What was the best-selling song of 1984?
The 1980s were one of the most musically confusing decades in history. This is mostly because the start makes a good case for it being one of the best eras of all time, while the end teeters off a little, like it no longer knew what direction it wanted to take or why it started so strong in the first place.
While it could be said that the downfall of the ’80s started rather appropriately with Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ (a cultural quirk that speaks for itself), the excellence of the early ’80s could quite easily be condensed into one singular year: 1984. Most of these were great because of their straight-up weirdness, or because looking back makes certain choices made it seem like many artists were desperate to break free from the mundanity of commercialism.
Like Morrissey’s decision to wear some sort of foliage tail during ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ on Top of the Pops, or his marker-clad chest sporting ‘Marry Me’ during ‘William, It Was Really Nothing’ the same year. But far be it from me to place Morrissey on a pedestal when it comes to ’84 heroes, because, while the Smiths no doubt delivered some of the greatest songs of the era, some of the more notable players were the ones that dangled queerness like a societal weapon, warning against the feebleness of taboo when it came crashing in like the iceberg that took down the Titanic.
Because while there were people like Phil Collins (what screams cultural impact more than ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ being the opening track on the first-ever Now That’s What I Call Music CD?), we also had George Michael, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Queen, Prince, and others—a win for leading disruptors who showed up, cared as little as possible about what people thought, and left in a cloud of smoke, ready for the next mic drop. But who out-sold the rest?
What was the best-selling song of 1984?
In all fairness, the best-selling song of 1984 is probably easy to guess, because it’s one that still dredges up cultural debates today, in our current climate that seems to have moved past traditional means of charity in music. Looking back, it probably should have been ‘Last Christmas’ that took the top spot, especially because it seems to have experienced delayed appreciation in being overshadowed by another beast: ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
Although undoubtedly more culturally demanding at the time, the Band Aid classic has experienced something of a tarnished reputation over the years, mostly with people arguing that its take on righteousness feels a little in poor taste (the typical “us and them” narrative that only serves to create greater disparities than anything else).
Obviously, the track also raised an unimaginable amount of money, which sort of serves as a solid counterargument. But was it actually the best song of the year if we’re to consider only the music itself? In short, no. There are many others that seem far more accomplished than Bob Geldof’s charity tune, like ‘Relax’, ‘Freedom’, ’99 Red Balloons’, ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’, ‘Time After Time’, the list goes on…but: ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ clearly claimed the medal by also being a seasonal classic filled with big names telling you to get involved in something bigger.
And, if for nothing else, who doesn’t get pulled in the moment those first notes start, or can’t help but sing along to some of the best worst lyrics of all time? Thank god it’s them! Instead of you!
