1983 Pop Culture Page
Music, movies, TV shows, and commercials in the USA.
Information compiled by Duane Alan Hahn, a.k.a. Random Terrain.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (Most of the images on this page lead to Amazon if clicked on.)
Pages in this Subsection
Page last updated on: 2024y_09m_10d_0203t [First draft of page finished on 2020y_06m_30d.]
Below are lists of top 100 music (selected hits in the order they charted), new movies at the theater, and new TV shows to help summon your treasured memories from the year 1983 with the bonus of recreating the magical feelings of that special time.
If you were too young or not even born yet, play the songs in the order they are listed and watch video clips or commercials for the movies and TV shows (in order) and you might get a sense of what it was like living from month to month back in 1982. There were no smartphones with an Internet full of knowledge and entertainment at your fingertips. If you wanted to know something, you had to go to the library and try to find the information in a book. If you were lucky, you had an encyclopedia set at home, but it would probably be many decades out of date.
This page is an adapted version of my other page called Atari 2600 Video Game Release Dates for 1983.
Links that jump to other places on this page are blue. Links that lead to other pages online are red.
If you'd like to quickly jump to a certain month or a specific type of entertainment within a month, there is a handy Page Table of Contents near the top of the page.
To help make your experience more enjoyable, most items listed on this page have a link to related search results at YouTube (YT) where you can watch music videos, scenes from movies, or clips from TV shows. The movies and TV shows listed on this page also have links to web sites such as the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and Wikipedia (WP).
January 1983
“Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” by Utopia (Jan 8) YT
“You Are” by Lionel Richie (Jan 15) YT
“Breaking Us In Two” by Joe Jackson (Jan 15) YT 60%
“Dreamin’ Is Easy” by Steel Breeze (Jan 15) YT
“I’m Alive” by Neil Diamond (Jan 15) YT
“Windows” by Missing Persons (Jan 15) YT
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson (Jan 22) YT 80%
“Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners (Jan 22) YT 80%
“All Right” by Christopher Cross (Jan 22) YT
“Lies” by Thompson Twins (Jan 22) YT
“It’s Raining Men” by Weather Girls (Jan 22) YT
“Jeopardy” by Greg Kihn Band (Jan 29) YT
“We’ve Got Tonight” by Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton (Jan 29) YT
“One On One” by Hall & Oates (Jan 29) YT
“Poison Arrow” by ABC (Jan 29) YT
“It Might Be You” by Stephen Bishop (Jan 29) YT 70%
“My Kind Of Lady” by Supertramp (Jan 29) YT
“New Frontier” by Donald Fagen (Jan 29) YT 80%
January 1983
February 1983
“Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey (Feb 5) YT
“Little Too Late” by Pat Benatar (Feb 5) YT
“I Like It” by DeBarge (Feb 5) YT
“Nice Girls” by Melissa Manchester (Feb 5) YT
“Mr. Roboto” by Styx (Feb 12) YT 75%
“Der Kommissar” by After The Fire (Feb 12) YT 70%
“I Don’t Care Anymore” by Phil Collins (Feb 12) YT
“The Fanatic” by Felony (Feb 12) YT
“She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby (Feb 19) YT 80%
“Whirly Girl” by Oxo (Feb 19) YT
“Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash (Feb 19) YT
“Beat It” by Michael Jackson (Feb 26) YT 80%
“Little Red Corvette” by Prince (Feb 26) YT
“Change Of Heart” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (Feb 26) YT
“Some Kind Of Friend” by Barry Manilow (Feb 26) YT
“Take The Short Way Home” by Dionne Warwick (Feb 26) YT
“Shoppin’ From A To Z” by Toni Basil (Feb 26) YT
February 1983
February 1983
February 18, 1983 Commercial Breaks – WGN Ind., Chicago (Friday Night Movie presentation of "Silver Streak")
Search for more February 1983 commercials at YouTube.
