Quick Answer
This guide lists the Billboard Hot 100 songs that reached No. 1 during the 1980s, organized by year and chart date. It focuses on weekly Hot 100 No. 1 singles, which are different from Billboard's year-end rankings. A song could reach No. 1 for one week without being the biggest song of the year, while a year-end No. 1 reflects performance across the chart year.
That makes the 1980s one of the best decades for chart trivia. A song could dominate radio, explode on MTV, sell strongly as a single, or become culturally huge without necessarily spending many weeks at No. 1.
To understand the chart mechanics behind these rankings, see how the Billboard Hot 100 worked in the 1980s. For the songs that nearly made it, see the biggest 1980s songs that peaked at No. 2.
Last reviewed: June 12, 2026
For song-by-song context, see Every 1980s Number-One Single Explained, our detailed guide to what each chart-topper meant.
Quick Facts
Key facts about 1980s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs| Category | Fact |
|---|
| Total No. 1 songs (1980–1989) | 232 |
| Longest-running 1980s No. 1 | Olivia Newton-John — “Physical,” 10 weeks (1981–82) |
| Next-longest No. 1 runs | Kim Carnes — “Bette Davis Eyes,” 9 weeks; Diana Ross & Lionel Richie — “Endless Love,” 9 weeks |
| Eight-week No. 1 | The Police — “Every Breath You Take” (1983) |
| Most 1980s No. 1 singles by artist | Michael Jackson, 9 |
| Other major No. 1 artists | Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Phil Collins each had 7 No. 1 singles in the 1980s |
| Most total weeks at No. 1 | Michael Jackson, 27 weeks |
| First a cappella No. 1 | Bobby McFerrin — “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” (1988) |
Complete Year-by-Year No. 1 Songs
Every song listed below reached the No. 1 position on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 during the year shown. Songs that carried over from a prior year (such as “Physical” spanning 1981–82) are listed under the year they first reached No. 1. Chronological order within each year follows the chart dates.
1980 (16 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1980| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “Please Don’t Go” | KC and the Sunshine Band |
| 2 | “Rock with You” | Michael Jackson |
| 3 | “Do That to Me One More Time” | Captain & Tennille |
| 4 | “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” | Queen |
| 5 | “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” | Pink Floyd |
| 6 | “Call Me” | Blondie |
| 7 | “Funkytown” | Lipps Inc. |
| 8 | “Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)” | Paul McCartney |
| 9 | “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” | Billy Joel |
| 10 | “Magic” | Olivia Newton-John |
| 11 | “Sailing” | Christopher Cross |
| 12 | “Upside Down” | Diana Ross |
| 13 | “Another One Bites the Dust” | Queen |
| 14 | “Woman in Love” | Barbra Streisand |
| 15 | “Lady” | Kenny Rogers |
| 16 | “(Just Like) Starting Over” | John Lennon |
1981 (16 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1981| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “The Tide Is High” | Blondie |
| 2 | “Celebration” | Kool & the Gang |
| 3 | “9 to 5” | Dolly Parton |
| 4 | “I Love a Rainy Night” | Eddie Rabbitt |
| 5 | “Keep On Loving You” | REO Speedwagon |
| 6 | “Rapture” | Blondie |
| 7 | “Kiss on My List” | Daryl Hall and John Oates |
| 8 | “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” | Sheena Easton |
| 9 | “Bette Davis Eyes” | Kim Carnes |
| 10 | “Stars on 45” | Stars on 45 |
| 11 | “The One That You Love” | Air Supply |
| 12 | “Jessie’s Girl” | Rick Springfield |
| 13 | “Endless Love” | Diana Ross and Lionel Richie |
| 14 | “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” | Christopher Cross |
| 15 | “Private Eyes” | Daryl Hall and John Oates |
| 16 | “Physical” | Olivia Newton-John |
1982 (15 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1982| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” | Daryl Hall & John Oates |
| 2 | “Centerfold” | The J. Geils Band |
| 3 | “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” | Joan Jett & the Blackhearts |
| 4 | “Chariots of Fire” | Vangelis |
