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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.
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- CDs become popular among classical music listeners.[1]
January–April
- January 1
- ZTT Records is founded.
- The Merchant Ivory film Heat and Dust is released. On the soundtrack, composed by Zakir Hussain, Ivory is featured on tanpura with Hussain (who also appeared in the film) on tabla.
- January 2 – Michael Jackson released his iconic hit single "Billie Jean".
- January 8 – 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.
- February 2 – "Menudomania" comes to New York as 3,500 screaming girls crowd Kennedy Airport to catch a glimpse of Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, who are playing six sold-out shows at the Felt Forum.
- February 11 – The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York.
- February 13 – Marvin Gaye performs "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the NBA All-Star Game.
- February 23 – The 25th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by John Denver. Toto win both Album of the Year (for Toto IV) and Record of the Year (for "Rosanna"), while Willie Nelson's cover of "Always on My Mind" wins Song of the Year. Men at Work win Best New Artist.
- February 26 – Michael Jackson's Thriller album hits #1 on the US charts, the first of thirty-seven (non-consecutive) weeks it would spend there on its way to becoming the biggest-selling album of all time.
- February 28 – U2 release their 3rd album War which debuts at #1 in the UK and produces the band's first international hit single.
- March 2 – Compact discs go on sale in the United States. They had first been released in Japan the previous October.
- March 4 – Neil Young cancels the remainder of his tour after collapsing backstage in Louisville, Kentucky, after playing for seventy-five minutes.
- March 5 – Thompson Twins have their first chart success as "Love on Your Side" enters the Top 10 in the UK.[2]
- March 26
- Duran Duran enters the UK Singles Chart at number 1 with their first UK number 1 single "Is There Something I Should Know?".[3]
- Tears for Fears debut album The Hurting reach number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.[4]
- April 5
- A Generative Theory of Tonal Music by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff is published.
- US Interior Secretary James G. Watt causes controversy when he effectively bans the Beach Boys from a return performance at the Fourth of July festivities in Washington, announcing that Wayne Newton would perform instead. Watt claims that rock bands attract "the wrong element". That same week President Reagan, himself an avowed Beach Boys fan, presents Watt with a plaster foot with a hole in it.[5]
- April 9 – David Bowie achieves his fourth UK number 1 single with "Let's Dance".[6]
- April 11 – Dave Mustaine is fired from Metallica just as the band is set to begin recording its début album. He is replaced by Kirk Hammett.
- April 14 – David Bowie releases Let's Dance, his first album since parting ways with RCA Records and his fifteenth studio album overall. With its deliberate shift to mainstream dance-rock, it would become Bowie's biggest commercial success, at 10.7 million copies sold worldwide. Bowie, however, would experience a critical downturn for the next ten years as a result of his perceived obligation to continue appealing to fans of the album.
- April 18 – Ellen Taaffe Zwilich becomes the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
- April 23 – French singer Corinne Hermès, representing Luxembourg, wins the 28th annual Eurovision Song Contest, held at Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle in Munich, with the song "Si la vie est cadeau".
May–August
- May 16
- Singer Anna Vissi marries composer Nikos Karvelas.
- The Motown 25 Special airs on NBC, celebrating a quarter century of Motown Records. Michael Jackson unveils his moonwalk dance move during a performance of "Billie Jean".
- May 28 – June 4 – The second US Festival is held at Glen Helen Park in California.
- June 3 – American rock drummer Jim Gordon commits matricide during a schizophrenic episode.
- June 18–19 – Menudo make their second visit to New York. The band plays four shows at Madison Square Garden and all 80,000 tickets sell out within three days of going on sale.
- June 20 – Catalunya Ràdio begins broadcasting.
- July 1 – Chilean Band Los Prisioneros debut at the Miguel Leon Prado High School Song festival. They pretended to personify the rebellion of young Chileans leading to protests against Augusto Pinochet.[7]
- July 6 – As a statement of protest against music piracy in the form of home taping, Jean-Michel Jarre releases only one pressing of his latest album "Music for Supermarkets", which is sold at an auction to a French real estate dealer for 69,000 francs (about US$8960). The auction is broadcast live on Radio Luxembourg which also plays the album in full for the first and only time.
- July 19 – Simon and Garfunkel begin their North American summer tour in Akron, Ohio.
- July 21 – Diana Ross performs a filmed concert in Central Park in heavy rain; eventually the storm forces her to postpone the rest of the concert until next day.
- July 25 – Metallica release their debut studio album, Kill 'Em All, since hailed as a groundbreaking release for the burgeoning thrash metal genre.
- July 29 – Friday Night Videos is broadcast for the first time on NBC.
- August 16
- Johnny Ramone suffers a near-fatal head injury during a fight over a girl in front of his East Village apartment.
- Singer Paul Simon marries actress Carrie Fisher.
- August 20 – The Rolling Stones sign a new $28 million contract with CBS Records, the largest recording contract in history up to this time.
September–December
- September – Bonnie Tyler releases the album Faster Than the Speed of Night in United States
- September 1 – Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon of The Clash issue a press statement announcing Mick Jones has been fired from the group.
- September 4 – Phil Lynott performs his final show with Thin Lizzy in Nuremberg, Germany.
- September 18 – The members of Kiss show their faces without their makeup for the first time on MTV, simultaneous with the release of their album Lick It Up.
- September 20 – The first ARMS Charity Concert is held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
- November 12 – Duran Duran start their SING BLUE SILVER World Tour. The tour begins with sold-out shows in Australia
- November 26 – Quiet Riot's Metal Health album tops the US album charts, the first heavy metal album to hit #1 in America.
