List of UK singles chart number ones of the 1980s

[1][2] The chart was based entirely on sales of physical singles from retail outlets and announced on Tuesday until October 1987, when the Top 40 was revealed each Sunday, due to the new automated process.

by Band Aid, selling over 3.5 million copies, and passing "Mull of Kintyre" by Wings to become the best-selling single ever.

Minogue would have reached number one if sales from cassette singles were included but they were sold for £1.99 – cheaper than was allowed at the time.

Following the debacle the British Phonographic Industry reduced the minimum price for cassette singles to become eligible towards sales figures.

She had six number ones: "Into the Groove" (1985); "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue" (both 1986); "La Isla Bonita", "Who's That Girl" (both 1987); and "Like a Prayer" (1989).

He had two number-one singles as a solo artist, four as a member of pop duo Wham!, and one as a duet with Aretha Franklin.

The British Phonographic Industry classified singles and albums since 1973 by the number of units sold, with the highest threshold being a "platinum record".

[32][33] In the 1980s, twelve songs were released that were classified platinum in the decade; eleven of these also sold one million units in that time.

[10][32] Twelve other songs originally released in the 1980s have since sold one million units, eleven of them following the introduction of music downloads in 2004.

New Order's label, Factory Records, were not a member of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) so they never received any sales certifications.

Madonna had six number ones during the 1980s.
The Jam achieved four number ones during the 1980s, with three of them - " Going Underground ", " Town Called Malice " and " Beat Surrender " - entering the chart at number one.
In 1980 ABBA scored their two most recent number ones, their last being Super Trouper .
John Lennon was murdered in 1980 , and three of his singles reached number one posthumously. [ 10 ]
Michael Jackson had three number-one singles in the 1980s, scoring his first ever number-one single in 1981 with " One Day in Your Life ", followed by " Billie Jean " in 1983 and " I Just Can't Stop Loving You " in 1987.
During the 1980s, Culture Club had two number ones, including the best-selling single of 1983, " Karma Chameleon ". Frontman Boy George would later achieve a solo number one in 1987.
George Michael was one of the most successful artists of the 1980s, with three number-one singles as a solo artist and four as part of Wham! .
Bob Geldof co-wrote " Do They Know It's Christmas? ", which was the biggest-selling single of the decade.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood had three consecutive singles reach number one, of which two, " Relax " and " Two Tribes ", sold over one million copies.
In 1985, Jennifer Rush was the first female artist to have a single sell over a million copies, with " The Power of Love ". [ citation needed ]
During the 1980s, the Pet Shop Boys gained four number ones, " West End Girls ", " It's a Sin ", " Always on My Mind " and " Heart ".
In 1988, Kylie Minogue went to number one with her debut UK single " I Should Be So Lucky ", and achieved two more number ones in 1989.