List of UK top-ten singles in 1982

The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1982, as well as singles which peaked in 1981 and 1983 but were in the top 10 in 1982. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).[citation needed]

Dexys Midnight Runners achieved the best-selling single of 1982 with "Come On Eileen", which spent four weeks at number-one. The group had a second top 10 hit later in the year with their cover of Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)", which peaked at number five.
Eddy Grant scored a solo UK number-one single this year with "I Don't Wanna Dance", which topped the chart in November for three weeks. He had previously reached number-one as a member of The Equals in 1968 with "Baby, Come Back".
Suggs (pictured in 2008) and his band Madness had four singles in the UK top 10 in 1982, including their only number-one hit, "House of Fun".

One-hundred and fifty-four singles were in the top ten in 1982. Ten singles from 1981 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "A Winter's Tale" by David Essex, "Best Years of Our Lives" by Modern Romance and "You Can't Hurry Love" by Phil Collins were both released in 1982 but did not reach their peak until 1983. "Ant Rap" by Adam and the Ants, "I'll Find My Way Home" by Jon and Vangelis, "It Must Be Love" by Madness, "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz and "Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)" by Dollar were the singles from 1981 to reach their peak in 1982. Thirty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1982. Bananarama, Culture Club, Hall & Oates, Iron Maiden and Wham! were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1982.[citation needed]

The 1981 Christmas number-one, "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League, remained at number-one for the first two weeks of 1982. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom the previous year. Overall, twenty-two different singles peaked at number-one in 1982, with Bucks Fizz and The Jam (2) having the most singles hit that position.[citation needed]

Background

Multiple entries

One-hundred and fifty-four singles charted in the top 10 in 1982, with one-hundred and forty-six singles reaching their peak this year.

Thirty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1982. The Jam, Madness, Paul McCartney and Shakin' Stevens shared the record for most top 10 hits in 1982 with four hit singles each.

Culture Club were one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". Bow Wow Wow, Dollar, Hall & Oates, Kool and the Gang and Stevie Wonder were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1982.

Chart debuts

Fifty-eight artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1982, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, seven went on to record another hit single that year: Bow Wow Wow, Culture Club, Fun Boy Three, Hall & Oates, Japan, The Kids from "Fame" and Yazoo. ABC, Bananarama and Shalamar all had three other entries in their breakthrough year.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.

ArtistNumber of top 10sFirst entryChart positionOther entries
Kraftwerk1"The Model"/"Computer Love"1
Foreigner1"Waiting for a Girl Like You"8
Meat Loaf1"Dead Ringer for Love"5
Christopher Cross1"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"7
Mobiles1"Drowning in Berlin"9
XTC1"Senses Working Overtime"10
The J. Geils Band1"Centerfold"3
Hall & Oates2"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)"8"Maneater" (6)
Fun Boy Three2"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)"4"Really Saying Something" (5)
Bananarama3"Really Saying Something" (5), "Shy Boy" (4)
Toni Basil1"Mickey"2
Iron Maiden1"Run to the Hills"7
Goombay Dance Band1"Seven Tears"1
Bow Wow Wow2"Go Wild in the Country"7"I Want Candy" (9)
ABC3"Poison Arrow"6"All of My Heart" (5), "The Look of Love" (4)
Associates1"Party Fears Two"9
Japan2"Ghosts"5"I Second That Emotion" (9)
Pigbag1"Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag"3
Bardo1"One Step Further"2
Shakatak1"Night Birds"9
Shalamar3"I Can Make You Feel Good"7"A Night to Remember", "There It Is" (5)
England World Cup Squad 19821"This Time (We'll Get It Right)"2
Ph.D.1"I Won't Let You Down"3
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts1"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"4
Nicole1"A Little Peace"1
Scotland World Cup Squad 19821"We Have a Dream"5
Yazoo2"Only You"2"Don't Go" (3)
Patrice Rushen1"Forget Me Nots"8
Junior1"Mama Used to Say"7
Charlene1"I've Never Been to Me"1
Kid Creole and the Coconuts1"I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby"4"Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" (2), "Stool Pigeon" (7)
Captain Sensible1"Happy Talk"1
Steve Miller Band1"Abracadabra"2
Irene Cara1"Fame"1
Trio1"Da Da Da"2
Natasha1"Iko Iko"10
Survivor1"Eye of the Tiger"1
Boys Town Gang1"Can't Take My Eyes Off You"4
The Kids from "Fame"2"Hi Fidelity"5"Starmaker" (3)
Valerie Landsburg1
Toto Coelo1"I Eat Cannibals (Part 1)"8
Rockers Revenge1"Walking on Sunshine"4
Donnie Calvin
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five1"The Message"8
David Christie1"Saddle Up"9
Musical Youth1"Pass the Dutchie"1
Fat Larry's Band1"Zoom"2
Evelyn King1"Love Come Down"7
Culture Club2"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"1"Time (Clock of the Heart)" (3)
Mari Wilson1"Just What I Always Wanted"8
Pinkees1"Danger Games"8
Tears for Fears1"Mad World"3
Barry Manilow1"I Wanna Do It With You"8
Clannad1"Theme from Harry's Game"5
Wham!1"Young Guns (Go for It)"3
Blancmange1"Living on the Ceiling"7
Renée and Renato1"Save Your Love"1
A Flock of Seagulls1"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"10
Notes