- December 2
- The Uday-Ustav Festival, a tribute to Uday Shankar, is staged at the instigation of Uday's younger brother, Ravi Shankar.
- Michael Jackson's 14-minute music video for Thriller is premiered on MTV.
- Phish plays first show.[8]
- December 25 – Marvin Gaye gives his father, as a Christmas present, an unlicensed Smith & Wesson .38 special caliber pistol so that Gaye could protect himself from intruders.[9] A few months later, Gaye Sr would use it to shoot his son dead.
- December 31 – The twelfth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Culture Club, Rick James, Laura Branigan, Barry Manilow, Mary Jane Girls and David Frizzell.
January
February
March
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Dazzle Ships | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | - |
| Thunder and Lightning | Thin Lizzy | - | |
| True | Spandau Ballet | - | |
| 7 | Cool Kids | Kix | - |
| The Hurting | Tears For Fears | Debut | |
| Deep Sea Skiving | Bananarama | - | |
| 11 | No Rest for the Wicked | Helix | - |
| 14 | Europe | Europe | Debut |
| Script for a Jester's Tear | Marillion | Debut | |
| 16 | Outside Inside | The Tubes | - |
| 21 | The Final Cut | Pink Floyd | - |
| 23 | Eliminator | ZZ Top | - |
| 28 | Baby Snakes | Frank Zappa | Soundtrack |
| Jarreau | Al Jarreau | - | |
| The Man from Utopia | Frank Zappa | - | |
| 31 | Dancing With Danger | Streetheart | - |
| ? | Power & the Glory | Saxon | - |
| Legendary Hearts | Lou Reed | - | |
| If You Leave Me Now | Chicago | Compilation | |
| Local Hero | Mark Knopfler | Soundtrack | |
| The Abominable Showman | Nick Lowe | - | |
| Branigan 2 | Laura Branigan | - | |
| Dig That Groove Baby | Toy Dolls | - | |
| The High Road | Roxy Music | Live EP | |
| Inarticulate Speech of the Heart | Van Morrison | - | |
| Julio | Julio Iglesias | - | |
| Naked Eyes | Naked Eyes | Titled "Burning Bridges" in the UK | |
| No Guts...No Glory | Molly Hatchet | - | |
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
| Day | Album | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome | Slade | - |
| Show No Mercy | Slayer | - | |
| Bark at the Moon | Ozzy Osbourne | - | |
| 5 | Balls to the Wall | Accept | - |
| 12 | Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood | Misfits | - |
| Perverted By Language | The Fall | - | |
| 14 | Service | Yellow Magic Orchestra | - |
| 16 | Japanese Whispers | The Cure | Compilation |
| 20 | You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish | George Clinton | - |
| ? | Statues In Motion |
Statues In Motion |
- |
Release date unknown
- 21 Years On – The Dubliners (live)
- Ageless Medley EP – Amy Grant
- Ain't It Good to Be Free – Bo Diddley
- All Alone with Friends – Hank Marvin
- Amore – The Hooters
- Angstlos – Nina Hagen
- Bad Influence – Robert Cray
- Bay of Kings – Steve Hackett
- Beat Street – Prism
- Before Hollywood – The Go-Betweens
- Behind the Scenes – Reba McEntire
- The Belle Stars – The Belle Stars (debut)
- The Blasting Concept – Various Artists
- The Brightest Smile in Town (Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, Vol. 2) – Dr. John
- Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat – Minutemen
- A Call to Us All – Teri Desario
- Catch as Catch Can – Kim Wilde
- Chazablanca – Chaz Jankel
- A Child's Adventure – Marianne Faithfull
- Chimera – Bill Nelson
- A Christmas Album – Amy Grant
- Come Away with ESG – ESG
- Crystal Logic – Manilla Road
- Dagger and Guitar – Sort Sol
- Dancing for Mental Health – Will Powers (actually Lynn Goldsmith)
- David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas – David Grisman
- Dawg Jazz/Dawg Grass – David Grisman
- Desperate – Divinyls
- Dressed for the Occasion – Cliff Richard and The London Philharmonic Orchestra (Live)
- Doot-Doot – Freur
- Emergency Third Rail Power Trip – Rain Parade
- Even the Strong Get Lonely – Tammy Wynette
- Everywhere at Once – The Plimsouls
- Fall in a Hole – The Fall
- Feeding the Flame – Sad Lovers and Giants
- The First Four Years – Black Flag
- The Fittest of the Fittest – Burning Spear
- The Fugitive – Tony Banks
- Forged in Fire – Anvil
- Fortune 410 – Donnie Iris
- Friends of Hell – Witchfinder General
- Golden Shower of Hits – Circle Jerks
- Good as Gold – Red Rockers
- Good Love & Heartbreak – Tammy Wynette
- Heart to Heart – Merle Haggard
- Ich halt zu Dir – Die Flippers
- Imagination – Helen Reddy
- Introducing The Style Council – The Style Council
- Jonathan Sings! – Jonathan Richman
- Killer Dwarfs – Killer Dwarfs (Debut)
- The Kitchen Tapes – The Raincoats
- Klass – Bad Manners
- Lesson Well Learned EP – Armored Saint
- Let's Go – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- Let's Start a War – The Exploited
- Love Is the Law – Toyah
- Merry Twistmas – Conway Twitty
- Music for the Hard of Thinking – Doug and the Slugs
- Naked – Kissing the Pink
- Night Dubbing – Imagination
- Not of this World – Petra
- One Night with a Stranger – Martin Briley
- Over the Edge – Wipers
- Party Tonight – Modern Romance
- Passionfruit – Michael Franks
- Platinum Blonde – Platinum Blonde (debut EP)
- Playback – SSQ
- Privilege – Ivor Cutler
- Prodigal Sons – The Dubliners
- Neruda – Red Rider
- Riding with the King – John Hiatt
- Secretos – José José
- Shine On – George Jones
- Shock Troops – Cock Sparrer
- Sleep in Safety – 45 Grave
- Song and Legend – Sex Gang Children
