25 minutes ago, Julian_ said:

This thread started at the very beginning and will hopefully make it to 1979 eventually, but I ran out of steam in 1972! 😔

Wow thanks! I’ve now got some reading to do to catch up with you, though I’m not surprised you ran out of steam for a bit, that’s a huge undertaking!

1979 is a key year, I think it should be challenging any year for top of the pops. the lowpoints will be 75/76 (bar some notables like ABBA and Queen, 10cc, Sparks. KC etc) but it picks up after that....🙂

11 hours ago, Julian_ said:

This thread started at the very beginning and will hopefully make it to 1979 eventually, but I ran out of steam in 1972! 😔

Not much of a glam rock fan?

I can see why the hits at the end of the year are often slightly worse than average but not why those at the beginning of the year seem to be so good, especially in these ‘80s years. Anyway it’s not eaay separating the top few and “Relax” ends up being the casualty as it’s a record I admire rather than love. “Here Comes The Rain Again” I think I like even more than “Sweet Dreams…”, and the China Crisis song I didn’t know but is a sublime discovery.

9	Eurythmics	Here Comes The Rain Again	From the intro with the plucked straings to the bubbling synths, this is a sublime, sensual and ethereal track
9	China Crisis	Wishful Thinking	Their biggest chart success: this is a big warm hug of a track, where every second of listening is a sheer joy
8	The Icicle Works	Love Is A Wonderful Colour	Only Top 40 for this UK band whose other 6 chart entries will all miss, and it's a very thrilling and rousing song
8	Frankie Goes To Hollywood	Relax	531st #1: this has a much harder edge than the other high scorers here, but is certainly a hugely significant hit
8	The Police	King Of Pain	Amazingly this is already their last totally new hit: an excellent 4th single about Sting's separation from his wife
7	Snowy White	Bird Of Paradise	Only Top 40 for this former Thin Lizzy member, with a lovely understated prog rock track with great guitar work
7	Big Country	Wonderland	Another well performing and really strong single from them, with big lush production and soaring heartfelt vocals
7	Lionel Richie	Running With The Night	Another unusually good Lionel single: the guitar parts and production here are really very rich and atmospheric
6	Gloria Gaynor	I Am What I Am	Her last Top 40 which originally appeared in the musical "La Cage Aux Folles": it's a lovely self affirming anthem
6	Eartha Kitt	Where Is My Man	Her 1st hit since 1955 incredibly: I find this on the one hand silly but also quite a fun song done in her unique style
5	John Lennon	Nobody Told Me	From John And Yoko's final new album and originally intended for Ringo, it's quite a nice song but nothing more
4	Whitesnake	Give Me More Time	Another Whitesnake hit that I struggle to remember how many times I hear it: it's not bad but just standard rock
3	Shaky And Bonnie	A Rockin' Good Way	This is certainly more in Shaky than Bonnie's style: a jolly but throwaway duet that doesn't leave much impression
2	Joe Fagin	That's Livin' Alright (From 'Auf Wiedershen Pet')	Only Top 40 for this UK singer used as the Sitcom theme: I'm sure it works in context but here I find it a little grating

1983 Group 2:

#1282	14/01/1984	Cyndi Lauper	Girls Just Want To Have Fun	2	50-23-10-{2}-3-4-8-13-20-32-41-67->12
#1283	14/01/1984	Fiction Factory	(Feels Like) Heaven	6	56-28-12-{6}-8-16-26-34-55->9
#1284	21/01/1984	Matthew Wilder	Break My Stride	4	31-14-5-{4}-5-6-12-18-25-34-58->11
#1285	21/01/1984	The Alarm	Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke	22	34-{22}-22-28-48-71->6
#1286	14/01/1984	Musical Youth	Sixteen	23	55-35-34-27-{23}-30-41-62->8
#1287	14/01/1984	Rick Springfield	Human Touch	23	47-39-31-{23}-24-40-56->7
#1288	14/01/1984	Madonna	Holiday	6	53-40-29-13-7-{6}-13-18-26-35-56->11
#1289	28/01/1984	Echo And The Bunnymen	The Killing Moon	9	17-{9}-11-25-40-66->6
#1290	28/01/1984	Simple Minds	Speed Your Love To Me	20	{20}-21-35-56->4
#1291	28/01/1984	The Smiths	What Difference Does It Make?	12	26-20-13-{12}-18-21-30-39-53->9
#1292	21/01/1984	The Manhattan Transfer	Spice Of Life	19	68-33-26-{19}-22-30-36-54->8
#1293	21/01/1984	Thomas Dolby	Hyperactive!	17	45-35-29-20-{17}-22-29-46-72->9
#1294	21/01/1984	ABC	S.O.S.	39	44-{39}-40-53-72->5
#1295	14/01/1984	Elbow Bones And The Racketeers	A Night In New York	33	66-47-40-{33}-33-33-33-41-56->9

