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.
We looked at her second chart topping duet Jennifer Warnes had throughout the decade earlier on this list, time now to look at her first which was her collaboration she had with Joe Cocker from five years prior for the film An officer and a gentleman. It was inevitable this would be a chart topper both on Billboard and in Australia as its the song that closes out the film in that iconic scene of Richard Gere carrying Debra Winger out of the factory.
I'm honestly more surprised this found an audience outside of America than it not getting to number one on Billboard given how this is the type of cheesy easy listening ballad that has become synonymous with what haters of the 80's believe to have dominated the music landscape back in the day. It was a sleeper hit here in Australia for the duo, although that's about all it achieved outside of their homeland.
If I had to guess how this became a Billboard chart topper for Madonna and only a top ten hit everywhere else in the world, it would be that it was originally the theme to her (then) husband's film At close range where it played during a pivotal scene from the film that resonated with audiences. Naturally its success ensured that it would be included on True blue months after its release.
The last time Aretha Franklin had a Billboard chart topper was with her hit "Respect" from two decades prior, so to see her scoring a second chart topper in her homeland with this duet with George Michael of all people must have been a surprise for audiences back in the day. I'm willing to be it was his presence that got this to number one in America, Australia and the UK rather than hers.
I'm willing to bet this became a hit in America due to it being a massive hit in NZ given how it wasn't that big of a hit here in Australia for Crowded house, this is because it wasn't the lead single here like it was internationally but still. They had a second hit on Billboard with "Something so strong" which failed to appear on their year 80’s list, impressive given how this didn't get to number one over there.
While it wasn't as inescapable in their homeland as their earlier entry was, this lead single to Slippery when wet was nonetheless a massive chart topper for Bon Jovi on the Billboard charts and led to it becoming a massive sleeper hit here in Australia as a result. It appears the Brits weren't too interested in this track as this failed to become a hit in the UK like their earlier entry did.
Wang Chung were another British band that found more success in America than they did in their homeland, it began with their debut single "Dance Hall days" which was a sleeper hit over there two years prior to this nearly topping the Billboard charts. We Aussies also got in on the action due to it being a huge hit down under, likely because of the seizure inducing music video.
You'd think this would be a chart-topping hit for Bananarama in their native UK given how it was everywhere else in the world, alas it wasn't as this was only a top ten hit in their homeland given how they never reached number one on the UK charts. I'm not sure how this got to number one on Billboard as it did so the same time over there as it did here in Australia and NZ.
Given how it was one of the biggest hits of the decade in their native UK upon its release, it makes sense that it would be a huge hit in America as it almost managed to repeat its success on Billboard that it achieved in the UK and here in Australia. It was blocked at number one by "Maneater" by Hall and Oates, so it has nothing to be ashamed of given how popular that track was.
As we go further down this list, we'll start to see more songs with lower peak positions such as this second single from Soul II soul. I guess it makes sense it was a hit on Billboard given how it was a chart topper for the British band in their native UK as well as a massive hit in NZ, it makes the fact that it bombed here in Australia all the more puzzling as a result.
Even though this went to number one in America, it wound up being less successful on Billboard than it was here in Australia even though it only peaked at number two on our charts. Either way, its success led the Brits to checking out this future Oscar winning ballad which allowed it to be even bigger over there by the end of 1986, which I get the feeling helped it win its academy awards the following year.
Although he had a few hits throughout the decade in America, Billy Idol only had one appearance on Billbord's 80's list with this song that of course was his sole chart topper over there. Even though he never went to number one in the southern hemisphere, I can comfortably say he had far more success in Australia and especially NZ than he did anywhere in the northern hemisphere.
Also, I know the original version of this track never charted anywhere, I wanted to feature its album art anyway.
Even though I and many others believed this song nearly ruined the reputation of MJ's magnum opus Thriller back in the day, I will admit that it only getting to number two on Billboard (behind Lionel Richie at that) is something most songs can only dream of achieving even back in the day. It makes sense this was the lead single to that album due to the star power alone, although it's also the worst song on the album (in my opinion.)