| 5 | “Ebony and Ivory” | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder |
| 6 | “Don’t You Want Me” | The Human League |
| 7 | “Eye of the Tiger” | Survivor |
| 8 | “Abracadabra” | Steve Miller Band |
| 9 | “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” | Chicago |
| 10 | “Jack & Diane” | John Cougar |
| 11 | “Who Can It Be Now?” | Men at Work |
| 12 | “Up Where We Belong” | Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes |
| 13 | “Truly” | Lionel Richie |
| 14 | “Mickey” | Toni Basil |
| 15 | “Maneater” | Daryl Hall & John Oates |
1983 (16 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1983| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “Down Under” | Men at Work |
| 2 | “Africa” | Toto |
| 3 | “Baby, Come to Me” | Patti Austin and James Ingram |
| 4 | “Billie Jean” | Michael Jackson |
| 5 | “Come On Eileen” | Dexys Midnight Runners |
| 6 | “Beat It” | Michael Jackson |
| 7 | “Let’s Dance” | David Bowie |
| 8 | “Flashdance… What a Feeling” | Irene Cara |
| 9 | “Every Breath You Take” | The Police |
| 10 | “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” | Eurythmics |
| 11 | “Maniac” | Michael Sembello |
| 12 | “Tell Her About It” | Billy Joel |
| 13 | “Total Eclipse of the Heart” | Bonnie Tyler |
| 14 | “Islands in the Stream” | Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton |
| 15 | “All Night Long (All Night)” | Lionel Richie |
| 16 | “Say Say Say” | Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson |
1984 (19 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1984| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “Owner of a Lonely Heart” | Yes |
| 2 | “Karma Chameleon” | Culture Club |
| 3 | “Jump” | Van Halen |
| 4 | “Footloose” | Kenny Loggins |
| 5 | “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” | Phil Collins |
| 6 | “Hello” | Lionel Richie |
| 7 | “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” | Deniece Williams |
| 8 | “Time After Time” | Cyndi Lauper |
| 9 | “The Reflex” | Duran Duran |
| 10 | “When Doves Cry” | Prince |
| 11 | “Ghostbusters” | Ray Parker Jr. |
| 12 | “What’s Love Got to Do with It” | Tina Turner |
| 13 | “Missing You” | John Waite |
| 14 | “Let’s Go Crazy” | Prince and the Revolution |
| 15 | “I Just Called to Say I Love You” | Stevie Wonder |
| 16 | “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)” | Billy Ocean |
| 17 | “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” | Wham! |
| 18 | “Out of Touch” | Daryl Hall and John Oates |
| 19 | “Like a Virgin” | Madonna |
1985 (27 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1985| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “Like a Virgin” | Madonna |
| 2 | “I Want to Know What Love Is” | Foreigner |
| 3 | “Careless Whisper” | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| 4 | “Can’t Fight This Feeling” | REO Speedwagon |
| 5 | “One More Night” | Phil Collins |
| 6 | “We Are the World” | USA for Africa |
| 7 | “Crazy for You” | Madonna |
| 8 | “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” | Simple Minds |
| 9 | “Everything She Wants” | Wham! |
| 10 | “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” | Tears for Fears |
| 11 | “Heaven” | Bryan Adams |
| 12 | “Sussudio” | Phil Collins |
| 13 | “A View to a Kill” | Duran Duran |
| 14 | “Everytime You Go Away” | Paul Young |
| 15 | “Shout” | Tears for Fears |
| 16 | “The Power of Love” | Huey Lewis and the News |
| 17 | “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” | John Parr |
| 18 | “Money for Nothing” | Dire Straits |
| 19 | “Oh Sheila” | Ready for the World |
| 20 | “Take On Me” | a-ha |
| 21 | “Saving All My Love for You” | Whitney Houston |
| 22 | “Part-Time Lover” | Stevie Wonder |
| 23 | “Miami Vice Theme” | Jan Hammer |
| 24 | “We Built This City” | Starship |
| 25 | “Separate Lives” | Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin |
| 26 | “Broken Wings” | Mr. Mister |
| 27 | “Say You, Say Me” | Lionel Richie |
1986 (30 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1986| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “That’s What Friends Are For” | Dionne and Friends |
| 2 | “How Will I Know” | Whitney Houston |
