Timeline
| Year | Month | Song Title | Artist | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1981  |
September | Start Me Up | The Rolling Stones |
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| October | Our Lips Are Sealed | The Go-Go`s |
 Our Lips Are Sealed CD Source: A Century of Women in Music (1909-98)(5)Time: 2:44 Sequenced by: single Honored by:  |
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| Controversy | Prince |
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| Waiting for a Girl Like You | Foreigner |
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| November | Every Little Thing She Does is Magic | The Police |
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic CD Source: Every Breath You Take (1978-86+)Time: 4:21 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Let`s Groove | Earth, Wind & Fire |
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| December | Waiting on a Friend | The Rolling Stones |
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| Centerfold | The J. Geils Band |
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| 1982 | January | Shake It Up | The Cars |
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| February | That Girl | Stevie Wonder |
That Girl CD Source: At the Close of a Century (1963-96) (4)Time: 5:13 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Spirits in the Material World | The Police |
Spirits in the Material World CD Source: Every Breath You Take (1978-86+)Time: 2:59 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| I Love Rock `N Roll | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts |
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| Marie Marie | The Blasters |
Marie Marie CD Source: Testament: Complete Slash Recordings (81-85)(2)Time: 2:06 Sequenced by: The Blasters (debut) album Honored by: |
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| American Music | The Blasters |
American Music CD Source: Testament: Complete Slash Recordings (81-85)(2)Time: 2:08 Sequenced by: The Blasters (debut) album Honored by: |
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| March | Freeze-Frame | The J. Geils Band |
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| May | Don`t You Want Me | Human League |
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| Tainted Love | Soft Cell |
Tainted Love CD Source: Time: 2:40 Sequenced by: single Honored by: An early "electro pop" record, "Tainted Love" stayed on the Hot 100 for 43 weeks, tied for longest chart stay of the entire decade. The first recording of this song was by Gloria Jones, an obscure R&B B-side from 1965 that never charted. (It`s available on vol. 1 of the CD, "You Heard It Here First.")  |
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| June | Hurts So Good | John Cougar Mellencamp |
Hurts So Good CD Source: Greatest Hits (1978-2004) (2) (bonus DVD)Time: 3:38 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Someday, Someway | Marshall Crenshaw |
Someday, Someway CD Source: Marshall Crenshaw (debut) (deluxe ed.)Time: 2:49 Sequenced by: Marshall Crenshaw album Honored by: |
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| Cynical Girl | Marshall Crenshaw |
Cynical Girl CD Source: Marshall Crenshaw (debut) (deluxe ed.)Time: 2:37 Sequenced by: Marshall Crenshaw album Honored by: |
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| More Than This | Roxy Music |
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| July | The Hungry Wolf | X |
The Hungry Wolf CD Source: Best of: Make the Music Go Bang! (1978-93)(2)Time: 3:46 Sequenced by: Under the Black Sun album Honored by: |
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| Motel Room in My Bed | X |
Motel Room in My Bed CD Source: Best of: Make the Music Go Bang! (1978-93)(2)Time: 2:40 Sequenced by: Under the Black Sun album Honored by: |
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| Planet Rock | Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force |
Planet Rock CD Source: The Hip Hop Box (1979-2003) (4)Time: 6:22 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG "Planet Rock" incorporates riffs from Kraftwerk`s "Trans-Europe Express," released in summer 1978. The 6:22 length is the full 12" single version. |
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| Beyond Belief | Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
Beyond Belief CD Source: The Very Best of (1977-86)Time: 2:35 Sequenced by: Imperial Bedroom album Honored by: |
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| Man Out of Time | Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
Man Out of Time CD Source: The Very Best of (1977-86)Time: 5:28 Sequenced by: Imperial Bedroom album Honored by: |
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| August | Should I Stay or Should I Go | The Clash |
Should I Stay or Should I Go CD Source: On Broadway (1977-82) (3)Time: 3:08 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS |
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| The Message | Grandmaster Flash & Furious 5 |
The Message CD Source: The Hip Hop Box (1979-2003) (4)Time: 7:12 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG Arguably the most important hip-hop record and one of the greatest records ever made. "The Message" topped critics` list for 1982 and changed the possibilities for what hip-hop could be, raising the bar for everyone. It is still unsurpassed. The 7:12 length is for the 12" single. |
