These are the UK Official Indie Chart number-one hits of the 1980s, as compiled by MRIB.
1980 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label DurationTotal number of weeks at number one. * indicates the total of several non-consecutive runs at number one. 19 January "Where's Captain Kirk?" Spizzenergi Rough Trade 7 weeks 8 March "Food for Thought" / King UB40 Graduate 12 weeks 31 May "Bloody Revolutions" Crass Crass 5 weeks 5 July "Love Will Tear Us Apart" Joy Division Factory 10* weeks 30 August "Paranoid" Black Sabbath NEMS 5* weeks 13 September Can't Cheat Karma (EP) Zounds Crass 2 weeks 18 October "Requiem" Killing Joke E.G. 1 week 25 October "Atmosphere" Joy Division Factory 2 weeks 8 November "Kill the Poor" Dead Kennedys Cherry Red 1 week 15 November "The Earth Dies Screaming" / "Dream a Lie" UB40 Graduate 5* weeks 6 December Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (EP) Motörhead Big Beat 1 week 27 December "Cartrouble" Adam and the Ants Do It 7* weeks
1981 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 24 January "Zerox" Adam and the Ants Do It 3 weeks 7 March "Nagasaki Nightmare" Crass Crass 2 weeks 21 March "Ceremony" New Order Factory 3 weeks 11 April Four from Toyah (EP) Toyah Safari 3 weeks 2 May "Dreaming of Me" Depeche Mode Mute 1 week 9 May Why (EP) Discharge Clay 2 weeks 23 May "I Want To Be Free" Toyah Safari 1 week 30 May "Don't Let It Pass You By / Don't Slow Down" UB40 DEP International 1 week 6 June "Too Drunk to Fuck" Dead Kennedys Cherry Red 5 weeks 11 July "New Life" Depeche Mode Mute 7 weeks 29 August "One in Ten" UB40 DEP International 4 weeks 26 September "Just Can't Get Enough" Depeche Mode Mute 2 weeks 10 October "Procession" New Order Factory 3 weeks 31 October "Thunder in the Mountains" Toyah Safari 4 weeks 28 November "Six Guns" Anti-Pasti Rondelet 1 week 5 December Four More From Toyah (EP) Toyah Safari 5* weeks 19 December "Don't Let 'Em Grind You Down" The Exploited & Anti-Pasti Exploited 1 week
1982 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 16 January "Streets of London" Anti-Nowhere League WXYZ 2 weeks 30 January "Do You Believe in the Westworld?" Theatre of Hate Burning Rome 2 weeks 13 February "See You" Depeche Mode Mute 7 weeks 3 April "I Hate People" Anti-Nowhere League WXYZ 2 weeks 17 April "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" Pigbag Y 4 weeks 15 May "Only You" Yazoo Mute 5 weeks 19 June "Temptation" New Order Factory 3 weeks 10 July "Woman" Anti-Nowhere League WXYZ 2 weeks 24 July "Don't Go" Yazoo Mute 8 weeks 18 September "Leave in Silence" Depeche Mode Mute 6 weeks 30 October "Shipbuilding" Robert Wyatt Rough Trade 3* weeks 6 November "How Does It Feel to Be the Mother of 1000 Dead?" Crass Crass 3 weeks 27 November "The Other Side of Love" Yazoo Mute 4 weeks 25 December "Save Your Love" Renée and Renato Hollywood 3 weeks
1983 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 15 January "Fat Man" Southern Death Cult Situation Two 2 weeks 29 January "Heartache Avenue" The Maisonettes Ready Steady Go! 3 weeks 19 February "Oblivious" Aztec Camera Rough Trade 2 weeks 12 March "Get the Balance Right!" Depeche Mode Mute Records 2 weeks 26 March "Blue Monday" New Order Factory 13* weeks 11 June "Nobody's Diary" Yazoo Mute 1 week 18 June "Pills and Soap" The Imposter (Elvis Costello) F-Beat 2 weeks 2 July "Sheep Farming in the Falklands" Crass Crass 2 weeks 16 July "War Baby" Tom Robinson Panic 3 weeks 6 August "Everything Counts" Depeche Mode Mute 5 weeks 10 September "Confusion" New Order Factory 4 weeks 5 November "Temple of Love" The Sisters of Mercy Merciful Release 1 week 26 November "This Charming Man" The Smiths Rough Trade 7* weeks 3 December "Never Never" The Assembly Mute 2 weeks
