Top Hits
1976 to 1986
Baby
Boomer's "Early Adulthood Era"
- Return to Top Hits
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The following page contains hit songs from 1976-1986. Not all
hit songs are included, since if every song that made either the
top 10 or 40, these lists would be too large.
Unlike the time period lists of '55-'75, virtually No
songs from '76-86 are in the alltime Top 500 Oldies lists
compiled by "Oldie" radio Stations. So I have relied
by relative chart position and my own personal bias.
The top 20+ performers for this period as measured by the amount
of hits on this list are as follows. This period is dominated
by many "individual" performers:
- Donna Summer, Foreigner, Madonna - 6
Hits
- Air Supply, Bee Gees, Billy Joel, Hall and Oates, Kenny
Rogers, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Steve Miller Band - 5 Hits
- Billy Ocean, Blondie, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet
Band, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Earth Wind and Fire, Heart,
Men At Work, Phil Collins, Queen, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston
- 4 Hits
For Each year, a table of hits is shown that shows the:
- Song Title
- Name of Performer/Group
- Peak USA Chart Position
- Year of Peak Chart Position
Click on the Year or Scroll
Down to Year
1976
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Dancing Queen |
Abba |
1 |
1976 |
| You Should Be Dancing |
Bee Gees |
1 |
1976 |
| If You Leave Me Now |
Chicago |
1 |
1976 |
| Love Hangover |
Diana Ross |
1 |
1976 |
| Ne Kid In Town |
Eagles |
1 |
1976 |
| Island Girl |
Elton John |
1 |
1976 |
| Don't Go Breaking My Heart |
Elton John and Kiki Dee |
1 |
1976 |
| December 1963 (Oh What A Night) |
Four Seasons |
1 |
1976 |
| Kiss and Say Goodbye |
Manhattans |
1 |
1976 |
| Love Rollercoaster |
Ohio Players |
1 |
1976 |
| Silly Love Songs |
Paul McCartney and Wings |
1 |
1976 |
| 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover |
Paul Simon |
1 |
1976 |
| Tonight's The Night |
Rod Stewart |
1 |
1976 |
| Rock'n Me |
Steve Miller Band |
1 |
1976 |
| Boogie Fever |
Sylvers |
1 |
1976 |
| Play That Funky Music |
Wild Cherry |
1 |
1976 |
| Love To Love You Baby |
Donna Summer |
2 |
1976 |
| I'd Really Love To See You Tonight |
England Dan & John Ford Coley |
2 |
1976 |
| Dream Weaver |
Gary Wright |
2 |
1976 |
| Love Is Alive |
Gary Wright |
2 |
1976 |
| Rubberband Man |
Spinners |
2 |
1976 |
| Lowdown |
Bozz Scaggs |
3 |
1976 |
| Fooled Around and Fell in Love |
Elvin Bishop |
3 |
1976 |
| You Sexy Thing |
Hot Chocolate |
3 |
1976 |
| Take It to the Limit |
Eagles |
4 |
1976 |
| Sara Smile |
Hall and Oates |
4 |
1976 |
| More Than A Feeling |
Boston |
5 |
1976 |
| Sing A Song |
Earth Wind and Fire |
5 |
1976 |
| If You Could Read My Mind |
Gordon Lightfoot |
5 |
1976 |
| Still the One |
Orleans |
5 |
1976 |
| Get Closer |
Seals and Crofts |
6 |
1976 |
| Summer |
War |
7 |
1976 |
| Magic Man |
Heart |
9 |
1976 |
| Bohemian Rhapsody |
Queen |
9 |
1976 |
| Rhiannon |
Fleetwood Mac |
11 |
1976 |
| That'll be the Day |
Linda Ronstadt |
11 |
1976 |
| (Don't Fear) The Reaper |
Blue Oyster Cult |
12 |
1976 |
| Squeeze Box |
Who |
16 |
1976 |
Return to Top
1977
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| I Just Want To Be Your Everything |
