Well seeing as though we looked at the biggest hits of the 90's on the Billboard charts that were also hits in Australia and/or NZ that decade, I've decided to give the same courtesy to the 80's as Billboard also released a top 500 for that decade on their website which I found fascinating. Again, I'm only including songs that were hits in the southern hemisphere back in the day as I'm not particularly interested in looking over songs that flopped with us Aussies and Kiwis, although there are more entries regardless due to how few entries there are on the official list that didn't appeal to either nation.
Given that this guy was a country artist, it makes sense that Eddie Rabbit would have several other hits in his native America outside of his one Billboard chart topper that became a hit for him here in Australia. Some of these songs even made Billboard's 80's list, although they all flopped internationally which is why I won't be covering them on here.
It's strange how Toto had a Billboard chart topper in their career and yet it wasn't their biggest hit, this was another unfortunate entry that got stuck behind a lengthy run another song had at number one (this being once again Joan Jett) even if that didn't prevent it from being a massive success in their native America.
This is one of only two hits that Simple minds had in America, although it makes sense it became a Billboard chart topper for them given how this is the theme song to the Breakfast club which even at the time was a massive critical and commercial success. That said, it does feel a bit weird they wouldn't have a chart topper in their native UK until the end of the decade and with "Belfast child" of all songs.
This is one of only three entries from Culture club on this list, the band were successful in America just not to the level that they were internationally as was the case for many non-American bands and artists even to this day but especially back then. That said, there was little doubt this would be a chart topper for them on Billboard due to how irresistibly catchy it is and the positive messaging of their music.
The film may have been panned by critics and tied as the worst film of its year according to the Razzies (with the infamous Howard the duck) however that didn't prevent audiences from around the world from making this a huge success for Prince including in his native America where it was yet another chart topper for the Purple one on the Billboard charts.
I think there was an unwritten rule for a theme song to a popular film to go to number one on Billboard throughout the decade as this was another example of a song in this vein doing so despite it not being a massive hit throughout the rest of the world. This led people to believe that John Parr was an American artist which to be fair is plausible until you listen to his speaking voice where he clearly isn't.
It's funny how this bombed in Australia given how it was a massive chart topper for Bobby Brown in his homeland, this is just another reason why I'm thankful for looking over the NZ charts on this site otherwise I would've had to skip over this track based on my own rules for this list. The other two hits he had in the southern hemisphere made Billboard's 80's list, so stay tuned for them later down the list.
We have another Billboard chart topper for this iconic duo on this list, this time it's the final hit they had here in Australia as the patience we Aussies had for them was on the brink of running out when this became a massive sleeper hit for them down under. Naturally said patience wasn't running out as fast amongst their fellow Americans even if it remains their final chart topper over there.
I was dumbstruck when I found out this was only a sleeper hit here in Australia, especially when I also found out this was a Billboard chart topper for Bruce Hornsby and the Range even though it makes sense it was given they're an American band. They had other hits in their homeland throughout the decade, however this was the only one to make Billboard's 80's list and thus this list of mine.
I don't know whose bright idea it was to release this as a single without a music video in the post MTV world, however they did which led to it bombing even in Whitney's native America as the lead single to her debut album. It was given a second chance when a video was shot and was chosen as the song to follow up from "Saving all my love for you" which allowed it to top the Billboard charts a year after its release.
Oh look, another song from 1982 that failed to top the Billboard charts on this list (side note, how did 1982 have so many near misses like this for getting to number one?) This is the only other entry from Rick Springfield to appear on Billboard's 80's list as well as his only other hit here in Australia back in the day.
This was the last number one hit that Stevie Wonder had in his homeland and indeed the last hit he had that anyone seems to remember regardless of where in the world you're from, it won't be his final appearance on this list as he managed to retain his high standards with the first album he released in the decade which spawned some of his more memorable hits even in America.
If you can believe it, Gloria Estefan only has three entries on Billboard's 80's list, this being the only one where she had a hit outside of her native America and thus will be the only one appearing on this list despite all the success she had earlier in the decade in the southern hemisphere. I keep forgetting this is technically a Miami sound machine track as it was even marketed with her name on the cover.
