Showing posts with label INXS. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Top 50 New Wave Acts

New Wave:

Top 50 Acts

New wave was a genre of music which emerged in the late ‘70s in the United States and United Kingdom. It grew out of punk rock, a more guitar-based and aggressive sound, but became more commercial with its more smoothed-out synthesizer-driven and danceable sound as well as colorful, trendy wardrobe.

This list was created by aggregating 15 best-of lists focused on new wave acts. See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre.

Talking Heads

1. Talking Heads
2. Blondie
3. The Cure
4. Depeche Mode
5. The Cars
6. The B-52’s
7. Devo
8. The Police
9. New Order
10. Duran Duran

11. Tears for Fears
12. Elvis Costello
13. INXS
14. Culture Club
15. Echo & the Bunnymen
16. Psychedelic Furs
17. Eurythmics
18. Siouxsie & the Banshees
19. The Human League
20. ABC

21. Simple Minds
22. Pretenders
23. Joy Division
24. Aha
25. XTC
26. Adam Ant
27. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
28. A Flock of Seagulls
29. Erasure
30. The Smiths

31. Pet Shop Boys
32. Berlin
33. The Go-Go’s
34. Oingo Boingo
35. Soft Cell
36. Squeeze
37. Joe Jackson
38. Bangles
39. The Jam
40. Men at Work

41. Television
42. Billy Idol
43. The Fixx
44. Madness
45. Bananarama
46. Ultravox
47. Thompson Twins
48. Talk Talk
49. Spandau Ballet
50. Howard Jones

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: Top 250 New Wave/College Rock Songs
Dave’s Music Database: Lists of Acts/Music Makers by Genre

First posted 7/1/2026.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Australia: Top 100 Songs

First posted 10/23/2020; updated 10/25/2020.

Australia:

Top 100 Songs

This list is focused only on songs by Australian acts. It was compiled by aggregating more than 20 lists and also integrating chart data, such as songs which reached #1 in Australia, America, and the UK. Sources are at the bottom of the page.

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Men at Work “Down Under” (1981)
2. Midnight Oil “Beds Are Burning” (1987)
3. The Easybeats “Friday on My Mind” (1966)
4. Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011)
5. John Farnham “You’re the Voice” (1986)
6. Cold Chisel “Khe Sanh” (1978)
7. Hunters & Collectors “Throw Your Arms Around Me” (1984)
8. Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (1997)
9. Icehouse “Great Southern Land” (1982)
10. INXS “Never Tear Us Apart” (1987)

11. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
12. AC/DC “It’s a Long Way to the Top if You Wanna Rock N’ Roll” (1975)
13. INXS “Need You Tonight” (1987)
14. Daddy Cool “Eagle Rock” (1971)
15. Divinyls “I Touch Myself” (1990)
16. Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl” (1981)
17. Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” (2001)
18. Silverchair “Tomorrow” (1994)
19. Jimmy Barnes “Working Class Man” (1985)
20. Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (1986)

21. Savage Garden “Truly, Madly, Deeply” (1997)
22. AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)
23. Daryl Braithwaite “The Horses” (1991)
24. AC/DC “Back in Black” (1980)
25. Olivia Newton John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” (1978)
26. Australian Crawl “Reckless (Don’t Be So)” (1983)
27. AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (1979)
28. Redgum “I Was Only Nineteen” (1983)
29. Tones and I “Dance Monkey” (2019)
30. Kylie Minogue “The Loco-Motion” (1987)

31. Olivia Newton-John “Physical” (1981)
32. The Church “Under the Milky Way” (1986)
33. Bee Gees “Night Fever” (1977)
34. Moving Pictures “What About Me?” (1982)
35. Goanna “Solid Rock” (1982)
36. Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” (2003)
37. Yothu Yindi “Treaty” (1991)
38. Olivia Newton-John “I Honestly Love You” (1974)
39. INXS “What You Need” (1985)
40. Men at Work “Who Can It Be Now?” (1981)

41. Bee Gees “Tragedy” (1979)
42. Powderfinger “My Happiness” (2000)
43. Icehouse “Electric Blue” (1987)
44. Kylie Minogue “I Should Be So Lucky” (1987)
45. Crowded House “Better Be Home Soon” (1988)
46. AC/DC “Thunderstruck” (1990)
47. Andy Gibb “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” (1977)
48. Vance Joy “Riptide” (2013)
49. Paul Kelly “To Her Door” (1987)
50. Bee Gees “How Deep Is Your Love” (1977)

