1983 in British music
This is a summary of 1983 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
| 1980s in music in the UK |
| Events |
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| By location |
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| By genre |
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| By topic |
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|---|---|---|---|
Events
- 8 January – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization. In 1984 electronic terminals will be used in selected stores to gather sales information, and the old "sales diary" method will be gradually phased out over the next few years.
- 20 August – The Rolling Stones sign a new $28 million contract with CBS Records, the largest recording contract in history up to this time.
- 1 September – Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon of The Clash issue a press statement announcing that Mick Jones has been fired from the group.
- 20 September – The first ARMS Charity Concert is held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
- 28 November – The first Now album is released.
Charts
Number one singles
| Chart date (week ending) | Song | Artist(s) | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato | 2 |
| 8 January | |||
| 15 January | "You Can't Hurry Love" | Phil Collins | 2 |
| 22 January | |||
| 29 January | "Down Under" | Men at Work | 3 |
| 5 February | |||
| 12 February | |||
| 19 February | "Too Shy" | Kajagoogoo | 2 |
| 26 February | |||
| 5 March | "Billie Jean" | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 12 March | "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | Bonnie Tyler | 2 |
| 19 March | |||
| 26 March | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 2 April | |||
| 9 April | "Let's Dance" | David Bowie | 3 |
| 16 April | |||
| 23 April | |||
| 30 April | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 4 |
| 7 May | |||
| 14 May | |||
| 21 May | |||
| 28 May | "Candy Girl" | New Edition | 1 |
| 4 June | "Every Breath You Take" | The Police | 4 |
| 11 June | |||
| 18 June | |||
| 25 June | |||
| 2 July | "Baby Jane" | Rod Stewart | 3 |
| 9 July | |||
| 16 July | |||
| 23 July | "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" | Paul Young | 3 |
| 30 July | |||
| 6 August | |||
| 13 August | "Give It Up" | KC and the Sunshine Band | 3 |
| 20 August | |||
| 27 August | |||
| 3 September | "Red Red Wine" | UB40 | 3 |
| 10 September | |||
| 17 September | |||
| 24 September | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 1 October | |||
| 8 October | |||
| 15 October | |||
| 22 October | |||
| 29 October | |||
| 5 November | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 12 November | |||
| 19 November | |||
| 26 November | |||
| 3 December | |||
| 10 December | "Only You" | The Flying Pickets | 4 |
| 17 December | |||
| 24 December | |||
| 31 December |
Number one albums
| Chart date (week ending) | Album | Artist(s) | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon | 2 |
| 8 January | |||
| 15 January | Raiders of the Pop Charts | Various Artists | 2 |
| 22 January | |||
| 29 January | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 5 February | |||
| 12 February | |||
| 19 February | |||
| 26 February | |||
| 5 March | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 12 March | War | U2 | 1 |
| 19 March | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 26 March | The Hurting | Tears for Fears | 1 |
| 2 April | The Final Cut | Pink Floyd | 2 |
| 9 April | |||
| 16 April | Faster Than the Speed of Night | Bonnie Tyler | 1 |
| 23 April | Let's Dance | David Bowie | 3 |
| 30 April | |||
| 7 May | |||
| 14 May | True | Spandau Ballet | 1 |
| 21 May | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 28 May | |||
| 4 June | |||
| 11 June | |||
| 18 June | |||
| 25 June | Synchronicity | The Police | 2 |
| 2 July | |||
| 9 July | Fantastic | Wham! | 2 |
| 16 July | |||
| 23 July | You and Me Both | Yazoo | 2 |
| 30 July | |||
| 6 August | The Very Best of the Beach Boys | The Beach Boys | 2 |
| 13 August | |||
| 20 August | 18 Greatest Hits | Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 | 3 |
| 27 August | |||
| 3 September | |||
| 10 September | The Very Best of the Beach Boys | The Beach Boys | 1 |
| 17 September | No Parlez | Paul Young | 1 |
| 24 September | Labour of Love | UB40 | 1 |
| 1 October | No Parlez | Paul Young | 2 |
| 8 October | |||
| 15 October | Genesis | Genesis | 1 |
| 22 October | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 3 |
| 29 October | |||
| 5 November | |||
| 12 November | Can't Slow Down | Lionel Richie | 1 |
| 19 November | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 2 |
| 26 November | |||
| 3 December | Seven and the Ragged Tiger | Duran Duran | 1 |
| 10 December | No Parlez | Paul Young | 1 |
| 17 December | Now 1 | Various Artists | 3 |
| 24 December | |||
| 31 December |
Year-end charts
Note: The year-end charts published in Music Week on 7 January 1984 only covered the period 4 January to 17 December 1983 – the BPI Year Book 1984 included the complete charts to the end of 1983.
Best-selling singles
Best-selling albums
Notes:
- Reached number 2 in 1982
- Reached number 2 in 1984
- Reached number 2 in 1982
- Reached number 1 in 1984
- Reached number 3 in 1982
- Reached number 5 in 1982
Classical music
- Alun Hoddinott - Quodlibet on Welsh Nursery Tunes - arr. for brass quintet
- William Mathias - Symphony No. 2, Op.90 (Summer Music)
- John Pickard - Nocturne in Black and Gold
Musical films
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
- The Pirates of Penzance, starring Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury
Births
- 3 March - Katie White, singer (The Ting Tings)
- 8 May - Matt Willis, singer and musician (Busted)
- 16 May - Mince Fratelli, musician (The Fratellis)
- 23 May - Heidi Range, singer (Sugababes)
- 17 June - Lee Ryan, singer (Blue)
- 30 June
- Cheryl Cole, singer
- Patrick Wolf, singer/songwriter
- 18 August - Mika, singer
- 25 August - James Righton, musician (The Klaxons)
- 11 September - Matthew Halsall, jazz trumpeter and promoter
- 13 September - James Bourne, singer and musician (Busted), (Son Of Dork)
- 14 September - Amy Winehouse, singer-songwriter (died 2011)
- 25 September - Hayden Powell, jazz trumpeter and composer
Deaths
- 5 January - Amy Evans, operatic soprano (born 1884)
- 28 January - Billy Fury, singer-songwriter (born 1940; heart attack)
- 22 February - Sir Adrian Boult, conductor (born 1889)
- 8 March - William Walton, composer (born 1902)
- 14 April - Pete Farndon, the Pretenders (born 1952; drug overdose)
- 12 July - Chris Wood, founding member of Traffic (born 1944; pneumonia)
- 19 November - Tom Evans, bassist of the rock group Badfinger (born 1947; suicide)
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1983 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best British producer: Trevor Horn
- Best classical recording: John Williams - "Portrait"
- Best international artist: Kid Creole and the Coconuts
- Best Live Act: U2
- Best selling album: Barbra Streisand - Love Songs (also released as Memories in the U.S.)
- British breakthrough act: Yazoo
- British female solo artist: Kim Wilde
- British group: Dire Straits
- British male solo artist: Paul McCartney
- British single: Dexys Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"
- Life achievement award: Pete Townshend
- Outstanding contribution: The Beatles
- Special Award: Chris Wright
- The Sony award for technical excellence: Paul McCartney
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See also
References
- "1983 The Number One Singles". The Official Charts Company.
- "1983 The Number One Albums". The Official Charts Company.
- Scaping, Peter, ed. (1984). "Top 100 singles: 1983". BPI Year Book 1984. British Phonographic Industry. pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-906154-04-9.
- Scaping (1984). "Top 100 LPs: 1983". pp. 44–45
External links
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