1982 - Variety Top Selling Singles

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   Variety continued its Fifty Best-Selling Pop Singles chart through the January 27, 1982 issue.  No chart was published the following three weeks, then it reappeared as a top-ten-only chart on issue date 2/24/82, sadly with no previous week column.  So those missing three weeks (and a handful of future unpublished weeks) are probably gone forever.

However, a year-end Top Fifty was published with peak positions through 1984, which contained most of the singles in the top seven and a couple peaking at #8... so we do know the peak positions of almost all the top ten singles during the missing period, if not the peak dates.  The only danger in that is the possibility of errors in the year-end chart.  For example, The Cars' Shake It Up was listed as peaking at #8 on the year-end chart, but it was actually #7.  But I am positive there are no missing songs in the top five.

There were also two missing charts in May 1982.  So below, when I say probably regarding a song's position or weeks, that means there was a missing chart in its run somewhere. 

The bigger question is: When the chart dropped to 10 positions, did the survey sample size shrink as well?  No way to tell for sure, but each year-end chart still claimed the chart monitored the 25 top markets.

To start off with, I'll list the final Top 50 chart from the 1/27/82 issue, as it covers singles charting in early '82 that did not make the top ten.  It's also an opportunity to have a gander at the Relative Sales Index I've mentioned in the past.  (And forgive the extremely sloppy formatting -- this thing doesn't seem to know what to do with multiple spaces.)

NOTE: The "Last Week" column for the top two hits on this final chart says that both Centerfold and Physical were #1 the previous week.  It was not listed this way on the previous chart -- Physical was #1 and Centerfold #2 -- but both songs had the exact same Relative Sales Index points that week, 110.05, the only time during the RSI's six-year-run that the #1 and #2 song were exactly tied in points.  How they separated them into #1 and #2 for the previous week's chart, I don't know.

Final Variety Top 50 Chart - Wednesday, January 27, 1982 (actual chart week ending 1/18/82)

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 from the top 33 markets.  It is based wholly on retail sales.  Album titles appear in lower case beneath the single record title due to percentage of the public buying the album to get the single.  Relative Sales Index measure the difference in sales power between any two discs.  It thus shows the relative lead of the No. 1 disc over the rest of the field.

*Indicates an increase in sales for two consecutive weeks

R.S.I.-Weeks on chart-2 weeks ago-1 week ago-This week

111.95  10  2  1  *1. Centerfold - J. Geils Band

108.25  16  1  1   2. Physical - Olivia Newton-John

91.33   10  3  3   3. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Daryl Hall & John Oates

81.38  15   4   4   4. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner

79.95  12   8   6  *5. Harden My Heart - Quarterflash

79.00  16   5   5   6. Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire

74.76  9    7   9  *7. Shake It Up - Cars

74.66  13   7   8  *8. Young Turks - Rod Stewart

74.62  12  11  11  *9. Turn Your Love Around - George Benson

74.43  20  10  12  10. Our Lips are Sealed - Go-Go's

 73.00   13  6   7   11 . Hooked on Classics - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

69.90  11   19  13  *12. The Sweetest Thing - Juice Newton

67.90  13   16  15   13. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

67.28  12  13   10   14. Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks (with Don Henley)

66.66  17  12   17   15. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - Police

66.09  7   27   19  *16. Working for the Weekend - Loverboy

65.66  4   39   25  *17. Pac Man Fever - Buckener & Garcia

64.28   21   9  16   18. Private Eyes - Daryl Hall & John Oates

64.14  11  23   18   19. Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham

64.14  14  14   14   20. Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Diana Ross

61.40   7   24  20   21. Waiting on a Friend - Rolling Stones

58.95  5   38   29  *22. Leader of the Band - Dan Fogelberg

58.05  10  21   22   23. Comin' In and Out of Your Life - Barbra Streisand

58.00  5   37   35  *24. Love is Alright Tonight - Rick Springfield

57.85  15  28   26   25. Take My Heart - Kool & The Gang

57.31  9   33   27  *26. I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World - Ronnie Milsap

57.14  4   42   44  *27. Call Me - Blondie

57.09  12  20   21  *28. Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie

56.95  7   41   39  *29. Cool Night - Paul Davis

56.85  16  18   24   30. Oh, No - Commodores

55.90  23  15   23   31. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones

53.89  26  26   31   32. Super Freak - Rick James

53.28   9   36   32   3 3. Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight - Eddie Rabbitt