This is the only other chart topper that Duran Duran had on Billboard throughout their career, it was also their second and final chart topper in their native UK after "Is there something I should know" which brings their combined number of chart toppers around the world to three as they didn't achieve one in the southern hemisphere. Despite this being their biggest hit overall worldwide, it's far from their signature track.
This is another entry from a British band to top the Billboard charts that failed to do so in their homeland, in fact these guys proved to be more successful in America than anywhere else in the world as they scored a second minor hit over there with "I've been in love before" following the success this had over there.
This is the closest Bruce Springsteen got to having a Billboard chart topper, you can blame Prince for why that happened as this couldn't dislodge "When doves cry" from the top spot in his homeland. Perhaps if he promoted the B-side "Pink Cadillac" as a radio hit over there like he did here in Australia, he might have been able to claim that coveted achievement.
Although it wasn't a number one hit on Billboard like it was over in NZ, this final hit from Marvin Gaye nonetheless proved to be a massive hit in his homeland just over a year prior to his brutal murder in 1984. Don't feel too bad this missed out at the top spot in America as he had a few of them in his heyday in the 60's and 70's.
This was the last hit that Blondie had anywhere in the world until 1999 where they scored a surprise hit in the UK with "Maria," at least it has the distinction of becoming the first Billboard chart topper to have rapping in it even if we have to be charitable with the definition of rap for this song. If you want, you can consider this the first chart-topping hip-hop track even though it technically isn't.
This was the first of two chart toppers that Steve Winwood had in America in the 80's, the other was "Roll with it" that would've appeared much sooner on this list had it been a hit anywhere else in the world for him. This had a lucky break here in Australia when it briefly scraped out top ten, mainly because it was so out of step with everything else that became a hit down under in 1986.
Even though this was pushed back as the second single from No jacket required in America, that didn't prevent it from becoming Phil's third consecutive chart topper on Billboard proving just how inescapable the part time singer and drummer for Genesis was during the midpoint of the decade. This is his final appearance on this list as the rest of the hits he scored in America didn't make it on Billboard's 80's list.
This was the first of two chart toppers Bon Jovi had from their album New Jersey on Billboard, the other one would've come immediately after this entry had it been a hit anywhere else in the world as "I'll be there for you" proved to be just as popular as this was in the final stretch of the decade in their homeland.
You'd think that Chaka Khan would've scored a second hit in her native America given how much of a worldwide success this was for her, alas she's a one hit wonder on Billboard with this entry just like she is internationally. What's more surprising is that this was more of a hit in the UK where it managed to top their charts as opposed to Billboard where it failed to do so.
It looked like Roxette would be a one hit wonder in America given how "Dressed for success" failed to become a hit over there like it did here in Australia as well as their native Sweden. Their fortunes changed for the better when the third single (actually their second if you're from Sweden) went to number one for the duo on Billboard, setting them up for massive success going into the 90's.
Given how their earlier entry gave them a huge chart topper over in America, it only makes sense that the second single from their self-titled album would also be a huge hit on Billboard even if it got stuck behind George Michael's "Faith" (which of course is nothing to be ashamed of.) The success allowed them to crossover here in Australia where both their entries became sleeper hits on our charts.
Billy Ocean took a massive gamble when he released this in America as his debut single over there, mainly because this was a massive failure throughout the rest of the world as "European queen" and that he hadn't had a hit since 1977 even in his native UK. The gamble paid off as this managed to top the Billboard charts around the same time it almost did so here in Australia.
It appears that Don Henley's biggest solo hit in his homeland was the same as his only hit over in NZ, he also had a hit on Billboard with "Boys of summer" but not enough for it to appear on their 80's list unfortunately. He seemed to be more well-loved if he wasn't on his own given how his duet with Patty Smyth as well as his work with the Eagles all proved to be more popular than this was over there.
If you were hoping to see more of Fleetwood mac on this list given how they had a Billboard chart topper with "Dreams" back in the day, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed given how they only had one other entry on the site's 80's list which we'll of course revisit later down this list. At least this had a lengthy run on the Billboard charts even if it failed to get to number one over there.
