May 1982 -- very slow

You know the VJs won't be happy when the first song on the countdown is between artists with hit songs from 1957 and 1964...and it was at best midtempo, making it one of the faster songs on the countdown.

Five country hits, some very slow adult contemporary (Sheena Easton, Dan Fogelburg, Elton John), some 50's throwbacks (Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Davis), an embarrassing ballad by Charlene, and a plodding, syrupy song at #1, which had replaced perhaps the slowest #1 ever by Vangelis.

Yet, hope was on the horizon.  As much as I hate it, "Hurt So Good" was a breakout for John Mellencamp, and leading the way for "Classic 80's" music MTV style were the Human League hitting the top 10 and Soft Cell beginning to finally bound on the top 40.

I recall listening to this very countdown 36 years ago hoping to catch Tainted Love before it fell off the countdown, thinking I might never hear it again!  Little did I know!  Instead, I made a recording of Atlantic Starr's "Circles" which was the last time I ever heard that on the radio until this countdown this week.

Also interspersed among the plodding songs are some of my 80's favorites..."Heat of the Moment" chief among them.  They were my first concert, right around this time back in 1982, and it ends up, it was THEIR first concert. 

So, not the best countdown, but still tons better than much of the late 80's. 

TW LW TITLE Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak Position)

1 1 EBONY AND IVORY –•– Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder (Columbia)-8 (3 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 DON’T TALK TO STRANGERS –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-13 (2)
3 3 I’VE NEVER BEEN TO ME –•– Charlene (Motown)-16 (3)
4 4 867-5309/JENNY –•– Tommy Tutone (Columbia)-19 (4)
5 5 THE OTHER WOMAN –•– Ray Parker Jr. (Arista)-11 (5)
6 6 ’65 LOVE AFFAIR –•– Paul Davis (Arista)-14 (6)
7 8 DON’T YOU WANT ME –•– The Human League (A&M)-13 (7)
8 11 ALWAYS ON MY MIND –•– Willie Nelson (Columbia)-13 (8)
9 9 DID IT IN A MINUTE –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-11 (9)
10 10 GET DOWN ON IT –•– Kool and the Gang (De-Lite)-14 (10)

11 13 HEAT OF THE MOMENT –•– Asia (Geffen)-7 (11)
12 7 CHARIOTS OF FIRE – TITLES –•– Vangelis (Polydor)-25 (1)
13 15 EMPTY GARDEN (Hey Hey Johnny) –•– Elton John (Geffen)-11 (13)
14 16 MAN ON YOUR MIND –•– The Little River Band (Capitol)-9 (14)
15 18 IT’S GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE –•– Denise Williams (ARC)-9 (15)
16 20 ROSANNA –•– Toto (Columbia)-7 (16)
17 21 CRIMSON AND CLOVER –•– Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Boardwalk)-5 (17)
18 19 RUN FOR THE ROSES –•– Dan Fogelberg (Full Moon)-9 (18)
19 22 MAKING LOVE –•– Roberta Flack (Atlantic)-13 (19)
20 12 THE BEATLES MOVIE MEDLEY –•– The Beatles (Capitol)-10 (12)

21 25 BODY LANGUAGE –•– Queen (Elektra)-5 (21)
22 23 STILL IN SAIGON –•– The Charlie Daniels Band (Epic)-10 (22)
23 24 FANTASY –•– Aldo Nova (Portrait)-10 (23)
24 28 LET IT WHIP –•– The Dazz Band (Motown)-6 (24)
25 27 MY GIRL –•– Donnie Iris (MCA)-10 (25)
26 32 LOVE’S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-4 (26)
27 29 WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE –•– Simon and Garfunkel (Warner Brothers)-9 (27)
28 30 WITHOUT YOU (Not Another Lonely Night) –•– Frankie and the Knockouts (Millenium)-9 (28)
29 37 HURTS SO GOOD –•– John Cougar (Riva)-6 (29)
30 34 WHEN IT’S OVER –•– Loverboy (with Nancy Nash) (Columbia)-8 (30)

