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Brian W.
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| Posted: 30 January 2006 at 4:25pm | IP Logged
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Variety's Best Selling Singles of 1984 (Complete Top Ten)
Missing charts: 1/11/84, 2/8/84, 11/7/84, 1/9/85 (actual 12/31/84)
Mega-shocker: The #1 sales rank of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas," which only hit #13 on the Hot 100 and #6 on Billboard's Singles Sales chart. A few notes on this:
In October of 1984, Billboard began publishing its own singles sales chart, on which "Do They Know It's Christmas" may have peaked at #6. I say "may have" because there were some strange discrepancies in the Billboard sales chart around this time, including a missing week.
If Whitburn is correct, Billboard's sales week ended 13 days before the issue date, as it does today. Variety's ended nine days before the issue date, so they were roughly for the same week -- one day difference.
"Do They Know It's Christmas" debuted at #1 in Variety in the 12/26/84 issue, which would have been for the week ending 12/17. It debuted on Billboard's sales chart in the 12/29 issue, which would have been for the week ending 12/16.
No issue was published the next week, and when the magazine returned on 1/12/85, Billboard accidentally duplicated its airplay chart under the "Sales" header -- so no sales chart was published that week. But we can get the position for 1/12 from the "last week" column: #6.
Back in those days, the "last week" column in first issue of the year did not list the chart positions from the unpublished issue, only the positions from the last published issue. So even if the 1/12 magazine had included the sales chart, it wouldn't have listed the position for the missing week... which would have been for the actual week ending 12/23, right before Christmas. As a result, we will never know where "Do We Know It's Christmas" peaked on Billboard's sales chart.
But keep in mind that, as we know from "Into the Groove," Billboard was apparently not counting sales of 12-inch singles at the time. According to a Variety article when "Do They Know It's Christmas" was released, a full third -- half a million -- of all units shipped that first year were for the 12-inch single. That is certainly enough to make quite a difference in its chart position.
So the Variety #1 rank does seem plausible, especially considering the missing Billboard week.
Other surprises:
--The #2 ranking of Al Yankovic's "Eat It," which only hit #12 on the Hot 100.
--The #1 rank of Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias' "To All the Girls I've Loved Before," which only made it to #5 on the Hot 100. (This only hit #15 in airplay, according to Radio & Records... which explains everything.)
**Charted top ten on Billboard sales chart
#1
1. When Doves Cry - Prince #1 (8 weeks nc), 7/20/84 (7/11/84)
2. I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder #1 (probably 8 weeks), 9/26/84 (9/17/84)
3. Like a Virgin - Madonna #1 (at least 4 weeks nc), 12/5/84 (11/26/84)
4. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr. #1 (4 weeks), 8/8/84 (7/30/84)
5. To All the Girls I've Loved Before - Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson #1 (4 weeks), 5/16/84 (5/7/84)
6. Karma Chamelon - Culture Club #1 (3 weeks), 1/25/84 (1/16/84)
7. 99 Luftballoons - Nena #1 (1 week), 3/7/84 (2/27/84)
8. Footloose - Kenny Loggins #1 (5 weeks), 3/14/84 (3/5/84)
9. Against All Odds - Phil Collins #1 (4 weeks), 4/18/84 (4/9/84)
10. What's Love Got to Do With It - Tina Turner #1 (2 weeks), 9/12/84 (9/3/84)
11. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham! #1 (2 weeks), 11/21/84 (11/12/84)
12. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid #1 (2 weeks), 12/26/84 (12/17/84)
13. Jump - Van Halen #1 (2 weeks), 2/22/84 (2/13/84)
14. Let's Hear It for the Boy - Denice Williams #1 (1 week), 6/6/84 (5/28/84)
15. The Reflex - Duran Duran #1 (1 week), 6/13/84 (6/4/84)
#2
16. Let's Go Crazy - Prince #2 (5 weeks), 9/19/84 (9/10/84)
17. I Feel for You - Chaka Khan #2 (2 weeks nc), 11/28/84 (11/19/84)
18. Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder #2 (1 week), 1/25/84 (1/16/84)
19. Missing You - John Waite #2 (1 week), 9/12/84 (9/3/84)
20. Hello - Lionel Richie #2 (1 week), 5/23/84 (5/14/84)
21. Eat It - Weird Al Yankovic #2 (1 week), 3/28/84 (3/19/84)
#3
22. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper #3 (3 weeks), 2/22/84 (2/13/84)
23. Dancing in the Dark / Pink Cadillac - Bruce Springsteen #3 (3 weeks), 6/20/84 (6/11/84)
24. Purple Rain - Prince #3 (at least 3 weeks, no more than 4), 10/17/84 (10/8/84)
25. Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes #3 (1 week), 2/1/84 (1/23/84)
26. Carribean Queen - Billy Ocean #3 (at least 1 week, no more than 2), 11/7/84 or 11/14/84 (10/29/84 or 11/5/84)
27. Cool It Now - New Edition at least #3 (at least 1 week nc), 12/12/84 (12/17/84)
28. Wild Boys - Duran Duran #3 (1 week), 11/21/84 (11/12/84)
#4
29. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell #4 (3 weeks), 2/29/84 (2/29/84)
30. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper #4 (3 weeks nc), 6/6/84 (5/28/84)
31. Talking in Your Sleep - Romantics #4 (1 week), 1/25/84 (1/16/84)
32. Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol #4 (1 week), 7/4/84 (6/25/84)
33. Sea of Love - Honeydrippers #4, 12/12/84 (12/3/84)
34. All I Need - Jack Wagner at least #4 (at least 1 week), 12/26/84 (12/17/84)
35. You're the Inspiration – Chicago at least #4 (at least 1 week), 1/2/85 (12/24/85) (may well have peaked higher in unpublished charts for first two weeks of 1985)
#5
36. Jump (For My Love) - Pointer Sisters #5 (4 weeks nc), 7/4/84 (6/25/84)
37. She Bop - Cyndi Lauper #5 (4 weeks nc), 8/22/84 (8/13/84)
38. I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues - Elton John #5 (2 weeks), 2/1/84 (1/23/84)
39. Hard Habit to Break - Chicago #5 (at least 2 weeks nc), 10/10/84 (10/1/84)
40. State of Shock - Jacksons #5 (1 week), 8/1/84 (7/23/84)
41. Borderline - Madonna #5 (1 week), 6/27/84 (6/18/84)
#6
42. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins #6 (3 weeks), 4/25/84 (4/16/84)
43. Thriller - Michael Jackson #6 (2 weeks nc), 2/29/84 (45 version - 3:47) (JP CD3)
44. Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry #6 (2 weeks nc), 6/13/84 (6/4/84)
45. Sister Christian - Night Ranger #6 (2 weeks nc), 6/6/84 (5/28/84)
46. Self Control - Laura Branigan #6 (2 weeks nc), 6/27/84 (6/18/84)
47. Joanna - Kool & the Gang #6 (1 week), 2/15/84 (2/6/84)
48. I Want a New Drug - Huey Lewis & The News #6 (1 week), 2/22/84 (2/13/84)
49. Stuck on You - Lionel Richie #6 (1 week), 8/15/84 (8/6/84)
#7
50. The Glamorous Life - Sheila E. #7 (3 weeks nc), 9/19/84 (9/10/84)
51. The Warrior - Scandal #7 (2 weeks), 9/5/84 (8/27/84)
52. If Ever You're In My Arms Again - Peabo Bryson #7 (2 weeks nc), 8/15/84 (8/6/84)
53. Strut - Sheena Easton #7 (1 week), 12/5/84 (11/26/84)
#8
54. Sunglasses at Night - Cory Hart #8 (2 weeks nc), 8/15/84 (8/6/84)
55. Let the Music Play - Shannon #8 (1 week), 2/22/84 (2/13/84)
56. Miss Me Blind - Culture Club #8 (1 week), 5/2/84 (4/23/84)
#9
57. Drive - Cars #8 (4 weeks nc), 9/12/84 (9/3/84)
58. Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics #9 (2 weeks), 3/7/84
59. Lucky Star - Madonna at least #9 (at least 2 weeks nc), 10/17/84 (10/8/84)
60. Twist of Fate - Olivia Newton-John at least #9 (at least 1 week), 1/18/84 (1/9/84) (chart not published the previous two weeks, but did not appear on year-end chart, so could not have peaked too much higher than this)
61. Round and Round - Ratt #9 (1 week), 8/15/84 (8/6/84)
#10
62. If This is It - Huey Lewis & the News #10 (2 weeks), 9/12/84 (9/2/84)
63. Automatic - Pointer Sisters #10 (1 week), 5/9/84 (4/30/84)
64. Heart of Rock 'N Roll - Huey Lewis & the News #10 (1 week), 5/30/84 (5/21/84)
65. Legs - ZZ Top #10 (1 week), 7/11/84 (7/2/84)
66. I'm So Excited - Pointer Sisters at least #10 (at least 1 week), 10/31/84 (10/22/84) (chart not published following week)
67. We Belong - Pat Benatar #10 (1 week), 12/12/84 (12/3/84)
Edited by Brian W. on 04 May 2013 at 1:10am
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Brian W.
MusicFan
Joined: 13 October 2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2474
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| Posted: 17 September 2006 at 1:09pm | IP Logged
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Boy, am I a doofus. I noticed last night that I left "Break My Stride" off this list, which was a #2 seller. So anyone who has copied this for their personal records will need to do so again.
Makes me wonder what mistakes I might have made in the other Variety charts, yeesh...
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Brian W.
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Joined: 13 October 2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2474
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| Posted: 19 January 2008 at 3:38am | IP Logged
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I just discovered that I omitted Chicago's "You're the Inspiration" from this chart. It hit #4 in the 1/2/85 issue, but the next two weeks the charts went unpublished, so I suppose it could have peaked higher than that.
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Topic: 1984 - Variety Best Selling Singles