Andy Gibb |
1 |
1977 |
| How Deep is Your Love |
Bee Gees |
1 |
1977 |
| Night Fever |
Bee Gees |
1 |
1977 |
| Stayin' Alive |
Bee Gees |
1 |
1977 |
| You Light Up My Life |
Debby Boone |
1 |
1977 |
| Hotel California |
Eagles |
1 |
1977 |
| Dreams |
Fleetwood Mac |
1 |
1977 |
| Southern Nights |
Glen Campbell |
1 |
1977 |
| Rich Girl |
Hall and Oates |
1 |
1977 |
| I'm Your Boogie Man |
KC/Sunshine Band |
1 |
1977 |
| When I Need You |
Leo Sayer |
1 |
1977 |
| You Make Me Feel Like Dancing |
Leo Sayer |
1 |
1977 |
| Blinded By The Light |
Manfred Mann |
1 |
1977 |
| I Wish |
Stevie Wonder |
1 |
1977 |
| Sir Duke |
Stevie Wonder |
1 |
1977 |
| Nobody Does It Better |
Carly Simon |
2 |
1977 |
| Boogie Nights |
Heatwave |
2 |
1977 |
| Higher and Higher |
Rita Coolidge |
2 |
1977 |
| Fly Like An Eagle |
Steve Miller Band |
2 |
1977 |
| Fly Like An Eagle |
Steve Miller Band |
2 |
1977 |
| Couldn't Get It Right |
Climax Blues Band |
3 |
1977 |
| Blue Bayou |
Linda Ronstadt |
3 |
1977 |
| Night Moves |
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band |
4 |
1977 |
| Feels Like The First Time |
Foreigner |
4 |
1977 |
| Things We Do For Love |
10cc |
5 |
1977 |
| Lucille |
Kenny Rogers |
5 |
1977 |
| I Feel Love |
Donna Summer |
6 |
1977 |
| Cold As Ice |
Foreigner |
6 |
1977 |
| Watcha Gonna Do? |
Pablo Cruise |
6 |
1977 |
| Telephone Line |
ELO |
7 |
1977 |
| Year Of The Cat |
Al Stewart |
8 |
1977 |
| Margaritaville |
Jimmy Buffet |
8 |
1977 |
| Smoke From a Distant Fire |
Sanford/Townsend Band |
9 |
1977 |
| Maybe I'm Amazed |
Paul McCartney |
10 |
1977 |
Return to Top
1978
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Shawdow Dancing |
Andy Gibb |
1 |
1978 |
| Thicker Than Water |
Andy Gibb |
1 |
1978 |
| Too Much Heaven |
Bee Gees |
1 |
1978 |
| Three Times a Lady |
Commodores |
1 |
1978 |
| You Don't Bring Me Flowers |
Neil Diamond / Streisand |
1 |
1978 |
| Your The One That I Want |
Olivia-Newton John |
1 |
1978 |
| With A Little Luck |
Paul McCartney and Wings |
1 |
1978 |
| Baby Come Back |
Player |
1 |
1978 |
| Closer I Get To You |
Roberta Flack |
1 |
1978 |
| Miss You |
Rolling Stones |
1 |
1978 |
| If I Can't Have You |
Yvonne Elliman |
1 |
1978 |
| Double Vision |
Foreigner |
2 |
1978 |
| Baker Street |
Gerry Rafferty |
2 |
1978 |
| How Much I Feel |
Ambrosia |
3 |
1978 |
| Just The Way You Are |
Billy Joel |
3 |
1978 |
| It's A Heartache |
Bonnie Tyler |
3 |
1978 |
| Last Dance |
Donna Summer |
3 |
1978 |
| Lay Down Sally |
Eric Clapton |
3 |
1978 |
| Hot Blooded |
Foreigner |
3 |
1978 |
| Still the Same |
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band |
4 |
1978 |
| Don't Look Back |
Boston |
4 |
1978 |
| We Are The Champions |
Queen |
4 |
1978 |
| I Love the Night Life |
Alicia Bridges |
5 |
1978 |
| Dust In The Wind |
Kansas |
6 |
1978 |
| Love Will Find A Way |
Pablo Cruise |
6 |
1978 |
| Count On Me |
Jefferson Starship |
8 |
1978 |
| Got To Get ou Into My Life |
Earth Wind and Fire |
9 |
1978 |
| Disco Inferno |
Tramps |
11 |
1978 |
| Who Are You |
Who |
14 |
1978 |
| King Tut (N) |
Steve Martin |
17 |
1978 |
| Macho Man |
Village People |
25 |
1978 |
| Forever Autumn |
Justin Hayward |
47 |
1978 |
Return to Top
1979
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Heart of Glass |
Blondie |
1 |
1979 |