I have no idea how Whitensake were able to find success in America when they did given how they never had much of a success in their native UK even when they finally broke through internationally, I guess Americans were so hungry for hair metal that they came across their work which resulted in a rerecording of one of their earlier songs becoming a massive chart topper on Billboard for them.
This going to number one on Billboard when it did prove to be a happy ending for Toni Basil given how it had to top the charts here in Australia as well as nearly do so in the UK and NZ in order to get there. People will tell you this is the most annoying song of the decade due to its cheerleader production; I think we can all agree there's more annoying songs than this on this list alone.
It strangely makes sense that this was the biggest hit that Milli Vanilli had in America given how it was recorded specifically to cash in off their American success, this list to them scoring a third Billboard chart topper in a row right as the decade was coming to an end, proving just how well loved they were less than a year prior to being exposed as the fraudsters they were.
This was the third and final Billboard chart topper for Billy Ocean, it remains his biggest hit in America even though that honour in Australia and his native UK goes to his theme to the Jewel of the Nile from two years prior. I'm not sure if he had any mileage going into the 90's, however he killed it when he capped off the 80's with his greatest hits package.
If you're wondering how on earth this managed to become a hit in NZ when it did, that's because this was a massive Billboard chart topper for both artists in question which funnily enough allowed it to be a success throughout Europe as well. Apparently, James Ingram went on to have further success in America including a number one hit over there at the start of the 90's.
Given how this didn't even get to number one in the Eurhythmics’ native UK, it's a bit surprising to see it do so in America proving that the British invasion started up by Human league's earlier entry on this list was well under way over there. They only had one other entry on Billboard's 80's list, that being "Here comes the rain again" which means this will be their only appearance on this list as that bombed in Australia and NZ.
Was there any doubt this would be a chart topper for Blondie on Billboard? Heck Australia was one of the few places in the world where this didn't get to number one for them even though it was still a massive hit with us Aussies back in the day. Blondie still have one more entry to come to this list which happens to be their final Billboard chart topper from the same album this came from.
Another chart topper from a popular film of the day, this time it's the second single from Flashdance as Michael Sembello made a massive splash with this track that only played during Alyx's workout routine in the film and nowhere else (to my knowledge at least.) This was all the incentive his fellow Americans needed to give him this one hit but not enough to give him anymore.
Another song that didn't reach number one in America, it came close but was stuck behind Kim Carnes earlier entry which is nothing to be ashamed of in my opinion. It was the final hit for Miracles frontman Smokey Robinson both solo and as a member of the RNB group, so he at least went out on a bang given how this topped both NZ and the UK charts.
Madonna was on a roll when she released the second single from her album True blue as this became her second consecutive Billboard chart topper following the success of "Live to tell" over there. I said this on my Australian recap of this track, but between America and the UK, all five of the singles from the album went to number one.
This was the second and final chart topper David Bowie had on Billboard (the first being "Fame" from eight year prior) it just goes to show how immensely popular this title track to his biggest album was throughout the world upon its initial release. I still struggle to understand how this failed to get to number one here in Australia given how the video was filmed here.
If you thought it was strange that this wound up being Tiffany's highest charting single here in Australia, it might seem less strange when you realise it was actually her biggest hit in America as this managed to get to number one on Billboard just like her debut single did (don't worry, it wasn't that much bigger.) I guess we Aussies and her fellow Americans wanted to hear an original number from her rather than a cover.
It took him fifteen years, but Bob Seger was finally able to score a chart topper in his homeland even if he owes that success to this appearing in the second Beverly hills cop film which allowed it to be nominated for an Academy award. He did score another appearance on Billboard's 80's list with "Shame on the moon," however that bombed internationally which makes this his only appearance on my list.
How does a British group who had no buzz in their homeland get to number one in America? By waving around the American flag like they're a republican voter that's how. This level of patriotism for a country they weren't a part of might've gotten them a hit on Billboard as well as here in Australia, however it did them no such favours in their homeland where this bombed on the UK charts.
We have another song that didn't quite get to number one in America to make it this high on the list, this time it's the biggest hit the Rolling stones had here in Australia and arguably in America as this got stuck behind Diana Ross and Lionel Richie which is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. This also marks the first entry on this list to not appear on a Billboard year end list, showing how unreliable those were back in the day.
