1983 in music

Major releases

Michael Jackson's "Thriller", the highest-selling album of all time, as well as the best-selling album of 1983 and 1984, was released in 1982 and began to have major chart success the following year. The album spawned seven hit singles and stayed on the US and UK charts for over two years. Jackson was nominated for ten Grammy Awards, of which he won eight: seven album "Thriller", and the other for the song "Someone in the Dark" featured in the movie "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial". "Thriller" paved the way for countless other African-American artists' music to be aired on radio and MTV. To date, "Thriller" has sold over 104 million copies. Jackson follow-up hit album Bad was released in 1987.

"Head over Heels" by the Cocteau Twins sold poorly upon its initial release but is considered one of the most influential albums of 1983Fact|date=June 2008. In the ensuing years, the album's eclectic assortment of alternative rock, New Wave and synth pop influences became a cornerstone of later alternative rock groups, most especially in the United Kingdom, where the Cocteau Twins' mix of airy textures and breathless vocals (dream pop) mutated into genres like twee pop, space rock and shoegazing, and eventually hit mainstream success with a psychedelic-influenced form, Britpop.

Quiet Riot's "Metal Health" was enormously popular in 1983. The lead single, "Cum on Feel the Noize" (cover of Slade) was also a huge hit, #5 Billboard, and set the stage for the mainstream success of later glam metal bands like Poison. Other landmark rock/metal albums released in this year include Def Leppard's "Pyromania", Iron Maiden's "Piece of Mind", Mercyful Fate's "Melissa", Dio's "Holy Diver", Accept's "Balls to the Wall", Metallica's "Kill 'em all", Slayer's "Show No Mercy", Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon" and Mötley Crüe's "Shout at the Devil".

The country music legend Kenny Rogers recorded his 23rd studio album "We've Got Tonight", which was his last album for Liberty Records. He signed to RCA for a guaranteed sum of no less than $20 million for 6 albums, the biggest record deal of all-time up to that point. His earnings for those recordings amounted to even more, but no details have been made public. Rogers' RCA debut included his duet with Dolly Parton, "Islands in the Stream", which would become one of the biggest records of the year.

Some other releases from 1983 deserve special mention:
*The Police's "Synchronicity" was their final release together before breaking up, and was enormously popular, including one of their more popular songs, "Every Breath You Take"
*Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" was their breakthrough success, and included their signature tune, the title track
*Mötley Crüe's "Shout at the Devil" was their breakthrough, and included "Looks That Kill", though they would go on to greater popular and critical success in the later part of the decade after recovering from the shock of member Vince Neil's near-fatal car accident
*Nena releases "99 Luftballons" and its English version, "99 Red Balloons", generating her fame in the English-speaking world
*Tom Waits' "Swordfishtrombones" was his first album for Island Records, and the first in a series of three thematically and stylistically linked albums that established him as a critical success and cult favorite
*New Order's "Power, Corruption & Lies" was the second since forming from the ashes of Joy Division (after the suicide of Ian Curtis) and the first to achieve critical or popular success. In some countries the album included the best-selling 12" record of all time, "Blue Monday"
*Duran Duran scored hits from three separate albums in this year ("Rio", the reissue of "Duran Duran", and "Seven and the Ragged Tiger")
*Merle Haggard began a run of chart success in this year, which continued for about two years. His duet album with Willie Nelson, "Pancho & Lefty", was an enormous critical and popular success and did much to revitalize the careers of both entertainers, especially with the hit title track
*Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Texas Flood" was more popular than any blues album since the late 1960s, and did much to establish country-blues as a commercially viable genre
*George Strait's "Right or Wrong" sold extremely well, and was a pivotal album in the development of the honky tonk revival during the rest of the decade.
*The first "Now That's What I Call Music!" was released, starting the long-running compilation series in the UK
*Metallica and Slayer kicked off the thrash metal era with "Kill 'Em All" and "Show No Mercy".
*R.E.M's first full-length album "Murmur" was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year.
*The Carpenters' "Voice of the Heart" was released after Karen Carpenter's untimely death which contains material from some of her last recording sessions, as well as previously unreleased tracks from sessions over the years.
*The Depeche Mode single "Everything Counts" achieve a great popularity and is considered the first industrial Pop music.

