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#1 Hits of the 1980s

How many musical acts can you name that reached #1 on the American pop charts in the decade of the 1980s?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: December 5, 2019
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First submittedMay 11, 2012
Times taken111,882
Average score36.5%
Rating4.84
15:00
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Year
Song
Artist
1989
Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins
1989
We Didn't Start the Fire
Billy Joel
1989
Blame It on the Rain
Milli Vanilli
1989
When I See You Smile
Bad English
1989
Listen to Your Heart
Roxette
1989
Miss You Much
Janet Jackson
1989
Girl I'm Gonna Miss You
Milli Vanilli
1989
Don't Wanna Lose You
Gloria Estefan
1989
Hangin' Tough
New Kids On
the Block
1989
Cold Hearted
Paula Abdul
1989
Right Here Waiting
Richard Marx
1989
Batdance
Prince
1989
Toy Soldiers
Martika
1989
If You Don't Know
Me By Now
Simply Red
1989
Good Thing
Fine Young Cannibals
1989
Baby Don't Forget
My Number
Milli Vanilli
1989
Satisfied
Richard Marx
1989
I'll Be Loving You
(Forever)
New Kids On
the Block
1989
Wind Beneath My Wings
Bette Midler
1989
Rock On
Michael Damian
1989
Forever Your Girl
Paula Abdul
1989
I'll Be There for You
Bon Jovi
1989
Like a Prayer
Madonna
1989
She Drives Me Crazy
Fine Young Cannibals
1989
The Look
Roxette
1989
Eternal Flame
The Bangles
1989
The Living Years
Mike + The Mechanics
1989
Lost in Your Eyes
Debbie Gibson
1989
Straight Up
Paula Abdul
1989
When I'm with You
Sheriff
1989
Two Hearts
Phil Collins
1989
My Prerogative
Bobby Brown
1988/9
Every Rose Has
Its Thorn
Poison
1988
Look Away
Chicago
1988
Baby, I Love Your Way/
Freebird Medley
Will to Power
1988
Bad Medicine
Bon Jovi
1988
Wild, Wild West
The Escape Club
1988
Kokomo
The Beach Boys
1988
A Groovy Kind of Love
Phil Collins
1988
Red Red Wine
UB40
1988
Love Bites
Def Leppard
1988
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Bobby McFerrin
1988
Sweet Child o' Mine
Guns N' Roses
1988
Monkey
George Michael
1988
Roll With It
Steve Winwood
1988
Hold On to the Nights
Richard Marx
1988
The Flame
Cheap Trick
1988
Dirty Diana
Michael Jackson
1988
Foolish Beat
Debbie Gibson
1988
Together Forever
Rick Astley
1988
One More Try
George Michael
1988
Anything for You
Gloria Estefan and
Miami Sound Machine
1988
Wishing Well
Terence Trent D'Arby
1988
Where Do Broken
Hearts Go
Whitney Houston
1988
Get Outta My Dreams,
Get into My Car
Billy Ocean
1988
Man in the Mirror
Michael Jackson
1988
Never Gonna Give
You Up
Rick Astley
1988
Father Figure
George Michael
1988
Seasons Change
Exposé
1988
Could've Been
Tiffany
1988
Need You Tonight
INXS
1988
The Way You Make
Me Feel
Michael Jackson
1988
Got My Mind Set on You
George Harrison
1987/8
Faith
George Michael
1987
Heaven is a Place
on Earth
Belinda Carlisle
1987
(I've Had) The Time of
My Life
Bill Medley and
Jennifer Warnes
1987
Mony Mony
Billy Idol
1987
I Think We're Alone Now
Tiffany
1987
Bad
Michael Jackson
1987
Lost in Emotion
Lisa Lisa and
Cult Jam
1987
Here I Go Again
Whitesnake
1987
Didn't We Almost
Have It All
