Sole US #1 hits by 80's rock bands.

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Or bands active in earlier decades which had their sole Hot 100 #1 in the 1980s.

Vote for the best/your favourite.

Poll Results

Option	Votes
"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners (1983)	9
"Jump" - Van Halen (1984)	8
"West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys (1986)	7
"I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (1982)	6
"Centerfold" - The J. Geils Band (1982)	5
"Another Brick in the Wall (Pt 2)" - Pink Floyd (1980)	3
"Need You Tonight" - INXS (1988)	3
"Oh Sheila" - Ready for the World (1985)	3
"I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner (1985)	3
"Africa" - Toto (1983)	3
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics (1983)	3
"Love Bites" - Def Leppard (1988)	2
"Invisible Touch" - Genesis (1986)	2
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds (1985)	2
"(I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew (1987)	1
"Always" - Atlantic Starr (1987)	1
"Owner of a Lonely Heart" - Yes (1984)	1
"Sweet Child O'Mine" - Guns n' Roses (1988)	1
"Here I Go Again '87" - Whitesnake (1987)	1
"The One That You Love" - Air Supply (1981)	1
"At This Moment" - Billy Vera and the Beaters (1987)	1
"Amanda" - Boston (1986)	1
"Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley) - Will to Power (1988)	1
"Every Breath You Take" - The Police (1983)	1
"Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club (1984)	1
"Wild, Wild West" - The Escape Club (1988)	0
"The Living Years" - Mike + The Mechanics (1989)	0
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" - Poison (1988)	0
"When I'm With You" - Sheriff (1989)	0
"The Flame" - Cheap Trick (1988)	0
"Anything for You" - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine (1988)	0
"La Bamba" - Los Lobos (1987)	0
"Lean on Me" - Club Nouveau (1987)	0
"Take My Breath Away" - Berlin (1986)	0
"Venus" - Bananarama (1986)	0
"Take On Me" - A-ha (1985)	0
"Money for Nothing" - Dire Straits (1985)	0
"Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor (1982)	0
"When I See You Smile" - Bad English (1989)	0

― president of the people's republic of antarctica (Arctic Mindbath), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:11 (eleven years ago)

If I've missed any, feel free to point them out/abuse me mercilessly.

― president of the people's republic of antarctica (Arctic Mindbath), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:12 (eleven years ago)

Now I'm amused by the thought of Miami Sound Machine as a rock band.

― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:19 (eleven years ago)

Jump

― ablaeser, Friday, 13 December 2013 03:23 (eleven years ago)

Africa vs Take On Me.

This is a very loose definition of 'rock'.

― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:25 (eleven years ago)

Their rock single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTGPKv41QKA

― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:28 (eleven years ago)

This is pretty much anything but The Living Years because TLY is the most horrible song in the entire world ever.

― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:30 (eleven years ago)

say it loud!

― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:32 (eleven years ago)

say it clear!

― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:32 (eleven years ago)

LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:33 (eleven years ago)

"I Love Rock n' Roll" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (1982)
"Africa" - Toto (1983)
"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners (1983)
"Every Breath You Take" - The Police (1983)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics (1983)
"I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner (1985)
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds (1985)
"Take On Me" - A-ha (1985)
"West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys (1986)
"Take My Breath Away" - Berlin (1986)
"Need You Tonight" - INXS (1988)
"Sweet Child O'Mine" - Guns n' Roses (1988)
"Love Bites" - Def Leppard (1988)

narrowed it down a bit. Love Bites and Need You Tonight are my top 2 probably.

― christmas candy bar (al leong), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:35 (eleven years ago)

WE BE JAMMIN
WE BE JAMMIN

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 13 December 2013 03:47 (eleven years ago)

What in the goddamn eurythmics as rock band I what

― Wendy Carlos Williams (jjjusten), Friday, 13 December 2013 04:08 (eleven years ago)

Bananarama were my fave 80s rock band

― pfunkboy (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 13 December 2013 04:09 (eleven years ago)

That would be my first choice if they were a rock band but since that isn't the case oh Sheila by ready for the world hey wait a minute

― Wendy Carlos Williams (jjjusten), Friday, 13 December 2013 04:10 (eleven years ago)

The Foreigner song is pretty a awesome. Either that or Van Halen. Maybe Survivor?

