Apr. 25, 2014
Michael Jackson's dominance throughout 1983 (and 1984) cannot be disproved. Thriller, released in November 1982 -- during an era when the majority of an album's sales were not made within its first couple weeks of availability -- gradually became a pop culture phenomenon. It really started to roll in January '83, once second single "Billie Jean" hit radio and, eventually, MTV, the cutting edge music video channel that had played clips by dozens of stodgy, past-their-peak rock acts while ignoring progressive black artists like Rick James and Shalamar.
Even if MJ hadn't been active, R&B had plenty happening throughout the year. April was particularly memorable -- and sugar-coated -- for being the month when several of the year's best singles, including "Juicy Fruit," "Candy Man," "Candy Girl," and "Peanut Butter," reached airwaves. The same month also brought the Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets," one of the year's many phenomenal ballads along with a pair of number ones from DeBarge and the 808s and heartbreak of the Jam & Lewis-produced S.O.S. Band.
Given the recent passing of legendary DJ, remixer, and producer Frankie Knuckles, it must be noted that he deepened the impact of several of the songs in the subjective chart/playlist below, including numbers five and nine (the former of which he brilliantly remixed in 1989). This was also the year Knuckles released his first commercial remix -- a Top 15 club update of First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder."
Forty favorite singles that hit Billboard's Black Singles chart during 1983, followed by a Spotify playlist and month-based Top Ten lists:
1. Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean" [Epic, 1/29]
2. Mtume - "Juicy Fruit" [Epic, 4/9]
3. The S.O.S. Band - "Just Be Good to Me" [Tabu, 6/25]
4. Shannon - "Let the Music Play" [Mirage, 11/5]*
5. Rufus & Chaka Khan - "Ain't Nobody" [Warner, 7/30]
6. The Isley Brothers - "Between the Sheets" [T-Neck, 4/9]
7. The System - "You Are in My System" [Mirage, 1/29]
8. The S.O.S. Band - "Tell Me if You Still Care" [Tabu, 10/15]
9. David Joseph - "You Can't Hide (Your Love from Me)" [Mango, 4/30]
10. Gwen Guthrie - "Peanut Butter" [Island, 4/30]
11. Shalamar - "Over and Over" [Solar, 10/15]
12. Midnight Star - "Wet My Whistle" [Solar, 10/15]*
13. René & Angela - "My First Love" [Capitol, 10/1]
14. DeBarge - "Time Will Reveal" [Gordy, 10/15]
15. DeBarge - "All This Love" [Gordy, 4/23]
16. Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Weak at the Knees" [Atlantic, 5/21]
17. Freeez - "I.O.U." [StreetWise, 7/23]
18. Rick James - "Cold Blooded" [Gordy, 7/23]
19. Prince - "Little Red Corvette" [Warner, 3/12]
20. D Train - "Keep Giving Me Love" [Prelude, 7/9]
21. Mary Jane Girls - "All Night Long" [Gordy, 7/23]
22. New Order - "Confusion" [StreetWise, 10/29]
23. The O'Jays - "Put Our Heads Together" [Philadelphia Int'l, 8/27]*
24. Jeffrey Osborne - "Stay with Me Tonight" [A&M, 10/8]
25. Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Save the Overtime (For Me)" [Columbia, 4/9]
26. Jeffrey Osborne - "Don't You Get So Mad" [A&M, 7/16]
27. Cheryl Lynn - "Encore" [Columbia, 12/10]
28. Kashif - "I Just Gotta Have You" [Arista, 2/12]
29. George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" [Capitol, 1/29]
30. Surface - "Falling in Love" [Salsoul, 7/30]
31. Michael Wycoff - "Tell Me Love" [RCA, 9/10]
32. Michael Jackson - "Human Nature" [Epic, 7/30]
33. The Whispers - "Keep on Lovin' Me" [Solar, 5/14]
34. Oliver Cheatham - "Get Down Saturday Night" [MCA, 5/21]*
35. Michael Jackson - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" [Epic, 6/4]
36. Cashmere - "Do It Anyway You Wanna" [Philly World, 1/15]
37. New Edition - "Candy Girl" [StreetWise, 4/2]
38. Stephanie Mills - "You Can't Run from My Love" [Casablanca, 2/12]
39. Lenny White - "Didn't Know About Love (Till I Found You)" [Elektra, 4/30]
40. Mary Jane Girls - "Candy Man" [Gordy, 4/2]
*These songs are not available on Spotify in the U.S. Favorites 41-44 appear in their place, at the end of the playlist.
