American Top 40 1984

Whatever you were doing in 1984 and whoever you were doing it with (or to), these are the songs you were doing it to, presented by the host who played the hits from coast to coast , Casey Kasem!

Events that shaped the Rock world in 1984

Marvin Gaye Killed...by his Father!April Fools' Day in 1984 was no laughing matter for the Motown world, its fans, and artists, as superstar Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his Father following an argument. Gaye was visiting his parents on the eve of his 45th birthday, when the fight broke out and ended in tragedy. It was later revealed that Gaye's Father suffered from a brain tumor, and his medical condition affected his ability to reason. Marvin Gaye just happened to be, unfortunately, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gaye was a Motown great, with three number one hits, the biggest of which was I Heard It Through the Grapevine, which lasted seven weeks at number one in late 1968 and early 1969. In fact, had his 1982 hit Sexual Healing peaked at the top of the chart instead of number three, Gaye would have joined a very small but special group of stars, including former Beatle Paul McCartney and former Supreme Diana Ross, in having number one hits in each of three consecutive decades - the '60's, '70's, and '80's. Speaking of Diana Ross, she had a Top 40 hit in 1985, Missing You, that was a tribute to Marvin Gaye, her fallen friend and fellow star.

The "Girl" Sound: The Go-Go's started it in '81, but it didn't begin to take hold until '84. The "Girl" sound returned to the Pop charts for the first time in almost 20 years. Cyndi Lauper was the hottest of these artists with four Top 40 hits during the year, including her number one hit Time After Time. Tracy Ullman and Bananarama both scored their first Top 40 singles, and the Go-Go's continued their success from the previous three years with hits Head Over Heals and Turn to You. The Girl Sound was back!

The Dynamic Duo: Holy Pop charts, Batman! Daryl Hall & John Oates are the top act of the '80's! With their number one hit Out of Touch in December, 1984, the team of Hall & Oates had more number one songs in the first half of the 1980's than any other act, surpassing even Michael Jackson! The singing / songwriting duo had at least one number one hit during each year from '81 to '84, and scored two each in '81 and '82. In the face of New Wave and the second British Invasion, Hall & Oates sported a sound that appealed to the Adult Contemporary audience, but crossed over to the general audiences of the Pop charts as well. Hits like Kiss on my List, Private Eyes, and Maneater gained widespread appeal with a mellow sound, but catchy beats that kept Pop / Rock audiences yearning for more.

A Year of Comebacks: Tina Turner headed the list of artists who made comebacks to the Top 40 following long absences. Last charting in 1973 when teamed with her then-Husband Ike, Tina returned to the Top 40 for the first time in nearly 11 years with her cover of Al Green's Let's Stay Together. She followed that up with the number one hit What's Love Got to do With It during the Summer of '84. Possibly inspired by Turner's comeback, Billy Ocean, John Waite, and Dan Hartman all made returns to the Pop charts with more success than ever before! Billy Ocean ended an eight-year drought since his #22 hit Love Really Hurts Without You. His comeback song, Carribean Queen, was a huge number one hit! John Waite also returned to Billboard's Top 40 with a number one song, Missing You. Waite last appeared on the charts in 1980 as a member of the Hard Rock group the Babys with the single Back on my Feet Again. Dan Hartman, also a former member of a Hard Rock band, the Edgar Winter Group, started a solo career in the late 1970's with a Disco sound in his 1979 Top 40 song, Instant Replay. Hartman ended a five-year hiatus in '84 with his #6 hit I Can Dream About You. These four artists found their second wind and great success with comeback hits in 1984.

All of the songs that hit the weekly Top 40 pop charts in 1984, according to Billboard Magazine.

