1983 in music

Contents

1 Events

2 Albums released

3 Top hits on record

4 Published popular music

12.1 Grammy Awards
12.2 Country Music Association Awards
12.3 Eurovision Song Contest

13 Charts

13.1 List of No. 1 Hits
13.2 KROQ

Events

The most long-term influential release of 1983 is probably Head over Heels by the Cocteau Twins, which sold poorly upon its initial release. In the ensuing years, the album's eclectic assortment of alternative rock, New Wave and synth pop influences became a cornerstone of later alternative rock groups, most especially in the United Kingdom, where the Cocteau Twins' mix of airy textures and breathless vocals (dream pop) mutated into genres like twee pop, space rock and shoegazing, and eventually hit mainstream success with a psychedelic-influenced form, Britpop.

Another album that eventually became enormously influential is Kill 'Em All by Metallica. This, their debut, is often considered the first purely thrash metal album, and helped lead the way for the diversification of heavy metal genres in the later part of the decade. Kill 'Em All 's popular success was quite limited, though it received rave reviews from metal critics and fans for its then-unique blend of earlier heavy metal pioneers, especially the New Wave of British heavy metal like Judas Priest, and hardcore punk, such as The Ramones.

Quiet Riot's Metal Health was enormously popular in 1983, and was the first heavy metal album to go to #1 on the pop charts. The lead single, "Cum on Feel the Noize" (cover of Slade) was also a huge hit, and set the stage for the mainstream crossover of later hair metal bands like Guns n' Roses and Def Leppard. Metal Health is also the only album in Quiet Riot's catalogue to achieve much success critically or popularly.

The country music legend Kenny Rogers records his 23rd studio album "We've Got Tonight," which is his last album for Liberty records. He signs to RCA for a guaranteed sum of no less than $20 million for 6 albums, the biggest record deal of all-time up to that point. His earnings for those recordings will amount to even more, but no details have ever been made public.

Some releases from 1983 deserve special mention:

The Police's Synchronicity was their final release together before breaking up, and was enormously popular, including one of their more popular songs, "Every Breath You Take"
Culture Club's Kissing to Be Clever was their popular breakthrough, and included one of their most well-known songs, the hit single "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) was also their breakthrough success, and included their signature tune, the title track
Mötley Crüe's Shout at the Devil was their breakthrough, and included "Looks That Kill", though they would go on to greater popular and critical success in the later part of the decade after recovering from the shock of member Vince Neil's near-fatal car accident
Tom Waits' Swordfishtrombones was his first album for Island Records, and the first in a series of three thematically and stylistically linked albums that established him as a critical darling and cult favorite
New Order's Power, Corruption & Lies released. In some countries, it included the best-selling 12" record of all time, "Blue Monday"; the album was the second since forming from the ashes of Joy Division (after the suicide of Ian Curtis) and the first to achieve critical or popular success, as it was a stylistically innovative mix of synth vocals and dance-heavy beats
Duran Duran scored hits from three separate albums in this year (Rio, the reissue of Duran Duran, and Seven and the Ragged Tiger)
Merle Haggard began a run of chart success in this year, which continued for about two years. His duet album with Willie Nelson, Pancho & Lefty, was an enormous critical and popular success and did much to revitalize the careers of both entertainers, especially the hit title track
Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood was more popular than any blues album since the late 1960s, and did much to establish country-blues as a commercially viable genre
George Strait's Right or Wrong sold extremely well, and is a pivotal album in the development of the honky tonk revival during the rest of the decade.

Publication of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.
February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York
November - first Now That's What I Call Music! compilation released in the UK.
Diana Ross performs in Central Park in the pouring rain
The Police breakup
Highest point of the 1981-1985 Menuditis and Menudomania all over Latin America.
Run DMC releases their debut single, "It's Like That"/"Sucker M.C.'s"
The Dust Brothers form
The Misfits break up; Glenn Danzig forms Samhain
A-Ha forms in Norway
Death forms
Dinosaur Jr. forms
Megadeth form
Phish forms
Red Hot Chili Peppers form
Youth Choir forms (later called The Choir)
Budgie breaks up
The UK singles chart starts to use electronic terminals in selected stores to gather sales information. The old "sales diary" method will be gradually phased out over the next few years.
Goldie Lookin' Chain form