March 1983
“Minimum Love” by Mac McAnally (Mar 5) YT 80%
“Swingin’” by John Anderson (Mar 5) YT
“Love My Way” by Psychedelic Furs (Mar 5) YT
“Escalator Of Life” by Robert Hazard (Mar 5) YT 65%
“Always Something There To Remind Me” by Naked Eyes (Mar 12) YT
“Straight From The Heart” by Bryan Adams (Mar 12) YT
“I Won’t Hold You Back” by Toto (Mar 12) YT
“Photograph” by Def Leppard (Mar 12) YT 60%
“Even Now” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Mar 12) YT
“Welcome To Heartlight” by Kenny Loggins (Mar 12) YT
“Walking In L.A.” by Missing Persons (Mar 12) YT
“Solitaire” by Laura Branigan (Mar 19) YT
“Mornin’” by Al Jarreau (Mar 19) YT 75%
“So Wrong” by Patrick Simmons (Mar 19) YT
“Goodnight Saigon” by Billy Joel (Mar 19) YT
“Mexican Radio” by Wall Of Voodoo (Mar 19) YT
“American Made” by Oak Ridge Boys (Mar 19) YT
“Let’s Dance” by David Bowie (Mar 26) YT 65%
“Stranger In My House” by Ronnie Milsap (Mar 26) YT 60%
“The One Thing” by INXS (Mar 26) YT
“I Couldn’t Say No” by Robert Ellis Orrall with Carlene Carter (Mar 26) YT
March 1983
Spring Break (Mar 25) YT IMDb WP
The Outsiders (Mar 25) YT IMDb WP
April 1983
“Flashdance... What a Feeling” by Irene Cara (Apr 2) YT
“Rio” by Duran Duran (Apr 2) YT 70%
“Gimme All Your Lovin’” by ZZ Top (Apr 2) YT
“Love’s Got A Line On You” by Scandal (Apr 2) YT
“I Melt With You” by Modern English (Apr 2) YT
“Overkill” by Men At Work (Apr 9) YT 80%
“My Love” by Lionel Richie (Apr 9) YT
“She’s A Beauty” by The Tubes (Apr 9) YT
“Electric Avenue” by Eddy Grant (Apr 16) YT 80%
“Time (Clock Of The Heart)” by Culture Club (Apr 16) YT 65%
“Never Gonna Let You Go” by Sergio Mendes (Apr 16) YT
“Affair Of The Heart” by Rick Springfield (Apr 16) YT
“Faithfully” by Journey (Apr 16) YT
“Cool Places” by Sparks and Jane Wiedlin (Apr 16) YT
“I Eat Cannibals” by Total Coelo (Apr 16) YT
“I Love L.A.” by Randy Newman (Apr 16) YT [Bubbling Under Top 100]
“Too Shy” by Kajagoogoo (Apr 23) YT 75%
“All This Love” by DeBarge (Apr 23) YT 75%
“Don’t Let It End” by Styx (Apr 30) YT
“Family Man” by Daryl Hall & John Oates (Apr 30) YT
“That’s Love” by Jim Capaldi (Apr 30) YT
“Ricky” by Weird Al Yankovic (Apr 30) YT 60%
“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Gary Portnoy (Apr 30) YT
May 1983
“Come Dancing” by The Kinks (May 7) YT
“Our House” by Madness (May 7) YT 90%
“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John (May 7) YT
“We Two” by Little River Band (May 7) YT
“The Closer You Get” by Alabama (May 7) YT
“Candy Girl” by New Edition (May 7) YT
“Bang The Drum All Day” by Todd Rundgren (May 7) YT
“Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics (May 14) YT 75%
“Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)” by A Flock Of Seagulls (May 14) YT
“Slipping Away” by Dave Edmunds (May 14) YT
“White Wedding” by Billy Idol (May 21) YT
“Theme From ‘Doctor Detroit’” by Devo (May 21) YT
“She Works Hard For The Money” by Donna Summer (May 28) YT
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” by Michael Jackson (May 28) YT 90%
“(Keep Feeling) Fascination” by The Human League (May 28) YT 75%
“Baby Jane” by Rod Stewart (May 28) YT
“Saved By Zero” by The Fixx (May 28) YT
“The Celtic Soul Brothers” by Dexys Midnight Runners (May 28) YT
May 1983
May 3, 1983 commercials (The A-Team, a rerun of the Remington Steele premiere, and the beginning of St. Elsewhere)
May 10 and May 11 1983 TBS/WTBS Commercial Breaks (from the 1950 Western film "Dallas")
May 27, 1983 commercials (The Sound Of Music)
Search for more May 1983 commercials at YouTube.
