1985 was weird. In a good way, mostly. If you look at the billboard top 100 1985, you aren't just looking at a list of old songs; you're looking at the exact moment pop music decided to become a global superpower. It was the year of Live Aid, the year VH1 launched, and the year the "Miami Vice" aesthetic basically told everyone they needed more pastel linen in their lives.
Honestly, the chart that year felt like a fever dream. You had George Michael’s saxophone riff in "Careless Whisper" battling it out with Madonna’s wedding dress in "Like a Virgin." It was peak 80s. But there’s a lot more to the story than just big hair and synthesizers.
The Saxophone That Swallowed the World
Let’s talk about that number one spot. "Careless Whisper" by Wham! featuring George Michael took the crown for the year-end chart. It’s kinda funny because George was technically still in a duo, but this track screamed "I’m going solo and I'm going to be massive." It stayed at the top for three weeks in February, and honestly, that saxophone hook is probably still playing in a grocery store near you right now.
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Most people forget that the billboard top 100 1985 was actually a massive year for Wham! overall. They didn't just have the top song; they also had "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" at number three and "Everything She Wants" at twenty-five. They were everywhere. Then they went to China. They were the first Western pop group to do it, which sounds normal now, but back then? It was a huge geopolitical deal.
Madonna vs. The World
Then there’s Madonna. If 1984 was her introduction, 1985 was her coronation. She actually had the most weeks at number one for the year if you count all her hits. "Like a Virgin" spent six weeks at the top, though a chunk of that was at the tail end of '84, which is why "Careless Whisper" edged her out for the year-end title.
She had a crazy run:
- "Like a Virgin" (the anthem)
- "Crazy for You" (the slow dance favorite from Vision Quest)
- "Material Girl" (the one everyone still quotes)
- "Angel"
- "Dress You Up"
Basically, if you were a girl in 1985, you were probably wearing lace gloves and at least three rubber bracelets. It was mandatory.
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Why 1985 Was Different
What really strikes me about the billboard top 100 1985 is the sheer variety. We haven't really seen a year like it since. You had "We Are the World" by USA for Africa sitting at number 20 on the year-end list. Think about that. A charity single featuring every famous person on the planet managed to be one of the biggest commercial successes of the year while also raising millions for famine relief. It spent four weeks at number one. People actually bought physical copies of that single in droves.
It wasn't just pop. You had Dire Straits with "Money for Nothing" at number eight. That song is basically a six-minute critique of MTV, featuring Sting on backing vocals, and it still became a massive hit on... MTV. The irony wasn't lost on anyone.
Then you had the "Miami Vice" effect. Jan Hammer’s "Miami Vice Theme" hit number one in November. An instrumental track! When was the last time a wordless TV theme song topped the charts? It just doesn't happen anymore. Glenn Frey also cashed in on that show's popularity with "You Belong to the City" and "The Heat Is On."
The British Invasion (Again)
1985 felt like the UK was just showing off. Tears for Fears had a monster year with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout." Simple Minds gave us the definitive teen movie anthem with "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club. Phil Collins was... well, he was everywhere. Between his solo work ("One More Night," "Sussudio") and his duet with Marilyn Martin ("Separate Lives"), the man didn't sleep. He even played both the London and Philadelphia Live Aid sets on the same day by flying the Concorde.
The Surprises You Forgot
A lot of people think the billboard top 100 1985 is just a list of "Greatest Hits" CD tracks, but there are some weird anomalies if you dig deep.
- a-ha's "Take On Me": It reached number ten for the year. Everyone remembers the pencil-sketch video, but the song itself is a masterclass in synth-pop. It's the only time a Norwegian act has ever cracked the year-end top ten.
- The "Lover" Connection: Side-by-side at numbers 28 and 29 were Billy Ocean’s "Loverboy" and Teena Marie’s "Lovergirl." Pure coincidence? Maybe. But it’s a fun bit of chart trivia.
- Whitney's Arrival: Whitney Houston’s "Saving All My Love for You" landed at 23. It was her first number one, and it started a record-breaking streak of seven consecutive chart-toppers. We were witnessing the birth of a legend in real-time.
- The One-Hit Wonders: You’ve got Murray Head with "One Night in Bangkok." It’s a song about a chess tournament in Thailand from a musical written by the guys from ABBA. It reached number 54 for the year. 1985 was nothing if not eclectic.
The Sound of 1985
If you had to sum up the sound of the billboard top 100 1985, it’s the DX7 synthesizer. That clean, digital bell-like sound is all over these tracks. But there was also a return to "real" rock. Bryan Adams had a massive year with "Heaven" and "Summer of '69." Bruce Springsteen was still riding the Born in the U.S.A. wave with "Glory Days" and "I'm on Fire."
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It was a transition year. We were moving away from the gritty, post-punk early 80s into the polished, high-budget superstar era. Music videos weren't just a bonus anymore; they were the reason songs became hits. If you didn't have a concept video, you didn't exist.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you're looking to dive back into the billboard top 100 1985, don't just stick to the top ten. Here is how to actually experience the year:
- Listen to the "Miami Vice" Soundtrack: It's the perfect time capsule of the year’s production style.
- Watch the Live Aid Performances: Specifically Queen (obviously) and U2. It explains why these artists dominated the charts for the next decade.
- Check out the "B-Sides" of the Chart: Look for songs like "Voices Carry" by 'til Tuesday (Aimee Mann’s first band) at 68 or "Raspberry Beret" by Prince at 51. They have more staying power than some of the bigger ballads.
- Compare the US and UK Charts: You'll see that while the US was obsessed with Whitney and Phil Collins, the UK was falling in love with Jennifer Rush and Paul Hardcastle’s "19."
1985 wasn't just about the music. It was about the spectacle. It was the year pop culture became a truly unified global language. Whether you lived through it or you're just discovering it through "Stranger Things" or TikTok samples, the billboard top 100 1985 remains the gold standard for what a pop year should look like.
To get the full 1985 experience, curate a playlist that mixes the synth-pop of a-ha with the heartland rock of Springsteen and the pure pop perfection of Whitney Houston. You'll quickly see that the variety we have today owes a massive debt to the risks artists were taking forty years ago.