By 1982, video was killing the radio star (it was nice knowing you, Christopher Cross) and visually appealing/interesting artists like Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls were crossing over from MTV to radio airplay. Synth pop was pushing guitar bands to the back of the classroom, Tommy Tutone created the best known telephone number in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, while The Clash had (merely) their most commercially successful album release. And don’t be tempted by the vegemite sandwich.
867-5309/Jenny, Tommy Tutone
Abracadabra, Steve Miller
Always on My Mind, Willie Nelson
Amarillo by Morning, George Strait
Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen
Atomic Dog, George Clinton
Back on the Chain Gang, The Pretenders
Beyond Belief, Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Bikeage, Descendents
Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
Cleaning Windows, Van Morrison
Come On Eileen, Dexys Midnight Runners
Don’t You Want Me, Human League
Down Under, Men at Work
Genius of Love, The Tom Tom Club
Girls Like Me, Bonnie Hayes with the Wild Combo
Golden Brown, The Stranglers
Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran
I Melt With You, Modern English
I Ran (So Far Away), A Flock of Seagulls
If You Want My Love, Cheap Trick
I.G.Y., Donald Fagen
Let It Whip, Dazz Band
Lights Out, The Angry Samoans
Little Guitars, Van Halen
The Message, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
Our House, Madness
Rock the Casbah, The Clash
Sexual Healing, Marvin Gaye
Shake It Up, The Cars
Steppin’ Out, Joe Jackson
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
There She Goes Again, Marshall Crenshaw
Vacation, The Go-Gos
We Got the Beat, The Go-Gos
White Wedding, Billy Idol
Wild and Blue, John Anderson
You Dropped a Bomb on Me, The Gap