1984 in Music

The imperial year of pop.

1984 is widely regarded as the single biggest year for 1980s pop. Prince released Purple Rain, Madonna released Like a Virgin, Bruce Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A., and Frankie Goes to Hollywood became the most talked-about act in Britain. It was a year where the album, the single and the video reinforced one another at an unprecedented scale.

Trends of 1984

Hair metal arrived on MTV via Mötley Crüe and Van Halen's '1984'. The Smiths released their debut and rebuilt British indie around guitars again. Hip-hop crossed into the mainstream with breakdancing films, and synth-pop diversified into the lush, romantic sound of Tears for Fears and Wham!.

Key albums

• Purple Rain — Prince
• Like a Virgin — Madonna
• The Smiths — The Smiths
• Some Great Reward — Depeche Mode

Key songs

• When Doves Cry — Prince
• Like a Virgin — Madonna
• Smalltown Boy — Bronski Beat
• Relax — Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Artists of 1984

• Prince — Released Purple Rain — album, film and tour all in one cultural moment.
• Madonna — Like a Virgin made her the most discussed pop star in the world.
• The Smiths — Their debut redefined British indie guitar music.

Legacy

Almost every artist who would dominate the rest of the decade had either broken through or cemented their position by the end of 1984.

All years 1980–1989 · 80s charts by year

Compiled and fact-checked by the RADIO 1980 Editorial Team. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.