31 35 CAUGHT UP IN YOU –•– 38 Special (A&M)-5 (31)
32 33 WHEN HE SHINES –•– Sheena Easton (EMI-America)-9 (32)
33 39 TAINTED LOVE –•– Soft Cell (Sire)-20 (33)
34 42 ANY DAY NOW –•– Ronnie Milsap (RCA)-5 (34)
35 41 PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT –•– Kansas (Kirshner)-4 (35)
36 40 I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-8 (36)
37 14 I LOVE ROCK ‘N ROLL –•– Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Boardwalk)-17 (1)
38 38 CIRCLES –•– Atlantic Starr (A&M)-10 (38)
39 52 ONLY THE LONELY –•– The Motels (Capitol)-6 (39)
40 43 FRIENDS IN LOVE –•– Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis (Arista)-7 (40)

May 1975 -- talk about eclectic

The first fivesongs Casey played today from May 1975 were country, disco, singer-songwriter, Led Zeppelin, and R&B.  It kept on mixing from there -- with a #1 song that was R&B, replacing a pop song, with a country song at #2.  Very little disco yet (just a few months from the revolution!), and some of the classic rock from earlier in the decade had faded.  Lots of adult contemporary, and a few absolute 70's classics.

What Casey didn't know what that one of those debuted that week by a new artist...Love Will Keep Us Together by The Captain and Tennille.  What Casey was prescient about was how Supertramp's first hit, "Bloody Well Right" would flop... he didn't normally call out such things, but in this case, the flip side "Dreamer," which had been a big hit in the UK and Canada, has ignored.

Casey also called out Joe Simon for having so many chart records without a top 10..."would this be the one?" he asked.  And what do you know, it was!!  A bold call for a small move into the 20's.

Roger Whittaker's song was his first and only top 40 hit, and it sounded like it was recorded in the 50's!  Queen's first chart hit was peaking.

The #1 song was one of my least favorites by an artist I otherwise liked.  A few years later, the Manhattan's song of the same title became a life-long favorite.  My favorite this week:  the R&B classic "Walking in Rhythm" by the Blackbyrds.

1 4 SHINING STAR –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (Columbia)-15 (1 week at #1)
2 2 BEFORE THE NEXT TEARDROP FALLS –•– Freddy Fender (ABC / Dot)-17
3 3 JACKIE BLUE –•– The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (A&M)-16
4 5 ONLY YESTERDAY –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-9
5 7 THANK GOD I’M A COUNTRY BOY –•– John Denver (RCA)-10
6 8 HOW LONG –•– Ace (Anchor)-12
7 1 HE DON’T LOVE YOU (Like I Love You) –•– Tony Orlando and Dawn (Elektra)-11
8 9 I DON’T LIKE TO SLEEP ALONE –•– Paul Anka (with Odia Coates) (United Artists)-11
9 15 BAD TIME –•– Grand Funk (Capitol)-8
10 14 OLD DAYS –•– Chicago (Columbia)-5

11 13 SISTER GOLDEN HAIR –•– America (Warner Brothers)-8
12 12 KILLER QUEEN –•– Queen (Elektra)-16
13 16 LOVE WON’T LET ME WAIT –•– Major Harris (Atlantic)-9
14 17 WHEN WILL I BE LOVED / IT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE –•– Linda Ronstadt (Capitol)-7
15 11 PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM –•– The Elton John Band (MCA)-12
16 6 WALKING IN RHYTHM –•– The Blackbyrds (Fantasy)-16
17 18 HIJACK –•– Herbie Mann (Atlantic)-13
18 21 CUT THE CAKE –•– The Average White Band (AWB) (Atlantic)-7
19 19 SHOESHINE BOY –•– Eddie Kendricks (Tamla)-15
20 10 (Hey Won’t You Play) ANOTHER SOMEBODY DONE SOMEBODY WRONG SONG –•– B.J. Thomas (ABC)-17

