Every year, Billboard magazine posts the Hot 100 for that year. This is the top 100 songs of the year. Several years ago I was gifted the complete set of songs for every year from 1980-1990. That’s almost 1100 songs (some songs re-charted). In listening to them I began to notice that several of the songs I loved from that decade were missing. Songs like Purple Rain, One Thing Leads To Another, and You Spin Me Round.
I know what you’re thinking, there has to be a mistake. There’s no way “Purple Rain” wasn’t on the Hot 100. Well, it wasn’t. Actually, “Purple Rain” wasn’t as big of a hit at the time as it is now.
So I wanted to find out how many of the songs I really loved and maybe forgotten were snubbed. Besides, don’t we always hear the same old songs by every “80’s” playlist? Here’s how I came by “The Next 100” playlist:
First, I gathered every Billboard Top40 chart for every week from 1980 -1989. That’s a lot of data. I cross-referenced those charts with the Billboard Hot 100 for every year…did some clean-up and the filtered the data to find only the songs that DID NOT make the annual charts. I was left with 1,217 songs. Then I sorted them by where they peaked on the chart, how long they remained at that spot…and how long they were in the Top40 in total.
You can find the playlist on Spotify, but the list is below. Happy Listening!
Here’s the complete list, with rankings and all:
| Year | Title | Artist | Weeks Ranked | Peak | Weeks at peak |
| 1981 | START ME UP | The Rolling Stones | 18 | 2 | 3 |
| 1984 | PURPLE RAIN | Prince and The Revolution | 11 | 2 | 2 |
| 1980 | HE’S SO SHY | The Pointer Sisters | 17 | 3 | 3 |
| 1980 | THE WANDERER | Donna Summer | 13 | 3 | 3 |
| 1983 | KING OF PAIN | The Police | 13 | 3 | 2 |
| 1983 | ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER | The Fixx | 13 | 4 | 1 |
| 1989 | ANGELIA | Richard Marx | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 1980 | LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE | Johnny Lee | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| 1980 | REAL LOVE | The Doobie Brothers | 11 | 5 | 2 |
| 1986 | HEARTBEAT | Don Johnson | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| 1989 | DR. FEELGOOD | Motley Crue | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 1986 | MY HOMETOWN | Bruce Springsteen | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 1980 | I’M ALRIGHT | Kenny Loggins | 12 | 7 | 2 |
| 1989 | WALK THE DINOSAUR | Was Not Was | 9 | 7 | 1 |
| 1989 | PUMP UP THE JAM | Technotronic Featuring Felly | 7 | 7 | 2 |
| 1983 | HEART AND SOUL | Huey Lewis and The News | 12 | 8 | 2 |
| 1980 | I CAN’T TELL YOU WHY | Eagles | 11 | 8 | 3 |
| 1983 | DELIRIOUS | Prince | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| 1986 | IS IT LOVE | Mr. Mister | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| 1980 | XANADU | Olivia Newton-John / Electric Light Orchestra | 10 | 8 | 2 |
| 1985 | I WOULD DIE 4 U | Prince and The Revolution | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 1988 | ALPHABET ST. | Prince | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 1987 | THE FINAL COUNTDOWN | Europe | 9 | 8 | 2 |
| 1989 | KISSES ON THE WIND | Neneh Cherry | 8 | 8 | 1 |
| 1986 | WAR | Bruce Springsteen and The E. Street Band | 8 | 8 | 2 |
| 1983 | TELEFONE (Long Distance Love Affair) | Sheena Easton | 14 | 9 | 2 |
| 1983 | SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER | The Motels | 13 | 9 | 1 |
| 1983 | ROCK THIS TOWN | The Stray Cats | 12 | 9 | 4 |
| 1985 | LOVIN’ EVERY MINUTE OF IT | Loverboy | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1985 | ONLY THE YOUNG | Journey | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | LET’S GO | Wang Chung | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1985 | YOU’RE ONLY HUMAN (Second Wind) | Billy Joel | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| 1983 | BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE | The Talking Heads | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | FRIENDS | Jody Watley with Eric B. and Rakim | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | YOU GOT IT | Roy Orbison | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | ROOM TO MOVE | Animotion | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | THE ONE I LOVE | R.E.M. | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1988 | RUSH HOUR | Jane Wiedlin | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | WALKING AWAY | Information Society | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | IT’S NOT OVER (‘Til It’s Over) | Starship | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1983 | CRUMBLIN’ DOWN | John Cougar Mellencamp | 10 | 9 | 3 |