If you can believe it, this was NKOTB's biggest hit in their homeland as well as the first of only three chart toppers they had on Billboard, I bring this uip because you'd think "You got it" would take that distinction given how immensely popular it was throughout the rest of the world. This is actually a 90's song if we were going by the UK charts as that's when it saw the light of day over there.
Given how this was a massive chart topper here in Australia and NZ for Simply red, it only makes sense it would be the case in America given how they already had a chart topper on Billboard with "Holding back the years" three years prior (which we'll revisit in a bit.) Even with all this success, they still didn't get to number one in their native UK until "Fairground" from six years later.
Although it was a little late to the party in her homeland, this did wound up becoming a number one hit on Billboard proving that Cyndi Lauper still had a lot of presence in the mainstream even if Madonna had become the pop diva of choice by this point in time. Had it been a hit internationally, "Change of heart" would be appearing towards the end of this list as that too was a huge hit on Billboard for her.
This was the only entry that these guys had on Billboard's 80's list, I bring this up because they had two hits from their debut album earlier in the decade in America that were clearly too minor to appear on the list. It's fitting this made the cut as it was their only chart topper on Billboard which was also the case here in Australia.
This was the only chart topper that Def Leppard had in America, it wasn't even their biggest hit on Billboard as "Pour some sugar on me" proved to be slightly more popular over there even if it failed to be a hit anywhere else in the world for them. We'll revisit their other bit hit from their debut album they had in NZ in a bit as that too was a huge hit for them in America.
This is the first of three Billboard chart toppers that Milli Vanilli had as well as the song that people use when criticising their music as they feel it’s the best representation with what they despise about it, naturally it was their lowest placing entry on this list given how their other three entries aren't as easy to mock as this is.
This was almost a Billboard chart topper for Duran Duran, it would've been had Madonna not block it from topping the charts over there with her top entry on this list. This came from their live album Arena where it was released as a bonus track for their fans, although I don't think they expected this to do as well as it did throughout the world.
From what I can gather, this is the only mashup single to become a hit in America, let alone top the Billboard charts like it did towards the start of the decade. I guess that explains why this is so fondly remembered internationally and yet is considered to be one of the worst songs of the decade over there.
This is the only other hit that Simple minds have in America, you'd think they would go on to dominate the Billboard charts given how big their earlier entry was over there but alas you'd be wrong. It appears we Aussies were the only people in the world that wasn't interested in this track as this was as big in the UK as their earlier entry was over there.
Even though the disco backlash was in full swing when Earth wind and fire released their final hit of their career, it appears their fellow Americans made an exception for them given how this managed to become a massive hit over there right when MTV launched. I'm sure this would've been a Billboard chart topper were it not for the disco backlash if I'm being honest.
It looks like America wasn't going to leave Leo Sayer behind in the 70's either as they allowed this to almost top the Billboard charts at the start of the decade, sure it wasn't as big as it was here in Australia where it did top our charts, however it's clear there was still plenty of love for his work over there.
Although they had yet to top the charts anywhere n the world, it appears the Americans were intrigued by what Duran Duran had to offer which led to them having a massive hit with what's considered to be their signature track over there. Their fortunes would continue to grow as we've seen earlier on this list thanks to their flashy music videos which seemed tailor made for MTV.
Even though this was a massive hit for Eddy Grant in his native UK, it was still a bit of a surprise to see this nearly top the charts in America given how none of his other tracks even touched the Billboard charts throughout his career both solo and with his former band Equal. I guess getting political is one way to win the Americans over as they certainly love being politically divided.
Here's the other Billboard chart topper that Simply red had throughout the 80's, it's actually a mystery how it became so big over there considering it only got to number two in their native UK as well as only being a sleeper hit here in Australia. Heck it was a flop in NZ even though they had a hit over there with their debut single "Money's too tight" that didn't do very well internationally.
