In Retrospect

If I had the power, perhaps in an alternate timeline, the Top 40 would have been quite different...

Compact View

Filter:

Number
1 Up by 2

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Police
From the album: Ghost in the Machine
Peak
1 (for 1 weeks)
Weeks
10
Number
2 Down by 1

Eisbär
Grauzone
Peak
1 (for 1 weeks)
Weeks
11
Number
3 Down by 1

Souvenir
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
From the album: Architecture & Morality
Peak
1 (for 8 weeks)
Weeks
16
Number
4 Up by 1

Our Lips Are Sealed
Go-Go's
From the album: Beauty and the Beat
Peak
4
Weeks
10
Number
5 Up by 3

Open Your Heart
The Human League
From the album: Dare
Peak
5
Weeks
8
Number
6 Up by 3

Twilight
Electric Light Orchestra
From the album: Time
Peak
6
Weeks
6
Number
7 Down by 3

Start Me Up
The Rolling Stones
From the album: Tattoo You
Peak
1 (for 2 weeks)
Weeks
16
Number
8 Down by 2

Private Eyes
Daryl Hall and John Oates
From the album: Private Eyes
Peak
6
Weeks
13
Number
9 Down by 2

Hold On Tight
Electric Light Orchestra
From the album: Time
Peak
2
Weeks
21
Number
10 Up by 2

Trouble
Lindsey Buckingham
From the album: Law and Order
Peak
10
Weeks
7
Number
11

Happy Birthday
Altered Images
From the album: Happy Birthday
Peak
11
Weeks
9
Number
12 Up by 3

Beautiful World
Devo
From the album: New Traditionalists
Peak
12
Weeks
5
Number
13 Down by 3

Love Action (I Believe in Love)
The Human League
From the album: Dare
Peak
1 (for 4 weeks)
Weeks
19
Number
14 Up by 2

Under Pressure
Queen & David Bowie
From the album: Hot Space
Peak
14
Weeks
3
Number
15 Up by 2

Controversy
Prince
From the album: Controversy
Peak
15
Weeks
4
Number
16 Down by 3

Working in the Coal Mine
Devo
From the album: Heavy Metal: Music From the Motion Picture
Peak
11
Weeks
14
Number
17 Up by 2

The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)
Fun Boy Three
Peak
17
Weeks
5
Number
18

Joan of Arc
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
From the album: Architecture & Morality
Peak
18
Weeks
6
Number
19 Down by 5

Super Freak
Rick James
From the album: Street Songs
Peak
7
Weeks
15
Number
20 Up by 1

Girls on Film
Duran Duran
From the album: Duran Duran
Peak
17
Weeks
13
Number
21 Up by 8

Revenge
Eurythmics
From the album: In the Garden
Peak
21
Weeks
4
Number
22 Down by 2

Just Can't Get Enough
Depeche Mode
From the album: Speak & Spell
Peak
15
Weeks
12
Number
23

Burnin' For You
Blue Öyster Cult
From the album: Fire of Unknown Origin
Peak
23
Weeks
12
Number
24

Charlotte Sometimes
The Cure
Peak
24
Weeks
9
Number
25 Up by 7

Shake It Up
The Cars
From the album: Shake It Up
Peak
25
Weeks
3
Number
26 Down by 4

No Reply at All
Genesis
From the album: Abacab
Peak
22
Weeks
7
Number
27 Up by 4

The Voice
Ultravox
From the album: Rage in Eden
Peak
27
Weeks
6
Number
28 Down by 2

In the Dark
Billy Squier
From the album: Don't Say No
Peak
24
Weeks
10
Number
29 Down by 1

Quiet Life
Japan
From the album: Quiet Life
Peak
19
Weeks
11
Number
30 Down by 3

Lawnchairs
Our Daughter's Wedding
From the album: Digital Cowboy
Peak
9
Weeks
20
Number
31 Up by 6

Centerfold
The J. Geils Band
From the album: Freeze-Frame
Peak
31
Weeks
2
Number
32 Down by 2

One Step Ahead
Split Enz
From the album: Waiata
Peak
1 (for 1 weeks)
Weeks
27
Number
33 Down by 8

