I've decided to make a biggest hits of the 80's list similar to the one I made for the 2010's, although the key difference here is that I'll be including entries that reflect what was popular on the ARIA charts, although I'll only make a mention for which entries are the ARIA entries as I feel their placement on this list will speak for themselves rather than me delivering redundant commentary that will highlight how well/poorly they did compared to the AMR charts.
This was the second single to come from Be yourself tonight here in Australia, and one that was a success likely due to how well it did in their native UK where it remains their biggest hit in their catalogue. I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of this track from them, I prefer their less opulent songs overall and the video admittedly was always strange for me to watch.
#46 for 1985
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#55 for 1989
Tone Loc is nowadays known for his many voiceover roles in kids cartoons due to his deep voice lending credence to characters with mystic or coolness, however he began his career as a rapper who scored two massive hits worldwide beginning with this being the second big hit he was able to score and by far the bigger of the two in Australia. I'm guessing it was due to a lack of nostalgia baiting on this track.
#55 for 1989
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#56 for 1989
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#57 for 1989
This was one of only two hits that ABC scored in Australia, the other still being to come on this list meaning that their popularity down under was limited to this year. Admittedly their popularity in their native UK was also quite limited as they were much bigger in America throughout the decade, I'm guessing because they confused them with Devo as I certainly did when I was younger.
#46 for 1982
This was originally released in Glenn's native Hawaii following his victory in a singing competition which he won with this cover of a George Benson track from earlier in the decade. Somehow this managed to become a surprise hit over in the UK which allowed it to crossover to Australia, I'm guessing due to how romantic people felt he sounded throughout its runtime.
#53 for 1988 #54 ARIA
This was originally released in 1982 to deafening silence for the Belle stars, likely because we didn't need yet another update of the calypso track from the 50's by the early 80's and that the Belle stars already had success with their hit "The clapping song" here in Australia and "Sign of the times" in their native UK. The girls had broken up by the time their cover had appeared in the Oscar winning film Rain man, so the video was reedited to have scenes from the film spliced in with the original clip.
#56 for 1989
This was the biggest hit that Cold Chisel managed to achieve in their career, although it's worth noting that they were more successful with their albums during their initial run than their singles hence why they never had that huge chart topper here in Australia. They almost did in NZ with this track, likely because this was the lead single to their album Circus animals whereas it was the second single here.
#47 for 1982
Well, this song had a very lengthy delay to its release outside of the band's native UK, it had been six months since it topped the UK charts before it touched the Australian or NZ charts. I'm guessing the band wanted their album to be a huge success in both countries which to be fair it was, however, this tale about how Phil Oakey made a star out of Joanne Catherall wasn't as big a hit here as it likely should've been.
#48 for 1982
Following the demise of his band, Stuart Goddard AKA Adam Ant launched his solo career which was off to a good start with this track about how he felt like he had been a goody two shoes up until this point in his career. Although this promised him massive success throughout the rest of the decade, it never came for him even in his native UK as he never had another hit after this.
#49 for 1982
This was the only hit single that Chaka Khan managed to achieve in Australia, even so we have the assistance of Prince (who wrote the song for her) as well as Grandmaster Melle providing a guest verse during a time where that was unheard of helping her score success here. This was a huge success in the UK, likely due to how well she did over there during her time with her band Rufus.
#50 for 1984
#47 for 1985
This was a song whose success was very late in Australia, namely because it was already a huge chart topper in NZ six months prior to when this finally caught on here for the Dutch group Time bandits. Although we were late to catch onto their music, we made up for that by giving them a second hit with "Endless road" which became as such due to the band filming the video here while they were on tour.
#51 for 1984
#48 for 1985
Their earlier entry might have been what got them their well-deserved buzz in America, however it was this song about how much they wanted to holiday in Barbados that gave them a huge hit here in Australia before their earlier entry became twice as big here. The video is very clever as it depicts them as going AWOL from the Vietnam war in order to holiday in the Caribbean, although it does have a shocking ending to it.