Monthly top tens (based on entry dates):
January
Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"
The System - "You Are in My System"
George Clinton - "Atomic Dog"
Cashmere - "Do It Anyway You Wanna"
Indeep - "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life"
Earth, Wind & Fire - "Fall in Love with Me"
Dazz Band - "On the One for Fun"
Angela Bofill - "Too Tough"
The Jammers - "Be Mine Tonight"
Lionel Richie - "You Are"
February
Kashif - "I Just Gotta Have You"
Stephanie Mills - "You Can't Run from My Love"
Daryl Hall & John Oates - "One on One"
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Nobody Can Be You"
Culture Club - "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
Glenn Jones - "I Am Somebody"
Dynasty - "Check It Out"
Tavares - "Got to Find My Way Back to You"
Champaign - "Try Again"
The S.O.S. Band - "Have It Your Way"
March
Prince - "Little Red Corvette"
The Whispers - "Tonight"
Change - "This Is Your Time"
Nona Hendryx - "Keep It Confidential"
Jarreau - "Mornin'"
Imagination - "Changes"
The Time - "Gigolos Get Lonely Too"
Eddy Grant - "Electric Avenue"
Melba Moore - "Underlove"
The Temptations - "Love on My Mind Tonight"
April
Mtume - "Juicy Fruit"
The Isley Brothers - "Between the Sheets"
David Joseph - "You Can't Hide (Your Love from Me)"
Gwen Guthrie - "Peanut Butter"
DeBarge - "All This Love"
Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Save the Overtime (For Me)"
New Edition - "Candy Girl"
Lenny White - "Didn't Know About Love (Till I Found You)"
Michael Jackson - "Beat It"
Mary Jane Girls - "Candy Man"
May
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Weak at the Knees"
The Whispers - "Keep on Lovin' Me"
Oliver Cheatham - "Get Down Saturday Night"
George Benson - "Inside Love (So Personal)"
Culture Club - "Time (Clock of the Heart)"
O'Bryan - "You and I"
Angela Bofill - "Tonight I Give In"
The System - "Sweat"
Rene & Angela - "Bangin' the Boogie"
Con Funk Shun - "You Are the One"
June
The S.O.S. Band - "Just Be Good to Me"
Michael Jackson - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Kashif - "Stone Love"
The Manhattans - "Crazy"
Finis Henderson - "Skip to My Lou"
Midnight Star - "Freak-a-Zoid"
Daryl Hall & John Oates - "Family Man"
Marvin Gaye - "Joy"
Johnny Gill - "Super Love"
Donna Summer - "She Works Hard for the Money"
July
Rufus & Chaka Khan - "Ain't Nobody"
Freeez - "I.O.U."
Rick James - "Cold Blooded"
D Train - "Keep Giving Me Love"
Mary Jane Girls - "All Night Long"
Jeffrey Osborne - "Don't You Get So Mad"
Surface - "Falling in Love"
Michael Jackson - "Human Nature"
Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"
Aretha Franklin - "Get It Right"
August
The O'Jays - "Put Our Heads Together"
Kashif - "Help Yourself to My Love"
Ronnie Dyson - "All Over Your Face"
Philip Bailey - "I Know"
The Gap Band - "Party Train"
Lou Kirton - "Talk to Me"
Maze f/ Frankie Beverly - "Never Let You Down"
Deniece Williams - "I'm So Proud"
Klique - "Stop Doggin' Me Around"
Anita Baker - "Angel"
September
Michael Wycoff - "Tell Me Love"
Lionel Richie - "All Night Long (All Night)"
Prince - "Delirious"
Aretha Franklin - "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)"
Tavares - "Deeper in Love"
Mtume - "Would You Like To (Fool Around)"
Slave - "Shake It Up"
The Jones Girls - "On Target"
Commodores - "Only You"
Donna Summer - "Unconditional Love"
October
The S.O.S. Band - "Tell Me if You Still Care"
Shalamar - "Over and Over"
Midnight Star - "Wet My Whistle"
René & Angela - "My First Love"
DeBarge - "Time Will Reveal"
New Order - "Confusion"
Jeffrey Osborne - "Stay with Me Tonight"
Michael Jackson - "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
Melba Moore - "Keepin' My Lover Satisfied"
Mary Jane Girls - "Boys"
November
Shannon - "Let the Music Play"
Freeez - "Pop Goes My Love"
Kool & the Gang - "Joanna"
D Train - "Something's on Your Mind"
Patti LaBelle - "If Only You Knew"
Lillo Thomas - "Who Do You Think You Are?"