June 1983
“Every Breath You Take” by The Police (Jun 4) YT
“Maniac” by Michael Sembello (Jun 4) YT 90%
“Is There Something I Should Know” by Duran Duran (Jun 4) YT 75%
“Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks (Jun 4) YT
“China Girl” by David Bowie (Jun 4) YT
“Hot Girls In Love” by Loverboy (Jun 11) YT
“Cuts Like A Knife” by Bryan Adams (Jun 11) YT
“Rock Of Ages” by Def Leppard (Jun 11) YT
“Space Age Whiz Kids” by Joe Walsh (Jun 11) YT
“Take Me To Heart” by Quarterflash (Jun 18) YT
“The Border” by America (Jun 18) YT
“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats (Jun 25) YT 90%
“Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Taco (Jun 25) YT 90%
“Rock ‘N’ Roll Is King” by ELO (Jun 25) YT
“Dead Giveaway” by Shalamar (Jun 25) YT
“War Games” by Crosby, Stills and Nash (Jun 25) YT
June 1983
The Man with Two Brains (Jun 3) YT IMDb WP
Trading Places (Jun 8) YT IMDb WP
Superman III (Jun 17) YT IMDb WP
June 1983
June 5, 1983 commercials (37th annual Tony Awards off KDKA/CBS)
Search for more June 1983 commercials at YouTube.
July 1983
“It’s A Mistake” by Men At Work (Jul 2) YT 65%
“I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” by Culture Club (Jul 2) YT 65%
“How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” by Laura Branigan (Jul 2) YT
“All Time High” by Rita Coolidge (Jul 2) YT
“Ewok Celebration” by Meco (Jul 2) YT
“Lawyers in Love” by Jackson Browne (Jul 9) YT
“Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” by Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson (Jul 9) YT
“Human Touch” by Rick Springfield (Jul 9) YT
“After The Fall” by Journey (Jul 9) YT
“Fake Friends” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (Jul 9) YT
“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler (Jul 16) YT
“Promises, Promises” by Naked Eyes (Jul 16) YT 95%
“Don’t You Get So Mad” by Jeffrey Osborne (Jul 16) YT 60%
“Legal Tender” by The B-52’s (Jul 16) YT
“Human Nature” by Michael Jackson (Jul 23) YT 90%
“Lady Love Me (One More Time)” by George Benson (Jul 23) YT
“You’re Driving Me Out Of My Mind” by Little River Band (Jul 23) YT
“Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top (Jul 23) YT [Related video: Hooked on Polkas.]
“Words (Don’t Come Easy)” by F. R. David (Jul 23) YT
“Shiny Shiny” by Haysi Fantayzee (Jul 23) YT 60% [Kate Garner, flat belly girl.]
“Tell Her About It” by Billy Joel (Jul 30) YT
“Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” by Air Supply (Jul 30) YT
“Burning Down The House” by Talking Heads (Jul 30) YT 78%
“Don’t Cry” by Asia (Jul 30) YT
“Far From Over” by Frank Stallone (Jul 30) YT
“You Belong To Me” by The Doobie Brothers (Jul 30) YT [Farewell Tour Version] YT [Studio]
July 1983
July 1983 KMBC-TV Commercials (local broadcast of the movie "The Sunshine Boys")
Search for more July 1983 commercials at YouTube.
August 1983
“True” by Spandau Ballet (Aug 6) YT
“(She’s) Sexy + 17” by Stray Cats (Aug 6) YT
“Holiday Road” by Lindsey Buckingham (Aug 6) YT 80%
“I Love Rocky Road” by Weird Al Yankovic (Aug 6) YT [Bubbling Under Top 100]
“High Time” by Styx (Aug 13) YT
“I Don’t Wanna Dance” by Eddy Grant (Aug 13) YT 60%
“Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)” by Sheena Easton (Aug 20) YT
“Don’t Forget To Dance” by The Kinks (Aug 20) YT
“It Must Be Love” by Madness (Aug 20) YT
“Everyday I Write The Book” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (Aug 20) YT
“Freak-A-Zoid” by Midnight Star (Aug 20) YT
“Do It Again/Billie Jean (Medley)” by Club House (Aug 20) YT
“Islands In The Stream” by Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton (Aug 27) YT
“King Of Pain” by The Police (Aug 27) YT 75%
“One Thing Leads To Another” by The Fixx (Aug 27) YT 95%
“What Am I Gonna Do (I’m So In Love With You)” by Rod Stewart (Aug 27) YT
“Solsbury Hill (Live)” by Peter Gabriel (Aug 27) YT
August 1983
August 1983 ABC Commercials (KMBC-TV)
August 1983 commercials (From a bunch of Twilight Zone reruns)
Search for more August 1983 commercials at YouTube.