#49 for 1985
This was the biggest hit that Wang Chung had in their career, likely due to the seizure inducing music video which likely made a bunch of people epileptics whenever it was shown on TV. I find it weird this wasn't their debut single or even their first hit considering this feels like an introduction to the band, although this could be another reason why it was their biggest hit given the potential of a TV show.
#52 for 1987
Although this wasn't her debut single (that honour goes to "Similar features" which sadly flopped) this was the song which made Melissa Etheridge a household name due to a persistent rumour that the song was directed at another woman due to details made in the lyrics. Indeed, Melissa confirmed that it was directed at a woman when she came out as gay in 1992 around the time KD Lang also came out of the closet.
#54 for 1988
#57 for 1989
This was one of two hits that Midge Ure scored throughout the world this year, the other being with his other band Ultravox which wasn't as big a hit as this was (though stay tuned for it later on this list.) This was his more Avant Garde hit of the two likely due to him wanting to cash in off the success that Kate Bush and Lene Lovich had with their material from around this time.
#54 for 1981
It looks like the trio were able to prove their haters wrong by succeeding with flying colours around the world this year, here's the second single from their debut album which may not have been as memorable as their earlier entry but was able to help their album become one of the most popular of the late 80's. They still have one more entry to come on this list, however that would be their last hit down under.
#55 for 1988
This was the second single from John's latest album at the time, it continued his winning streak with his adult contemporary sound with its lyrics about how his love with his partner at the time was that of a honey to the bee (hence the album art.) There didn't seem to be any signs of his career slowing down at the time.
#56 for 1988
This was the final hit single that Madonna scored in the 80's, mainly because "Oh father" flopped which was her first song to do so since "Lucky star" back in 1984. This is one of her sweeter ballads as she pledges her love to the person this song is dedicated to (which is apparently a Mer person according to the video) and as such it remains one of her most popular tracks from the 80's in her fanbase.
#58 for 1989
In most parts of the world, this was the third single to be released from Colour by numbers as it displays a more sombre side of the band as opposed to their more upbeat tracks about racial harmony. In America, this was never released as a single as they skipped over this in favour of "It's a miracle" likely due to them being seen strictly as a fun band over there.
#52 for 1984
This was Laura Branigan's biggest hit throughout Europe, likely due to it being a cover of a popular hit over there by a pop artist by the name of RAF. Here in Australia, it was her third biggest hit due to the themes of her losing control over a partner she's with, similar to how Christine Daae loses her self-control whenever she's around the Phantom of the opera which this video pays homage to two years before the stage show premiered.
#53 for 1984
My introduction to this ballad was with the remix from the late 90's by UK group Dario G which ruined the emotions of this track enough for me to not like it at first, of course I was eventually won over by the beauty of the track which no doubt tugged at the heartstrings of audience from back in the day. This was the band's only success even in their native UK likely due to how different it was from everything else.
#50 for 1985
This was the other big hit that FYC had throughout the world this year, although it was curiously a flop in their native UK despite it being their second Billboard chart topper. This and several of the tracks on the album was recorded two years prior, which means there was possibly behind the scenes drama which led to them calling it quits the following year despite how well their album did.
#59 for 1989
There were a lot of hits this decade about young couples falling in love weren't there? Here we have John Cougar score arguably the biggest hit with this troupe (at least in his native America) likely due to this being a heartwarming tale about how the couple made it in the end with little hassle. "Young Turks" from earlier was likely the song which started this trend which lasted all throughout the 80's.
#50 for 1982
It's strange to think that this was the biggest hit from the Reels and not one of their fan favourites like "Quasimodo's dream," then again, I guess we Aussies would've been nostalgic for the Herb Alpert classic they covered which would explain why it was a huge success for them right when MTV launched.
#51 for 1982
#54 for 1983
This was the only hit that Michael Sembello was able to score throughout his career, to think this was originally written as a horror song before he had to rework it as a theme to Flashdance. I guess he didn't do much to the song as the lyrics do seem to describe a serial killer more than a dancer working at a seedy night club, although I'm guessing that's why it's endured over the years like the film itself.
