# 1982 in British music

This is a summary of 1982 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

## Events

* 20 January – Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a bat thrown at him during a performance, mistaking it for a toy.
* 3 March – The Barbican Arts Centre in London is opened by the Queen.
* 21 March – The Musical House that Max Built, a documentary about Peter Maxwell Davies, is broadcast by London Weekend Television, presented by Melvyn Bragg.
* 26 April – Rod Stewart is mugged in Los Angeles, California. Stewart loses his $50,000 Porsche to the mugger, but was not hurt.
* 10 May – Topper Headon is sacked from the Clash for his ongoing addiction to heroin, just a few days prior to the release of the band's Combat Rock album. He is replaced by original Clash drummer Terry Chimes.
* 15 May – "A Little Peace" becomes the 500th UK number-one single.
* 26 May – The Rolling Stones open their European tour in Aberdeen, Scotland.
* 22 August – The first performance of Image, Reflection, Shadow, by Peter Maxwell Davies takes place at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland.
* 28 August – Eric Burdon is arrested for cocaine possession after a show at the Rockpalast in Cologne.
* 11 September – The first concert is held at the new St David's Hall, Cardiff. The official opening is not until five months later.
* 14 September – Thea Musgrave's radio opera An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge premieres on BBC Radio 3.
* 22 September – The Who begin their only formally announced "farewell" tour in Washington, D.C.
* 2 October – The first performance of Imogen Holst‘s String Quintet takes place at the Cricklade Festival by the Endellion String Quartet with Steven Isserlis on cello. It is this work that Holst herself said made her “a real composer”.
* 30 October – Paul Weller shocks fans, and his bandmates, by announcing that the Jam are to disband, just prior to a short UK tour. "Beat Surrender" would be the band's final single, and became their fourth and final UK number one.
* 5 November – First broadcast of The Tube on Channel 4.
* 11 December – The Jam give their final performance together, at Brighton Conference Centre, just before their split.

## Charts
### Number-one singles

| Week Ending Date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 2 January | "Don't You Want Me" | The Human League |
| 9 January | "Don't You Want Me" | The Human League |
| 16 January | "The Land of Make Believe" | Bucks Fizz |
| 23 January | "The Land of Make Believe" | Bucks Fizz |
| 30 January | "Oh Julie" | Shakin' Stevens |
| 6 February | "The Model"/"Computer Love" | Kraftwerk |
| 13 February | "Town Called Malice"/"Precious" | The Jam |
| 20 February | "Town Called Malice"/"Precious" | The Jam |
| 27 February | "Town Called Malice"/"Precious" | The Jam |
| 6 March | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | Tight Fit |
| 13 March | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | Tight Fit |
| 20 March | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | Tight Fit |
| 27 March | "Seven Tears" | Goombay Dance Band |
| 3 April | "Seven Tears" | Goombay Dance Band |
| 10 April | "Seven Tears" | Goombay Dance Band |
| 17 April | "My Camera Never Lies" | Bucks Fizz |
| 24 April | "Ebony and Ivory" | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder |
| 1 May | "Ebony and Ivory" | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder |
| 8 May | "Ebony and Ivory" | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder |
| 15 May | "A Little Peace" | Nicole |
| 22 May | "A Little Peace" | Nicole |
| 29 May | "House of Fun" | Madness |
| 5 June | "House of Fun" | Madness |
| 12 June | "Goody Two Shoes" | Adam Ant |
| 19 June | "Goody Two Shoes" | Adam Ant |
| 26 June | "I've Never Been to Me" | Charlene |
| 3 July | "Happy Talk" | Captain Sensible |
| 10 July | "Happy Talk" | Captain Sensible |
| 17 July | "Fame" | Irene Cara |
| 24 July | "Fame" | Irene Cara |
| 31 July | "Fame" | Irene Cara |
| 7 August | "Come on Eileen" | Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express |
| 14 August | "Come on Eileen" | Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express |
| 21 August | "Come on Eileen" | Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express |
| 28 August | "Come on Eileen" | Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express |
| 4 September | "Eye of the Tiger" | Survivor |
| 11 September | "Eye of the Tiger" | Survivor |
| 18 September | "Eye of the Tiger" | Survivor |
| 25 September | "Eye of the Tiger" | Survivor |
| 2 October | "Pass the Dutchie" | Musical Youth |
| 9 October | "Pass the Dutchie" | Musical Youth |
| 16 October | "Pass the Dutchie" | Musical Youth |
| 23 October | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" | Culture Club |
| 30 October | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" | Culture Club |
| 6 November | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" | Culture Club |
| 13 November | "I Don't Wanna Dance" | Eddy Grant |
| 20 November | "I Don't Wanna Dance" | Eddy Grant |
| 27 November | "I Don't Wanna Dance" | Eddy Grant |
| 4 December | "Beat Surrender" | The Jam |
| 11 December | "Beat Surrender" | The Jam |
| 18 December | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato |
| 25 December | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato |
"The Model"/"Computer Love" was the first single by a German artist to top the chart since its establishment 29 years earlier. By the end of 1982, there had been two further number ones by German artists, "Seven Tears" and "A Little Peace".

