Back to 1983: Moonwalks, music videos and mega hits
It’s the featured year on this week’s HOT Classic Countdown with Steve Bishop, taking place every Sunday from 12 to 3pm on HOT 102.7FM.
1983 was a turning point in music, when synth-pop collided with superstar power and global events found their reflection on the charts. It was the year of big hair, bold sounds, and the birth of the music video era.
Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” moonwalked into history—both literally and musically—topping this week’s Classic Countdown and changing the face of pop. Hot on its heels is The Police’s haunting anthem “Every Breath You Take,” often mistaken for a love song, but actually a chilling tale of obsession.
The British Invasion 2.0 was in full swing with synth-pop royalty leading the charge. New Order’s “Blue Monday” (13) became the best-selling 12” single ever, while Human League’s “Keep Feeling Fascination” (27) added bounce to the genre. Culture Club’s “Church of the Poison Mind” (6) and Wham’s “Club Tropicana” (21) brought flair and fun to dancefloors worldwide.
Local music legends were making waves too. Brenda Fassie’s “Weekend Special” (18) became a township anthem, PJ Powers and Steve Kekana’s “Feel So Strong” (22) was a powerful duet, and Juluka’s “Scatterlings of Africa” (8) brought indigenous rhythms to the pop charts. Meanwhile, Bolland & Bolland’s “You’re in the Army Now” would later go global thanks to Status Quo.
1983 also marked a tech milestone—the launch of compact discs (CDs) in the US and UK, revolutionising how we consumed music. And it was the birth year of future icons like Amy Winehouse and Carrie Underwood.
From romance (“Tonight I Celebrate My Love”), to rebellion (“Rock the Casbah”), to pure dance joy (“Flashdance” and “Give It Up”), the 1983 countdown offers a full spectrum of what made the decade unforgettable.
Did You Know?
The best-selling 12” vinyl single of all time—New Order’s “Blue Monday”—was released in March 1983, but despite its massive success, the band actually lost money on every copy sold. The reason? Its now-iconic sleeve was designed to look like a floppy disk, complete with custom die-cut holes and no band name or title. It was so costly to produce that Factory Records didn’t make a profit per unit. Still, it became a global club anthem—and a timeless symbol of the synth-pop era.
So whether you were taping songs off the radio or dancing in acid-washed jeans, 1983 was pure pop gold—and it’s back this Sunday on HOT 102.7FM.