Luther Vandross - "I'll Let You Slide"
Earth, Wind & Fire - "Magnetic"
Ray Parker Jr. - "I Still Can't Get Over Loving You"
Stephanie Mills - "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
December
Cheryl Lynn - "Encore"
James Ingram w/ Michael McDonald - "Yah Mo B There"
Teena Marie - "Midnight Magnet"
Howard Johnson - "Let's Take Time Out"
Jenny Burton - "Remember What You Like"
Pieces of a Dream - "Fo-Fi-Fo"
Lionel Richie - "Running with the Night"
Philip Bailey - "Trapped"
The Jones Girls - "2 Win U Back"
Evelyn "Champagne" King - "Action"
Even if MJ hadn't been active, R&B had plenty happening throughout the year. April was particularly memorable -- and sugar-coated -- for being the month when several of the year's best singles, including "Juicy Fruit," "Candy Man," "Candy Girl," and "Peanut Butter," reached airwaves. The same month also brought the Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets," one of the year's many phenomenal ballads along with a pair of number ones from DeBarge and the 808s and heartbreak of the Jam & Lewis-produced S.O.S. Band.
Given the recent passing of legendary DJ, remixer, and producer Frankie Knuckles, it must be noted that he deepened the impact of several of the songs in the subjective chart/playlist below, including numbers five and nine (the former of which he brilliantly remixed in 1989). This was also the year Knuckles released his first commercial remix -- a Top 15 club update of First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder."
Forty favorite singles that hit Billboard's Black Singles chart during 1983, followed by a Spotify playlist and month-based Top Ten lists:
1. Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean" [Epic, 1/29]
2. Mtume - "Juicy Fruit" [Epic, 4/9]
3. The S.O.S. Band - "Just Be Good to Me" [Tabu, 6/25]
4. Shannon - "Let the Music Play" [Mirage, 11/5]*
5. Rufus & Chaka Khan - "Ain't Nobody" [Warner, 7/30]
6. The Isley Brothers - "Between the Sheets" [T-Neck, 4/9]
7. The System - "You Are in My System" [Mirage, 1/29]
8. The S.O.S. Band - "Tell Me if You Still Care" [Tabu, 10/15]
9. David Joseph - "You Can't Hide (Your Love from Me)" [Mango, 4/30]
10. Gwen Guthrie - "Peanut Butter" [Island, 4/30]
11. Shalamar - "Over and Over" [Solar, 10/15]
12. Midnight Star - "Wet My Whistle" [Solar, 10/15]*
13. René & Angela - "My First Love" [Capitol, 10/1]
14. DeBarge - "Time Will Reveal" [Gordy, 10/15]
15. DeBarge - "All This Love" [Gordy, 4/23]
16. Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Weak at the Knees" [Atlantic, 5/21]
17. Freeez - "I.O.U." [StreetWise, 7/23]
18. Rick James - "Cold Blooded" [Gordy, 7/23]
19. Prince - "Little Red Corvette" [Warner, 3/12]
20. D Train - "Keep Giving Me Love" [Prelude, 7/9]
21. Mary Jane Girls - "All Night Long" [Gordy, 7/23]
22. New Order - "Confusion" [StreetWise, 10/29]
23. The O'Jays - "Put Our Heads Together" [Philadelphia Int'l, 8/27]*
24. Jeffrey Osborne - "Stay with Me Tonight" [A&M, 10/8]
25. Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Save the Overtime (For Me)" [Columbia, 4/9]
26. Jeffrey Osborne - "Don't You Get So Mad" [A&M, 7/16]
27. Cheryl Lynn - "Encore" [Columbia, 12/10]
28. Kashif - "I Just Gotta Have You" [Arista, 2/12]
29. George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" [Capitol, 1/29]
30. Surface - "Falling in Love" [Salsoul, 7/30]
31. Michael Wycoff - "Tell Me Love" [RCA, 9/10]
32. Michael Jackson - "Human Nature" [Epic, 7/30]
33. The Whispers - "Keep on Lovin' Me" [Solar, 5/14]
34. Oliver Cheatham - "Get Down Saturday Night" [MCA, 5/21]*
35. Michael Jackson - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" [Epic, 6/4]
36. Cashmere - "Do It Anyway You Wanna" [Philly World, 1/15]
37. New Edition - "Candy Girl" [StreetWise, 4/2]
38. Stephanie Mills - "You Can't Run from My Love" [Casablanca, 2/12]
39. Lenny White - "Didn't Know About Love (Till I Found You)" [Elektra, 4/30]
40. Mary Jane Girls - "Candy Man" [Gordy, 4/2]
*These songs are not available on Spotify in the U.S. Favorites 41-44 appear in their place, at the end of the playlist.