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| Jack and Diane | John Cougar Mellencamp |
Jack and Diane CD Source: Greatest Hits (1978-2004) (2) (bonus DVD)Time: 4:16 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Jump to It | Aretha Franklin |
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October | Atlantic City | Bruce Springsteen | |
| Johnny 99 | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Reason to Believe | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Rock This Town | Stray Cats |
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| The New Frontier | Donald Fagen |
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| November | Steppin` Out | Joe Jackson |
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| Shock the Monkey | Peter Gabriel |
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| Dirty Laundry | Don Henley |
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| 1999 | Prince |
1999 CD Source: Ultimate Prince (1979-1993) (2)Time: 3:36 Sequenced by: 1999 album Honored by: RS DM DG |
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| Sexual Healing | Marvin Gaye |
Sexual Healing CD Source: The Master 1961 - 1984 (1962-82) (4)Time: 3:58 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |
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| December | Man in Need | Richard & Linda Thompson |
Man in Need CD Source: Walking On A Wire (1968-2009) (4)Time: 3:36 Sequenced by: Shoot Out the Lights album Honored by: |
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| Shoot Out the Lights | Richard & Linda Thompson |
Shoot Out the Lights CD Source: Walking On A Wire (1968-2009) (4)Time: 5:24 Sequenced by: Shoot Out the Lights album Honored by: |
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| Wall of Death | Richard & Linda Thompson |
Wall of Death CD Source: Walking On A Wire (1968-2009) (4)Time: 3:46 Sequenced by: Shoot Out the Lights album Honored by: |
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| Rock The Casbah | The Clash |
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| 1983 | January | It`s Raining Men | The Weather Girls |
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| Billie Jean | Michael Jackson |
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| February | Looking for the Perfect Beat | Afrika Bambaataa |
Looking for the Perfect Beat CD Source: Classic Cuts (1982-98)Time: 4:30 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM |
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| Atomic Dog | George Clinton | |||
| Back on the Chain Gang | The Pretenders |
Back on the Chain Gang CD Source: Pirate Radio (1979-2005) (4) + DVDTime: 3:50 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM DG |
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| March | Beat It | Michael Jackson |
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| New Year`s Day | U2 |
New Year`s Day CD Source: The Best of 1980-1990/The B-sides (2)Time: 4:17 Sequenced by: War album Honored by: RS DG |
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| Sunday Bloody Sunday | U2 |
Sunday Bloody Sunday CD Source: The Best of 1980-1990/The B-sides (2)Time: 4:40 Sequenced by: War album Honored by: RS DG |
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| April | She Blinded Me With Science | Thomas Dolby |
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| Let`s Dance | David Bowie |
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| Little Red Corvette | Prince |
Little Red Corvette CD Source: The Hits/The B-Sides (1978-1993)(3)Time: 4:55 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |
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| May | Red Rose | The Blasters |
Red Rose CD Source: Testament: Complete Slash Recordings (81-85)(2)Time: 2:32 Sequenced by: Non Fiction album Honored by: |
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| Long White Cadillac | The Blasters |
Long White Cadillac CD Source: Testament: Complete Slash Recordings (81-85)(2)Time: 2:53 Sequenced by: Non Fiction album Honored by: |
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| June | Electric Avenue | Eddie Grant |
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| Radio Free Europe | R.E.M. | |||
| Talk About The Passion | R.E.M. | |||
| Sitting Still | R.E.M. | |||
| Every Breath You Take | The Police |
Every Breath You Take CD Source: Every Breath You Take (1978-86+)Time: 4:14 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |
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| Come Dancing | The Kinks |
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| Burning Down the House | Talking Heads |
Burning Down the House CD Source: Once in a Lifetime (76-92)(3)(+DVD of videos)Time: 4:01 Sequenced by: Speaking in Tongues album Honored by: DG |
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| Slippery People | Talking Heads |
Slippery People CD Source: Once in a Lifetime (76-92)(3)(+DVD of videos)Time: 5:05 Sequenced by: Speaking in Tongues album Honored by: |
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| Wrapped Around Your Finger | The Police |
Wrapped Around Your Finger CD Source: Every Breath You Take (1978-86+)Time: 5:14 Sequenced by: Synchronicity album Honored by: |