#55 for 1983
This was the only hit that Matthew Wilder was able to score worldwide, likely due to his strange vocals working for this one song as it's about the weird thoughts he has whenever he's singing about this woman he's with. The song was a massive success at the time, although in Australia it's been overshadowed by a cover from Unique II who flips the genders of the track and gives better vocals.
#54 for 1984
Here we have the debut single from an indie singer by the name of Madonna, the name seems vaguely familiar to me and the song in question has been considered a classic of the 80's thanks to her passionate vocals about wanting a holiday during the height of the Regan and Thatcher era. All jokes aside, this was the breakthrough single from one of the most successful artists of all time for good reason.
#55 for 1984
This was the second single to come from Billy Ocean's comeback album Suddenly, and one that seems to combine his strengths of having a catchy beat with his heartfelt declarations of being the man of this person's dreams. At first glance it seems like he's coming on strong with this person in the lyrics, however he makes it clear they're playing hard to get which ultimately makes his advances justified.
#51 for 1985
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#58 for 1989
I guess if there was a song that could tan gently be about the rights of first nation people, this would be it as while the lyrics are directly about coming out of a bad relationship, they can easily refer to how history has been unkind to these minority groups and how they don't have to worry about it repeating itself. It was a huge hit for the band regardless of what the meaning of the lyrics are.
#55 for 1981
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#59 for 1989
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#60 for 1989
This was the second big hit to come from Chemistry, the album that Mondo rock released this year which restored Ross Wilson's popularity in the music industry after almost a decade of silence from him. Here we have a song about how he's going to try and thaw the love of a woman he's interested in but is giving him the cold shoulder, it seems desperate until you realise that she's clearly playing hard to get.
#56 for 1981
This was the final hit that Shaking Stevens managed to achieve in Australia, likely due to him performing all of his biggest hits he had here barring "This ole house" on Countdown around the time of its release. Much like "You drive me crazy," this is an original track from the throwback artist which could be another reason why it was a success here, although it would be his last despite his popularity growing in the UK.
#52 for 1982
It's strange to think that this was released as the lead single of Songs from the big chair in America, almost as if the band wanted to make their big entrance on the Billboard charts with reassurance to their audience that while times were rough in the 80's, it wasn't going to last forever and that it was human nature that things were the way they were. Everywhere else in the world had this as the second single from the album where it was also a huge hit for them.
#52 for 1985
My NZ readers will recognise the lead singer of this Australian band as Tina Cross who was a teen idol in her homeland before she migrated here to form this new wave band. I have to say, she had one of the most unique voices of the decade which makes it a shame that none of the other band's material caught on back in the day, I'm not sure why as they were regulars on Countdown as were most Aussie artists.
#53 for 1985
OK I'm giving you a three for one deal with this entry, mainly because all of these songs charted separately in the UK despite them being bundled as one entry here in Australia. I'm guessing this was done to allow these guys to have at least one hit single here, although "Cherish" was the song that was marketed as the lead single despite it being one of their cheesiest songs in their entire discography.
#54 for 1985
This was another big hit that is directly targeted towards the LGBT community from this year, although unlike Paul Lekakis's hit from earlier, this was a massive hit in the UK for the American group involved. Like Paul's hit, this was used in a dance competition during the final months of Countdown's existence, which more than explains how it was a hit here given how it was promoted on the show and then crossed over to the queer community.
#53 for 1987
Although he had already achieved moderate success with his comeback album around this time, it was this third single from Edge which cemented his comeback status due to how fun and catchy it is from the aging pop star. This could've been a fluke for him given how audiences likely had nostalgia for Sherbet around this time, however his next album was even bigger meaning this wasn't a fluke for him.
#60 for 1989
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#61 for 1989
Yeah, I'm still not convinced that the disco backlash was a thing outside of America given how this managed to be a huge success for the Jackson 5, heck this was even a hit in their native America which really makes me wonder how much impact that fiasco had back in the day. This would be the family's penultimate hit in Australia as they would score one more hit later in the decade with Mick Jagger.
#57 for 1980
#57 for 1981
Even though this was the second single from Too low for zero in Australia, it proved to be a massive success for Elton John like it was the first single from the album due to how much we celebrated his reunion with Bernie Taupin on the album. While his earlier entry on this list was meant to be a celebration for his comeback, here it's a return to form as he brings Bernie's lyrics to life like it was made ten years prior.