52.33  4   43   38  *34. ABACAB - Genesis

52.18  18  22   30   35. Here I Am - Air Supply

51.90  1   --   --  *36. Love in the First Degree - Alabama

51.85  7   40   41  *37. You Could Have Been With Me - Sheena Easton

51.05  13  32   28   38. My Girl (Gone Gone Gone) - Chillwack

49.95  3   49   48  *39. Mirror Mirror - Diana Ross

49.33  7   44   42  *40. She's Got a Way - Billy Joel

48.90  5    5   43  *41. Sweet Dreams - Air Supply

48.00  1   --   --  *42. Open Arms - Journey

47.57  3   47   46  *43. Through the Years - Kenny Rogers

47.05  3   46   45  *44. Pehaps Love - Placigo Domingo with John Denver

46.38  2   --   47  *45. Take It Easy On Me - Little River Band

45.09  3   48   49  *46. Somewhere Down the Road - Barry Manilow

43.57  1   --   --  *47. Love is Like a Rock - Donnie Iris

43.09  1   --   --  *48. That Girl - Stevie Wonder

42.85   3   50   50   4 9. Tainted Love - Soft Cell

42.76  1   --   --  *50. Spirits in the Material World - Police

Edited by Brian W.

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Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 1982 - Variety Top Selling Singles Posted: 11 December 2005 at 1:33am
	Variety continued its Fifty Best-Selling Pop Singles chart through the January 27, 1982 issue. No chart was published the following three weeks, then it reappeared as a top-ten-only chart on issue date 2/24/82, sadly with no previous week column. So those missing three weeks (and a handful of future unpublished weeks) are probably gone forever. However, a year-end Top Fifty was published with peak positions through 1984, which contained most of the singles in the top seven and a couple peaking at #8... so we do know the peak positions of almost all the top ten singles during the missing period, if not the peak dates. The only danger in that is the possibility of errors in the year-end chart. For example, The Cars' Shake It Up was listed as peaking at #8 on the year-end chart, but it was actually #7. But I am positive there are no missing songs in the top five. There were also two missing charts in May 1982. So below, when I say probably regarding a song's position or weeks, that means there was a missing chart in its run somewhere. The bigger question is: When the chart dropped to 10 positions, did the survey sample size shrink as well? No way to tell for sure, but each year-end chart still claimed the chart monitored the 25 top markets. To start off with, I'll list the final Top 50 chart from the 1/27/82 issue, as it covers singles charting in early '82 that did not make the top ten. It's also an opportunity to have a gander at the Relative Sales Index I've mentioned in the past. (And forgive the extremely sloppy formatting -- this thing doesn't seem to know what to do with multiple spaces.) NOTE: The "Last Week" column for the top two hits on this final chart says that both Centerfold and Physical were #1 the previous week. It was not listed this way on the previous chart -- Physical was #1 and Centerfold #2 -- but both songs had the exact same Relative Sales Index points that week, 110.05, the only time during the RSI's six-year-run that the #1 and #2 song were exactly tied in points. How they separated them into #1 and #2 for the previous week's chart, I don't know. Final Variety Top 50 Chart - Wednesday, January 27, 1982 (actual chart week ending 1/18/82) 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 from the top 33 markets. It is based wholly on retail sales. Album titles appear in lower case beneath the single record title due to percentage of the public buying the album to get the single. Relative Sales Index measure the difference in sales power between any two discs. It thus shows the relative lead of the No. 1 disc over the rest of the field. Indicates an increase in sales for two consecutive weeks R.S.I.-Weeks on chart-2 weeks ago-1 week ago-This week* 111.95 10 2 1 1. Centerfold* - J. Geils Band 108.25 16 1 1 2. Physical - Olivia Newton-John 91.33 10 3 3 3. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Daryl Hall & John Oates 81.38 15 4 4 4. Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner 79.95 12 8 6 5. Harden My Heart* - Quarterflash 79.00 16 5 5 6. Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire 74.76 9 7 9 7. Shake It Up* - Cars 74.66 13 7 8 8. Young Turks* - Rod Stewart 74.62 12 11 11 9. Turn Your Love Around* - George Benson 74.43 20 10 12 10. Our Lips are Sealed - Go-Go's 73.00 13 6 7 11 . Hooked on Classics - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 69.90 11 19 13 12. The Sweetest Thing* - Juice Newton 67.90 13 16 15 13. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey 67.28 12 13 10 14. Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks (with Don Henley) 66.66 17 12 17 15. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - Police 66.09 7 27 19 16. Working for the Weekend* - Loverboy 65.66 4 39 25 17. Pac Man Fever* - Buckener & Garcia 64.28 21 9 16 18. Private Eyes - Daryl Hall & John Oates 64.14 11 23 18 19. Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham 64.14 14 14 14 20. Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Diana Ross 61.40 7 24 20 21. Waiting on a Friend - Rolling Stones 58.95 5 38 29 22. Leader of the Band* - Dan Fogelberg 58.05 10 21 22 23. Comin' In and Out of Your Life - Barbra Streisand 58.00 5 37 35 24. Love is Alright Tonight* - Rick Springfield 57.85 15 28 26 25. Take My Heart - Kool & The Gang 57.31 9 33 27 26. I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World* - Ronnie Milsap 57.14 4 42 44 27. Call Me* - Blondie 57.09 12 20 21 28. Under Pressure* - Queen & David Bowie 56.95 7 41 39 29. Cool Night* - Paul Davis 56.85 16 18 24 30. Oh, No - Commodores 55.90 23 15 23 31. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones 53.89 26 26 31 32. Super Freak - Rick James 53.28 9 36 32 3 3. Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight - Eddie Rabbitt 52.33 4 43 38 34. ABACAB* - Genesis 52.18 18 22 30 35. Here I Am - Air Supply 51.90 1 -- -- 36. Love in the First Degree* - Alabama 51.85 7 40 41 37. You Could Have Been With Me* - Sheena Easton 51.05 13 32 28 38. My Girl (Gone Gone Gone) - Chillwack 49.95 3 49 48 39. Mirror Mirror* - Diana Ross 49.33 7 44 42 40. She's Got a Way* - Billy Joel 48.90 5 5 43 41. Sweet Dreams* - Air Supply 48.00 1 -- -- 42. Open Arms* - Journey 47.57 3 47 46 43. Through the Years* - Kenny Rogers 47.05 3 46 45 44. Pehaps Love* - Placigo Domingo with John Denver 46.38 2 -- 47 45. Take It Easy On Me* - Little River Band 45.09 3 48 49 46. Somewhere Down the Road* - Barry Manilow 43.57 1 -- -- 47. Love is Like a Rock* - Donnie Iris 43.09 1 -- -- 48. That Girl* - Stevie Wonder 42.85 3 50 50 4 9. Tainted Love - Soft Cell 42.76 1 -- -- 50. Spirits in the Material World* - Police Edited by Brian W.