### Number-one albums

| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 2 January | The Visitors | ABBA |
| 9 January | Dare | The Human League |
| 16 January | Dare | The Human League |
| 23 January | Dare | The Human League |
| 30 January | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 6 February | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 13 February | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 20 February | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 27 February | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 6 March | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 13 March | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 20 March | The Gift | The Jam |
| 27 March | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 3 April | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand |
| 10 April | The Number of the Beast | Iron Maiden |
| 17 April | The Number of the Beast | Iron Maiden |
| 24 April | 1+9+8+2 | Status Quo |
| 1 May | Barry Live In Britain | Barry Manilow |
| 8 May | Tug of War | Paul McCartney |
| 15 May | Tug of War | Paul McCartney |
| 22 May | Complete Madness | Madness |
| 29 May | Complete Madness | Madness |
| 5 June | Avalon | Roxy Music |
| 12 June | Complete Madness | Madness |
| 19 June | Avalon | Roxy Music |
| 26 June | Avalon | Roxy Music |
| 3 July | The Lexicon of Love | ABC |
| 10 July | The Lexicon of Love | ABC |
| 17 July | The Lexicon of Love | ABC |
| 24 July | Fame | Soundtrack |
| 31 July | Fame | Soundtrack |
| 7 August | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 14 August | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 21 August | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 28 August | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 4 September | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 11 September | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 18 September | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 25 September | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 2 October | Love Over Gold | Dire Straits |
| 9 October | Love Over Gold | Dire Straits |
| 16 October | Love Over Gold | Dire Straits |
| 23 October | Love Over Gold | Dire Straits |
| 30 October | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 6 November | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 13 November | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 20 November | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" |
| 27 November | The Singles: The First Ten Years | ABBA |
| 4 December | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon |
| 11 December | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon |
| 18 December | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon |
| 25 December | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon |

## Year-end charts

The tables below include sales between 1 January and 31 December 1982: the year-end charts reproduced in the issue of Music Week dated 26 December 1982 and played on Radio 1 on 2 January 1983 only include sales figures up until 11 December 1982.

