1983 was a year of musical diversity, with various genres gaining major prominence – Top 100 songs of 1983.
Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie all had huge success with hit songs including “Holiday,” “Billie Jean,” and “All Night Long” as pop music remained the dominant genre. Synth-pop, a new wave subgenre, grew in popularity as well, with hit songs like “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” and “Karma Chameleon” released by bands such as Duran Duran, Eurythmics, and Culture Club.
The year also saw the rise of rock bands such as The Police, U2, and Journey, whose songs “Every Breath You Take”, “New Year’s Day”, and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” were all hits.
In addition to pop, new wave, and rock, 1983 was a significant year for R&B music. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album was published and became one of the best-selling albums of all time, thanks to hits such as “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Other R&B artists, such as Prince, Patti Austin, and Peabo Bryson, had hit hits with “Little Red Corvette”, “Baby, Come to Me”, and “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again”. The year also saw the rise of rap music, with The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” becoming the first commercially successful rap single.
Overall, 1983 was a year of diverse popular music, with a variety of genres achieving great success.
1. FLASHDANCE… WHAT A FEELING by Irene Cara
2. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE by The Police
3. BEAT IT by Michael Jackson
4. DOWN UNDER by Men at Work
5. SHAME ON THE MOON by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
6. BILLIE JEAN by Michael Jackson
7. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART by Bonnie Tyler
8. BABY, COME TO ME by Patti Austin and James Ingram
9. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) by Eurythmics
10. MANIAC by Michael Sembello
11. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME by Culture Club
12. HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF by Duran Duran
13. LET’S DANCE by David Bowie
14. ELECTRIC AVENUE by Eddy Grant
15. SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY by Donna Summer
16. MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL by Air Supply
17. YOU AND I by Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
18. MANEATER by Daryl Hall & John Oates
19. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO by Sérgio Mendes
20. MR. ROBOTO by Styx
21. SEXUAL HEALING by Marvin Gaye
22. THE SAFETY DANCE by Men Without Hats
23. TELL HER ABOUT IT by Billy Joel
24. OVERKILL by Men at Work
25. COME ON EILEEN by Dexys Midnight Runners
26. AFRICA by Toto
27. JEOPARDY by The Greg Kihn Band
28. TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) by Culture Club
29. SEPARATE WAYS (WORLDS APART) by Journey
30. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE by Thomas Dolby
31. YOU ARE by Lionel Richie
32. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM by Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton
33. WE’VE GOT TONIGHT by Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
34. DIRTY LAUNDRY by Don Henley
35. THE GIRL IS MINE by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
36. DER KOMMISSAR by After the Fire
37. TRUE by Spandau Ballet
38. LITTLE RED CORVETTE by Prince
39. PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ by Taco
40. STRAY CAT STRUT by Stray Cats
41. STAND BACK by Stevie Nicks
42. ONE ON ONE by Daryl Hall & John Oates
43. BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG by The Pretenders
44. MICKEY by Toni Basil
45. KING OF PAIN by The Police
46. DON’T LET IT END by Styx
47. ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER by the Fixx
48. YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE by Phil Collins
49. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW? by Duran Duran
50. WANNA BE STARTIN’ SOMETHIN’ by Michael Jackson
51. ROCK THE CASBAH by The Clash
52. ALL NIGHT LONG (ALL NIGHT) by Lionel Richie
53. (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION by Human League
54. ALL RIGHT by Christopher Cross
55. THE OTHER GUY by Little River Band
56. AFFAIR OF THE HEART by Rick Springfield
57. GOODY TWO-SHOES by Adam Ant
58. TOO SHY by Kajagoogoo
59. SOLITAIRE by Laura Branigan
60. TWILIGHT ZONE by Golden Earring
61. GLORIA by Laura Branigan
62. IT’S A MISTAKE by Men at Work
63. (SHE’S) SEXY + 17 by Stray Cats
64. TELEFONE (LONG DISTANCE LOVE AFFAIR) by Sheena Easton
65. HEART TO HEART by Kenny Loggins
66. MY LOVE by Lionel Richie
67. FAMILY MAN by Daryl Hall & John Oates
68. COME DANCING by The Kinks
69. OUR HOUSE by Madness
70. DELIRIOUS by Prince
71. ALLENTOWN by Billy Joel
72. HUMAN NATURE by Michael Jackson
73. I’LL TUMBLE 4 YA by Culture Club
74. I WON’T HOLD YOU BACK by Toto
75. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME by Naked Eyes
76. STEPPIN’ OUT by Joe Jackson
77. PROMISES, PROMISES by Naked Eyes
78. DON’T CRY by Asia
79. HEARTBREAKER by Dionne Warwick
80. SAY SAY SAY by Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
81. SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER by the Motels
82. FAITHFULLY by Journey
83. I KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON by Frida
84. UPTOWN GIRL by Billy Joel
85. SHE’S A BEAUTY by The Tubes
86. I’M STILL STANDING by Elton John
87. TONIGHT, I CELEBRATE MY LOVE by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
88. HOT GIRLS IN LOVE by Loverboy
89. CHINA GIRL by David Bowie
90. FAR FROM OVER by Frank Stallone
91. LAWYERS IN LOVE by Jackson Browne
92. TRULY by Lionel Richie
93. PASS THE DUTCHIE by Musical Youth
94. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU by Laura Branigan
95. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE by Talking Heads
96. YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY by Sammy Hagar
97. ROCK THIS TOWN by Stray Cats
98. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART by Bryan Adams
99. 1999 by Prince
100. CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE by Quiet Riot