Relax would definitely be a 10 for me. An incredibly exciting groundbreaking sonic explosion, announcing the true arrival of the wonderful ZTT label. What a wonderful year they, Trevor Horn and FGTH would have. T shirt mission statements, fantastic videos, the whole package was brilliant and this was the just the start.

There’s a lot of other great songs here too. Here Comes The Rain again is one of the Eurythmics best, really moody perfect synth pop.

King Of Pain is one of my favourite Police singles, fantastic melody and harmonies.

Wishful Thinking was indeed beautiful, while being perfectly understated.

Love Is A Wonderful Colour is great, if not quite as brilliant as Birds Fly.

Pleased to see those China Crisis and Icicle Works songs so high - both songs I discovered from 80s compilation CDs and was struck by their respective warm and dramatic qualities. I'd also wondered how so many great songs ended up charting at the start of some of these 80s years, and we're coming to one of the best sequences yet - I remember from Gezza's thread for 1984 when the week came up that 'Here Comes The Rain Again' and 4 songs still to be covered all entered the Top 10 at once, a combination of chart turnover and memorable song quality that may rarely have been seen again, before or since.

Re early-year freshness - it had started becoming obvious that the Christmas period was a tricky period for non-Christmas/slushy ballads and easy to get lost in the mix as radio swamped xmas oldies, so much safer to wait for the new year as optimum radio plays for new hot singles after everyone had tossed out the turkeys and got over the hangovers.

Eurythmics were hot in 1984 (I caught the tour that year) and Here Comes The Rain Again was a highlight, atmospheric and delicious 9/10. There was an even darker track on the album that should have been a single - No Fear No Hate No Pain. That came over great in concert. Wishful Thinking remains lovely and China Crisis were consistently listenable in the 80's 9/10. Love Is A Wonderful Colour, "thrilling" is pretty much what it is MIke Read was a big fan at the time 8/10. Talking of Mike, Relax was like a bomb going off in pop culture as gay-pop moved from Boystown club hits to mainstream pop, having been set up by Boy George and Marilyn as primers. Frankie took no prisoners and didnt need to talk about preferring a cup of tea to stay loveable. They didn't care. 10/10 in-ya-face banned classic.

Wonderland was an OK widescreen ballad 7/10, Running With The Night may well be my fave solo Lionel track, it has more to it than the usual turgid ballads and just seems darker and edgier 8/10. Eartha Kitt did some promo on The Tube at the time, as purring and claws-out as ever when needed from the former Catwoman. Great to have her back in the charts and a gay club biggie, camp video and all 8/10.

King Of Pain was bigger in the US as 3rd single off the album there, mightve done better as 3rd in the UK too, but Synchronicity was better 8/10. Bird Of Paradise was sweet and perfectly nice 7/10. Gloria Gaynor gay anthem, I Am What I Am I have never liked much until Aqua changed the mood entirely a few years back, and it's not in the same class as Never Can Say Goodbye or I Will Survive! 5/10. My mate worked in a gay club in Manchester around that time, and Gloria did a PA with just her handbag backstage. All she had in it was the Good Book. Thats minimal.

