1983 Billboard Number One Hits: Every Hot 100 Chart-Topper

The 1983 Billboard Number One Hits list captured one of the most important pop years of the MTV era. Michael Jackson dominated with Billie Jean and Beat It, The Police ruled the summer with Every Breath You Take, Irene Cara brought Flashdance to the top, and Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson closed the year with Say Say Say.

This page follows the Billboard Hot 100 issue dates for 1983, shown here as reader-friendly weekly date ranges. Because Billboard chart weeks can cross calendar years, this list begins with Daryl Hall and John Oates’ late-1982 carryover and continues into early 1984 with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson’s Say Say Say.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States using radio airplay and sales. These are official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs, not pop-only, rock-only, airplay-only, R&B-only, soundtrack-only, or “this was definitely on every MTV countdown” rankings.

1983 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

December 12, 1982 – January 8, 1983: Maneater – Daryl Hall and John Oates
January 9 – January 29, 1983: Down Under – Men at Work
January 30 – February 5, 1983: Africa – Toto
February 6 – February 12, 1983: Down Under – Men at Work
February 13 – February 26, 1983: Baby, Come to Me – Patti Austin and James Ingram
February 27 – April 16, 1983: Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
April 17 – April 23, 1983: Come On Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners
April 24 – May 14, 1983: Beat It – Michael Jackson
May 15 – May 21, 1983: Let’s Dance – David Bowie
May 22 – July 2, 1983: Flashdance… What a Feeling – Irene Cara
July 3 – August 27, 1983: Every Breath You Take – The Police
August 28 – September 3, 1983: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics
September 4 – September 17, 1983: Maniac – Michael Sembello
September 18 – September 24, 1983: Tell Her About It – Billy Joel
September 25 – October 22, 1983: Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler
October 23 – November 5, 1983: Islands in the Stream – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
November 6 – December 3, 1983: All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie
December 4, 1983 – January 14, 1984: Say Say Say – Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

Song-by-Song Notes on the 1983 Billboard No. 1 Hits

Maneater – Daryl Hall and John Oates

Daryl Hall and John Oates opened the 1983 Billboard Hot 100 calendar with Maneater, a late-1982 carryover from the album H2O. The song’s slinky groove, saxophone hook, and polished pop-soul sound made it one of the duo’s most recognizable hits.

Its cross-year run helped keep Hall and Oates near the center of early-1980s pop radio. The title sounded dangerous, but the production was smooth enough to wear a blazer.

Down Under – Men at Work

Men at Work reached No. 1 with Down Under, one of the biggest Australian pop-rock crossovers of the 1980s. The song topped the Hot 100 for three weeks, was interrupted by Toto’s Africa, then returned for one more week.

Its playful lyrics, flute riff, and national identity made it more than a catchy hit. It became a global shorthand for Australian pop culture, Vegemite sandwich and all.

Africa – Toto

Toto reached No. 1 with Africa, a soft-rock classic that only spent one week at the top but became one of the decade’s most enduring songs. Its layered vocals, unusual rhythm, and sweeping chorus helped it stand apart from other pop-rock hits of the year.

The song’s later internet afterlife, memes, covers, and endless rediscovery made it much bigger than a one-week No. 1 might suggest. Some songs fade. This one apparently blessed the rains and kept going.

Baby, Come to Me – Patti Austin and James Ingram

Patti Austin and James Ingram reached No. 1 with Baby, Come to Me, a smooth duet produced by Quincy Jones. The song gained major visibility after being used on the soap opera General Hospital, helping it climb into the pop mainstream.

Its two-week run is a good reminder that television could still give a song a powerful second push before MTV fully owned the conversation.

Billie Jean – Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson spent seven weeks at No. 1 with Billie Jean, one of the defining singles from Thriller. The bassline, vocal tension, and famous music video helped make the song one of the most important pop recordings of the 1980s.

The song also became a major MTV breakthrough moment for Jackson. If Thriller was the album that reshaped pop, Billie Jean was the moonwalk-sized warning that everything had changed.

Come On Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners reached No. 1 with Come On Eileen, a Celtic-flavored British pop single with a huge sing-along chorus. The song became the group’s only Hot 100 chart-topper in the United States.

Its one-week run interrupted Michael Jackson’s 1983 dominance, which is a fairly impressive bit of chart timing. Not many songs stepped between Billie Jean and Beat It.

Beat It – Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson returned to No. 1 with Beat It, another massive single from Thriller. The song blended pop, rock, and R&B, with Eddie Van Halen adding the famous guitar solo.

Its three-week run proved that Jackson could cross format lines without sounding like he was visiting someone else’s genre. Beat It was a pop song, a rock song, a dance song, and a music-video event all at once.

Let’s Dance – David Bowie

David Bowie reached No. 1 with Let’s Dance, the title track from his 1983 album. Produced by Nile Rodgers, the song gave Bowie one of his biggest American pop hits with a sleek dance-rock sound.

Its one-week run helped introduce Bowie to a wider MTV-era pop audience. Bowie had reinvented himself many times before, but in 1983 he did it with a groove built for radio.

Flashdance… What a Feeling – Irene Cara

Irene Cara spent six weeks at No. 1 with Flashdance… What a Feeling, the title song from the film Flashdance. The song combined dance-pop, movie drama, and inspirational lyrics into one of the biggest soundtrack hits of the decade.

It followed Cara’s earlier soundtrack success with Fame, making her one of the key voices of early-1980s movie music. If 1983 had leg warmers, this song had the receipt.

