1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1984.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–March
- In January 1984, Iain Williams & the 1984 Project recorded the dance track at Trident Studios in Soho, London. The track features Hans Zimmer on Fairlight CM and Alan Murphy on guitar.
- January 11 – BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read announces on air that he will not play the single "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood because of its suggestive lyrics. The BBC places a total ban on the record at about the same time.
- January 17 – The SING BLUE SILVER tour continues on to Japan and North America as Duran Duran becomes the first act to utilize live video cameras and screens in their show. They break every existing merchandise record during this tour.
- January 21 – "Relax" reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite the BBC ban; it will spend a total of 42 weeks in the Top 40.
- January 27 – Michael Jackson's scalp is burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial and he is admitted to hospital. Around this time, Jackson also releases the title track from his album Thriller as the LP's final single.
- February 14
- *Elton John marries studio engineer Renate Blauel.
- *Joe Perry and Brad Whitford attend an Aerosmith concert and re-join the band, which embarks on a reunion tour "Back in the Saddle" later in the year.
- February 16 – Jerry Lee Lewis surrenders to federal authorities on charges of income tax evasion. Lewis is later acquitted.
- February 25 – Thompson Twins debuts at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart with Into the Gap. The album would also top the chart the two following weeks and remain on the chart for 38 consecutive weeks until November.
- February 28
- * Recovering from the scalp burns sustained a month earlier, Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards out of 12 nominations at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, breaking the record for the most Grammys won in a single year. He wins seven for the album Thriller and one for his work on the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
- * Hosted by John Denver, this year's Grammys ceremony receives the highest ratings in the awarding body's history, a record currently unmatched. Along with the awards received by Michael Jackson, The Police's "Every Breath You Take" wins Song of the Year, while Culture Club win Best New Artist.
- February 29 – German industrial band KMFDM is founded, and holds its first performance at the Grand Palais in Paris, France.
- March 1
- *Sting plays his last concerts with The Police at the end of the Synchronicity tour; the band takes a "pause" after the tour and only play a few special events together after this, until 2007, when they would organize a reunion tour.
- *Alice Cooper, who has not toured for his last two albums, parts ways with his longtime label Warner Bros. and goes on hiatus from the music industry. Cooper begins mulling over plans for a comeback, which he would carry out in 1986.
April–June
- April 1
- *New York rock and roll magazine Trouser Press folds after a decade, publishing its 96th and final issue.
- *In Los Angeles, Marvin Gaye is shot and killed during an argument with his father.
- May 1 – Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac, files for bankruptcy in the United States.
- May 2 – Lionel Richie's hit "Hello" becomes Motown's first ever UK million-selling single.
- May 5
- *Duran Duran achieve their second UK number 1 single with "The Reflex" and remain at number 1 for four consecutive weeks.
- *The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde marries Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr.
- *In Luxembourg, the Eurovision Song Contest 1984 is won by the Swedish entry, "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley", performed by the Herreys.
- June 8 – Billy Joel performs at Wembley Arena; the concert is later broadcast on BBC Television in two parts.
- June 16 – Frankie Goes to Hollywood begin a nine-week stay at the top of the UK singles chart with "Two Tribes".
- June 18 – At the climax of a Judas Priest concert at Madison Square Garden, fans begin ripping out the cushions from the seats and throwing them on stage. Judas Priest pay damages through insurance and are banned from Madison Square Garden for life over the incident.
- June 23 – Duran Duran earn their first US number 1 single with "The Reflex", making it their first single to top both the UK and US charts.
- June 25 – Prince releases his sixth album Purple Rain; the album sells over 20 million copies and gives Prince two US number one singles with "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy".
July–September
- July 1 – During his performance at the first ever Cornerstone Festival in Grayslake, Illinois, Steve Taylor jumps off the stage, breaking his ankle. Taylor hops back on stage and finishes his show. The next few shows on Taylor's tour were performed from a wheel chair.
- July 10 – The last original member of Menudo, Ricky Meléndez, leaves the group and is replaced by Ricky Martin. Meanwhile, Menudomania reaches Asia in 1984.
- July 14
- *Eddie Van Halen makes a special guest appearance at a concert by The Jacksons in Dallas, Texas, playing the guitar solo for "Beat It" live.
- *Selena y los Dinos release their first album Mis Primeras Grabaciones.
- *Boothill Foottappers enter the UK singles chart with their single released on the Go! Discs label.
- August 9 – Iron Maiden kicks off the World Slavery Tour in Warsaw, Poland, with shows in Hungary and Yugoslavia soon to follow. This marks the first time a Western band has ever brought a full concert production behind the Iron Curtain.
- August 10 – Red Hot Chili Peppers release their debut album The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
- August 25 – Kathleen Battle makes her solo recital debut at the Salzburg Festival.
- August 31 – Canadian music video channel MuchMusic begins broadcasting. The first video played is Rush's "The Enemy Within".
