Veteran artists dominated the top ten albums of 1984, with established artists including Van Halen, ZZ Top and The Police among the ranks. But relative newcomers like Culture Club also made a chart splash. Yet the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, soared above everyone with Thriller, which came out all the way back in 1982. Click through to see which musicians hit the top of the charts in 1984 — and listen to tracks from their albums.
A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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10. Duran Duran, Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo After breaking through on the U.S. pop charts with Rio, from 1982, Duran Duran followed up with Seven and the Ragged Tiger, which featured their first No. 1 hit, “The Reflex.” A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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9. Soundtrack, Footloose
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The Footloose soundtrack was a huge hit: the first two singles from the album — Kenny Loggins‘ “Footloose” and Deniece Williams‘ “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” — both climbed to the top of the Hot 100. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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8. The Police, Synchronicity
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The last studio album from The Police came out in 1983, but performed well through 1984. It featured one of the trio’s best-known songs, “Every Breath You Take.” A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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7. ZZ Top, Eliminator
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo ZZ Top’s first album came out back in 1971, but they hit their stride in the ’80s with high sales and two top ten albums. Eliminator was the first. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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6. Van Halen, 1984
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The rockers released their most successful album in 1984, featuring their No. 1 single “Jump.” A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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5. Culture Club, Colour by Numbers
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Some bands suffer from a sophomore slump, but not Culture Club: they peaked with their second album, a big seller on both sides of the Atlantic. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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4. Billy Joel, An Innocent Man
Image Credit: Billy Joel, An Innocent Man Joel’s An Innocent Man included eventual classics like “Uptown Girl.”A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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3. Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo If anyone doubted Richie’s ability to make it as a solo star after leaving the Commodores, this album put those fears to rest. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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2. Huey Lewis & The News, Sports
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Huey Lewis exploded into the public consciousness with Sports, a No. 1 album with four top ten hits. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage
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1. Michael Jackson, Thriller
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo The artists who lost out to Thriller have nothing to be ashamed about: it’s still the highest-selling album of all time. A Look Back at 1984: Full Coverage