Events

*Publication of "A Generative Theory of Tonal Music" by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.
*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film "Let's Spend the Night Together" opens in New York
*Diana Ross performed in Central Park in the pouring rain
*Highest point of the 1981–1985 "Menuditis" and "Menudomania" all over Latin America.
*ZTT Records founded
*The UK singles chart starts to use electronic terminals in selected stores to gather sales information. The old "sales diary" method will be gradually phased out over the next few years
*19 August : Radio Caroline broadcasts from MV "Ross Revenge" with a new mast
*Steve, Bob and Rich (soon to become The Rainmakers) release demos for Mercury Records
*"1983... (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)"
*The members of Kiss show their faces without their makeup for the first time on MTV, simultaneous with the release of their album "Lick It Up".

Bands formed

*A-Ha
*Alisa
*ANTiSEEN
*Alphaville
*Bon Jovi
*Bronski Beat
*Death
*Dinosaur Jr.
*The Dust Brothers
*The Flaming Lips
*Mayhem
*Megadeth
*NOFX
*NEON CROSS
*Phish
*Red Box
*Red Hot Chili Peppers
*Run-D.M.C.
*Samhain
*Soul Asylum
*Testament

Bands disbanded

*Bauhaus
*Blondie
*Budgie
*Minor Threat
*The Misfits
*Mission of Burma
*Roxy Music
*Wall of Voodoo (reformed in 1985)
*The Who (reunions throughout the late 1980s and 1990s)

