RPM was a Canadian magazine that published the best-performing singles of Canada from 1964 to 2000. Twenty singles peaked atop the RPM Singles Chart in 1982. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John held the top position from 1981 into 1982, and Toni Basil achieved the final number-one hit of the year with "Mickey". Olivia Newton-John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Steve Miller Band, Chicago, and Lionel Richie were the only acts that had previously topped the Canadian chart before this year. No artists peaked at number one more than once in 1982.

The sole Canadian act to peak at number one this year was rock band Rush. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts had the most successful single of the year with their cover of Arrows' "I Love Rock 'n Roll", which topped the listing for eight issues in March, April, and May. Survivor peaked at number one for six weeks with "Eye of the Tiger" while "Ebony and Ivory", a duet between Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, spent five weeks at the summit. Olivia Newton-John, The J. Geils Band, and Charlene remained at number one for four weeks with their respective singles, and Soft Cell and Men at Work both topped the listing for three weeks.

+Key Indicates best-performing single of 1982

Chart history

Issue dateSongArtistReference2 January"Physical"Olivia Newton-John9 January16 January23 January30 January"Centerfold"The J. Geils Band6 February13 February20 February27 February"Tainted Love"Soft Cell6 March13 March20 March"I Love Rock 'n Roll"Joan Jett and the Blackhearts27 March3 April10 April17 April24 April1 May8 May15 May"Don't You Want Me"The Human League22 May"Ebony and Ivory"Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder29 May5 June12 June19 June26 June"I've Never Been to Me"Charlene3 July10 July17 July24 July"Abracadabra"Steve Miller Band31 July"Eye of the Tiger"Survivor7 August14 August21 August28 August4 September11 September"Hard to Say I'm Sorry"Chicago18 September"Jack & Diane"John Cougar25 September2 October"Eye in the Sky"The Alan Parsons Project9 October"New World Man"Rush16 October23 October"Down Under"Men at Work30 October6 November13 November"The Look of Love"ABC20 November"Gloria"Laura Branigan27 November"Up Where We Belong"Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes4 December11 December"Dirty Laundry"Don Henley18 December"Truly"Lionel Richie25 December"Mickey"Toni Basil

Notes

See also 1982 in music List of RPM number-one adult contemporary singles of 1982 List of RPM number-one country singles of 1982 List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1982 List of Cashbox Top 100 number-one singles of 1982 List of Canadian number-one albums of 1982

References

External links Read about RPM Magazine at the AV Trust Search RPM charts here at Library and Archives Canada