RPM was a Canadian magazine that published the best-performing singles of Canada from 1964 to 2000. During 1983, twenty-seven singles became number-one hits in Canada. Toni Basil commenced the year with her single "Mickey" while Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson's "Say Say Say" was 1983's final number one. Those who had previously reached number one on Canada's chart were Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Styx, The Police, Elton John, Bonnie Tyler, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, and Paul McCartney. No Canadians reached the summit in 1983.
The most successful artist of the year based on the number of chart-toppers and weeks spent at number one was Michael Jackson. He gained his first Canadian number-one hit this year with "Billie Jean" in March, then attained the chart's top position three more times with "Beat It" in May, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" in July, and "Say Say Say" in December. In total, Jackson remained at number one for 10 weeks during 1983. Despite this success, it was British band The Police that achieved the best-performing hit of 1983, "Every Breath You Take", which stayed at number one on the issues of 2 July and 9 July.
Alongside Jackson, The Police were also the only act to peak at number one more than once, rising to the top again in October with "King of Pain". Together with "Every Breath You Take", the band remained at number one for three issues. Toni Basil's "Mickey", Musical Youth's "Pass the Dutchie", Michael Jackson's "Beat It", Irene Cara's "Flashdance... What a Feeling", Michael Sembello's "Maniac", Lionel Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)", and Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson's "Say Say Say" were the seven tracks that stayed at number one for at least three weeks.
+Key Indicates best-performing single of 1983
Chart history
Issue dateSongArtistReference1 January"Mickey"Toni Basil8 January15 January22 January"Pass the Dutchie"Musical Youth29 January5 February12 February"Africa"Toto19 February"Sexual Healing"Marvin Gaye26 February5 March"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"Culture Club12 March19 March"Hungry Like the Wolf"Duran Duran26 March"Billie Jean"Michael Jackson2 April9 April"Mr. Roboto"Styx16 April23 April"She Blinded Me with Science"Thomas Dolby30 April7 May"Let's Dance"David Bowie14 May"Beat It"Michael Jackson21 May28 May4 June"Flashdance... What a Feeling"Irene Cara11 June18 June25 June"Electric Avenue"Eddy Grant2 July"Every Breath You Take"The Police9 July16 July"I'm Still Standing"Elton John23 July"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"Michael Jackson30 July6 August"White Wedding"Billy Idol13 August"Total Eclipse of the Heart"Bonnie Tyler20 August27 August"Our House"Madness3 September10 September"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"Eurythmics17 September24 September"Maniac"Michael Sembello1 October8 October15 October"King of Pain"The Police22 October"One Thing Leads to Another"The Fixx29 October"True"Spandau Ballet5 November12 November"Islands in the Stream"Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton19 November26 November"All Night Long (All Night)"Lionel Richie3 December10 December17 December"Say Say Say"Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson24 December31 December
Notes
See also 1983 in music List of RPM number-one adult contemporary singles of 1983 List of RPM number-one country singles of 1983 List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1983 List of Cashbox Top 100 number-one singles of 1983 List of Canadian number-one albums of 1983
References
External links Read about RPM Magazine at the AV Trust Search RPM charts here at Library and Archives Canada