3 Iconic Male Singers Who Hit No. 1 in 1983

For as strange as the 2020s might feel, the 1980s were likely stranger. Is it possible? Well, hard to say. But what isn’t hard to say is that the music from the decade was incredible. Just take a look at the pop charts from any year in the 1980s and you’ll be blown away by the marquee names and the songs that seemed almost unanimously loved and ubiquitously available. Below, we wanted to dive into one year in particular, 1983. We wanted to check out who was atop the charts as the early 80s were shifting into the middle part of the decade. Indeed, these are three legendary male singers from the era who all went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.

Videos by American Songwriter

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson spent a whopping 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. Which isn’t surprising, considering he was one of the most famous male singers of the 20th century. The Billboard accolade was thanks to three songs—two he released solo and one as a collaboration. In 1983, Jackson dropped both “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”, taking pop culture by storm. Then at the end of the year, he hit No. 1 again thanks to the song “Say Say Say” with Paul McCartney. If there was any doubt about his possibility as a solo pop star, 1983 cast that all aside.

David Bowie

British-born rocker David Bowie earned his first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. That disco track “Fame” helped cement him as a star. But then he did it all again in 1983 with his toe-tapper “Let’s Dance”. That track gave Bowie his second No. 1 on the vaunted chart. With his booming, familiar voice, Bowie got a generation up off their butts and onto the dance floor. He knew how to have a good time.

Billy Joel

Billy Joel boasted three No. 1 songs in the 1980s, including this one, “Tell Her About It”, which hit the top spot in late September of 1983. A quintessentially 80s pop song that seems befitting of a Tom Cruise movie, this adoring track could also double as a workout song befitting of leg warmers and one of those neon leotards. While Joel was known for piano-driven songs like “Piano Man”, this 80s number is a bit comical today. Still, it earned him a coveted No. 1.

Photo by Tom Sheehan/Sony Music Archive via Getty Images