1984 in music
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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.
Events
January–March
- 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 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 Thriller album 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 28 – Recovering from the scalp burns sustained a month earlier, Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards out of twelve nominations, breaking the record for the most Grammys won in a single year. He wins seven for the critically acclaimed album Thriller and the other for his work on the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
- 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
- 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 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.
- 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 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 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 (PMRC) in response to the "filth" she hears on her daughter's Prince album 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
- Mötley Crüe member Vince Neil is involved in a serious car accident. He is drunk at the time, and Razzle (Nicholas Dingley) of Hanoi Rocks is killed in the accident.
- Cyndi Lauper with fourth single from She's So Unusual, "All Through the Night", becoming the first woman in the 26-year history of Billboard Hot 100 to have four singles in the top five from the one album.[1]
- December 9 – The Jacksons conclude their Victory Tour with the last of six concerts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The tour, which consisted of 55 shows over five months, has reportedly grossed $75 million, a new industry record.
- 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 reformed
Albums released
January – March
April – June
July – September
October – December
Release Date Unknown
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1984.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Michael | Careless Whisper | 1984 |  | UK 1 – Aug 1984 (21 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Dec 1984 (20 weeks), US Radio 1 of 1985 (peak 1 12 weeks), Canada 1 – Dec 1984 (12 weeks), Netherlands 1 – Aug 1984 (14 weeks), Switzerland 1 – Sep 1984 (17 weeks), Poland 1 – Mar 1983 (44 weeks), Eire 1 for 3 weeks – Aug 1984, Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks – Jan 1985, Australia 1 for 4 weeks – Sep 1984, Springbok 1 – Nov 1984 (21 weeks), ARC 2 of 1985 (peak 1 16 weeks), Sweden (alt) 2 – Sep 1984 (21 weeks), France 2 – Aug 1984 (3 weeks), Austria 2 – Nov 1984 (4 weeks), Norway 2 – Aug 1984 (16 weeks), Belgium 2 – Sep 1984 (12 weeks), Italy 2 of 1984 |
| 2 | Stevie Wonder | I Just Called to Say I Love You | 1984 |  | UK 1 – September 1984, US BB 1 – September 1984, Canada 1 – September 1984, Netherlands 1 – August 1984, Sweden 1 – September 1984, Sweden (alt) 1 – August 1984, Austria 1 – October 1984, Switzerland 1 – September 1984, Norway 1 – September 1984, Poland 1 – January 1984, Italy 1 of 1984, Germany 1 – September 1984, Éire 1 – September 1984, New Zealand 1 for 9 weeks October 1984, Australia 1 for 8 weeks June 1985, Oscar in 1984, Australia 6 of 1984, US CashBox 9 of 1984, US BB 18 of 1984, POP 26 of 1984, Germany 52 of the 1980s, Scrobulate 100 of r & b |
