1982 in music

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This is a list of notable events in music from 1982, a year in which Madonna made her debut and Michael Jackson released Thriller, which still holds the title for the world's best selling album.

Events

January–March

April - August

September–December

Also in 1982

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Albums released

In the US, the RIAA stated that 2,630 albums, 2,710 cassettes and 2,285 singles were released.

January - March

Date Album Artist Notes
J
A
N
U
A
R
Y
11 Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? The Waitresses -
15 All for a Song Barbara Dickson -
18 Mystical Adventures Jean-Luc Ponty -
27 Mesopotamia The B-52's EP
29 Friends Shalamar -
Picture This Huey Lewis and the News -
? Another Day/Another Dollar Gang of Four Compilation
Flex Your Head Various Artists -
The David Frizzell and Shelly West Album David Frizzell and Shelly West -
Kasim Kasim Sulton -
Objects of Desire Michael Franks -
Oriental Beat Hanoi Rocks -
Repercussion The dB's -
Shadows Gordon Lightfoot -
The Sisters Sister Sledge -
Somewhere over China Jimmy Buffett -
Southern Comfort Conway Twitty -
Streetheart Streetheart -
Yes It's You Lady Smokey Robinson -
F
E
B
R
U
A
R
Y
12 English Settlement XTC -
15 Death Wish II Jimmy Page Soundtrack
16 The Concert in Central Park Simon & Garfunkel Live
24 Swing to the Right Utopia -
? 2XS Nazareth -
Beautiful Vision Van Morrison -
Black on Black Waylon Jennings -
The Blue Mask Lou Reed -
Bobbie Sue The Oak Ridge Boys -
Chase the Dragon Magnum -
Gamma 3 Gamma -
Green Light Bonnie Raitt -
Growing in the Dark Glass Moon -
Just Another Day in Paradise Bertie Higgins -
Mechanix UFO -
Mountain Music Alabama -
Nick the Knife Nick Lowe -
One from the Heart Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle Soundtrack
Pelican West Haircut One Hundred -
Seasons of the Heart John Denver -
Set Thompson Twins -
Times of Our Lives Judy Collins -
Weather Report Weather Report -
M
A
R
C
H
5 Windows Charlie Daniels Band -
8 Hex Enduction Hour The Fall -
12 The Gift The Jam -
15 Asia Asia -
Shoot Out the Lights Richard and Linda Thompson -
19 Batteries Not Included After the Fire -
Five Miles Out Mike Oldfield -
20 Rhythm of Youth Men Without Hats -
22 Alligator Woman Cameo -
Reel Music The Beatles Compilation
The Number of the Beast Iron Maiden -
23 Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet Rick Springfield -
24 The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads Talking Heads Live
25 The Blurred Crusade The Church -
? Always on My Mind Willie Nelson -
The Anvil Visage -
Blackout Scorpions -
Branigan Laura Branigan -
Brilliance Atlantic Starr -
Diamond Spandau Ballet -
Filth Hounds of Hades Tank -
Fun Boy Three Fun Boy Three -
The Golden Age of Wireless Thomas Dolby -
New Britain Whitehouse -
One to One Carole King -
Sonic Youth Sonic Youth -
Strategy, The Early Tapes (July/August 1980) Level 42 -
The Tunes of Two Cities The Residents -
Walk Among Us The Misfits -

