List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1984

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Purple Rain by Prince and The Revolution stayed twenty-two weeks at number one and sold more than nine million copies. Prince by jimieye-crop.jpg
Purple Rain by Prince and The Revolution stayed twenty-two weeks at number one and sold more than nine million copies.

The Billboard 200, published in Billboard magazine, is a weekly chart that ranks the highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States. Before Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, Billboard estimated sales from a representative sampling of record stores nationwide, using telephone, fax or messenger service. [1] Data were based on rankings made by the record stores of the best-selling records, not on actual sales figures. [2] [3]

Contents

There were only five number-one albums in 1984, the fewest in history. Michael Jackson's Thriller , which spent twenty-two weeks in 1983 at number one, stayed an additional fifteen weeks at the top in 1984 and was the best-selling album of the year. Thriller was the only album to be the best-seller of two years (1983–1984) in the United States until 21 by Adele in 2011 and 2012. Footloose , the original soundtrack of the Paramount motion picture, Footloose , which included the two number one hits, "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams, [4] [5] spent ten weeks at number one, sold over seven million copies and received a nomination for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture at the 27th Grammy Awards. [6] [7] Rock band Huey Lewis and the News released their third album Sports in 1983. Despite the limited expectations of their record company and the blockbuster competition from other albums like Thriller and Born in the U.S.A, Sports managed to top the chart for one week and sold six million copies, [8] reaching the second position of the year-end chart of 1984. [9]

In 1984, singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen released his seventh studio album Born in the U.S.A. Springsteen ignored the musical movements of the Second British Invasion, instead he embraced the legacy of Phil Spector's and the garage bands releases with more radio-friendly arrangements, the use of synthesizers and incorporating new electronic textures while keeping the American rock & roll from the early 1960s. [10] [11] The album stayed four weeks at number one, yielded seven top ten singles and sold more than seven and a half million copies. [12] Purple Rain , the soundtrack from the film of the same name, was the first Prince album to be recorded with and credited to his backing group The Revolution. The album was loaded with life, invention, pure rock & roll, with synthesizer touches that pushed heavily into psychedelic music, [13] and have constant reminders of Sly Stone in the bass lines, [14] [15] which make it the most pop-oriented album Prince has ever made. [16] The album topped the chart for the last twenty-two weeks of the year, sold more than nine million copies, [15] won the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture and received a nomination for Album of the Year. [17] [18]

Chart history

Key
†Indicates best performing album of 1984
Issue dateAlbumArtist(s)LabelRef.
January 7 Thriller Michael Jackson Epic [19]
January 14 [20]
January 21 [21]
January 28 [22]
February 4 [23]
February 11 [24]
February 18 [25]
February 25 [26]
March 3 [27]
March 10 [28]
March 17 [29]
March 24 [30]
March 31 [31]
April 7 [32]
April 14 [33]
April 21 Footloose Soundtrack Columbia [34]
April 28 [35]
May 5 [36]
May 12 [37]
May 19 [38]
May 26 [39]
June 2 [40]
June 9 [41]
June 16 [42]
June 23 [43]
June 30 Sports Huey Lewis and the News Chrysalis [44]
July 7 Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen Columbia [45]
July 14 [46]
July 21 [47]
July 28 [48]
August 4 Purple Rain Prince and the Revolution / Soundtrack Warner Bros. [49]
August 11 [50]
August 18 [51]
August 25 [52]
September 1 [53]
September 8 [54]
September 15 [55]
September 22 [56]
September 29 [57]
October 6 [58]
October 13 [59]
October 20 [60]
October 27 [61]
November 3 [62]
November 10 [63]
November 17 [64]
November 24 [65]
December 1 [66]
December 8 [67]
December 15 [68]
December 22 [69]
December 29 [70]

See also

Related Research Articles

Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard rock music was produced by the Kinks, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Cream, Vanilla Fudge, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In the late 1960s, bands such as Blue Cheer, the Jeff Beck Group, Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Golden Earring, Steppenwolf, and Deep Purple also produced hard rock.