Whitney Houston
1987
I Just Can't Stop
Loving You
Michael Jackson
1987
La Bamba
Los Lobos
1987
Who's That Girl
Madonna
1987
I Still Haven't Found
What I'm Looking For
U2
1987
Shakedown
Bob Seger
1987
Alone
Heart
1987
I Wanna Dance
with Somebody
(Who Loves Me)
Whitney Houston
1987
Head to Toe
Lisa Lisa and
Cult Jam
1987
Always
Atlantic Starr
1987
You Keep Me Hangin' On
Kim Wilde
1987
With or Without You
U2
1987
(I Just) Died in
Your Arms
Cutting Crew
1987
I Knew You Were
Waiting (for Me)
Aretha Franklin and
George Michael
1987
Nothing's Gonna
Stop Us Now
Starship
1987
Lean on Me
Club Nouveau
1987
Jacob's Ladder
Huey Lewis and
the News
1987
Livin' on a Prayer
Bon Jovi
1987
Open Your Heart
Madonna
1987
At This Moment
Billy Vera
and the Beaters
1987
Shake You Down
Gregory Abbott
1986/7
Walk Like an Egyptian
The Bangles
1986
The Way It Is
Bruce Hornsby &
the Range
1986
The Next Time I Fall
Peter Cetera
and Amy Grant
1986
You Give Love a
Bad Name
Bon Jovi
1986
Human
The Human League
1986
Amanda
Boston
1986
True Colors
Cyndi Lauper
1986
When I Think of You
Janet Jackson
1986
Stuck with You
Huey Lewis and
the News
1986
Take My Breath Away
Berlin
1986
Venus
Bananarama
1986
Higher Love
Steve Winwood
1986
Papa Don't Preach
Madonna
1986
Glory of Love
Peter Cetera
1986
Sledgehammer
Peter Gabriel
1986
Invisible Touch
Genesis
1986
Holding Back the Years
Simply Red
1986
There'll Be Sad Songs
(To Make You Cry)
Billy Ocean
1986
On My Own
Patti LaBelle and
Michael McDonald
1986
Live to Tell
Madonna
1986
Greatest Love of All
Whitney Houston
1986
West End Girls
Pet Shop Boys
1986
Addicted to Love
Robert Palmer
1986
Kiss
Prince and
the Revolution
Year
Song
Artist
1986
Rock Me Amadeus
Falco
1986
These Dreams
Heart
1986
Sara
Starship
1986
Kyrie
Mr. Mister
1986
How Will I Know
Whitney Houston
1986
That's What Friends Are For
Dionne and Friends
1985/6
Say You, Say Me
Lionel Richie
1985
Broken Wings
Mr. Mister
1985
Separate Lives
Phil Collins
and Marilyn Martin
1985
We Built This City
Starship
1985
Miami Vice Theme
Jan Hammer
1985
Part-Time Lover
Stevie Wonder
1985
Saving All My Love
for You
Whitney Houston
1985
Take on Me
a-ha
1985
Oh Sheila
Ready for the World
1985
Money for Nothing
Dire Straits
1985
St. Elmo's Fire
(Man in Motion)
John Parr
1985
The Power of Love
Huey Lewis and
the News
1985
Shout
Tears for Fears
1985
Everytime You Go Away
Paul Young
1985
A View to a Kill
Duran Duran
1985
Sussudio
Phil Collins
1985
Heaven
Bryan Adams
1985
Everybody Wants to
Rule the World
Tears for Fears
1985
Everything She Wants
Wham!
1985
Don't You
(Forget About Me)
Simple Minds
1985
Crazy for You
Madonna
1985
We Are the World
USA for Africa
1985
One More Night
Phil Collins
1985
Can't Fight This Feeling
REO Speedwagon
1985
Careless Whisper
Wham!
1985
I Want to Know What
Love Is
Foreigner
1984/5
Like a Virgin
Madonna
1984
Out of Touch
Daryl Hall and
John Oates
1984
Wake Me Up Before
You Go-Go
Wham!
1984
Caribbean Queen
(No More Love on the Run)
Billy Ocean
1984
I Just Called to Say
I Love You
Stevie Wonder
1984
Let's Go Crazy
Prince and
the Revolution
1984
Missing You
John Waite
1984
What's Love Got to
Do with It