51. Russell Morris “The Real Thing” (1969)
52. Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016)
53. Little River Band “Help Is on Its Way” (1977)
54. Frank Ifield with Norrie Paramor “I Remember You” (1962)
55. Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing” (1976)
56. Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta with Grease Cast “Summer Nights” (1978)
57. John Paul Young “Love Is in the Air” (1978)
58. Sherbet “Howzat” (1976)
59. Bee Gees “Too Much Heaven” (1979)
60. Savage Garden “I Knew I Loved You” (1999)

61. Midnight Oil “Power and the Passion” (1982)
62. Bee Gees “Jive Walkin’” (1975)
63. INXS “Original Sin” (1983)
64. Ariana Grande with Iggy Azalea “Problem” (2014)
65. Olivia Newton-John with Electric Light Orchestra “Xanadu” (1980)
66. INXS “New Sensation” (1987)
67. Pseudo Echo “Funky Town” (1986)
68. Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy” (2014)
69. Olivia Newton-John “Magic” (1980)
70. Helen Reddy “I Am Woman” (1972)

71. Split Enz “I Got You” (1980)
72. Sia “Chandelier” (2014)
73. Olivia Newton-John “Hopelessly Devoted to You” (1978)
74. Savage Garden “I Want You” (1996)
75. The Seekers “Georgy Girl” (1966)
76. The Living End “Prisoner of Society” (1997)
77. Slim Dusty “Pub with No Beer” (1957)
78. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds “Into My Arms” (1997)
79. Andy Gibb “Shadow Dancing” (1978)
80. Little River Band “Cool Change” (1979)

81. The Models “Out of Mind, Out of Sight” (1985)
82. Joe Dolce “Shaddup Your Face” (1981)
83. The Seekers “I’ll Never Find Another You” (1965)
84. 5 Seconds of Summer “Youngblood” (2018)
85. Gang Gajang “Sounds of Then (This Is Australia)” (1985)
86. Silverchair “Straight Lines” (2007)
87. Midnight Oil “Blue Sky Mine” (1990)
88. David Guetta with Sia “Titanium” (2012)
89. Sia “Elastic Heart” (2015)
90. Icehouse “Crazy” (1987)

91. Stevie Wright “Evie” (1974)
92. 5 Seconds of Summer “She Looks So Perfect” (2014)
93. The Choirboys “Run to Paradise” (1987)
94. INXS with Jimmy Barnes “Good Times” (1987)
95. The Angels “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again” (1977)
96. Air Supply “All Out of Love” (1980)
97. Bee Gees “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” (1971)
98. INXS “Suicide Blonde” (1990)
99. The Seekers “The Carnival Is Over” (1965)
100. Olivia Newton-John “A Little More Love” (1978)

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Australia: Top 100+ #1 Songs”
96fm.com (1/26/2020). “The Essential 96 Australian Songs”
Australian Geographic (11/8/2013). “Top Classic Aussie Songs”
A top 15 list.
Australian Performing Rights Association (2001). “APRA Top 30 Australian Songs”
To celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2001, APRA assembled a panel of 100 music personalities to each list the ten best/most significant Australian songs of the past 75 years.
Billboard (2020). “List of Hot 100 number-ones by Australian artists”
A list of the 30 songs by Australian artists to top the U.S. pop charts.
Billboard.com (11/1/2017). “17 Great Aussie Songs for Australian Music Month”
A top-17 list.
BuzzFeed (4/25/2017). “45 Aussie Songs That Are Indisputably Iconic”
Culture Trip (7/30/2016). “12 Iconic Australian Songs You Should Know”
Dallas Observer (1/22/2009). “The ten greatest Australian songs”
EFTM.com (2/19/2018). “Top 20 Aussie Songs – a Millennial’s Take”
PerthNow.com.au (1/19/2020). “Top 20 Australian Songs for Australia Day”
RateYourMusic.com (4/25/2008). “The Greatest Australian Songs of All Time”
A list of more than 300 songs compiled by Rate Your Music user dfle3.
Rocking the Mahi (). “Top 500 Greatest Aussie Songs of All Time”
The list creator notes that he/she whittled down the more than 6200 songs by Australian artists which hit either the AMR or ARIA chart from 1958 on. There’s no indication, datewise, of when this list was created, but it is indicated when the songs first charted. The 500 list is sortable based on chart peaks, artists, and songs.
Scenestr (1/26/2014). “Top 100 Best Aussie Songs of All Time”
Spotify “Top 100 Australian songs ever”
Despite the title, this unranked list only includes 87 songs.
Sydney Expert (3/4/2020). “A Classic Aussie Playlist: the hits Aussie love to song along to!”
Unranked list with songs grouped by decades from the 1970s to present.
Tone Deaf (10/4/2020). “Check out the 17 most iconic songs in Aussie music history”
Top100Singles.net (2020). “Every Australian Artist to Chart”
A detailed account/database of the ARIA (Australian) pop charts.
Triple M (1/26/2018). “100 Best Australian Songs Ever”
Process for assembling list is unclear, but writer thanks the voters.
UK Official Charts (1/26/2020). “Every UK Number 1 single by Australian acts”
WA Today (1/26/2019). “Sounds of then: 100 Australian songs that shaped our lives”
Unranked list. Songs grouped by categories.
West Australian (1/26/2019). “Best Aussie songs 1958-2018: The 30 classics that just missed the cut”
It’s unclear what cut these songs missed.
WhatCulture.com“10 Greatest Australian Songs of All Time”
There’s no date to indicate when this list was created.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” spent 1st of 22 weeks atop adult contemporary chart