I don't know what's more surprising about this song, the fact it only hit number two on the UK charts or the fact it was only a top ten hit in NZ. I guess the trade-off for this was that A-ha were able to score multiple other hits in both countries as opposed to here in Australia and in America where this went to number one, but they remain a one hit wonder as far as we Aussies and Americans are concerned.
Whereas this was a massive flop for MJ here in Australia, it proved to be his biggest hit in his homeland off the Bad album which no doubt led to its success over in NZ shortly after it became his fourth consecutive chart topper from the album on Billboard. It's refreshing to see the king of pop already have so many entries on this list given his noticeable absence on the 90's list.
OK something you need to know about these guys, they never even cracked the Australian top five (officially that is as I'm sure "Love and other bruises" was number one according to Countdown in 1976.) You have to understand that as they were able to achieve a string of hits in America despite them being far from the most successful Australian band during their heyday amongst us Aussies.
It's fitting that this proved to be the bigger hit from Phil Collin's film Buster on Billboard given how I often hear this on oldies stations as opposed to the big hit from the film internationally "A groovy kind of love." Both songs were chart toppers in America, proving just how inescapable he was even as the decade was starting to come to an end.
Do I need to say this was a number one hit on Billboard? It's starting to feel redundant at this point which goes to show how many more chart toppers there were throughout the 80's compared to the 90's. I guess an interesting fact is that Livie's top entry on this list was what bridged the gap between this and "I can't go for that" as far as the number one spot was concerned.
As far as Americans are concerned, this is the debut single for Wham and by extension, George Michael as none of the songs from their actual debut album charted on Billboard prior to this becoming a chart topper for the duo. Their popularity would of course explode as the decade went on given what we've already looked at on this list.
I told you we'd be getting to this track not long after her earlier entry, indeed this was a massive chart topper for Tiffany in her homeland just like it was everywhere else in the world except here in Australia where it was a sleeper hit for some inexplicable reason. This is also one of the few American chart toppers to be a cover of a previous chart topper on Billboard, that being the Tommy James original from 1967.
This could've been a chart topper in Australia like it was everywhere else in the world, all we had to do had this be the Pet shop boys debut single as the Americans did it around the time this became a hit down under and it was a Billboard chart topper for them as a result. They have another entry to come on this list, although it's way further down so stay tuned for it.
To think this was Bette Midler's only Billboard chart topper, you'd think she'd have another as she had plenty of other hits in her homeland back in the day. Alas this is it for her as far as number ones are concerned and she owes it to that pivotal moment in Beaches which I won't spoil but you'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen the film.
It appears these guys aren't one hit wonders in America with their earlier entry on this list as it turns out their debut single managed to outperform what it achieved here in Australia over there by topping the Billboard charts a year after its initial release. You know that the Americans were ready to leave the 70's behind when a song that didn't even make it to number one in its homeland from this decade can in their market.
This is the second and final Billboard chart topper that U2 had in their career, that's right, they only had two number one hits in America from the same album despite them having far more everywhere else in the world and with other songs in their catalogue. They still have another entry to come on this list, however that third his is the full extent of their popularity over in America with their singles.
Well so much for the disco backlash, although to be fair, this took its sweet time in becoming a hit in America, let alone a Billboard chart topper likely because of Kool and the gang's fellow Americans aversion towards the genre this is a part of upon its initial release. It was once this finally topped the Billboard charts that they had little issues with finding success with their other singles in their homeland.
As this was a chart topper in NZ upon its initial release, you'd expect the same to be the case in America. Alas it wasn't as this got stuck behind Kim Carnes from earlier on this list, although it was a huge hit on Billboard regardless thanks to the popularity of the TV show it was soundtracking.
Even though they scored two massive hits here in Australia prior to their biggest hit with us Aussies and their fellow Americans, these guys were a one hit wonder in their native America with "I want you to want me" from nearly a decade prior to when this finally got them out of the one hit wonder bin in their homeland. Naturally this was a chart topper on Billboard just like it was down under much to the chagrin of the band’s fanbase.
It's odd that this would be Billy Ocean's second Billboard chart topper in America given how it was barely a top ten hit here in Australia, I bring this up because he was most successful down under prior to his second American album Love zone which spawned this single which would suggest he would have more success here than he did in America.