Bands reformed

*The Animals
*The Everly Brothers

Albums released

*"A Volar" - Menudo
*"Ageless Medley EP" - Amy Grant
*"Ain't It Good to Be Free" - Bo Diddley
*"Alive She Cried" - The Doors
*"All for One" - Raven
*"All the Best" - Stiff Little Fingers
*"American Made" - The Oak Ridge Boys
*"Amore" - The Hooters
*"Another Perfect Day" - Motörhead
*"Ark" - The Animals
*"Assault Attack" - Michael Schenker Group
*"At War With Satan" - Venom
*"Back to Back" - Status Quo
*"Back to the Mystery City" - Hanoi Rocks
*"Balls to the Wall" - Accept
*"Bark at the Moon" - Ozzy Osbourne
*"Before Hollywood" - The Go-Betweens
*"Behind the Scenes" - Reba McEntire
*"Believer" - Chic
*"Bent Out of Shape" - Rainbow
*"The Blasting Concept" - Various Artists
*"Born Again" - Black Sabbath
*"Branigan 2" - Laura Branigan
*"Break Out" - The Pointer Sisters
*"Breaking the Chain" - Dokken
*"Built to Destroy" - The Michael Schenker Group
*"Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat" - Minutemen
*"Canterbury" - Diamond Head
*"Can't Slow Down" - Lionel Richie
*"Cargo" - Men at Work
*"A Christmas Album" - Amy Grant
*"Colour by Numbers" - Culture Club
*"Confrontation" - Bob Marley and the Wailers
*"Confusion Is Sex" - Sonic Youth
*"Construction Time Again" - Depeche Mode
*"The Crossing" - Big Country
*"Cuts Like a Knife" - Bryan Adams
*"DaDa" - Alice Cooper
*"Dagger and Guitar" - Sort Sol
*"Dazzle Ships" - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
*"Dancing for Mental Health" - Will Powers (actually Lynn Goldsmith)
*"Deep Sea Skiving" - Bananarama
*"Deliver" - Oak Ridge Boys
*"Diamond Jack and the Queen of Pain" - Kevin Ayers
*"Dreamgirls" - Original Broadway Cast Album
*"Electric Universe" - Earth, Wind & Fire
*"Eliminator" - ZZ Top
*"Europe" - Europe
*"The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect" - Todd Rundgren
*"Everything Went Black" - Black Flag
*"Everywhere at Once" - The Plimsouls
*"Even the Strong Get Lonely" - Tammy Wynette
*"Eyes That See in the Dark" - Kenny Rogers
*"Fall In a Hole" - The Fall
*"Fantastic" - Wham! (US)
*"Fastway" - Fastway
*"Faster Than the Speed of Night" - Bonnie Tyler
*"Feel My Soul" - Jennifer Holliday
*"Feline" - The Stranglers
*"The Final Cut" - Pink Floyd
*"1st" - Streets
*"The First Flower" - Play Dead
*"The First Four Years" - Black Flag
*"First Offence - Corey Hart
*"Flashdance" (soundtrack) - Various Artists
*"Flick of the Switch" - AC/DC
*"Forged in Fire" - Anvil
*"Fortune 410" - Donnie Iris
*"Frontiers" - Journey
*"Genesis" - Genesis
*"G Force" - Kenny G
*"Good Love & Heartbreak" - Tammy Wynette
*"Greatest Hits Vol. II" - Barry Manilow
*"Hand of Kindness" - Richard Thompson
*"Head over Heels" - Cocteau Twins
*"Headhunter" - Krokus
*"Heart to Heart" - Merle Haggard
*"Hearts and Bones" - Paul Simon
*"Hello Big Man" - Carly Simon
*"Hello, I Must Be Going!" - Phil Collins
*"High Land, Hard Rain" - Aztec Camera
*"Hootenanny" - The Replacements
*"Holy Diver" - Dio
*"The Hurting" - Tears for Fears (debut)
*"I Put Away My Idols" - Dion DiMucci
*"Ich halt zu Dir" - Die Flippers
*"Imagination" - Helen Reddy
*"In Heat" - The Romantics
*"Inarticulate Speech of the Heart" - Van Morrison
*"Infidels" - Bob Dylan
*"Into Glory Ride" - Manowar
*"Into the Unknown" - Bad Religion
*"Introducing The Style Council" - The Style Council
*"Japanese Whispers" - The Cure
*"Johnny 99" - Johnny Cash
*"Kill 'Em All" - Metallica (Debut)
*"Klass" - Bad Manners
*"The Kitchen Tapes" - The Raincoats
*"Labour of Love" - UB40
*"Legendary Hearts" - Lou Reed
*"Lesson Well Learned EP" - Armored Saint
*"Let's Dance" - David Bowie
*"Let's Start A War (Said Maggie One Day)" - The Exploited
*"Lick It Up" - Kiss
*"Life" - Thin Lizzy
*"Live From Earth" - Pat Benatar
*"Lost in the Feeling" - Conway Twitty
*"The Luxury Gap" - Heaven 17
*"Madness" - Madness (US only compilation)
*"Madonna" - Madonna
*"Mean Streak" - Y&T
*"Merry Twistmas" - Conway Twitty
*"Metal Circus" - Hüsker Dü
*"Metal Health" - Quiet Riot (American debut)
*"Metal Magic" - Pantera (Debut)
*"Michael Bolton" - Michael Bolton
*"Midnight at the Lost and Found" - Meat Loaf
*"Mommy's Little Monster" - Social Distortion