April - June

Date Album Artist Notes
A
P
R
I
L
5 All Four One The Motels -
8 D.E. 7th Dave Edmunds -
Toto IV Toto -
9 Broadsword and the Beast Jethro Tull UK
Jump Up! Elton John -
12 American Fool John Cougar -
14 Diver Down Van Halen -
17 Iron Fist Motörhead -
19 Big Science Laurie Anderson -
23 Complete Madness Madness Compilation
26 Are You Ready Bucks Fizz -
28 Marshall Crenshaw Marshall Crenshaw -
Tug of War Paul McCartney -
? Abominog Uriah Heep -
Angst in My Pants Sparks -
Circus Animals Cold Chisel -
Extraterrestrial Live Blue Öyster Cult Live
A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls -
Four Cuts EP Diamond Head EP
Heartbreak Express Dolly Parton -
High Notes Hank Williams, Jr. -
Ladies of the Eighties A Taste of Honey -
Maybe It's Live Robert Palmer Live +4 studio tracks
1+9+8+2 Status Quo -
The Slide Area Ry Cooder -
Straight Between the Eyes Rainbow -
The Other Woman Ray Parker, Jr. -
Time and Tide Split Enz -
White Eagle Tangerine Dream -
Bill Wyman Bill Wyman -
M
A
Y
2 Jinx Rory Gallagher -
3 After the Snow Modern English -
Pornography The Cure -
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch Frank Zappa -
4 Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium Stevie Wonder Compilation
6 The Single Factor Camel -
7 Wiped Out Raven -
10 Junkyard The Birthday Party -
Rio Duran Duran -
13 Throwin' Down Rick James -
14 Combat Rock The Clash -
The Eagle Has Landed Saxon Live
Church of Hawkwind Hawkwind -
21 Hot Space Queen -
22 Sheffield Steel Joe Cocker -
24 The Hunter Blondie -
28 I Paralyze Cher -
No Fun Aloud Glenn Frey -
Avalon Roxy Music -
D. Train D. Train -
Death in the Nursery Legend -
12 Greatest Hits, Vol. II Neil Diamond Compilation
Get It on Credit Toronto -
The Last of the Mohicans Bow Wow Wow EP
Let Me Rock You Peter Criss -
Now and Forever Air Supply -
The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away William Bootsy Collins -
One on One Cheap Trick -
Private Audition Heart -
Quiet Lies Juice Newton -
The Record Fear -
Special Forces 38 Special -
Street Opera Ashford & Simpson -
Sweets From a Stranger Squeeze -
Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton Eric Clapton Compilation
Tuckerized Marshall Tucker Band -
Tropical Gangsters Kid Creole and the Coconuts -
Vinyl Confessions Kansas -
World Radio Leo Sayer -
J
U
N
E
1 Still Life The Rolling Stones Live
Three Sides Live Genesis Live
3 Strait from the Heart George Strait -
7 Built for Speed Stray Cats -
Chicago 16 Chicago -
Screaming Blue Murder Girlschool -
8 Eye of the Tiger Survivor -
14 All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes Pete Townshend -
Metal Massacre Various Artists -
15 Abracadabra Steve Miller Band -
18 Beat King Crimson -
Mirage Fleetwood Mac -
21 Daylight Again Crosby, Stills & Nash -
22 Nothing to Fear Oingo Boingo -
24 Stink The Replacements EP
25 The Lexicon of Love ABC -
28 Before I Forget Jon Lord -
Pictures at Eleven Robert Plant -
Animation Jon Anderson -
Eye in the Sky The Alan Parsons Project -
Good Trouble REO Speedwagon -
Live It Up David Johansen -
Night and Day Joe Jackson -
No Control Eddie Money -
Nugent Ted Nugent -
Somewhere in the Stars Rosanne Cash -
Sunshine Dream The Beach Boys -
Unlimited Reba McEntire -

July - September

Date Album Artist Notes
J
U
L
Y
2 Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello and the Attractions -
15 View from the Ground America -
16 The Envoy Warren Zevon -
19 Donna Summer Donna Summer -
23 Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Soundtrack Various Artists Soundtrack
Emotions in Motion Billy Squier -
26 Love and Dancing The Human League Remix
Billy Idol Billy Idol -
Coney Hatch Coney Hatch -
Highway Song Live Blackfoot Live
Juggernaut Frank Marino -
Jump to It Aretha Franklin -
Let Me Tickle Your Fancy Jermaine Jackson -
Love Will Turn You Around Kenny Rogers -
The Party's Over Talk Talk -
Psychopathia Sexualis Whitehouse -
Revelations Killing Joke -
Screaming for Vengeance Judas Priest -
So Excited! Pointer Sisters -
Under the Big Black Sun X -
A
U
G
U
S
T
3 Art of Control Peter Frampton -
9 I Can't Stand Still Don Henley -
11 Vanity 6 Vanity 6 -
Vacation The Go-Go's -
23 Upstairs at Eric's Yazoo -
24 Chronic Town R.E.M. EP
25 What Time Is It? The Time -
Zipper Catches Skin Alice Cooper -
30 Hughes/Thrall Hughes/Thrall -
Voyeur Kim Carnes -
Bad to the Bone George Thorogood & the Destroyers -
Battle Hymns Manowar -
The Cage Tygers of Pan Tang -
Cut Golden Earring -
Fast Times at Ridgemont High Various Artists Soundtrack
The Hottest Night of the Year Anne Murray -
If That's What It Takes Michael McDonald -
Metal Manilla Road -
Music for a New Society John Cale -
Rock in a Hard Place Aerosmith -
Rough Diamonds Bad Company -
Shango Santana -
Talking Back to the Night Steve Winwood -
A Taste of Yesterday's Wine Merle Haggard and George Jones -
Too-Rye-Ay Dexy's Midnight Runners -
The Unexpected Guest Demon -
V Deep The Boomtown Rats -
S
E
P
T
E
M
B
E
R
1 Garlands Cocteau Twins -
4 It's Hard The Who -
6 Primitive Man Icehouse -
Something's Going On Frida -
7 As One Kool & The Gang -
8 Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel aka Security
9 Signals Rush -
10 I, Assassin Gary Numan -
Silk Electric Diana Ross -
13 The Dreaming Kate Bush -
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) Simple Minds -
17 The Philip Lynott Album Philip Lynott -
18 Under the Blade Twisted Sister -
20 Love over Gold Dire Straits -
21 Janet Jackson Janet Jackson -
Forever, For Always, For Love Luther Vandross -
23 The Nylon Curtain Billy Joel -
25 Forever Now The Psychedelic Furs -
In the Heat of the Night Imagination -
27 A Broken Frame Depeche Mode -
Room to Live The Fall -
30 Nebraska Bruce Springsteen -
Acting Very Strange Mike Rutherford -
The Adventures of Johnny Cash Johnny Cash -
Death Penalty Witchfinder General -
Dream Maker Conway Twitty -
Get Closer Linda Ronstadt -
Gowan Larry Gowan -
Heartlight Neil Diamond -
High Adventure Kenny Loggins -
Ice Cream for Crow Captain Beefheart -
Madness, Money & Music Sheena Easton -
Magic Gillan -
Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Olivia Newton-John Compilation +2 new tracks
Pressin' On Billy Preston -
The Pursuit of Accidents Level 42 -
Scandal Scandal EP
UB44 UB40 -
Zombie Birdhouse Iggy Pop -

