Tuesday, July 2, 2024

PEAK MUSIC 1984 - The Greatest Year in Music?


This is a series that will attempt to Sport(ify) music by creating a 5 member All-Pro/All League/All Star team (Sort of like the NBA first team all-stars) for each year in Music starting with 1964. It will rely heavily on Top 20 Hits from the year but also take into account Concert Tours, Music awards, Music Videos (MTV Crowd-You Tube), TV, Films, Pop Culture etc…..

 1984– The Hardest Year to rate

This was such an incredible year, that I rated the top 13 artists. (Though only 5 will make the list)  I initially had Madonna  at 9 but the power of her music videos just bumped her up. Michael Jackson did not have a number hit and his only top 20 hit was Thriller, but It was Thriller, and there was no way I could keep him off the top 5.

Prince - 4 top 10 hits and 2 number 1s

Cyndi Lauper – 4 top 10 hits and 1 number 1.

Duran Duran - 3 top 10 hits and 1 number 1.

Madonna – 3 Top 10 hits including No 1 – "Like a Virgin"

Michael Jackson – THRILLER

Pointer Sister – 4 top 10 hits and who got bumped down by Madonna

Huey Lewis – 4 top 20 hits

Bruce Springsteen – 3 Top 10 hits – I can't believe the Boss comes in at only number 8.

Van Halen – 3 Top 20 hits – including No 1 "Jump"

Lionel Richie – 3 Top 10 hits

Chicago – 3 top 20 hits

Hall Oates – 2 top 10 hits

Kenny Loggins – 1 top ten hit but it was number 1 "Footloose"

 

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles

5th Dimension

4 Seasons

Supremes

Rolling Stones

Monkees

Gary Pucket

3 Dog Night

Supremes

Rolling Stones

Frank Sinatra

Supremes

Simon & Garfunkel

Elvis Presley

Bobby Vinton

Herman Hermits

Beach Boys

Rascals

Aretha Franklin

The Beatles

Johnny Rivers

Byrds

Monkees

The Doors

Supremes

Rolling Stones

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

Jackson 5

Osmonds

3 Dog Night

Stevie Wonder

Elton John

John Denver

The Beatles

Marvin Gaye

Michael Jackson

Elton John

John Denver

Elton John

Simon & Garfunkel

Temptations

5th Dimension

Paul Simon

Newton John

Eagles

3 Dog Night

Jackson 5

Don McLean

Wings

Wings

Sunshine Band

Guess Who

3 Dog Night

Moody Blues

Rolling Stones

Chicago

Starship

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

Captain Tennille

Fleetwood Mac

Bee Gees

Donna Summer

Blondie

Hall Oates

Elton John

Eagles

Newton John

Bee Gees

Queen

Rolling Stones

Aerosmith

Foreigner

Andy Gibb

Michael Jackson

Newton John

Rick Springfield

Wings

Sunshine Band

Rolling Stones

Commadores

Diana Ross

Journey

4 Seasons

B. Manilow

Billy Joel

Earth Wind Fire

Kenny Rogers

Foreigner

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

Stevie Wonder

Michael Jackson

Prince

 

 

 

Paul McCarthy

Duran Duran

Cindy Lauper

 

 

 

Journey

Lionel Richie

Duran Duran

 

 

 

J Geils Band

Police

Madonna

 

 

 

Newton John

David Bowie

Mchael Jackson

 

 

 

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1 comment:

  1. Looks good. Michael is a really tough case. He was undoubtedly the biggest star in the world, but he didn't really release any new music under his own name (although Motown put out a collection of unreleased songs from when he was kid, Farewell My Summer Love, and the title song was a minor hit). But in addition to "Thriller" he hit the top three with "State of Shock", credited to The Jacksons but really a Michael duet with Mick Jagger. He also had a duet with his brother Jermaine, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming", which wasn't eligible to chart (it wasn't a single because he and Jermaine were signed to different record companies) but was a major radio hit. And of course the Victory Tour was by far the biggest tour of the year. (I went in both New York and Chicago!) So, yeah, he's definitely worthy of the list.

    You're right, the level of stardom here is off the charts.

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