# List of NME number-one singles of the 1980s

NME (or New Musical Express) is a British weekly pop music newspaper which now exists only online. NME was the first record chart in the United Kingdom based on sales having imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine on 14 November 1952. From 1960, Record Retailer began compiling a chart and this is regarded by The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums as the canonical source for the British singles chart. Prior to 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) chart was established as part of a joint commission by Record Retailer and the BBC, there was no one universally accepted or official source and many periodicals compiled their own chart. Nevertheless, in the 1960s, NME had the biggest circulation of charts in the decade and was most widely followed. Although not regarded as the primary source for UK charts, NME continued to compile an independent chart until 11 June 1988 (Melody Maker ended its own independently compiled chart the preceding week on 4 June). It was the longest independently complied chart and, when it ceased, NME published the Market Research Information Bureau chart. From 19 February 1983 to 22 September 1984, the new NME chart was broadcast weekly on Capital Radio's Pick of the Pops Take Two, presented by Alan Freeman; this show also featured archive NME charts.
Notable differences when compared to the official chart run by BMRB and, later, Gallup are an additional two number-one singles in the decade for Rick Astley, David Bowie, Spandau Ballet and Phil Collins. Significantly, Tears for Fears' song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" spent three weeks at the top of the NME chart although it never topped the Gallup chart. Additionally, as well as making number one on the NME chart and not the official chart, a-ha's "Take On Me" and Ultravox's "Vienna" were also in the top five best-selling singles of their year. Eighteen acts achieved a number-one single on the NME chart but never had an official number-one single although two of these had songs they had written reach number one when performed by another artist.

## Number-one singles

Key :
| ‡ | The song did not reach number one on the BMRB which later became the Gallup chart which is considered as the official chart after 15 February 1969. |
| | The song spent a week at number one where it shared the top spot with another song. |
| No. | Artist | Single | Reached number one | Weeks at number one |
| 1980 |||||
| 488 | Pretenders | "Brass in Pocket" | 19 January 1980 | 2 |
| 489 | Madness | "My Girl" ‡ | 2 February 1980 | 1 |
| 490 | The Specials | The Special A.K.A. Live! | 9 February 1980 | 1 |
| 491 | Kenny Rogers | "Coward of the County" | 16 February 1980 | 2 |
| 492 | Blondie | "Atomic" | 1 March 1980 | 3 |
| 493 | Fern Kinney | "Together We Are Beautiful" | 22 March 1980 | 1 |
| 494 | The Jam | "Going Underground" | 29 March 1980 | 2 |
| 495 | Liquid Gold | "Dance Yourself Dizzy" ‡ | 12 April 1980 | 2 |
| 496 | Blondie | "Call Me" | 26 April 1980 | 2 |
| 497 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | "Geno" | 10 May 1980 | 1 |
| 498 | Johnny Logan | "What's Another Year" | 17 May 1980 | 2 |
| 499 | Hot Chocolate | "No Doubt About It" ‡ | 31 May 1980 | 1 |
| 500 | M*A*S*H | "Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless)" | 7 June 1980 | 2 |