Adrian Gurvitz was a member of the rock trio The Gun who scored a top 10 hit with "Race with the Devil" in November 1968, peaking at number 8. "Classic" is his only solo top ten single to date. Adam and the Ants disbanded in 1982 and lead singer Adam Ant had his first single independent of the band, reaching number one with "Goody Two Shoes".

Midge Ure was in the line-up of various groups, including Thin Lizzy and Visage before his solo career began in 1982. His cover of "No Regrets" charted at number 9.

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (Arthur), "Fame" (Fame), "Eye of the Tiger" (Rocky III) and "Why" (Soup for One).

Best-selling singles

Dexys Midnight Runners had the best-selling single of the year with "Come On Eileen". The single spent nine weeks in the top 10 (including four weeks at number one) and sold over 1.2 million copies and was certified platinum by the BPI. "Fame" by Irene Cara came in second place, selling more than 975,000 copies and losing out by around 225,000 sales. Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger", "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" from Tight Fit and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club made up the top five. Singles by Musical Youth, Eddy Grant, Goombay Dance Band, Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder, and The Jam were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.

Top-ten singles

Key
SymbolMeaning
Single peaked in 1981 but still in chart in 1982.
Single released in 1982 but peaked in 1983.
(#)Year-end top-ten single position and rank
EnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.
PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered
(week ending)
Weeks
in
top
10
SingleArtistPeakPeak reached
(week ending)
Weeks
at
peak
Singles in 1981
5 December 19816"Daddy's Home" ‡Cliff Richard212 December 19814
8"Don't You Want Me" ‡The Human League112 December 19815
12 December 19816"It Must Be Love"Madness49 January 19821
6"Ant Rap"Adam and the Ants39 January 19821
4"Wedding Bells" ‡Godley & Creme726 December 19812
19 December 19815"One of Us" ‡ABBA319 December 19813
9"The Land of Make Believe"Bucks Fizz116 January 19822
26 December 19816"I'll Find My Way Home"Jon and Vangelis623 January 19821
2"Rock 'n' Roll" ‡Status Quo826 December 19812
5"Mirror Mirror"Dollar416 January 19821
Singles in 1982
9 January 19825"Get Down on It"Kool & the Gang316 January 19821
3"I Could Be Happy"Altered Images716 January 19821
16 January 19826"The Model"/"Computer Love"Kraftwerk16 February 19821
23 January 19825"Oh Julie"Shakin' Stevens130 January 19821
5"Dead Ringer for Love"Meat Loaf56 February 19822
1"Waiting for a Girl Like You"Foreigner823 January 19821
3"Being Boiled"The Human League630 January 19821
30 January 19826"Golden Brown"The Stranglers213 February 19822
4"Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"Christopher Cross76 February 19822
6 February 19825"Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)"Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark420 February 19821
2"Drowning in Berlin"Mobiles96 February 19821
13 February 19824"Town Called Malice"/"Precious" (#10)The Jam113 February 19823
8"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (#4)Tight Fit16 March 19823
20 February 19823"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye"Soft Cell320 February 19821
1"Senses Working Overtime"XTC1020 February 19821
27 February 19824"Centerfold"The J. Geils Band327 February 19821
5"Love Plus One"Haircut One Hundred313 March 19821
1"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)"Hall & Oates827 February 19821