Hey, Soul Sister

Train

Writer(s): Patrick Monahan, Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund (see lyrics here)

Released: August 11, 2009

First Charted: September 5, 2009

Peak: 3 US, 3 RR, 1³ DG, 1²² AC, 1⁶ A40, 2 AA, 52 CW, 18 UK, 3 CN, 1⁴ AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 11.0 US, 0.69 UK, 12.35 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 5.0 radio, 496.0 video, 1248.80 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

The group Train hadn’t had a hit in the U.S. in five years when they released “Hey, Soul Sister” as the debut single for their fifth album. In the UK, they hadn’t charted since 2001. The song became Columbia Records’ most downloaded song and is the eight most downloaded song in history. ^WK This lands the song on the DMDB’s list of the top 100 best-selling songs in the world.

The song also topped the charts in sixteen countries. ^WK Surprisingly, even with its massive sales in the U.S., it only peaked at #3. However, it stayed atop the adult contemporary charts for 22 non-consecutive weeks, second at the time only to Uncle Kracker’s remake of “Drift Away” (28 weeks at #1).

The lyrics are about “a woman who’s got all the right moves.” ^SF Train’s lead singer and songwriter, Pat Monahan, was inspired by Burning Man, an annual event in the Nevada desert in which a wooden man is burned at the end of the festival and everyone dances around it naked. He had never been, but imagined beautiful women dancing around the fire. ^WK

He collaborated on the track with Espionage, a Norwegian production duo comprised of Espen Lind and Amund Bjørklund. Previous writing credits included Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and Chris Brown’s “With You”. ^SF Monahan told the pair he wanted an INXS-style song, but after getting down the melody and singing it, decided it didn’t sound right. Espen tried it out with ukulele and Monahan, while initially reluctant, decided the approach “made my words dance.” ^WK He has also said that the use of the ukulele “made everybody happy…people gravitate towards that positive part of it.” ^SF

Resources:

DMDB encyclopedia entry for Train
^SF Songfacts
^WK Wikipedia

First posted 9/5/2011; last updated 7/19/2023.

Saturday, December 31, 1988

Dave’s Faves: My Album Collection in 1988

Dave’s Faves:

My Album Collection in 1988

By year’s end, this was what my collection looked like. Albums acquired in 1988 are marked with an asterisk.