#56 for 1983
This was a short-lived supergroup which comprised of the two vocalists from Led zeppelin as well as members of the Yardbirds and Nile Rogers of Chic fame. Naturally this was going to be a success for the band even though this was the only song they released from their one and only album, it was a temporary project that wasn't going to last regardless of the results they got.
#55 for 1985
This was the second Billboard chart topper that REO Speedwagon was able to score this decade, this of course meant that this ballad about not realising what you have until it's gone would be a huge hit for them here in Australia due to the lyrics connecting with audiences of the day. This would be the last anyone would hear from the band as they would fade into irrelevancy after this fell off the charts.
#56 for 1985
This is one of those songs that is way too catchy for its own good, the chanting throughout the track will get stuck in your head after more than one listen to this cover of Redbone's track from the early 70's. The Chantoozies consisted of four models turned singers supported by a backing band of four guys, one of them being the young brother of James Reyne during the height of his popularity.
#54 for 1987
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#55 for 1988
This was the only hit that Pete Shelley was able to score here in Australia both solo and with the Buzzcocks, yeah, I hope you're not prepared to see a lot of punk music on this site because I'm afraid that was unfairly ignored in Australia back in the day. I don't know what this song is about, and admittedly I don't think many people do either as it seems to be a success more for the instrumentation than the lyrics.
#53 for 1982
This was the advanced single from the Pretender's third album, an album which wouldn't come out for over a year after hits songs release due to the behind-the-scenes drama they had with each other. You wouldn't know that from listening to this track as they seem to be well synchronised with each other, the band members grunting to give off the impression that they are working on a jail chain link.
#54 for 1982
#57 for 1983
This was one of only two hits that Mr. Mister managed to score in their career (side note, boy that's a stupid name for a band.) It was the lead single to their second album which was a huge success in their native America due to the cool ambience it has with its instrumentation, although their other hit "Kyrie" would be a different beast as it's an upbeat track about living life to its fullest.
#47 for 1986
This was the lead single to Peter Gabriel's first album he didn't name after himself, supposedly it's about how horny he is but with how vague and (let's be honest) nonsensical the lyrics are, it could honestly be about whatever you want. It was a huge success for him likely due to the video which rightfully pioneered stop motion not just in music videos but in media in general due to the popping visuals.
#48 for 1986
Another woman to score massive success this year for the female singer/songwriters of the world, this time it's Tracy Chapman who scored a massive worldwide success with this ballad about how her partner was weighing her down and how she eventually told them to as she puts it "take your fast car and keep on driving" when she realised they were no good for her. It became an inspiring tale about self-preservation that still resonates with audiences to this day.
#57 for 1988
This is likely the first hip hop song that many people heard of back in the day, after all it was technically the first song to top the Billboard charts that has rapping in it even though I've heard versions of this song which takes out Debbie's rap verse. If nothing else, at least America can take comfort in the fact that a woman became the first person to have a number one hit there with this genre.
#58 for 1981
There were no signs of Kylie's popularity slowing down going into her second album, that is unless you're from America where it was such a failure that she wouldn't be able to release anything over there for over ten years due to being dropped from her American label. I guess the hits from her second album were more of the same from her first, hence why they got fed up with her when the rest of the world didn't.
#61 for 1989
So, there's this resort in South Africa known as Sun city which was once notorious for having relocated people of colour as hotel staff against their will, more notoriously is that they offered financial incentives to bands and artists to perform at the hotel despite there being an international band from westerners visiting the region. This was a protest song made in defiance of those who broke the law to perform as the venue.
#49 for 1986
This was the debut single from 1927, a band that serves as a spiritual successor to Moving pictures as it has Garry Frost as its founding member who was a key member of the former band. They were off to a good start with this track given how it became a huge success for them, and indeed their second single and debut album from later in the year made them one of the hottest new names in Australian music.
