List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 1982

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Singer Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers had two number ones in 1982.

The Adult Contemporary chart is published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1982, 19 songs topped the chart, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.[1]

In the year's first issue of Billboard the number one position was held by Neil Diamond with "Yesterday's Songs", which was in its third week in the top spot.[2] It remained atop the chart for four weeks in 1982 before being replaced by "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" by Juice Newton, a re-recording of a song which had originally appeared on Newton's unsuccessful debut album in 1975.[3][4][5] Diamond returned to number one in October with "Heartlight", which also spent four weeks at number one, and his total of eight weeks in the top spot was the most by any artist in 1982. Three songs tied for the longest unbroken run at number one during the year, each spending five weeks in the top spot. In April and May, Greek composer and musician Vangelis spent five weeks at number one with "Chariots of Fire", the theme tune from the film of the same name, for which he had won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in March.[6] Later in the year, "Ebony and Ivory", a collaboration between Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, spent the same length of time at number one, and was immediately followed into the top spot by country singer Ronnie Milsap's recording of the 1962 song "Any Day Now", which achieved the same feat.

Four of 1982's AC number ones also topped Billboard's all-genres chart, the Hot 100. "Chariots of Fire" spent a single week atop the Hot 100 in May, and was immediately followed into the top spot by "Ebony and Ivory", which held the position for seven weeks.[7] In November, "Truly", the debut solo single from Lionel Richie, lead singer of the Commodores, topped both listings and quickly launched Richie to superstardom.[8] "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by the band Chicago also reached the number one position on both charts.[9] Conversely, John Denver's "Shanghai Breezes", which spent one week atop the AC listing in May, could only climb as high as number 31 on the Hot 100. The career of Denver, one of the biggest music stars of the 1970s, was in decline,[10] and "Shanghai Breezes" would prove to be his final top 20 hit on the AC chart and his final top 40 hit on the Hot 100.[11] Following his chart-topping collaboration with Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney took a second duet to number one when "The Girl is Mine", on which he performed with Michael Jackson, reached the top spot on the final chart of 1982.

Chart history[edit]

A man wearing a dark suit, holding a bass guitar
Paul McCartney reached number one with two different duet partners in 1982.
A man with long dark hair, wearing dark glasses and smiling broadly
Ronnie Milsap's version of "Any Day Now" was one of three songs to spend five weeks at number one.
A long-haired man wearing a dark shirt and jeans, sitting on a rock in the countryside
Dan Fogelberg wrote "Leader of the Band" as a tribute to his father, who died six months after it topped the AC chart.[12]
Key
† Indicates best-performing AC song of 1982[13]


Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
January 2 "Yesterday's Songs" Neil Diamond [2]
January 9 [14]
January 16 [15]
January 23 [16]
January 30 "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" Juice Newton [17]
February 6 "Leader of the Band" Dan Fogelberg [18]
February 13 [19]
February 20 "Somewhere Down the Road" Barry Manilow [20]
February 27 [21]
March 6 "Through the Years" Kenny Rogers [22]
March 13 [23]
March 20 "Key Largo" Bertie Higgins [24]
March 27 [25]
April 3 "Chariots of Fire" Vangelis [26]
April 10 [27]
April 17 [28]
April 24 [29]
May 1 [30]
May 8 "Shanghai Breezes" John Denver [31]
May 15 "Ebony and Ivory" Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder [32]
May 22 [33]
May 29 [34]
June 5 [35]
June 12 [36]
June 19 "Any Day Now" † Ronnie Milsap [37]
June 26 [38]
July 3 [39]
July 10 [40]
July 17 [41]
July 24 "Even the Nights Are Better" Air Supply [42]
July 31 [43]
August 7 [44]
August 14 [45]
August 21 "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" Chicago [46]
August 28 [47]
September 4 [48]
September 11 "Blue Eyes" Elton John [49]
September 18 [50]
September 25 "Love Will Turn You Around" Kenny Rogers [51]
October 2 [52]
October 9 "Break It to Me Gently" Juice Newton [53]
October 16 [54]
October 23 "Heartlight" Neil Diamond [55]
October 30 [56]
November 6 [57]
November 13 [58]
November 20 "Truly" Lionel Richie [59]
November 27 [60]
December 4 [61]
December 11 [62]
December 18 "Heartbreaker" Dionne Warwick [63]
December 25 "The Girl Is Mine" Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney [64]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Incorporated. p. vi. ISBN 9780898201697.
  2. ^ a b "Adult Contemporary chart for January 2, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Juice Newton Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  4. ^ Hunter, Ed. "Juice Newton & Silver Spur Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  5. ^ Worbois, Jim. "Juice Newton & Silver Spur Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  6. ^ Woolcock, Nicola (August 28, 2018). "Chariots of Fire voted best sport tune". The Times. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  7. ^ Hoffmann, Frank (23 May 2016). Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900-2000. Routledge. p. 410. ISBN 9781135868864. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  8. ^ Huey, Steve. "Lionel Richie Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  9. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Chicago Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  10. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "John Denver Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "John Denver". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  12. ^ Olar, Jared (February 4, 2019). "Local History Column: 'Leader of the Band' Lawrence Fogelberg". Woodford Times. GateHouse Media. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Year End, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  14. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 9, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 16, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  16. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 23, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for January 30, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  18. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 6, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  19. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 13, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 20, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for February 27, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  22. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 6, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 13, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 20, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  25. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for March 27, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  26. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 3, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  27. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 10, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  28. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 17, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  29. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for April 24, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 1, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  31. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 8, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  32. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 15, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  33. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 22, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  34. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for May 29, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  35. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 5, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 12, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  37. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 19, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  38. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for June 26, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  39. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 3, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 10, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  41. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 17, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  42. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 24, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  43. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for July 31, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  44. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 7, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  45. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 14, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  46. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 21, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  47. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for August 28, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  48. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 4, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  49. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 11, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  50. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 18, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  51. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for September 25, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  52. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 2, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  53. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 9, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  54. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 16, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  55. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 23, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  56. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for October 30, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  57. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 6, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  58. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 13, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  59. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 20, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  60. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for November 27, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  61. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 4, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  62. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 11, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  63. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 18, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  64. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 25, 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.

See also[edit]

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