Multiple entries
One-hundred and forty-two singles charted in the top 10 in 1984, with one-hundred and thirty-five singles reaching their peak this year.
Sixty-seven artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1984. George Michael secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1984 with five hit singles.
Chaka Khan was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "I Feel for You". Alison Moyet, Cyndi Lauper, Eurythmics, Michael Jackson and Slade were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1984.
Chart debuts
Forty-three artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1984, either as a lead or featured artist. This includes the charity group Band Aid (made up of chart acts but charting together for the first time). Of these, eight went on to record another hit single that year: Alison Moyet, Break Machine, Bronski Beat, Chaka Khan, Cyndi Lauper, Hazell Dean, Madonna and Prince. Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Nik Kershaw both had two other entries in their breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
- Notes
Snowy White joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member between 1980 and 1982, with whom he reached the top 10 with the single "Killer on the Loose". His only top 10 single as a solo artist was "Bird of Paradise" which peaked at number 6 in January 1984. Phil Fearon had previously been credited as Galaxy featuring Phil Fearon but for 1984's "What Do I Do" and "Everybody's Laughing" he was credited as Phil Fearon and Galaxy. Similarly, "The Special AKA" were alternatively known as The Specials and had several top 10 singles under this name before "Nelson Mandela" reached number 9 in April 1984.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five frontman Melle Mel took "White Lines (Don't Do It)" to number 7 in July 1984. The group had reached number 8 with "The Message" in 1982. George Michael debuted with "Careless Whisper" in August 1984, the first credited hit single separate from Wham!. The song spent three weeks at number-one. Queen's Freddie Mercury first top 10 single as a solo artist, "Love Kills", got to a high of number 10.
Philip Oakey was the lead singer in The Human League, who had debuted in 1981 with three top 10 singles including "Don't You Want Me". His collaboration with Giorgio Moroder marked the first single to reach the top 10 in his own right. Limahl had been part of Kajagoogoo until his sacking in 1983, his biggest song with the band "Too Shy" reaching the top of the charts. His first solo track was the theme to the film The NeverEnding Story . Ray Parker Jr. had his first and only top 10 single this year, but he did appear on the American single release for a song he wrote, "You See the Trouble with Me" with Barry White in 1976.
Charity collective Band Aid was made up of many artists who had charted previously in their own right, including David Bowie, George Michael, Marilyn, Midge Ure, Paul McCartney, Paul Young and Phil Collins. Other singers had formerly only performed as part of a group and "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was their first credit outside their band. This included Robert "Kool" Bell, James "J.T." Taylor, Dennis Thomas (all Kool and the Gang), Bono, Adam Clayton (both U2), Chris Cross (Ultravox), Bob Geldof, Johnny Fingers, Simon Crowe (all The Boomtown Rats), Sarah Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward (all Bananarama), Boy George, Jon Moss (both Culture Club), Glenn Gregory, Martyn Ware (both Heaven 17), Tony Hadley, Gary Kemp, John Keeble, Martin Kemp, Steve Norman (all Spandau Ballet), Simon Le Bon, Andy Taylor, Roger Taylor, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor (all Duran Duran), Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi (both Status Quo), Sting (The Police), Paul Weller (The Style Council), Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler and Bruce Watson (all Big Country) and Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood).
