The 1980s in the Charts: Top Songs and Albums, Year by Year

10/21/20266 min read

This section follows U.S. year-end chart rankings: Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 for songs and Billboard’s year-end album chart for albums. Each list reflects a compiled ranking for that year, not simply the songs or albums that reached the highest peak position during the calendar year.

1980

Top 10 songs
1. “Call Me” — Blondie; 2. “Another Brick in the Wall, Part II” — Pink Floyd; 3. “Magic” — Olivia Newton-John; 4. “Rock with You” — Michael Jackson; 5. “Do That to Me One More Time” — Captain & Tennille; 6. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” — Queen; 7. “Coming Up” — Paul McCartney; 8. “Funkytown” — Lipps, Inc.; 9. “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” — Billy Joel; 10. “The Rose” — Bette Midler.

Top 10 albums
1. The Wall — Pink Floyd; 2. Against the Wind — Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band; 3. Glass Houses — Billy Joel; 4. Off the Wall — Michael Jackson; 5. The Game — Queen; 6. The Long Run — Eagles; 7. Damn the Torpedoes — Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; 8. Kenny — Kenny Rogers; 9. The Rose soundtrack — various artists; 10. Urban Cowboy soundtrack — various artists.

Rock dominated several leading album positions, while the songs show a broad mix of rock, disco, pop, and ballads.

1981

Top 10 songs
1. “Bette Davis Eyes” — Kim Carnes; 2. “Endless Love” — Diana Ross & Lionel Richie; 3. “Lady” — Kenny Rogers; 4. “(Just Like) Starting Over” — John Lennon; 5. “Jessie’s Girl” — Rick Springfield; 6. “Celebration” — Kool & the Gang; 7. “Kiss on My List” — Daryl Hall & John Oates; 8. “I Love a Rainy Night” — Eddie Rabbitt; 9. “9 to 5” — Dolly Parton; 10. “Keep on Loving You” — REO Speedwagon.

Top 10 albums
1. Hi Infidelity — REO Speedwagon; 2. Back in Black — AC/DC; 3. Double Fantasy — John Lennon and Yoko Ono; 4. The Wall — Pink Floyd; 5. Escape — Journey; 6. Paradise Theatre — Styx; 7. Greatest Hits — Kenny Rogers; 8. Xanadu soundtrack — various artists; 9. 4 — Foreigner; 10. Bella Donna — Stevie Nicks.

REO Speedwagon stood out across the year’s album and singles landscape, alongside major releases from established rock acts.

1982

Top 10 songs
1. “Physical” — Olivia Newton-John; 2. “Eye of the Tiger” — Survivor; 3. “I Love Rock ’n Roll” — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts; 4. “Ebony and Ivory” — Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder; 5. “Centerfold” — The J. Geils Band; 6. “Don’t You Want Me” — The Human League; 7. “Jack & Diane” — John Cougar; 8. “Chariots of Fire” — Vangelis; 9. “Abracadabra” — Steve Miller Band; 10. “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” — Chicago.

Top 10 albums
1. Asia — Asia; 2. American Fool — John Cougar; 3. Freeze-Frame — The J. Geils Band; 4. Toto IV — Toto; 5. Chariots of Fire soundtrack — Vangelis; 6. Beauty and the Beat — The Go-Go’s; 7. Abracadabra — Steve Miller Band; 8. Business as Usual — Men at Work; 9. Get Closer — Linda Ronstadt; 10. Still Life — The Rolling Stones.

New wave and pop-rock became more visible, while Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” led the Hot 100 year-end ranking.

1983

Top 10 songs — Billboard Year-End Hot 100: 1. “Every Breath You Take” — The Police; 2. “Billie Jean” — Michael Jackson; 3. “Flashdance… What a Feeling” — Irene Cara; 4. “Down Under” — Men at Work; 5. “Beat It” — Michael Jackson; 6. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” — Bonnie Tyler; 7. “Maneater” — Daryl Hall & John Oates; 8. “Baby, Come to Me” — Patti Austin and James Ingram; 9. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — Eurythmics; 10. “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” — Culture Club.