| 501 | Lipps Inc | "Funkytown" ‡ | 21 June 1980 | 1 |
| 502 | Don McLean | "Crying" | 28 June 1980 | 2 |
| 503 | Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra | "Xanadu" | 12 July 1980 | 3 |
| 504 | Odyssey | "Use It Up and Wear It Out" | 2 August 1980 | 1 |
| 505 | Diana Ross | "Upside Down" ‡ | 9 August 1980 | 1 |
| 506 | ABBA | "The Winner Takes It All" | 16 August 1980 | 2 |
| 507 | David Bowie | "Ashes to Ashes" | 30 August 1980 | 2 |
| 508 | The Jam | "Start!" | 13 September 1980 | 1 |
| 509 | Randy Crawford | "One Day I'll Fly Away" ‡ | 20 September 1980 | 2 |
| 510 | The Police | "Don't Stand So Close to Me" | 4 October 1980 | 4 |
| 511 | Barbra Streisand | "Woman in Love" | 1 November 1980 | 3 |
| 512 | Blondie | "The Tide Is High" | 22 November 1980 | 2 |
| 513 | ABBA | "Super Trouper" | 6 December 1980 | 2 |
| 514 | Jona Lewie | "Stop the Cavalry" ‡ | 20 December 1980 | 2 |
| 1981 |||||
| 515 | John Lennon | "(Just Like) Starting Over" | 3 January 1981 | 1 |
| 516 | John Lennon | "Imagine" | 10 January 1981 | 4 |
| 517 | Phil Collins | "In the Air Tonight" ‡ | 7 February 1981 | 2 |
| 518 | Ultravox | "Vienna" ‡ | 21 February 1981 | 1 |
| 519 | Joe Dolce Music Theatre | "Shaddap You Face" | 28 February 1981 | 2 |
| 520 | Roxy Music | "Jealous Guy" | 14 March 1981 | 2 |
| 521 | Shakin' Stevens | "This Ole House" | 28 March 1981 | 3 |
| 522 | Bucks Fizz | "Making Your Mind Up" | 18 April 1981 | 2 |
| 523 | Ennio Morricone | "Chi Mai (Theme from The Life and Times of David Lloyd George)" ‡ | 2 May 1981 | 1 |
| 524 | Starsound | "Stars on 45" ‡ | 9 May 1981 | 1 |
| 525 | Adam and the Ants | "Stand and Deliver" | 16 May 1981 | 4 |
| 526 | Smokey Robinson | "Being with You" | 13 June 1981 | 2 |
| 527 | Michael Jackson | "One Day In Your Life" | 27 June 1981 | 3 |
| 528 | The Specials | "Ghost Town" | 18 July 1981 | 2 |
| 529 | Spandau Ballet | "Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)" ‡ | 1 August 1981 | 1 |
| 530 | Shakin' Stevens | "Green Door" | 8 August 1981 | 1 |
| 531 | Stevie Wonder | "Happy Birthday" ‡ | 15 August 1981 | 1 |
| re | Shakin' Stevens | "Green Door" | 22 August 1981 | 2 |
| 532 | Aneka | "Japanese Boy" | 5 September 1981 | 1 |
| 533 | Soft Cell | "Tainted Love" | 12 September 1981 | 1 |
| 534 | Adam and the Ants | "Prince Charming" | 19 September 1981 | 5 |
| 535 | Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin | "It's My Party" | 24 October 1981 | 2 |
| 536 | Altered Images | "Happy Birthday" ‡ | 7 November 1981 | 1 |
| 537 | The Police | "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" | 14 November 1981 | 2 |
| 538 | Queen and David Bowie | "Under Pressure" | 28 November 1981 | 2 |
| 539 | Julio Iglesias | "Begin the Beguine (Volver A Empezar)" | 12 December 1981 | 1 |
| 540 | The Human League | "Don't You Want Me" | 19 December 1981 | 2 |
| 1982 |||||
| 541 | ABBA | "One of Us" ‡ | 2 January 1982 | 1 |
| re | The Human League | "Don't You Want Me" | 9 January 1982 | 1 |
| 542 | Bucks Fizz | "The Land of Make Believe" | 16 January 1982 | 2 |
| 543 | Kraftwerk | "Computer Love" / "The Model" | 30 January 1982 | 3 |
| 544 | The Jam | "Town Called Malice" | 20 February 1982 | 3 |
| 545 | Tight Fit | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | 13 March 1982 | 3 |
| 546 | Goombay Dance Band | "Seven Tears" | 3 April 1982 | 2 |