Albums released

Restless and Wild - Accept
Flick of the Switch - AC/DC
No Parole From Rock & Roll - Alcatrazz
Forged in Fire - Anvil
Lesson Well Learned EP - Armored Saint (first release)
High Land, Hard Rain - Aztec Camera
Into the Unknown - Bad Religion
Live From Earth - Pat Benatar
Let's Dance - David Bowie
Johnny 99 - Johnny Cash
Hello, I Must Be Going! - Phil Collins
Colour By Numbers - Culture Club
Head over Heels - Cocteau Twins
Punch the Clock - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Da Da - Alice Cooper
Yes Sir, I Will - Crass
Japanese Whispers - The Cure
Les p'tits mots - Dalida
Ton prénom dans mon coeur - Dalida
Canterbury - Diamond Head
Pyromania - Def Leppard
Holy Diver - Dio
Breaking the Chains - Dokken (major label debut), (rerelease)
Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T. (Drawings of Patient O. T.) - Einstürzende Neubauten
Europe - Europe
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
Let's Start A War (Said Maggie One Day) - The Exploited
Fastway - Fastway
Out For Blood - Lita Ford (solo debut)
What Funk? - Grand Funk Railroad
Samurai - Grand Prix
Ageless Medley EP - Amy Grant
A Christmas Album - Amy Grant
Heart to Heart - Merle Haggard
Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
That's the Way Love Goes - Merle Haggard
Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
Back to the Mystery City - Hanoi Rocks
Self-Destruction Blues Hanoi Rocks
The Luxury Gap - Heaven 17
No Rest For The Wicked - Helix
Riding with the King - John Hiatt
Feel My Soul - Jennifer Holliday
Metal Circus - Hüsker Dü
Piece of Mind - Iron Maiden
Night And Day - Joe Jackson
Waylon & Company - Waylon Jennings
Take It to the Limit - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
Too Low for Zero - Elton John
Shine On - George Jones
Frontiers - Journey
Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
Lick It Up - KISS
Headhunter - Krokus
Madness - Madness
Into Glory Ride - Manowar
Script for a Jester's Tear - Marillion
Confrontation - Bob Marley and the Wailers
We Are One - Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
Behind the Scene - Reba McEntire
A Volar - Menudo
Kill 'Em All - Metallica (debut)
Offramp - [[The Pat Metheny Group]]
Travels(Live) - [[The Pat Metheny Group]]
31 July: Oriental Towers - The Modern Art
Shout at the Devil - Mötley Crüe
Another Perfect Day - Motörhead
Sound Elixir - Nazareth
Take it to the River - Willie Nelson
Tougher than Leather - Willie Nelson
Without a Song - Willie Nelson
Dazzle Ships - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Power, Corruption & Lies - New Order
Trouble in Paradise - Randy Newman
American Made - The Oak Ridge Boys
Dreamgirls - Original Broadway Cast Album
Bark At the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
Metal Magic - Pantera
Principle of Moments - Robert Plant
Urban Dance Floor Guerillas - P-Funk All Stars
The Final Cut - Pink Floyd
Works - Pink Floyd
Everywhere at Once - The Plimsouls
Break Out - The Pointer Sisters
Synchronicity - The Police
Queensrÿche EP - Queensrÿche
Metal Health - Quiet Riot (American debut)
Bent out of Shape - Rainbow
Subterranean Jungle - The Ramones
Ratt EP - Ratt
All for One - Raven
Neruda - Red Rider
Imagination - Helen Reddy
Murmur - R.E.M. (full length debut)
Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie
We've Got Tonight - Kenny Rogers
Eyes That See In The Dark - Kenny Rogers
Assault Attack - The Michael Schenker Group
Built to Destroy - The Michael Schenker Group
Hearts and Bones - Paul Simon
Show No Mercy - Slayer
Mommy's Little Monster - Social Distortion
Confusion Is Sex - Sonic Youth (debut)
Southern Death Cult EP - Southern Death Cult (first release by the band to eventually be known as The Cult)
Works - Status Quo
Right or Wrong - George Strait
Steeler - Steeler (Yngwie Malmsteen & Ron Keel's 1st band, This band's only release)
Yentl (soundtrack) - Barbra Streisand
Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies (debut)
She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
Speaking In Tongues - Talking Heads
The Hurting - Tears for Fears (debut)
Life - Thin Lizzy
Thunder and Lightning - Thin Lizzy
Hand of Kindness - Richard Thompson
Speaking in Tongues - Talking Heads
Never Surrender - Triumph
You Can't Stop Rock & Roll - Twisted Sister (major label debut)
Lost in the Feeling - Conway Twitty
Merry Twistmas - Conway Twitty
Faster Than The Speed Of Night - Bonnie Tyler
Labour Of Love - UB40
War - U2
Peace Thru Vandalism - The Vandals
1984- Van Halen
Flashdance (soundtrack) - Various Artists
Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
At War with Satan - Venom
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (debut)
Swordfishtrombones - Tom Waits
Even the Strong Get Lonely - Tammy Wynette
Good Love & Heartbreak - Tammy Wynette
90125 - Yes
Mean Streak - Y&T
No Parlez - Paul Young
Zebra - Zebra
Eliminator - ZZ Top