4"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)"Fun Boy Three with Bananarama413 March 19821
3"See You"Depeche Mode613 March 19821
6 March 19824"Mickey"Toni Basil26 March 19822
13 March 19821"Run to the Hills"Iron Maiden713 March 19821
6"Seven Tears" (#8)Goombay Dance Band127 March 19823
2"Go Wild in the Country"Bow Wow Wow720 March 19821
4"Poison Arrow"ABC620 March 19822
20 March 19825"Just an Illusion"Imagination23 April 19821
2"Classic"Adrian Gurvitz827 March 19821
27 March 19823"Quiéreme Mucho (Yours)"Julio Iglesias327 March 19822
3"Layla" [A]Derek and the Dominos43 April 19821
2"Party Fears Two"Associates927 March 19821
3 April 19824"My Camera Never Lies"Bucks Fizz117 April 19821
4"Ain't No Pleasing You"Chas & Dave217 April 19821
3"Ghosts"Japan510 April 19821
10 April 19823"More than This"Roxy Music610 April 19822
4"Give Me Back My Heart"Dollar424 April 19821
1"Have You Ever Been in Love"Leo Sayer1010 April 19821
17 April 19826"Ebony and Ivory" (#9)Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder124 April 19823
4"Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag"Pigbag324 April 19822
1"Dear John"Status Quo1017 April 19821
24 April 19823"One Step Further" [B]Bardo21 May 19821
2"Blue Eyes"Elton John824 April 19821
1"Night Birds"Shakatak924 April 19821
3"I Can Make You Feel Good"Shalamar71 May 19821
1 May 19823"This Time (We'll Get It Right)" [C]England World Cup Squad 198228 May 19821
3"Really Saying Something"Bananarama with Fun Boy Three51 May 19822
1"Shirley"Shakin' Stevens61 May 19821
2"Fantastic Day"Haircut One Hundred91 May 19821
8 May 19825"I Won't Let You Down"Ph.D.38 May 19823
4"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"Joan Jett & the Blackhearts48 May 19823
5"A Little Peace" [D]Nicole115 May 19822
15 May 19822"We Have a Dream" [E]Scotland World Cup Squad 1982515 May 19821
5"Only You"Yazoo222 May 19821
2"Girl Crazy"Hot Chocolate722 May 19821
1"Instinction"Spandau Ballet1015 May 19821
22 May 19827"Goody Two Shoes"Adam Ant112 June 19822
5"House of Fun"Madness129 May 19822
2"Forget Me Nots"Patrice Rushen829 May 19821
29 May 19824"Fantasy Island" [F]Tight Fit529 May 19822
5"The Look of Love"ABC412 June 19822
3"Mama Used to Say"Junior75 June 19822
5 June 19824"Torch"Soft Cell219 June 19821
5"Hungry Like the Wolf"Duran Duran526 June 19821
12 June 19825"I've Never Been to Me"Charlene126 June 19821
1"3×3 (EP)"Genesis1012 June 19821
19 June 19823"I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby"Kid Creole and the Coconuts426 June 19821
1"We Take Mystery (To Bed)"Gary Numan919 June 19821
4"Work That Body"Diana Ross73 July 19821
26 June 19825"Inside Out"Odyssey33 July 19822
1"I Want Candy"Bow Wow Wow926 June 19821
1"Do I Do"Stevie Wonder1026 June 19821
3 July 19823"Happy Talk"Captain Sensible13 July 19822
5"Abracadabra"Steve Miller Band210 July 19822
3"Music and Lights"Imagination53 July 19822
1"The Beatles' Movie Medley"The Beatles103 July 19821
10 July 19829"Fame" (#2)Irene Cara117 July 19823
4"A Night to Remember"Shalamar517 July 19821
1"Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?"The Jam810 July 19821
1"No Regrets"Midge Ure910 July 19821
17 July 19824"Da Da Da"Trio224 July 19821
1"Now Those Days Are Gone"Bucks Fizz817 July 19821
5"Shy Boy"Bananarama424 July 19821
1"Iko Iko"Natasha1017 July 19821
24 July 19826"Don't Go"Yazoo331 July 19823
5"Driving in My Car"Madness431 July 19823
5"It Started with a Kiss"Hot Chocolate57 August 19823
9"Come On Eileen" (#1)Dexys Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express17 August 19824
31 July 19822"I Second That Emotion"Japan931 July 19822
