April 1985 -- Veterans Rule!

This week on the 80's on 8, it's 1985, and the charts have shaken off the last vestige of awkward country, adult contemporary, and other very dated songs from the early 80's.  The DJs were calling this a golden era at MTV, which might've revealed a bit of a prejudice.  What it was was an era of lots of white male rockers, pre-rap / safe R&B, pre big-hair metal, and a nice smattering of new wave iconic 80's, and the queen of MTV, Madonna and her friend George Michael (then with Wham!)

The biggest throwback was Diana Ross's "Missing You," only a hit due to Marvin Gaye's passing (as was Commodore's "Nightshift") and sounded almost silly next to Animotion's "Obsession," but she also represented a rather stunning list of veteran acts going back to the 60's and early 70s (Mick Jagger, various Eagles, Patti Labelle, Tina Turner, Robert Palmer, Chicago, Led Zeppelin (as part of The Firm), John Fogerty, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton...  Then plenty of mid-70's acts like Bruce Springsteen, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Foreigner, Journey, Commodores, and Phil Collins...

Debuting this week:  Tears for Fears.

Overall, it felt like a remarkably grown-up top 40, most of which did well on MTV (despite the veteran status) and contains many favorites of 80's retrospective stations...unlike the quirky, adult contemporary of the early 80's.  But perhaps a bit bland and uniform.   And the #1 song..."We Are the World" featuring all the biggest veteran acts.

TW LW TITLE Artist – Weeks on Chart (Peak Position)

1 2 WE ARE THE WORLD –•– USA For Africa – 4 (1)
2 1 ONE MORE NIGHT –•– Phil Collins – 10 (1)
3 4 CRAZY FOR YOU –•– Madonna – 7 (3)
4 7 NIGHTSHIFT –•– Commodores – 12 (4)
5 3 MATERIAL GIRL –•– Madonna – 10 (2)
6 8 I’M ON FIRE –•– Bruce Springsteen – 9 (6)
7 9 RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT –•– DeBarge – 9 (7)
8 5 LOVER GIRL –•– Teena Marie – 18 (4)
9 14 OBSESSION –•– Animotion – 12 (9)
10 13 MISSING YOU –•– Diana Ross – 20 (10)

11 18 DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME –•– Simple Minds – 8 (11)
12 19 ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK –•– Murray Head – 8 (12)
13 6 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING –•– REO Speedwagon – 13 (1)
14 11 SOMEBODY –•– Bryan Adams – 11 (11)
15 20 ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE –•– Don Henley – 8 (15)
16 12 JUST ANOTHER NIGHT –•– Mick Jagger – 10 (12)
17 24 SOME LIKE IT HOT –•– The Power Station – 5 (17)
18 21 ALONG COMES A WOMAN –•– Chicago – 8 (18)
19 15 HIGH ON YOU –•– Survivor – 12 (8)
20 10 TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES –•– Julian Lennon – 12 (5)

21 25 THAT WAS YESTERDAY –•– Foreigner – 5 (21)
22 28 SMOOTH OPERATOR –•– Sade – 7 (22)
23 17 THE HEAT IS ON –•– Glenn Frey – 19 (2)
24 16 PRIVATE DANCER –•– Tina Turner – 13 (7)
25 36 DON’T COME AROUND HERE NO MORE –•– Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – 5 (25)
26 32 SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT UNSAID –•– Daryl Hall & John Oates – 5 (26)
27 34 ROCK AND ROLL GIRLS –•– John Fogerty – 5 (27)
28 29 RADIOACTIVE –•– The Firm – 10 (28)
29 35 NEW ATTITUDE –•– Patti Labelle – 9 (29)
30 38 EVERYTHING SHE WANTS –•– Wham! – 4 (30)

31 37 FOREVER MAN –•– Eric Clapton – 6 (31)
32 22 KEEPIN’ THE FAITH –•– Billy Joel – 12 (18)
33 30 LUCKY –•– The Greg Kihn Band – 9 (30)
34 43 EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD –•– Tears For Fears – 5 (34)
35 27 CARELESS WHISPER –•– Wham! Featuring George Michael – 17 (1)
36 42 THE BIRD –•– The Time – 8 (36)
37 41 VOX HUMANA –•– Kenny Loggins – 4 (37)
38 44 SUDDENLY –•– Billy Ocean – 4 (38)
39 52 AXEL F –•– Harold Faltermeyer – 3 (39)
40 23 ONLY THE YOUNG –•– Journey – 12 (9)