led by Holly Johnson, the group scored a second chart topper, aided by a strong video. Another Trevor Horn production. |
| 18 Aug 1984 | George Michael | Careless Whisper | 3 | 1st No 1 | Despite Wham! success, George issued this solo track, which remains a love song classic. |
| 8 Sep 1984 | Stevie Wonder | I Just Called To Say I Love You | 6 | 2nd & last No 1 | Stevie's international success was not reflected in chart toppers. From 1966 to 1998 he had 54 UK hits. |
| 20 Oct 1984 | Wham! | Freedom | 3 | 2nd No 1 | George Michael wrote and produced all of the Wham!, and his solo, No 1s. |
| 10 Nov 1984 | Chaka Khan | I Feel For You | 3 | Only No 1 | US soul diva who was much bigger at home than in the UK. Prince wrote the song and Stevie Wonder played harmonica. |
| 1 Dec 1984 | Jim Diamond | I Should Have Known Better | 1 | Only No 1 | Scotsman who started with the band PhD. He failed to maintain the success. |
| 8 Dec 1984 | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | The Power Of Love | 1 | 3rd & last No 1 | Their first three releases made No 1 - not bettered until 1997 (Spice Girls). Holly Johnson went solo later and had hits in 1989. |
| 15 Dec 1984 Xmas No 1 |
Band Aid | Do They Know It's Christmas | 5 | 1st No 1 | Charity record for famine relief in Ethiopia, featuring a host of top UK stars. It was the brain-child of Bob Geldorf, and sold 3 million copies. |
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