Nobody Told Me would have been great for Ringo, well within his vocal range and a comeback hit maybe. This record was sad for me (still, at the time) but I took it as an unexpected bonus 8/10. Whitesnake so forgettable I've forgotten it. A Rockin' Good Way was a bit of retro fun from Shaky and Bonnie 7/10. Bonnie has just come out of her medically-induced coma not at all well after falling ill in Portugal, hoping she improves asap. That's Livin Alright still a pet hate, good writing and relevant scripts is no excuse for inflicting this on me! 2/10

Another top notch group where I couldn’t give all the great songs top scores, but the sheer slick tightness of “Break My Stride” and storytelling genius of “The Killing Moon” win out.

9	Echo And The Bunnymen	The Killing Moon	By far their most streamed song, with chords based on "Space Oddity" backwards and wonderful poetic lyrics
9	Matthew Wilder	Break My Stride	Only hit for this US singer: an incredibly well written, infectious track that doesn't sound quite like anything else
8	Fiction Factory	(Feels Like) Heaven	Only Top 40 for this Scottish group and like some in the last group it's an extremely pretty and atmospheric song
8	The Smiths	What Difference Does It Make?	For now a bigger hit than "This Charming Man" and another excellent track with a darker and nihilistic feel to it
7	Simple Minds	Speed Your Love To Me	Their 4th Top 20 and it's a really gorgeous one: a gutsy and exhilirating song with a sense of motion and freedom
7	Cyndi Lauper	Girls Just Want To Have Fun	A Robert Hazard song adapted into a female perspective and her 1st hit: it is a fun and powerful overexposed song
7	Madonna	Holiday	Her 1st hit: a brilliantly crafted, significant song that will have 2 Top 5 runs separate from this, but not one I love
6	The Alarm	Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke	This doesn't grab me like "68 Guns" and the vocals are on the raucous side, but it's still a strong and hearty track
6	Thomas Dolby	Hyperactive!	This certainly does feel hyperactive and it's a fun and unusual sounding track, but one that I like rather than love
5	ABC	S.O.S.	Only just scraped the Top 40 and nowhere near the strength of earlier hits, but it still has a nice warmth to it
5	Elbow Bones And The Racketeers	A Night In New York	Only hit for this US big band style group: it's fairly standard but has sweet vocals and jazzy instrumental parts
4	Rick Springfield	Human Touch	Only Top 40 for this Australian singer who had had much more success in the US: this is fine but not remarkable
3	Musical Youth	Sixteen	Their last hit with Jody Walter of Shalamar: not a bad song by any means but I can't really enjoy the child aspect
3	The Manhattan Transfer	Spice Of Life	Their last hit, a long time after the previous one, and there's nothing spicy about it at all: quite a dull soul track

1984 Group 3:

#1296	04/02/1984	Queen	Radio Ga Ga	2	4-{2}-2-4-7-16-28-37-60->9
#1297	04/02/1984	Duran Duran	New Moon On Monday	9	12-{9}-9-20-22-45-70->7
#1298	04/02/1984	Thompson Twins	Doctor Doctor	3	18-5-{3}-3-5-9-19-26-39-58->10
#1299	28/01/1984	Juan Martin	Love Theme From 'The Thorn Birds'	10	41-25-12-{10}-24-32-57->7
#1300	19/11/1983	Shannon	Let The Music Play	14	55-51-61-50R(8)-35-27-19-{14}-15-14-21-27-31-47-71->15
#1301	28/01/1984	Nik Kershaw	Wouldn't It Be Good	4	53-38-32-14-9-{4}-4-4-6-12-21-38-51-66->14
#1302	11/02/1984	Madness	Michael Caine	11	26-13-{11}-16-22-33-46-66->8
#1303	11/02/1984	Marillion	Punch And Judy	29	{29}-32-36-54->4
#1304	04/02/1984	Rockwell	Somebody's Watching Me	6	52-30-15-7-{6}-6-9-17-26-36-63->11
#1305	04/02/1984	Nena	99 Red Balloons	1	58-31-11-2-{1}-1-1-2-11-20-39-64->12
#1306	04/02/1984	Swans Way	Soul Train	20	41-34-{20}-23-27-44-73->7
#1307	04/02/1984	Break Machine	Street Dance	3	50-36-27-16-11-5-{3}-3-8-13-19-34-48-67->14
#1308	11/02/1984	Ultravox	One Small Day	27	37-29-{27}-33-43-67->6
#1309	04/02/1984	Slade	Run Runaway	7	54-40-34-19-10-{7}-14-20-32-53->10

Another great group, what a start to ‘84.