<i>Purple Rain</i> (album) 1984 studio/soundtrack album by Prince and the Revolution

Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was released on June 25, 1984, by Warner Bros. Records as the soundtrack album to the 1984 film of the same name. Purple Rain was musically denser than Prince's previous albums, emphasizing full band performances, and multiple layers of guitars, keyboards, electronic synthesizer effects, drum machines, and other instruments.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Bruce Springsteen album) 1995 greatest hits album by Bruce Springsteen

Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released February 27, 1995, on Columbia Records. It is a collection of some of Springsteen's hit singles and popular album tracks through the years along with four new songs at the end, mostly recorded with the E Street Band in 1995. The latter constituted Springsteen's first release with his backing band since the late 1980s. Some of the songs are shorter versions of the original album releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple Rain (song)</span> 1984 single by Prince and the Revolution

"Purple Rain" is a song by the American musician Prince and his backing band the Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name starring Prince, and was released as the third single from the album. The song is a power ballad that combines rock, R&B, gospel, and orchestral music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Revolution (band)</span> American rock band

The Revolution is an American band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, pop, R&B, funk, new wave and psychedelic elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonic (band)</span> American rock band

Tonic is an American rock band, formed in 1993 by Emerson Hart and Jeff Russo. Later members have included Dan Lavery, Kevin Shepard, and Dan Rothchild. Signed to a recording contract in 1995, the band released its debut album Lemon Parade in 1996. The single "If You Could Only See" reached No. 11 on the Billboard Airplay Hot 100 in 1997, and Lemon Parade itself reached platinum status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prong discography</span>

Prong is an American heavy metal band formed in 1986. The band was originally composed of founder Tommy Victor, along with Mike Kirkland (bass) and ex-Swans drummer Ted Parsons. Their first two studio releases, the EP Primitive Origins (1987) and debut studio album Force Fed (1989), were released independently and directed more towards the hardcore punk. The trio signed with Epic Records, and their first major label release, 1990's Beg to Differ, was a minor success, and received regular exposure on MTV's Headbangers Ball. Former Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Troy Gregory replaced Kirkland for 1991's Prove You Wrong. Gregory was soon replaced by ex-Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven, plus keyboardist John Bechdel for 1994's Cleansing. The album marked a change of direction towards a more industrial sound, being regarded as Prong's "most varied record". Prong would disband following 1996's "less inspired" Rude Awakening.

<i>Footloose</i> (1984 soundtrack) 1984 soundtrack album

Footloose: Original Soundtrack of the Paramount Motion Picture is the soundtrack album to the Paramount motion picture Footloose. The original nine-track album was released in 1984 and reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart on April 21, 1984, where it stayed until June 23, 1984. It contained six Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits, three of which reached the Top 10, including two number-one hits, "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams. "Almost Paradise", a duet by Ann Wilson and Mike Reno reached number seven, plus "Somebody's Eyes" by Karla Bonoff climbed to number 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

<i>Batman Forever</i> (soundtrack) 1995 soundtrack album by various artists

Batman Forever: Music from the Motion Picture is the 1995 soundtrack to the motion picture Batman Forever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duffy discography</span>

Welsh singer and songwriter Duffy has released two studio albums, six extended plays and one extended play, seven singles and seven music videos. Her discography began with the release of one Welsh language extended play using her birth name, Aimée Duffy, and she has appeared on two soundtrack albums, as well as on a studio album by Mint Royale in 2004. Duffy's range of musical genres incorporates styles such as blue-eyed soul, pop and pop rock. Aimée Duffy, her debut extended play (EP), was released in 2004 by Welsh music label Recordiau Awen Records, following her success on the Welsh talent show WawFfactor in 2003. Following this release, a performance of Richard J. Parfitt's "Oh Boy" brought her to the attention of Duffy's former manager, Jeanette Lee of Rough Trade Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almost Paradise</span> 1984 single by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson

"Almost Paradise... Love Theme from Footloose" is the title of a duet sung by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart. It is one of several major hits written by singer Eric Carmen with lyricist Dean Pitchford, another being "Make Me Lose Control".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Hudson discography</span>

American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson has released three studio albums, sixteen singles, five promotional singles and ten music videos. She has also made various contributions to other artist's albums and has appeared on the soundtrack for the 2006 musical film, Dreamgirls.