| 3 | Wham! | Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go | 1984 | | UK 1 – May 1984, US BB 1 – October 1984, Canada 1 – October 1984, Netherlands 1 – June 1984, Sweden (alt) 1 – June 1984, Norway 1 – June 1984, Éire 1 – June 1984, Australia 1 for 5 weeks March 1985, Switzerland 2 – June 1984, Germany 2 – June 1984, Australia 5 of 1984, US BB 6 of 1984, Austria 6 – July 1984, POP 7 of 1984, US CashBox 19 of 1984, KROQ 20 of 1984, Poland 23 – June 1984, Europe 84 of the 1980s, OzNet 146, RYM 195 of 1984, Germany 230 of the 1980s |
| 4 | Cyndi Lauper | Girls Just Want To Have Fun | 1984 | | Norway 1 – March 1984, Éire 1 – February 1984, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks May 1984, Australia 1 for 2 weeks December 1983, UK 2 – January 1984, US BB 2 – January 1984, US BB 2 of 1984, Canada 2 – February 1984, POP 2 of 1984, Netherlands 3 – February 1984, Austria 3 – May 1984, Sweden (alt) 5 – March 1984, Switzerland 6 – April 1984, Germany 6 – March 1984, France 8 – December 1983, Australia 9 of 1984, US CashBox 16 of 1984, Italy 16 of 1984, Party 35 of 2007, RYM 63 of 1983, KROQ 65 of 1984, RIAA 122, Germany 388 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 391 |
| 5 | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Relax | 1984 | | UK 1 – November 1983, Switzerland 1 – February 1984, Germany 1 – February 1984, TOTP 1, KROQ 1 of 1984, France 2 – November 1983, Norway 2 – February 1984, Sweden (alt) 4 – March 1984, Austria 4 – March 1984, Netherlands 5 – January 1984, Canada 7 – April 1984, US BB 10 – February 1985, US BB 11 of 1985, Italy 11 of 1984, Australia 16 of 1984, POP 16 of 1985, Poland 18 – February 1984, RYM 21 of 1983, Virgin 31, Scrobulate 45 of 80s, Germany 72 of the 1980s, Europe 94 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 270, OzNet 574 |
Significant hits
- "A Little Love" – Juice Newton
- "Agadoo" – Black Lace
- "Against All Odds" – Phil Collins
- "All Cried Out" – Alison Moyet
- "All Join Hands" – Slade
- "All Through the Night" – Cyndi Lauper
- "An Innocent Man" – Billy Joel
- "Automatic" – Jermaine Stewart
- "Baby You're Dynamite"/"Ocean Deep" – Cliff Richard (released in 1983)
- "Back for More" – Ratt
- "Be My Number Two" – Joe Jackson
- "Better Be Good to Me" – Tina Turner
- "Big City Nights" – The Scorpions
- "Big In Japan" – Alphaville
- "Borderline" – Madonna
- "Born in the U.S.A." – Bruce Springsteen
- "Blue Jean" – David Bowie
- "Breakdance" – Irene Cara
- "Breakin'... There's No Stoppin' Us" – Ollie & Jerry
- "Break My Stride" – Matthew Wilder
- "Careless Whisper" – Wham!
- "Catch My Fall" – Billy Idol
- "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" – Billy Ocean
- "Centipede" – Rebbie Jackson
- "Cherry Oh Baby" – UB40
- "Cover Me" – Bruce Springsteen
- "Crazy" – Kenny Rogers
- "Cruel Summer" – Bananarama
- "Cry and Be Free" – Marilyn
- "Dance Hall Days" – Wang Chung
- "Dance Me Up" – Gary Glitter
- "Dancing in the Dark" – Bruce Springsteen
- "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" – Ultravox
- "Distant Early Warning" – Rush
- "Dr. Beat" – Miami Sound Machine
- "Doctor! Doctor!" – Thompson Twins
- "Don't Blame It on Love" – Shakatak
- "Don't Tell Me" – Blancmange
- "Down on the Street" – Shakatak
- "Drive" – The Cars
- "Easy Lover" – Phillip Bailey duet with Phil Collins
- "Eighties" - Killing Joke
- "Eye to Eye" – Jermaine Stewart
- "Eyes Without a Face" – Billy Idol
- "Femme libérée" – Cookie Dingler
- "Flame Trees" – Cold Chisel
- "Flesh for Fantasy" – Billy Idol
- "Footloose" – Kenny Loggins
- "For Whom the Bell Tolls" – Metallica
- "Forest Fire" – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
- "Forever Young" – Alphaville
- "Freedom" – Wham!
- "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" – Cyndi Lauper (released in 1983)
- "The Ghost in You" – The Psychedelic Furs
- "Ghostbusters" – Ray Parker, Jr.