Tina Turner
1984
Ghostbusters
Ray Parker, Jr.
1984
When Doves Cry
Prince
1984
The Reflex
Duran Duran
1984
Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper
1984
Let's Hear It for the Boy
Deniece Williams
1984
Hello
Lionel Richie
1984
Against All Odds
(Take a Look at Me Now)
Phil Collins
1984
Footloose
Kenny Loggins
1984
Jump
Van Halen
1984
Karma Chameleon
Culture Club
1984
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Yes
1983/4
Say Say Say
Paul McCartney
and Michael Jackson
1983
All Night Long (All Night)
Lionel Richie
1983
Islands in the Stream
Kenny Rogers
1983
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Bonnie Tyler
1983
Tell Her About It
Billy Joel
1983
Maniac
Michael Sembello
1983
Sweet Dreams
(Are Made of This)
Eurythmics
1983
Every Breath You Take
The Police
1983
Flashdance...
What a Feeling
Irene Cara
1983
Let's Dance
David Bowie
1983
Beat It
Michael Jackson
1983
Come On Eileen
Dexys Midnight
Runners
1983
Billie Jean
Michael Jackson
1983
Baby, Come to Me
Patti Austin
and James Ingram
1983
Down Under
Men at Work
1983
Africa
Toto
1982/3
Maneater
Daryl Hall and
John Oates
1982
Mickey
Toni Basil
1982
Truly
Lionel Richie
1982
Up Where We Belong
Joe Cocker and
Jennifer Warnes
1982
Who Can It Be Now?
Men at Work
1982
Jack & Diane
John Cougar
1982
Hard to Say I'm Sorry
Chicago
1982
Abracadabra
Steve Miller Band
1982
Eye of the Tiger
Survivor
1982
Don't You Want Me
The Human League
1982
Ebony and Ivory
Paul McCartney
and Stevie Wonder
1982
Chariots of Fire
Vangelis
1982
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Joan Jett
and the Blackhearts
1982
Centerfold
The J. Geils Band
1982
I Can't Go for That
(No Can Do)
Daryl Hall and
John Oates
1981/2
Physical
Olivia Newton-John
1981
Private Eyes
Daryl Hall and
John Oates
1981
Arthur's Theme
(Best That You Can Do)
Christopher Cross
1981
Endless Love
Diana Ross
and Lionel Richie
1981
Jessie's Girl
Rick Springfield
1981
The One That You Love
Air Supply
1981
Stars on 45
Various
1981
Bette Davis Eyes
Kim Carnes
1981
Morning Train (Nine Five)
Sheena Easton
1981
Kiss on My List
Daryl Hall and
John Oates
1981
Rapture
Blondie
1981
Keep on Loving You
REO Speedwagon
1981
I Love a Rainy Night
Eddie Rabbitt
1981
9 to 5
Dolly Parton
1981
Celebration
Kool & the Gang
1981
The Tide Is High
Blondie
1980/1
(Just Like) Starting Over
John Lennon
1980
Lady
Kenny Rogers
1980
Woman in Love
Barbra Streisand
1980
Another One Bites the Dust
Queen
1980
Upside Down
Diana Ross
1980
Sailing
Christopher Cross
1980
Magic
Olivia Newton-John
1980
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
Billy Joel
1980
Coming Up
Paul McCartney
1980
Funkytown
Lipps Inc
1980
Call Me
Blondie
1980
Another Brick in the
Wall, Part II
Pink Floyd
1980
Crazy Little Thing
Called Love
Queen
1980
Do That to Me One
More Time
Captain & Tennille
1980
Rock with You
Michael Jackson
1980
Escape (The Piña
Colada Song)
Rupert Holmes
1980
Please Don't Go
KC and the
Sunshine Band
+32
Level 61
Sep 5, 2012
I like and hate this quiz in equal measure. On the one hand I can hum most of these tunes to myself, on the other I can't remember who sang them!

