January 1980 -- the very beginning of the 80's

It's the first countdown of the 1980's, one I'd been hoping for since I started listening to Sirius, and it did not disappoint. 

First thing I noticed was how many #1's were on the chart -- Still, Babe, Pop Music, No More Tears, Heartache Tonight -- all of which I associate with the 70's and did not realize they had hung on.

We also had songs I've never heard -- the O'Jays (with a stinker), Rita Coolidge, Blackfoot.  Three I only ever heard because they were on greatest hits packages...Herb Alpert, Hall & Oates, and Pablo Cruise.

Speaking of Hall and Oates, "Wait for Me" was hardly the sort of success that you'd expect given how they owned the next 5 years on the pop chart.  Prince made the top 10, but it would have been hard to predict his success.  Kenny also started very strong.  Michael Jackson was be best bellweather -- bounding into the top 10, setting the stage for decade domination.

And who would've known what avalanche the Sugar Hill Gang started!

Last hits: Hayes, O'Jays, Foghat

Lots of favorites here, including the whole top 10 plus Sara, Take the Long Way Home (an all-time favorite).

1 2 PLEASE DON’T GO –•– K.C. and the Sunshine Band (T.K.)-20 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 1 ESCAPE (The Pina Colada Song) –•– Rupert Holmes (Infinity)-12 (1)
3 11 ROCK WITH YOU –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-10 (3)
4 4 SEND ONE YOUR LOVE –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-10 (4)
5 6 DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME –•– The Captain and Tennille (Casablanca)-12 (5)
6 3 BABE –•– Styx (A&M)-14 (1)
7 5 STILL –•– The Commodores (Motown)-15 (1)
8 22 COWARD OF THE COUNTY –•– Kenny Rogers (United Artists)-8 (8)
9 9 LADIES NIGHT –•– Kool and the Gang (De-Lite)-14 (9)
10 13 WE DON’T TALK ANYMORE –•– Cliff Richard (EMI-America)-12 (10)

11 12 COOL CHANGE –•– The Little River Band (Capitol)-12 (11)
12 15 CRUISIN’ –•– Smokey Robinson (Tamla)-14 (12)
13 17 THE LONG RUN –•– The Eagles (Asylum)-5 (13)
14 14 HEAD GAMES –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-9 (14)
15 16 BETTER LOVE NEXT TIME –•– Dr. Hook (Capitol)-13 (15)
16 18 JANE –•– Jefferson Starship (Grunt)-10 (16)
17 23 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER –•– Prince (Warner Brothers)-7 (17)
18 21 THIS IS IT –•– Kenny Loggins (Columbia)-12 (18)
19 19 I WANT YOU TONIGHT –•– Pablo Cruise (A&M)-13 (19)
20 7 YOU’RE ONLY LONELY –•– J.D. Souther (Columbia)-18 (7)

21 8 NO MORE TEARS (Enough Is Enough) –•– Barbra Streisand / Donna Summer (Columbia / Casablanca)-12 (1)
22 25 DON’T DO ME LIKE THAT –•– Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Backstreet)-8 (22)
23 26 WAIT FOR ME –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-11 (23)
24 28 DON’T LET GO –•– Isaac Hayes (Polydor)-11 (24)
25 35 SARA –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-4 (25)
26 10 TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME –•– Supertramp (A&M)-13 (10)
27 27 DAMNED IF I DO –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-15 (27)
28 30 THIRD TIME LUCKY (First Time I Was a Fool) –•– Foghat (Bearsville)-8 (28)
29 34 DEJA VU –•– Dionne Warwick (Arista)-9 (29)
30 31 CHIQUITITA –•– Abba (Atlantic)-9 (30)

31 36 YES, I’M READY –•– Teri DeSario with K.C. (Casablanca)-8 (31)
32 32 POP MUZIK –•– M (Sire)-22 (1)
33 24 HALF THE WAY –•– Crystal Gayle (Columbia)-15 (15)
34 20 HEARTACHE TONIGHT –•– The Eagles (Asylum)-14 (1)
35 48 ROMEO’S TUNE –•– Steve Forbert (Nemperor)-6 (35)
36 40 ROTATION –•– Herb Alpert (A&M)-8 (36)
37 43 RAPPER’S DELIGHT –•– Sugarhill Gang (Sugar Hill)-9 (37)
38 38 TRAIN, TRAIN –•– Blackfoot (Atco)-12 (38)
39 44 I’D RATHER LEAVE WHILE I’M IN LOVE –•– Rita Coolidge (A&M)-8 (39)
40 42 FOREVER MINE –•– The O’Jays (Philadelphia International)-7 (40)