| 547 | Bucks Fizz | "My Camera Never Lies" | 17 April 1982 | 2 |
| 548 | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder | "Ebony and Ivory" | 1 May 1982 | 2 |
| 549 | Ph.D. | "I Won't Let You Down" ‡ | 15 May 1982 | 1 |
| 550 | Nicole | "A Little Peace" | 22 May 1982 | 1 |
| 551 | Adam Ant | "Goody Two Shoes" | 29 May 1982 | 1 |
| 552 | Madness | "House of Fun" | 5 June 1982 | 2 |
| re | Adam Ant | "Goody Two Shoes" | 19 June 1982 | 2 |
| 553 | Charlene | "I've Never Been to Me" | 3 July 1982 | 1 |
| 554 | Captain Sensible | "Happy Talk" | 10 July 1982 | 1 |
| 555 | Steve Miller Band | "Abracadabra" ‡ | 17 July 1982 | 1 |
| 556 | Irene Cara | "Fame" | 24 July 1982 | 2 |
| 557 | Dexy's Midnight Runners | "Come On Eileen" | 7 August 1982 | 4 |
| 558 | Survivor | "Eye of the Tiger" | 4 September 1982 | 3 |
| 559 | Dire Straits | "Private Investigations" ‡ | 25 September 1982 | 1 |
| 560 | The Jam | "The Bitterest Pill" ‡ | 2 October 1982 | 1 |
| 561 | Musical Youth | "Pass the Dutchie" | 9 October 1982 | 2 |
| 562 | Culture Club | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | 23 October 1982 | 3 |
| 563 | Eddy Grant | "I Don't Wanna Dance" | 13 November 1982 | 2 |
| 564 | Dionne Warwick | "Heartbreaker" ‡ | 27 November 1982 | 1 |
| 565 | The Human League | "Mirror Man" ‡ | 4 December 1982 | 1 |
| 566 | The Jam | "Beat Surrender" | 18 December 1982 | 1 |
| 567 | Culture Club | "Time (Clock of the Heart)" ‡ | 25 December 1982 | 2 |
| 1983 |||||
| 568 | Renée and Renato | "Save Your Love" | 8 January 1983 | 1 |
| 569 | Phil Collins | "You Can't Hurry Love" | 15 January 1983 | 2 |
| 570 | Men at Work | "Down Under" | 29 January 1983 | 3 |
| 571 | Kajagoogoo | "Too Shy" | 19 February 1983 | 2 |
| 572 | Michael Jackson | "Billie Jean" | 5 March 1983 | 2 |
| 573 | Bonnie Tyler | "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | 19 March 1983 | 2 |
| 574 | Duran Duran | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | 2 April 1983 | 2 |
| 575 | David Bowie | "Let's Dance" | 16 April 1983 | 3 |
| 576 | Spandau Ballet | "True" | 7 May 1983 | 4 |
| 577 | New Edition | "Candy Girl" | 4 June 1983 | 1 |
| 578 | The Police | "Every Breath You Take" | 11 June 1983 | 2 |
| 579 | David Bowie | "China Girl" ‡ | 25 June 1983 | 1 |
| re | The Police | "Every Breath You Take" | 2 July 1983 | 1 |
| 580 | Rod Stewart | "Baby Jane" | 9 July 1983 | 1 |
| 581 | Paul Young | "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" | 16 July 1983 | 5 |
| 582 | KC and the Sunshine Band | "Give It Up" | 20 August 1983 | 1 |
| 583 | Spandau Ballet | "Gold" ‡ | 27 August 1983 | 2 |
| 584 | UB40 | "Red Red Wine" | 10 September 1983 | 3 |
| 585 | Culture Club | "Karma Chameleon" | 1 October 1983 | 6 |
| 586 | Billy Joel | "Uptown Girl" | 12 November 1983 | 3 |
| 587 | The Assembly | "Never Never" ‡ | 3 December 1983 | 1 |
| 588 | Paul Young | "Love of the Common People" ‡ | 10 December 1983 | 1 |
| 589 | The Flying Pickets | "Only You" | 17 December 1983 | 5 |
| 1984 |||||
| 590 | Paul McCartney | "Pipes of Peace" | 21 January 1984 | 1 |
| 591 | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | "Relax" | 28 January 1984 | 3 |
| 592 | Queen | "Radio Ga Ga" ‡ | 18 February 1984 | 1 |
| re | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | "Relax" | 25 February 1984 | 1 |
| 593 | Nena | "99 Red Balloons" | 3 March 1984 | 4 |
| 594 | Lionel Richie | "Hello" | 31 March 1984 | 5 |