Good but very frustrating.LOL

+1
Level 66
Aug 5, 2019
yea i am of that time period that I have heard of quite a few, but wasnt really old enough to be aware of the band. Bands after 95 I think I have a better knowledge of ( after you are about 13). Though I am bad at artists anyway
+1
Level 66
Aug 5, 2019
On the other hand, if it is much older, like 50s music I am doing better again.
+2
Level 23
Jan 11, 2023
hey, made a playlist out of this !! :) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0nONAsOmB2K172TxN5U04R?si=50afa0fbaf744880
+1
Level 65
Sep 5, 2012
Can Dionne Warwick (or Warwick) be accepted for "That's what Friends are For"?
+1
Level ∞
Oct 15, 2014
Yes, that will work now
+2
Level 20
Dec 19, 2012
Hmm, I am shocked Pat Benatar is not on that list anyway.
+1
Level 48
Jan 14, 2023
me too. by the way, my dad rides motorcycles with Lisa Lisa.

Also, I'm embarrassed to admit, that I I didn't even know who she was until this quiz.

+3
Level 28
Feb 20, 2013
The most shocking part of this is that Billy Idol only had one number one....and it was Mony Mony. What a God-awful song.
+2
Level 75
Apr 4, 2017
I wasn't too crazy about it in my day, either, when Tommy James and the Shondells did it, but it has a good beat. Tommy James also did I Think We're Alone Now. In fact, there are several covers on here (we called them remakes) - Red Red Wine, La Bamba, If You Don't Know Me by Now, A Groovy Kind of Love, and You Keep Me Hangin' On.
+1
Level 83
Mar 12, 2014
I found I lost time by singing to myself...
+1
Level 28
Nov 12, 2014
I'm one of that weird 3% that chose Club Noveau rather than Bill Withers ;-)
+1
Level 28
Nov 12, 2014
Damnit, I was answering Jennifer Carnes rather than Jennifer Warnes.
+1
Level 47
Dec 16, 2014
I knew most but could not type fast enough
+1
Level 84
Jan 30, 2015
Great quiz! Got 105 and not sure I would have gotten many more, but a couple more minutes would have been great!
+1
Level 88
Feb 22, 2015
Try my quiz about best selling 80's albums here
+1
Level 57
Feb 22, 2015
stop penalizing for spelling. Not everyone's name is easy to spell.
+6
Level 82
Feb 22, 2015
There's no penalty for misspelling but sometimes it's hard to anticipate just how badly someone might misspell something... therefore it can be tricky writing a quiz that accounts for this.
+4
Level 73
Apr 18, 2015
Great quiz, but Islands in the Stream was sung by Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton.
+1
Level 75
Apr 4, 2017
Yep.
+1
Level 48
Jan 14, 2023
dude.... I thought Kenny rogers was Kenny Loggins... who I thought was Danny Loggins... who I thought was dead...
+5
Level 69
Nov 28, 2015
Even with instant recall on every question, I just don't think humans can type that fast.
+1
Level 41
Nov 29, 2015
Jennifer Rush should also be acceptable for "The Power of Love"
+3
Level 62
Mar 23, 2016
No, it's for a specific entry on the chart by the band. The question isn't asking for anyone who's recorded the song.
+3
Level 60
Oct 10, 2018
with respect, Jennifer Rush, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Huey Lewis all had hits with their seperate songs titled 'Power of Love' around 1984/1985. I remember in Australia all 3 were hanging around the upper levels of the charts at the same time.
+1
Level 76
Mar 29, 2020
And it had to be the Huey Lewis one that made it to #1? That was my least favorite. I guess he can thank the impact for BTTF for it.
+1
Level 56
Mar 30, 2020
frankie goes to hollywood!!!
+1
Level 43
Sep 30, 2016
I missed many obvious choices :/
+2
Level ∞
Nov 5, 2016
Increased the time from 10 to 15 minutes.
+2
Level 58
Nov 10, 2016
I got 87, and there were about a dozen more I should have gotten had I more time to think. Some obvious ones I somehow skipped over as I scrolled up and down the list.
+1
Level 58
Apr 4, 2017
This was so frustrating... I know a lot of these songs but can't remember for the life of me who sang them.
+1
Level 59
Apr 4, 2017
I had the same problem!
+1
Level 33
Apr 15, 2017
Same here!
+1
Level 66
Apr 4, 2017
136. Bam. I am a child of the 80s. If only I could put these skills to good use . . .
+1
Level 23
Jan 6, 2018
I cannot stand Rick Astley.
+2
Level 43
May 6, 2022
cringe
+1
Level 67
Aug 10, 2018
Lot of work for 4 points.
+1
Level 66
Aug 5, 2019
A lot of times it seems like you can trade in the points for money or something the way some people act ( cheating for instance). Amazing what people will do for a "fake" reward ( they dont actually get anything. And you could say honour or something or pride, but you can have that just by seeing how much you got right without the star system)