Aha Hunting High and Low (1985)
Aha Scoundrel Days (1986)
Aha Stay on These Roads (1988) *
Air Supply Lost in Love (1980)
Air Supply The One That You Love (1981)
Alabama Greatest Hits (compilation: 1980-86, released 1986)
Alabama The Touch (1986)
Alabama Live (live, 1988) *
Asia Asia (1982)
Asia Alpha (1983)
Asia Astra (1985)
Bangles All Over the Place (1984)
Bangles Different Light (1986)
Bangles Everything (1988)
The Beatles Yesterday…and Today (1966)
The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The Beatles Hey Jude (1968)
The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation: 1962-66, released 1973)
The Beatles 1967-1970 (compilation: 1967-70, released 1973)
The Beatles 20 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1962-70, released 1982)
Pat Benatar Crimes of Passion (1980)
Pat Benatar Get Nervous (1982)
Pat Benatar Live from Earth (live, 1983)
Pat Benatar Tropico (1984)
Pat Benatar Seven the Hard Way (1985)
Berlin Pleasure Victim (1983)
Berlin Love Life (1984)
Berlin Count Three and Pray (1986)
Blondie Parallel Lines (1978)
Blondie Eat to the Beat (1979)
Boomtown Rats In the Long Grass (1984)
Boston Third Stage (1986)
David Bowie ChangesOneBowie (compilation: 1969-76, released 1976)
David Bowie Never Let Me Down (1987)
Paul Carrack One Good Reason (1987) *
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (1988) *
Chicago Chicago 16 (1982)
Chicago Chicago 17 (1984)
Toni Childs Union (1988) *
Phil Collins No Jacket Required (1985)
Robert Cray Strong Persuader (1986)
Robert Cray Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1988) *
Crowded House Crowded House (1986)
Crowded House Temple of Low Men (1988) *
Terence Trent D’Arby Introducing the Hardline… (1987) *
David + David Boomtown (1986)
Def Leppard Pyromania (1983)
Def Leppard Hysteria (1987)
John Denver Greatest Hits (compilation: 1969-72, released 1973)
Dennis DeYoung Desert Moon (1984)
Dennis DeYoung Back to the World (1986)
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (1985)
Neil Diamond The Jazz Singer (soundtrack, 1980)
Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (compilation: 1971-75, released 1976)
Eagles Greatest Hits Volume 2 (released 1982)
Melissa Etheridge Melissa Etheridge (1988) *
Eurythmics In the Garden (1981)
Eurythmics Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (1983)
Eurythmics Touch (1983)
Eurythmics 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) (1984)
Eurythmics Be Yourself Tonight (1985)
Eurythmics Savage (1987) *
Everything But the Girl Idlewild (1988) *
Dan Fogelberg Greatest Hits (compilation: 1972-82, released 1982)
Foreigner 4 (1981)
Foreigner Records (compilation: 1976-82, released 1982)
Foreigner Agent Provocateur (1984)
Foreigner Inside Information (1987) *
Peter Gabriel Plays Live (live, 1983)
Peter Gabriel So (1986)
J. Geils Band Freeze Frame (1981)
Bob Geldof Deep in the Heart of Nowhere (1986)
Genesis Genesis (1983)
Genesis Invisible Touch (1986)
Grateful Dead In the Dark (1987)
Daryl Hall & John Oates H₂O (1982)
Daryl Hall & John Oates Rock ‘N’ Soul Part I (compilation: (1973-83, released 1983)
Don Henley Building the Perfect Beast (1984)
Hooters Nervous Night (1985)
Hooters One Way Home (1987)
INXS Kick (1987) *
Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
Michael Jackson Bad (1987)
Billy Joel Turnstiles (1976)
Billy Joel The Stranger (1977)
Billy Joel The Nylon Curtain (1982)
Billy Joel An Innocent Man (1983)
Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation: 1973-85, released 1985)
Billy Joel The Bridge (1986)
Journey Captured (live, 1981)
Journey Escape (1981)
Journey Frontiers (1983)
Journey Raised on Radio (1986)
Kingdom Come Kingdom Come (1988) *
Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual (1983)
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Huey Lewis & the News Sports (1983)
Little River Band Greatest Hits (compilation: 1975-82, released 1982) *
Little River Band Monsoon (1988) *
Barry Manilow Greatest Hits (compilation, released 1978)
Marillion Script for a Jester’s Tear (1983)
Marillion Fugazi (1984)
Marillion Real to Reel (live, 1984)
Marillion Misplaced Childhood (1985)
Marillion Brief Encounter (EP, 1986)
Marillion Clutching at Straws (1987)
Marillion B’Sides Themselves (archives: 1982-88, released 1988) *
John Cougar (Mellencamp) American Fool (1982)
John Cougar Mellencamp Uh-Huh (1983)
John Cougar Mellencamp Scarecrow (1985)
John Cougar Mellencamp The Lonesome Jubilee (1987)
Men at Work Business As Usual (1981)
Men at Work Cargo (1983)
Men at Work Two Hearts (1985)
Mike + the Mechanics Mike + The Mechanics (1985) *
Mike + the Mechanics Living Years (1988) *
The Moody Blues This Is the Moody Blues (compilation: 1967-72, released 1974)
The Moody Blues Voices in the Sky (compilation: 1967-82, released 1984)
The Moody Blues The Other Side of Life (1986)
Olivia Newton-John Greatest Hits (compilation: 1971-76, released 1977)
Olivia Newton-John Totally Hot (1978)
Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra Xanadu (soundtrack, 1980)
Olivia Newton-John Physical (1981)
Olivia Newton-John Olivia’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (compilation: 1978-82, released 1982)
Olivia Newton-John Soul Kiss (1985)
Olivia Newton-John The Rumour (1988) *
Stevie Nicks The Wild Heart (1983)