- "God Bless the USA" – Lee Greenwood
- "Had a Dream (Sleeping with the Enemy)" – Roger Hodgson
- "Half A Boy Half A Man" – Nick Lowe
- "Hammer to Fall" – Queen
- "Heart from the Start" – Classix Nouveaux
- "Heaven's on Fire" – Kiss
- "Hello" – Lionel Richie
- "Here Comes the Rain Again" – Eurythmics
- "High on Emotion" – Chris De Burgh
- "The Heart of Rock and Roll" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "Heaven" – Bryan Adams
- "Heaven (Must Be There)" – Eurogliders
- "Hold Me Now" – Thompson Twins
- "Hold on to Love" – Gary Moore
- "Hot Water" – Level 42
- "House of Salome" – Kim Wilde
- "Human Touch" – Rick Springfield
- "I Feel for You" – Chaka Khan
- "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Stevie Wonder
- "I Scare Myself" – Thomas Dolby
- "I Wanna Rock" – Twisted Sister
- "I Want a New Drug" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "I Want to Break Free" – Queen
- "I Want to Know What Love Is" – Foreigner
- "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – Nik Kershaw
- "If This Is It" – Huey Lewis and the News
- "Illegal Alien" – Genesis
- "I'll Wait" – Van Halen
- "In Jeopardy" - Roger Hodgson
- "In Neon" - Elton John
- "Infatuation" – Rod Stewart
- "Invisible" – Alison Moyet
- "It's a Hard Life" – Queen
- "It's a Miracle" – Culture Club
- "Joanna" – Kool & the Gang
- "Jokerman" – Bob Dylan
- "Jump" – Van Halen
- "Jump (For My Love)" – The Pointer Sisters
- "Jungle Love" – The Time
- "Just Another Woman in Love" – Anne Murray
- "Kalimba De Luna" – Dalida
- "Karma Chameleon" – Culture Club
- "Keeping the Faith – Billy Joel
- "The Killing Moon" – Echo & the Bunnymen
- "L'Innamorata" – Dalida
- "Let's Go Crazy" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Let's Hear It for the Boy" – Deniece Williams
- "Like a Virgin" - Madonna
- "Lights Out" – Peter Wolf
- "Locomotion" – OMD
- "The Longest Time" – Billy Joel
- "Love Somebody" – Rick Springfield
- "Lovergirl" – Teena Marie
- "The Lucky One" – Laura Branigan
- "Madam Butterfly" – Malcolm McLaren
- "Magic" – The Cars
- "Master and Servant" – Depeche Mode
- "Message to My Girl" – Neil Finn and Split Enz
- "Michael Caine" – Madness
- "Middle of the Road" – The Pretenders
- "Missing You" – John Waite
- "Missing You" – Diana Ross
- "Miss Me Blind"- Culture Club
- "Mistake No. 3" – Culture Club
- "The More You Live the More You Love" – A Flock of Seagulls
- "My Ever Changing Moods" – The Style Council
- "My Oh My" – Slade
- "The NeverEnding Story" – Limahl
- "New Moon on Monday" - Duran Duran
- "No Mercy" – The Stranglers
- "No More Lonely Nights" – Paul McCartney
- "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" – Anne Murray and Dave Loggins
- "Obsession" - Animotion
- "Oh Sherrie" – Steve Perry
- "One Love/People Get Ready" – Bob Marley & The Wailers
- "One Night in Bangkok" – Murray Head
- "On a Night Like This" – The Shadows
- "Original Sin" – INXS
- "Out of Touch" – Hall & Oates
- "Panama" – Van Halen
- "Passengers" - Elton John
- "Pearl In The Shell" – Howard Jones
- "Pearly Dewdrops' Drops" – Cocteau Twins
- "Penny Lover" – Lionel Richie
- "People Are People" – Depeche Mode
- "Perfect Skin" – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
- "Pour te dire je t'aime" – Dalida
- "The Power of Love" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- "Pretty in Pink" – The Psychedelic Furs
- "Pride (In the Name of Love)" – U2
- "Purple Rain" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Radio Ga Ga" – Queen
- "Rattlesnakes" – Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
- "Read 'Em and Weep" – Barry Manilow
- "Rebel Yell" – Billy Idol
- "The Reflex" – Duran Duran
- "Relax" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- "The Riddle" – Nik Kershaw
- "Robert De Niro's Waiting..." – Bananarama
- "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – The Scorpions
- "Round and Round" – Ratt
- "Run Runaway" – Slade
- "Runaway" – Bon Jovi
- "Run to You" – Bryan Adams
- "Running with the Night" – Lionel Richie
- "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" – Elton John
- "Saturday Night" – Cold Chisel
- "The Second Time" – Kim Wilde
- "Self Control" – Laura Branigan
- "Seven Seas" – Echo & the Bunnymen
- "Sexcrime" – Eurythmics
- "She Bop" – Cyndi Lauper
- "She Was Hot" – The Rolling Stones
- "Shooting From the Heart" – Cliff Richard
- "Shout" – Tears for Fears
- "Shout to the Top" – The Style Council
- "Silver" – Echo & the Bunnymen
- "Sister Christian" – Night Ranger
- "Skin Deep" – Stranglers
- "Soul Kind of Feeling" – Dynamic Hepnotics
- "Smalltown Boy" – Bronski Beat
- "Smooth Operator" – Sade
- "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" - R.E.M.