#58 for 1988
This was the theme song to the film of the same name, a film that happened to be Dolly Parton's acting debut which garnered her critical acclaim for her performance as well as a Golden globe nomination for her role. The film remains a classic to this day as it's a perfect display of female empowerment as her, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin overthrow their sexist boss after refusing to give into his sexual demands.
#59 for 1981
This was the second hit that Kim Wilde was able to score here and in her native UK, the latter was because the Brits looked after their own throughout the 80's whilst the former was due to a memorable performance of it and her earlier entry on Countdown. Indeed, she was well liked during her first time on the show, which would explain how she scored two more hits the following year that weren't that big in her homeland.
#60 for 1981
There was a film released this year by the name of Starstruck which became an instant cult classic due to it telling the story of how a young woman became an overnight sensation through her personal antics. The film spawned this hit that was performed in universe by its star Jo Kennedy which became a surprise hit due to it being a duet between her onscreen partner as well as it being a partial gender flipped cover of a Split Enz track.
#55 for 1982
For most parts of the world, this was the only hit single that Robbie Nevil managed to achieve mainly due to the lyrics about how life shouldn't be about doing things for the sake of doing them. It connected with audiences during what I'm told is the height of the era of greed, where everything was done through the incentive of money and little else. In Australia, he scored a second hit in the early 90's with "Just like you," which is a more contemporary love song.
#55 for 1987
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#56 for 1988
Following the demise of Abba, Frida decided to embark on a solo career which was off to a good start with this song about how she believes her partner is cheating on her, basically how she felt about her relationship with Benny during their final years together. To date this is the last anyone has heard from any of the members when it comes to them in front of the mic, however Benny and Bjorn have seen success as songwriters.
#56 for 1982
Well, we have a second hit to come from the cartoon rabbit who felt the need to mashup a bunch of songs from yesteryear into a hit single, at least this was their final hit single here in Australia unlike in their native UK where they scored a third chart topper there with another one of these mashups.
#62 for 1989
This was the only hit that Quarterflash were able to achieve throughout the world, I get the feeling this was a hit here in Australia due to us confusing this for a Motels track given how big Martha Davis and that were with their debut single "Total control" two years prior. Indeed, when that band finally saw international success this year, it didn't translate back here likely because of this song.
#57 for 1982
This was the debut single for Depeche mode, and while it was a huge success here in Australia (even more so than their native UK) it would also be their only hit despite them having massive success worldwide throughout the rest of the decade. Indeed, I'm personally more familiar with "Enjoy the silence" from 1990, likely because that was their big hit in America a decade into their career.
#58 for 1982
While this wasn't the debut single from Annie and Dave (heck they saw success earlier in the decade as members of the Tourists) this was the song that made them a household name worldwide due to how hypnotic the song remains to this day. Many songs have tried to replicate its success of blending trance with new wave to little success, mainly because they come off as lazy whereas this comes off as endearing.
#58 for 1983
Well, we had "Beat it" from MJ the previous year, now let's look at the Weird al parody that put him on the map by ripping off that classic from the king of pop (which his permission of course.) This was a surprise chart topper for the comedian here in Australia, likely due to how instantly funny we felt this song was, although it was one of the weaker chart toppers here due to how quickly it fell on our charts.
#56 for 1984
This was the second single that these guys scored this year, proving that they were in it for the long haul as both of their entries on this list were released before they dropped their debut album by the end of the year. It looks like the novelty had worn off by the time the album cycle ended as their next album was a huge flop for them which caused them to call it quits by the end of the decade.
#50 for 1986
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#62 for 1989
This was the other big hit that Livie managed to achieve worldwide from the Xanadu soundtrack, although this time she has the assistance of Electric light orchestra who were also present on the soundtrack as this play's during the final dance sequence of the film. As a bit of a trivia, her earlier entry was her big chart topper in Billboard this year whereas this was her big chart topper in the UK.
#58 for 1980
The legends are true, Mel Brooks did in fact have a hip hop hit back in the day with a song about the joys of being Adolf Hitler. Obviously, this song is meant to be satire as if there's a bigger hater of the third Reich than Mel Brooks then I've yet to come across that person, however it's a bit shocking to see this man in his forties score a hip hop hit in Australia with this theme song to his remake of the film of the same name.