| 595 | Phil Collins | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" ‡ | 5 May 1984 | 1 |
| 596 | Duran Duran | "The Reflex" | 12 May 1984 | 2 |
| 597 | The Pointer Sisters | "Automatic" ‡ | 26 May 1984 | 2 |
| 598 | Wham! | "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" | 9 June 1984 | 2 |
| 599 | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | "Two Tribes" | 23 June 1984 | 8 |
| 600 | George Michael | "Careless Whisper" | 18 August 1984 | 3 |
| 601 | Stevie Wonder | "I Just Called to Say I Love You" | 8 September 1984 | 6 |
| 602 | Culture Club | "The War Song" ‡ | 20 October 1984 | 1 |
| 603 | Wham! | "Freedom" | 27 October 1984 | 2 |
| 604 | Chaka Khan | "I Feel for You" | 17 November 1984 | 3 |
| 605 | Jim Diamond | "I Should Have Known Better" | 8 December 1984 | 1 |
| 606 | Band Aid | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | 15 December 1984 | 5 |
| 1985 |||||
| 607 | Wham! | "Everything She Wants" / "Last Christmas" ‡ | 19 January 1985 | 1 |
| 608 | Foreigner | "I Want to Know What Love Is" | 26 January 1985 | 2 |
| 609 | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | "I Know Him So Well" | 9 February 1985 | 1 |
| 610 | King | "Love and Pride" ‡ | 16 February 1985 | 1 |
| re | Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson | "I Know Him So Well" | 23 February 1985 | 1 |
| 611 | Dead or Alive | "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" | 9 March 1985 | 2 |
| 612 | Philip Bailey (duet with Phil Collins) | "Easy Lover" | 23 March 1985 | 3 |
| 613 | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" ‡ | 13 April 1985 | 1 |
| 614 | Tears for Fears | "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" ‡ | 20 April 1985 | 3 |
| 615 | Phyllis Nelson | "Move Closer" | 11 May 1985 | 1 |
| 616 | Paul Hardcastle | "19" | 18 May 1985 | 5 |
| 617 | The Crowd | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 22 June 1985 | 1 |
| 618 | Madonna | "Crazy for You" ‡ | 29 June 1985 | 1 |
| 619 | Sister Sledge | "Frankie" | 6 July 1985 | 3 |
| 620 | Eurythmics | "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" | 27 July 1985 | 2 |
| 621 | Madonna | "Into the Groove" | 10 August 1985 | 4 |
| 622 | UB40 and Chrissie Hynde | "I Got You Babe" | 7 September 1985 | 1 |
| 623 | David Bowie and Mick Jagger | "Dancing in the Street" | 14 September 1985 | 3 |
| 624 | Midge Ure | "If I Was" | 5 October 1985 | 1 |
| 625 | Jennifer Rush | "The Power of Love" | 12 October 1985 | 3 |
| 626 | a-ha | "Take On Me" ‡ | 2 November 1985 | 1 |
| re | Jennifer Rush | "The Power of Love" | 9 November 1985 | 1 |
| 627 | Elton John | "Nikita" ‡ | 16 November 1985 | 1 |
| 628 | Feargal Sharkey | "A Good Heart" | 23 November 1985 | 2 |
| 629 | Wham! | "I'm Your Man" | 7 December 1985 | 2 |
| 630 | Whitney Houston | "Saving All My Love for You" | 21 December 1985 | 3 |
| 1986 |||||
| 631 | Pet Shop Boys | "West End Girls" | 11 January 1986 | 2 |
| 632 | a-ha | "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." | 25 January 1986 | 3 |
| 633 | Billy Ocean | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | 15 February 1986 | 4 |
| 634 | Diana Ross | "Chain Reaction" | 15 March 1986 | 2 |
| 635 | David Bowie | "Absolute Beginners" ‡ | 29 March 1986 | 1 |
| 636 | Cliff Richard and The Young Ones | "Living Doll" | 5 April 1986 | 3 |
| 637 | George Michael | "A Different Corner" | 26 April 1986 | 3 |
