October 1984 -- last blasts and new beginnings -- Wham!

Back to 1984 this week and the interesting nexus between early-80's pop, emerging superstar artists, and as usual for this year, a very large number of veterans.

One veteran with his last top 40 hit was Kenny Rogers, who with "What About Me" had the most popular song by three independent artists in the 80's, and also brought to an end the country-influenced pop/AC that had peaked in 1981.

Also fading out are Laura Branigan (her last top 20), Rick Springfield (ditto), Diana Ross (one big hit after this), Donna Summer (ditto).  Hall and Oates and Sheena Easton are on the wane, but both have substantial hits for a few more years.  Huey Lewis and Prince are well in-stride.

First-timers are well-represented by iconic one-hit wonders Scandal and Shiela E, plus Bananarama (3 top 10's), Billy Ocean (3 #1's), and most of all, Wham! who dominated the charts through the rest of the decade.  Madonna and Cyndi Lauper are still on their first albums, Madonna with her first top 5!

Another trend that was emerging was big-hair rock bands (Def Leppard and Van Halen scored earlier in the year), but this week at least is quite a lull, with only Night Ranger charting.  The quirky 1983-4 music is also almost unrepresented, with only the Fixx on the chart.  

The rest was serious, long-term veterans from the early 70's and even before:  David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner (2x), the Jacksons, Pointer Sisters, Barry Gibb, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Brice Springsteen, Lindsey Buckingham, Chicago....and at #1, 20 years after his first #1, Stevie Wonder!

While that one wasn't a favorite, this week had 3 5-star songs:  Sheila E, Bananarama, and my favorite (which was also a favorite from 1982...re-released in 1984)... "I'm so Excited"

1 2 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU –•– Stevie Wonder (Motown)-9 (1 Week at #1) (1)
2 1 LET’S GO CRAZY –•– Prince & The Revolution (Warner Brothers)-11 (1)
3 3 DRIVE –•– The Cars (Elektra)-11 (3)
4 6 HARD HABIT TO BREAK –•– Chicago (Full Moon / Warner Brothers)-11 (4)
5 8 LUCKY STAR –•– Madonna (Sire)-8 (5)
6 11 CARIBBEAN QUEEN (No More Love On The Run) –•– Billy Ocean (Jive)-10 (6)
7 4 MISSING YOU –•– John Waite (EMI-America)-17 (1)
8 10 COVER ME –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-10 (8)
9 7 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE –•– Sheila E. (Warner Brothers)-18 (7)
10 5 SHE BOP –•– Cyndi Lauper (Portrait)-13 (3)

11 9 THE WARRIOR –•– Scandal Featuring Patty Smyth (Columbia)-16 (7)
12 16 ON THE DARK SIDE –•– Eddie & The Cruisers / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (Scotti Brothers)-18 (12)
13 15 I’M SO EXCITED –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-27 (13)
14 12 CRUEL SUMMER –•– Bananarama (London)-13 (9)
15 13 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT –•– Tina Turner (Capitol)-22 (1)
16 19 ARE WE OURSELVES? –•– The Fixx (MCA)-9 (16)
17 21 SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-8 (17)
18 28 PURPLE RAIN –•– Prince & The Revolution (Warner Brothers)-2 (18)
19 14 IF THIS IS IT –•– Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)-13 (6)
20 23 BLUE JEAN –•– David Bowie (EMI-America)-5 (20)

21 22 THERE GOES MY BABY –•– Donna Summer (Geffen)-10 (21)
22 25 BOP ‘TIL YOU DROP –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-9 (22)
23 24 GO INSANE –•– Lindsey Buckingham (Elektra)-12 (23)
24 26 SWEPT AWAY –•– Diana Ross (RCA)-7 (24)
25 27 WHO WEARS THESE SHOES? –•– Elton John (Geffen)-6 (25)
26 32 WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO –•– Wham! (Columbia)-6 (26)
27 31 DESERT MOON –•– Dennis DeYoung (A&M)-6 (27)
28 34 BETTER BE GOOD TO ME –•– Tina Turner (Capitol)-5 (28)
29 29 FLESH FOR FANTASY –•– Billy Idol (Chrysalis)-8 (29)
30 33 I FEEL FOR YOU –•– Chaka Khan (Warner Brothers)-6 (30)

31 35 STRUT –•– Sheena Easton (EMI-America)-8 (31)
32 38 OUT OF TOUCH –•– Daryl Hall & John Oates (RCA)-3 (32)
33 41 WHAT ABOUT ME? –•– Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes & James Ingram (RCA)-5 (33)
34 17 TORTURE –•– The Jacksons (Epic)-9 (17)
35 49 ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT –•– Cyndi Lauper (Portrait)-2 (35)
36 18 WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES –•– Night Ranger (MCA / Camel)-14 (14)
37 37 SHINE SHINE –•– Barry Gibb (MCA)-7 (37)
38 54 PENNY LOVER –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-2 (38)
39 20 THE LUCKY ONE –•– Laura Branigan (Atlantic)-11 (20)
40 40 THE LAST TIME I MADE LOVE –•– Joyce Kennedy & Jeffrey Osborne (A&M)-9 (40)