And so, the 1980’s started. The first number 1 record of the 80’s in the UK was a hangover from Christmas ’79. Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) stayed as the number 1 UK single from 15 December 1979 until Chrissie Hynd and her Pretenders knocked it off on 19 January 1980.
Setting the tone for the rest of the 80’s, there were some brilliant number 1 records. Three tracks from Blondie, Atomic, Call Me and The Tide Is High spent their share of the year at the top. Also reaching the elusive holy grail were stand out tracks from David Bowie (Ashes To Ashes), Dexy’s Midnight Runners (Geno) and two massive smashes from The Jam – the double A side Going Underground and Dreams Of Children along with Start!
Towards the end of the year, John Lennon scored the first of his three posthumous number 1 records with (Just Like) Starting Over before the novelty record to end all novelty records took the number 1 Christmas plaudits. I can’t even bring myself to write the name of it…
| Artist | Title | Topping out date |
| The Pretenders | Brass in Pocket | January 19 1980 |
| The Specials | The Special AKA Live! | February 2 1980 |
| Kenny Rogers | Coward of the County | February 16 1980 |
| Blondie | Atomic | March 1 1980 |
| Fern Kinney | Together We Are Beautiful | March 15 1980 |
| The Jam | Going Underground / Dreams Of Children | March 22 1980 |
| The Detroit Spinners | Working My Way Back to You | April 12 1980 |
| Blondie | Call Me | April 26 1980 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | Geno | May 3 1980 |
| Johnny Logan | What’s Another Year | May 17 1980 |
| Mash | Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless) | May 31 1980 |
| Don McLean | Crying | June 21 1980 |
| Olivia Newton-John & ELO | Xanadu | July 12 1980 |
| Odyssey | Use It Up and Wear It Out | July 26 1980 |
| ABBA | The Winner Takes It All | August 9 1980 |
| David Bowie | Ashes To Ashes | August 23 1980 |
| The Jam | Start! | September 6 1980 |
| Kelly Marie | Feels Like I’m in Love | September 13 1980 |
| The Police | Don’t Stand So Close to Me | September 27 1980 |
| Barbra Streisand | Woman in Love | October 25 1980 |
| Blondie | The Tide Is High | November 15 1980 |
| ABBA | Super Trouper | November 29 1980 |
| John Lennon | (Just Like) Starting Over | December 20 1980 |
| St Winifred’s School Choir | There’s No-one Quite Like Grandma | December 27 1980 |
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