1984 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 28 January "What Difference Does It Make?" The Smiths Rough Trade 9 weeks 31 March "You're Already Dead" Crass Crass 1 week 7 April "People Are People" Depeche Mode Mute 3 weeks 28 April "Hand in Glove" Sandie Shaw Rough Trade 1 week 5 May "Thieves Like Us" New Order Factory 2 weeks 19 May "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" Cocteau Twins 4AD 2 weeks 2 June "Spiritwalker" The Cult Situation Two 1 week 9 June "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" The Smiths Rough Trade 3* weeks 23 June "Thanks for the Night" The Damned Damned 2 weeks 14 July "In the Ghetto" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Mute 4 weeks 11 August "Walk into the Sun" The March Violets Rebirth 2 weeks 25 August "Agadoo" Black Lace Flair 2 weeks 8 September "William, It Was Really Nothing" The Smiths Rough Trade 2 weeks 22 September "Master and Servant" Depeche Mode Mute 6 weeks 3 November "Marimba Jive" Red Guitars Self Drive 2 weeks 17 November "The Price" New Model Army Abstract 1 week 24 November "Blasphemous Rumours" / "Somebody" Depeche Mode Mute 3 weeks 15 December "Nellie the Elephant" Toy Dolls Volume 7 weeks
1985 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 2 February "Upside Down" The Jesus and Mary Chain Creation 4* weeks 16 February "How Soon Is Now?" The Smiths Rough Trade 4 weeks 30 March "Aikea-Guinea" Cocteau Twins 4AD 2* weeks 6 April "Shakespeare's Sister" The Smiths Rough Trade 3 weeks 4 May "Be with Me" Red Guitars One Way 2 weeks 18 May "Shake the Disease" Depeche Mode Mute 2 weeks 1 June "The Perfect Kiss" New Order Factory 3 weeks 22 June "You'll Never Walk Alone" The Crowd Spartan 3 weeks 13 July "Iron Masters" The Men They Couldn't Hang Demon 3* weeks 20 July "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" The Smiths Rough Trade 2 weeks 17 August "Tupelo" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Mute 2 weeks 31 August "Well Well Well" The Woodentops Rough Trade 3 weeks 21 September "Primitive Painters" Felt 4AD 2 weeks 5 October "It's Called a Heart" Depeche Mode Mute 1 week 12 October "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" The Smiths Rough Trade 3 weeks 2 November "The Battle Continues" Conflict Mortarhate 2 weeks 16 November "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" The Cramps Big Beat 1 week 23 November "Sub-culture" New Order Factory 1 week 30 November "Tiny Dynamine" Cocteau Twins 4AD 2 weeks 14 December "Echoes in a Shallow Bay" Cocteau Twins 4AD 8 weeks
1986 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 8 February "Giving Ground" The Sisterhood Merciful Release 4* weeks 1 March "Stripped" Depeche Mode Mute 1 week 15 March The Trumpton Riots EP Half Man Half Biscuit Probe Plus 3 weeks 5 April "Shellshock" New Order Factory 3 weeks 26 April "Godstar" Psychic TV & The Angels of Light Temple 2 weeks 10 May "Rules and Regulations" We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It Vindaloo 4 weeks 7 June "Bigmouth Strikes Again" The Smiths Rough Trade 5 weeks 12 July "The Singer" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Mute 2 weeks 26 July "Garden of Delight" The Mission Chapter 22 2 weeks 9 August "Panic" The Smiths Rough Trade 4 weeks 6 September "Tokyo Storm Warning" Elvis Costello & The Attractions Demon 2 weeks 20 September "Come Here My Love" This Mortal Coil 4AD 1 week 27 September "State of the Nation" New Order Factory 3 weeks 18 October "Dickie Davies Eyes" Half Man Half Biscuit Probe Plus 1 week 25 October "(Love Affair With) Everyday Living" The Woodentops Rough Trade 1 week 1 November "Love's Easy Tears" Cocteau Twins 4AD 1 week 8 November "Ask" The Smiths Rough Trade 2 weeks 22 November "Bizarre Love Triangle" New Order Factory 2 weeks 5 December "Sometimes" Erasure Mute 4 weeks