September 1983
“Delirious” by Prince (Sep 3) YT
“Suddenly Last Summer” by The Motels (Sep 3) YT 65%
“This Time” by Bryan Adams (Sep 3) YT
“Foolin’” by Def Leppard (Sep 3) YT
“Unconditional Love” by Donna Summer (Sep 3) YT
“Heart & Soul” by Huey Lewis & The News (Sep 10) YT
“If Anyone Falls” by Stevie Nicks (Sep 10) YT
“Just Got Lucky” by JoBoxers (Sep 10) YT
“Everyday People” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (Sep 10) YT
“Trouble In Paradise” by Al Jarreau (Sep 10) YT
“Rockit” by Herbie Hancock (Sep 10) YT 55%
“Dancing With Myself” by Billy Idol (Sep 10) YT [Bubbling Under Top 100]
“Break My Stride” by Matthew Wilder (Sep 17) YT 95%
“All Night Long (All Night)” by Lionel Richie (Sep 17) YT
“Cum On Feel The Noize” by Quiet Riot (Sep 17) YT 52%
“Modern Love” by David Bowie (Sep 17) YT 90%
“Love Is A Stranger” by Eurythmics (Sep 17) YT 60%
“Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive” by Men At Work (Sep 17) YT 60%
“Old Time Rock & Roll” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Sep 17) YT
“Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel (Sep 24) YT 55%
“Love Is A Battlefield” by Pat Benatar (Sep 24) YT 51%
“Major Tom (Coming Home)” by Peter Schilling (Sep 24) YT 75%
“Send Her My Love” by Journey (Sep 24) YT 62%
“Automatic Man” by Michael Sembello (Sep 24) YT 65%
September 1983
Strange Invaders (Sep 16) YT IMDb WP
Educating Rita (Sep 21) YT IMDb WP
September 1983
We Got It Made NBC (Sept. 8) YT IMDb WP
Webster ABC (Sept. 16) YT IMDb WP
Hardcastle & McCormick ABC (Sep 18) YT IMDb WP
AfterMASH CBS (Sep 26) YT IMDb WP
September 1983
September 2, 1983 Commercial Block p1 [Bubblicious at 0:00]
September 2, 1983 Commercial Block p2 (Friday Night Videos)
September 19, 1983 commercials (premiere of Press Your Luck)
September 1983 ABC Commercial Breaks (KOMO Seattle)
September 17, 1983 Commercial Breaks – KHJ Ind., Los Angeles (Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters)
September 1983 WDIV commercials from (GI Joe pilot)
Search for more September 1983 commercials at YouTube.
October 1983
“Ain’t Nobody” by Rufus & Chaka Khan (Oct 1) YT
“Mirror Man” by Human League (Oct 1) YT 55%
“Rock It Out” by Pia Zadora (Oct 5) YT [Bubbling Under Top 100]
“Talking In Your Sleep” by The Romantics (Oct 8) YT 65%
“P.Y.T.” by Michael Jackson (Oct 8) YT 75%
“On The Dark Side” by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band (Oct 8) YT
“Time Will Reveal” by DeBarge (Oct 15) YT 65%
“Stay With Me Tonight” by Jeffrey Osborne (Oct 15) YT
“Say Say Say” by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson (Oct 15) YT 90%
“Crumblin’ Down” by John Cougar Mellencamp (Oct 15) YT
“Souls” by Rick Springfield (Oct 15) YT
“Invisible Hands” by Kim Carnes (Oct 15) YT
“Church Of The Poison Mind” by Culture Club (Oct 22) YT
“Why Me?” by Irene Cara (Oct 22) YT
“In A Big Country” by Big Country (Oct 22) YT 95%
“When The Lights Go Out” by Naked Eyes (Oct 22) YT 85%
“I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” by Elton John (Oct 29) YT
“Holiday” by Madonna (Oct 29) YT
“Say It Isn’t So” by Hall & Oates (Oct 29) YT 75%
“I Won’t Stand In Your Way” by Stray Cats (Oct 29) YT
“What’s New” by Linda Ronstadt (Oct 29) YT
“No One Can Love You More Than Me” by Melissa Manchester (Oct 29) YT
October 1983
October 2, 1983 commercials (George Michael Sports Final and the NBC Late Night Movie "The Prisoner of Zenda")
October 1983 WDCA commercials (From a number of Twilight Zone reruns)
Search for more October 1983 commercials at YouTube.