- The Southern Death Cult – Southern Death Cult
- Speeding Time – Carole King
- The Spell – Syreeta Wright
- Stages – Elaine Paige
- Star People – Miles Davis
- Steeler – Steeler (Yngwie Malmsteen & Ron Keel's 1st band, This band's only release)
- Strive to Survive Causing Least Suffering Possible – Flux of Pink Indians
- Struggle for Pleasure – Wim Mertens
- Sub Pop 9 – Various Artists
- Syncro System – King Sunny Ade and his African Beats
- Tales from the Lush Attic – IQ
- Thank You for the Music – ABBA – compilation
- That's the Way Love Goes – Merle Haggard
- Third Generation – Hiroshima
- A Todo Rock – Menudo
- Tougher Than Leather – Willie Nelson
- Travels – The Pat Metheny Group
- Trick of the Light – Modern Romance
- Urban Dancefloor Guerillas – P-Funk All-Stars
- Visions (Gladys Knight & the Pips album) – Gladys Knight & the Pips
- Water Sign – Chris Rea
- We Are One – Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
- Weeds & Water – Riders in the Sky
- We've Got Tonight – Kenny Rogers
- When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going – Bow Wow Wow
- Words and Music – Tavares
- XXV – The Shadows
- Yes Sir, I Will – Crass
- Yokan (Hunch) – Miyuki Nakajima
- You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet – Bachman–Turner Overdrive – compilation
- Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T. (Drawings of Patient O. T.) – Einstürzende Neubauten
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1983.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Culture Club | "Karma Chameleon" | 1983 |  | UK 1 – September 1983, US BB 1 – February 1984, Canada 1 – December 1983, Netherlands 1 – September 1983, Sweden (alt) 1 – October 1983, Switzerland 1 – October 1983, Norway 1 – October 1983, Republic of Ireland 1 – September 1983, New Zealand 1 for 6 weeks October 1983, Australia 1 for 5 weeks July 1984, Austria 3 – November 1983, Germany 3 – January 1984, South Africa 7 of 1984, Poland 8 – September 1983, Australia 8 of 1983, US CashBox 14 of 1984, POP 15 of 1984, Italy 16 of 1983, KROQ 25 of 1983, US BB 29 of 1984, RYM 49 of 1983, Scrobulate 71 of 80s, Germany 159 of the 1980s, OzNet 979 |
| 2 | Michael Jackson | "Billie Jean" | 1983 |  | UK 1 – January 1983, US BB 1 – January 1983, Canada 1 – February 1983, Switzerland 1 – March 1983, Republic of Ireland 1 – March 1983, Australia 1 for 5 weeks February 1984, Netherlands 2 – January 1983, Sweden (alt) 2 – March 1983, France 2 – January 1983, US CashBox 3 of 1983, Austria 3 – April 1983, Poland 3 – February 1983, Germany 3 – March 1983, Australia 4 of 1983, RYM 4 of 1983, POP 4 of 1983, Norway 6 – April 1983, Italy 8 of 1983, South Africa 15 of 1983, 15 in 2FM list, Scrobulate 16 of pop, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1983, Acclaimed 33, Europe 40 of the 1980s, Party 53 of 2007, Rolling Stone 58, Germany 139 of the 1980s, OzNet 249, WXPN 620 |
| 3 | Irene Cara | "Flashdance...What a Feeling" | 1983 | | US BB 1 – April 1983, US CashBox 1 of 1983, Canada 1 – May 1983, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks – June 1983, Sweden (alt) 1 – May 1983, France 1 – July 1983, France SNEP 1 – September 1983, Switzerland 1 – June 1983, Norway 1 – June 1983, Italy 1 for 9 weeks – November 1983, New Zealand 1 for 6 weeks – July 1983, Australia 1 for 7 weeks – June 1983, UK 2 – June 1983, Austria 4 – August 1983, Japan 1 for 2 weeks – August 1983, Germany 4 – June 1983, Netherlands 13 – April 1983, Belgium 20 – May 1983, Poland 21 – July 1983, US BB 6 of 1983, Japan 7 of all time (international songs), Australia 2 of 1983, POP 3 of 1983, South Africa 9 of 1983, Scrobulate 31 of gay, AFI 55, Germany 57 of the 1980s, RYM 121 of 1983, OzNet 243, RIAA 256, Oscar in 1983 |
| 4 | David Bowie | "Let's Dance" | 1983 | | UK 1 – March 1983, US BB 1 – April 1983, Canada 1 – March 1983, Netherlands 1 – March 1983, Sweden (alt) 1 – April 1983, France 1 – March 1983, Switzerland 1 – April 1983, Norway 1 – March 1983, Republic of Ireland 1 – April 1983, New Zealand 1 for 6 weeks April 1983, Austria 2 – May 1983, Germany 2 – April 1983, US CashBox 4 of 1983, Poland 5 – April 1983, KROQ 6 of 1983, US BB 15 of 1983, Italy 19 of 1983, Australia 24 of 1983, RYM 32 of 1983, Scrobulate 40 of 80s, POP 47 of 1983, Germany 172 of the 1980s, Belgium 258 of all time, Acclaimed 1445 |
| 5 | The Police | "Every Breath You Take" | 1983 | | UK 1 – May 1983, US BB 1 – July 1983, US BB 1 of 1983, Canada 1 – May 1983, Republic of Ireland 1 – June 1983, US CashBox 2 of 1983, Sweden (alt) 2 – June 1983, Norway 2 – June 1983, KROQ 3 of 1983, Poland 5 – June 1983, South Africa 5 of 1983, Netherlands 6 – May 1983, Switzerland 6 – July 1983, Austria 8 – August 1983, Germany 8 – June 1983, France 10 – May 1983, Australia 10 of 1983, Italy 10 of 1983, Virgin 12, Scrobulate 13 of 80s, US BB 16 of 1983, RYM 16 of 1983, Europe 33 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 38, OzNet 38, RIAA 44, POP 49 of 1983, Poland 68 of all time, TheQ 76, Rolling Stone 84, 90 in 2FM list, Belgium 110 of all time, WXPN 216 |
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | US | UK | Highest chart position | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1999" | Prince | January 1983 | 12 | 25 | 2 (Australia) | See chart performance entry 1982 overlap |
