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Subject: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: yelimsexa on 03/16/09 at 5:03 pm
I was doing some chart research today and noticed that of the 231 Billboard #1 hits of the '80s, just 82 (35%) occured between 1980-1984 while 149 (65%) occured between 1985-1989. I think this has a tendency to skew the late '80s artists' popularity more than those who came along in the early '80s. The 116th, or middle #1 single didn't occur until May 1986 with Addicted to Love. I think the main cause is that you had many more young superstars charting in the 2nd half as opposed to the 1st half, which had more one-hit wonders, foreign acts, and fading '60s and '70s artists. I think this means that a #5 hit in say 1986-1989 (29-32 #1 hits in those years), is just as good as a #10 hit in 1980-1983 (only 15-16 #1's in those years.)
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: AmericanGirl on 03/16/09 at 5:33 pm
The first (obvious) answer is that #1 hits in the beginning of the 80's were more likely to remain #1 for several weeks than in the second half.
As far as a value judgement, it's hard to say - what does anyone else think? ???
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: Paul on 03/16/09 at 5:52 pm
By the second half of the 80s, videos had become the focal selling-point for many chart songs...
Coupled with the meteoric rise of MTV, this must have had a bearing on the chart-topping turnover...
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: CeramicsFanatic on 03/16/09 at 6:19 pm
IMHO, the first half of the 80's didn't have as many #1 hits as the second half because the artists from the first half of the decade had much better songs and they stayed on the charts longer... 8)
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: Paul on 03/16/09 at 6:22 pm
IMHO, the first half of the 80's didn't have as many #1 hits as the second half because the artists from the first half of the decade had much better songs and they stayed on the charts longer... 8)
Yep! Can't argue with that! ;)
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: CeramicsFanatic on 03/16/09 at 6:27 pm
Yep! Can't argue with that! ;)
I had a feeling you'd agree with me, Paul! ;)
Subject: Re: Why did the second half of the '80s have more Billboard #1's than the first?
Written By: whistledog on 03/16/09 at 7:15 pm
Once music videos kicked into high gear, singles sold at a faster rate. 1 spot at the top, lots of singles rising up the charts, making it harder for a song to stay at #1 for more than a week
It was the same in Canada as well. In 1981, the Stars on 45 broke the record for longest reign at the top in Canada when their Beatlesesque 'Medley I' spent 12 consecutive weeks at #1