| 638 | Falco | "Rock Me Amadeus" | 17 May 1986 | 1 |
| 639 | Spitting Image | "The Chicken Song" | 24 May 1986 | 2 |
| 640 | Doctor and the Medics | "Spirit in the Sky" | 7 June 1986 | 4 |
| 641 | Wham! | "The Edge of Heaven" | 5 July 1986 | 1 |
| 642 | Madonna | "Papa Don't Preach" | 12 July 1986 | 3 |
| 643 | Chris de Burgh | "The Lady in Red" | 2 August 1986 | 3 |
| 644 | Boris Gardiner | "I Want to Wake Up with You" | 23 August 1986 | 3 |
| 645 | The Communards | "Don't Leave Me This Way" | 13 September 1986 | 5 |
| 646 | Madonna | "True Blue" | 18 October 1986 | 1 |
| 647 | Nick Berry | "Every Loser Wins" | 25 October 1986 | 3 |
| 648 | Berlin | "Take My Breath Away" | 15 November 1986 | 3 |
| 649 | Europe | "The Final Countdown" | 6 December 1986 | 2 |
| 650 | The Housemartins | "Caravan of Love" | 20 December 1986 | 3 |
| 1987 |||||
| 651 | Jackie Wilson | "Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl in Town)" | 10 January 1987 | 3 |
| 652 | Robbie Nevil | "C'est La Vie" ‡ | 31 January 1987 | 1 |
| 653 | Aretha Franklin and George Michael | "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" | 7 February 1987 | 3 |
| 654 | Ben E. King | "Stand by Me" | 28 February 1987 | 3 |
| 655 | Boy George | "Everything I Own" | 21 March 1987 | 1 |
| 656 | Mel and Kim | "Respectable" | 28 March 1987 | 2 |
| 657 | Ferry Aid | "Let It Be" | 11 April 1987 | 2 |
| 658 | Madonna | "La Isla Bonita" | 25 April 1987 | 3 |
| 659 | Starship | "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" | 16 May 1987 | 3 |
| 660 | Whitney Houston | "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" | 6 June 1987 | 3 |
| 661 | The Firm | "Star Trekkin'" | 27 June 1987 | 2 |
| 662 | Pet Shop Boys | "It's a Sin" | 11 July 1987 | 3 |
| 663 | Madonna | "Who's That Girl" | 1 August 1987 | 1 |
| 664 | Los Lobos | "La Bamba" | 8 August 1987 | 2 |
| 665 | Michael Jackson | "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" | 22 August 1987 | 2 |
| 666 | Rick Astley | "Never Gonna Give You Up" | 5 September 1987 | 4 |
| 667 | M|A|R|R|S | "Pump Up the Volume" | 3 October 1987 | 2 |
| 668 | Abigail Mead and Nigel Goulding | "I Want To Be Your Drill Instructor" ‡ | 17 October 1987 | 1 |
| 669 | Bee Gees | "You Win Again" | 24 October 1987 | 2 |
| 670 | George Michael | "Faith" ‡ | 7 November 1987 | 1 |
| re | Bee Gees | "You Win Again" | 14 November 1987 | 1 |
| 671 | T'Pau | "China in Your Hand" | 21 November 1987 | 3 |
| 672 | Rick Astley | "When I Fall in Love" ‡ | 19 December 1987 | 2 |
| 1988 |||||
| 673 | Pet Shop Boys | "Always on My Mind" | 2 January 1988 | 3 |
| 674 | Belinda Carlisle | "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" | 23 January 1988 | 2 |
| 675 | Tiffany | "I Think We're Alone Now" | 6 February 1988 | 2 |
| 676 | Kylie Minogue | "I Should Be So Lucky" | 20 February 1988 | 2 |
| 677 | Bomb the Bass | "Beat Dis" ‡ | 5 March 1988 | 1 |
| 678 | Rick Astley | "Together Forever" ‡ | 19 March 1988 | 1 |
| 679 | Aswad | "Don't Turn Around" | 26 March 1988 | 3 |
| 680 | Pet Shop Boys | "Heart" | 16 April 1988 | 2 |
| 681 | S-Express | "Theme from S-Express" | 30 April 1988 | 2 |
| 682 | Fairground Attraction | "Perfect" | 14 May 1988 | 1 |
| 683 | Wet Wet Wet Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey | "With a Little Help from My Friends" "She's Leaving Home" | 21 May 1988 | 4 |