| 3 | “Kyrie” | Mr. Mister |
| 4 | “Sara” | Starship |
| 5 | “These Dreams” | Heart |
| 6 | “Rock Me Amadeus” | Falco |
| 7 | “Kiss” | Prince and the Revolution |
| 8 | “Addicted to Love” | Robert Palmer |
| 9 | “West End Girls” | Pet Shop Boys |
| 10 | “Greatest Love of All” | Whitney Houston |
| 11 | “Live to Tell” | Madonna |
| 12 | “On My Own” | Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald |
| 13 | “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” | Billy Ocean |
| 14 | “Holding Back the Years” | Simply Red |
| 15 | “Invisible Touch” | Genesis |
| 16 | “Sledgehammer” | Peter Gabriel |
| 17 | “Glory of Love” | Peter Cetera |
| 18 | “Papa Don’t Preach” | Madonna |
| 19 | “Higher Love” | Steve Winwood |
| 20 | “Venus” | Bananarama |
| 21 | “Take My Breath Away” | Berlin |
| 22 | “Stuck with You” | Huey Lewis and the News |
| 23 | “When I Think of You” | Janet Jackson |
| 24 | “True Colors” | Cyndi Lauper |
| 25 | “Amanda” | Boston |
| 26 | “Human” | The Human League |
| 27 | “You Give Love a Bad Name” | Bon Jovi |
| 28 | “The Next Time I Fall” | Peter Cetera and Amy Grant |
| 29 | “The Way It Is” | Bruce Hornsby & the Range |
| 30 | “Walk Like an Egyptian” | The Bangles |
1987 (29 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1987| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “Shake You Down” | Gregory Abbott |
| 2 | “At This Moment” | Billy Vera and the Beaters |
| 3 | “Open Your Heart” | Madonna |
| 4 | “Livin’ on a Prayer” | Bon Jovi |
| 5 | “Jacob’s Ladder” | Huey Lewis and the News |
| 6 | “Lean on Me” | Club Nouveau |
| 7 | “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” | Starship |
| 8 | “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” | Aretha Franklin and George Michael |
| 9 | “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” | Cutting Crew |
| 10 | “With or Without You” | U2 |
| 11 | “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” | Kim Wilde |
| 12 | “Always” | Atlantic Starr |
| 13 | “Head to Toe” | Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam |
| 14 | “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” | Whitney Houston |
| 15 | “Alone” | Heart |
| 16 | “Shakedown” | Bob Seger |
| 17 | “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” | U2 |
| 18 | “Who’s That Girl” | Madonna |
| 19 | “La Bamba” | Los Lobos |
| 20 | “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” | Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett |
| 21 | “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” | Whitney Houston |
| 22 | “Here I Go Again” | Whitesnake |
| 23 | “Lost in Emotion” | Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam |
| 24 | “Bad” | Michael Jackson |
| 25 | “I Think We’re Alone Now” | Tiffany |
| 26 | “Mony Mony” | Billy Idol |
| 27 | “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” | Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes |
| 28 | “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” | Belinda Carlisle |
| 29 | “Faith” | George Michael |
1988 (32 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1988| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “So Emotional” | Whitney Houston |
| 2 | “Got My Mind Set on You” | George Harrison |
| 3 | “The Way You Make Me Feel” | Michael Jackson |
| 4 | “Need You Tonight” | INXS |
| 5 | “Could’ve Been” | Tiffany |
| 6 | “Seasons Change” | Exposé |
| 7 | “Father Figure” | George Michael |
| 8 | “Never Gonna Give You Up” | Rick Astley |
| 9 | “Man in the Mirror” | Michael Jackson |
| 10 | “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” | Billy Ocean |
| 11 | “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” | Whitney Houston |
| 12 | “Wishing Well” | Terence Trent D’Arby |
| 13 | “Anything for You” | Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine |
| 14 | “One More Try” | George Michael |
| 15 | “Together Forever” | Rick Astley |
| 16 | “Foolish Beat” | Debbie Gibson |
| 17 | “Dirty Diana” | Michael Jackson |
| 18 | “The Flame” | Cheap Trick |
| 19 | “Hold On to the Nights” | Richard Marx |
| 20 | “Roll With It” | Steve Winwood |
| 21 | “Monkey” | George Michael |
| 22 | “Sweet Child o’ Mine” | Guns N’ Roses |
