Songs of the Year
Songs of the Year: 1984
The greatest year in pop music history?
Nineteen Eighty Four. It’s a book (Orwell), it’s an album (Van Halen), it’s a high point for pop music?
You won’t find many greater years in the history of pop music: Prince, Madonna, Duran Duran, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson (still), Kenny Loggins, Van Halen, Lionel Richie, Culture Club, Cindy Lauper, Kool and the Gang, Sheila E., Huey Lewis and the News, Genesis, Billy Joel and so many other pop luminaries dominated the charts.
You’d have to be completely divorced from the pop universe (and the very idea of pop music) to have anything negative to say about this year.
Don’t like pop? Well, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica released perhaps their greatest records.
Don’t like pop or metal? Well, you’re insane, but lo, bands like The Smiths, Replacements and REM are here to save the day with their takes on what is now known as “college rock”.
In short, if you don’t love 1984, you’re probably a bad person.
It’s a simple concept. We pick five of our favorite songs that made the Billboard Top 100 (established in 1958) during any time that year. We also select five “wildcards” that can be any songs released as a single or on an album or EP that year. Finally, we also pick our “worst” song of the year, just for fun.
We started in 1958 and we’re going until we run out of years.
Standings So Far …
Jason’s Talking Heads pick wasn’t a runaway winner, but with 44% of the votes, This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) was the clear winner over The Smith’s seminal This Charming Man (from Joe, who was sure it would win, how naïve he was) and Kramzer’s off the beaten-path U2 pick, Like a Song.
Joe: 13
Jason: 11.5
Kramzer: 7.5
Vote
Which Was the Best Song of 1984?
- Let's Go Crazy by Prince (55%, 108 Votes)
- Hold Me Now by The Thompson Twins (32%, 64 Votes)
- Hello Again by the Cars (13%, 26 Votes)
Total Voters: 198
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My favorite songs of 1984:
Rank-Title-Artist
1. SHE DON’T KNOW ME – BON-JOVI
2. NEW GIRL NOW – HONEYMOON SUITE
3. REBEL YELL – BILLY IDOL
4. HIGH ON EMOTION – CHRIS DEBURGH
5. OWNER OF A LONELY HEART – YES
6. TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP – ROMANTICS
7. LET THE MUSIC PLAY – SHANNON
8. RUN RUNAWAY – SLADE
9. GIVE ME TONIGHT – SHANNON
10. LET’S GO CRAZY – PRINCE
11. DANCING IN THE SHEETS – SHALAMAR
12. NO WAY OUT – JEFFERSON STARSHIP
13. I FEEL FOR YOU – CHAKA KHAN
14. MIDDLE OF THE ROAD – PRETENDERS
15. FIELDS OF FIRE – BIG COUNTRY
16. PEARL IN THE SHELL – HOWARD JONES
17. EYES WITHOUT A FACE – BILLY IDOL
18. PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) – U2
19. A GIRL IN TROUBLE (IS A TEMPORARY THING) – ROMEO VOID
20. YAH MO B THERE – JAMES INGRAM & MICHAEL MCDONALD
21. ROUND AND ROUND – RATT
22. PURPLE RAIN – PRINCE
23. BORDERLINE – MADONNA
24. DEEPER AND DEEPER – FIXX
25. HEAVEN (MUST BE THERE) – EUROGLIDERS
26. SAD SONGS (SAY SO MUCH) – ELTON JOHN
27. AUTHORITY SONG – JOHN MELLENCAMP
28. ACTION – EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING
29. ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE – SCORPIONS
30. GIVE IT UP – K.C.
31. BACK WHERE YOU BELONG – 38 SPECIAL
32. ASK THE LONELY – JOURNEY
33. COVER ME – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
34. HEAD OVER HEELS – GO-GO’S
35. CARIBBEAN QUEEN (NO MORE LOVE ON THE RUN) – BILLY OCEAN
36. SHOW ME – PRETENDERS
37. PINK HOUSES – JOHN MELLENCAMP
38. HAD A DREAM (SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY) – ROGER HODGSON
39. SEX-O-MATIC – BAR-KAYS
40. JUMP – VAN HALEN
More of my favorite songs of 1984:
Rank-Title-Artist
41. TEACHER TEACHER – .38 SPECIAL
42. MY EVER CHANGING MOODS – STYLE COUNCIL
43. 99 LUFTBALLONS – NENA
44. RUNAWAY – BON JOVI
45. POLITICS OF DANCING – RE-FLEX
46. HELLO AGAIN – CARS
47. WOULDN’T IT BE GOOD – NIK KERSHAW
48. PERFECT STRANGERS – DEEP PURPLE
49. SELF CONTROL – LAURA BRANIGAN
50. I WANT A NEW DRUG – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
51. HOLD ON – YES
52. I CAN DREAM ABOUT YOU – DAN HARTMAN
53. TWIST OF FATE – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
54. KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY POWER SUPPLY – SLADE
55. BLUE JEAN – DAVID BOWIE
56. LEGS – ZZ TOP
57. THE REFLEX – DURAN DURAN
58. THAT’S ALL – GENESIS
59. I SEND A MESSAGE – INXS
60. IT CAN HAPPEN – YES
61. THRILLER – MICHAEL JACKSON
62. RAIN – DRAGON
63. AUTOMATIC – POINTER SISTERS
64. HOME BY THE SEA – GENESIS
65. NEW SONG – HOWARD JONES
66. DOCTOR! DOCTOR! – THOMPSON TWINS
67. WE ARE THE YOUNG – DAN HARTMAN
68. LOVE SOMEBODY – RICK SPRINGFIELD
69. THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE – DAN FOGELBERG
70. WHEN DOVES CRY – PRINCE
71. IT’S MY LIFE – TALK TALK
72. JAM ON IT – NEWCLEUS
73. ALL NIGHT PASSION – ALISHA
74. TELL ME IF YOU STILL CARE – S.O.S. BAND
75. PANAMA – VAN HALEN
76. DANCING IN THE DARK – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
77. THE WARRIOR – SCANDAL FEATURING PATTY SMYTH
78. I DO’ WANNA KNOW – REO SPEEDWAGON
79. TAKING IT ALL TOO HARD – GENESIS
80. SIGN OF FIRE – FIXX
81. NEW MOON ON MONDAY – DURAN DURAN
82. MAGIC – CARS
83. STAY WITH ME TONIGHT – JEFFREY OSBORNE
84. BETTER BE GOOD TO ME – TINA TURNER
85. IN THE MOOD – ROBERT PLANT
86. NOBODY TOLD ME – JOHN LENNON
87. JUMP (FOR MY LOVE) – POINTER SISTERS
88. CRUEL SUMMER – BANANARAMA
89. WHAT IS LOVE – HOWARD JONES
90. HOLD ME NOW – THOMPSON TWINS
91. ROMANCING THE STONE – EDDY GRANT
92. MODERN EXPERIENCE – DICK TRACEY
93. DYNAMITE – JERMAINE JACKSON
94. BIRDMAN – HOOTERS
95. I WILL FOLLOW (LIVE) – U2
96. YOU MIGHT THINK – CARS
97. REMEMBER THE NIGHTS – MOTELS
98. FOOTLOOSE – KENNY LOGGINS
99. STILL LOVING YOU – SCORPIONS
100. (WHAT) IN THE NAME OF LOVE – NAKED EYES
More of my favorite songs of 1984:
Rank-Title-Artist
101. FLESH FOR FANTASY – BILLY IDOL
102. SHE’S MINE – STEVE PERRY
103. ORIGINAL SIN – INXS
104. I CAN’T HOLD BACK – SURVIVOR
105. JOANNA – KOOL & THE GANG
106. THE DREAM – IRENE CARA
107. INFATUATION – ROD STEWART
108. LEAVE IT – YES
109. THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER – TONY CAREY
110. JOHNSON’S AEROPLANE – INXS
111. YOU CAN’T GET WHAT YOU WANT (TILL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GOT) – JOE JACKSON
112. I’LL WAIT – VAN HALEN
113. FOR A ROCKER – JACKSON BROWNE
114. I MIGHT HAVE BEEN QUEEN – TINA TURNER (FEATURING THE FIXX)
115. DANCE HALL DAYS – WANG CHUNG
116. WHITER SHADE OF PALE – HSAS
117. DISTANT EARLY WARNING – RUSH
118. THE HEART OF ROCK & ROLL – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
119. THE GHOST IN YOU – PSYCHEDELIC FURS
120. IT’S GONNA BE SPECIAL – PATTI AUSTIN
121. JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE IT – S.O.S. BAND
122. NO MORE WORDS – BERLIN
123. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN – EURYTHMICS
124. WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – PETER GABRIEL
125. DRIVE – CARS
126. WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT – TINA TURNER
127. OUT OF TOUCH – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
128. WHISPER TO A SCREAM (BIRDS FLY) – ICICLE WORKS
129. VOICES – RUSS BALLARD
130. THE GLAMOUROUS LIFE – SHEILA E.
131. CATCH ME I’M FALLING – REAL LIFE
132. AMORE – HOOTERS
133. STATE OF SHOCK – JACKSONS WITH MICK JAGGER
134. I CAN’T DRIVE 55 – SAMMY HAGAR
135. GHOSTBUSTERS – RAY PARKER JR.
136. TURN TO YOU – GO-GO’S
137. SO. CENTRAL RAIN (I’M SORRY) – R.E.M.
138. TIME AFTER TIME – CYNDI LAUPER
139. NIGHTTIME (SVENGALI 12″ VERSION) – PRETTY POISON
140. IF I’D BEEN THE ONE – 38 SPECIAL
141. RUNNER – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND
142. I’M FREE (HEAVEN HELPS THE MAN) – KENNY LOGGINS
143. TIME THE AVENGER – PRETENDERS
144. NOW IT’S MY TURN – BERLIN
145. HOT FOR TEACHER – VAN HALEN
146. WILDERWORLD – DRAGON
147. OH SHERRIE – STEVE PERRY
148. ADULT EDUCATION – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
149. THE MORE YOU LIVE, THE MORE YOU LOVE – FLOCK OF SEAGULLS
150. SEXY GIRL – GLENN FREY
151. GIRLS – DWIGHT TWILLEY
152. THEY DON’T KNOW – TRACEY ULLMAN
153. IF THIS IS IT – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
154. PROMISES – DRAGON
155. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN – CYNDI LAUPER
156. I’M SO EXCITED – POINTER SISTERS
157. LUCKY STAR – MADONNA
158. SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME – ROCKWELL
159. HARD HABIT TO BREAK – CHICAGO
160. SHE WAS HOT – ROLLING STONES
161. I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES – ELTON JOHN
162. MISSING YOU – JOHN WAITE
163. SHOOTING SHARK – BLUE OYSTER CULT
164. STRANGER IN TOWN – TOTO
165. LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY – DENIECE WILLIAMS
166. AN INNOCENT MAN – BILLY JOEL
167. TWO SIDES OF LOVE – SAMMY HAGAR
168. NIGHTBIRD – STEVIE NICKS WITH SANDY STEWART
169. SO YOU RAN – ORION THE HUNTER
170. AGAINST ALL ODDS – PHIL COLLINS
171. THE MASK – ROGER GLOVER
172. A FINE, FINE DAY – TONY CAREY
173. 17 – RICK JAMES
174. CHANGES – YES
175. BLOCK PARTY – STACY LATTISAW & JOHNNY GILL
176. GOT A HOLD ON ME – CHRISTINE MCVIE
177. TONIGHT – KOOL & THE GANG
178. PLAY GUITAR – JOHN MELLENCAMP
179. WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT – TWISTED SISTER
180. ROCK ME TONITE – BILLY SQUIER
181. STRUT – SHEENA EASTON
182. MIDNITE MANIAC – KROKUS
183. HARD HEARTED – ROBERT HAZARD
184. ONE IN A MILLION – ROMANTICS
185. SISTER CHRISTIAN – NIGHT RANGER
186. ARE WE OURSELVES ? – FIXX
187. HERO TAKES A FALL – BANGLES
188. ALIBIS – SERGIO MENDES
189. WHEN THE LADY SMILES – GOLDEN EARRING
190. WHITE HORSE – LAID BACK
191. IF EVER YOU’RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN – PEABO BRYSON
192. DON’T ANSWER ME – ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
193. LAYIN’ IT ON THE LINE – JEFFERSON STARSHIP
194. KINO – NENA
195. THE ONLY FLAME IN TOWN – ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS
196. MY OH MY – SLADE
197. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU – STEVIE WONDER
198. LIGHTS OUT – PETER WOLF
199. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE – PAUL YOUNG
200. LOVE WILL SHOW US HOW – CHRISTINE MCVIE