- September 2 – Van Halen concludes its 1984 world tour with a show in Nuremberg, Germany as part of the Monsters of Rock festival tour. This would be the band's last concert with David Lee Roth as lead singer until 2007.
- September 7 – Janet Jackson elopes with fellow singer James DeBarge. The marriage would be annulled in 1985.
- September 11 – Country singer Barbara Mandrell suffers serious injuries in a head-on automobile collision on a Tennessee highway. She will make a comeback after spending over a year rehabilitating.
- September 14 – The first annual MTV Video Music Awards are held in New York City. Herbie Hancock wins the most awards with five, and The Cars take the highest prize of Video Of The Year for "You Might Think". Much attention is garnered by Madonna's controversial performance of her hit single "Like a Virgin" in which she rolls around on the stage, revealing lacy stockings and garters, and grinds her crotch against her veil.
- September 21 – The first compact disc manufacturing plant in North America opens in Terre Haute, Indiana. CDs have previously had to be expensively imported from Japan or West Germany. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. is designated as the first CD ever made in the United States.
October–December
- October 1 – The Canadian music video series Video Hits premieres on CBC Television.
- October 23 – A report on the Ethiopian famine by BBC journalist Michael Buerk is broadcast in the UK and receives an unprecedented public response. Among those watching is Bob Geldof, who is inspired to release a charity record to raise money to help with famine relief.
- October 26 – Turner Broadcasting System launches Cable Music Channel, a music video channel intended to compete directly with MTV. The first video played is "I Love L.A." by Randy Newman. The channel would only last 34 days.
- November 5 – Bryan Adams releases his breakout album called Reckless, spawning multiple hit singles, achieving diamond certification in Canada and topping the charts in the United States.
- November 10 – The 13th OTI Festival, held at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico, is won by the song "Agualuna", written and performed by Fernando Ubiergo representing Chile.
- November 20 – Michael Jackson receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame directly in front of Mann's Chinese Theater. Jackson leaves after only three minutes at the request of security, as the crush of 5,000 onlookers becomes a safety concern.
- November 23 – Tears for Fears releases the single Shout, from their second studio album, Songs From the Big Chair. Shout hit the US 1# Billboard Hot 100 in August 1985.
- November 25 – The Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is recorded at SARM Studios in Notting Hill, London, by a gathering of performers that includes Paul Young, Simon Le Bon, Bono, Phil Collins, Paul Weller, Sting, Boy George and Tony Hadley.
- November 28 – The Bring Me Sunshine charity concert at the London Palladium, in memory of Eric Morecambe, includes musical performances by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen, Des O'Connor and Ernie Wise.
- December – Tipper Gore forms the Parents Music Resource Center in response to the "filth" she hears on her daughter's copy of Prince's Purple Rain.
- December 1 – Frankie Goes to Hollywood become the first act to take their first three singles to the UK #1 position since Gerry & The Pacemakers in 1963, when "The Power of Love" tops the chart.
- December 3 – Bob Geldof and Band Aid release the single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which becomes the fastest-selling single of all time in the UK.
- December 8
- *Razzle of Hanoi Rocks is killed in a car crash. Mötley Crüe member Vince Neil was the driver of the car and was drunk at the time.
- *Cyndi Lauper, with the fourth single from her 1983 debut She's So Unusual, "All Through the Night", becomes the first woman in the 26-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have four singles from one album in the top five.
- December 9 – The Jacksons conclude their Victory Tour with the last of six concerts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. At the end of their final show, lead singer Michael Jackson surprises not only his fans, but also his band members with the announcement that he would be permanently leaving the Jacksons, stating that this would be the last time that they all performed together. The tour, which consisted of 55 shows over five months, has reportedly grossed $75 million, a new industry record. As for the Jacksons, they would release one more album in 1989 before splitting up, occasionally regrouping in the years afterward for reunion performances with and without Michael.
- December 11 – While on tour, Bucks Fizz's tour bus crashes. All members of the group are injured and member Mike Nolan suffers brain damage after falling into a coma.
- December 13 – George Harrison makes a rare public appearance, joining Deep Purple on stage in Sydney, Australia for their encore rendition of "Lucille".
- December 31
- *Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen loses his left arm in a car wreck.
- *The thirteenth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Jermaine Jackson, Ronnie Milsap, Night Ranger, Scandal, John Waite and Barry Manilow.
- *UK singles sales this year are the second highest ever, after 1978.