- "So Tired" – Ozzy Osbourne
- "Soleil" – Dalida
- "Somebody's Watching Me" – Rockwell
- "Some Guys Have All the Luck" – Rod Stewart
- "Sounds Like a Melody" – Alphaville
- "Special Girl" - America
- "State of the Nation" – Industry
- "Standing in the Shadow" – Whitesnake
- "Stranger in Town" – Toto
- "Strut" – Sheena Easton
- "Stuck on You" – Lionel Richie
- "Sugar Walls" – Sheena Easton
- "Summer of 69" – Bryan Adams
- "Sunglasses at Night" – Corey Hart
- "Taking It All Too Hard" – Genesis
- "That's All" – Genesis (released in 1983)
- "That's Not the Way (It's S'posed to Be)" - Anne Murray
- "The Touch" – Kim Wilde
- "Thieves Like Us – New Order
- "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" – The Pretenders
- "Thriller" – Michael Jackson
- "Ti Amo" – Laura Branigan
- "Time After Time" – Cyndi Lauper
- "Tinseltown In The Rain" – The Blue Nile
- "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" – Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
- "To France" – Mike Oldfield
- "Together in Electric Dreams" – Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
- "Torture" – The Jacksons
- "TV Dinners" – ZZ Top
- "Twist of Fate" – Olivia Newton-John
- "Two Tribes" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- "Up on the Catwalk" – Simple Minds
- "Very Personal" – Ian Dury
- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" – Wham!
- "The War Song" – Culture Club
- "We Belong" – Pat Benatar
- "We Rock" – Dio
- "We're Not Gonna Take It" – Twisted Sister
- "What About Me?" – Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and James Ingram
- "What Difference Does It Make?" – The Smiths
- "What's Love Got to Do with It" – Tina Turner
- "When Am I Going to Make a Living" – Sade
- "When Doves Cry" – Prince
- "When Love Breaks Down" – Prefab Sprout
- "Where the Rose Is Sown" – Big Country
- "Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)" – Icicle Works
- "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (released in 1983)
- "Who Wears These Shoes? – Elton John
- "The Wild Boys" – Duran Duran
- "William, It Was Really Nothing" – The Smiths
- "Wood Beez" – Scritti Politti
- "Wouldn't It Be Good" – Nik Kershaw
- "You Don't Love Me" – Marilyn
- "You Might Think" – The Cars
- "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" - Dead or Alive
- "You Think You're a Man" – Divine
- "You're the Best Thing" – The Style Council
- "Young at Heart" – The Bluebells
- "Your Love Is King" – Sade
Christmas songs
- "Do They Know It's Christmas" – Band Aid
- "Last Christmas" – Wham!
- "Thank God It's Christmas" – Queen
- "Another Rock N' Roll Christmas" – Gary Glitter
Published popular music
- "After All These Years" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the musical The Rink
- "The Cosby Show theme song" m. Stu Gardner and Bill Cosby
- "Cover Me" w.m. Bruce Springsteen
- "Every Time I Turn Around" w.m. Judy Hart Angelo & Gary Portnoy, theme from the TV series Punky Brewster
- "Friends" m. John Leffler, theme from the TV series Kate and Allie
- "Ghostbusters" w.m. Ray Parker, Jr.