### Best-selling singles

| No. | Title | Artist | Peak position |
| 1 | "Come On Eileen" | Dexys Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express | 1 |
| 2 | "Fame" | Irene Cara | 1 |
| 3 | "Eye of the Tiger" | Survivor | 1 |
| 4 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | Tight Fit | 1 |
| 5 | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" | Culture Club | 1 |
| 6 | "Pass the Dutchie" | Musical Youth | 1 |
| 7 | "I Don't Wanna Dance" | Eddy Grant | 1 |
| 8 | "Seven Tears" | Goombay Dance Band | 1 |
| 9 | "Ebony and Ivory" | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder | 1 |
| 10 | "Town Called Malice"/"Precious" | The Jam | 1 |
| 11 | "Golden Brown" | The Stranglers | 2 |
| 12 | "Mad World" | Tears for Fears | 3 |
| 13 | "Mickey" | Toni Basil | 2 |
| 14 | "Love Plus One" | Haircut One Hundred | 3 |
| 15 | "The Model"/"Computer Love" | Kraftwerk | 1 |
| 16 | "Oh Julie" | Shakin' Stevens | 1 |
| 17 | "Goody Two Shoes" | Adam Ant | 1 |
| 18 | "Heartbreaker" | Dionne Warwick | 2 |
| 19 | "Only You" | Yazoo | 2 |
| 20 | "Don't Go" | Yazoo | 3 |
| 21 | "Walking on Sunshine" | Rockers Revenge featuring Donnie Calvin | 4 |
| 22 | "Zoom" | Fat Larry's Band | 2 |
| 23 | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato | 1 |
| 24 | "I Won't Let You Down" | PhD | 3 |
| 25 | "Just an Illusion" | Imagination | 2 |
| 26 | "Starmaker" | The Kids from "Fame" | 3 |
| 27 | "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" | Chicago | 4 |
| 28 | "Abracadabra" | Steve Miller Band | 2 |
| 29 | "The Look of Love" | ABC | 4 |
| 30 | "Centerfold" | The J. Geils Band | 3 |
| 31 | "House of Fun" | Madness | 1 |
| 32 | "The Land of Make Believe" | Bucks Fizz | 1 |
| 33 | "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)" | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | 4 |
| 34 | "Young Guns (Go for It)" | Wham! | 3 |
| 35 | "Ain't No Pleasing You" | Chas & Dave | 2 |
| 36 | "Save a Prayer" | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 37 | "T'ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" | Fun Boy Three with Bananarama | 4 |
| 38 | "A Little Peace" | Nicole | 1 |
| 39 | "Hungry Like the Wolf" | Duran Duran | 5 |
| 40 | "My Camera Never Lies" | Bucks Fizz | 1 |
| 41 | "It Started with a Kiss" | Hot Chocolate | 5 |
| 42 | "Fantasy Island" | Tight Fit | 5 |
| 43 | "Dead Ringer for Love" | Meat Loaf | 5 |
| 44 | "Inside Out" | Odyssey | 3 |
| 45 | "Torch" | Soft Cell | 2 |
| 46 | "This Time (We'll Get It Right)"/"We'll Fly the Flag" | England World Cup Squad | 2 |
| 47 | "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" | Soft Cell | 3 |
| 48 | "I've Never Been to Me" | Charlene | 1 |
| 49 | "Mirror Man" | The Human League | 2 |
| 50 | "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" | Pigbag | 3 |

### Best-selling albums

| No. | Title | Artist | Peak position |
| 1 | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand | 1 |
| 2 | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" | 1 |
| 3 | Complete Madness | Madness | 1 |
| 4 | The Lexicon of Love | ABC | 1 |
| 5 | Rio | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 6 | Love Over Gold | Dire Straits | 1 |
| 7 | Pelican West | Haircut One Hundred | 2 |
| 8 | Dare | The Human League | 1 |
| 9 | Avalon | Roxy Music | 1 |
| 10 | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon | 1 |
| 11 | Too Rye Ay | Dexys Midnight Runners | 2 |
| 12 | Pearls | Elkie Brooks | 2 |
| 13 | All for a Song | Barbara Dickson | 3 |
| 14 | Upstairs at Eric's | Yazoo | 2 |
| 15 | Tropical Gangsters | Kid Creole and the Coconuts | 3 |
| 16 | The Gift | The Jam | 1 |
| 17 | Bat Out of Hell | Meat Loaf | 12 |
| 18 | Tug of War | Paul McCartney | 1 |
| 19 | The Number of the Beast | Iron Maiden | 1 |
| 20 | Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret | Soft Cell | 5 |
| 21 | Friends | Shalamar | 11 |
| 22 | Chariots of Fire | Vangelis | 6 |
| 23 | Architecture & Morality | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | 3 |
| 24 | Love and Dancing | League Unlimited Orchestra | 3 |
| 25 | The Singles: The First Ten Years | ABBA | 1 |
| 26 | Barry Live in Britain | Barry Manilow | 1 |
| 27 | Greatest Hits | Queen | 2 |
| 28 | Fame | Original Soundtrack | 1 |
| 29 | 4 | Foreigner | 5 |
| 30 | The Kids from "Fame" Again | The Kids from "Fame" | 2 |
| 31 | Night Birds | Shakatak | 4 |
| 32 | Love Songs | The Commodores | 5 |
| 33 | Tin Drum | Japan | 13 |
| 34 | Action Trax | Various Artists | 2 |
| 35 | Asia | Asia | 11 |
| 36 | Heartbreaker | Dionne Warwick | 3 |
| 37 | Still Life | The Rolling Stones | 4 |
| 38 | Reflections | Various Artists | 4 |
| 39 | Give Me Your Heart Tonight | Shakin' Stevens | 3 |
| 40 | Dead Ringer | Meat Loaf | 7 |
| 41 | Kissing to Be Clever | Culture Club | 5 |
| 42 | Three Sides Live | Genesis | 2 |
| 43 | The Concert in Central Park | Simon & Garfunkel | 6 |
| 44 | Mirage | Fleetwood Mac | 5 |
| 45 | Begin the Beguine | Julio Iglesias | 5 |
| 46 | 1+9+8+2 | Status Quo | 1 |
| 47 | From the Makers of... | Status Quo | 4 |
| 48 | Chart Beat/Chart Heat | Various Artists | 2 |
| 49 | Pearls II | Elkie Brooks | 5 |
| 50 | In the Heat of the Night | Imagination | 7 |
Notes:
* ↑ Reached number 9 in 1981
* ↑ Reached number 1 in 1981
* ↑ Reached number 1 in 1981