Sinéad O’Connor The Lion and the Cobra (1987) *
Alan Parsons Project I Robot (1977)
Alan Parsons Project Eve (1979)
Alan Parsons Project The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980)
Alan Parsons Project Eye in the Sky (1982)
Alan Parsons Project The Best of (compilation: 1977-83, released 1983)
Alan Parsons Project Ammonia Avenue (1984)
Alan Parsons Project Vulture Culture (1985)
Alan Parsons Project Stereotomy (1986)
Alan Parsons Project Gaudi (1987)
Alan Parsons Project Best of, Vol. 2 (compilation: 1977-87, released 1988) *
Steve Perry Street Talk (1984)
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Pink Floyd The Wall (1979)
Pink Floyd The Final Cut (1983)
Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)
Robert Plant Now and Zen (1988) *
The Police Outlandos D’Amour (1978)
The Police Reggatta De Blanc (1979)
The Police Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)
The Police Ghost in the Machine (1981)
The Police Synchronicity (1983)
The Police Every Breath You Take – The Singles (compilation: 1978-1986; released 1986)
Prince 1999 (1982)
Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (1984)
Prince & the Revolution Around the World in a Day (1985)
Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987)
Queen Greatest Hits (compilation: 1973-81, released 1981)
Gerry Rafferty City to City (1978) *
Gerry Rafferty North and South (1988) *
The Rainmakers The Rainmakers (1986)
The Rainmakers Tornado (1987)
R.E.M. Life’s Rich Pageant (1986) *
R.E.M. Document (1987)
REO Speedwagon Hi Infidelity (1980)
REO Speedwagon Wheels Are Turnin’ (1984)
REO Speedwagon The Hits (compilation: 1976-88, released 1988) *
Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983)
Lionel Richie Dancing on the Ceiling (1986)
Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits (compilation: 1977-80, released 1980)
The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-71 (compilation: 1964-71, released 1971) *
Rush All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976)
Rush Moving Pictures (1981)
Rush Exit…Stage Left (live, 1981)
Rush Hold Your Fire (1987) *
Charlie Sexton Pictures for Pleasure (1985)
Paul Simon Graceland (1986)
The Smiths Louder Than Bombs (archives: 1983-87, released 1987)
The Smiths Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Bruce Springsteen Live 1975/1985 (live box set, 1986)
Bruce Springsteen Tunnel of Love (1987)
Squeeze Cool for Cats (1979) *
Squeeze Argybargy (1980)
Squeeze Sweets from a Stranger (1982)
Squeeze 45s and Under (compilation: 1977-82, released 1982)
Squeeze Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985)
Squeeze Babylon and On (1987)
Sting The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
Sting Bring on the Night (live, 1986)
Sting Nothing Like the Sun (1987)
Styx Styx I (1972)
Styx Styx II (1973)
Styx The Serpent Is Rising (1973)
Styx Man of Miracles (1974)
Styx Best of Styx (compilation: 1972-74)
Styx Equinox (1975)
Styx Crystal Ball (1976)
Styx The Grand Illusion (1977)
Styx Pieces of Eight (1978)
Styx Cornerstone (1979)
Styx Paradise Theater (1981)
Styx Kilroy Was Here (1983)
Styx Caught in the Act (live, 1984)
Supertramp Famous Last Words (1982)
Supertramp Brother Where You Bound (1985)
Tears for Fears The Hurting (1983)
Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
Toto Toto IV (1982)
U2 War (1983)
U2 Under a Blood Red Sky (live, 1983)
U2 The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
U2 The Joshua Tree (1987)
U2 Rattle and Hum (studio/live soundtrack, 1988) *
Van Halen 5150 (1986)
Van Halen OU812 (1988) *
Suzanne Vega Solitude Standing (1987)
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes (1983)
Violent Femmes Hallowed Ground (1984)
Violent Femmes Blind Leading the Naked (1986)
Roger Waters Radio K.A.O.S. (1987)
Whitesnake Whitesnake (1987)
The Who Who’s Next (1971)
The Who Greatest Hits (compilation: 1965-78, released 1983)
John Williams (composer) Star Wars IV: A New Hope (soundtrack, 1977)
XTC Skylarking (1986)
Yes The Yes Album (1971)
Yes Fragile (1971)
Yes Classic Yes (compilation: 1971-77, released 1981)
Yes 90125 (1983)
Yes Big Generator (1987)
ZZ Top Afterburner (1985)
Various Artists:
Brimstone and Treacle (soundtrack, 1982)
Flashdance (soundtrack, 1983)
Footloose (soundtrack, 1984)
K-Tel: High Energy (1979)
K-Tel: Starflight (1979)
K-Tel: Wings of Sound (1979)
Legend (soundtrack, 1986)
Party! Party! (soundtrack, 1982) *
Pretty in Pink (soundtrack, 1986)
Rock for Amnesty (1986)
The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (soundtrack, 1982) *
She’s Having a Baby (soundtrack, 1988) *
Some Kind of Wonderful (soundtrack, 1987)
The Songs of Lennon and McCartney (1986) *
St. Elmo’s Fire (soundtrack, 1985)
Two of a Kind (soundtrack, 1983)
A Very Special Christmas (1987) *
Vision Quest (soundtrack, 1985)
We Are the World (1985)
When the Wind Blows (soundtrack, 1986) *