Pretty in Pink
The Psychedelic Furs
From the album: Talk Talk Talk
Peak
4
Weeks
23
Number
34

Careless Memories
Duran Duran
From the album: Duran Duran
Peak
7
Weeks
22
Number
35 Up by 3

Destroyer
The Kinks
From the album: Give the People What They Want
Peak
35
Weeks
5
Number
36

Mistaken Identity
Kim Carnes
From the album: Mistaken Identity
Peak
36
Weeks
4
Number
37 Up by 2

Wrack My Brain
Ringo Starr
Peak
37
Weeks
3
Number
38 Debut

Harden My Heart
Quarterflash
From the album: Quarterflash
Peak
38
Weeks
1
Number
39 Debut

Talking Out of Turn
The Moody Blues
From the album: Long Distance Voyager
Peak
39
Weeks
1
Number
40 Debut

Young Turks
Rod Stewart
From the album: Tonight I'm Yours
Peak
40
Weeks
1

Dropouts

Number
33 Dropout

Urgent
Foreigner
From the album: 4
Peak
4
Weeks
21
Number
35 Dropout

Breaking Away
Balance
Peak
10
Weeks
17
Number
40 Dropout

Lunatic Fringe
Red Rider
From the album: As Far as Siam
Peak
30
Weeks
13

A chart by

Date

December 12, 1981

Songs

40

https://www.crownnote.com/charts/amsvec/in-retrospect-99

3 1 The Police – "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" 1(×1) 10

1 2 Grauzone – "Eisbär" 1(×1) 11

2 3 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – "Souvenir" 1(×8) 16

5 4 Go-Go's – "Our Lips Are Sealed" 4 10

8 5 The Human League – "Open Your Heart" 5 8

9 6 Electric Light Orchestra – "Twilight" 6 6

4 7 The Rolling Stones – "Start Me Up" 1(×2) 16

6 8 Daryl Hall and John Oates – "Private Eyes" 6 13

7 9 Electric Light Orchestra – "Hold On Tight" 2 21

12 10 Lindsey Buckingham – "Trouble" 10 7

11 11 Altered Images – "Happy Birthday" 11 9

15 12 Devo – "Beautiful World" 12 5

10 13 The Human League – "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" 1(×4) 19

16 14 Queen & David Bowie – "Under Pressure" 14 3

17 15 Prince – "Controversy" 15 4

13 16 Devo – "Working in the Coal Mine" 11 14

19 17 Fun Boy Three – "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)" 17 5

18 18 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – "Joan of Arc" 18 6

14 19 Rick James – "Super Freak" 7 15

21 20 Duran Duran – "Girls on Film" 17 13

29 21 Eurythmics – "Revenge" 21 4

20 22 Depeche Mode – "Just Can't Get Enough" 15 12

23 23 Blue Öyster Cult – "Burnin' For You" 23 12

24 24 The Cure – "Charlotte Sometimes" 24 9

32 25 The Cars – "Shake It Up" 25 3

22 26 Genesis – "No Reply at All" 22 7

31 27 Ultravox – "The Voice" 27 6

26 28 Billy Squier – "In the Dark" 24 10

28 29 Japan – "Quiet Life" 19 11

27 30 Our Daughter's Wedding – "Lawnchairs" 9 20

37 31 The J. Geils Band – "Centerfold" 31 2

30 32 Split Enz – "One Step Ahead" 1(×1) 27

25 33 The Psychedelic Furs – "Pretty in Pink" 4 23

34 34 Duran Duran – "Careless Memories" 7 22

38 35 The Kinks – "Destroyer" 35 5

36 36 Kim Carnes – "Mistaken Identity" 36 4

39 37 Ringo Starr – "Wrack My Brain" 37 3

NE 38 Quarterflash – "Harden My Heart" 38 1

NE 39 The Moody Blues – "Talking Out of Turn" 39 1

NE 40 Rod Stewart – "Young Turks" 40 1

DROPOUTS:

33 -- Foreigner – "Urgent" 4 21

35 -- Balance – "Breaking Away" 10 17

40 -- Red Rider – "Lunatic Fringe" 30 13

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