Ahh, the 1980s. Sometimes referred to as the “Decade of Decadence,” there was plenty of great country music that was released in the 10-year period, and plenty of stars that emerged.
The likes of Willie Nelson, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton – just to name a few – charted as “Hot Country Singles.” There was plenty of radio country, and plenty of outlaw country present. The 80s aren’t usually referred to as a golden age for country music… but maybe we should give the decade some credit?
As you scroll through this list, each year’s top song (the one that spent the most time at No. 1 on the charts) is listed, along with some other massive hits from artists you’ll definitely recognize. Go ahead and dive in, and feel free to let us know if there’s any songs that you feel like we left out in the “honorable mention” sections for each year.
Interestingly enough, there were a lot of years in the 1980s where upwards of 48 different songs charted at the No. 1 spot. 1986 even saw 52 different songs reach the top spot. In other words, it wasn’t common for one song to dominate the Hot Country Singles chart… even though there were plenty that were probably deserving of doing so, with hindsight:
1980
“Coward of the County” by Kenny Rogers
Honorable Mentions: “My Heart/Silent Night (After the Fight)” by Ronnie Milsap, “Lookin’ For Love” by Johnny Lee, and “I Believe In You” by Don Williams
1981
“Feels So Right” by Alabama
Honorable Mentions: “I Don’t Need You” by Kenny Rogers, “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me” by Ronnie Milsap, and “Never Been So Loved (In All My Life)” by Charley Pride
1982
“Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson
Honorable Mentions: “Slow Hand” by Conway Twitty, “Just To Satisfy You” by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, and “She Got The Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)” by Jerry Reed.
1983
“Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Honorable Mentions: “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You)” by Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, “Pancho and Lefty” by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, and “Dixieland Delight” by Alabama.
1984
“To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before” by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
Honorable Mentions: “Why Not Me” by The Judds, “That’s the Way Love Goes” by Merle Haggard, and “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” by Alabama.
1985
“Lost in the Fifties Tonight (In the Still of the Night)” by Ronnie Milsap
Honorable Mentions: “Highwayman” by The Highwaymen, “Real Love” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, and “Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” by Alabama
1986
No outright winner but the most notable singles include:
“Living in the Promiseland” by Willie Nelson, “On the Other Hand” by Randy Travis, “Nobody in His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her” by George Strait, and “Mind Your Own Business” by Hank Williams Jr.
1987
“Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis
Honorable Mentions: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait, “What Am I Gonna Do About You” by Reba McEntire, and “Fishin’ in the Dark” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
1988
“When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley
Honorable Mentions: “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” by Kathy Mattea, “I Told You So” by Randy Travis, and “I’ll Leave This World Loving You” by Ricky Van Shelton
1989
“The Church on Cumberland Road” by Shenandoah
Honorable Mentions: “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” by Keith Whitley, “Song of the South” by Alabama, and “Why’d you Come In Here Lookin’ Like That” by Dolly Parton