"Butterfly Fly Away" is a 2009 duet performed by American actors and recording artists Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus. The song was first heard in the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie, in which both Cyruses star, and was subsequently released on the film's soundtrack. An extended version is featured on Billy Ray's eleventh studio album, Back to Tennessee. The song is a soft country ballad with lyrics that describe a child's transition to adulthood.

<i>Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture</i> 1998 soundtrack album by Various Artists

Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album released on August 11, 1998 by Sony Music. It includes the songs used on the movie Dance with Me starred by Vanessa L. Williams and Chayanne. The movie and soundtrack were promoted with the song "Refugio de Amor", performed by Williams and Chayanne, which peaked at number 4 in the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart for six consecutive weeks.

American rock band Unwritten Law has released seven studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two video albums, eleven singles, one demo, and thirteen music videos.

References

  1. ↑ "Ropin' the Charts SoundScan System Good for Music and for Listeners ..." The Fresno Bee . The McClatchy Company. December 2, 1991. Retrieved January 25, 2009.
  2. ↑ Holden, Stephen (June 2, 1991). "Billboard's New Charts Roil the Record Industry". The New York Times . Retrieved January 25, 2009.
  3. ↑ Goldstein, Patrick (September 2, 1991). "Hype, Hokey-Pokey and the Hot 100". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 25, 2009.
  4. ↑ "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 3, 1984. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  5. ↑ "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 2, 1984. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  6. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Album Review: Footloose Original Soundtrack". Allmusic . Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Grammy Nominees". The Dallas Morning News. Associated Press. February 2, 1985. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  8. ↑ Hoerburger, Rob (October 9, 1986). "Huey Lewis and the News". Rolling Stone . RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  9. ↑ "The Billboard 200 – 1984". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1984. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  10. ↑ Miller, Debby (July 1, 1984). "Bruce Springsteen: Born In The U.S.A.: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone . RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on May 29, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  11. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Album Review: Born In The U.S.A." Allmusic . Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  12. ↑ Pareles, Jon (August 1, 1985). "Bruce Springsteen – Rock's Popular Populist". The New York Times . Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  13. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Album Review: Purple Rain". Allmusic . Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  14. ↑ Loder, Kurt (April 1, 2000). "Prince: Purple Rain: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone . RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on July 18, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  15. 1 2 Holden, Stephen (January 1, 1985). "Critic's Notebook; Rock Music, or Songs on The End of The World". The New York Times . Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  16. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Prince > Biography". Allmusic . Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Grammy Awards Winners: Purple Rain". The Recording Academy . Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  18. ↑ "27th Grammy Awards – 1985". February 2, 1985. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  19. ↑ "January 7, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  20. ↑ "January 14, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  21. ↑ "January 21, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  22. ↑ "January 28, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  23. ↑ "February 4, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  24. ↑ "February 11, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  25. ↑ "February 18, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  26. ↑ "February 25, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  27. ↑ "March 3, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  28. ↑ "March 10, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  29. ↑ "March 17, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  30. ↑ "March 24, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  31. ↑ "March 31, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  32. ↑ "April 7, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  33. ↑ "April 14, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  34. ↑ "April 21, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  35. ↑ "April 28, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  36. ↑ "May 5, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  37. ↑ "May 12, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  38. ↑ "May 19, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  39. ↑ "May 26, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  40. ↑ "June 2, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  41. ↑ "June 9, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  42. ↑ "June 16, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  43. ↑ "June 23, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  44. ↑ "June 30, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  45. ↑ "July 7, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  46. ↑ "July 14, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  47. ↑ "July 21, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  48. ↑ "July 28, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  49. ↑ "August 4, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  50. ↑ "August 11, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  51. ↑ "August 18, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  52. ↑ "August 25, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  53. ↑ "September 1, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  54. ↑ "September 8, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  55. ↑ "September 15, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  56. ↑ "September 22, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  57. ↑ "September 29, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  58. ↑ "October 6, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  59. ↑ "October 13, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  60. ↑ "October 20, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  61. ↑ "October 27, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  62. ↑ "November 3, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  63. ↑ "November 10, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  64. ↑ "November 17, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  65. ↑ "November 24, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  66. ↑ "December 1, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  67. ↑ "December 8, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  68. ↑ "December 15, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  69. ↑ "December 22, 1984". Billboard 200 .
  70. ↑ "December 29, 1984". Billboard 200 .
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