I get the feeling this was a Billboard chart topper mainly due to people thinking this was a Prince track even though the Purple one had nothing to do with this in any way. I guess we Aussies were fooled as well given how it was a modest success here for the band Ready for the world (what a bad band name) however the rest of the world didn't give this any attention.
Her band Shalamar might not be making an appearance on this list, however that didn't mean that Jody Watley didn't see success with her solo career in her homeland as it was off to an amazing start when this nearly topped the Billboard charts upon its initial release. In fact, she had two other entries on Billboard's 80's list and even one on their 90's list to give you an idea how well loved she was in her homeland.
If this seems a bit low on this list, that's because despite it being a Billboard chart topper for the Beach boys, it wasn't particularly inescapable in their native America like it was here in Australia. It could be due to Americans not taking kindly to the critically panned film it was written for or it could be that 60's nostalgia was getting worn out over there by this point.
Given that it was a chart topper here in Australia as well as the UK, it would've been awkward if it also wasn't as such on Billboard even if it was significantly less successful over there than it was in those two countries. This was the band's final hit in their homeland like it was internationally as the rest of the singles from their third album failed to catch on after this.
Even though it didn't have a shot at getting to number one in America, this breakthrough single for the family group DeBarge managed to come in an impressive spot on this list likely due to it being the theme song for the little remembered film The last dragon which was panned by critics but was a box office success at the time. This even received a golden globe nomination, meaning it was a contender for an Oscar nomination at some point.
How has it taken me this long to get to a song from the Beverly hills cop soundtrack? This was its biggest hit in America just like it was here in Australia as it's more of a solo debut for Glenn Frey than anything even if it opens up the film. This was only slightly less successful than "You belong to the city" on Billboard as they both came close to topping their charts during the midpoint of the decade.
It may be surprising to see Kim Wilde have a Billboard chart topper with this cover of the Supremes track given how it only made it to number two in her native UK, that is until you remember it was a huge chart topper here in Australia as well as one of the biggest hits of the decade. While this was her only top ten hit on Billboard, she did have an earlier hit with "Kids in America" over there.
Even though their earlier entry was their biggest hit in America, I doubt many will argue that this is the signature track from Atlantic Starr given how fondly remembered hit remains to this day over that other hit. It certainly seems to be the case in NZ where this was a top ten hit for them while "Always" was a sleeper hit due to its success in America and the UK of all places.
This was the third of five chart toppers MJ had on his Bad album in America, I'm guessing he would've had this success on Thriller five years prior had Billboard allowed airplay to factor into their data like they did starting in late 1984. As least they wouldn't prioritise chart records until MJ released his next album Dangerous in late 1991.
Bobby Brown was on a roll during the final stretch of the decade in his homeland as he capped scored hit final hit on Billboard with the theme to the second Ghostbusters film, a film he had a small part in given how that was his condition for writing this song in the first place. It almost topped the Billboard charts like it did in NZ, though it lucked out due to the strong competition that year had to offer.
Bet you weren't expecting to see these guys on this list; indeed, the Alan Parsons project was able to score a massive hit on Billboard during the early days of MTV likely due to how chaotic the shift was from the 70's to the 80's in 1982. As such, they remain a one hit wonder over there like they do in NZ, although the fact they had a hit at all in either country is quite impressive.
If you were surprised to learn that this trio's earlier entry on this list was more successful everywhere in the world than it was in their native UK, I can't imagine how you'll feel when you learn they scored a second consecutive Billboard chart topper with this second single from their second album even though it was only a minor hit in their homeland.
Given how it was a massive hit throughout the rest of the world, it only makes sense that this was a Billboard chart topper for Prince which is fair enough as it was the theme song to the Tim Burton adaptation of Batman released at the end of the decade. His winning streak would be interrupted in the new decade due to the disaster that was his third film Graffiti bridge.
Even though I'm aware that Chris De Burgh was based in the UK when he scored a worldwide hit with this track, I'm shocked this wasn't a massive Billboard chart topper for him as this is exactly what haters of the 80's think the overall music scene was like back in the day. Alas it was only a solid top five hit over there even though it was a massive chart topper in his homeland.
