Journeys With Jani

Let’s Talk About It…

Late this afternoon I was on my way home doing what I do best… holding a private car concert like I’ve got a tour bus and backup dancers.

Spotify had me on my Liked Songs, and about the 5th or 6th track in I realized it had basically turned into an all-80s hits parade. Fine by me. The 80s understood drama, melody and how to make a chorus stick to your soul.

Now, I graduated high school in 1987, so that year will always feel personal to me. But let me say this clearly before anybody drags me in the comments: I do not think 1987 had the best music ever. Not even close. What I do think is that the 80s as a whole decade was loaded with incredible music… and I’ll tackle “Best of the Whole Dang 80s” another day.

Today is about 1987 because it handed me the perfect idea on the drive home…

Remember Casey Kasem’s American Top 40? The countdown we waited for like it was an actual weekly event. You didn’t stream it. You didn’t skip it. You sat there, listened, argued with your friends about the rankings and pretended you weren’t recording it on a cassette like a criminal.

So… why not bring that back?

Here’s the list of 1987’s #1 singles. Read it slowly. If you’re anything like me, at least three of these will start playing in your head without permission.

🎧 1987 Billboard Hot 100 #1 Singles

“Walk Like an Egyptian” – The Bangles (Jan 3, Jan 10)

“Shake You Down” – Gregory Abbott (Jan 17)

“At This Moment” – Billy Vera and the Beaters (Jan 24, Jan 31) “Open Your Heart” – Madonna (Feb 7)

“Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi (Feb 14 – Mar 7)

“Jacob’s Ladder” – Huey Lewis and the News (Mar 14)

“Lean on Me” – Club Nouveau (Mar 21 – Mar 28)

“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” – Starship (Apr 4 – Apr 11)

“I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” – Aretha Franklin & George Michael (Apr 18 – Apr 25)

“(I Just) Died in Your Arms” – Cutting Crew (May 2 – May 9) “With or Without You” – U2 (May 16 – May 30)

“You Keep Me Hangin’ On” – Kim Wilde (June 6)

“Always” – Atlantic Starr (June 13)

“Head to Toe” – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (June 20)

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston (June 27 – July 4)

“Alone” – Heart (July 11 – July 25)

“Shakedown” – Bob Seger (Aug 1)

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – U2 (Aug 8 – Aug 15)

“Who’s That Girl” – Madonna (Aug 22)

“La Bamba” – Los Lobos (Aug 29 – Sept 12)

“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” – Michael Jackson (Sept 19) “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” – Whitney Houston (Sept 26 – Oct 3)

“Here I Go Again” – Whitesnake (Oct 10)

“Lost in Emotion” – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam (Oct 17)

“Bad” – Michael Jackson (Oct 24 – Oct 31)

“I Think We’re Alone Now” – Tiffany (Nov 7 – Nov 14)

“Mony Mony (Live)” – Billy Idol (Nov 21)

“(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (Nov 28)

“Heaven Is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle (Dec 5)

“Faith” – George Michael (Dec 12 – Dec 26)

So that’s 1987 in a nutshell: big hooks, bigger hair, and enough power ballads to emotionally ambush you in the middle of a normal day. And again, I’m not claiming 1987 had the best music ever… but it did give us some serious heavy hitters and it sure made the Casey Kasem countdown feel like a weekly holiday.

Next up, we’re zooming out to the whole 80s decade… because the real truth is the 80s weren’t one sound. They were a whole personality.

Now tell me: what’s your 1987 song? The one that time-travels you on the first note. And if you’re feeling spicy… which one of these #1s would you kick off the island?

XOXO, Jani