Essential Songs of 1983

Written by Steve Crawford | December 21, 2012 0:08 am | No Comments

Michael Jackson, who had been a star in the music industry for over a dozen years, moonwalked his way into the stratosphere of popular culture in 1983. Over the past three decades, the Thriller album has sold over 45 million copies worldwide.

Prince Rogers Nelson also became a pop sensation with his double album 1999 and that little ol’ band from Texas conquered the MTV generation and had their greatest success after a decade plus of recording. Ray Davies and The Kinks had the most heartwarming comeback of the year, hitting the Top Ten on the U.S. pop charts for the first time since 1970’s “Lola.”

1999, Prince

Beat It, Michael Jackson

Billy Jean, Michael Jackson

Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes

Blue Monday, New Order

Burning Down the House, Talking Heads

Come Dancing, The Kinks

Cruel Summer, Bananarama

Every Breath You Take, The Police

Everyday I Write the Book, Elvis Costello

Gimme a Ride to Heaven, Terry Allen

Gimme All Your Lovin’, ZZ Top

I’m Still Standing, Elton John

Let’s Dance, David Bowie

Little Red Corvette, Prince

Love is a Battlefield, Pat Benatar

Mexican Radio, Wall of Voodoo

The Metro, Berlin

Modern Love, David Bowie

New Year’s Day, U2

Oblivious, Aztec Camera

Our House, Madness

Pancho and Lefty, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson

Radio Free Europe, R.E.M.

Roll Me Away, Bob Seger

Sharp Dressed Man, ZZ Top

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), The Eurythmics

Swingin’, John Anderson

They Don’t Know, Tracey Ullman

Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper

Whenever You’re on My Mind, Marshall Crenshaw