Top 10 albums — Billboard year-end chart: 1. Thriller — Michael Jackson; 2. Flashdance — Original Soundtrack; 3. Business as Usual — Men at Work; 4. Let’s Dance — David Bowie; 5. Synchronicity — The Police; 6. Pyromania — Def Leppard; 7. Frontiers — Journey; 8. Toto IV — Toto; 9. Cargo — Men at Work; 10. Eye of the Tiger — Survivor.

Michael Jackson placed two songs in the year-end top five, while Thriller and the Flashdance soundtrack led the album chart. These are year-end positions, not individual-week peaks.

1984

Top 10 songs: 1. “When Doves Cry” — Prince; 2. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” — Tina Turner; 3. “Say Say Say” — Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson; 4. “Footloose” — Kenny Loggins; 5. “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” — Phil Collins; 6. “Jump” — Van Halen; 7. “Hello” — Lionel Richie; 8. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” — Yes; 9. “Ghostbusters” — Ray Parker Jr.; 10. “Karma Chameleon” — Culture Club.

Top 10 albums: 1. Thriller — Michael Jackson; 2. Born in the U.S.A. — Bruce Springsteen; 3. Purple Rain — Prince and the Revolution; 4. — Lionel Richie; 5. Sports — Huey Lewis and the News; 6. 1984 — Van Halen; 7. Footloose — Original Soundtrack; 8. She’s So Unusual — Cyndi Lauper; 9. An Innocent Man — Billy Joel; 10. Rebel Yell — Billy Idol.

Film music and major pop releases were prominent, and Michael Jackson’s “Say Say Say” joined his earlier hit on the song ranking. Year-end placement reflects performance across the calendar year.

1985

Top 10 songs: 1. “Careless Whisper” — Wham! featuring George Michael; 2. “Like a Virgin” — Madonna; 3. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” — Wham!; 4. “I Want to Know What Love Is” — Foreigner; 5. “I Feel for You” — Chaka Khan; 6. “Out of Touch” — Daryl Hall & John Oates; 7. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” — Tears for Fears; 8. “Money for Nothing” — Dire Straits; 9. “Crazy for You” — Madonna; 10. “Take on Me” — a-ha.

Top 10 albums: 1. Born in the U.S.A. — Bruce Springsteen; 2. No Jacket Required — Phil Collins; 3. Private Dancer — Tina Turner; 4. Like a Virgin — Madonna; 5. Make It Big — Wham!; 6. Reckless — Bryan Adams; 7. Beverly Hills Cop — Original Soundtrack; 8. Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston; 9. Voices — Daryl Hall & John Oates; 10. Centerfield — John Fogerty.

Wham! and Madonna each scored multiple top-ten songs, while enduring releases and soundtrack albums helped shape the album year. Rank indicates year-end standing, not a single-week chart high.

1986

Top 10 songs — Billboard year-end Hot 100:
1. “That’s What Friends Are For” — Dionne Warwick & Friends (No. 1)
2. “Say You, Say Me” — Lionel Richie (No. 2)
3. “I Can’t Wait” — Nu Shooz (No. 3)
4. “On My Own” — Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald (No. 4)
5. “Broken Wings” — Mr. Mister (No. 5)
6. “How Will I Know” — Whitney Houston (No. 6)
7. “Party All the Time” — Eddie Murphy (No. 7)
8. “Burning Heart” — Survivor (No. 8)
9. “Kiss” — Prince and the Revolution (No. 9)
10. “Addicted to Love” — Robert Palmer (No. 10)

Top 10 albums — Billboard year-end chart:
1. Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston (No. 1)
2. Brothers in Arms — Dire Straits (No. 2)
3. Heart — Heart (No. 3)
4. Scarecrow — John Cougar Mellencamp (No. 4)
5. No Jacket Required — Phil Collins (No. 5)
6. Songs from the Big Chair — Tears for Fears (No. 6)
7. Sports — Huey Lewis and the News (No. 7)
8. The Broadway Album — Barbra Streisand (No. 8)
9. Miami Vice II — Various artists (No. 9)
10. Promise — Sade (No. 10)

Whitney Houston led the annual album ranking while also placing a song in the Hot 100’s top 10. The singles chart mixed polished pop and rock with dance sounds, while the album list showed the staying power of established acts and soundtrack releases.