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 December 2005 at 2:08am
	Variety's Best-Selling Singles of 1982 Shocker: The #5 ranking of Frank Zappa's Valley Girl, which peaked at #32 on the Hot 100! Note: Loverboy's Working for the Weekend may have grazed the top 10 during one of the three missing weeks in February, as it was at #16 on the final Top 50 chart of 1/27/82, and had been rising fast. But if so, it had dropped out of the top ten by 2/24/82. I have a sneaking suspicion Kool & The Gang's Get Down On It might have appeared in positions 8-10 in the missing May charts as well. Singles that did not make the Top Ten on the Hot 100 are listed in Red. #1 1. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor #1 (12 weeks), 6/30/82 (6/21/82) 2. I Love Rock N Roll – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts #1 (probably 10 weeks), 2/24/82 (2/15/82) 3. Mickey – Toni Basil #1 (probably 8 weeks), 12/1/82 (11/22/82) 4. Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder #1 (at least 6 weeks), either 5/12/82 (5/3/82) or 5/19/82 (5/10/82) 5. Centerfold – J. Geils Band #1 (probably 5 weeks), 1/27/82 (1/18/82) 6. Truly – Lionel Richie #1 (4 weeks), 11/3/82 (10/25/82) 7. Jack & Diane – John Cougar #1 (4 weeks), 9/22/82 (9/13/82) 8. Up Where We Belong – Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes #1 (2 weeks), 10/20/82 (10/11/82) #2 9. Don't You Want Me – Human League #2 (10 weeks), 5/26/82 (5/17/82) 10. Abracadrabra – Steve Miller #2 (7 weeks), 8/4/82 (7/26/82) 11. Hard to Say I'm Sorry – Chicago #2 (4 weeks), 9/22/82 (9/13/82) 12. Chariots of Fire – Vangelis #2 (3 weeks), 4/14/82 (4/5/82) 13. We Got the Beat – Go-Gos #2 (2 weeks), 3/31/82 (2/22/82) #3 14. Maneater – Hall & Oates #3 (at least 5, probably 6 weeks), 12/29/82 (12/20/82) 15. Who Can It Be Now – Men at Work #3 (4 weeks), 10/13/82 (10/4/82) 16. Hurts So Good – John Mellencamp #3 (2 weeks), 7/21/82 (7/12/82) 17. I've Never Been to Me – Charlene #3 (at least 2 weeks), 5/26/82 (5/17/82) (possibly hit peak position as early as 5/5/82) 18. Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson #3 (2 weeks), 6/9/82 (5/31/82) 19. Rosanna – Toto #3 (1 week), 7/14/82 (7/5/82) 20. Gloria – Laura Branigan #3 (1 week), 12/8/82 (11/29/82) 21. Freeze-Frame – J. Geils Band #3 (1 week), 4/7/82 (3/29/82) #4 22. Baby Come to Me – Patti Austin & James Ingram #4 (at least 4 weeks, maybe 5), 1/6/83 (12/28/83) 23. Pac-Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia #4 (at least 1 week), 3/24/82 (3/15/82) 24. Harden My Heart – Quarterflash #4 (at least 1 week), either 2/3/82 (1/25/82), 2/10/82 (2/1/82), or 2/17/82 (2/8/82) 25. The Other Woman – Ray Parker Jr. #4 (1 week), 6/2/82 (5/24/82) #5 26. Valley Girl – Frank & Moon Zappa #5 (3 weeks nc), 8/18/82 (8/9/82) 27. Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye #5 (at least 3 weeks nc), 11/24/82 (11/15/82) 28. Tainted Love – Soft Cell #5 (2 weeks nc), 7/21/82 (7/12/82) 29. That Girl – Stevie Wonder #5 (at least 2 weeks nc), 3/3/82 (2/22/82) 30. Dirty Laundry – Don Henley #5 (at least 2 weeks) 12/1/82 (11/22/82) 31. Key Largo – Bertie Higgins #5 (at least 2 weeks), 4/21/82 (4/12/82) 32. Our Lips are Sealed – Go-Go's #5 (at least 1 week), either 2/3/82 (1/25/82), 2/10/82 (2/1/82), or 2/17/82 (2/8/82) 33. Heartlight – Neil Diamond #5 (1 week), 10/20/82 (10/11/82) #6 34. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone #6 (at least 5 weeks), 5/19/82 (5/10/82) (possibly 5/12/82) 35. You Should Hear How She Talks About You – Melissa Manchester #6 (3 weeks nc), 8/18/82 (8/9/82) 36. Open Arms – Journey #6 (at least 3 weeks), 3/3/82 (2/22/82) #7 37. Rock This Town – Stray Cats #7 (at least 4 weeks nc), 11/10/82 (11/1/82) (This might possibly have peaked higher during a missing week in early January 1983, but unlikely, as it was not on the year-end chart for 1983) 38. Heat of the Moment – Asia #7 (3 weeks nc), 6/16/82 (6/7/82) 39. Eye in the Sky – Alan Parsons Project #7 (2 weeks), 10/6/82 40. Shake It Up – Cars #7 (at least 1 week), 1/27/82 (1/18/82) 41. Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac #7 (1 week), 8/25/82 (8/16/82) 42. Let It Whip – Dazz Band #7 (1 week), 6/30/82 (6/21/82) 43. Young Turks – Rod Stewart #7 (at least one week), 1/20/82 (1/11/82) 44. Vacation – Go-Go's #7 (1 week), 9/1/82 (8/23/82) 45. Heart Attack – Olivia Newton-John #7 (1 week), 10/27/82 (10/18/82) 46. The Girl is Mine – Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney #7 (1 week), 11/24/82 (11/15/82) #8 47. Don't Talk to Strangers – Rick Springfield #8 (at least 2 weeks nc), 4/14/82 (4/5/82) #9 48. Flame Thrower – J. Geils Band at least #9 (at least 1 week), 3/17/82 (3/8/82) (could have peaked one week earlier) (This was the B-side of Freeze Frame, and was a minor R&B hit in Billboard. It was listed on the chart only this week; the following week, Freeze Frame was listed solo. But the chart was tiny -- there wouldn't have been room to list both titles side by side. In Cash Box, the song was listed as Freeze Frame / Flame Thrower.) 49. Make a Move on Me – Olivia Newton-John #9 (1 week), 4/14/82 (4/5/82) 50. Only the Lonely – Motels #9 (1 week), 8/11/82 (8/2/82) 51. I Ran (So Far Away) – Flock of Seagulls #9 (1 week), 10/13/82 (10/4/82) #10 52. Steppin' Out – Joe Jackson #10 (4 weeks nc), 11/10/82 (11/1/82) 53. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) - Michael McDonald #10 (2 weeks nc), 10/6/82 (9/27/82) 54. Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks & Don Henley at least #10 (at least 1 week), 1/20/82 (1/11/82) 55. 65 Love Affair – Paul Davis at least #10 (at least 1 week), 5/5/82 (4/26/82) (chart for 5/12 was not published, so quite possible this peaked a little higher) 56. Love is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)** – Donna Summer #10 (1 week), 9/1/82 (8/23/82)