There's Billy Squier's "(Another) 1984", The Eurythmics' "Sex Crime (1984)"; and M+M sing "...This is 1984" in "Black Stations White Stations".
Any other examples?
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 05:06 (six years ago)
lol the eurythmics and m+m ones were the ones i was thinking of before opening the thread so i guess i'm all out of ideas
― dyl, Tuesday, 7 January 2020 06:57 (six years ago)
Well David Bowie “1984” seems to qualify
― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 07:35 (six years ago)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Van_Halen_-_1984.jpg
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 7 January 2020 07:57 (six years ago)
No.
― Frozen Mug (Tom D.), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 08:02 (six years ago)
sorry, missed the “released” bit
― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 08:20 (six years ago)
There's Rick Wakeman's prog concept album "1984", and Anthony Phillips' prog concept album "1984", but unfortunately they both came out ahead of the game in 1981. Then there's Hugh Hopper's prog concept album "1984", which came out in 1973.
A cursory Discogs search does uncover this pretty awesome Norwegian punk record from 1984 by Svart Framtid:
https://img.discogs.com/3UD8CgBOqVSzG0kZHg62BOQkQAI=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-916341-1344967558-4818.jpeg.jpg
Although I'm not sure the lyrics specifically reference the year (here's an English translation):
https://img.discogs.com/vBkvg3hyeqI1PDbqgyvNIQqu7vE=/fit-in/600x848/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-916341-1344967632-6899.jpeg.jpg
― it's after the end of the world (Matt #2), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 10:18 (six years ago)
Nash The Slash - 1984
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCTByIJs8vY
― it's after the end of the world (Matt #2), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 10:20 (six years ago)
'Big Brother' by Winston Tong was recorded in 1984 (but released in '85). I don't have the lyrics to hand but it's all stuff straight out of the book
― Death to (NickB), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 10:37 (six years ago)
Kind of curious now as to why he was called Winston
― Death to (NickB), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 10:42 (six years ago)
"1984" by David Peel & the Lower East Side seems to be yet another concept album based on the book, came out in 1983 though
https://www.discogs.com/David-Peel-The-Lower-East-Side-1984/release/2944994
― it's after the end of the world (Matt #2), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 10:43 (six years ago)
Thanks for those.
Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furous Five's "World War III" also qualifies ; I'd bet there are other examples among the hip-hop lyrics of the year.
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 16:11 (six years ago)
Utopia - Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw
― brimstead, Tuesday, 7 January 2020 19:07 (six years ago)
oh wait why did I think this was about references to the book :-/
― brimstead, Tuesday, 7 January 2020 19:09 (six years ago)
a cover of an old Spirit song, but released in '84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3PiME0b5_8
― subway Stalinist (sleeve), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 19:40 (six years ago)
also The Ex - "A Goodbye To You", track 6 on this album playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQdvXh0hUVA
― subway Stalinist (sleeve), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 19:59 (six years ago)
sorry that's "A GoodBUY To You"
― subway Stalinist (sleeve), Tuesday, 7 January 2020 20:00 (six years ago)
thanks again!
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Sunday, 29 March 2020 01:12 (five years ago)