*"Murmur" - R.E.M. (full length debut)
*"Neruda" - Red Rider
*"Never Surrender" - Triumph
*"Next Position Please" - Cheap Trick
*"90125" - Yes
*"No Frills" - Bette Midler
*"No Parlez" - Paul Young
*"No Parole from Rock & Roll" - Alcatrazz
*"No Rest For The Wicked" - Helix
*"Now That's What I Call Music" - Various Artists
*"Offramp" - The Pat Metheny Group
*"Oriental Towers" - The Modern Art
*"Out For Blood" - Lita Ford (solo debut)
* "Outside Inside" - The Tubes
*"Out of Step" - Minor Threat
*"Old Wave" - Ringo Starr
*"Pancho & Lefty" - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
*"Peace Thru Vandalism" - The Vandals
*"Perverted by Language" - The Fall
*"Pictures" - Atlanta
*"Piece of Mind" - Iron Maiden
*"Pipes of Peace" - Paul McCartney
*"Platinum Blonde" - Platinum Blonde (debut EP)
*"Play Dirty" - Girlschool
*"The Politics of Dancing" - Re-Flex
*"Power, Corruption & Lies" - New Order
*"Powerlight" - Earth, Wind & Fire
*"The Principle of Moments" - Robert Plant
*"Privilege" - Ivor Cutler
*"Punch the Clock" - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
*"Pyromania" - Def Leppard
*"Q-Feel" - Q-Feel
*"Queensrÿche" - Queensrÿche
*"Quick Step and Side Kick" - Thompson Twins
*"Ratt EP" - Ratt
*"The Revölution by Night" - Blue Öyster Cult
*"Riding with the King" - John Hiatt
*"Right or Wrong" - George Strait
*"Rock for Light" - Bad Brains
*"Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1" - Hall & Oates
*"Samurai" - Grand Prix
*"Script for a Jester's Tear" - Marillion
*"Secret Messages" - Electric Light Orchestra
*"Self-Destruction Blues" Hanoi Rocks
*"Seven and the Ragged Tiger" - Duran Duran
*"She Works Hard For The Money" - Donna Summer
*"Shine On" - George Jones
*"Shout at the Devil" - Mötley Crüe
*"Show No Mercy" - Slayer (debut)
*"Sirens" - Savatage (debut)
*"Sound Elixir" - Nazareth
*"Southern Death Cult EP" - Southern Death Cult (first release by the band to eventually be known as The Cult)
*"Speaking in Tongues" - Talking Heads
*"Sports" - Huey Lewis & The News
*"Standing in the Light" - Level 42
*"Star People" - Miles Davis
*"Steeler" - Steeler (Yngwie Malmsteen & Ron Keel's 1st band, This band's only release)
*"Subterranean Jungle" - The Ramones
*"Subject: Aldo Nova" - Aldo Nova
*"Suicidal Tendencies" - Suicidal Tendencies (debut)
*"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics
*"Swordfishtrombones" - Tom Waits
*"Synchronicity" - The Police
*"Take It to the Limit" - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
*"Take it to the River" - Willie Nelson
*"Texas Flood" - Stevie Ray Vaughan
*"That's the Way Love Goes" - Merle Haggard
*"Thunder and Lightning" - Thin Lizzy
*"Too Low for Zero" - Elton John
*"Touch" - Eurythmics
*"Tougher than Leather" - Willie Nelson
*"Travels" - The Pat Metheny Group
*"Treeless Plain" - The Triffids
*"Trouble in Paradise" - Randy Newman
*"True" - Spandau Ballet
*"Urban Dance Floor Guerillas" - P-Funk All Stars
*"Under A Blood Red Sky" - U2
*"Violent Femmes" - Violent Femmes (debut)
*"Walk into Light" - Ian Anderson
*"War" - U2
*"Warriors" - Gary Numan
*"The Waterboys" - The Waterboys (debut)
*"Water Sign" - Chris Rea
*"Waylon & Company" - Waylon Jennings
*"We Are One" - Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
*"We've Got Tonight" - Kenny Rogers
*"Weeds & Water" - Riders in the Sky
*""Weird Al" Yankovic - "Weird Al" Yankovic
*"What Makes a Man Start Fires?" - Minutemen
*"What's Funk?" - Grand Funk
*"Windows in the Jungle" - 10cc
*"With Sympathy" - Ministry (Debut)
*"Wild Hart" - Stevie Nicks
*"Without a Song" - Willie Nelson
*"Works" - Pink Floyd
*"Works" - Status Quo
*"Yes Sir, I Will" - Crass
*"Yentl (soundtrack)" - Barbra Streisand
*"Yokan (Hunch)" - Miyuki Nakajima
*"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
*"You and Me Both" - Yazoo
*"You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll" - Twisted Sister
*"You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish" - George Clinton
*"Zebra" - Zebra
*"Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T." (Drawings of Patient O. T.) - Einstürzende Neubauten
*"Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture - David Bowie
*"Zones - Hawkwind

