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Brian W.
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| Posted: 14 April 2006 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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Variety's Bestselling Singles of 1985 (Final chart)
Variety's final Bestselling Singles chart was published in the 1/22/86 issue. It had been relegated to a top-ten-only listing in 1982, but its complete discontinuation may have been due in part to Billboard debuting its own Bestselling Singles chart more than a year earlier.
There were seven unpublished charts during 1985 -- 1/9, 1/16, 4/3, 5/1, 5/8, 10/2, 12/25 -- so information is incomplete. Thankfully we have the Billboard sales charts during this time to fill in the gaps... though I will say Billboard's singles sales charts were in a bit of disarray during this early period. On at least one occasion in Billboard, the entire "last week" column was scrubbed as the chart was apparently reconfigured... but no change in retailers polled, and I know, because they listed all of them every week.
Incredibly, Billboard only polled 199 retailers nationwide for the Hot 100 sales data in 1985! I was shocked when I read that. They only surveyed FOUR stores in my home state of Washington -- Peaches in Seattle, Tower in Seattle (what about the Towers in Tacoma and Bellevue?!), Eli's in Spokane, and Dan-Jay in Tukwila... which I've NEVER heard of, and I was frequenting all the major record shops in the Puget Sound area in 1985. Go figure.
Shocker: Madonna's "Into the Groove" was listed as the #1 selling single for 6 consecutive weeks! While some may balk at that, it's important to note that, of Variety's #1 singles of 1985, all but "Into the Groove" and "Axel F" hit #1 on Billboard's Bestselling Singles chart... and "Axel F" was #2 on that chart for two weeks. I see no reason to believe that "Into the Groove" would not have charted at #1 on Billboard's sales chart had they not disqualified it.
The flip side of the "Into the Groove" 12-inch was "Angel," though it was not listed as such by Variety (but it might have been if the chart had not been so tiny at this point). Variety charted the 7-inch single of "Angel" separately, apparently assigning all sales points from the 12-inch to "Into the Groove."
This year, rather than highlighting songs in red that did not make the Top Ten on the Hot 100, I've highlighted those that did not make the Top Ten on Billboard's Bestselling Singles chart. I've also noted those songs that were #1 sellers in Billboard but not in Variety.
Here are links to the previous charts for those who haven't seen them. (I've made a few corrections, so anyone who copied them for their own records might wish to do so again.)
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
"The Variety singles chart is a current reflection of records active on the national retail level. The tabulation is derived from a broad sampling of sales data obtained from the top 25 markets. It is based wholly on retail sales."
#1
1. We are the World - U.S.A. For Africa #1 (at least 7 weeks, probably 9), 3/27/85
2. Careless Whisper - Wham! Featuring George Michael #1 (7 weeks), 1/30/85
3. Into the Groove - Madonna #1 (6 weeks), 6/12/85
4. Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer #1 (5 weeks), 10/9/85
5. Money for Nothing - Dire Straits #1 (at least 4 weeks, maybe 5), 9/4/85
6. Separate Lives - Phil Collins #1 (4 weeks), 11/13/85
7. Shout - Tears for Fears #1 (4 weeks), 7/24/85
8. That's What Friends are For - Dionne & Friends #1 (at least 3 weeks, probably many more), 12/25/85 or 1/6/86
9. Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie #1 (at least 2 weeks, maybe 3), 12/11/85
10. Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon #1 (1 week), 3/20/85
11. Axel F - Hugo Faltermeyer #1 (1 week), 6/5/85 (#2 Billboard Sales)
12. St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) - John Parr #1 (1 week), 8/21/85
13. The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & the News #1 (1 week), 8/28/85
#2
14. Crazy for You - Madonna at least #2 (at least 6 weeks, maybe 9), 3/27/85 (There were three unpublished charts during this time, so it is possible "Crazy for You" hit #1 on one of the missing weeks... however, it only made #2 on Billboard's sales chart)
15. A View to a Kill - Duran Duran #2 (5 weeks), 6/5/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
16. Take on Me - A-Ha #2 (at least 4 weeks, maybe 5), 9/25/85 (only #3 Billboard Sales)... and possible this was #1 in Variety on 10/2/85 (9/23/85)
17. Easy Lover - Phil Collins #2 (2 weeks), 2/6/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
18. I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner #2 (1 week), 2/20/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
19. One More Night - Phil Collins # 2 (1 week), 3/20/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
20. Cherish - Kool & the Gang #2 (1 week), 9/18/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
#3
21. We Built This City - Starship #3 (2 weeks), 11/20/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
22. Don't You Forget (About Me) - Simple Minds at least #3 (at least 1 week), 4/17/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