| Do That To Me One More Time |
Captain & Tennille |
1 |
1979 |
| Still |
Commodores |
1 |
1979 |
| Bad Girls |
Donna Summer |
1 |
1979 |
| Hot Stuff |
Donna Summer |
1 |
1979 |
| MacAruthur Park |
Donna Summer |
1 |
1979 |
| What A Fool Believes |
Doobie Brothers |
1 |
1979 |
| Heartache Tonight |
Eagles |
1 |
1979 |
| My Sharona |
Knack |
1 |
1979 |
| Don't Stop Until You Get Enough |
Michael Jackson |
1 |
1979 |
| Reunited |
Peaches & Herb |
1 |
1979 |
| Sad Eyes |
Robert John |
1 |
1979 |
| Da Ya Think I'm Sexy |
Rod Stewart |
1 |
1979 |
| Escape (The Pina Colada Song) |
Rupert Holmes |
1 |
1979 |
| Babe |
Styx |
1 |
1979 |
| Longer |
Dan Fogelberg |
2 |
1979 |
| After The Love Has Gone |
Earth Wind and Fire |
2 |
1979 |
| Fire |
Pointer Sisters |
2 |
1979 |
| We Are Family |
Sister Sledge |
2 |
1979 |
| Y.M.C.A. |
Village People |
2 |
1979 |
| My Life |
Billy Joel |
3 |
1979 |
| Devil Wnet Down To Georgia |
Charlie Daniels Band |
3 |
1979 |
| In The Navy |
Village People |
3 |
1979 |
| Sultans of Swing |
Dire Straits |
4 |
1979 |
| Don't Bring Me Down |
ELO |
4 |
1979 |
| She Believes In Me |
Kenny Rogers |
5 |
1979 |
| Hold The Line |
Toto |
5 |
1979 |
| Gambler |
Kenny Rogers |
16 |
1979 |
| Old Time Rock 'N Roll |
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band |
48 |
1979 |
Return to Top
1980
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| It's Still Rock and Roll To Me |
Billy Joel |
1 |
1980 |
| Call Me |
Blondie |
1 |
1980 |
| Tide Is High |
Blondie |
1 |
1980 |
| Sailing |
Christopher Cross |
1 |
1980 |
| Upside Down |
Diana Ross |
1 |
1980 |
| Please Don't Go |
KC/Sunshine Band |
1 |
1980 |
| Lady |
Kenny Rogers |
1 |
1980 |
| Rock With You |
Michael Jackson |
1 |
1980 |
| Magic |
Olivia-Newton John |
1 |
1980 |
| Another Brick In The Wall |
Pink Floyd |
1 |
1980 |
| Another One Bits The Dust |
Queen |
1 |
1980 |
| Crazy Little Thing Called Love |
Queen |
1 |
1980 |
| All Out of Love |
Air Supply |
2 |
1980 |
| Ride Like The Wind |
Christopher Cross |
2 |
1980 |
| More Than I Can Say |
Leo Sayer |
2 |
1980 |
| Love On The Rocks |
Neil Diamond |
2 |
1980 |
| Working My Way Back To You |
Spinners |
2 |
1980 |
| Lost In Love |
Air Supply |
3 |
1980 |
| Biggest Part of Me |
Ambrosia |
3 |
1980 |
| Rose |
Bette Midler |
3 |
1980 |
| Coward Of The County |
Kenny Rogers |
3 |
1980 |
| Hungry Heart |
Bruce Springsteen |
5 |
1980 |
| Drivin' My Life Away |
Eddie Rabbitt |
5 |
1980 |
| Fire Lake |
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band |
6 |
1980 |
| Xanadu |
ELO/Olivia Newton-John |
8 |
1980 |
| Tell It Like It Is |
Heart |
8 |
1980 |
| Same Old Lang Syne |
Dan Fogelberg |
9 |
1980 |
| Cars |
Gary Numan |
9 |
1980 |
| Hit Me With Your Best Shot |
Pat Benetar |
9 |
1980 |
| Let Me Love You Tonight |
Pure Prairie League |
10 |
1980 |
Return to Top
1981
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| One That You Love |
Air Supply |
1 |
1981 |
| Rapture |
Blondie |
1 |
1981 |
| Arthur's Theme |
Christopher Cross |
1 |
1981 |
| Endless Love |
Diana Ross/Lionel Richie |
1 |
1981 |
| 9 To 5 |
Dolly Parton |
1 |
1981 |
| I Love A Rainy Night |
Eddie Rabbitt |
1 |
1981 |
| Kiss On My List |
Hall and Oates |
1 |
1981 |
| Private Eyes |
Hall and Oates |
1 |
1981 |
| Bette Davis Eyes |
Kim Carnes |
1 |
1981 |
| Celebration |
Kool & The Gang |