| 23 | “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” | Bobby McFerrin |
| 24 | “Love Bites” | Def Leppard |
| 25 | “Red Red Wine” | UB40 |
| 26 | “A Groovy Kind of Love” | Phil Collins |
| 27 | “Kokomo” | The Beach Boys |
| 28 | “Wild, Wild West” | The Escape Club |
| 29 | “Bad Medicine” | Bon Jovi |
| 30 | “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley” | Will to Power |
| 31 | “Look Away” | Chicago |
| 32 | “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” | Poison |
1989 (32 No. 1s)
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs of 1989| # | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1 | “My Prerogative” | Bobby Brown |
| 2 | “Two Hearts” | Phil Collins |
| 3 | “When I’m with You” | Sheriff |
| 4 | “Straight Up” | Paula Abdul |
| 5 | “Lost in Your Eyes” | Debbie Gibson |
| 6 | “The Living Years” | Mike + the Mechanics |
| 7 | “Eternal Flame” | The Bangles |
| 8 | “The Look” | Roxette |
| 9 | “She Drives Me Crazy” | Fine Young Cannibals |
| 10 | “Like a Prayer” | Madonna |
| 11 | “I’ll Be There for You” | Bon Jovi |
| 12 | “Forever Your Girl” | Paula Abdul |
| 13 | “Rock On” | Michael Damian |
| 14 | “Wind Beneath My Wings” | Bette Midler |
| 15 | “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)” | New Kids on the Block |
| 16 | “Satisfied” | Richard Marx |
| 17 | “Baby Don’t Forget My Number” | Milli Vanilli |
| 18 | “Good Thing” | Fine Young Cannibals |
| 19 | “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” | Simply Red |
| 20 | “Toy Soldiers” | Martika |
| 21 | “Batdance” | Prince |
| 22 | “Right Here Waiting” | Richard Marx |
| 23 | “Cold Hearted” | Paula Abdul |
| 24 | “Hangin’ Tough” | New Kids on the Block |
| 25 | “Don’t Wanna Lose You” | Gloria Estefan |
| 26 | “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” | Milli Vanilli |
| 27 | “Miss You Much” | Janet Jackson |
| 28 | “Listen to Your Heart” | Roxette |
| 29 | “When I See You Smile” | Bad English |
| 30 | “Blame It on the Rain” | Milli Vanilli |
| 31 | “We Didn’t Start the Fire” | Billy Joel |
| 32 | “Another Day in Paradise” | Phil Collins |
Year-End No. 1 Songs of the 1980s
Billboard’s year-end No. 1 is determined by overall chart performance across the full year, not just weeks at the top spot. A song with a long chart life and consistent performance can outrank a song with more weeks at No. 1.
Billboard year-end No. 1 songs, 1980–1989| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|
| 1980 | “Call Me” | Blondie |
| 1981 | “Bette Davis Eyes” | Kim Carnes |
| 1982 | “Physical” | Olivia Newton-John |
| 1983 | “Every Breath You Take” | The Police |
| 1984 | “When Doves Cry” | Prince |
| 1985 | “Careless Whisper” | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| 1986 | “That’s What Friends Are For” | Dionne and Friends |
| 1987 | “Walk Like an Egyptian” | The Bangles |
| 1988 | “Faith” | George Michael |
| 1989 | “Look Away” | Chicago |
Why Weekly No. 1 and Year-End No. 1 Are Different
A song can reach No. 1 for one or two weeks and still be less dominant across the full year than a song with a longer chart life. Billboard's year-end lists reward overall performance across the chart year, not simply whether a song reached the top spot.
That is why 1980s chart trivia can be tricky. “Reached No. 1” and “biggest song of the year” are related, but they are not the same question.
Want to test your 1980s chart memory? Play today's 80s chart quiz or browse past Billboard-style 80s quizzes.
Sources and Notes
- Billboard Hot 100 Chart Archive — official weekly chart data
- Wikipedia: Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles of the 1980s — compiled chart history with sourced weekly dates
- Year-end rankings based on Billboard's official year-end Hot 100 lists for 1980–1989.
- Some songs span two calendar years (e.g., “Physical” reached No. 1 in November 1981 and held the position into January 1982). Each song is listed once under the year it first reached No. 1.
- This page lists weekly Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs, not year-end rankings. A song could reach No. 1 without being the year's top-ranked song, and a year-end No. 1 reflects cumulative performance across the chart year.