[ ]--Original Date of Entry Into Top 40
( )--Peak Position on Chart

Say, Say, Say--Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson [see 1983] (#1)
Music NotesSay It Isn't So--Daryl Hall & John Oates [see 1983] (#2)
Union Of the Snake--Duran Duran [see 1983] (#3)
Owner of a Lonely Heart--Yes [see 1983] (#1)
Twist Of Fate--Olivia Newton·John [see 1983] (#5)
Talking In Your Sleep--Romantics [see 1983] (#3)
Break My Stride--Matthew Wilder [see 1983] (#5)
I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues--Elton John [see 1983] (#4)
Undercover Of the Night--Rolling Stones [see 1983] (#9)
All Night Long--Lionel Richie [see 1983] (#1)
Uptown Girl--Billy Joel [see 1983] (#3)
Love Is a Battlefield--Pat Benatar [see 1983] (#5)
Karma Chameleon--Culture Club [see 1983] (#1)
Major Tom (Coming Home)--Peter Schilling [see 1983] (#14)
Running With the Night--Lionel Richie [see 1983] (#7)
Church Of the Poison Mind--Culture Club [see 1983] (#10)
Joanna--Kool & the Gang [see 1983] (#2)
Read 'Em and Weep--Barry Manilow [see 1983] (#18)
Synchronicity II--Police [see 1983] (#16)
Cum On Feel the Noize--Quiet Riot [see 1983] (#5)
The Curly Shuffle--Jump 'N the Saddle [see 1983] (#5)
That's All--Genesis [see 1983] (#6)
If I'd Been the One--38 Special [see 1983] (#19)
I Still Can't Get Over Loving You--Ray Parker Jr. [see 1983] (#12)
Time Will Reveal--DeBarge [see 1983] (#18)
Pink Houses--John Cougar Mellencamp [see 1983] (#8)
Holiday--Madonna [see 1983] (#16)
Why Me--Irene Cara [see 1983] (#13)
Islands In the Stream--Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton [see 1983] (#1)
Think Of Laura--Christopher Cross [see 1983] (#9)
Stay With Me Tonight--Jeffrey Osborne [see 1983] (#30)
Gold--Spandau Ballet [see 1983] (#29)
Sign of Fire--The Fixx [see 1983] (#32)
So Bad--Paul McCartney [1/7] (#23)
In a Big Country--Big Country [see 1983] (#17)
Baby I Lied--Deborah Allen [see 1983] (#26)
Middle Of the Road--Pretenders [1/7] (#19)
Let the Music Play--Shannon [1/7] (#8)
An Innocent Man--Billy Joel [1/7] (#10)
In the Mood--Robert Plant [see 1983] (#39)
Yah Mo B There--James Ingram & Michael McDonald [1/14] (#19)
Remember the Nights--Motels [1/14] (#36)
Send Me An Angel--Real Life [1/14] (#29) (see also 1989 Hits)
Wrapped Around Your Finger--Police [1/21] (#8)
99 Luftballoons--Nena [1/21] (#2)
Jump--Van Halen [1/21] (#1)
Nightbird--Stevie Nicks [1/21] (#33)
Nobody Told Me--John Lennon [1/21] (#5)
Girls Just Want To Have Fun--Cyndi Lauper [1/28] (#2)
New Moon on Monday--Duran Duran [1/28] (#10)
Bang Your Head (Metal Health)--Quiet Riot [1/28] (#31)
The Dream--Irene Cara [1/28] (#37)
I Want a New Drug--Huey Lewis & the News [1/28] (#6)
Got a Hold On Me--Christine McVie [2/4] (#10)
This Woman--Kenny Rogers [2/4] (#23)
Give It Up--K.C. [2/4] (#18)
Here Comes the Rain Again--Eurhythmics [2/4] (#4)
Somebody's Watching Me--Rockwell [2/11] (#2)
Footloose--Kenny Loggins [2/11] (#1)
Almost Over You--Sheena Easton [2/11] (#25)
Language Of Love--Dan Fogelberg [2/11] (#13)
Automatic--Pointer Sisters [2/11] (#5)
The Politics of Dancing--Re-flex [2/18] (#24)
Let's Stay Together--Tina Turner [2/18] (#26)
Runner--Manfred Mann [2/18] (#22)
Back Where You Belong--38 Special [2/18] (#20)
Adult Education--Daryl Hall & John Oates [2/25] (#8)
New Song--Howard Jones [2/25] (#27)
Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins [2/25] (#3)
Livin' In Desperate Times--Olivia Newton·John [2/25] (#31)
Come Back and Stay--Paul Young [3/3] (#22)
Radio Ga-Ga--Queen [3/3] (#16)
Girls--Dwight Twilley [3/3] (#16)
Miss Me Blind--Culture Club [3/3] (#5)
Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)--Phil Collins [3/10] (#1)
Hello--Lionel Richie [3/10] (#1)
Don't Let Go--Wang Chung [3/10] (#38)
They Don't Know--Tracey Ullman [3/17] (#8)
Eat It--"Wierd" Al Yankovic [3/17] (#12)