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “My Album Collection” (see where it stood in different years)
Dave’s Music Database (3/24/1979). “My First Album Purchase: K-Tel: High Energy”
Dave’s Music Database (9/25/1982). “The Columbia House Record Club”
Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Albums”
Dave’s Music Database (9/18/1982). “My First Personal Song Chart”
Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: My Top 100 Songs”

First posted 8/31/2021.

Alternative Rock #1 Songs (1976-1988)

Alternative Rock:

#1 Songs (1976-1988)

In 2019, I published the book Charting the Classic Rock Hits 1962-1981 (click here to order on Amazon). The idea was to create a companion piece to the rock chart created by Billboard magazine in 1981. That chart tracked mainstream rock songs. I created a system to weigh different songs and see how they might have fared had their been rock charts dating back as far as 1962.

Similarly, Billboard started a chart in 1988 to track modern rock songs and I developed a system to weigh how songs might have fared had such charts existed as much as two decades earlier. Up until late 1976, results were spotty so I’ve used the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the U.K.” as my starting point to track songs that might have been #1’s on an alternative rock track through the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Modern rock, also known as college rock and later as alternative rock, was a reference to rock music that was a little left of center. It grew out of garage rock in the mid-‘60s and, with the arrival of the Velvet Underground, a new off-the-beaten-path form of music was born which would come to be known as proto-punk (Velvet Underground, the Stooges, New York Dolls). The ‘70s saw the arrival of glam (David Bowie, Queen, T-Rex) and punk (Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones). By the early ‘80s, a more synth-driven form of music known as new wave (Talking Heads, Duran Duran) emerged. The ‘80s then saw the explosion of college rock (U2, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, The Cure, INXS).

As the genre developed in the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, it became harder to distinguish “alternative” rock from “mainstream.” Originally, though, the idea was that alternative rock was built on punk and new wave and the kinds of off-kilter songs beloved by college radio stations. Nonetheless, you’ll still see a fair share of major hits on this list as some of the acts embraced by the alternative crowd would find mainstream success even in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Note: dates indicate when the song was first released or charted. Asterisks (*) indicate that the song was an album cut and the date is therefore the date of the album’s release. Two asterisks (**) indicate the song hit #1 on the Billboard modern rock chart.

Check other lists based on charts, sales, and airplay here.

11/26/76: Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the U.K.”
3/21/77: Peter Gabriel “Solsbury Hill”
5/27/77: Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen”
7/16/77: The Modern Lovers “Roadrunner”
8/29/77: Iggy Pop “Lust for Life”
9/23/77: David Bowie “Heroes”
9/77: * Richard Hell & the Voidoids “Blank Generation”
10/7/77: Queen “We Will Rock You” / “We Are the Champions”
10/22/77: * The Dead Boys “Sonic Reducer”

1/6/78: Kate Bush “Wuthering Heights”
2/18/78: Talking Heads “Psycho Killer”
4/7/78: The Police “Roxanne”
6/15/78: The Undertones “Teenage Kicks”
9/21/78: * Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated”
9/23/78: The Buzzcocks “Ever Fallen in Love”

1/3/79: Blondie “Heart of Glass”
6/15/79: The Cure “Boys Don’t Cry”
6/23/79: The Knack “My Sharona”
6/79: Dead Kennedys “California Über Alles”
8/11/79: The B-52’s “Rock Lobster”
8/21/79: Gary Numan “Cars”
9/10/79: The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star”
9/21/79: The Police “Message in a Bottle”
10/5/79: Queen “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
11/17/79: “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special)”
12/7/79: The Clash “London Calling”