I meant it when I said that Peter Gabriel won the war between him and his former band mates as far as America was concerned as this appears so much lower on Billboard's 80's list than his entry from earlier did (pretend there was ever any animosity between them for this statement to make sense.) On the plus side, they did score two other entries on that list with two other singles from the album of the same name.
This almost topped the Billboard charts for Robert Palmer given how he was on a roll following the success of his previous album Riptide, although its success in America is pitiful compared to what it achieved here in Australia as it was easily one of the ten biggest hits of the decade down under. He had one more appearance on Billboard’s 80's list with "I didn't mean to turn you on."
It may shock you to learn that Prince only had five Billboard chart toppers in his career with four of those coming from the 80's, this could've been another one of those had it not got stuck behind Duran Duran's Bond theme from earlier. This just goes to show how chaotic the charts were in America even by the midpoint of the decade where airplay had only just been factored into their charts.
I'm not sure how B52's fellow Americans discovered their signature track given how it became a hit on Billboard just before it became the final chart topper in Australia and NZ for the decade. Even though it was a massive success over there, it was pitiful compared to what it achieved in the southern hemisphere given the familiarity we Aussies and kiwis had of their back catalogue.
Even though this wasn't their biggest hit in America (or even second biggest as "Making love out of nothing at all" outranks this on Billboard's 80's list) this is the only chart topper that Air supply had in America which is a bit of a coincidence as it was their final hit here in Australia. They've still got two more entries to appear on this list and would've had more if they had more hits down under.
I guess this bombing here in Australia and underperforming in their native UK was the confirmation music historians needed that these guys were little more than style over substance with their earlier material. This wasn't the case in America or NZ where it almost topped the Billboard charts and was a decent success with the kiwis.
This seemed like the perfect follow up to Rick Astley's earlier entry on this list given how it manages to match the intensity with its production, as such it was the second single from his album in America which allowed it to become his second Billboard chart topper as a result. The trade-off was that "Whenever you need somebody" and "When I fall in love" weren't released as singles over there.
Say what you want about the film, it at least has a redeeming factor of its soundtrack as it managed to spawn two massive hits for its star Madonna including this title track which was a huge chart topper for her on Billboard and in the UK. It almost topped the NZ charts as well, meaning it found the least amount of success here in Australia where it was only a top ten hit for her.
This was one of the final Billboard chart toppers of the decade, meaning we have a song that would fit in nicely on a Vanilla ice album (or maybe even an early Fred Durst album if I'm being honest) making it big in time for the start of a decade that would be filled with this type of posturing from previously safe artists making it big in the mainstream.
She may have come out of the decade better than she began it, however there's no denying that Bette Midler was a household name on both sides of the 80's even if she spent most of it being in obscurity as far as her music was concerned. This was a big hit for her in America just like it was here in Australia, proving she was just as compelling an artist as she was an actress.
This is the final entry from George Michael on this list as a solo artist, it would also be the case if we were going by Billboard’s 80's list as his other hits in America throughout the 80's were too minor to qualify for their list. This almost began the chart-topping streak he had on his solo debut as it got stuck at number two on Billboard just like it did everywhere else in the world.
Even though this was a massive chart topper for Cyndi Lauper in Australia and NZ, it wasn't the case in the UK and her native America as it got stuck behind other much bigger hits in both countries to replicate the success it had in the southern hemisphere. That said, it was a solid start to her career in both countries and led to her earlier entry on this list getting to number one on Billboard.
This came so close to being a chart topper in America, it was a chart topper in NZ given how the kiwis already had Run DMC's cover of "Walk this way" top their charts three years prior. Both of Tone loc's international hits will be appearing on here, so stay tuned for when we get to "Funky cold medina" later down this list.
We're starting to see fewer Billboard chart toppers on this list, sorry to say that there's only so many of these that can fill up the list even if technically there'd be over twenty entries to not make the list if there was a different number one each week. That out of the way we have the debut single for Sheena Easton which went to number one in America around the same time it did so here in Australia and NZ.
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