21 23 I’M NOT LISA –•– Jessi Colter (Capitol)-8
22 22 THE IMMIGRANT –•– Neil Sedaka (Rocket)-9
23 26 ONLY WOMEN –•– Alice Cooper (Atlantic)-8
24 29 WILDFIRE –•– Michael Murphy (Epic)-9
25 30 BAD LUCK (Part 1) –•– Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (Phila. Intl.)-10
26 28 RAINY DAY PEOPLE –•– Gordon Lightfoot (Reprise)-9
27 31 MAGIC –•– Pilot (EMI)-8
28 32 GET DOWN, GET DOWN (Get On the Floor) –•– Joe Simon (Spring)-8
29 33 THE LAST FAREWELL –•– Roger Whittaker (RCA)-8
30 36 TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS (Rock Me) –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-4

31 34 SHAKEY GROUND –•– The Temptations (Gordy)-10
32 35 I’LL PLAY FOR YOU (Hear the Band) –•– Seals and Crofts (Warner Brothers)-8
33 41 LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER –•– The Captain and Tennille (A&M)-6
34 39 I WANNA DANCE WIT’ CHOO (Doo Dat Dance) (Part 1) –•– Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes (Chelsea)-6
35 37 BLOODY WELL RIGHT –•– Supertramp (A&M)-7
36 40 REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU TO FORGET / MY SHIP –•– Tavares (Capitol)-7
37 55 ATTITUDE DANCING –•– Carly Simon (Elektra)-3
38 38 TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT –•– Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)-6
39 43 THE WAY WE WERE / TRY TO REMEMBER (Medley) –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Buddah)-5
40 48 MISTY –•– Ray Stevens (Barnaby)-5

 

May 1986 -- emerging 80's icons

What a classic MTV week this was on the top 40 from 1986.  The veterans of the 1985 were largely gone, replaced by the emerging superstars of the rest of the decade: Janet Jackson's first top 10, Madonna and Whitney Houston on a roll.  George Michael's official first solo hit.  Gloria Estefan establishing herself, the Bangles first hit, Simply Red first hit, and Phil Collins having a 5th top 10 from one album. 

Meanwhile, iconic 80's hits from MTV favorites who never had a ton of hits were also represented -- OMD, Nu Shooz, Falco, Level 42.

Even veterans had a new look:  Van Hagar debuted, Robert Palmer was back from the dead, and the Rolling Stones had a completely new sound.

If you loved what's commonly known as "80's music" and MTV, these were the days.  That said, this was not by any means MY favorite time...these were each far from my favorites by any of the established artists, so I'm picking "Your Love" as my favorite of the week.

1 2 WEST END GIRLS –•– Pet Shop Boys – 11 (1)
2 1 ADDICTED TO LOVE –•– Robert Palmer – 14 (1)
3 7 GREATEST LOVE OF ALL –•– Whitney Houston – 7 (3)
4 4 WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE –•– Van Halen – 9 (4)
5 6 WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY –•– Janet Jackson – 12 (5)
6 8 YOUR LOVE –•– The Outfield – 13 (6)
7 9 TAKE ME HOME –•– Phil Collins – 9 (7)
8 11 BAD BOY –•– Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan – 10 (8)
9 5 HARLEM SHUFFLE –•– Rolling Stones – 9 (5)
10 12 IF YOU LEAVE –•– Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – 10 (10)

11 14 LIVE TO TELL –•– Madonna – 5 (11)
12 3 KISS –•– Prince & The Revolution – 12 (1)
13 16 ON MY OWN –•– Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald – 8 (13)
14 17 I CAN’T WAIT –•– Nu Shooz – 10 (14)
15 18 SOMETHING ABOUT YOU –•– Level 42 – 13 (15)
16 13 AMERICAN STORM –•– Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – 9 (13)
17 21 ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE –•– Mike + The Mechanics – 8 (17)
18 10 MANIC MONDAY –•– The Bangles – 16 (2)
19 23 IS IT LOVE –•– Mr. Mister – 7 (19)
20 25 BE GOOD TO YOURSELF –•– Journey – 5 (20)