October - December

Date Album Artist Notes
O
C
T
O
B
E
R
4 H2O Hall & Oates -
Winds of Change Jefferson Starship -
6 Lionel Richie Lionel Richie -
8 Borrowed Time Diamond Head -
The Rise & Fall Madness -
13 Creatures of the Night Kiss -
14 Zapp II Zapp -
15 Quartet Ultravox -
18 In the Mood for Something Rude Foghat -
27 1999 Prince -
29 Get Nervous Pat Benatar -
The Nightfly Donald Fagen -
Choose Your Masques Hawkwind -
Absolutely Live Rod Stewart Live
Assault Attack The Michael Schenker Group -
Black Pearl Pat Travers -
Coup d'État Plasmatics -
Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Eagles Compilation
...Famous Last Words... Supertramp -
Friend or Foe Adam Ant -
Heartbreaker Dionne Warwick -
Keep On Doing The Roches -
Kissing to Be Clever Culture Club -
Last Date Emmylou Harris Live
Midnight Love Marvin Gaye -
Kim Mitchell Kim Mitchell -
An Officer and a Gentleman Various Artists Soundtrack
Power of the Hunter Tank -
Radio Romance Eddie Rabbitt -
Restless and Wild Accept -
Shabooh Shoobah INXS -
Shuttered Room The Fixx -
The Sky's Gone Out Bauhaus -
Spring Session M Missing Persons -
Strawberries The Damned -
Twin Barrels Burning Wishbone Ash -
Wild Things Run Fast Joni Mitchell -
Word of Mouth Toni Basil -
WWII Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson -
The Youth of Today Musical Youth -
N
O
V
E
M
B
E
R
1 Hello, I Must Be Going! Phil Collins -
2 Long After Dark Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers -
5 A Kiss in the Dreamhouse Siouxsie and The Banshees -
Gone Troppo George Harrison -
7 Living My Life Grace Jones -
8 I Could Rule the World if I Could only Get the Parts The Waitresses EP
The Singles: The First Ten Years ABBA Compilation
The John Lennon Collection John Lennon Compilation
12 Showtime! The J. Geils Band Live
13 The Lee Aaron Project Lee Aaron -
15 The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect Todd Rundgren -
17 Chaka Khan Chaka Khan -
19 Coda Led Zeppelin Recorded 1970-'79
24 8th Wonder The Sugarhill Gang -
27 Speak of the Devil/Talk of the Devil (UK) Ozzy Osbourne Live
30 Three Lock Box Sammy Hagar -
Thriller Michael Jackson -
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes -
Before the Storm Samson -
Computer Games George Clinton -
Dawn Patrol Night Ranger -
Don't Play with Fire Peabo Bryson -
Going Where the Lonely Go Merle Haggard -
Here Comes the Night Barry Manilow -
The High and the Mighty Donnie Iris -
Identity Crisis Sweet -
It's Alright (I See Rainbows) Yoko Ono -
Killer on the Rampage Eddy Grant -
New Directions Tavares -
Oh, No! It's Devo Devo -
Pearls II Elkie Brooks -
Plastic Surgery Disasters Dead Kennedys -
Run for the Roses Jerry Garcia -
Saints & Sinners Whitesnake -
D
E
C
E
M
B
E
R
10 Dig the New Breed The Jam Live
11 Slade on Stage Slade Live
29 Trans Neil Young -
30 Beatitude Ric Ocasek -
? The Distance Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band -
Live Evil Black Sabbath Live
Virgin Steele Virgin Steele -
White Heat Dusty Springfield -
The Winning Hand Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Brenda Lee & Dolly Parton -

Release Date Unknown

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1982.