1/21/80: Split Enz “I Got You”
2/1/80: Blondie “Call Me”
2/9/80: The Vapors “Turning Japanese”
2/16/80: The Romantics “What I Like About You”
5/3/80: The English Beat “Mirror in the Bathroom”
5/31/80: Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia”
6/28/80: Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart”
8/1/80: David Bowie “Ashes to Ashes”
8/8/80: Queen “Another One Bites the Dust”
8/13/80: Devo “Whip It”
9/19/80: The Police “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
10/19/80: U2 “I Will Follow”

1/9/81: Blondie “Rapture”
2/2/81: Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime”
6/6/81: Men at Work “Who Can It Be Now?”
6/12/81: The Specials “Ghost Town”
6/20/81: Squeeze “Tempted”
6/27/81: Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink”
7/8/81: R.E.M. “Radio Free Europe”
7/13/81: Duran Duran “Girls on Film”
7/17/81: Soft Cell “Tainted Love”
8/15/81: The Go-Go’s “Our Lips Are Sealed”
9/7/81: Depeche Mode “Just Can’t Get Enough”
9/13/81: J. Geils Band “Centerfold”
9/25/81: The Police “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”
10/10/81: Tom Tom Club “Genius of Love”
10/23/81: Men at Work “Down Under”
10/26/81: Queen & David Bowie “Under Pressure”
11/81: Black Flag “Rise Above”
11/27/81: The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?”
12/5/81: The Police “Spirits in the Material World”
12/12/81: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll”

1/29/82: The Jam “A Town Called Malice”
3/27/82: A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran (So Far Away)”
4/17/82: The English Beat “Save It for Later”
5/4/82: Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf”
5/31/82: The Clash “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”
6/11/82: The Clash “Rock the Casbah”
6/25/82: Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come on Eileen”
7/17/82: Yazoo “Don’t Go”
7/31/82: Psychedelic Furs “Love My Way”
8/21/82: Joe Jackson “Steppin’ Out”
9/6/82: Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”
9/18/82: Yazoo “Situation”
9/20/82: Tears for Fears “Mad World”
9/25/82: Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio”
10/2/82: Pretenders “Back on the Chain Gang”
10/16/82: Romeo Void “Never Say Never”
11/6/82: Thomas Dolby “She Blinded Me with Science”
11/6/82: A Flock of Seagulls “Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)”
11/12/82: Madness “Our House”
11/27/82: Billy Idol “White Wedding”

1/1/83: U2 “New Year’s Day”
1/21/83: Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This”
1/24/83: Tears for Fears “Change”
3/7/83: New Order “Blue Monday”
3/17/83: David Bowie “Let’s Dance”
3/21/83: U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
3/26/83: Modern English “I Melt with You”
4/83: * Violent Femmes “Blister in the Sun”
5/13/83: The Police “Every Breath You Take”
5/28/83: Big Country “In a Big Country”
6/25/83: Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”
7/5/83: * Suicidal Tendences “Institutionalized”
7/8/83: The Police “Wrapped Around Your Finger”
7/9/83: The Police “King of Pain”
7/11/83: Depeche Mode “Everything Counts”
7/23/83: Talking Heads “Burning Down the House”
8/8/83: UB40: “Red Red Wine”
9/17/83: Culture Club “Karma Chameleon”
10/24/83: Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax”
10/31/83: The Smiths “This Charming Man”
11/6/83: Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
12/10/83: Nena “99 Red Balloons”

1/14/84: Talk Talk “It’s My Life”
1/21/84: Eurythmics “Here Comes the Rain Again”
1/20/84: Echo & the Bunnymen “The Killing Moon”
1/27/84: Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time”
3/10/84: Icicle Works “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)”
3/12/84: Depeche Mode “People Are People”
4/16/84: Duran Duran “The Reflex”
5/14/84: Wham! “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”
7/21/84: Cyndi Lauper “She Bop”
7/24/84: George Michael “Careless Whisper”
8/20/84: The Smiths “How Soon Is Now?”
9/4/84: U2 “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
10/19/84: A-ha “Take on Me”
11/19/84: Tears for Fears “Shout”
12/1/84: Dead or Alive “You Spin Me Round Like a Record”
12/1/84: David Bowie & Tina Turner “Tonight”
12/3/84: Wham! “Last Christmas”