21 27 MOVE AWAY –•– Culture Club – 6 (21)
22 29 NEVER AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME –•– Sade – 7 (22)
23 28 ROUGH BOY –•– ZZ Top – 7 (23)
24 15 ROCK ME AMADEUS –•– Falco – 14 (1)
25 32 CRUSH ON YOU –•– The Jets – 5 (25)
26 20 WHAT YOU NEED –•– INXS – 17 (5)
27 19 LET’S GO ALL THE WAY –•– Sly Fox – 20 (7)
28 37 THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS –•– Billy Ocean – 4 (28)
29 22 I THINK IT’S LOVE –•– Jermaine Jackson – 12 (16)
30 34 TOMORROW DOESN’T MATTER TONIGHT –•– Starship – 6 (30)

31 36 NO ONE IS TO BLAME –•– Howard Jones – 5 (31)
32 33 STICK AROUND –•– Julian Lennon – 8 (32)
33 40 NOTHIN’ AT ALL –•– Heart – 4 (33)
34 35 FEEL IT AGAIN –•– Honeymoon Suite – 10 (34)
35 38 MOTHERS TALK –•– Tears For Fears – 5 (35)
36 39 ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID –•– Simple Minds – 6 (36)
37 44 A DIFFERENT CORNER –•– George Michael – 3 (37)
38 24 TENDER LOVE –•– Force MD’s – 15 (10)
39 26 I DO WHAT I DO –•– John Taylor – 10 (23)
40 50 HOLDING BACK THE YEARS –•– Simply Red – 6 (40)

May 1988 -- yikes! Oh so slow!

It's May 1988 this week, and what a dud!  It started with perhaps the worst #1 of the decade, the 5th straight #1 from "Bad" by Michael Jackson.  Climbing towards #1 was Debbie Gibson's first #1... George Michael was surging to #1 with his slowest, dull track.  Whitney's plunging with another energy sapper.  Billy Ocean has another #1 that has aged very poorly, while Natalie Cole was #5 with a downright cringe-worthy remake.  And then there's Samantha Fox...

Huge jump to #2 for a song that never did hit #1... and among the super slow songs, as mid-tempo, they seemed fast...Johnny Hates Jazz.  Pebbles was a relief, but she was plummeting.  She had more hits than her fellow first-timers EU, Lita Ford, Al B Sure and convicted murderer Suave!

Veterans Hall and Oates were headed for their last top 10, Foreigner was there, and Toto was in their last week in the top 40, as was Jermaine "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" Stewart.

Favorite:  "Kiss Me Deadly" by Lita Ford, who I'd never noticed sounds a lot like Pink!

1 2 ANYTHING FOR YOU –•– Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine – 10 (1)
2 8 SHATTERED DREAMS –•– Johnny Hates Jazz – 9 (2)
3 1 WISHING WELL –•– Terence Trent D’Arby – 18 (1)
4 14 ONE MORE TRY –•– George Michael – 5 (4)
5 5 PINK CADILLAC –•– Natalie Cole – 11 (5)
6 6 ALWAYS ON MY MIND –•– Pet Shop Boys – 8 (6)
7 3 ANGEL –•– Aerosmith – 16 (3)
8 10 NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO) –•– Samantha Fox – 12 (8)
9 9 ELECTRIC BLUE –•– Icehouse – 14 (9)
10 11 I DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU –•– Foreigner – 9 (10)

11 4 WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO –•– Whitney Houston – 12 (1)
12 13 WAIT –•– White Lion – 12 (12)
13 16 TWO OCCASIONS –•– The Deele – 12 (13)
14 18 PIANO IN THE DARK –•– Brenda Russell Featuring Joe Esposito – 13 (14)
15 7 PROVE YOUR LOVE –•– Taylor Dayne – 13 (7)
16 21 EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES –•– Daryl Hall & John Oates – 5 (16)
17 25 TOGETHER FOREVER –•– Rick Astley – 5 (17)
18 24 DREAMING –•– Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – 10 (18)
19 15 GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR –•– Billy Ocean – 14 (1)
20 26 MY GIRL –•– Suave – 10 (20)