Killing Moon would also be my favourite, fantastic, moody and also cinematic!

Break My Stride is fun and unusual.

Heaven is indeed lovely.

What Difference.. is great, though not among my favourite Smiths early songs, it has a meatier sound that I liked them using. I think it’s often forgotten, among their jangle pop reputation, how heavy their sound could get. They were my absolute favourite band as a teenager, and there’s loads of of fantastic stuff to come from them.

Holiday is great and obviously important, but like you it’s not one of my favourite Madonna songs.

Hyperactive is a perfect title for that song, very quirky and unique

The Killing Moon was always a haunting fave for me, and Echo & The Bunnymen's finest moment, but that scene in Donnie Darko tipped it over the edge into all-time classic 10/10. Break My Stride was fun, and catchy, but the recent revival bemused me a bit: "of all the classics from 1984 and this one comes back...?" I like it but don't love it. 7/10. Fiction Factory's moment in the slight sun was and is very pleasant 8/10.

What Difference Does It Make not nearly as good as the debut, though the jangly guitar is of course fab. 7/10. Simple Minds really banging out the exciting run of singles now, Speed Your Love To Me a 9/10. Cyndi's iconic debut is indeed overplayed, but it's still a cracker party moment with a point 9/10.

Madonna arrived with a so-cool dance routine with her late brother on The Tube and Top Of The Pops and a single sleeve with a picture of a train on it!! Eh, what? Holiday is fab, and another over-played and over-charted classic, exhuberant club fun and who doesnt love a holiday! Still my fave early Madge hit. 10/10. The Alarm had their sound, and it wasnt one that went beyond 68 Guns for me 4/10. Hyperactive and the phrase like but not love pretty much sums up Dolby's entire career for me. The parts are better than the sum of the parts 7/10.

S.O.S is ABC's 2nd lovely ballad, but this is a lot more laid-back and misses Trevor Horn, it deserved better though 8/10. Elbow Bones is a Kid Creole side project, and it oozes 40's class and charm while still sounding contemporary, a forgotten gem, love it. 9/10. Rick Springfield Aussie (US) soap actor before that became a thing had been going for years when this became a UK one-off hit, and it wasnt his best record. S'OK though 6/10.

I dont recall Sixteen that well, but it seems to have ended their career, tch. 6/10. Manhattan Transfer had had some personnel changes by this stage, and were quite a different act to the retro-revival 30's/40's early stuff that kick-started their career, but I rather liked their funk/soul era stuff 6/10. Twilight Zone was better though.

This was the Top 10 that I referred to in my previous post:

1 (1) 'Relax'

2 (10) 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun'

3 (3) 'That's Livin' Alright'

4 (-) 'Radio Ga Ga'

5 (14) 'Break My Stride'

6 (12) '(Feels Like) Heaven'

7 (2) 'Pipes Of Peace'

8 (11) 'Here Comes The Rain Again'

9 (17) 'The Killing Moon'

10 (8) 'Wonderland'

That's 6 new songs to the Top 9 in the same week, all of them great and mostly well-remebered all these years on - chart turnover with quality doesn't get much better than that! Outside the Top 10, another early great from The Smiths with influential guitar work from Johnny Marr again and Morrissey's humorous turns of phrase, yet it looks like it's missed out on any votes in this week's poll alongside such competition!

Relax good #1 mix of stadium rock and new wave

Eurythmics Here Comes The Rain Again orchestral pop like an 80s Clean Bandit lol.

Hyperactive Thomas Dolby so much fun great dance rock tune with unique video.

Feels Like Heaven by Fiction Factory is very nice melodically but the vocal is a bit dreary. I prefer the Dario G operatic trance cover from 2003.