1 |
1981 |
| Endless Love |
Lionel Richie/Diana Ross |
1 |
1981 |
| Physical |
Olivia-Newton John |
1 |
1981 |
| Keep On Loving You |
REO Speedwagon |
1 |
1981 |
| Jessie's Girl |
Rick Springfield |
1 |
1981 |
| Queen Of Hearts |
Juice Newton |
2 |
1981 |
| Slow Hand |
Pointer Sisters |
2 |
1981 |
| Start Me Up |
Rolling Stones |
2 |
1981 |
| Let's Groove |
Earth Wind and Fire |
3 |
1981 |
| Stop Draggin' My Heart Around |
Tom Petty / Heartbreakers |
3 |
1981 |
| Shake It Up |
Cars |
4 |
1981 |
| Urgent |
Foreigner |
4 |
1981 |
| Angel Of The Morning |
Juice Newton |
4 |
1981 |
| Crying |
Don Mclean |
5 |
1981 |
| Elvira |
Oak Ridge Boys |
5 |
1981 |
| America |
Neil Diamond |
8 |
1981 |
| Shaddap You Face (N) |
Joe Dolce |
53 |
1981 |
Return to Top
1982
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Maneater |
Hall and Oates |
1 |
1982 |
| Don't You Want Me |
Human League |
1 |
1982 |
| Centerfold |
J. Geils Band |
1 |
1982 |
| Jack & Diane |
John Cougar Mellancamp |
1 |
1982 |
| Truly |
Lionel Richie |
1 |
1982 |
| Who Can It Be Now? |
Men At Work |
1 |
1982 |
| Ebony and Ivory |
Paul McCartney and Wings |
1 |
1982 |
| Abracadabra |
Steve Miller Band |
1 |
1982 |
| Eye Of The Tiger |
Survivor |
1 |
1982 |
| Do You Really Want To Hurt Me |
Culture Club |
2 |
1982 |
| We Got The Beat |
Go-Go's |
2 |
1982 |
| Hurts So Good |
John Cougar Mellancamp |
2 |
1982 |
| Gloria |
Laura Branigan |
2 |
1982 |
| Girl Is Mine |
Michael Jackson/McCartney |
2 |
1982 |
| Don't Talk To Strangers |
Rick Springfield |
2 |
1982 |
| Rosanna |
Toto |
2 |
1982 |
| Eye In The Sky |
Alan Parsons Project |
3 |
1982 |
| Hungry Like The Wolf |
Duran Duran |
3 |
1982 |
| Even The Nights Are Better |
Air Supply |
5 |
1982 |
| Do You Believe In Love |
Huey Lewis & The News |
7 |
1982 |
| Only the Lonely |
Motels |
9 |
1982 |
Return to Top
1983
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Tell Her About It |
Billy Joel |
1 |
1983 |
| Total Eclipse Of The Heart |
Bonnie Tyler |
1 |
1983 |
| Let's Dance |
David Bowie |
1 |
1983 |
| Islands In The Stream |
Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers |
1 |
1983 |
| Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) |
Eurythmics |
1 |
1983 |
| Flashdance € What A Feeling |
Irene Cara |
1 |
1983 |
| All Night Long |
Lionel Richie |
1 |
1983 |
| Down Under |
Men At Work |
1 |
1983 |
| Beat It |
Michael Jackson |
1 |
1983 |
| Billie Jean |
Michael Jackson |
1 |
1983 |
| Say Say Say |
Michael Jackson/McCartney |
1 |
1983 |
| Maniac |
Michael Sembello |
1 |
1983 |
| Every Breath You Take |
Police |
1 |
1983 |
| Africa |
Toto |
1 |
1983 |
| Making Love Out of Nothing At All |
Air Supply |
2 |
1983 |
| Time |
Culture Club |
2 |
1983 |
| Uptown Gril |
Billy Joel |
3 |
1983 |
| Overkill |
Men At Work |
3 |
1983 |
| King Of Pain |
Police |
3 |
1983 |
| True |
Spandau Ballet |
4 |
1983 |
| Back On The Chain Gang |
Pretenders |
5 |
1983 |
| It's A Mistake |
Men At Work |
6 |
1983 |
| Suddenly Last Summer |
Motels |
9 |
1983 |
| Burning Down The House |
Talking Heads |
9 |
1983 |
| China Girl |
David Bowie |
10 |
1983 |
Return to Top
1984
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Carribbean Queen |
Billy Ocean |
1 |
1984 |
| Karma Chameleon |
Culture Club |
1 |
1984 |
| Time After Time |
Cyndi Lauper |
1 |
1984 |