*Country (music group) Atlanta releases 'Atlanta Burned Again Last Night' on independent MDJ Records. Song breaks into the top ten in Billboard's Country Charts.Fact|date=May 2008

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest [http://tsort.info/music/yr1983.htm chart positions] in the charts of 1983.

Top hits on record

*"1999" - Prince
*"A Girl Called Johnny" - The Waterboys
*"Add It Up" - Violent Femmes
*"Africa" - Toto
*"All Night Long (All Night)" - Lionel Richie
*"All Time High" - Rita Coolidge
*"(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" - Naked Eyes
*"Another State Of Mind" - Social Distortion
*"Australiana" - Austen Tayshus #1 (a)
*"Baby, Come to Me" - Patti Austin with James Ingram
*"Baby Jane" - Rod Stewart
*"Bad Boys" - Wham!
*"Bad Day" - Carmel
*"Balls to the Wall" - Accept
*"Bark at the Moon" - Ozzy Osbourne
*"Beat It" - Michael Jackson
*"Big Log" - Robert Plant
*"Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
*"Blind Vision" - Blancmange
*"Blister In The Sun" - Violent Femmes
*"Bloodstone" - Judas Priest
*"Blue Monday" - New Order
*"Blue World" - The Moody Blues
*"Bop Girl - Pat Wilson #1 (a)
*"Boxerbeat" - JoBoxers
*"Breaking Us In Two" - Joe Jackson
*"Buffalo Soldier" - Bob Marley and the Wailers
*"Buried Treasure" - Kenny Rogers
*"Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
*"Burning Up" - Madonna
*"Borderline" - Madonna (in US & Australia; not released in the rest of UK and Europe until 1985/86)
*"Calling Your Name" - Marilyn
*"Candy Girl" - New Edition
*"Can't Get Used To Losing You" - The Beat
*"Cattle And Cane" - The Go-Betweens
*"Chance" - Big Country
*"Change" - Tears for Fears
*"Change In Mood" - Kids in the Kitchen
*"China Girl" - David Bowie
*"Chinese Cafe" - Joni Mitchell
*"Church of the Poison Mind" - Culture Club
*"Club Tropicana" - Wham!
*"Come Back And Stay" - Paul Young
*"Computer One" - Dear Enemy
*"Countdown/New World Man" - Rush
*"Cry Me A River" - Mari Wilson
*"Cum on Feel the Noize" - Quiet Riot
*"Cuts Like a Knife" - Bryan Adams
*"Dark Is The Night" - Shakatak
*"Der Kommissar" - After the Fire
*"Dead Giveaway" - Shalamar
*"Dear Prudence" - Siouxsie and the Banshees
*"Delirious" - Prince
*"Did You Have To Love Me Like You Do?" - The Coconuts
*"Dirty Laundry" - Don Henley
*"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" - Culture Club
*"Don't Cry" - Asia
*"Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away" - Phil Collins
*"Don't Talk To Me About Love" - Altered Images
*"Don't You Want Me" - Human League
*"Double Dutch" - Malcolm McLaren
*"Down Under" - Men at Work
*"Drop The Pilot" - Joan Armatrading
*"Electric Avenue" - Eddy Grant
*"Every Breath You Take" - The Police
*"Everyday I Write The Book" - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
*"Everything Counts" - Depeche Mode
*"Far From Over" - Frank Stallone
*"Family Man" - Hall & Oates
*"Faithfully" - Journey
*"Femme" - Dalida
*"Fields Of Fire (400 Miles)" - Big Country
*"Flashdance... What a Feeling" - Irene Cara
*"Foolin'" - Def Leppard
*"Freak-A-Zoid" - Midnight Star
*"Garden Party" - Marillion
*"Gimme All Your Lovin'" - ZZ Top
*"Gloria" - Laura Branigan
*"Gold" - Spandau Ballet
*"He Knows You Know" - Marillion
*"Heart & Soul" - Huey Lewis & The News
*"Heartache Avenue" - The Maisonettes
*"Holiday" - Madonna
*"Holy Diver" - Dio
*"How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" - Laura Branigan