November 1983
“Owner Of A Lonely Heart” by Yes (Nov 5) YT [Related video: Hooked on Polkas.]
“Joanna ” by Kool & The Gang (Nov 5) YT
“Twist Of Fate” by Olivia Newton-John (Nov 5) YT
“Union Of The Snake” by Duran Duran (Nov 5) YT 65%
“Synchronicity II” by The Police (Nov 5) YT 65%
“Let The Music Play” by Shannon (Nov 12) YT
“I Still Can’t Get Over Loving You” by Ray Parker, Jr. (Nov 12) YT
“If I’d Been The One” by 38 Special (Nov 12) YT
“Send Me An Angel” by Real Life (Nov 12) YT
“Lick It Up” by KISS (Nov 12) YT
“Read ‘Em And Weep” by Barry Manilow (Nov 19) YT
“Gold” by Spandau Ballet (Nov 19) YT
“In The Mood” by Robert Plant (Nov 19) YT
“That’s All!” by Genesis (Nov 26) YT
“Running With The Night” by Lionel Richie (Nov 26) YT
“The Politics Of Dancing” by Re-flex (Nov 26) YT 75%
“The Sign Of Fire” by The Fixx (Nov 26) YT
“This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)” by Talking Heads (Nov 26) YT
November 1983
November 5, 1983 commercials (Solid Gold) [Star Trek game at 6:35]
November 5, 1983 CBS Commercials KCTV5 (Agatha Chrisite's "Sparkling Cyanide")
November 11, 1983 Adverts Block (Friday Night Videos)
November 20, 1983 ABC Commercial Breaks (The Day After) [Commodore 64 at 0:13, 2:16, 11:22, 15:22 - Dancing Madness at 8:56 - Hot Tracks at 12:52]
Search for more November 1983 commercials at YouTube.
December 1983
“Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club (Dec 3) YT 60%
“The Curly Shuffle” by Jump ‘N The Saddle (Dec 3) YT 55%
“Remember The Nights” by The Motels (Dec 3) YT 55%
“Rappin’ Rodney” by Rodney Dangerfield (Dec 3) YT
“99 Luftballons” by Nena (Dec 10) YT 75% [Related video: Hooked on Polkas.]
“Pink Houses” by John Cougar Mellencamp (Dec 10) YT
“Think Of Laura” by Christopher Cross (Dec 10) YT 60%
“Yah Mo B There” by James Ingram & Michael McDonald (Dec 10) YT
“Almost Over You” by Sheena Easton (Dec 10) YT
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper (Dec 17) YT 80%
“An Innocent Man” by Billy Joel (Dec 17) YT
“Middle Of The Road” by The Pretenders (Dec 17) YT
“Give It Up” by KC (Dec 24) YT
“So Bad” by Paul McCartney (Dec 24) YT
December 1983
Automan ABC (Dec 15) YT IMDb WP
Network television premiere of Michael Jackson’s Thriller video on Friday Night Videos. NBC (Dec 23)
December 1983
December 2, 1983 MEGA BLOCK COMMERCIALS (Friday Night Videos)
December 23, 1983 Christmas 1983 Commercial Block pt1 (Friday Night Videos)
December 23, 1983 Christmas 1983 Commercial Block pt2 (Friday Night Videos)
December 1983 NBC Commercial Breaks KTVV Austin (various Saturday morning children's programming)
Search for more December 1983 commercials at YouTube.
1983
Information Compiled From the Following Sources
Rock on the Net: The Ark Weekly Top 40 Archives
Wikipedia: Wide-release Movies
Wikipedia: List of Years in Television
Disclaimer
View this page and any external web sites at your own risk. I am not responsible for any possible spiritual, emotional, physical, financial or any other damage to you, your friends, family, ancestors, or descendants in the past, present, or future, living or dead, in this dimension or any other.
If reading this page opens a time vortex back to 1983, the good news is that I’ve heard there are infinite timelines and you can’t do any damage to the timeline you came from. The bad news is that you can’t return to your original timeline in the future, so enter the time vortex at your own risk.