2/20/85: Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me”
3/16/85: Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
3/30/85: The Dream Academy “Life in a Northern Town”
4/20/85: Eurythmics “Would I Lie to You?”
4/29/85: The Power Station “Get It On (Bang a Gong)”
5/6/85: Duran Duran “A View to a Kill”
5/17/85: The Cult “She Sells Sanctuary”
6/10/85: Tears for Fears “Head Over Heels”
6/30/85: Mr. Mister “Broken Wings”
6/85: * Camper Van Beethoven “Take the Skinheads Bowling”
7/15/85: The Cure “In Between Days (Without You)”
8/5/85: Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)”
8/12/85: David Bowie & Mick Jagger “Dancing in the Street”
9/9/85: The Cure “Close to Me”
9/30/85: Simple Minds “Alive and Kicking”
10/12/85: The Jesus & Mary Chain “Just Like Honey”
10/28/85: Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls”
12/25/85: Simple Minds “Sanctify Yourself”

1/18/86: INXS “What You Need”
1/25/86: Bangles “Manic Monday”
2/8/86: Robert Palmer “Addicted to Love”
3/22/86: Simple Minds “All the Things She Said”
3/86: The Replacements “Left of the Dial”
4/21/86: Peter Gabriel “Sledgehammer”
5/19/86: The Smiths “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
6/15/86: Berlin “Take My Breath Away”
6/21/86: Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes”
7/4/86: Run-DMC with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way”
7/5/86: Eurythmics “Missionary Man”
8/16/86: XTC “Dear God”
9/1/86: Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian”
10/11/86: Pretenders “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
10/20/86: Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
11/15/86: New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle”
12/20/86: Beastie Boys “You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party”

With or Without You

3/28/87: U2 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
4/1/87: Crowded House “Something So Strong”
4/4/87: U2 “Where the Streets Have No Name”
5/21/87: Suzanne Vega “Luka”
5/30/87: * The Replacements “Alex Chilton”
8/1/87: Echo & the Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar”
8/4/87: U2 “Sweetest Thing”
8/8/87: Squeeze “Hourglass”
8/24/87: R.E.M. “The One I Love”
9/5/87: R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
8/23/87: INXS “Need You Tonight”
10/5/87: The Cure “Just Like Heaven”
11/14/87: The Sugarcubes “Birthday”
12/19/87: Eurythmics “I Need a Man”
12/26/87: INXS “Devil Inside”

1/9/88: INXS “New Sensation”
2/20/88: Midnight Oil “Beds Are Burning”
3/5/88: The Church “Under the Milky Way”
4/6/88: Tracy Chapman “Fast Car”
5/28/88: Big Audio Dynamite “Just Play Music!” **
6/11/88: Robert Palmer “Simply Irresistible”
6/12/88: Crowded House “Better Be Home Soon”
6/25/88: INXS “Never Tear Us Apart”
7/9/88: Psychedelic Furs “All That Money Wants” **
7/18/88: Siouxsie & the Banshees “Peek-a-Boo” **
7/30/88: Tracy Chapman “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution”
8/1/88: Mudhoney “Touch Me I’m Sick”
8/23/88: Jane’s Addiction “Jane Says”
9/10/88: Edie Brickell & New Bohemians “What I Am”
9/12/88: Michelle Shocked “Anchorage”
9/19/88: Erasure “A Little Respect”
9/24/88: Julian Cope “Charlotte Anne” **
9/26/88: U2 “Desire” **
9/88: Dinosaur Jr. “Freak Scene”
10/22/88: U2 “Angel of Harlem”
10/22/88: U2 with B.B. King “When Love Comes to Town”
12/24/88: Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot”
10/31/88: The La’s “There She Goes”
11/5/88: They Might Be Giants “Ana Ng”
11/12/88: R.E.M. “Orange Crush” **
12/3/88: R.E.M. “Stand” **
12/3/88: R.E.M. “Pop Song 89”

Related Dave’s Music Database Lists:

“Lists Based on Charts, Sales, and Airplay”
“Alternative Rock Albums: Top 100”
“Alternative Rock Songs: Top 100”
“Britpop Albums: Top 25”
“Britpop Songs: Top 50”
“Garage Rock Songs: Top 100”
“Glam Albums: Top 25”
“Glam Songs: Top 50”
“Grunge Albums: Top 50”
“Grunge/Post-Grunge Songs: Top 100”
“New Wave Albums: Top 50”
“New Wave/College Rock Songs: Top 250+”
“Punk Albums: Top 50”
“Punk Songs: Top 50”

First posted 3/27/2025; last updated 4/5/2025.

Saturday, January 30, 1988

INXS top the chart with “Need You Tonight”