The best word to describe this batch of records is solid. Whilst it was riding high in the charts this month unfortunately the record "Solid" doesn't make the cut because it was released the last week of 1984, otherwise it would have come near the top of the table.
It's probably the tightest its ever been. The truth be told I like the mid-table records all equally. We have a clear winner though with "This House (Is Where Your Love Stands)" by Big Sound Authority. It was a relatively minor hit and their only hit but is simply a great piece of 80s pop.
A clear 2nd place is the more successful return of "1999" by Prince to the charts. Ordinarily I wouldn't include it, but it was double a-side with "Little Red Corvette" which made the Top 40 for the first time and is the better tune.
Staying with the funk we have "20/20" by George Benson in 3rd place which I'm surprised to learn only got to number 29. There's the Top 40 debut and biggest hit for King with "Love & Pride". In addition to Prince and King being on this list there were also Top 40 hits for Queen and Princess later on in the year.
Motown continues to be present in the Top 40 with a comeback by The Commodores minus Lionel Richie for one final Top 40 hit with "Nightshift". Then we have something the 80s is best known for, a power ballad which comes from Chicago with "You're The Inspiration".
Is the Chicago better than the Big Country record down in 15th? Only marginally, that's how tight the table is. The Chaka Khan and Kirsty MacColl records are alright and it's the lack of rubbish records that put them this far down the table.
The Pointer Sisters are an example of 80s cheese that's just irritating. However with "Neutron Dance" it's not especially cheesy but that just means it's rubbish without being particularly catchy.
At the bottom though we have Pat Benetar with "We Belong". She was only 2nd bottom with "Love Is A Battlefield" the last year but record is even worse and it's bottom placing is well deserved.
If we had more truly great records then this might have been the best January, but it still scores well.
Score: 55
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