There's a whole lotta 1986 in here lately. The album thread prompted this.

The top 40 from Billboard's Hot 100 for this week, 1986. Hmmm...

This Week * Last Week * Weeks on Chart * Title * Performer
01 * 03 * 11 * That's What Friends are For * Dionne & Friends
02 * 01 * 11 * Say You Say Me * Lionel Richie
03 * 02 * 16 * Party All the Time * Eddie Murphy
04 * 04 * 14 * Alive and Kicking * Simple Minds
05 * 05 * 19 * I Miss You * Klymaxx
06 * 06 * 12 * Small Town * John Cougar Mellencamp
07 * 08 * 10 * Talk to Me * Stevie Nicks
08 * 12 * 12 * Burning Heart * Survivor
09 * 10 * 12 * Walk of Life * Dire Straits
10 * 07 * 12 * Tonight She Comes * The Cars
11 * 13 * 07 * My Hometown * Bruce Springsteen
12 * 14 * 08 * I'm Your Man * Wham!
13 * 19 * 09 * Spies Like us * Paul McCartney
14 * 18 * 09 * Go Home * Stevie Wonder
15 * 16 * 09 * It's Only Love * Bryan Adams & Tina Turner
16 * 26 * 08 * When the Going Gets Tough * Billy Ocean
17 * 20 * 14 * Conga * Miami Sound Machine
18 * 22 * 13 * You're a Friend of Mine * Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne
19 * 11 * 16 * Separate Lives * Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
20 * 25 * 11 * Goodbye * Night Ranger
21 * 09 * 18 * Broken Wings * Mr. Mister
22 * 28 * 10 * Sidewalk Talk * Jellybean
23 * 31 * 07 * How Will I Know * Whitney Houston
24 * 27 * 15 * Everybody Dance * Ta Mara & The Seen
25 * 23 * 20 * Perfect Way * Scritti Politti
26 * 30 * 11 * Face the Face * Pete Townsend
27 * 33 * 09 * The Sweetest Taboo * Sade
28 * 29 * 09 * Sex as a Weapon * Pat Benatar
29 * 39 * 05 * Kyrie * Mr. Mister
30 * 17 * 11 * Love Is the Seventh Wave * Sting
31 * 34 * 10 * A Love Bizarre * Sheila E.
32 * 36 * 07 * Living in America * James Brown
33 * 38 * 08 * Life in a Northern Town * The Dream Academy
34 * 35 * 08 * Everything in My Heart * Corey Hart
35 * 15 * 13 * Election Day * Arcadia
36 * 37 * 08 * The Sun Always Shines on TV * A-Ha
37 * 21 * 14 * Sleeping Bag * ZZ Top
38 * 40 * 14 * Tarzan Boy * Baltimora
39 * 54 * 04 * Sara * Starship
40 * 44 * 09 * Silent Running * Mike & The Mechanics

Man, I haven't heard "Go Home" by Stevie Wonder SINCE 1986 lol ...

As i said before you will never find diversity in radio or video again to get this kind of chart, and also a market that embraces ALL age groups.

lastdecember said:

So true...especially the "all age groups" part.

Byron said:

A very good pct of that chart were in their 30's and 40's, which in todays market would be laughed at for airplay.

While nothing beats the 80's for diversity . It was about this point of the decade where it started to go down hill a bit.


01 * 03 * 11 * That's What Friends are For * Dionne & Friends
02 * 01 * 11 * Say You Say Me * Lionel Richie
03 * 02 * 16 * Party All the Time * Eddie Murphy
08 * 12 * 12 * Burning Heart * Survivor
18 * 22 * 13 * You're a Friend of Mine * Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne
19 * 11 * 16 * Separate Lives * Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
20 * 25 * 11 * Goodbye * Night Ranger
39 * 54 * 04 * Sara * Starship
40 * 44 * 09 * Silent Running * Mike & The Mechanics

The only songs I don't remember are the Night Ranger and Corey Hart singles. Not many songs on this chart that I like, but at least I know almost all of them. I'd be lucky if I could recognize five songs on this week's top 40 chart.

Wow! Maybe music isn't getting worse afterall!

A terrible list of songs, though some have stood the test of time:

Sweetest Taboo
My Hometown
Thats What Friends are For

And Mr. Mister was burning up the charts that week!

NDRU said:

That's what I was thinking, but I tried to be more diplomatic.

Songs on the above chart that I like and own:

04 * 04 * 14 * Alive and Kicking * Simple Minds
22 * 28 * 10 * Sidewalk Talk * Jellybean
24 * 27 * 15 * Everybody Dance * Ta Mara & The Seen
25 * 23 * 20 * Perfect Way * Scritti Politti
28 * 29 * 09 * Sex as a Weapon * Pat Benatar
31 * 34 * 10 * A Love Bizarre * Sheila E.
36 * 37 * 08 * The Sun Always Shines on TV * A-Ha

bold edit
[Edited 1/14/08 14:39pm]

I always used to use an English pronouncement whenever I mentioned the band "Scri-ee Poli-ee".

There's some really bad shit in here, but I do like:

Party All the Time * Eddie Murphy
Alive and Kicking * Simple Minds
Small Town * John Cougar Mellencamp
Talk to Me * Stevie Nicks
Tonight She Comes * The Cars
It's Only Love * Bryan Adams & Tina Turner
Broken Wings * Mr. Mister
Perfect Way * Scritti Politti
The Sweetest Taboo * Sade
Sex as a Weapon * Pat Benatar
Kyrie * Mr. Mister
A Love Bizarre * Sheila E.
Life in a Northern Town * The Dream Academy
Silent Running * Mike & The Mechanics

WHERE'S THE REST OF THE HOT 100 YOU ONLY LISTED 1-40???

Wowugotit said:

Which is what my original post said - the top forty from Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

Not sure if its the all caps, the 3 question marks or the overall lack of politeness that irritates me the most.... anyways continue...

thanks for posting , Rip ... love these flashbacks

Well nothing tops a-Ha's "Sun always shines on tv" though it would go only to number 25, and of course America would give up on them after that, they went on to be one of the biggest groups worldwide, and still going strong. This song is still their biggest hit worldwide believe it or not, it was actually a number one in the UK whil Take on me made it to number 2, and in concert still gets more of a reception to this day. But of course they are a far different band now, they threw out the synths in 1990, and became a "respected" band.

These are my favorites:

RipHer2Shreds said:

"Sara" is so bad it's good!