#57 for 1984
This was the final hit that David Bowie managed to achieve anywhere in the world, likely due to it being the theme to the critically panned film of the same name which he also happened to star in. He did have another starring vehicle this year with the cult classic Labyrinth, where he also provided the soundtrack to in addition to giving a memorably performance as its antagonist Jareth.
#51 for 1986
This was an excellent year for everyone who's ever been involved with Genesis, we have the breakthrough single from Mike Rutherford's side project Mike and the Mechanics who scored a massive hit with this track about relying on a miracle to make a relationship work (or in the video's case, paying off a debt to a bar manager.) This song clicked with audiences this year and allowed lead singer Paul Carrack to find solo success the following year.
#52 for 1986
I never quite understood how George felt about being tied to the pop machine on Faith as there's plenty of artistic merit on his solo debut as evidence by his third single from the album, although it does have a similar issue to "Daddy's home" in that it can be taken the wrong way by bad faith music critics. It clearly wasn't back in the day as it was his second solo chart topper on Billboard and sixth overall.
#59 for 1988 #57 ARIA
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#63 for 1989
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#64 for 1989
This was the only hit that Jimmy and the boys managed to achieve during their time together, although they did so with by far their most normal sounding song as the band were known back in the day for being rather androgynous and no doubt a favourite among the Australian LGBT community. This is hands down the least queer track in their catalogue, which is perhaps why it was such a hit for them.
#61 for 1981
This was originally a hit for Simon and Garfunkel back in the mid 60's, although it was never a hit here in Australia until the Bangles made it their own for the film Less than zero which has been described as one of the worst movies of the 80's due to its bizarre depictions of drug culture as well as less than stellar performances from its cast. At least this cover was a huge success for the band and led to them finding success with their next album.
#60 for 1988 #58 ARIA
(THIS IS THE ARIA ENTRY)
#59 for 1988
Many credit this one and only hit from Gary Numan as the beginning of the new wave craze, technically that honour should go to "Are friends electric" as that also had him on vocals and was a new wave classic, although I guess that was a flop over in America whereas this was a top ten hit on Billboard. Between these two songs, this was the full extent of Gary Numan's popularity worldwide.
#59 for 1980
This sounds like it was recorded forty years prior, I can assure you it wasn't as Fiddler's dram were a British band from the 70's who scored their one and only hit just as they were calling it quits but this really does sound like something made for a vintage Gene Kelly flick. I have no idea how this became a hit during the height of the disco era, but it somehow did.
#60 for 1980
This was the second single to come out of the Swing, although it wasn't quite as big as their two earlier entries on this list likely due to it not being as catchy as those tracks. Still, it was a huge hit for the band and likely strengthened their international interest which became a success the following year when they released their next album Listen like thieves.
#58 for 1984
This year Duran Duran split up into two bands, this being one of them which they replaced Simon Le Bon with Robert Palmer as the lead vocalist which helped him score a massive hit in most parts of the world due to his raunchy performance on a track that's named after the Marilyn Monroe flick from 1959. The other half of the band went on to become Arcadia who scored a massive hit with "Election Day."
#57 for 1985
This was a song recorded specifically for the international version of James Reyne's solo debut, a version that was released here in Australia likely to boost the popularity of his catalogue which worked out as this became a big hit for him here. Unfortunately, his international appeal didn't amount to anything, although his next two albums were successful here, so I doubt he minded too much.
#61 for 1988
This was the second hit that Rocky Burnette was able to score in Australia this year, likely because he appeared on Countdown to perform his two big hits on this list as this didn't chart anywhere else in the world from what I can gather. The rockabilly revival was huge throughout the 70's and early 80's, so much so that I'm sure it would've continued had MTV not launched the following year.
#61 for 1980
This was the only hit that Joe Jackson was able to score here in Australia, although given its subject matter about what it's like to be a real man (something that was up for debate even back then) it was a surefire hit for him as he challenges the very notion of toxic masculinity on this track which connected with audiences this year. This led to his album being a massive success for him which put him on the map.
