Best of 1984- The Album List

The growing popularity of Michael Jackson which started in 1983 also set foot in 1984 especially after the video for "Thriller" was released. Even though the content of the video was controversial at that time, it was also groundbreaking and it revolutionized the music industry and the world of pop by breaking down the racial barriers and transforming the music video into a work of art.

Even at the other end of the Atlantic the 1983 started with a small scandal which involved Frankie Goes To Hollywood who got banned by BBC for almost a year due to the explicit lyrics in the and provocative video for their biggest hit "Relax". Despite this fact, the band managed to have major success around the world with their debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. This was also the first big success for ZTT Records and three times platinum in the UK. Towards the end of the year the Frankie Goes to Hollywood ban was slowly lifted and "Relax" was the ultimate anthem of 1984 introducing the Frankie Says Relax trend. 

With the growing popularity of MTV, in 1984 the first MTV Music Awards were given away at the  Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among the winners were Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock. Madonna was not up for awards, but manged to make prominence and shake the pop world with her performance at the VMA's. 

Just ahead of Christmas when 1984 was in the fade out, a group of musicians headed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure got together for a good cause forming Band Aid. This was a group of musicians who recorded a song to raise awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine in 1983–1985. It included more than 40 musicians and it sold over two million copies around the globe and raised more than $24 million. 

Towards the end of the year New Gold Dream which could easily be translated as the golden era of new Wave slowly began to vanish and became clear that the new musical term was Pop.

 

Best of 1983 - The Singles List

The year 1982 was all about Michael Jackson's Thriller, which became the best-selling album of all time. The video for the song proved to be challenging for the MTV airwaves, and it is also considered as one of the best videos of all time. Along with Michael Jackson's success other artists followed; David Bowie released Let's Dance, his most commercial album to date and ladies rocked too, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper released their debuts too exploring the weird and unconventional and Kim Wilde won the Brit Award for best British female artist. 

In 1982, the first compact discs were produced in Germany and were already sold in Japan during the third quarter of the same year. In 1983, they also went on sale in the USA, and they will certainly revolutionize the music industry in the coming years. 

New Wave slowly faded into Pop and its biggest stars of the decade Michal Jackson, Madonna, Prince and George Michael will rule the charts for the rest of the decade and beyond.

01. New Order - Blue Monday 
02. Depeche Mode - Everything Counts 
03. The Smiths - This Charming Man 
04. Michael Jackson - Thriller 
05. The Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love 
06. Simple Minds - New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84 
07. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax 
08. Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) 
09. The The - This is the Day 
10. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Dear Prudence 
11. Yazoo- Nobody's Diary 
12. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Cutter 
13. U2- New Year’s Day 
14. David Bowie – Let's Dance
15. Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna have Fun
16. Pat Benetar - Love is a Battlefield 
17. Talking Heads - Burning Down The House 
18. R.E.M.- Radio Free Europe 
19. Spandau Ballet - True 
20. PIL - This is not a Love Song 

Best of 1983- The Album List

The year 1982 was undeniably dominated by Michael Jackson's groundbreaking album "Thriller," which went on to become the best-selling album of all time. The accompanying music video for the title track presented a significant challenge for MTV airwaves but is now regarded as one of the greatest music videos ever created. Riding on the wave of Michael Jackson's success, other artists achieved notable milestones: David Bowie released "Let's Dance," his most commercially successful album up to that point. On the female front, both Madonna and Cyndi Lauper made their debut appearances, exploring unconventional and unique styles. Kim Wilde received recognition by winning the Brit Award for Best British Female Artist.

Meanwhile, in 1982, Germany produced the first compact discs, which were initially sold in Japan during the third quarter of the same year. These CDs were later introduced to the U.S. market in 1983, revolutionizing the music industry in the years to come.

As New Wave gradually transitioned into Pop, the decade's most significant stars—Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and George Michael—continued to dominate the charts for the remainder of the '80s and beyond.

 

Best of 1982 - The Singles List

After having been propelled further by the New Romantic movement and becoming much easier to handle, Synthesizers became dominant in pop music and a possible formula for future success. The Human League were still ruling the charts and won the BRIT Award for the best Breakthrough act. Following their success story other bands like Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as main instruments which had an impact in launching of the Second British Invasion in the US. This brought the new styles, rhythms and stars to the States including Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol and more. Sadly some of the great bands from late 70s and early 80s disbanded which included most notably Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA and Japan.

01. Yaz(oo)- Don't Go 

02. Tears for Fears- Mad World 

03. Heaven 17- Let Me Go 

04. Talk Talk- Talk Talk 

05. Yazoo- Situation 

06. Duran Duran- Rio 

07. Tears for Fears- Pale Shelter 

08. Eurythmics- Love is a Stranger

09. A Flock of Seagulls- I Ran (So Far Away) 

10. Japan- Ghosts 

11. The Psychedelic Furs- Love My Way 

12. Visage- The Damned Don't Cry 

13. New Order- Temptation 

14. Soft Cell- Torch 

15. Simple Minds- Promised You A Miracle 

16. The Stranglers - Golden Brown

17. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark- Maid of Orleans 

18. Modern English - I Melt with You 

19. Duran Duran- Save a Prayer 

20. ABC- Poison Arrow 

Best of 1982 - The Album List

The rise of synthesizers continued to shape the landscape of pop music, gaining dominance and emerging as a potential formula for future success. The Human League maintained their chart-topping presence and received the BRIT Award for Best Breakthrough Act, solidifying their status as pioneers of the synth-pop movement. Inspired by their success, other bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as primary instruments, contributing to the launch of the Second British Invasion in the United States.

This musical invasion introduced new styles, rhythms, and stars to American audiences, with acts like Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol, and more making a significant impact. However, the era also saw the dissolution of some iconic bands from the late '70s and early '80s, including Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA, and Japan, marking the end of their influential musical journeys.