Is there any surprise this was a chart topper in America? Granted this was actually the big hit in the UK from the Footloose soundtrack likely due to the Berits preferring Deniece Williams over Kenny Loggins as the artist to represent the film. This was actually her second Billboard chart topper given how she previously went to number one over there with her duet with Johnny Mathis six years prior.
This was the second consecutive chart topper for Milli Vanilli in America, it was also their biggest hit here in Australia even though this didn't crossover to our charts until the start of the 90's due to our sceptics towards these guys the rest of the world initially didn't have. Our sceptics would turn out to be well founded due to the infamous concert which exposed the two men on the cover as lip sync performers.
I'm sort of cheating with this entry as this was a hit in America five years after its initial release internationally, however there wasn't a noteworthy reason for why that is that I could find so here we are. It may have taken five years to crossover to America, however that didn't prevent this from becoming a Billboard chart topper for the reggae band.
Although this wasn't the first hit that Whitney Houston had in her homeland (that honour goes to "You give good love" which would've made this list had it been a hit outside of Billboard) this was the first of several consecutive Billboard chart toppers she had as well as her first international hit as this was a surprise hit in the UK where it also went to number one.
Oh yay, we finally have a second song on here that didn't go to number one or two on the Billboard charts, this also serves as the biggest hit Elton John had throughout the decade in America as he didn't do very well on Billboard in the 80's all things considered. He only had one other appearance on Billboard's 80's list with "I don't want to go on with you like that" that won't be appearing on here.
I should note that Hall and Oates saw a ton of success in their homeland throughout the 70's even if "Rich girl" was the only song that A: topped the Billboard charts and B: found success outside of America that decade. That's to say that their fortunes changed for the better internationally once the 80's begun as this was the first of several chart toppers they had over there that was also a huge hit elsewhere.
If you're wondering how this British artist who found no success in his native UK managed to score a massive chart topper on Billboard which led to him having a huge hit here in Australia with what seems to be his debut single, that's because he was the frontman of the group the Babys who also failed to score a hit in their native UK but were massively popular in America and Australia.
As inescapable as 80's afficionados make these guys out to be, I should note that they only had two chart toppers in America and had no chart toppers here in Australia and NZ throughout their career. This was one of the two number one hits they had on Billboard, mainly due to it being a Bond theme even though it's the only Bond theme to make it to number one anywhere in the world until recently.
This is the closest that the Pointer sisters came to having a number one hit in their homeland, it got stuck behind Kim Carnes, so it's not like they had anything to be ashamed of when this ran of out steam on the Billboard charts at the time. This was the trio's second biggest hit in Australia behind "Neutron dance," and it was a close second at that.
Even though "Two hearts" proved to be the bigger hit on Billboard from the Buster soundtrack, it wasn't by much as this also topped the American charts for Phil Collins which is impressive for a film he starred in that even at the time barely anyone seemed to know about.
If Peter Cetera haters were annoyed that this was a hit here in Australia despite them claiming it’s one of the worst songs of the 80's, they much be livid to learn that this was not only a Billboard chart topper for the former Chicago frontman but was also Oscar nominated due to how well it ties into the film thematically. This wasn't even his only solo chart topper in his homeland, although we don't have to talk about "Next time I fall in love" on this list.
While their earlier entry on this list was their biggest hit in their homeland, the other big international hit that REO Speedwagon had was also a Billboard chart topper for them four years prior and remains just as popular on oldies stations to this day. They had one more hit in their homeland with "Take it on the run" which wouldn't have made this list even if it saw international success.
Whereas "Sussudio" was the lead single from No jacket required internationally (stay tuned for that in a bit) this ballad was the lead single over in America which meant that it was able to top the Billboard charts where it failed to do so internationally (despite coming close here in Australia.)
It's easy to forget that this wasn't the lead single to Robert Palmer's album Riptide (that would be "Discipline of love" which I felt was a terrible choice for a single) this is perhaps why it didn't do so well in his native UK despite it being a massive worldwide success for him including on Billboard where this topped the charts like it did here in Australia.
Even in the 80's, Bryan Adams was able to score a Billboard chart topper even if it's for a song that would fit in nicely with his 90's output. This was his only appearance on Billboard's 80's list even though he had several other hits throughout the decade in America including two from the same album this came from.