Top hits on record

"1999" - Prince
"Add It Up" - Violent Femmes
"Africa" - Toto
"All Night Long (All Night)" - Lionel Richie
"All Time High" - Rita Coolidge
"Always Something There to Remind Me" - Naked Eyes
"Another State Of Mind" - Social Distortion
"Australiana" - Austen Tayshus #1 (a)
"Baby, Come to Me" - Patti Austin with James Ingram
"Baby Jane" - Rod Stewart
"Bad Boys" - Wham!
"Bad Day" - Carmel
"Beat It" - Michael Jackson
"Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
"Blind Vision" - Blancmange
"Blister In The Sun" - Violent Femmes
"Bloodstone" - Judas Priest
"Blue Monday" - New Order
"Blue World" - The Moody Blues
"Bop Girl - Pat Wilson #1 (a)
"Boxerbeat" - JoBoxers
"Breaking Us In Two" - Joe Jackson
"Buffalo Soldier" - Bob Marley and the Wailers
"Buried Treasure" -Kenny Rogers
"Burning Down The House" - Talking Heads
"Calling Your Name" - Marilyn
"Candy Girl" - New Edition
"Can't Get Used To Losing You" - The Beat
"Chance" - Big Country
"Change" - Tears For Fears
"China Girl" - David Bowie
"Chinese Cafe" - Joni Mitchell
"Church of the Poison Mind" - Culture Club
"Club Tropicana" - Wham!
"Come Back And Stay" - Paul Young
"Cruel Summer" - Bananarama
"Cry Me A River" - Mari Wilson
"Dark Is The Night" - Shakatak
"Dear Prudence" - Siouxsie and the Banshees
"Did You Have To Love Me Like You Do?" - The Coconuts
"Dirty Laundry" - Don Henley
"Don't Cry" - Asia
"Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away" - Phil Collins
"Don't Talk To Me About Love" - Altered Images
"Double Dutch" - Malcolm McLaren
"Down Under" - Men at Work
"Drop The Pilot" - Joan Armatrading
"Electric Avenue" - Eddy Grant
"Every Breath You Take" - The Police
"Everyday I Write The Book" - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
"Everything Counts" - Depeche Mode
"Family Man" - Hall & Oates
"Femme" - Dalida
"Fields Of Fire(400 Miles)" - Big Country
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" - Irene Cara
"Garden Party" - Marillion
"Gimme All Your Lovin'" - ZZ Top
"Give It Up" - KC and the Sunshine Band
"Gloria" - Laura Branigan
"Gold" - Spandau Ballet
"He Knows You Know" - Marillion
"Heartache Avenue" - The Maisonettes
"Hold Me Now" - The Thompson Twins
"Hungry Like The Wolf" - Duran Duran
"I Cannot Believe It's True" - Phil Collins
"I Don't Care Anymore" - Phil Collins
"I Don't Remember(Live)" - Peter Gabriel
"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" - Elton John
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" - Culture Club
"I'm Still Standing" - Elton John
"In A Big Country" - Big Country
In The Neighborhood - Tom Waits
"I.O.U." - Freeez
"Is There Something I Should Know?" - Duran Duran
"Islands In The Stream" - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
"It Don't Matter To Me" - Phil Collins
"It's Raining Men" - The Weather Girls
"Johnny B.Goode" - Peter Tosh
"Jump (For My Love)" - Pointer Sisters
"Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club
"Keep Feeling (Fascination)" - The Human League
"Kiss The Bride" - Elton John
"Le restaurant italien" - Dalida
"Les p'tits mots" - Dalida
"Let's Dance" - David Bowie
"Let's Stay Together" - Tina Turner
"Little Red Corvette" - Prince
"Long Hot Summer" - The Style Council
"Love Blonde" - Kim Wilde
"Love is a Battlefield" - Pat Benatar
"Love Is A Stranger" - The Eurythmics
"Love On Your Side" - The Thompson Twins
"Love Town" - Booker Newberry III
"Mama" - Genesis
"Many Rivers To Cross" - UB40
"Marguerita Time" - Status Quo
"Market Square Heroes" - Marillion
"Modern Love" - David Bowie
"Moonlight Shadow" - Mike Oldfield
"Mourir sur scène" - Dalida
"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" - Bananarama
"New Frontier" - Donald Fagen
"New Song" - Howard Jones
"New Year's Day" - U2
"Nobody's Diary" - Yazoo
"Oblivious" - Aztec Camera
"One On One" - Hall & Oates
"Only For Love" - Limahl
"Only You" - The Flying Pickets
"Ooh To Be Ah" - Kajagoogoo
"Our Lips Are Sealed" - Fun Boy Three
"Owner Of A Lonely Heart" - Yes
"Photograph" - Def Leppard
Pills And Soap - The Imposter
"Radio Free Europe" - REM
