25 articles
Bad (Michael Jackson song)
Bad is a 1987 Michael Jackson song, written by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones, second single and title track of the Bad album; it topped the Billboard Hot 100 and its Scorsese-directed video premiered on CBS.
Billie Jean
Billie Jean: 1982 Michael Jackson song from Thriller, written 1981, produced by Quincy Jones; seven weeks at Billboard number one from March 1983, diamond-certified in the US, moonwalk debut at Motown 25, first Black-artist MTV heavy-rotation video.
Borderline (Madonna song)
Borderline (Madonna song): 1984 dance-pop single written by Reggie Lucas, fifth from Madonna's 1983 debut; her first US top ten hit (No. 10, 30 weeks, Gold), with Mary Lambert's first Madonna video.
Careless Whisper
Careless Whisper: 1984 pop ballad co-written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, released as Michael's debut UK solo single and Wham! feat. George Michael in the US; 25-country No. 1 with Steve Gregory's famous sax riff.
Faith (George Michael song)
Faith (George Michael song): 1987 rockabilly-styled single, second release from the album Faith; written and produced by George Michael; UK No. 2, US No. 1; organ intro via DX7 preset.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (also "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun") is a 1983 Cyndi Lauper hit from She's So Unusual, a reworked cover of Robert Hazard's 1979 song that became a feminist anthem, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and UK chart.
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" (1983) is Madonna's first Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 16, and her first No. 1 disco single; written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder of Pure Energy, produced by Jellybean Benitez in one week for her debut album.
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a 1987 duet by Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett from the album Bad, reaching number one in the US and UK.
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", Whitney Houston's 1987 Arista dance-pop single from the album Whitney, written by Boy Meets Girl's Merrill and Rubicam, produced by Narada Michael Walden; her fourth consecutive US number one.
I'm So Excited
"I'm So Excited" is a 1982 Pointer Sisters song written by Anita, June, and Ruth Pointer with Trevor Lawrence; a 1984 remix on Break Out took it to No. 9 in the US and No. 11 in the UK.
Into the Groove
Into the Groove: Madonna and Stephen Bray's 1984 dance-pop song from Desperately Seeking Susan; a US #1 dance hit never released as a US commercial single, and Madonna's first UK #1, topping the chart for four weeks.
Karma Chameleon
Karma Chameleon, Culture Club's September 1983 single from Colour by Numbers, written by Boy George, Jon Moss, Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, and Phil Pickett; six weeks at UK number 1, biggest-selling UK single of 1983, three weeks atop the US Hot 100, with a 2026 AI-assisted rerecording via Artist Included.
La Isla Bonita
La Isla Bonita: 1986 Madonna song from True Blue, written with Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch, originally offered to Michael Jackson; UK number one, US number four.
Liberian Girl
Liberian Girl is a 1987 Michael Jackson song from Bad, released July 4, 1989 as its ninth and final single, peaking at UK number 13. Its Swahili intro is sung by South African singer Letta Mbulu; the 1989 James Yukich video features celebrity cameos.
Like a Prayer (song)
Like a Prayer, Madonna song written with Patrick Leonard, released March 3, 1989 on Sire/Warner Bros. as lead single of the album; Prince on guitar; three weeks at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100; Pepsi ad pulled after video controversy.
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" (1984), Madonna single written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, produced by Nile Rodgers at Power Station; six weeks at Billboard Hot 100 #1 from December 22, 1984, her first US chart-topper.
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) is a 1983 Michael Jackson single from Thriller, written by James Ingram and Quincy Jones, peaking at Billboard #10, famed for its ARP 2600 synth bass and Kanye West's 'Good Life' sample.
Papa Don't Preach
Papa Don't Preach, a 1986 Madonna single from True Blue written by Brian Elliot, produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray; a Hot 100 and UK number 1 about a pregnant teenager that sparked an abortion controversy.
Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)
"Physical" is a 1981 dance-pop single by Olivia Newton-John, written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, produced by John Farrar. It spent 10 weeks at Billboard Hot 100 #1, was Billboard's 1982 #1 single, peaked at UK #7, and its aerobics video won a Video of the Year Grammy.
Sussudio
"Sussudio" (Phil Collins, 1985, from No Jacket Required) is a dance-pop hit built on an invented nonsense word treated as a girl's name; it hit Billboard Hot 100 number one on July 6, 1985, was criticized for resembling Prince's "1999," and uses a Roland TR-909 groove with the Phenix Horns.
The Girl Is Mine
The Girl Is Mine: 1982 Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney duet, written by Jackson, lead single from Thriller, recorded at Westlake Studios, US No. 2, UK No. 8, RIAA platinum, subject of two failed plagiarism suits.
The Winner Takes It All
ABBA ballad "The Winner Takes It All", written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, sung by Agnetha Fältskog, released July 21, 1980 on Super Trouper; UK number one, one billion Spotify streams, and the showstopper of the Mamma Mia! musical.
Thriller (song)
"Thriller" is a 1982 Michael Jackson song written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones, the seventh single from the album Thriller; it peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and its John Landis short film is the only music video in the National Film Registry.
Toy Soldiers (song)
"Toy Soldiers" is a 1989 pop song by American singer Martika (Marta Marrero), written about a friend's cocaine addiction; it became her only number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit.
We Are the World
We Are the World: 1985 USA for Africa charity single written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced by Quincy Jones, recorded after the 1985 AMAs by 45-46 stars; first multi-platinum single.