- "Hallelujah" w.m. Leonard Cohen
- "I Just Called to Say I Love You" w.m. Stevie Wonder
- "Let's Go Crazy" w.m. Prince and the Revolution
- "Like a Virgin" w.m. Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly
- "Lights Out" w.m. Peter Wolf & Don Covay
- "Missing You" w.m. John Waite, Chaz Sanford & Mark Leonard
- "Murder, She Wrote theme song" m. John Addison
- "No More Lonely Nights" w.m. Paul McCartney
- "Rock You Like a Hurricane" w.m. Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine & Herman Rarebell
- "Time After Time" w.m. Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman
- "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" w. Hal David m. Albert Hammond
- "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" w.m. George Michael
- "What's Love Got To Do With It?" w.m. Terry Britten & Graham Lyle
- "When Doves Cry" w.m. Prince
Classical music
- Samuel Adler – Sonata for viola and piano
- Elliott Carter
- Canon for 4, Homage to William, for flute, bass clarinet, violin, and cello
- Esprit rude/esprit doux, for flute and clarinet
- Riconoscenza per Goffredo Petrassi, for violin
- Brian Cherney – Into the Distant Stillness
- George Crumb
- A Haunted Landscape for orchestra
- The Sleeper for soprano and piano
- Mario Davidovsky – Divertimento for cello and orchestra
- Ludovico Einaudi – Altissimo
- Lorenzo Ferrero – Ombres for orchestra and live electronics
- Frans Geysen
- A + B = A/B, for keyboard instrument
- Kataloog in grijs 1, for marimba
- Late spiegels, for flute, oboe, piano and double bass
- Omtrent a-b-c, for recorder quintet
- Tonen-Trappenhuisje voor Hanne, for keyboard instrument
- Twee orgels, for two organs
- Karel Goeyvaerts
- Aquarius-Tango, for piano
- Zum Wassermann, for chamber orchestra (14 musicians)
- De Zang van Aquarius, for 8 bass clarinets
- Daron Hagen – A Walt Whitman Requiem
- John Harbison – String Quartet no. 1
- Robin Holloway – Concerto for Viola
- Mauricio Kagel – Der Eid des Hippokrates, for piano 3 hands
- Ian McDougall – Concerto for Clarinet
- Elizabeth Maconchy – String Quartet no. 13, Quartetto Corto
- Ingram Marshall – Voces Resonae
- Henri Pousseur
- Chronique canine, for 2 pianos
- Cortège des belles ténébreuses au jardin boréal, for cor anglais, viola, horn, tuba, and 2 percussionists
- L'étoile des langues, for narrators and 4 singers
- Litanie du cristal des fleurs, for piano left hand
- Litanie du miel matinal, for high melody instrument
- Les noces d'Icare et de Mnémosyne, for variable forces
- Patchwork des tribus américaines, for wind orchestra
- Sixième vue sur les jardins interdits, for string trio
- Sonate des maîtres viennois (‘Dicté par … no.4’), for piano
- Tango de Jeanne-la-Sibylle, for piano left hand
- Steve Reich – The Desert Music
- Tōru Takemitsu – riverrun for piano and orchestra
- Robert Ward – Saxophone Concerto
- Malcolm Williamson
- A Pilgrim Liturgy – for soloists, mixed choir & orchestra
- Cortège for a Warrior for orchestra
- Hymna Titu for piano solo
- Symphony No. 7
Ballet
See List of 1984 ballet premieres
Opera
- Harrison Birtwistle – The Mask of Orpheus
- Philip Glass – Akhnaten
- Philip Glass – the CIVIL warS (Rome section)
- Krzysztof Penderecki – The Black Mask
- Peter Schickele – The Abduction of Figaro, attributed to P. D. Q. Bach.
- Karlheinz Stockhausen – Samstag aus Licht (produced by La Scala, Milan)
Musical theater
- Starlight Express – Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe
- Forty-Second Street London production
- The Rink Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on February 9 and ran for 233 performances
- Sunday in the Park with George (Stephen Sondheim) – Broadway production opened at the Booth Theatre on May 2 and ran for 604 performances.