Much like the rest of the world, this was initially a flop for Vangelis given how the world wasn't quite ready to have classical music chart amongst the progenitors of MTV. It became a chart topper on Billboard following its win at the academy awards for best original score which means that there were two chart toppers the 1981 academy awards gave to Billboard (the other being "Arthur’s theme" from earlier.)
Here’s the other chart topper the Human league had on Billboard, it's a bit impressive this did go to number one in America given how the band was reduced to a trio consisting of Phil Oakey and the two female backup singers by this point. It was a modest hit over in NZ which is how it qualified for this list, however this was their final hit over there just like it was in America.
It's funny how "Secret lovers" was the big hit these guys had in NZ given how this was their biggest hit in their native America, this was mainly because it went to number one on Billboard as opposed to their other hit which failed to do so. Had I included every song on the 90's list Billboard released on their website, they would've had an appearance with "Masterpiece" on that list.
NZ steps in yet again as it’s because this was a hit over there that this makes the list due to it bombing here in Australia, although this was the first of two chart toppers the trio had in their homeland as "Lost in emotion" also went to number one on Billboard for them. They had other hits on Billboard throughout the decade, however these two were the only ones anyone remembers.
This is the luckiest song on the list given how there were no plans in making it a hit outside of Roxette's native Sweden back in the day, a foreign exchange student had other ideas as they requested this to be played on their local radio station which led to it becoming a hit purely through word of mouth on Billboard and eventually the rest of the world.
The fact this almost managed to top the Billboard charts should be proof that any fear that this would kill the success of Phil Collins own singles or vice versa was just that, fear. I wish we Aussies and kiwis knew about this back in the day as this got a very limited released down under and the kiwis completely ignored Phil's singles from No jacket required to have this match its American success.
This almost topped the Billboard charts for Robbie Nevil as it had the misfortune to peak the same time that the Bangles top entry on this list did, it's easy to see why his fellow Americans gravitated towards this track as its about as blue collared as you can get lyrically during a very turbulent time in world politics. It's kind of a mystery they didn't show up for "Just like you" in 1991 like we Aussies did.
This is the third and final entry that Starship made both on this list and Billboard's 80's list, it was also their second chart topper in their homeland given how this was released between their two earlier entries on this list. Most of the world passed this up back in the day, however we Aussies allowed it to become a moderate success for the band.
I have no idea why this wasn't more of a hit internationally given how Miami vice was indeed one of the most popular TV shows of the 80's throughout the world, Americans loved the show and its theme which is how its composer Jan hammer was able to score a Billboard chart topper during the height of the live aid phenomenon.
Even though this was the big hit off his album An innocent man in his native America like it was throughout the rest of the world, it's worth noting that it didn't get to number one on the Billboard charts as it only peaked at number three on the charts over there. We'll be looking at the chart topper that did come from the album later down this list but suffice to say this was the big hit off the album.
American TV really did seem to have a stranglehold on the Billboard charts back in the 80's, this ballad from Billy Vera fell on deaf ears upon its initial 1981 release but was given a second chance six years later when it was featured in a pivotal moment on Family ties which rocketed it up to number one in America.
Even if we were to factor in her time with the Go-go's, this was the only chart topper Belinda Carlisle had in her native America as well as it being her biggest hit both solo and with the band over there. This also served as a turning point for her as this was also a huge hit in the UK where she would find more success with her subsequent released going into the 90's than she did at home.
If there was a rivalry between Genesis and Peter Gabriel in 1986, then Peter wound up being the winner in America as this was a much bigger chart-topping hit over there than what "Invisible touch" was from the album of the same name. The trade-off is that he only had one other hit off his album So as opposed to the several hits that Genesis had off their album.
This is another example of a British band finding far more success internationally than they did in their homeland, in this case we have the first of two Billboard chart toppers from Fine young cannibals which became as such due to how well their first album did here in Australia earlier in the decade. Naturally this was also a chart topper here in Australia as well as in NZ for the trio.
Even though this was the second single from She's so unusual, this proved to be the big Billboard chart topper for Cyndi Lauper as well as it being her biggest hit over in the UK over her debut single "Girls just wanna have fun." Naturally this played second fiddle to her debut single in the southern hemisphere, hence why that was the bigger hit for her back in the day.