Red, Red Wine--UB40 [3/17] (#34) (see also 1988 Hits)
Love Somebody--Rick Springfield [3/17] (#5)
Tonight--Kool & the Gang [3/17] (#13)
Don't Answer Me--Alan Parsons Project [3/24] (#15)
Leave It--Yes [3/24] (#24)
You Might Think--Cars [3/24] (#7)
The Kid's American--Matthew Wilder [3/24] (#33)
The Authority Song--John Cougar Mellencamp [3/31] (#15)
Head Over Heels--Go-Go's [3/31] (#11)
A Fine, Fine Day--Tony Carey [3/31] (#22)
To All the Girls I've Loved Before--Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson [3/31] (#5)
One In a Million--Romantics [3/31] (#37)
Holding Out For a Hero--Bonnie Tyler [4/7] (#34)
Show Me--Pretenders [4/7] (#28)
No More Words--Berlin [4/7] (#23)
The Longest Time--Billy Joel [4/7] (#14)
Breakdance--Irene Cara [4/14] (#8)
Oh Sherrie--Steve Perry [4/14] (#3)
Let's Hear It For the Boy--Denice Williams [4/14] (#1)
Dancing In the Sheets--Shalamar [4/14] (#17)
Borderline--Madonna [4/14] (#10)
Sister Christian--Night Ranger [4/21] (#5)
I'll Wait--Van Halen [4/21] (#13)
Time After Time--Cyndi Lauper [4/21] (#1)
Runaway--Bon Jovi [4/21] (#39)
It's My Life--Talk Talk [4/21] (#31)
The Reflex--Duran Duran [4/28] (#1)
White Horse--Laid Back [4/28] (#26)
Rock You Like a Hurricane--Scorpions [4/28] (#25)
The Heart of Rock & Roll--Huey Lewis & the News [4/28] (#6)
Self Control--Laura Branigan [5/5] (#4)
You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)--Joe Jackson [5/5] (#15)
Run Runaway--Slade [5/5] (#20)
Catch Me I'm Falling--Real Life [5/5] (#40)
Jump (For My Love)--Pointer Sisters [5/12] (#3)
My Ever Changing Moods--Style Council [5/12] (#29)
Love Will Show Us How--Christine McVie [5/12] (#30)
Stay the Night--Chicago [5/12] (#16)
Modern Day Delilah--Van Stephenson [5/12] (#22)
It's a Miracle--Culture Club [5/19] (#13)
Who's That Girl?--Eurhythmics [5/19] (#21)
Eyes Without a Face--Billy Idol [5/19] (#4)
Almost Paradise--Mike Reno & Ann Wilson [5/19] (#7)
Dancing In the Dark--Bruce Springsteen [5/26] (#1)
Dance Hall Days--Wang Chung [5/26] (#16)
Magic--Cars [5/26] (#12)
Whisper to a Scream--Icicle Works [5/26] (#37)
Infatuation--Rod Stewart [6/2] (#6)
Legs--ZZ Top [6/2] (#8)
What Is Love?--Howard Jones [6/2] (#33)
I Can Dream About You--Dan Hartman [6/2] (#6)
Music Time--Styx [6/2] (#40)
Doctor! Doctor!--Thompson Twins [6/9] (#11)
No Way Out--Jefferson Starship [6/9] (#23)
When Doves Cry--Prince [6/9] (#1)
Don't Walk Away--Rick Springfield [6/9] (#26)
Sad Songs (Say So Much)--Elton John [6/16] (#5)
Breakin'...There's No Stoppin' Us--Ollie & Jerry [6/16] (#9)
What's Love Got To Do With It--Tina Turner [6/23] (#1)
Sunglasses at Night--Corey Hart [6/23] (#7)
I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)--Kenny Loggins [6/23] (#22)
Prime Time--Alan Parsons Project [6/23] (#34)
Obscene Phone Caller--Rockwell [6/23] (#35)
Farewell My Summer Love--Michael Jackson [6/23] (#38)
Ghostbusters--Ray Parker Jr. [6/30] (#1)
State Of Shock--Jacksons with Mick Jagger [6/30] (#3)
Romancing the Stone--Eddy Grant [6/30] (#26)
If Ever You're In My Arms Again--Peabo Bryson [6/30] (#10)
Panama--Van Halen [6/30] (#13)
Stuck On You--Lionel Richie [7/7] (#3)
She's Mine--Steve Perry [7/7] (#21)
Alibis--Sergio Mendes [7/7] (#29)
Boys Do Fall In Love--Robin Gibb [7/7] (#37)
Round And Round--Ratt [7/14] (#12)
Rock Me Tonite--Billy Squier [7/14] (#15)
First Day Of Summer--Tony Carey [7/14] (#33)
Sexy Girl--Glen Frey [7/14] (#20)
Turn To You--Go-Go's [7/14] (#32)
Missing You--John Waite [7/21] (#1)
10-9-8--Face To Face [7/21] (#38)
The Glamorous Life--Shiela E. [7/21] (#7)
The Warrior--Scandal featuring Patty Smyth [7/21] (#7)
Lights Out--Peter Wolf [7/28] (#12)
If This Is It--Huey Lewis & the News [7/28] (#6)
She Bop--Cyndi Lauper [7/28] (#3)
All Of You--Diana Ross & Julio Iglesius [8/4] (#19)