*"How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" - Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross
*"Human Nature" - Michael Jackson
*"Hungry Like The Wolf" - Duran Duran
*"I Am (I'm Me)" - Twisted Sister
*"I Am Love" - Jennifer Holliday
*"I Cannot Believe It's True" - Phil Collins
*"I Don't Care Anymore" - Phil Collins
*"I Don't Remember (Live)" - Peter Gabriel
*"I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" - Elton John (feat. Stevie Wonder)
*"I Like It" - DeBarge
*"I Love Rocky Road" - "Weird Al" Yankovic"
*"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" - Culture Club
*"I'm Still Standing" - Elton John
*"In A Big Country" - Big Country
*"In The Neighborhood" - Tom Waits
*"I.O.U." - Freeez
*"Irresistible Bitch" -Prince
*"Is There Something I Should Know?" - Duran Duran
*"Islands in the Stream" - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
*"It Don't Matter To Me" - Phil Collins
*"Johnny B. Goode" - Peter Tosh
*"Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club
*"Keep Feeling (Fascination)" - The Human League
*"Kiss The Bride" - Elton John
*"Lawyers in Love" - Jackson Browne
*"Let The Music Play" - Shannon (singer)
*"Let's Dance" - David Bowie
*"Lick It Up" - Kiss
*"Listen To The Radio:Atmospherics" - Tom Robinson
*"Little Red Corvette" - Prince
*"Long Hot Summer" - The Style Council
*"Looks That Kill" - Mötley Crüe
*"Love Blonde" - Kim Wilde
*"Love Is a Battlefield" - Pat Benatar
*"Love is a Stranger" - Eurythmics
*"Love is for All Time" - The Animals
*"Love of the Common People" - Paul Young
*"Love on Your Side" - The Thompson Twins
*"Love Town" - Booker Newberry III
*"Voice of the Heart" - The Carpenters
*"Major Tom" - Peter Schilling
*"Make Believe It's Your First Time" (single) - The Carpenters
*"Mama" - Genesis
*"Maniac" - Michael Sembello
*"Many Rivers To Cross" - UB40
*"Marguerita Time" - Status Quo
*"Market Square Heroes" - Marillion
*"Maxine" - Sharon O'Neil
*"Modern Love" - David Bowie
*"Moonlight Shadow" - Mike Oldfield
*"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" - Bananarama
*"Nasty Girl" - Vanity 6
*"Never Stop" - Echo & the Bunnymen
*"New Frontier" - Donald Fagen
*"New Song" - Howard Jones
*"New Year's Day" - U2
*"Nobody's Diary" - Yazoo
*"Oblivious" - Aztec Camera
*"One on One" - Hall & Oates
*"One Thing Leads to Another" - The Fixx
*"Only For Love" - Limahl
*"Only You" - Rita Coolidge
*"Only You" - The Flying Pickets
*"Ooh To Be Ah" - Kajagoogoo
*"Our House" - Madness
*"Our Lips Are Sealed" - Fun Boy Three
*"Owner of a Lonely Heart" - Yes
*"Photograph" - Def Leppard
*"Pills And Soap" - The Imposter
*"Pipes Of Peace" - Paul McCartney
*"Pressure Sway" - Machinations
*"Pride and Joy" - Stevie Ray Vaughan
*"Promises, Promises" - Naked Eyes
*"Puttin' on the Ritz" - Taco
*"Radio Free Europe" - R.E.M.
*"Rainbow in the Dark - Dio
*"Reckless" - Australian Crawl #1
*"Ricky" - "Weird Al" Yankovic
*"Rio" - Duran Duran
*"Rip It Up" - Orange Juice
*"Rock 'n' Roll Is King" - Electric Light Orchestra
*"Rock of Ages" - Def Leppard
*"Rock the Casbah" - The Clash
*"Rockit" - Herbie Hancock
*"Run Runaway - Slade
*"Saved by Zero" - The Fixx
*"Say Say Say" - Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
*"Screaming for Vengeance" - Judas Priest
*"Send Her My Love" - Journey
*"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" - Journey
*"Sex (Im a...)" - Berlin