We have another song that failed to get to number one on Billboard, although it actually outranks the song that kept it from getting there (Berlin's "Take my breath away") which goes to show how getting to number one wasn't everything during the second half of the 80's and ESPECIALLY the early 90's in America. This is his most recent entry on this list as the other singles from this album underperformed there.
If we were to ignore his duet with Diana Ross from earlier on this list, this would be the first solo chart topper Lionel Richie had in America which goes to show how in demand he was following his departure from the Commodores. We Aussies were on board with his solo venture given how this was a hit here in Australia, however the rest of the world needed further convincing.
Even though this was a massive chart topper on Billboard, it appears Americans weren't as fond of Dirty dancing as we Aussies were as this was among the top ten biggest hits of the decade throughout the 80's down under. This was Bill Medley's final hit in his homeland as his fellow Americans didn't rediscover "Unchained melody" through its usage in Ghost like the rest of the world did.
If you're wondering why this is appearing on the 80's list when it was a hit in the 90's here in Australia, that's because it took its sweet time in getting an international release despite it being a massive Billboard chart topper for the supergroup Bad English just as the decade was coming to an end. Its tardiness is especially puzzling given how this was the third project that had John Waite on vocals.
It's strange how this was Juice Newton's biggest hit in her homeland and not "Angel of the morning" as that was her biggest international hit, although this was a hit here in Australia likely due to it almost topping the Billboard charts (it got stuck behind Rick Springfield which is nothing to be ashamed of.) She had tons of other hits in her homeland including her international breakthrough which is still to come on this list.
This was one of two hits that Will to power had in their homeland, the other being a cover of 10cc's "I'm not in love" which made Billboard's 90's list despite having a rather weak chart run. This on the other hand was a huge chart topper for them in America, which no doubt led to it being a hit in NZ as well as a radio staple here in Australia.
Just like the rest of the world, this wasn't bundled as a three for one deal in America like it was here in Australia. If it had of been, then it might've been able to usurp Dire straits to get to number one as that's the only reason why this wasn't a chart topper for them on Billboard. Either way, this was their final hit as their subsequent follow ups failed to make an impact on audiences from here on out.
I'm not sure if George Bush Sr using this in his campaign (without Bobby's permission I might add) was what got this song to number one in America or if it was through its own merits, what I do know is that its success led to it being included on the Cocktail soundtrack which no doubt boosted its popularity internationally for him.
In case you were wondering, the original version of this track from Bill Withers didn't get to number one on Billboard even though it was a hit over there back in the early 70's. This means this reggae cover from Club nouveau is the biggest version of the song over there like it is internationally due to it going to number one on Billboard upon its release.
Even though Terence Trent D'arby is an American RNB singer, the fact he was based in Germany (for political reasons funnily enough) meant that he had to conquer the rest of the world before he finally had a hit in his homeland with this number. His patience was rewarded when this went to number one over there, something that didn't happen anywhere else in the world despite how big it got.
This is the lowest charting song on the list so far as Klymaxx barely cracked the top five with their one and only hit on Billboard, this was compelling enough for the kiwis to make it a hit where it almost topped their charts due to not peaking during their Christmas period like this did in their native America.
Another song that didn't get to number one or was blocked from doing so by another song's long running stint at the top spot on Billboard, again this is further proof that number one isn't everything in America despite the company making it a marketing brand in the 90's which destroyed their credibility by the 21st century. As for Stevie Nicks, she had plenty of entries on their 80's list, although this is her only entry on here due to it being her only solo international hit.
This was the second chart topper from Faith George Michael had on Billboard, although "One more try" proved to be a bigger hit over there given how it outranks this track on their 80's list. The album is notable for having four consecutive chart toppers in America, it would've been five if "I want your sex" got to number one as well.
Milli Vanilli scored three consecutive chart toppers off their debut album in America, this wasn't one of them as this got stuck behind Madonna which honestly is nothing to be ashamed of given that it was their debut single. I could speculate why we Aussies were averse to making these guys a household name initially, however the best explanation I got is that we somehow didn't find the two men attractive like everyone else did.
Even though this was a huge chart topper for Martika in her homeland (impressive for a debut single) I should point out this came at the cost of it making her a one hit wonder as none of the other hits she had internationally managed to become as such on Billboard. I guess her fellow Americans weren't impressed with her cover of a Carol King classic, nor did they appreciate her working with Prince on her second album.
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