# Artist Title Year Country Chart Entries
1 Survivor Eye of the Tiger 1982 United States UK 1 – Jul 1982, US BB 1 – Jun 1982, US CashBox 1 of 1982, Canada 1 – Jun 1982, Norway 1 – Aug 1982, Australia 1 of 1982, Kazakhstan 1 – Jul 1982, Ireland 1 – Sep 1982, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Aug 1983, Netherlands 2 – Sep 1982, Austria 2 – Sep 1982, South Africa 2 of 1982, Sweden (alt) 5 – Aug 1982, Switzerland 6 – Aug 1982, US BB 7 of 1982, France 7 – Jan 1983, POP 7 of 1982, Germany 18 – Jan 1983, Scrobulate 20 of 80s, Italy 23 of 1982, Poland 24 – Jul 1982, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1982, Europe 46 of the 1980s, OzNet 82
2 Men at Work Down Under 1982 Australia UK 1 – Jan 1983, US BB 1 – Nov 1982, Canada 1 – Sep 1982, Switzerland 1 – Jun 1982, Poland 1 – Jan 1983, Ireland 1 – Jan 1983, New Zealand 1 for 2 weeks Feb 1982, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Nov 1982, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1982, Norway 2 – Feb 1983, France 4 – Aug 1982, Sweden (alt) 6 – Feb 1983, US CashBox 8 of 1983, South Africa 8 of 1982, OzNet 8, Germany 10 – Mar 1983, POP 16 of 1983, US BB 21 of 1983, Australia 24 of 1982, Europe 36 of the 1980s, KROQ 70 of 1982, Scrobulate 83 of 80s, RYM 96 of 1981
3 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts I Love Rock 'n' Roll 1982 United States US BB 1 – Feb 1982, Canada 1 – Jan 1982, Netherlands 1 – Apr 1982, Sweden (alt) 1 – Jun 1982, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Jun 1982, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Mar 1983, Poland 2 – May 1982, Switzerland 3 – Mar 1982, UK 4 – Apr 1982, POP 4 of 1982, US CashBox 5 of 1982, Austria 5 – May 1982, Germany 6 – Apr 1982, Australia 7 of 1982, South Africa 7 of 1982, US BB 8 of 1982, France 10 – Mar 1982, KROQ 71 of 1982, Party 80 of 1999, RIAA 177, Acclaimed 295, Germany 348 of the 1980s, TheQ 463, Rolling Stone 484
4 Dexys Midnight Runners Come On Eileen 1982 United Kingdom UK 1 – Jul 1982, US BB 1 – Feb 1983, Canada 1 – Nov 1982, Switzerland 1 – Nov 1982, Ireland 1 – Aug 1982, New Zealand 1 for 4 weeks Nov 1982, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Sep 1983, POP 2 of 1983, Netherlands 4 – Aug 1982, US BB 5 of 1983, France 5 – Jan 1983, Germany 5 – Jan 1983, Austria 9 – Nov 1982, RYM 11 of 1982, US CashBox 12 of 1983, Australia 12 of 1982, Scrobulate 15 of 80s, Party 36 of 2007, Virgin 85, OzNet 117, Germany 244 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 1040
5 Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder Ebony and Ivory 1982 United States United Kingdom UK 1 – Apr 1982 (10 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Apr 1982 (19 weeks), Canada 1 – Apr 1982 (14 weeks), Norway 1 – Apr 1982 (18 weeks), Belgium 1 – Apr 1982 (10 weeks), Germany 1 – May 1982 (5 months), Eire 1 for 3 weeks – Apr 1982, Canada RPM 1 for 5 weeks – May 1982, Germany 1 for 5 weeks – Jun 1982, Spain 1 for 1 week – Jun 1982, Sweden (alt) 2 – Apr 1982 (21 weeks), Switzerland 2 – Apr 1982 (12 weeks), Grammy in 1982 (Nominated), Netherlands 3 – Apr 1982 (9 weeks), Austria 3 – May 1982 (5 weeks), Springbok 3 – May 1982 (13 weeks), US CashBox 4 of 1982, Poland 4 – May 1982 (7 weeks)

Chronological Table of US and UK Number One Hit Singles