## Classical music
### New works

* Malcolm Arnold – Trumpet Concerto
* David Bedford – The Juniper Tree, for soprano, recorder and harpsichord
* Richard Rodney Bennett
** After Syrinx, for oboe and piano
** Anniversaries, for ensemble
** Freda's Fandango, for ensemble
** Summer Music, for flute and piano
* Lennox Berkeley
** Mazurka for piano
** Sonnet for high voice and piano
* Michael Berkeley
** The Crocodile and Father William, for girls choir
** Easter, anthem for choir, organ and brass
** Gregorian Variations for orchestra
** Guitar Sonata in one movement
** Nocturne for flute, harp, violin, viola and cello
** Piano Trio
** Romance of the Rose, for orchestra
* David Blake
** Change is Going to Come, for mezzo, baritone, chorus and four players
** String Quartet No. 3
* Edward Cowie
** Choral Symphony (Symphonies of Rain, Sea and Speed) (1981-2)
** Harp Concerto
** Kate Kelly's Roadshow, music theatre
** Kelly Ballet
** Symphony No 2, Australian
* Gordon Crosse
** A Wake, for flute, clarinet, cello and piano
** Rhymes and Reasons, Trio for clarinet, cello and piano
* Peter Maxwell Davies
** Image, Reflection, Shadow, for ensemble
** Organ Sonata
** Pole Star March for brass quintet or band
** Sea Eagle, for horn
** Sinfonia Concertante for chamber orchestra
** Songs of Hoy, masque for children's voices
* Peter Dickinson – The Unicorns, for soprano and brass band
* Brian Ferneyhough – Carceri d'Invenzione for chamber orchestra
* Michael Finnissy
** Aijal, for flute, oboe and percussion
** Anninnia, for soprano and piano
** Banumbirr, for ensemble
** Dilok, for oboe and piano
** Gerhana, for solo percussion
** Mississippi Hornpipe, for violin and piano
** Tya, for ensemble
** Warara, for tenor, flute, clarinet and two percussion
* Iain Hamilton
** Love is Life's Spring, for soprano and piano
** St Mark's Passion, for soli and chorus
* Robin Holloway
** Anthem, for unaccompanied voices
** Concertino No. 4 Showpiece, for fourteen players
** From Hills and Valleys, for brass band (1981-2)
** Men Marching for brass band (1981-2)
** Serenata Notturna, for four horns and small orchestra
** Suite for saxophone
** Women in War, review for four female soloists and piano
* Gordon Jacob – Flute concerto No. 2, for flute and strings
* Wilfred Josephs
** High Spirits, orchestral overture
** Percussion Concerto, for percussion and brass
** Two Flute Studies
** Viola Concerto
* Kenneth Leighton – Fantasy Octet Hommage to Percy Grainger
* John McCabe
** Concerto for Orchestra
** Desert III: Landscape, for violin, cello and piano
** Lamentation Rag, for piano
** String Quartet No. 4
* Elizabeth Maconchy
** My Dark Heart, song cycle for soprano and ensemble
* William Mathias
** Antiphonies, for organ
** Lux Aeterna, for soli, chorus, organ and orchestra
** Salvator Mundi, for female choir, piano duet, percussion and strings
* Nicholas Maw
** Night Thoughts, for solo flute
** Spring Music, for orchestra
** String Quartet No. 2
* Thea Musgrave – Fanfare for brass quintet
* Paul Patterson – Sinfonia for strings
* John Tavener
** Doxa, for chorus
** The Lamb, for unaccompanied chorus
** Lord's Prayer, for chorus
** Mandoodles, for a young pianist
** Towards the Son: Ritual Procession for chamber orchestra
* Michael Tippett – The Mask of Time, oratorio
* William Walton
** Passacaglia, for solo cello
** Prologo e Fantasia, for orchestra
* Hugh Wood – Symphony