| "2000 Miles" | The Pretenders | November 1983 | n/a | 15 | 11 (Belgium) | 13 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) – 14 (Ireland) – 30 (Australia) – 36 (New Zealand) |
| "99 Luftballons" | Nena[15] | March 1983 | 2 | n/a | (11 countries) | See chart performance entry |
| "The One Thing" | INXS | March 1983 | 30 | n/a | 14 (Australia) | 2 (U.S. Billboard Top Tracks) – 30 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) – 31 (Canada) 1982 overlap |
| "All Night Long (All Night)" | Lionel Richie | September 1983 | 1 | 2 | 1 (6 countries) | See chart performance entry |
| "All Time High" | Rita Coolidge | June 1983 | 36 | 75 | 36 (United States) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 1 (Canada Adult Contemporary) – 38 (Canada) – 80 (Australia) |
| "Almost Over You" | Sheena Easton | December 1983 | 25 | 89 | 23 (United States) | 1 (Canada RPM Adult Contemporary) – 4 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) – 23 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100) – 35 (Canada) – 68 (Australia) – 86 (U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs) |
Other Chart hit singles
- "A Volar" – Menudo
- "Australiana" – Austen Tayshus[16] (# 1 Australia)
- "Baby Jane" – Rod Stewart
- "Bad Boys" – Wham!
- "Beat It" – Michael Jackson
- "Big Log" – Robert Plant
- "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson
- "Blue Monday" – New Order
- "Bop Girl" – Pat Wilson[17]
- "Boxerbeat" – JoBoxers
- "Breakaway" – Tracey Ullman
- "Buffalo Soldier" – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- "Burning Down the House" – Talking Heads
- "Calling Your Name" – Marilyn
- "Candy Girl" – New Edition[18]
- "Can't Get Used to Losing You" – The Beat
- "Change" – Tears for Fears
- "China Girl" – David Bowie
- "Church of the Poison Mind" – Culture Club
- "Club Tropicana" – Wham!
- "Come Back and Stay" – Paul Young
- "Come On Eileen" – Dexys Midnight Runners (released in 1982)
- "Communication" – Spandau Ballet
- "Countdown/New World Man" – Rush
- "Crumblin' Down" – John Mellencamp
- "Dancing in the Dark" – Kim Wilde
- "Dead Giveaway" – Shalamar
- "Dear Prudence" – Siouxsie and the Banshees
- "Delirious" – Prince
- "Der Alpen-Rap" – Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung
- "Der Kommissar" – After the Fire
- "Din Daa Daa" – George Kranz[19]
- "Dirty Laundry" – Don Henley[20]
- "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – Culture Club
- "Don't Let It End" – Styx
- "Double Dutch" – Malcolm McLaren
- "Down Under" – Men at Work
- "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" – Men At Work
- "Drop the Pilot" – Joan Armatrading
- "Electric Avenue" – Eddy Grant
- "Every Breath You Take" – The Police
- "Everything Counts" – Depeche Mode
- "Family Man" – Hall & Oates
- "Faithfully" – Journey
- "Femme" – Dalida
- "Gimme All Your Lovin'" – ZZ Top
- "Give It Up" – KC and the Sunshine Band
- "Gloria" – Laura Branigan (released in 1982)
- "Gold" – Spandau Ballet
- "Guardian Angel" – Masquerade[21]
- "Heart and Soul" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "High Life" – Modern Romance
- "Holiday" – Madonna
- "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" – Laura Branigan
- "Human Nature" – Michael Jackson
- "Hungry Like the Wolf" (1982) – Duran Duran
- "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" – Elton John (feat. Stevie Wonder)
- "I'm Still Standing" – Elton John
- "In a Big Country" – Big Country
- "I.O.U." – Freeez
- "Is There Something I Should Know?" – Duran Duran
- "Islands in the Stream" – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
- "It's a Mistake" – Men At Work
- "Jeopardy" – The Greg Kihn Band
- "Johnny B. Goode" – Peter Tosh
- "Karma Chameleon" – Culture Club
- "King of Pain" – The Police
- "Kiss the Bride" – Elton John
- "Let The Music Play" – Shannon
- "Let's Dance" – David Bowie
- "Little Red Corvette" – Prince
- "Long Hot Summer" – The Style Council
- "The Love Cats" – The Cure
- "Love Is a Battlefield" – Pat Benatar
- "Love Is a Stranger" – Eurythmics
- "Love of the Common People" – Paul Young
- "Love On Your Side" – Thompson Twins
- "Mad World"- Tears For Fears
- "Major Tom (Coming Home)" – Peter Schilling
- "Mama" – Genesis
- "Maniac" – Michael Sembello
- "Many Rivers to Cross" – UB40
- "Marguerita Time" – Status Quo
- "Modern Love" – David Bowie
- "Mon ami m'a quittée" – Celine Dion
- "Moonlight Shadow" – Mike Oldfield
- "Mr. Roboto" – Styx
- "My Oh My" – Slade
- "Nasty Girl" – Vanity 6
- "Never Gonna Let You Go" – Sergio Mendes
- "New Song" – Howard Jones
- "New Year's Day" – U2
- "Nobody's Diary" – Yazoo
- "Oblivious" – Aztec Camera
- "One on One" – Hall & Oates
- "One Thing Leads to Another" – The Fixx
- "Only for Love" – Limahl
- "Only You" – Various
- "Our House" – Madness
- "Our Lips Are Sealed" – Fun Boy Three
- "Over and Over" – Shalamar
- "Overkill" – Men at Work
- "Owner of a Lonely Heart" – Yes
- "Pale Shelter" – Tears for Fears
- "Photograph" – Def Leppard
- "Physical Attraction"- Madonna
- "Pink Houses" – John Mellencamp
- "Pipes Of Peace" – Paul McCartney
- "Power and the Passion" – Midnight Oil
- "Pride and Joy" – Stevie Ray Vaughan
- "Promises, Promises" – Naked Eyes
- "Puttin' on the Ritz" – Taco
- "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (1982) – Michael Jackson
- "Queen of the Broken Hearts" – Loverboy
- "Radio Free Europe" (I.R.S. version) – R.E.M.