Musical films
- Amadeus
- Asha Jyoti
- Beat Street
- Breakin'
- Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
- Conexión Caribe
- The Cotton Club
- Footloose
- Give My Regards to Broad Street
- Hard to Hold
- The Muppets Take Manhattan
- Purple Rain
- Streets of Fire
- Sunny
- Then Sings My Soul
- This Is Spinal Tap
Musical television
- The Girl from Moonooloo starring Jackie Weaver and David Atkins
Births
- January 9 – Drew Brown (OneRepublic)
- January 17 – Calvin Harris, Scottish electronic musician
- January 18
- Kristy Lee Cook, American Idol finalist
- Benji Schwimmer, Winner of So You Think You Can Dance 2006
- January 20 – Toni Gonzaga, Filipina actress and singer
- January 24 – Witold Kiełtyka, Polish musician (died 2007)
- January 26 – Wu Qian, pianist
- January 27 – Davetta Sherwood, American actress and singer
- January 30 – Kid Cudi, American rapper
- February 9 – Han Geng, Chinese singer in Korea (Super Junior)
- February 11 – Aubrey O'Day, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress (Danity Kane)
- February 15 – Dorota Rabczewska, Polish singer and model
- February 25 – Lovefoxxx (Cansei de Ser Sexy)
- March 18 – Vonzell Solomon, US singer
- March 20 – Christy Carlson Romano, American actress and singer
- March 25 – Katharine McPhee, American Idol finalist
- March 26 – Stéphanie Lapointe, Canadian singer
- April 6 – Max Bemis, American musician (Say Anything)
- April 10 – Mandy Moore, singer
- April 22 – Amelle Berrabah, British singer (Sugababes)
- April 24 – Tyson Ritter (The All-American Rejects)
- April 27 – Patrick Stump, singer
- May 1 – Keiichiro Koyama, Japanese singer (NEWS) and actor
- May 2 – Rose Falcon, singer-songwriter
- May 3 – Cheryl Burke, dancer
- May 5 – Wade MacNeil, Canadian guitarist
- May 14 - Olly Murs, English singer and presenter
- May 25
- Marion Raven, Norwegian singer-songwriter (M2M)
- Nikolai Pokotylo, Russian singer
- June 4 – Rainie Yang, Taiwanese singer
- June 17 – John Gallagher, Jr., American actor, singer and dancer
- June 23 – Duffy, Welsh singer-songwriter
- June 29
- Han Ji-hye, Korean actress/singer
- Derek Lee Rock, American drummer (Mêlée and Suburban Legends)
- June 30 – Fantasia Barrino, American singer
- July 4
- Gina Glocksen, American Idol finalist
- Stix Izza, American musician
- July 5 – Elisabeth Schwarz, operatic soprano
- July 7 – Marie-Mai, Canadian singer
- July 9 – Jacob Hoggard,Canadian singer/lead singer of Hedley
- July 12 – Gareth Gates, English singer
- July 15 – Vice Cooler, American singer-songwriter (Hawnay Troof and XBXRX)
- July 17 – Asami Kimura, Japanese singer
- July 21 – Blake Lewis, American Idol runner- up
- July 24
- Dhani Lennevald (A*Teens)
- Tyler Kyte, Canadian actor/singer
- July 25 – Dong-Hyek Lim, pianist
- July 26 – Alex Parks, singer-songwriter
- August 3 – Carah Faye Charnow, American singer for the band Shiny Toy Guns
- August 5 – Taylor Locke (Rooney)
- August 21
- Alizée, singer
- Melissa Schuman, singer (Dream)
- August 24 – Yesung, Korean singer (Super Junior)
- August 31 – Will Martin, crossover singer
- September – Wu Di, pianist
- September 1 – Joe Trohman, American musician
- September 16
- Sabrina Bryan, American actress and singer
- Katie Melua, Georgian singer and musician
- September 22 – Theresa Fu, Hong Kong singer and actress
- September 23 – Louis Stephens (Rooney)
- September 26 – Keisha Buchanan, singer (Sugababes)
- September 27 – Avril Lavigne, Canadian rock singer and musician
- September 28 – Melody Thornton, American singer (Pussycat Dolls)
- October 3 – Ashlee Simpson, singer
- October 4 – Lena Katina, Russian singer (t.A.T.u.)