Bands formed
- ''See Musical groups established in 1984''
Bands disbanded
- ''See Musical groups disestablished in 1984''
Bands on hiatus
Bands reformed
Albums released
August
Release date unknown
- Acousticity – David Grisman
- Aimless Love – John Prine
- American Band-ages – Nash the Slash
- The Art of Defense – Nona Hendryx
- Back & Forth – Skinny Puppy
- Born in Captivity – Roy Harper
- Box of Frogs – Box of Frogs
- Cal – Mark Knopfler – Soundtrack
- Can't Wait All Night – Juice Newton
- Caribbean Sunset – John Cale
- Centipede – Rebbie Jackson
- Change Your Mind – Raf
- Cinema – Elaine Paige
- Cop – Swans
- Country Boy – Ricky Skaggs
- Dali – Dalida
- Dancin' on the Edge – Lita Ford
- Dancing with Danger – Leslie Phillips
- A Dancing Foot and a Praying Knee Don't Belong on the Same Leg – Scattered Order
- E2-E4 – Manuel Göttsching
- E.M.F – GG Allin
- EB 84 – The Everly Brothers
- Electric Eye – Prodigal
- Every Man Has a Woman – Various Artists – Yoko Ono tribute
- Faith – H2O
- Fans – Malcolm McLaren
- Flex-Able – Steve Vai
- Folk of the 80s (Part III) – Men Without Hats
- Ghostbusters Soundtrack – Various Artists
- Gone Fishin' – Flipper
- The Grapes of Wrath – The Grapes of Wrath
- Greatest Hits – Juice Newton
- Greatest Love Classics – Andy Williams
- Gum Tree Canoe – John Hartford
- Heart Don't Lie – La Toya Jackson
- Heart over Mind – Anne Murray
- Heavy Heart – Carla Bley
- Hits Out of Hell – Meat Loaf
- Honeymoon Suite – Honeymoon Suite
- Horizen – Jade Warrior
- Hostage – Rez Band
- If the Price is Right – Bonnie Pointer
- Inside the Fire – Rita Coolidge
- Intellectuals Are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite – Killdozer
- It's All in the Game – Merle Haggard
- John Parr – John Parr
- Let Go – John Fahey
- Live Bootleg – Rez Band
- Mast Nazren -Ecstatic Glances Live in London, 1984 – Ghulam Ali
- Meat Puppets II – Meat Puppets
- Medicine Show – The Dream Syndicate
- Meeting in the Ladies Room – Klymaxx
- Nave Maria – Tom Zé
- Neil's Heavy Concept Album – Nigel Planer
- No Brakes – John Waite
- No Kinda Dancer – Robert Earl Keen
- Once in a Very Blue Moon – Nanci Griffith
- Only You – Steve Monite
- Opium – KMFDM
- Optimystique – Yanni
- The Painted Word – Television Personalities
- Plain Dirt Fashion – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
- The Politics of Time – Minutemen
- Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat – Sparks
- Reflexiones – José José
- Read My Lips – Fee WaybillRebel Souls - Aswad
- Remote Luxury – The Church
- Riders in the Sky, Live – Riders in the Sky
- Rita Mitsouko – Rita Mitsouko
- Scatology – Coil
- Schizophrenic Circus – Red Rockers
- Seasons – Dion DiMucci
- Sonic Death – Sonic Youth
- Songs from Our TV Shows – The Chipmunks – Soundtrack
- The Splendour of Fear – Felt
- The Stockholm Concert, 1966 – Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington
- Straight Ahead – Amy Grant
- The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories – Felt
- These Things Happen – David Van Tieghem
- Tocsin – Xmal Deutschland
- Touch Sensitive – Bruce Foxton
- United States Live – Laurie Anderson – Live
- Velocity – The Vels
- Victim in Pain – Agnostic Front
- Vital Signs (White Heart album) – White Heart
- The Voice – Bobby McFerrin
- Youth Anthems for the New Order – Reagan Youth
- Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man – Guadalcanal Diary
- Walpurgis Night – Stormwitch
- We Hate You South African Bastards! – Microdisney
- When in Rome Do as The Vandals – The Vandals
- Windows and Walls – Dan Fogelberg
- Wired to the Moon – Chris Rea
- Wonderful World – Telex
- Work Resumed on the Tower – News from Babel
- World Shut Your Mouth – Julian Cope
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highestin the charts of 1984.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart entries |
| 1 | George Michael | Careless Whisper | 1984 |  Notable singlesChristmas songs
Published popular music
Classical music
Ballet''See List of 1984 ballet premieres''Opera
Musical theaterStarlight Express – Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe – London production opened and ran for 7.409 performancesForty-Second Street – London productionThe Rink – Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on February 9 and ran for 233 performancesSunday in the Park with George – Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre on May 2 and ran for 604 performances.Musical filmsAmadeusAsha JyotiBeat StreetBreakin'Breakin' 2: Electric BoogalooConexión CaribeThe Cotton ClubFootlooseThe Girl from Moonooloo, TV starring Jacki Weaver and David AtkinsGive My Regards to Broad StreetHard to HoldThe Muppets Take ManhattanPurple RainStreets of FireSunnyThen Sings My SoulBirths
Deaths
AwardsGrammy AwardsCountry Music Association AwardsEurovision Song ContestChartsList of no. 1 hits
List of no. 1 albums |