Every Breath You Take – The Police

The Police spent eight weeks at No. 1 with Every Breath You Take, the longest Hot 100 reign of 1983. It was also Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song and the band’s only No. 1 single in the United States.

The song’s calm surface and darker lyrical undercurrent have made it one of the most misunderstood “romantic” songs in pop history. It sounds like a slow dance until the lyrics start checking your windows.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – Eurythmics

Eurythmics reached No. 1 with Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), a synth-pop classic driven by Annie Lennox’s cool vocal and Dave Stewart’s electronic production. The video’s striking imagery helped make the duo one of MTV’s most memorable British acts.

Its one-week run gave synth-pop one of its clearest American chart victories. The song sounded futuristic in 1983 and still sounds like it knows something we do not.

Maniac – Michael Sembello

Michael Sembello reached No. 1 with Maniac, another major hit from the Flashdance soundtrack. The song’s frantic rhythm and gym-ready energy made it one of the year’s most kinetic pop hits.

Its two-week run gave Flashdance a second Hot 100 chart-topper. The movie did not just inspire dancing; it practically annexed the chart.

Tell Her About It – Billy Joel

Billy Joel reached No. 1 with Tell Her About It, a Motown-inspired pop single from An Innocent Man. The song’s retro influence and upbeat arrangement fit Joel’s album-wide tribute to earlier pop and soul styles.

Its one-week run gave Joel another Hot 100 chart-topper and showed how nostalgia could be freshly packaged for 1980s radio.

Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler

Bonnie Tyler spent four weeks at No. 1 with Total Eclipse of the Heart, a massive Jim Steinman-written power ballad. The song’s theatrical production, dramatic vocal, and unforgettable chorus made it one of the year’s biggest pop events.

It was not subtle, and it had no interest in becoming subtle. Some songs enter the room; this one arrives with fog machines and emotional lightning.

Islands in the Stream – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton reached No. 1 with Islands in the Stream, a crossover duet written by the Bee Gees. The song blended country, pop, and soft-rock warmth into one of the most beloved duets of the decade.

Its two-week run gave both artists a major all-genre chart moment. It also proved that country-pop chemistry could float very comfortably on the Hot 100.

All Night Long (All Night) – Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie spent four weeks at No. 1 with All Night Long (All Night), a joyful pop and R&B single with Caribbean-influenced flavor. The song became one of Richie’s signature solo hits after leaving the Commodores.

Its run helped confirm Richie as one of the decade’s biggest solo stars. It was cheerful, global-sounding, and almost impossible to keep seated.

Say Say Say – Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson closed the 1983 Billboard Hot 100 year with Say Say Say, which carried into January 1984. The duet paired a former Beatle with the biggest pop star of the moment during Jackson’s peak Thriller era.

Its cross-year run added to Michael Jackson’s enormous 1983 chart presence. Between Billie Jean, Beat It, and Say Say Say, he spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other artist that year.

Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Stories of 1983

Every Breath You Take Was Billboard’s Year-End No. 1

The Police’s Every Breath You Take spent eight weeks at No. 1 and finished as Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1983. It was the year’s longest-running No. 1 and the band’s only U.S. Hot 100 chart-topper.

Michael Jackson Dominated the Year

Michael Jackson was the only artist with more than one No. 1 song in 1983. He topped the chart with Billie Jean, Beat It, and Say Say Say with Paul McCartney, spending 14 total weeks at No. 1 during the issue-date year.

Thriller Changed the Pop Chart Conversation

Billie Jean and Beat It helped turn Thriller into a pop, rock, R&B, video, and sales phenomenon. The album’s singles showed how MTV, radio, and crossover appeal could work together at a new level.

Soundtracks Were Huge

Flashdance… What a Feeling and Maniac both came from Flashdance, giving the film two Hot 100 No. 1 songs. Movie music would become even more dominant in the mid-1980s, and 1983 helped set that stage.

British and International Acts Were Everywhere

Men at Work, Toto, Dexys Midnight Runners, David Bowie, The Police, Eurythmics, Bonnie Tyler, and Paul McCartney all helped give the 1983 Hot 100 a strong international flavor. The Second British Invasion and MTV-era global pop were clearly reshaping American radio.

1983 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Every Breath You Take by The Police was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1983.
Every Breath You Take spent eight weeks at No. 1, the longest Hot 100 run of the year.
Michael Jackson was the only artist with more than one No. 1 song in 1983.
Michael Jackson spent 14 total weeks at No. 1 in 1983 with Billie Jean, Beat It, and Say Say Say.
Africa by Toto spent only one week at No. 1, then Down Under returned to the top.
Come On Eileen interrupted Michael Jackson’s run between Billie Jean and Beat It.
Flashdance… What a Feeling and Maniac both came from the Flashdance soundtrack.
Islands in the Stream was written by the Bee Gees.
Say Say Say closed 1983 and carried into the 1984 Billboard chart year.

Why the 1983 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 1983 Billboard Number One Hits list shows the MTV era becoming impossible to ignore. Video image, soundtrack placement, international pop, rock crossover, and superstar album campaigns all helped shape the Hot 100.

The year also belonged heavily to Michael Jackson. Billie Jean and Beat It helped define Thriller, while Say Say Say kept him at the top through the end of the year. At the same time, The Police, Irene Cara, Bonnie Tyler, Lionel Richie, and Eurythmics all delivered songs that became lasting 1980s landmarks.

For chart fans, 1983 was a blockbuster year: moonwalk energy, stalker-ballad confusion, leg-warmer soundtracks, Australian pop, synth dreams, and enough Michael Jackson chart power to make the Hot 100 look like it had a sequined glove.