- October 10 – Stephanie Cheng, singer
- October 12 – Matthew Dewey, Australian composer
- October 16 – Shayne Ward, singer and winner of reality TV show The X Factor
- October 25
- Sara Lumholdt (A*Teens)
- Katy Perry, singer
- October 27 – Kelly Osbourne, singer
- November 9
- Delta Goodrem, Australian singer and actress
- Se7en, South Korean singer
- November 12 – Sandara Park, member of South Korean girl group 2NE1 and former actress
- November 14 – Luiz Filipe Coelho, violinist
- November 18 – Johnny Christ, (Avenged Sevenfold)
- November 21 – Willy Mason, singer-songwriter
- November 24 – Wolf Hudson, actor, director and street dancer
- November 28 – Trey Songz, American singer
- December 15 – Joshua Third, guitarist (The Horrors)
- December 17 – Asuka Fukuda, Japanese singer
- December 20 – David Tavaré, Spanish singer
- December 22 – Jonas Erik Altberg, Swedish singer
- December 25 – The Veronicas (Lisa and Jess Origliasso), Australian singers
Deaths
- January 1 – Alexis Korner, blues musician, 55 (lung cancer)
- January 18 – Vassilis Tsitsanis, Greek composer, 69
- January 21 – Jackie Wilson, singer, 49 (pneumonia)
- January 23 – Samuel Gardner, violinist and composer, 92
- January 30 – Luke Kelly, member of The Dubliners, 43 (brain tumour)
- February 1 – Ada "Bricktop" Smith, singer and dancer, 89
- February 15
- Avon Long, American actor and singer, 73
- Ethel Merman, singer and actress, 76
- March 9 – Imogen Holst, conductor and composer, 76
- April 1 – Marvin Gaye, singer/songwriter, 44 (gunshot)
- April 6
- Jimmy Kennedy, Irish-born British songwriter, 81
- Hryhory Kytasty, composer, 77
- April 20 – Mabel Mercer, cabaret singer, 84
- April 23 – Juan Tizol, trombonist and composer, 84
- April 26 – Count Basie, jazz musician, 79
- April 27 – Z.Z. Hill, blues singer, 48
- May 1 – Gordon Jenkins, US conductor, songwriter and pianist, 73
- May 29 – Sanford Gold, jazz pianist, 72
- June – Mohamed Mooge Liibaan, singer and instrumentalist
- June 8 – Gordon Jacob, composer, 88
- June 15 – Meredith Willson, US songwriter, 82
- June 28 – Mischa Spoliansky, Russian born composer and conductor
- July 4 – Jimmie Spheeris, American singer-songwriter, 34
- July 14
- Bill Stapleton, jazz trumpeter, 49 (alcohol-related)
- Philippé Wynne, R&B singer, 43
- July 19 – Madeleine Sibille, operatic soprano, 89
- July 25 – Big Mama Thornton, R&B singer, 57
- July 29 – Lorenz Fehenberger, operatic tenor, 71
- July 31 – Paul Le Flem, composer, 103
- August 4 – Babe Russin, saxophonist, 73
- August 5 – Tuts Washington, R&B pianist, 67
- August 12 – Margaret Sutherland, composer, 86
- August 30 – Emil Newman, conductor and composer, 73
- August 31 – Carlo Zecchi, pianist, music teacher and conductor, 81
- September 3
- Dora Labbette, operatic soprano, 86
- Arthur Schwartz, composer and film producer, 83
- September 6 – Ernest Tubb, country & western musician, 70
- September 10
- Herman Sherman, jazz saxophonist and bandleader, 61
- Trummy Young, swing trombonist, 72
- September 15 – Charles Lynch, Irish concert pianist, 77
- September 20 – Steve Goodman, singer/songwriter best known for "City of New Orleans", 36 (leukaemia)
- October 3
- Lina Bruna Rasa, operatic soprano, 67
- Harrison Potter, pianist, 93
- October 4 – Carl von Garaguly, violinist and conductor
- October 12 – Jesús Maria Sanromá, pianist, 81
- October 16 – Jiří Jelínek, jazz trumpeter, singer and artist, 62
- October 20 – Budd Johnson, jazz musician, 73
- October 26 – John Woods Duke, composer, 85
- November 8 – Carl Gustav Sparre Olsen, violinist and composer, 81
- November 16 – Leonard Rose, cellist, 66
- November 20 – Alexander Moyzes, Slovak composer, 78
- December 7 – Jon B. Higgins, American Carnatic musician, 45 (road accident)
- December 9 – Razzle (Nicholas Dingley), drummer of Hanoi Rocks, 24 (car accident)
- December 10 – Charlie Teagarden, jazz trumpeter, 71
- December 13 – Max Schönherr, conductor and composer, 81
- December 15 – Jan Peerce, operatic tenor, 80
- December 21 – José Luis Rodríguez Vélez, Panamanian composer, orchestra director, saxophonist, clarinetist and guitarist, 69
Awards
Grammy Awards
- Grammy Awards of 1984
Eurovision Song Contest
Charts
List of no. 1 hits
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984 (U.S.)
- Cashbox Top 100 number-one singles of 1984
- List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)
List of no. 1 albums
- List of number-one albums of 1984 (U.S.)
See also
- 1984 in heavy metal music
- 1984 in country music
- 1984 in British music
- Record labels established in 1984
- Timeline of musical events
- 1984