- "Rainbow in the Dark" – Dio
- "Rio" (1982) – Duran Duran
- "Rip It Up" – Orange Juice
- "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" – Electric Light Orchestra
- "Rock of Ages" – Def Leppard
- "Rock the Casbah" – The Clash (released in 1982)
- "Rockit" – Herbie Hancock
- "Run Runaway" – Slade
- "Runaway" – Bon Jovi
- "The Safety Dance" – Men Without Hats
- "Saved by Zero" – The Fixx
- "Say Say Say" – Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
- "Screaming for Vengeance" (1982) – Judas Priest
- "Send Her My Love" – Journey
- "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" – Journey
- "Sex (I'm a ...)" – Berlin
- "Shame on the Moon" – Bob Seger
- "Sharp Dressed Man" – ZZ Top
- "She Blinded Me with Science" – Thomas Dolby (released in 1982)
- "She Works Hard for the Money" – Donna Summer
- "She's a Beauty" – The Tubes
- "Shipbuilding" – Robert Wyatt
- "Should I Stay or Should I Go" – The Clash
- "Shout at the Devil" – Mötley Crüe
- "Si la vie est cadeau" – Corinne Hermès[22]
- "Solitaire" – Laura Branigan
- "Speak Like a Child" – The Style Council
- "Stand Back" – Stevie Nicks
- "Steppin' Out" – Joe Jackson
- "Straight from the Heart" – Bryan Adams
- "Suddenly Last Summer" – The Motels
- "The Sun and the Rain" – Madness
- "The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" – Level 42
- "Sunday Bloody Sunday" – U2
- "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" – Eurythmics
- "Synchronicity II" – The Police
- "Talking in Your Sleep" – The Romantics
- "Tell Her About It" – Billy Joel
- "Tell Her No" – Juice Newton
- "Temptation" – Heaven 17
- "Tender Is the Night" – Jackson Browne
- "Thank You For The Music" – ABBA (released in 1977)
- "That's All" – Genesis
- "That's Love" – Jim Capaldi
- "Always Something There to Remind Me" – Naked Eyes
- "They Don't Know" – Tracey Ullman
- "This Charming Man" – The Smiths
- "This Time" – Bryan Adams
- "Thunder And Lightning" – Thin Lizzy
- "Time (Clock of the Heart)" – Culture Club
- "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" – Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
- "Too Low For Zero" – Elton John (in US & Australia; not released in the rest of UK and Europe until 1985/86)
- "Too Shy" – Kajagoogoo
- "Total Eclipse of the Heart" – Bonnie Tyler
- "Tour de France" – Kraftwerk
- "The Trooper" – Iron Maiden
- "True" – Spandau Ballet
- "Twilight Zone" – Golden Earring (released in 1982)
- "Twist of Fate" – Olivia Newton-John
- "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
- "Vamos a la playa" – Righeira
- "Walking in the Rain" – Modern Romance
- "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (1982) – Michael Jackson
- "The Way He Makes Me Feel" – Barbra Streisand
- "We Are Detective" – Thompson Twins
- "We've Got Tonight" – Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
- "What Is Love?" – Howard Jones
- "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" – Paul Young
- "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" – Grandmaster and Melle Mel
- "Why Me?" – Irene Cara
- "Wings of a Dove" – Madness
- "Wishing on a Star" – Rose Royce
- "The Word Is Out" – Jermaine Stewart
- "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – The Police
- "You Are" – Lionel Richie
- "You Can't Hurry Love" – Phil Collins (released in 1982)
- "Gravity Talks" – Green On Red
- "Seance" – The Church
- "Fervor" – Jason & The Scorchers
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Cattle and Cane" | The Go-Betweens | February 1983 | 4 (UK INdie Charts) |
| "Original Sin" | INXS | December 1983 | See chart performance entry |
| "Radio Free Europe" | R.E.M. | April 1983 | 25 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) – 78 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) |
| "Rip It Up" | Orange Juice | February 1983 | 8 (UK Single Charts) – 23 (Ireland) – 42 (New Zealand) |
| "Sunday Bloody Sunday" | U2 | March 1983 | 3 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100]) – 7 (U.S. Billboard Top Tracks) – 11 (Belgium) |
| "Synchronicity II" | The Police | October 1983 | 12 (Ireland) – 15 (U.S. Cashbox) – 16 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) – 17 (UK Singles Chart) – 21 (Canada) |
| "Temptation" | Heaven 17 | April 1983 | See chart performance entry |
| "This Charming Man" | The Smiths | October 1983 | 1 (UK Indie Charts) – 15 (New Zealand) – 25 (UK Singles Chart) – 52 (Australia) |
Other Notable singles
- "Crafty Fag" b/w "How to Age" – The Nightingales
- "Hope (I Wish You'd Believe Me)" b/w Sleep" – Wah!