7 August 19823"Stool Pigeon"Kid Creole and the Coconuts714 August 19821
1"The Only Way Out"Cliff Richard107 August 19821
14 August 19828"Eye of the Tiger" (#3)Survivor14 September 19824
2"Strange Little Girl"The Stranglers721 August 19821
2"My Girl Lollipop (My Boy Lollipop)"Bad Manners914 August 19821
21 August 19824"Can't Take My Eyes Off You"Boys Town Gang428 August 19821
28 August 19823"What"Soft Cell328 August 19821
5"Save a Prayer"Duran Duran211 September 19821
5"Hi Fidelity"The Kids from "Fame" featuring Valerie Landsburg54 September 19821
3"I Eat Cannibals (Part 1)"Toto Coelo84 September 19821
2"Nobody's Fool"Haircut One Hundred94 September 19821
4 September 19825"Walking on Sunshine"Rockers Revenge featuring Donnie Calvin418 September 19822
11 September 19824"Private Investigations"Dire Straits218 September 19821
3"All of My Heart"ABC525 September 19821
18 September 19824"The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)"The Jam225 September 19822
2"The Message"Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five818 September 19822
5"There It Is"Shalamar52 October 19821
25 September 19821"Saddle Up"David Christie925 September 19821
3"Friend or Foe"Adam Ant92 October 19822
2 October 19825"Pass the Dutchie" (#6)Musical Youth12 October 19823
5"Zoom"Fat Larry's Band29 October 19821
3"Love Come Down"Evelyn King72 October 19823
1"Why"Carly Simon102 October 19821
9 October 19827"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (#5)Culture Club123 October 19823
4"Hard to Say I'm Sorry"Chicago49 October 19821
3"Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)"Kevin Rowland & Dexys Midnight Runners59 October 19821
2"Just What I Always Wanted"Mari Wilson89 October 19822
16 October 19825"Starmaker"The Kids from "Fame"323 October 19822
4"Lifeline"Spandau Ballet723 October 19822
23 October 19823"Love Me Do" [G]The Beatles430 October 19821
1"Danger Games"Pinkees823 October 19821
3"Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy"Kid Creole and the Coconuts230 October 19821
30 October 19825"Mad World"Tears for Fears36 November 19823
3"I Wanna Do It With You"Barry Manilow86 November 19822
6 November 19826"I Don't Wanna Dance" (#7)Eddy Grant113 November 19823
5"Heartbreaker"Dionne Warwick213 November 19822
1"I'll Be Satisfied"Shakin' Stevens106 November 19821
13 November 19823"Sexual Healing"Marvin Gaye420 November 19821
1"Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh La La La)"Kool & the Gang613 November 19821
2"The Girl Is Mine"Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney820 November 19821
3"Maneater"Hall & Oates620 November 19821
20 November 19822"Theme from Harry's Game" [H]Clannad520 November 19821
5"Mirror Man"The Human League227 November 19823
5"Young Guns (Go for It)"Wham!34 December 19821
27 November 19823"Living on the Ceiling"Blancmange727 November 19823
8"Save Your Love"Renée and Renato118 December 19824
4 December 19825"Beat Surrender"The Jam14 December 19822
5"Truly"Lionel Richie64 December 19823
7"Time (Clock of the Heart)"Culture Club318 December 19821
2"Rio"Duran Duran911 December 19821
11 December 19821"Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)"A Flock of Seagulls1011 December 19821
18 December 19824"The Shakin' Stevens EP"Shakin' Stevens225 December 19822
5"Our House" [I]Madness518 December 19824
5"Best Years of Our Lives" ♦Modern Romance48 January 19831
4"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"David Bowie & Bing Crosby325 December 19822
25 December 19828"You Can't Hurry Love" ♦Phil Collins115 January 19832
5"A Winter's Tale" ♦David Essex215 January 19831