― jetfan, Friday, 13 December 2013 04:17 (eleven years ago)

Awesome list.

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 13 December 2013 04:25 (eleven years ago)

Yes. There are many examples of what we in the rock criticism community like to call super-duper doozies.

Jump

― kornrulez6969, Friday, 13 December 2013 04:29 (eleven years ago)

Pet Shop Boys are still rocking it out today

― pfunkboy (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 13 December 2013 04:32 (eleven years ago)

Voted for "Jump". Would have voted for "Jack and Diane", but I guess that doesn't count because John Mellencamp is a person and not a band.

― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Friday, 13 December 2013 04:36 (eleven years ago)

Voted "Centerfold" because it owned a year of my childhood.

― EZ Snappin, Friday, 13 December 2013 04:39 (eleven years ago)

On a more serious note, I was surprised that out of all the great songs that Def Leppard wrote, they only hit #1 with the steaming turd that is "Love Bites".

According to wiki "Love Bites" dethroned Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" for one week before giving up the position to UB40's "Red Red Wine".

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 13 December 2013 05:22 (eleven years ago)

for me, if I'm being completely honest with my rockist self, this is Africa vs. Owner of a Lonely Heart vs. Don't You (Forget About Me) vs. Money for Nothing

― Tip from Tae Kwon Do: (crüt), Friday, 13 December 2013 05:34 (eleven years ago)

voted Whitesnake, this list blows

― shillelagh law (Noodle Vague), Friday, 13 December 2013 07:13 (eleven years ago)

Floyd of course.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 13 December 2013 08:23 (eleven years ago)

yes i guess

― grumbling führer (NickB), Friday, 13 December 2013 09:19 (eleven years ago)

yeah, some of these aren't really "rock", my mistake. I wrote it v. late at night and as I went through the list, it slowly morphed into "sole US number ones by bands in general."

― president of the people's republic of antarctica (Arctic Mindbath), Friday, 13 December 2013 11:19 (eleven years ago)

No apologies! This is a dynamite list. I can still hum everything on it except maybe 3 or 4 of them.

― kornrulez6969, Friday, 13 December 2013 15:28 (eleven years ago)

come on eileen vs jump vs take on me

this is hard

voted jump

― ciderpress, Friday, 13 December 2013 15:59 (eleven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Thursday, 26 December 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago)

Nobody's voting for O Sheila bcz RFTW isnt a rock bands righ cuz I dont gaf it deserves to win

― pfunky boyster (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 26 December 2013 01:00 (eleven years ago)

I Love Rock n' Roll Vs Come on Eileen.

What's worse than Grease on Olivia Newton John?

― I'll take the jangle-jangle over the throb-throb (brg30), Thursday, 26 December 2013 02:21 (eleven years ago)

West End Girls is always a good answer

― that's not my post, Thursday, 26 December 2013 03:23 (eleven years ago)

Ready For the World vs. anybody is an automatic RFTW vote

― combination hair (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 26 December 2013 03:29 (eleven years ago)

yeah wtf, that's kinda unfair

Atlantic Starr and Will to Power are "80s rock" bands. who knew.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 26 December 2013 03:46 (eleven years ago)

Oh wait a sec... I guess I shoulda went with "West End Girls" instead.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 26 December 2013 03:49 (eleven years ago)

According to wiki "Love Bites" dethroned Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" for one week before giving up the position to UB40's "Red Red Wine".

1-week #1s were more commonplace at the time.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 26 December 2013 03:50 (eleven years ago)

Always

― mr.raffles, Thursday, 26 December 2013 04:01 (eleven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Friday, 27 December 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago)

interesting selection of choices! thanks for voting. kicking myself about "rock", still, meant to take that out as my list compiling went on, but ehhh.

― president of the people's republic of antarctica (Arctic Mindbath), Friday, 27 December 2013 00:08 (eleven years ago)

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