- "I Hear Motion" – Models
- "Listening" – Pseudo Echo
- "Nag" b/w "Bits and Pieces" – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" w. Bernie Taupin m. Elton John
- "An Innocent Man" w.m. Billy Joel
- "Karma Chameleon" w.m. George O'Dowd, Jon Moss, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig & Phil Rickett
- "Uptown Girl" w.m. Billy Joel
- "Total Eclipse of the Heart" – w.m. Jim Steinman
Premieres
| Composer | Composition | Date | Location | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ligeti, György | Sonata for Solo Cello | 1983-10-24 |  Paris | Stilz[23] |
Compositions
- Vyacheslav Artyomov – Tristia for solo piano, organ, trumpet, vibraphone and strings
- Jean-Baptiste Barrière – Chreode I
- John Cage – Thirty Pieces for String Quartet
- Friedrich Cerha – Requiem für Hollensteiner
- George Crumb – Processional for piano
- 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
- Lorenzo Ferrero
- Ellipse for flute
- Onde for guitar
- Karel Goeyvaerts – Aquarius I (Voorspel)—L'ère du Verseau, for orchestra
- Jacques Hétu – Clarinet Concerto
- Simeon ten Holt – Lemniscaat, for keyboard (1982–1983)
- Wojciech Kilar – fanfare Victoria for mixed choir and orchestra
- Witold Lutosławski – Symphony No. 3 (1972–83)
- Krzysztof Penderecki – Viola Concerto
- John Pickard – Nocturne in Black and Gold
- Peter Sculthorpe – Piano concerto
- Karlheinz Stockhausen – Luzifers Tanz, for wind orchestra
- Iannis Xenakis – Shaar
- Morton Feldman – Crippled Symmetry
- Robert Ashley – Perfect Lives (An opera for television)
- Leonard Bernstein – A Quiet Place
- Oliver Knussen – Where the Wild Things Are (children's)
- Olivier Messiaen – Saint François d'Assise
- Per Nørgård – Det guddommelige Tivoli (The Divine Circus)
- La Cage aux Folles – Broadway production opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 1781 performances
- Doonesbury – Broadway production opened at the Biltmore Theatre and ran for 104 performances
- Mame (Jerry Herman) – Broadway revival
- Merlin – Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre and ran for 199 performances
- Oliver! (Lionel Bart) – London revival
- On Your Toes – Broadway revival
- My One and Only – Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre and ran for 767 performances
- Singin' in the Rain – London production
- The Tap Dance Kid – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 699 performances
- Zorba – Broadway revival
January–April births
January
- 1 January – Jona Weinhofen, Australian musician
- January 7 – Tosin Abasi, Nigerian-American musician (Animals As Leaders)
- January 11 – Seun Kuti, Nigerian musician and singer
- January 13 – William Hung, American musician
- January 14 – Takako Uehara, Japanese singer
- January 16 – SYML, SYML is the solo venture of Brian Fennell,
- January 18
- Samantha Mumba, Irish singer and actress
- Mike Ezay, American R&B singer (Git Fresh)
- Katie White, British singer (The Ting Tings)
- January 19 – Hikaru Utada, Japanese singer and songwriter
- January 20 – Mari Yaguchi, Japanese singer (Morning Musume) and host
- January 21 – Rapsody, American rapper
- January 24 – Frankie Grande, American actor, singer, and dancer
- January 25 – Andrée Watters, Canadian singer
- January 27 – John Lundvik, British-Swedish singer-songwriter
- January 30 – Ella Hooper, Australian rock singer-songwriter, musician, radio presenter and TV personality (Killing Heidi + The Verses)
February births
- February 1 – Andrew VanWyngarden, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (MGMT)
- February 3
- Gilad Hekselman, Israeli guitarist and composer
- Linus Wiklund, Swedish songwriter and music producer
- February 5 – Baby K, Singaporean-Italian singer-songwriter
- February 8 – Jim Verraros, American singer
- February 10 – Bless, Canadian rapper
- February 13 – Joel Little, New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter (Lorde, Taylor Swift)
- February 14 – Davidior, a Korean-American record producer, audio engineer, musician, songwriter and singer.
- February 17 – Kevin Rudolf, American record producer and musician
- February 19 – Mika Nakashima, Japanese singer and actress
- February 28 – Linda Király, Hungarian-American singer-songwriter
March births
- March 8 – Piano Squall, American pianist
- March 9 – Mayte Perroni, Mexican singer and actress
- March 10 – Carrie Underwood, American singer/songwriter
- March 11 – Thiaguinho, Brazilian singer-songwriter
- March 14 – Taylor Hanson American band member (Hanson)
- March 15 – Florencia Bertotti, Argentine actress and singer
- March 19 – Ana Rezende (Cansei de Ser Sexy), Brazilian
- March 29
- Luiza Sá (Cansei de Ser Sexy), Brazilian
- Jamie Woon, British singer, songwriter and record producer,
- March 30 – Hebe Tian, member of the Taiwanese girl-group S.H.E
- March 31
- 40 (record producer), Canadian record producer, songwriter, record executive, advocate, and former child actor from Toronto, Ontario.
- Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, American trumpeter
April births
- April 4 – Tei, Korean ballad singer
- April 15 – Margo Price, American singer-songwriter
- April 16 – Marié Digby, American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist
- April 18
- Ameerah (singer), Belgian singer-songwriter
- Reeve Carney, American singer-songwriter and actor
- April 20 – Sebastian Ingrosso, Swedish DJ, actor and record producer
- April 21 – Lily Chan, Chinese singer
May–August births
May births
- May 8
- Bondan Prakoso, Indonesian singer
- Matt Willis, British musician (Busted) and presenter
- May 10 – Moshe Peretz, Israeli musician
- May 11 – Holly Valance, Australian actress, singer and model.
- May 14 – Anahí, Mexican singer and actress
- May 15 – Devin Bronson, American guitarist, songwriter and producer
- May 27 – Sean Douglas, American songwriter and record producer
- May 31
- David Hernandez, American singer
- Michael Lynche, American singer
June births
- June 2 – Brooke White, American singer
- June 3 – Kelela, American singer and songwriter.
- June 7 – Indiggo, Romanian-born American twin sisters, singer-songwriters, and reality TV personalities
- June 8 – Lee Harding, Australian singer
- June 9 – Marina Lizorkina, Russian singer
- June 10 – Jason Evigan, American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
- June 15 – Laura Imbruglia, Australian indie rock singer-songwriter.
- June 16 – Jen Majura, German guitarist, bassist and singer.
- June 17
- Connie Fisher, British actress and singer
- Lee Ryan, British singer
- Magnus Skylstad, Norwegian musician and record producer (Frequent collaborator with Aurora)
- June 24 – Shermain Jeremy, Antiguan singer and beauty pageant contestant
- June 27 – Evan Taubenfeld, American guitarist, singer, and songwriter (Avril Lavigne)
- June 30
- Patrick Wolf, English singer-songwriter
- Cheryl, former member of Girls Aloud, British singer-songwriter and television personality
July births
- July 1
- Leeteuk, South Korean singer-songwriter and actor.
- Marit Larsen, Norwegian musician (M2M)
- July 2 – Michelle Branch, American singer-songwriter and musician (The Wreckers)
- July 3
- Matt Papa, American singer-songwriter
- July 4
- Ben Jorgensen, American singer, guitarist, member of Armor For Sleep
- Andrew Mrotek, American drummer (The Academy Is...)
- Melanie Fiona, Canadian singer-songwriter
- July 7 – Ciara Newell, Irish singer (Bellefire)
- July 9 – Lucia Micarelli, violinist and actress
- July 10 – Heechul, South Korean singer, songwriter
- July 11
- Megan Marie Hart, opera singer
- Marie Serneholt (A*Teens)
- July 17 – Joker Xue, Chinese singer-songwriter
- July 18 – Aaron Gillespie, drummer (Underoath)
- July 20 – Jason Chan, Hong Kong Canadian singer and actor
- July 21 – Eivør Pálsdóttir, Faroese singer and composer
- July 22 – Sharni Vinson, Australian dancer, actor and television personality
- July 23 – Bec Hewitt, Australian singer, dancer, and actor
- July 24 – Morgan Sorne, American singer-songwriter and multi-media artist
- July 31 – Yola (singer), English singer-songwriter, musician, and actress
August births
- August 7 – Christian Chávez, Mexican singer and actor
- August 8 – Vanessa Amorosi, Australian singer/songwriter
- August 9 – Ashley Johnson, American actress and singer
- August 14 – Sunidhi Chauhan, playback singer
- August 18
- Danny!, American record producer/recording artist
- Mika, British singer
- Emma McKenna, Canadian singer-songwriter
- August 19
- Tammin Sursok, South African-born Australian actress and singer.
- Missy Higgins, Australian singer-songwriter, musician and actress.
- August 21 – Brody Jenner, American dj
- August 25 – James Righton, English musician, multi instrumentalist
- August 28 – Alfonso Herrera, Mexican singer and actor[24]
- August 30 – Jun Matsumoto, Japanese singer and actor
September–December births
September births
- September 2 – Aimee Osbourne, English actress and singer
- September 12
- Frank Dukes, Canadian record producer and dj
- Carly Smithson, Irish singer
- September 14 – Amy Winehouse, English soul, jazz, blues and rnb singer-songwriter (died 2011)
- September 17 – Jennifer Peña, American singer and actress
- September 20 – A-Lin, Taiwanese singer
- September 25 – Donald Glover, American actor, comedian, writer, director, rapper, and DJ
- September 30 – T-Pain, American rapper & singer-songwriter
October births
- October 7 – Flying Lotus, American rapper and producer, founded Brainfeeder
- October 10
- Alyson Hau, Hong Kong radio DJ
- Jack Savoretti, English acoustic artist (Kylie Minogue)
- Lzzy Hale, American singer, songwriter, and musician. (Halestorm)
- October 16 – Loreen, Swedish singer-songwriter and two time winner of Eurovision Song Contest
- October 20 – Alona Tal, Israeli singer and actress.