*"Shame on the Moon - Bob Seger
*"Sharp Dressed Man" - ZZ Top
*"She Works Hard For The Money" - Donna Summer
*"She's A Beauty" - The Tubes
*"Shiny Shiny" - Haysi Fantazee
*"Shipbuilding" - Robert Wyatt
*"Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
*"Shout at the Devil" - Mötley Crüe
*"Sign of the Times" - The Belle Stars
*"Solitaire" - Laura Branigan
*"Song To The Siren" - This Mortal Coil
*"Soul Inside" - Soft Cell
*"Space Age Love Song" - A Flock of Seagulls
*"Speak Like A Child" - The Style Council
*"Stand Back" - Stevie Nicks
*"Steppin' Out" - Joe Jackson
*"Straight from the Heart" - Bryan Adams
*"Straight to Hell - The Clash
*"Street of Dreams" - Rainbow
*"Suddenly last Summer" - The Motels
*"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics
*"Synchronicity 2" - The Police
*"Take me to heart" - Quarterflash
*"Talking In Your Sleep" - The Romantics
*"Tell Her About It" - Billy Joel
*"Temptation" - Heaven 17
*"Tender Is the Night" - Jackson Browne
*"That's All" - Genesis
*"The Big Apple" - Kajagoogoo
*"The Border" - America
*"The Celtic Soul Brothers" - Dexy's Midnight Runners
*"The Chinese Way" - Level 42
*"The Cutter" - Echo & the Bunnymen
*"The First Picture Of You" - The Lotus Eaters
*"The Love Cats" - The Cure
*"The Night" - The Animals
*"The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
*"The Shape You're In" - Eric Clapton
*"The Story Of The Blues" - The Mighty Wah!
*"The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)" - Level 42
*"The Walk" - The Cure
*"The Way He Makes Me Feel" - Barbra Streisand
*"They Don't Know" - Tracey Ullman
*"This Charming Man" - The Smiths
*"This Is The Day" - The The
*"This Time" - Bryan Adams
*"Thriller" - Michael Jackson
*"Thunder And Lightning" - Thin Lizzy
*"Tomorrow's Just Another Day" - Madness
*"Tonight I Celebrate My Love" - Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
*"Too Low For Zero" - Elton John (in US & Australia; not released in the rest of UK and Europe until 1985/86)
*"Too Shy" - Kajagoogoo
*"Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
*"True" - Spandau Ballet
*"True Love Ways" - Cliff Richard
*"2000 Miles" - The Pretenders
*"Tunnel of Love" - Fun Boy Three
*"Twilight Zone" - Golden Earring
*"Twisting by the Pool" - Dire Straits
*"Under Attack" - ABBA
*"Thank You For The Music" - ABBA (released in 1977)
*"Undercover of the Night" - The Rolling Stones
*"Union Of The Snake" - Duran Duran
*"Up Where We Belong" - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
*"Uptown Girl" - Billy Joel
*"Vintage '77 (EP)" - The Heartbreakers
*"Vision In Blue" - Ultravox
*"A Volar" - Menudo
*"Walk Out To Winter" - Aztec Camera
*"Walkin' The Line" - Brass Construction
*"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson
*"Watching You Watching Me" - David Grant
*"Waterfront" - Simple Minds
*"We Are Detective" - The Thompson Twins
*"We've Got Tonight" Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
*"What Is Love?" - Howard Jones
*"What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For (Girl)" - Hot Chocolate
*"Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" - Paul Young
*"White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" - Grandmaster and Melle Mel
*"Why Can't It Wait 'Til Morning?" - Phil Collins
*"Wings Of A Dove" - Madness
*"Wishing On A Star" - Rose Royce
*"You Are" - Lionel Richie
*"You Can't Hurry Love" - Phil Collins