| Reflex |
Duran Duran |
1 |
1984 |
| I Want To Know What Love Is |
Foreigner |
1 |
1984 |
| Hello |
Lionel Richie |
1 |
1984 |
| Like A Virgin |
Madonna |
1 |
1984 |
| Against All Odds |
Phil Collins |
1 |
1984 |
| I Just Called To Say I Love You |
Stevie Wonder |
1 |
1984 |
| Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go |
Wham! |
1 |
1984 |
| Owner Of A Lonely Heart |
Yes |
1 |
1984 |
| Dancing In The Dark |
Bruce Springsteen |
2 |
1984 |
| Girls Just Want To Have Fun |
Cyndi Lauper |
2 |
1984 |
| Heat Is On |
Glenn Frey |
2 |
1984 |
| Drive |
Cars |
3 |
1984 |
| Hold Me Now |
Thompson Twins |
3 |
1984 |
| Thriller |
Michael Jackson |
4 |
1984 |
| On the Dark Side |
John Cafferty/Beaver Brown Band |
7 |
1984 |
Return to Top
1985
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Money For Nothing |
Dire Straits |
1 |
1985 |
| A View To A Kill |
Duran Duran |
1 |
1985 |
| Power Of Love |
Huey Lewis & The News |
1 |
1985 |
| Say You, Say You |
Lionel Richie |
1 |
1985 |
| Crazy For You |
Madonna |
1 |
1985 |
| Broken Wings |
Mr. Mister |
1 |
1985 |
| One More Night |
Phil Collins |
1 |
1985 |
| Separate Lives |
Phil Collins |
1 |
1985 |
| Sussudio |
Phil Collins |
1 |
1985 |
| Can't Fight This Feeling |
REO Speedwagon |
1 |
1985 |
| We Built This City |
Starship |
1 |
1985 |
| Part-Time Lover |
Stevie Wonder |
1 |
1985 |
| Everybody Wants To Rule The World |
Tears For Fears |
1 |
1985 |
| Shout |
Tears For Fears |
1 |
1985 |
| Careless Whisper |
Wham! |
1 |
1985 |
| Everything She Wants |
Wham! |
1 |
1985 |
| Saving All My Love For You |
Whitney Houston |
1 |
1985 |
| Loverboy |
Billy Ocean |
2 |
1985 |
| You Belong To The City |
Glenn Frey |
2 |
1985 |
| Dancing On The Ceiling |
Lionel Richie |
2 |
1985 |
| Material Girl |
Madonna |
2 |
1985 |
| Head Over Heals |
Tears For Fears |
3 |
1985 |
| You Give Good Love |
Whitney Houston |
3 |
1985 |
| Never |
Heart |
4 |
1985 |
| Smooth Operator |
Sada |
5 |
1985 |
| Lay Your Hands On Me |
Thompson Twins |
6 |
1985 |
| Life In a Northern Town |
Dream Academy |
7 |
1985 |
| Born In The U.S.A. |
Bruce Springsteen |
9 |
1985 |
Return to Top
1986
| Song
Title |
Performer(s) |
Peak |
Yr |
| Take My Breath Away |
Berlin |
1 |
1986 |
| There'll Be Sad Songs |
Billy Ocean |
1 |
1986 |
| Amanda |
Boston |
1 |
1986 |
| True Colors |
Cyndi Lauper |
1 |
1986 |
| Invisible Touch |
Genesis |
1 |
1986 |
| These Dreams |
Heart |
1 |
1986 |
| Stuck With You |
Huey Lewis & The News |
1 |
1986 |
| Human |
Human League |
1 |
1986 |
| Live To Tell |
Madonna |
1 |
1986 |
| Open Your Heart |
Madonna |
1 |
1986 |
| Papa Don't Preach |
Madonna |
1 |
1986 |
| Kyrie |
Mr. Mister |
1 |
1986 |
| West End Girls |
Pet Shop Boys |
1 |
1986 |
| Sara |
Starship |
1 |
1986 |
| Higher Love |
Steve Winwood |
1 |
1986 |
| Greatest Love Of All |
Whitney Houston |
1 |
1986 |
| How Will I Know |
Whitney Houston |
1 |
1986 |
| When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough .. |
Billy Ocean |
2 |
1986 |
| R.O.C.K. In The USA |
John Cougar Mellancamp |
2 |
1986 |
| Mad About You |
Belinda Carlisle |
3 |
1986 |
| Sweetest Taboo |
Sada |
5 |
1986 |
| My Hometown |
Bruce Springsteen |
6 |
1986 |
| Somthing About You |
Level 42 |
7 |
1986 |
| King For A Day |
Thompson Twins |
8 |
1986 |
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