I guess people are easily conditionable.

+1
Level 49
Apr 18, 2019
Pretty sure that "Dont Stop Believin was a #1 song in the 80s
+2
Level 52
Oct 3, 2019
Don't Stop Belevin only made it to #8 on the Billboard US chart in 80s. It has made a number of other records, including being the most downloaded song from the pre-digital era.
+1
Level 32
Jun 26, 2019
Good quiz but needed more time, knew half the ones I never got round to looking at.
+1
Level 41
Jun 28, 2019
I thought “Open Arms” by Journey was a number one.
+1
Level 52
Jul 16, 2019
Based on the Billboard chart, the Pina Colada Song should be first followed by Please Don't Go if the intent is to have them in chronological order.
+2
Level 62
Oct 6, 2019
More people knew Falco than Simple Minds? holy cow
+1
Level 65
Mar 29, 2020
Bloody hell! You lot really fell hook line and sinker for Milli Vanilli!
+3
Level 73
Mar 29, 2020
Crazy decade. Seriously bipolar. From awful to awesome and back, over and over and over. Not just music. Everything. But the music was the soundtrack.
+2
Level 56
Mar 30, 2020
Careless Whisper was not by Wham!! It was George Michael!
+1
Level 78
Mar 31, 2020
It was released on a Wham! album though. Wikipedia article
+1
Level 46
Dec 31, 2022
that doesnt mean it was by Wham! it was still by George Michael, just released in the album, similar to Together In Electric Dreams being in a Human League album
+1
Level 51
Apr 26, 2020
I forgot Sheriff, Bad English, and Michael Damian but I could sing their songs. Lol
+1
Level 67
May 12, 2020
I expected to do better on this one than 70s because I like this decade a bit more but surprisingly I got more on 70s.
+1
Level 34
Dec 12, 2020
128. before time ran out could have done better if I was able to spell
+1
Level 80
Apr 10, 2021
Oh my. This quiz is a direct threat to my sanity.
+1
Level 43
Jan 10, 2023
Is careless whisper Wham! or just George Michael? I thought it was just George Michael's own single, unrelated to Wham! but I may be wrong. Fun quiz!!
+1
Level 49
Mar 7, 2023
George Michael.
+3
Level 43
Jan 10, 2023
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6IFC6K4Zx1utfrBDVLvPwz?si=571fe1faeeb245db

you're welcome, everyone

+2
Level 35
Jan 11, 2023
Careless Whisper was George Michael only, not Wham!.
+1
Level 49
Mar 7, 2023
That annoyed me too.
+1
Level 23
Jan 11, 2023
here's my playlist out of this quiz
+2
Level 74
Jan 13, 2023
It might be a false impression, and with access to diverse/obscure acts via the internet now so easy, but American charts seem to be more "international" in the 80s - at least 30 British and 5 Australian acts on this list...
+1
Level 49
Mar 7, 2023
They were. European acts were a lot more popular than American ones.
+1
Level 77
Jun 16, 2023
The 1980s saw another wave of the British Invasion... a "New Wave", if you will.
+1
Level 49
Mar 7, 2023
You should accept "Denise" Williams. I cannot imagine a whole lot of people remember "Deneice."
+1
Level 53
Sep 27, 2023
I thought they were called tears for tears
+1
Level 75
Jan 27, 2024
That's when you rip your favorite pair of jeans...