1987

Top 10 songs — Billboard year-end Hot 100:
1. “Walk Like an Egyptian” — The Bangles (No. 1)
2. “Alone” — Heart (No. 2)
3. “Shake You Down” — Gregory Abbott (No. 3)
4. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” — Whitney Houston (No. 4)
5. “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” — Starship (No. 5)
6. “C’est la Vie” — Robbie Nevil (No. 6)
7. “Here I Go Again” — Whitesnake (No. 7)
8. “The Way It Is” — Bruce Hornsby and the Range (No. 8)
9. “Shakedown” — Bob Seger (No. 9)
10. “Livin’ on a Prayer” — Bon Jovi (No. 10)

Top 10 albums — Billboard year-end chart:
1. Slippery When Wet — Bon Jovi (No. 1)
2. Whitney — Whitney Houston (No. 2)
3. …Nothing Like the Sun — Sting (No. 3)
4. Faith — George Michael (No. 4)
5. True Blue — Madonna (No. 5)
6. Bad — Michael Jackson (No. 6)
7. The Joshua Tree — U2 (No. 7)
8. Licensed to Ill — Beastie Boys (No. 8)
9. Fore! — Huey Lewis and the News (No. 9)
10. Control — Janet Jackson (No. 10)

Bon Jovi topped the album chart and placed “Livin’ on a Prayer” among the year’s leading songs. Whitney Houston again had a strong year, while the album rankings spanned rock, pop, and hip-hop, reflecting a broadening mainstream sound.

1988

Top 10 songs — Billboard Year-End Hot 100
1. “Faith” — George Michael
2. “Need You Tonight” — INXS
3. “Got My Mind Set on You” — George Harrison
4. “Never Gonna Give You Up” — Rick Astley
5. “Sweet Child o’ Mine” — Guns N’ Roses
6. “So Emotional” — Whitney Houston
7. “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” — Belinda Carlisle
8. “Could’ve Been” — Tiffany
9. “Hands to Heaven” — Breathe
10. “Roll with It” — Steve Winwood

Top 10 albums — Billboard year-end album chart
1. Faith — George Michael
2. Dirty Dancing — Original Soundtrack
3. Hysteria — Def Leppard
4. Bad — Michael Jackson
5. Appetite for Destruction — Guns N’ Roses
6. Kick — INXS
7. Whitney — Whitney Houston
8. The Joshua Tree — U2
9. Tiffany — Tiffany
10. Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby — Terence Trent D’Arby

1989

Top 10 songs — Billboard Year-End Hot 100
1. “Look Away” — Chicago
2. “My Prerogative” — Bobby Brown
3. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” — Poison
4. “Straight Up” — Paula Abdul
5. “Miss You Much” — Janet Jackson
6. “Cold Hearted” — Paula Abdul
7. “Wind Beneath My Wings” — Bette Midler
8. “Girl You Know It’s True” — Milli Vanilli
9. “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” — Will to Power
10. “Giving You the Best That I Got” — Anita Baker

Top 10 albums — Billboard year-end album chart
1. Don’t Be Cruel — Bobby Brown
2. Like a Prayer — Madonna
3. New Jersey — Bon Jovi
4. Forever Your Girl — Paula Abdul
5. Hangin’ Tough — New Kids on the Block
6. Rattle and Hum — U2
7. Appetite for Destruction — Guns N’ Roses
8. The Raw and the Cooked — Fine Young Cannibals
9. Open Up and Say… Ahh! — Poison
10. Full Moon Fever — Tom Petty

Across the decade, the closing years show pop, rock, and R&B sharing chart prominence, while synthesizer-driven production and polished, radio-ready singles remained influential. Several acts, including Guns N’ Roses, Whitney Houston, and U2, carried success across multiple chart years. These lists reflect each release’s performance over the full calendar year; an entry’s year-end position may differ from its highest weekly chart ranking.

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