Monthly top tens (based on entry dates):
January
Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"
The System - "You Are in My System"
George Clinton - "Atomic Dog"
Cashmere - "Do It Anyway You Wanna"
Indeep - "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life"
Earth, Wind & Fire - "Fall in Love with Me"
Dazz Band - "On the One for Fun"
Angela Bofill - "Too Tough"
The Jammers - "Be Mine Tonight"
Lionel Richie - "You Are"
February
Kashif - "I Just Gotta Have You"
Stephanie Mills - "You Can't Run from My Love"
Daryl Hall & John Oates - "One on One"
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Nobody Can Be You"
Culture Club - "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
Glenn Jones - "I Am Somebody"
Dynasty - "Check It Out"
Tavares - "Got to Find My Way Back to You"
Champaign - "Try Again"
The S.O.S. Band - "Have It Your Way"
March
Prince - "Little Red Corvette"
The Whispers - "Tonight"
Change - "This Is Your Time"
Nona Hendryx - "Keep It Confidential"
Jarreau - "Mornin'"
Imagination - "Changes"
The Time - "Gigolos Get Lonely Too"
Eddy Grant - "Electric Avenue"
Melba Moore - "Underlove"
The Temptations - "Love on My Mind Tonight"
April
Mtume - "Juicy Fruit"
The Isley Brothers - "Between the Sheets"
David Joseph - "You Can't Hide (Your Love from Me)"
Gwen Guthrie - "Peanut Butter"
DeBarge - "All This Love"
Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Save the Overtime (For Me)"
New Edition - "Candy Girl"
Lenny White - "Didn't Know About Love (Till I Found You)"
Michael Jackson - "Beat It"
Mary Jane Girls - "Candy Man"
May
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame - "Weak at the Knees"
The Whispers - "Keep on Lovin' Me"
Oliver Cheatham - "Get Down Saturday Night"
George Benson - "Inside Love (So Personal)"
Culture Club - "Time (Clock of the Heart)"
O'Bryan - "You and I"
Angela Bofill - "Tonight I Give In"
The System - "Sweat"
Rene & Angela - "Bangin' the Boogie"
Con Funk Shun - "You Are the One"
June
The S.O.S. Band - "Just Be Good to Me"
Michael Jackson - "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
Kashif - "Stone Love"
The Manhattans - "Crazy"
Finis Henderson - "Skip to My Lou"
Midnight Star - "Freak-a-Zoid"
Daryl Hall & John Oates - "Family Man"
Marvin Gaye - "Joy"
Johnny Gill - "Super Love"
Donna Summer - "She Works Hard for the Money"
July
Rufus & Chaka Khan - "Ain't Nobody"
Freeez - "I.O.U."
Rick James - "Cold Blooded"
D Train - "Keep Giving Me Love"
Mary Jane Girls - "All Night Long"
Jeffrey Osborne - "Don't You Get So Mad"
Surface - "Falling in Love"
Michael Jackson - "Human Nature"
Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"
Aretha Franklin - "Get It Right"
August
The O'Jays - "Put Our Heads Together"
Kashif - "Help Yourself to My Love"
Ronnie Dyson - "All Over Your Face"
Philip Bailey - "I Know"
The Gap Band - "Party Train"
Lou Kirton - "Talk to Me"
Maze f/ Frankie Beverly - "Never Let You Down"
Deniece Williams - "I'm So Proud"
Klique - "Stop Doggin' Me Around"
Anita Baker - "Angel"
September
Michael Wycoff - "Tell Me Love"
Lionel Richie - "All Night Long (All Night)"
Prince - "Delirious"
Aretha Franklin - "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)"
Tavares - "Deeper in Love"
Mtume - "Would You Like To (Fool Around)"
Slave - "Shake It Up"
The Jones Girls - "On Target"
Commodores - "Only You"
Donna Summer - "Unconditional Love"
October
The S.O.S. Band - "Tell Me if You Still Care"
Shalamar - "Over and Over"
Midnight Star - "Wet My Whistle"
René & Angela - "My First Love"
DeBarge - "Time Will Reveal"
New Order - "Confusion"
Jeffrey Osborne - "Stay with Me Tonight"
Michael Jackson - "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
Melba Moore - "Keepin' My Lover Satisfied"
Mary Jane Girls - "Boys"
November
Shannon - "Let the Music Play"
Freeez - "Pop Goes My Love"
Kool & the Gang - "Joanna"
D Train - "Something's on Your Mind"
Patti LaBelle - "If Only You Knew"
Lillo Thomas - "Who Do You Think You Are?"
Luther Vandross - "I'll Let You Slide"
Earth, Wind & Fire - "Magnetic"
Ray Parker Jr. - "I Still Can't Get Over Loving You"
Stephanie Mills - "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
December
Cheryl Lynn - "Encore"
James Ingram w/ Michael McDonald - "Yah Mo B There"
Teena Marie - "Midnight Magnet"
Howard Johnson - "Let's Take Time Out"
Jenny Burton - "Remember What You Like"
Pieces of a Dream - "Fo-Fi-Fo"
Lionel Richie - "Running with the Night"
Philip Bailey - "Trapped"
The Jones Girls - "2 Win U Back"
Evelyn "Champagne" King - "Action"