- October 22 – Plan B, English hip hop rapper
- October 24 – Adrienne Bailon, American singer and actress
- October 26 – Houston, American R&B singer
- October 29
- Amit Sebastian Paul, Swedish singer (A-Teens)
- Richard Brancatisano, Australian actor/musician
- October 30 – Diana Karazon, Jordanian singer
November births
- November 7 – Forrest Kline, American singer and songwriter (Hellogoodbye)
- November 10 – Miranda Lambert, American country musician
- November 14
- Lil Boosie, American rapper
- Chelsea Wolfe, American singer-songwriter
- November 16
- Fallon Bowman, South African–born guitarist (Kittie)
- K, South Korean singer
- November 17 – El Guincho, a Spanish musician, singer, and record producer
- November 22 – Xiao Yu, Taiwanese singer and songwriter
- November 23 – Tristen Gaspadarek, American singer-songwriter and musician
- November 24 – Adam22, American hip hop podcaster
- November 27 – Nyla, Jamaican singer and songwriter (Brick & Lace)
- November 28
- Rostam Batmanglij, American record producer, musician, singer, songwriter, and composer (Vampire Weekend)
- Tyler Glenn, American alternative singer (Neon Trees)
December births
- December 3 – Sherri DuPree, American singer-songwriter
- December 12 – Katrina Elam, American country singer-songwriter
- December 15 – Brooke Fraser, New Zealand singer-songwriter, musician
- December 17
- Kosuke Saito, Japanese DJ
- Domino Kirke, British-American singer, doula, and actress
- December 29 – Jessica Andrews, American country music singer
- December 31 – Sayaka Ichii, Japanese singer (Morning Musume)
Birth date unknown
- unknown
- Dan Sultan, Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter-guitarist
- Joseph Tawadros, Egyptian-born Australian oud virtuoso
- Riopy, French-born British pianist and composer. (worked with Lana Del Rey)
January–April deaths
January deaths
- January 5 – Amy Evans, operatic soprano and actress, 98
- January 7 – Edith Coates, operatic mezzo-soprano, 74
- January 28 – Billy Fury, singer, 42 (heart attack)
- January 31 – Lorraine Ellison, soul singer, 51
February deaths
- February 4 – Karen Carpenter, singer and drummer, 32 (cardiac arrest due to anorexia nervosa)
- February 8
- Charles Kullman, operatic tenor, 80
- Alfred Wallenstein, cellist, 84
- February 12 – Eubie Blake, pianist, 96
- February 18 – Leopold Godowsky, Jr., violinist and chemist, 82
- February 22 – Sir Adrian Boult, conductor, 93
- February 23 – Herbert Howells, organist and composer, 90
- February 28 – Winifred Atwell, Trinidadian pianist, 69
March deaths
- March 6 – Cathy Berberian, singer and composer, 57
- March 7
- Igor Markevitch, Ukrainian composer and conductor, 70
- William Walton, British composer, 80
April deaths
- April 4 – Danny Rapp (Danny and the Juniors), 41 (suicide by gunshot)
- April 5 – Cliff Carlisle, country and blues singer, 79
- April 13 – Dolo Coker, jazz pianist and composer, 55
- April 14 – Pete Farndon (The Pretenders), English bassist, 30 (drug overdose)
- April 17 – Felix Pappalardi, American producer and bassist, 43 (gunshot)
- April 23 – Earl Hines, American jazz pianist, 79
- April 30
- Muddy Waters, blues singer and guitarist, 70 (heart attack)
- George Balanchine, Russian-American choreographer, 79
May–August deaths
May deaths
- May 23
- George Bruns, film composer, 68
- Finn Mortensen, composer and music critic, 61
- May 25 – Paul Quinichette, saxophonist, 67
June deaths
- June 2 – Stan Rogers, folk musician, 33
- June 25 – Alberto Ginastera, Argentine composer, 67[25]
July deaths
- July 4 – Claus Adam, cellist, 66
- July 5 – Harry James, bandleader, 67
- July 12 – Chris Wood, rock musician, 39
- July 23 – Georges Auric, French composer, member of Les Six, 84
- July 27 – Jerome Moross, composer, conductor and orchestrator, 69
- July 30 – Howard Dietz, lyricist, 86
August deaths
- August 2 – James Jamerson, bassist, 47
- August 3 – Helge Bonnén, pianist and composer, 87
- August 6 – Klaus Nomi, singer, 39 (complications from AIDS)
- August 13 – Zdeněk Liška, Czech film composer, 61
- August 14 – Omer Létourneau, pianist, organist, composer and conductor, 92
- August 17 – Ira Gershwin, American lyricist, 86
- August 24 – Arkady Filippenko, composer, 71
September–December deaths
September deaths
- September 5 – John Gilpin, dancer, 53 (heart attack)
- September 24 – Isobel Baillie, operatic soprano, 88
- September 25 – Paul Jacobs, American pianist, 53 (complications from AIDS)
October deaths
- October 16
- Øivin Fjeldstad, violinist and conductor, 80
- George Liberace, violinist and arranger, 72
November deaths
- November 3 – Alfredo Antonini, conductor, 82
- November 7 – Germaine Tailleferre, composer, only female member of Les Six, 88[26]
- November 15 – John Grimaldi, English keyboard player and songwriter (Argent), 28
- November 19 – Tommy Evans, bassist of the rock group Badfinger, 36 (suicide)
December deaths
- December 6 – Lucienne Boyer, French singer, 80
- December 11 – Simon Laks, Polish composer and violinist, 82
- December 28 – Dennis Wilson, American singer, songwriter and drummer, 39 (drowned)
Death date unknown
- date unknown
- Antonio Mairena, Andalusian flamenco singer, 73 or 74
- Pat Smythe, Scottish-born jazz pianist, 59 or 60
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
Eurovision Song Contest
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