Entries by artist

Captain Sensible, the guitarist for punk rock pioneers The Damned, scored a UK number-one hit in 1982 with his cover of the South Pacific song "Happy Talk".
German group Trio became one-hit wonders in the UK this year with their single "Da Da Da", which reached number two in July.
US rock group The J. Geils Band (band member J. Geils pictured) reached the UK top 10 for the only time in their career in 1982 with "Centerfold", which peaked at number three.

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1982, including singles that reached their peak in 1981 or 1983. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1982 is also shown.

EntriesArtistWeeksSingles
4The Jam13"Beat Surrender", "Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?", "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)", "Town Called Malice"/"Precious"
Madness [J]15"Driving in My Car", "House of Fun", "It Must Be Love", "Our House"
Paul McCartney12"Ebony and Ivory", "Love Me Do", "The Beatles' Movie Medley", "The Girl Is Mine"
Shakin' Stevens9"I'll Be Satisfied", "Oh Julie", "Shirley", "The Shakin' Stevens EP"
3ABC12"All of My Heart", "Poison Arrow", "The Look of Love"
Adam Ant [J]13"Ant Rap", "Friend or Foe", "Goody Two Shoes"
Bananarama8"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)", "Really Saying Something", "Shy Boy"
Bucks Fizz [J]12"My Camera Never Lies", "Now Those Days Are Gone", "The Land of Make Believe"
Duran Duran12"Hungry Like the Wolf", "Rio", "Save a Prayer"
Haircut One Hundred11"Fantastic Day", "Love Plus One", "Nobody's Fool"
The Human League [K]12"Being Boiled", "Don't You Want Me", "Mirror Man"
Kid Creole and the Coconuts9"Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy", "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby", "Stool Pigeon"
Shalamar12"A Night to Remember", "I Can Make You Feel Good", "There It Is"
Soft Cell10"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye", "Torch", "What"
2The Beatles4"Love Me Do", "The Beatles' Movie Medley"
Bow Wow Wow3"Go Wild in the Country", "I Want Candy"
Cliff Richard [K]3"Daddy's Home", "The Only Way Out"
Culture Club11"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "Time (Clock of the Heart)"
Dexys Midnight Runners12"Come on Eileen", "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)"
Dollar [J]8"Give Me Back My Heart", "Mirror Mirror"
Fun Boy Three7"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)", "Really Saying Something"
Hall & Oates4"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", "Maneater"
Hot Chocolate"7"Girl Crazy", "It Started with a Kiss"
Imagination8"Just an Illusion", "Music and Lights"
Japan5"Ghosts", "I Second That Emotion"
The Kids from "Fame"10"Hi Fidelity", "Starmaker"
Kool & the Gang6"Get Down on It", "Let's Go Dancing (Ooh La La La)"
Phil Collins [L]2"3×3 (EP)", "You Can't Hurry Love"
Spandau Ballet5"Instinction", "Lifeline"
Status Quo [K]2"Dear John", "Rock 'n' Roll"
Stevie Wonder8"Do I Do", "Ebony and Ivory"
The Stranglers8"Golden Brown", "Strange Little Girl
Tight Fit13"Fantasy Island", "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
Yazoo11"Don't Go", "Only You"

Notes

See also

References

General

  • "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.

Specific

External links