| 1988 | TUNNEL OF LOVE | Bruce Springsteen | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1985 | GET IT ON (Bang A Gong) | The Power Station | 10 | 9 | 2 |
| 1987 | PAPER IN FIRE | John Cougar Mellencamp | 10 | 9 | 3 |
| 1987 | IT’S A SIN | Pet Shop Boys | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | I KNOW WHAT I LIKE | Huey Lewis and The News | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| 1986 | THE RAIN | Oran “Juice” Jones | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | TOUCH OF GREY | Grateful Dead | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART | Annie Lennox and Al Green | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1987 | TALK DIRTY TO ME | Poison | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | LIVING IN SIN | Bon Jovi | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | THE DOCTOR | The Doobie Brothers | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1981 | HOLD ON TIGHT | ELO | 13 | 10 | 2 |
| 1989 | WHEN I LOOKED AT HIM | Expose | 12 | 10 | 1 |
| 1988 | I COULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR MAN | Prince | 11 | 10 | 1 |
| 1988 | JUST GOT PAID | Johnny Kemp | 11 | 10 | 1 |
| 1987 | ONE HEARTBEAT | Smokey Robinson | 11 | 10 | 1 |
| 1989 | CRY | Waterfront | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| 1986 | THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT | Loverboy | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1988 | HYSTERIA | Def Leppard | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1986 | TUFF ENUFF | Fabulous Thunderbirds | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1984 | SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK | Rod Stewart | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1988 | SOME KIND OF LOVER | Jody Watley | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1986 | A MATTER OF TRUST | Billy Joel | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1989 | YOUR MAMA DON’T DANCE | Poison | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1985 | RELAX | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| 1989 | YOU’RE NOT ALONE | Chicago | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1989 | DON’T TELL ME LIES | Breathe | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1983 | P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) | Michael Jackson | 9 | 10 | 1 |
| 1986 | OPPORTUNITIES (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) | Pet Shop Boys | 9 | 10 | 1 |
| 1987 | WOT’S IT TO YA | Robbie Nevil | 9 | 10 | 2 |
| 1985 | YOU SPIN ME ROUND (Like A Record) | Dead Or Alive | 11 | 11 | 1 |
| 1988 | (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY | Michael Bolton | 10 | 11 | 2 |
| 1984 | DOCTOR! DOCTOR! | Thompson Twins | 9 | 11 | 1 |
| 1989 | GET ON YOUR FEET | Gloria Estefan | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| 1989 | EVERLASTING LOVE | Howard Jones | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| 1985 | SMUGGLER’S BLUES | Glenn Frey | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| 1988 | DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT (TILL IT’S GONE) | Cinderella | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| 1988 | CHAINS OF LOVE | Erasure | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| 1987 | WIPE OUT | Fat Boys and Beach Boys | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| 1986 | HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES | Loverboy | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| 1985 | JUST A GIGOLO / I AIN’T GOT NOBODY | David Lee Roth | 10 | 12 | 1 |
| 1988 | KISS ME DEADLY | Lita Ford | 10 | 12 | 2 |
| 1988 | FOREVER YOUNG | Rod Stewart | 10 | 12 | 1 |
| 1988 | PARENTS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND | D.J. Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince | 10 | 12 | 2 |
| 1987 | KISS HIM GOODBYE | The Nylons | 10 | 12 | 1 |
| 1986 | MOVE AWAY | Culture Club | 10 | 12 | 2 |
| 1989 | I WON’T BACK DOWN | Tom Petty | 9 | 12 | 1 |
| 1986 | I WANNA BE A COWBOY | Boys Don’t Cry | 9 | 12 | 1 |
| 1987 | GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS | Motley Crue | 9 | 12 | 1 |
| 1989 | ROCKET | Def Leppard | 9 | 12 | 1 |
| 1982 | GYPSY | Fleetwood Mac | 8 | 12 | 3 |
| 1984 | EAT IT | “Weird” Al Yankovic | 7 | 12 | 1 |
| 1988 | PUMP UP THE VOLUME | M/A/R/R/S | 11 | 13 | 3 |
| 1985 | PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE | Depeche Mode | 10 | 13 | 2 |
| 1984 | I’LL WAIT | Van Halen | 10 | 13 | 2 |
| 1987 | BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE AGAIN | Steve Winwood | 10 | 13 | 1 |
| 1984 | PANAMA | Van Halen | 10 | 13 | 1 |