Published popular music

* " I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" w. Bernie Taupin m. Elton John
* "An Innocent Man" w.m. Billy Joel
* "Karma Chameleon" w.m. George O'Dowd, John Moss, Roy Hay, Mickey Craig & Phil Rickett
* "Uptown Girl" w.m. Billy Joel
*"Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Jim Steinman

Classical music

*John Cage - Thirty Pieces for String Quartet
*Friedrich Cerha - "Requiem für Hollensteiner"
*George Crumb - "Processional" for piano
*Jean Daetwyler - Concerto for Alphorn, Flute, Saxophone and Strings No. 2
*Mario Davidovsky - "Romancero", for soprano, flute (piccolo, alto flute), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin and violoncello
*Jacques Hétu - Clarinet Concerto
*Witold Lutosławski - Symphony No. 3 (1972-83)
*Krzysztof Penderecki - Viola Concerto
*John Pickard - "Nocturne in Black and Gold"
*Iannis Xenakis - "Shaar"

Opera

*Robert Ashley - "Perfect Lives" (An opera for television)
*Leonard Bernstein - "A Quiet Place"
*Oliver Knussen - "Where the Wild Things Are" (children's)
*Olivier Messiaen - "Saint François d'Assise"
*Per Nørgård - "Det guddommelige Tivoli (The Divine Circus)"

Musical theater

* "Baby" Broadway production
* "La Cage aux Folles" Broadway production
* "Doonesbury" Broadway production
* "Mame" (Jerry Herman) - Broadway revival
* "Merlin" Broadway production
* "Oliver!" (Lionel Bart) - London revival
* "On Your Toes" Broadway revival
* "My One and Only" Broadway production
* "Singin' in the Rain" London production
* "The Tap Dance Kid" Broadway production
* "Zorba" Broadway revival

Musical films

* "Flashdance"
* "The Pirates of Penzance"
* "Staying Alive"
* "Yentl"

Musical television

* "Salad Days"

Births

*January 19 - Hikaru Utada, singer and songwriter
*March 14 - Jordan Taylor Hanson, Hanson
*March 19 - Ana Rezende, Cansei de Ser Sexy
*March 29 - Luiza Sá, Cansei de Ser Sexy
*May 11 - Holly Valance
*June 30 - Cheryl Tweedy, member of Girls Aloud
*June 30 - Patrick Wolf,singer/songwriter
*July 2 - Michelle Branch, The Wreckers
*July 11 - Marie Serneholt, A*Teens
*August 18 - Mika, British Singer
*September 14 - Amy Winehouse, English singer
*September 17 - Jennifer Peña
*October 29 - Amit Paul, A-Teens

Deaths

*January 28- Billy Fury, singer dies of Myocardial infarction (heart attack).
*February 4 - Karen Carpenter, singer, cardiac arrest due to anorexia nervosa
*February 12 - Eubie Blake (100), pianist
*February 22 - Sir Adrian Boult, conductor
*March 6 - Cathy Berberian, singer and composer
*March 7 - William Walton, British composer
*April 4 - Danny Rapp, Danny and the Juniors, gunshot wound
*April 14 - Pete Farndon, the Pretenders, drug overdose
*April 30
**Muddy Waters (68), heart attack
**George Balanchine, choreographer
*May 23 - George Bruns, film composer
*June 2 - Stan Rogers, musician
*June 25 - Alberto Ginastera, Argentinian composer
*July 5 - Harry James, bandleader
*July 23 - Georges Auric, composer, member of "Les Six"
*November 7 - Germaine Tailleferre, composer, only female member of "Les Six"
*November 19 - Tom Evans, bassist of the rock group Badfinger.
*December 28 - Dennis Wilson, member of the Beach Boys

Awards

Grammy Awards

*Grammy Awards of 1983

Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

*Eurovision Song Contest 1983

Charts

List of No. 1 Hits

*Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1983

"See also:"
* 1983 in music (UK)
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