#59 for 1982
This was released as a bonus track on the American issue of Duran Duran's debut album, as such it became a massive worldwide success as fans discovered that the band had more to offer them than what was already available at the time. Interestingly they didn't film a flashy music video for this song, presumably to help audiences understand they didn't always have the budget to do so.
#59 for 1983
This was the second hit that Laura Branigan managed to achieve in Australia with a cover of an Umberto Tozzi track, although unlike "Gloria" this was only a hit here as the rest of the world had since moved on from her ballads. Indeed, this would be her final hit here as we too decided to was time to give success to other pop divas who had unique voices from this decade, it's a shame because she was talented.
#58 for 1985
This was the only hit that Black sorrows were able to achieve during their career, although they had better luck with their albums as this song did allow their album Hold on to me to become a huge success as the decade was coming to an end as well as set them up for a very successful album in the 90's. The band is best known for their lead singer Joe Camelleri who previously had success with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons.
#63 for 1989
This was the last hit that Elton John had without his partner in crime Bernie Taupin, I should point out that there were tracks on these albums which did have Bernie as a songwriter, however he obviously wasn't the main creative force behind him which is why his reunion with Elton John the following year was a welcomed one. That said, this was a hit for Elton due to a compelling performance he gave on Countdown.
#60 for 1982
This was the first solo hit that Tim Finn released, although it was his only solo hit in Australia despite him having multiple other hits by himself in his native NZ over the years. I'm guessing this was released to ease the blow that Split Enz were considering calling it quits around this time, indeed that's exactly what happened the following year when they broke up due to creative differences between them.
#60 for 1983
Well, this is a song that's bound to get stuck in your head after repeated listens, Haysi fantayzee scored their one and only hit with this psychedelia throwback both in Australia and their native UK before calling it quits for some reason. They even performed this on Countdown mere months before they broke up, so I'm not sure why they gave up on their careers so quickly.
#61 for 1983
This was the other big hit that Queen achieved from their album the Works, indeed it's the more recognisable song of their two on this list largely thanks to who Freddie longs to be free from a toxic relationship he found himself in around this time. There was a bit of minor controversy from the video as it depicted the members in drag during a time where homophobia was at the height of its popularity.
#59 for 1984
This was the only hit that ZZ Top managed to achieve in Australia, I'm guessing it was due to it being about how much the trio likes the legs of a woman they were singing about on this track. Whatever the reason was for this being a hit, it allowed their album Eliminator to be a huge success this year after sitting on shelves ignored for over a year, making this a very happy ending for the band.
#60 for 1984
Years before she scored a minor hit with "It's only the beginning" which continues to be a favourite on oldies stations to this day, Deborah Conway was the lead singer of this band who named themselves after the song from the Sound of music. They scored their one and only hit with this song that's about pubic hair, that's right, a song about pubic hair was one of the biggest hits of the year in Australia.
#59 for 1985
This was the theme to the Stephen King film Maximum overdrive, a film I've seen described as one of the most ridiculous to come out of the decade due to how over the top the storyline is which involves electronic appliances rising up against humanity to destroy us all. Naturally the soundtrack is the only part of the film that anyone seems to have fond memories of, even then it's because it's AC/DC.
#53 for 1986
This was originally a hit for Maxine Nightingale back in the mid 70's, indeed it was a bigger hit for her back in the day even though Sinitta scored a massive hit with her cover thirteen years later. Sinitta is best known for two things, being the longtime girlfriend of Simon Cowell and the niece of Amii Stewart. The former is why she had a career in the first place and the latter explains her overall popularity.
#64 for 1989
Well, here we are with the only song that Donna Summer managed to score on her own with a female empowerment anthem, although admittedly I would've been dumbstruck if this had of failed here like it did in some countries considering how much sympathy she allows for the protagonist of this song. She wants to reassure listeners that women give their dues to society, and she does it in a very humanising way.
#62 for 1983
This was the only hit that Big Country were able to achieve in most parts of the world, I'm glad it was as it's easily one of the most passionate songs to become a hit this decade thanks to the killer instrumentation and Stuart Adamson's vocals. They did try to get a second hit throughout their career, but it was to no avail which I think is a shame.
#61 for 1984
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