It has become commonplace for people of my generation to celebrate the 80s as the last great decade for music, and in conversation for the greatest musical decade, period. I tend to lean that way myself.
It makes sense that the music that scored your coming of age will hold a special place in your heart. I’m sure every generation feels that way about its formative decade.
But take a look at the Hot 100 top five the week of May 25, 1985, and tell me the 80s shouldn’t be in the conversation.
The top four of the Hot 100 was pretty locked in the week of May 11, 1985. I’ve featured all four already: Madonna’s ‘Crazy For You,’ ‘We Are the World,’ Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me),’ and DeBarge’s ‘Rhythm of the Night.’
That brings us to #5, where the unlikely New Wave/hip-hop hit ‘One Night in Bangkok’ sat, on its way to peaking at #3. This was a single from the concept album Chess, released by Broadway songwriter Tim Rice and ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The album was later turned into a hit musical in both England and the United States.
The week of April 27, 1985, found charity single ‘We Are the World‘ holding on to its #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, with Madonna’s ‘Crazy For You’ right on its heels at #2.
In the third spot was R&B group DeBarge with their most successful song, ‘Rhythm of the Night.’ It peaked in that position, unable to overtake the formidable duo above it.
The #1 song in America the week of April 13, 1985, was a charity single that sold more than 20 million copies, becoming the eighth best-selling single of all time worldwide. I’m referring, of course, to ‘We Are the World,’ a song conceived as a way to raise money for and awareness of the famine in Africa.
‘We Are the World’ was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and performed by a laundry list of music stars. The song featured so many big names that it’s easier to list the major 80s icons who weren’t there: namely, Prince and Madonna.
Phil Collins owned the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 30, 1985, with the first U.S. single from his album No Jacket Required. ‘One More Night’ spent two weeks at #1, giving Collins his second chart-topper, following ‘Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)’ the year before.
I have a soft spot for anything by Phil Collins, and this song certainly goes down easy, but it sounds like it was written in about 15 minutes (which is pretty close to the truth).
Meet Me In Montauk 