### Opera

* Lennox Berkeley – Faldon Park
* Gavin Bryars – Medea
* Alexander Goehr – Behold the Sun
* Wilfred Josephs – The Montgolfier's Famous Flying Club, operetta for schools

## Film and Incidental music

* Michael Nyman – The Draughtsman's Contract directed by Peter Greenaway.

## Musical theatre

* Anthony Burgess – Blooms of Dublin
* Geoffrey Burgon – Orpheus

## Music awards
### BRIT Awards

The 1982 BRIT Awards winners were:
* Best British producer: Martin Rushent
* Best classical recording: Gustav Mahler's – "Symphony No. 10"
* Best selling album: Adam and the Ants – "Kings of the Wild Frontier"
* British breakthrough act: The Human League
* British female solo artist: Randy Crawford
* British group: The Police
* British male solo artist: Cliff Richard
* Outstanding contribution: John Lennon

## Births

* 11 January – Ashley Taylor Dawson, singer (allSTARS*)
* 16 January – Preston, singer
* 20 January – Chris Park, singer (Phixx)
* 10 March – Jonathan Ansell, tenor (G4)
* 6 March – Sinead Shepard, Irish singer (Six)
* 11 March – Kyle Anderson, Northern Irish singer (Six)
* 23 March – Emma O'Driscoll, Irish singer (Six) and TV presenter
* 7 April – Kelli Young, singer (Liberty X)
* 26 April – Jon Lee, singer (S Club 7)
* 30 April – Cleo Higgins, singer (Cleopatra)
* 7 June – Amy Nuttall, actress and opera singer
* 18 June – Haydon Eshun, singer (Ultimate Kaos)
* 20 June – Example, singer-songwriter, musician and rapper
* 30 June
** Andy Knowles, musician (Franz Ferdinand)
** Ashley Walters, rapper and actor
* 17 July – Natasha Hamilton, singer (Atomic Kitten)
* 22 September – Billie Piper, singer and actress
* 4 October – YolanDa Brown, jazz saxophonist
* 14 December – Anthony Way, chorister
* 29 December – Cherise Roberts, singer (Big Brovaz, Booty Luv)
* date unknown – Charlotte Bray, composer

## Deaths

* 6 January – Katherine Bacon, concert pianist, 85
* 12 January
** Hervey Alan, operatic bass and voice teacher, 71
** Dorothy Howell, pianist and composer, 83
* 18 January – Alec Robertson, music critic, 89
* 30 January – Stanley Holloway, actor, singer and monologist, 91
* 4 February – Alex Harvey, rock singer and entertainer, 46 (heart attack)
* 20 March – Roy Fox, American-born dance bandleader, 80
* 1 May – William Primrose, violist, 77
* 6 May – Rosamond Harding, music scholar, 84
* 12 May – Humphrey Searle, composer, 66
* 24 May – Richard Hall, composer, 78
* 16 June – James Honeyman-Scott, guitarist of The Pretenders, 25 (heart failure caused by cocaine intolerance)
* 25 June – Alex Welsh, jazz musician, 52
* 29 June – Pipe Major Donald MacLeod, bagpipe musician and composer, 65
* 4 July – Maurice Blower, composer, 88
* 1 September – Clifford Curzon, classical pianist, 75
* 29 September – A. L. Lloyd, folk song collector, 74
* 6 October – Philip Green, film and TV composer and conductor, 71
* 8 October – Erik Routley, hymn writer and composer, 64
* 16 October – Rory McEwen, artist and musician, 50
* 29 October – William Lloyd Webber, organist and composer, 68
* 1 November
** Dorothy Gow, composer, 89
** Leighton Lucas, composer, 79
* 13 November – Chesney Allen, entertainer, 88
* 16 November – Arthur Askey, entertainer, 82
* 5 December – Caryl Brahms, musician and writer, 80
* 19 December – Lawrance Collingwood, conductor, composer and record producer, 95
* date unknown – Bob Roberts, folk singer, 74/75