1987 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 3 January "Into the Groove(y)" Ciccone Youth Blast First 1 week 10 January "Kiss" Age of Chance FON 3 weeks 31 January "Shoplifters of the World Unite" The Smiths Rough Trade 4 weeks 28 February "It Doesn't Have to Be" Erasure Mute 8 weeks 25 April "Sheila Take a Bow" The Smiths Rough Trade 3 weeks 16 May "Nosedive Karma" Gaye Bykers on Acid In Tape 3 weeks 6 June "Victim of Love" Erasure Mute 2 weeks 20 June "Can't Take No More" The Soup Dragons Raw TV 4 weeks 18 July "Flowers in Our Hair" All About Eve Eden 2 weeks 1 August "True Faith" New Order Factory 3 weeks 22 August "Girlfriend in a Coma" The Smiths Rough Trade 2 weeks 5 September "Pump Up the Volume" M/A/R/R/S 4AD 7 weeks 24 October "Blue Water" Fields of the Nephilim Situation Two 2 weeks 7 November "My Baby Just Cares for Me" Nina Simone Charly 5 weeks 12 December "Touched by the Hand of God" New Order Factory 6 weeks
1988 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 23 January "Behind the Wheel" Depeche Mode Mute 1 week 30 January "Rok da House" Beatmasters & Cookie Crew Rhythm King 1 week 6 February "Coldsweat" The Sugarcubes One Little Indian 2 weeks 20 February "I Should Be So Lucky" Kylie Minogue PWL 1 week 27 February "Beat Dis" Bomb the Bass Mister-Ron 4 weeks 26 March "Ship of Fools" Erasure Mute 4 weeks 23 April "Theme from S'Express" S'Express Rhythm King 4 weeks 21 May "Blue Monday 1988" New Order Factory 2 weeks 4 June "Got to Be Certain" Kylie Minogue PWL 1 week 11 June "Moonchild" Fields of the Nephilim Situation Two 2 weeks 25 June "Doctorin' the Tardis" The Timelords KLF Communications 4 weeks 23 July "Superfly Guy" S'Express Rhythm King 3 weeks 13 August "The Only Way Is Up" Yazz & The Plastic Population Big Life 5 weeks 17 September "Birthday" The Sugarcubes One Little Indian 1 week 24 September "Stop This Crazy Thing" Coldcut feat. Junior Reid Big Life 1 week 1 October "Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?" The Wedding Present Reception 3 weeks 22 October "A Little Respect" Erasure Mute 2 weeks 5 November "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" Kylie Minogue PWL 1 week 12 November "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" Yazz Big Life 3 weeks 3 December "Say a Little Prayer" Bomb the Bass feat. Maureen Rhythm King 1 week 10 December "Fine Time" New Order Factory 2 weeks 24 December Crackers International (EP) Erasure Mute 8 weeks
1989 Date first reached number one Song Artist Label Duration 18 February "Can't Be Sure" The Sundays Rough Trade 3 weeks 11 March "Hey Music Lover" S'Express Rhythm King 1 week 18 March "Too Many Broken Hearts" Jason Donovan PWL 3 weeks 8 April "Monkey Gone to Heaven" Pixies 4AD 4 weeks 6 May "Who's in the House?" Beatmasters feat. MC Merlin Rhythm King 1 week 13 May "Hand on Your Heart" Kylie Minogue PWL 1 week 20 May "Just Like Heaven" Dinosaur Jr. Blast First 1 week 27 May "Ferry Cross the Mersey" The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden & Stock Aitken Waterman PWL 3 weeks 17 June "Sealed with a Kiss" Jason Donovan PWL 2 weeks 1 July "Here Comes Your Man" Pixies 4AD 3 weeks 22 July "Hypnotized" Spacemen 3 Fire 1 week 29 July "She Bangs the Drums" The Stone Roses Silvertone 3 weeks 19 August "Pure" The Lightning Seeds Ghetto 2 weeks 2 September "Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" Beatmasters feat. Betty Boo Rhythm King 1 week 9 September "Find Out Why" Inspiral Carpets Cow 1 week 16 September "Run 2" New Order Factory 1 week 23 September "Regina" The Sugarcubes One Little Indian 1 week 30 September "Personal Jesus" Depeche Mode Mute 1 week 7 October "Drama!" Erasure Mute 2 weeks 21 October "Street Tuff" Rebel MC & Double Trouble Desire 2 weeks 4 November "Eye Know" De La Soul Tommy Boy 1 week 11 November "Widowermaker" Butthole Surfers Blast First 2 weeks 25 November "Move" Inspiral Carpets Cow 1 week 2 December "Fools Gold / What the World Is Waiting For" The Stone Roses Silvertone 3 weeks 23 December "Getting Away with It" Electronic Factory 3 weeks
See also List of UK Independent Albums Chart number ones of the 1980s 1980s in music List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s
References