UK Singles Chart: 1980

Now we are into a new decade, the question is which acts, if any have managed a top 40 hit in the 50, 60s, 70s and 80s?

Well there are 2 so far. Elvis Presley keeps his streak of hits every year since 1956 with his 100th top 40 single "It's Only Love/Beyond the Reef". Then there is Cliff Richard who had three hits this year bringing his total to 73. Frank Sinatra and Lonnie Donegan remain in third and fourth place in terms of most hits.

There are several acts who have had hits in the 60s, 70s and 80s, but of the early 60s (1960-1964) debutants there are three. The Shadows had their final hit with "Riders In the Sky" and the Barron Knights had their final hit with "Never Mind the Presents". The third was the Rolling Stones who had hits with "Emotional Rescue" and "She's So Cold" but their chart career was far from over. We also had 1961 debutant Mike Berry return to the charts after a 17 year absence with his final hits "The Sunshine Of Your Smile" and "If I Could Only Make You Care".

The big success story of 1980 was Blondie who had three hits this year, "Atomic", "Call Me" and "The Tide Is High" which all reached number one. The latter was a move away from their New Wave sound in a reggae direction. Similarly we had the Clash do the same with "Bank Robber" and the Boomtown Rats with "Banana Republic".

This year would be the last we'd see of the Sex Pistols on the chart with their final hit "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone". We also saw the last of the Ramones with "Baby I Love You". There was still plenty of Punk music in the charts including debuts from Stiff Little Fingers with "At the Edge", Cockney Rejects with "The Greatest Cockney Rip Off" and Splodgenessabounds with "Simon Templar / Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please". Of those three, only Stiff Little Fingers would have a further hit beyond 1980.

We had the chart debut of Bow Wow Wow in July, who's debut "C30 C60 C90 Go" came before the debut of the band most of it's members left, Adam and the Ants, who debuted in October with "Dog Eat Dog". Adam and the Ants followed this up with two releases in December, "Ant Music" and "Young Parisians", the latter being rereleased after failing to chart a couple of years earlier.

This was arguably the most significant year for the mod revival sound the Jam had been doing the last couple of years. The Jam had two singles this year, "Going Underground/Dreams of Children" and "Start" which gave them their first two number ones. They were joined by Secret Affair who had debuted the previous year, who had a hit with "My World". Then their was the only top 40 hit for the Chords with "Maybe Tomorrow". We also had the debut of the Lambrettas with "Poison Ivy" and followed up with "D-a-a-ance". Of these, only the Jam would have hits beyond 1980.

Also having two hits this year which both got to number one was Abba with "The Winner Takes It All" and "Super Trouper", which put them into fourth place in terms of most number ones with 9, ahead of the Rolling Stones with 8 and behind Cliff Richard with 10 and Elvis and the Beatles with 17 each.

The so called death of disco in 1979 seemed to have little impact on the UK charts as there was plenty of disco music in the charts this year including the number ones "Working My Way Back To You - Forgive Me Girl" by the Detroit Spinners, "Use It Up And Wear It Out" by Odyssey and "Feels Like I'm In Love" by Kelly Marie.

Diana Ross and the Commodores would continue to have hits for Motown this year. We also had Stevie Wonder return to the charts with a couple of hits. We also saw the debut of Jermaine Jackson with "Let's Get Serious" followed up with "Burnin' Hot". Then there was the debut of Teena Marie with "Behind The Groove" and followed up with "I Need Your Lovin". Jermaine Jackson would return under a new label later on in the decade, but for Teena Marie this was it.

Having brought Synth Pop to the mainstream the previous year, Gary Numan had a solid 1980 with a further three singles, two of which reached the top 10. We had the chart debut in January of John Foxx with "Underpass" which actually was his highest positioned hit at just number 31. He followed this up with "No-One Driving" (32) and "Burning Car". He would just have one more top 40 hit the following year before his top 40 career would end.

The band John Foxx left, Ultravox, also made their chart debut with "Sleepwalk" in July which marked the return of Midge Ure in his third group in the charts. Then in December came the debut of Midge Ure's fourth group, Visage, with the single "Fade To Grey".

This was the only year we would see New Musik in the charts, after they had three hits with "Living By Numbers", "World of Water" and "Sanctuary".

We also saw the debut of OMD with "Messages" in July which was followed up with the better known "Enola Gay" in October.

The label OMD left prior to having their first hit, Factory Records, would have it's first top 40 hit in the charts this year with "Love Will Tear Us Apart", which was released shortly after the death of the Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. Joy Division would have just one more single later on in the decade, but the band itself would call it a day this year.

This was the biggest year in the charts for 2-tone music. The Specials, Madness, Selecter and The Beat all debuted the previous year and all had hits this year including the number one "The Special AKA Live EP". We also had the chart debut of Bad Manners with "Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu" and the only top 40 effort of the Bodysnatchers with "Let's Do Rock Steady".

There were several jazz funk records in the charts in 1980, the most successful of the year being "The Groove" by Rodney Franklin which reached number 7. The other records were in the lower reaches of the charts.

Although Elvis and Cliff were the only 50s acts to have a top 40 hit in 1980, the 50s was very much been kept alive by newer acts. Showaddywaddy would continue to have hits in 1980 as would Dave Edmunds with his cover of the 50s number one "Singing the Blues". Then there was Racey with their cover of "Runaround Sue".

Having debuted at the end of 1979, Matchbox would have their moment of glory in 1980 having four hits this year including the number 4 "When You Ask About Love", but would not have any further hits beyond this year. There was also the debut of Stray Cats with "Runaway Boys" in November.

The most notable debut of the 50s in the 80s was Shakin Stevens who debuted with "Hot Dog" in February and followed up with "Marie Marie" in August. As we know, he was just getting started.

It was also quite a big year for Hard Rock/Heavy Metal music. Iron Maiden made their debut in February with "Running Free" and followed up with "Sanctuary" and "Women In Uniform". There was also the debut of Saxon with "Wheels Of Steel" in March followed up with "747 (Strangers In The Night)". Whitesnake made their debut in April with "Fool For Your Loving" and Gillan would debut in October with "Gillan".

Then there were bands like AC/DC, Rainbow, Judas Priest and Motorhead who would all have hits this year which included "Ace Of Spades" by Motorhead. There was also the first post Ozzy Osbourne hit for Black Sabbath with "Neon Knights", plus the Black Sabbath debut "Paranoid" re entered the charts this year.

It wasn't just the heavier sounds putting Birmingham on the music map in 1980 though. We also saw the chart debut of UB40 with "King / Food For Thought". They would have another two hits this year which were both also double a sides.

There were no new nationalities on the charts this year, but we had the only top 40 hit from the second act from New Zealand to have a hit, Split Enz, with "I Got You". This was the group the Finn brothers were in prior to Crowded House, but its a few years yet until we see them in the charts.

Finally, we have the first of the new romantics make their chart debut, Spandau Ballet, with "To Cut A Long Story Short". No doubt I will be writing more about that in the years to come.

So in summary, 1980 does seem like the 80s has begun, but the 70s hasn't finished mainly due to the continued presence of disco music, and the 50s also seems to have returned. There is however one thing missing from 1980, rap music. Having the first two rap records in the charts in 1979 was a sign the 80s was coming, but there were no rap records in the charts in 1980. Will there be some in 1981?