"Reckless" - Australian Crawl #1
"Red Red Wine" - UB40
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
"Right By Your Side" - The Eurythmics
"Rio" - Duran Duran
"Rip It Up" - Orange Juice
"Rock And Roll Is King" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Rockit" - Herbie Hancock
"Rosanna" - Toto
"Save A Prayer" - Duran Duran
"Say, Say, Say" - Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
"Screaming for Vengeance" - Judas Priest
"Send Me An Angel" - Real Life
"Sharp Dressed Man" - ZZ Top
"She Works Hard For The Money" - Donna Summer
"Shiny Shiny" - Haysi Fantazee
"Shipbuilding" - Robert Wyatt
"Sign Of The Times" - The Belle Stars
"Soul Inside" - Soft Cell
"Speak Like A Child" - The Style Council
"Steppin' Out" - Joe Jackson
"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" - Eurythmics
"Synchronicity 2" - The Police
"Tell Her About It" - Billy Joel
"Temptation" - Heaven 17
"Tender Is The Night" - Jackson Browne
"That's All" - Genesis
"The Big Apple" - Kajagoogoo
"The Celtic Soul Brothers" - Dexy's Midnight Runners
"The Chinese Way" - Level 42
"The Cutter" - Echo and the Bunnymen
"The First Picture Of You" - The Lotus Eaters
"The Love Cats" - The Cure
"The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
"The Shape You're In" - Eric Clapton
"The Story Of The Blues" - Wah!
"The Sun Goes Down(Living It Up)" - Level 42
"The Walk" - The Cure
"They Don't Know" - Tracey Ullman
"This Is The Day" - The The
"Thriller" - Michael Jackson
"Tonight I Celebrate My Love" - Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
"Too Shy" - Kajagoogoo
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
"True" - Spandau Ballet
"True Love Ways" - Cliff Richard
"2000 Miles" - The Pretenders
"Tunnel Of Love" - Fun Boy Three
"Twisting By The Pool" - Dire Straits
"Under Attack" - ABBA
"Undercover Of The Night" - The Rolling Stones
"Union Of The Snake" - Duran Duran
"Up Where We Belong" - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
"Uptown Girl" - Billy Joel
"Vintage'77(EP)" - The Heartbreakers
"Vision In Blue" - Ultravox
"A Volar"- Menudo
"Walk Out To Winter" - Aztec Camera
"Walkin' The Line" - Brass Construction
"Watching You Watching Me" - David Grant
"We Are Detective" - The Thompson Twins
"We've Got Tonight" Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
"What Is Love?" - Howard Jones
"What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For(Girl)" - Hot Chocolate
"Wherever I Lay My Hat(That's My Home)" - Paul Young
"White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster and Melle Mel
"Who's That Girl?" - The Eurythmics
"Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning?" - Phil Collins
"Wings Of A Dove" - Madness
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" - The Police
"You Can't Hurry Love" - Phil Collins

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1983

Published popular music

"An Innocent Man" w.m. Billy Joel
"Karma Chameleon" w.m. George O'Dowd, John Moss, Roy Hay, Mickey Craig & Phil Rickett
"Uptown Girl" w.m. Billy Joel
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Jim Steinman

Classical music

Friedrich Cerha - Requiem für Hollensteiner
Jean Daetwyler - Concerto for Alphorn, Flute, Saxophone and Strings no 2
Mario Davidovsky - Romancero for soprano, flute (piccolo, alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin and violoncello
Jacques Hétu - Clarinet Concerto
John Pickard - Nocturne in Black and Gold
Iannis Xenakis - Shaar

Opera

Oliver Knussen - Where the Wild Things Are (children's)
Per Nørgård - Det guddommelige Tivoli (The Divine Circus)

Musical theater

Abbacadabra London production opened at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre on December 8
Baby Broadway production
La Cage aux Folles Broadway production
Doonesbury Broadway production
Mame (Jerry Herman) - Broadway revival
Merlin Broadway production
Oliver! (Lionel Bart) - London revival
On Your Toes Broadway revival
My One and Only Broadway production
Singin' In The Rain London production
The Tap Dance Kid Broadway production
Zorba Broadway revival