23. Everything She Wants - Wham! #3 (1 week), 6/12/85 (6/3/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
24. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears #3 (1 week), 6/19/85 (6/10/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
25. Raspberry Beret - Prince #3 (1 week), 6/26/85 (6/17/85)
26. Heaven - Bryan Adams #3 (1 week), 7/3/85 (6/24/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
27. Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young #3 (1 week), 7/31/85 (7/22/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
28. Part Time Lover - Stevie Wonder #3 (1 week), 11/13/85 (11/4/85)
23. Oh Sheila - Ready for the World #3 (1 week), 10/23/85 (#1 Billboard Sales)
24. One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head at least #3 (at least 1 week), 4/24/85
25. My Hometown / Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - Bruce Springsteen at least #3 (at least 1 week), 1/1/86
#4
26. Party All the Time - Eddie Murphy at least #4 (at least 3 weeks), 11/27/85 (11/18/85)
27. California Girls - David Lee Roth at least #4 (at least 1 week), 2/13/85 (2/4/85)
28. Rhythm of the Night - DeBarge at least #4 (at least 1 week), 4/17/85 (4/8/85)
29. Dancing in the Street - David Bowie & Mick Jagger #4 (1 week), 9/18/85 (9/9/85)
30. Broken Wings - Mr. Mister #4 (1 week), 11/20/85 (11/11/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
#5
31. Never Surrender - Corey Hart #5 (4 weeks), 8/7/85 (7/29/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
32. Material Girl - Madonna #5 (3 weeks), 3/6/85 (2/25/85)
33. Sussudio - Phil Collins #5 (1 week), 7/3/85 (6/24/85)
34. 19 - Hardcastle #5 (1 week), 7/17/85 (7/8/85)
35. Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston #5 (1 week), 11/6/85 (10/28/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
36. Election Day - Arcadia #5 (1 week), 11/20/85 (11/11/85)
#6
37. We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Tina Turner #6 (2 weeks), 9/4/85 (8/26/85)
38. Loverboy - Billy Ocean #6 (1 week), 2/20/85 (2/11/85)
39. The Heat is On - Glen Frey #6 (1 week), 3/13/85 (3/4/85) (#1 Billboard Sales)
40. Never - Heart #6 (1 week), 12/11/85 (12/2/85)
#7
41. I'm Your Man - Wham! At least #7 (at least 3 weeks), 1/1/86 (12/23/86) (May well have peaked higher during missing two weeks over Christmas and early January)
42. Freeway of Love - Aretha Franklin #7 (3 weeks), 8/28/85 (8/19/85)
43. Nightshift - Commodores #7 (2 weeks), 4/10/85 (4/1/85)
44. Suddenly - Billy Ocean #7 (2 weeks nc), 5/22/85 (5/13/85)
45. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) - Dead or Alive #7 (2 weeks), 7/31/85 (7/22/85)
46. Obsession - Animotion #7 (1 week), 4/24/85 (4/15/85)
47. Smooth Operator - Sade #7 (1 week), 5/15/85
48. Angel - Madonna #7 (1 week), 6/5/85 (5/27/85) (listed separately from Into the Groove)
49. You Give Good Love - Whitney Houston #7 (1 week), 7/17/85 (7/8/85)
#8
50. Boys of Summer - Don Henley at least #8 (at least 3 weeks), 1/23/85 (1/14/85
51. Dress You Up - Madonna #8 (2 weeks), 9/11/85 (9/2/85)
52. You Belong to the City - Glenn Frey #8 (2 weeks), 11/13/85 (11/4/85)
53. Neutron Dance - Pointer Sisters #8 (1 week), 2/20/85 (2/11/85)
54. Lovergirl - Teena Marie #8 (1 week), 3/27/85 (3/18/85)
55. The Search is Over - Survivor #8 (1 week), 7/3/85 (6/24/85)
#9
56. Some Like It Hot - Power Station #9 (2 weeks), 4/17/85 (4/8/85)
57. Solid - Ashford & Simpson at least #9 (at least 1 week), 1/30/85 (1/21/85)
58. Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood at least #9 (at least 1 week), 3/27/85 (3/18/85)
59. In My House - Mary Jane Girls #9 (1 week), 6/12/85 (6/3/85)
60. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting #9 (1 week), 7/10/85 (7/2/85)
61. Head Over Heels - Tears for Fears #9 (1 week), 10/16/85 (10/7/85)
#10
62. People are People - Depeche Mode #10 (2 weeks), 7/10/85 (7/2/85)
63. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams #10 (2 weeks), 8/28/85 (8/19/85)
64. Run to You - Bryan Adams at least #10 (at least 1 week), 1/23/85 (1/14/85)
65. Too Late for Goodbyes - Julian Lennon #10 (1 week), 3/20/85 (3/11/85)
66. Missing You - Diana Ross at least #10 (at least 1 week), 3/27/85 (3/18/85)
67. Pop Life - Prince #10 (1 week), 8/21/85 (8/12/85)
68. I'm Goin' Down - Bruce Springsteen #10 (1 week), 10/9/85 (9/30/85)
69. Perfect Way - Scriti Politi at least #10 (at least 1 week), 1/1/86 (12/23/85)
Edited by Brian W. on 14 April 2006 at 1:25pm
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Brian W.
MusicFan
Joined: 13 October 2004
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2507
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| Posted: 04 May 2013 at 1:08am | IP Logged
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Going through my Variety charts yesterday (the originals), I noticed something that I did want to mention. In the next-to-last Variety singles sales chart, in issue 1/15/86 (for the actual week ending date of 1/6/86), "You're a Friend of Mine" by Clarence Clemons was listed as a #9 seller, then was out of the top ten in the final chart the following week.
I mention this as a matter of interest only because the single did not get anywhere near the top ten on Billboard's bestsellers chart.
Edited by Brian W. on 04 May 2013 at 1:09am
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Topic: Variety Bestselling Singles 1985 - Final