21 30 CIRCLE IN THE SAND –•– Belinda Carlisle – 5 (21)
22 22 PAMELA –•– Toto – 13 (22)
23 28 STRANGE BUT TRUE –•– Times Two – 10 (23)
24 12 DEVIL INSIDE –•– INXS – 14 (2)
25 33 MAKE IT REAL –•– The Jets – 5 (25)
26 17 GIRLFRIEND –•– Pebbles – 16 (5)
27 32 WE ALL SLEEP ALONE –•– Cher – 6 (27)
28 29 ONE GOOD REASON –•– Paul Carrack – 9 (28)
29 36 FOOLISH BEAT –•– Debbie Gibson – 4 (29)
30 35 I STILL BELIEVE –•– Brenda K. Starr – 7 (30)

31 37 I’M STILL SEARCHING –•– Glass Tiger – 6 (31)
32 43 THE VALLEY ROAD –•– Bruce Hornsby & The Range – 3 (32)
33 49 ALPHABET ST. –•– Prince – 3 (33)
34 27 SAY IT AGAIN –•– Jermaine Stewart – 9 (27)
35 47 KISS ME DEADLY –•– Lita Ford – 7 (35)
36 23 I WISH I HAD A GIRL –•– Henry Lee Summer – 14 (20)
37 39 NIGHTIME –•– Pretty Poison – 7 (37)
38 42 NITE AND DAY –•– Al B. Sure! – 6 (38)
39 45 DA’BUTT –•– E.U. – 5 (39)
40 53 DIRTY DIANA –•– Michael Jackson – 2 (40)

May 1983 -- peak MTV cool

It was late April 1983 for this week's Sirius XM countdown, and the trends from just a few months ago were also coming to full fruition -- I started listening at #27 on up and there were zero country records.  Barry Manilow and Stephen Bishop were in the 20's, with late additions to 70's-style adult contemporary.

But check out the list of cool new MTV artists... After the Fire, Thomas Dolby, Men at Work, Duran Duran, Culture Club, Dexy's Midnight Runners...

Big hair metal began its assault with Def Leppard, and Bryan Adams began a decade-long run of hits this week.

Yet, by 1985, we'd swung to veterans completely, so what changed... The VJs mentioned it when playing #1...by adding Michael Jackson to the playlist, it opened up a new world of artists to the station, including Prince, and the quirky one-offs of 1982-1983 began to fade to make room for superstars, the biggest of whom was due up in a few months.

1 1 BEAT IT –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-11 (2 weeks at #1) (1)
2 3 JEOPARDY –•– The Greg Kihn Band (Beserkley)-15 (2)
3 6 LET’S DANCE –•– David Bowie (EMI-America)-7 (3)
4 2 COME ON EILEEN –•– Dexys Midnight Runners (Mercury)-16 (1)
5 5 DER KOMMISSAR –•– After The Fire (Epic)-13 (5)
6 9 OVERKILL –•– Men At Work (Columbia)-5 (6)
7 8 SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE –•– Thomas Dolby (Capitol)-12 (7)
8 4 MR. ROBOTO –•– Styx (A&M)-13 (3)
9 10 LITTLE RED CORVETTE –•– Prince (Warner Brothers)-11 (9)
10 11 I WON’T HOLD YOU BACK –•– Toto (Columbia)-9 (10)

11 14 SOLITAIRE –•– Laura Branigan (Atlantic)-8 (11)
12 13 EVEN NOW –•– Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-9 (12)
13 23 FLASHDANCE…WHAT A FEELING –•– Irene Cara (Casablanca)-6 (13)
14 7 BILLIE JEAN –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-16 (1)
15 19 PHOTOGRAPH –•– Def Leppard (Mercury)-9 (15)
16 17 RIO –•– Duran Duran (Capitol)-6 (16)
17 22 MY LOVE –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-5 (17)
18 21 STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART –•– Bryan Adams (A&M)-9 (18)
19 30 TIME (Clock Of the Heart) –•– Culture Club (Virgin)-4 (19)
20 29 AFFAIR OF THE HEART –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-4 (20)