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| July | It`s Like That | Run-D.M.C. |
It`s Like That CD Source: Greatest Hits (1983-93)Time: 4:49 Sequenced by: single (R&B chart) Honored by: DM A-side of Sucker M.C.`s (Krush Groove 1) |
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| Sucker M.C.`s (Krush Groove 1) | Run-D.M.C. |
Sucker M.C.`s (Krush Groove 1) CD Source: The Hip Hop Box (1979-2003) (4)Time: 3:09 Sequenced by: single (R&B chart) Honored by: B-side of It`s Like That |
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| She Works Hard For The Money | Donna Summer |
She Works Hard For The Money CD Source: A Century of Women in Music (1909-98)(5)Time: 4:10 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) | The Eurythmics |
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) CD Source: Ultimate Collection (1983-2005)Time: 4:50 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |
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| August | Everyday I Write the Book | Elvis Costello & The Attractions |
Everyday I Write the Book CD Source: The Very Best of (1977-86)Time: 3:53 Sequenced by: Punch The Clock album Honored by: |
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September | (She`s) Sexy + 17 | Stray Cats |
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| Delerious | Prince |
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| Modern Love | David Bowie |
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| Breathless | X |
Breathless CD Source: Best of: Make the Music Go Bang! (1978-93)(2)Time: 2:18 Sequenced by: More Fun In The New World album Honored by: |
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| October | White Lines (Don`t Do It) | Grandmaster & Melle Mel |
White Lines (Don`t Do It) CD Source: Best of (1979-85)Time: 4:29 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM Four versions of "White Lines (Don`t Do It)" were released at the time. The 4:29 length is for the 7" single. |
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| In A Big Country | Big Country |
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| November | Let`s Say Goodnight | Los Lobos |
Let`s Say Goodnight CD Source: Mas y Mas (+1983-99) (4)Time: 2:33 Sequenced by: And A Time To Dance EP Honored by: |
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| Why Do You Do | Los Lobos |
Why Do You Do CD Source: Mas y Mas (+1983-99) (4)Time: 2:39 Sequenced by: And A Time To Dance EP Honored by: |
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| Jokerman | Bob Dylan | |||
| December | Undercover of the Night | The Rolling Stones |
Undercover of the Night CD Source: Forty Licks (1964-2002) (2)Time: 4:12 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Holiday | Madonna |
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| 1984 | January | Pink Houses | John Cougar Mellencamp |
Pink Houses CD Source: Greatest Hits (1978-2004) (2) (bonus DVD)Time: 4:43 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |
| Middle of the Road | The Pretenders |
Middle of the Road CD Source: Pirate Radio (1979-2005) (4) + DVDTime: 4:12 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM |
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| Jump | Van Halen |
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| Let The Music Play | Shannon |
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| February | Girls Just Want to Have Fun | Cyndi Lauper |
Girls Just Want to Have Fun CD Source: She`s So UnusualTime: 3:55 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM DG |
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| Thriller (single edit) | Michael Jackson |
Thriller (single edit) CD Source: The Essential (1969-91+) (2)Time: 5:12 Sequenced by: single Honored by: Single edit omits the opening rap by Vincent Price |
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| I Want A New Drug | Huey Lewis and The News |
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| Here Comes The Rain Again | The Eurythmics |
Here Comes The Rain Again CD Source: Ultimate Collection (1983-2005)Time: 4:50 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| March | Show Me | The Pretenders |
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| Authority Song | John Cougar Mellencamp |
Authority Song CD Source: Greatest Hits (1978-2004) (2) (bonus DVD)Time: 3:48 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| The Longest Time | Billy Joel |
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| April | You Might Think | The Cars |
You Might Think CD Source: Complete Greatest Hits (1978-85+)Time: 3:04 Sequenced by: single Honored by: |
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| Time After Time | Cyndi Lauper |
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| May | Rock Box | Run-D.M.C. |
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| Borderline | Madonna |
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| The Heart of Rock & Roll | Huey Lewis and The News |
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| June | Dancing in the Dark | Bruce Springsteen |
Dancing in the Dark CD Source: The Essential (1972-2002) (bonus CD) (3)Time: 4:01 Sequenced by: single Honored by: DM DG |
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| When Doves Cry | Prince |
When Doves Cry CD Source: Ultimate Prince (1979-1993) (2)Time: 3:49 Sequenced by: single Honored by: RS DM DG |