Dynamite--Jermaine Jackson [8/4] (#15)
Leave a Tender Moment Alone--Billy Joel [8/4] (#27)
When You Close Your Eyes--Night Ranger [8/4] (#14)
Cruel Summer--Bananarama [8/11] (#9)
Let's Go Crazy--Prince [8/11] (#1)
Drive--Cars [8/11] (#3)
My Oh My--Slade [8/11] (#37)
Right By Your Side--Eurhythmics [8/11] (#29)
17--Rick James [8/18] (#36)
Two Sides Of Love--Sammy Hagar [8/18] (#38)
Hard Habit to Break--Chicago [8/25] (#3)
Go Insane--Lindsey Buckingham [8/25] (#23)
Torture--Jacksons [8/25] (#17)
The Lucky One--Laura Branigan [8/25] (#20)
I Just Called to Say I Love You--Stevie Wonder [9/1] (#1)
There Goes My Baby--Donna Summer [9/1] (#21)
Only When You Leave--Spandau Ballet [9/1] (#34)
Lucky Star--Madonna [9/1] (#4)
Carribean Queen--Billy Ocean [9/8] (#1)
Bop 'Til You Drop--Rick Springfield [9/8] (#20)
I'm So Excited--Pointer Sisters [9/8] (#9) (see also 1982 Hits)
Are We Ourselves?--The Fixx [9/8] (#15)
Some Guys Have All the Luck--Rod Stewart [9/15] (#10)
On the Dark Side--John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band [9/15] (#7)
Flesh For Fantasy--Billy Idol [9/15] (#29)
Who Wears These Shoes?--Elton John [9/15] (#16)
Strut--Sheena Easton [9/22] (#7)
Swept Away--Diana Ross [9/22] (#19)
Desert Moon--Dennis DeYoung [9/22] (#10)
Blue Jean--David Bowie [9/29] (#8)
I Feel For You--Chaka Khan [9/29] (#3)
(What) In the Name Of Love--Naked Eyes [9/29] (#39)
Shine Shine--Barry Gibb [9/29] (#37)
Out of Touch--Daryl Hall & John Oates [10/6] (#1)
Purple Rain--Prince [10/6] (#2)
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go--Wham! [10/6] (#1)
Better Be Good To Me--Tina Turner [10/6] (#5)
Last Time I Made Love--Joyce Kennedy & Jeffery Osborne [10/6] (#40)
What About Me--Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes & James Ingram [10/13] (#15)
All Through the Night--Cyndi Lauper [10/13] (#5)
Penny Lover--Lionel Richie [10/13] (#8)
No More Lonely Nights--Paul McCartney [10/20] (#6)
The War Song--Culture Club [10/20] (#17)
I Can't Hold Back--Survivor [10/20] (#13)
It Ain't Enough--Corey Hart [10/20] (#17)
Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)--Romeo Void [10/20] (#35)
Sea Of Love--Honeydrippers [10/27] (#3)
Cool It Now--New Edition [10/27] (#4)
Teacher Teacher--38 Special [10/27] (#25)
Walking On a Thin Line--Huey Lewis & the News [10/27] (#18)
Strung Out--Steve Perry [10/27] (#40)
Wild Boys--Duran Duran [11/3] (#2)
We Belong--Pat Benatar [11/3] (#5)
Girls With Guns--Tommy Shaw [11/3] (#33)
Sugar Don't Bite--Sam Harris [11/3] (#36)
We Are The Young--Dan Hartman [11/3] (#25)
Valotte--Julian Lennon [11/10] (#9)
Hello Again--Cars [11/10] (#20)
Tears--John Waite [11/10] (#37)
Do What You Do--Jermaine Jackson [11/17] (#13)
I Do'Wanna Know--R.E.O. Speedwagon [11/17] (#29)
I Need You Tonight--Peter Wolf [11/17] (#36)
Centipede--Rebbie Jackson [11/17] (#24)
Like a Virgin--Madonna [11/24] (#1)
Born In the U.S.A.--Bruce Springsteen [11/24] (#9)
Run To You--Bryan Adams [11/24] (#6)
All I Need--Jack Wagner [11/24] (#2)
Stranger In Town--Toto [11/24] (#30)
Understanding--Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band [12/1] (#17)
You're the Inspiration--Chicago [12/1] (#3)
(Pride) In the Name of Love--U2 [12/1] (#33)
Jamie--Ray Parker Jr. [12/1] (#14)
Easy Lover--Phil Collins & Phillip Bailey [12/8] (#2)
Boys of Summer--Don Henley [12/8] (#5)
The Belle of St. Mark--Sheila E. [12/8] (#34)
Tender Years--John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band [12/8] (#31)
Lover Boy--Billy Ocean [12/8] (#2)
I Want To Know What Love Is--Foreigner [12/15] (#1)
Bruce--Rick Springfield [12/15] (#27)
Love Light In Flight--Stevie Wonder [12/15] (#17)
I Would Die 4U--Prince [12/22] (#8)
Careless Whisper--Wham! [12/22] (#1)
Foolish Heart--Steve Perry [12/22] (#18)
Neutron Dance--Pointer Sisters [12/22] (#6)