Best Songs of 1983

I have two simple rules when making my "Best of" song lists. First, an artist can't appear more than once. Second, I will not rank my lists. The first rule makes the list-making harder, and the second makes it easier. This paradox creates a happy medium.

For all of 2013, I have been working on lists representing 30, 20, and 10 years ago, along with a list for this year. The weird thing about making these lists after the fact is the use of hindsight, for I have discovered new artists and new songs in the interim years and, in some cases, during this process of trying to fill out a 100-song list.

Even more interesting to me, an perhaps best evidenced in this particular list, is the commingling of pop songs that I'd eschew on a similar list today, alongside obscure tracks—ones I might not never even have heard of back in the day—that have only emerged through time.

Still, what you see below is an honest attempt to assess a year in time, merging the reality of a list made 30 years later with the idea that, had I been able to conceive of such a list at the time (as an adult, not as the five-year-old I was), I would have included pop hits and obscure tunes, aging favorites and new artists.

For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or maybe never.

Show Grid

Blister in the Sun

Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes

Slash
via TK library: 2/19/2008

Notes
16 Shells From a 30.6

Tom Waits

Swordfishtrombones

Island
via TK library: 1/17/2013

Notes
King of Pain

The Police

Synchronicity

A&M
via TK library: 12/1/2003 (10/22/1993)

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True

Spandau Ballet

True

Chrysalis
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Between the Sheets

The Isley Brothers

Between the Sheets

T-Neck
via TK library: 1/18/2010

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Heartbreaker

Zapp

Zapp III

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 11/19/2003 (11/9/1993)

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Candy Girl

New Edition

Candy Girl

Streetwise
via TK library: 8/25/2007

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Holiday

Madonna

Madonna

Sire
via TK library: 2/27/2009

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The Reflex

Duran Duran

Seven and the Ragged Tiger

Capitol
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Everything Counts

Depeche Mode

Construction Time Again

Sire
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Rockit

Herbie Hancock

Future Shock

Columbia
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)

Run-DMC

It's Like That

Profile
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Blue Monday

New Order

Blue Monday 12"

Factory
via TK library: 3/8/2010

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White Lines (Don't Do It)

Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel

White Lines (Don't Do It)

Sugar Hill
via TK library: 2/1/2013

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Let the Music Play

Shannon

Let the Music Play

Emergency
via TK library: 4/5/2009

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Jump (For My Love)

The Pointer Sisters

Break Out

Planet Records
via TK library: 9/4/2009

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Flashdance (What a Feeling)

Irene Cara

Flashdance

Polygram
via TK library: 2/18/2012

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She Works Hard for the Money

Donna Summer

She Works Hard for the Money

Mercury
via TK library: 7/27/2012

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Ain't Nobody

Rufus & Chaka Khan

Stompin' at the Savoy

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Baby I'm Scared of You

Womack & Womack

Love Wars

Elektra
via TK library: 5/26/2013

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Can't Get Outta the Rain

Michael Jackson

Billie Jean

Sony
via TK library: 10/30/2011

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Say Say Say

Paul McCartney featuring Michael Jackson

Pipes of Peace

Parlophone
via TK library: 7/7/2009 (on 7" ca. 1984)

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I'm Still Standing

Elton John

Too Low for Zero

Island
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Tell Her About It

Billy Joel

An Innocent Man

Columbia
via TK library: 12/1/2003 (12/28/1997, earlier on cassette and vinyl)

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Walking on Sunshine

Katrina and the Waves

Katrina and the Waves

Attic
via TK library: 2/12/2012

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Karma Chameleon

Culture Club

Colour By Numbers

Virgin
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Always Something There to Remind Me

Naked Eyes

Burning Bridges

EMI
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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99 Red Balloons

Nena

99 Luftballoons

Epic
via TK library: 11/5/2012

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Burning Down the House

Talking Heads

Speaking in Tongues

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 5/3/2008

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Mad World

Tears for Fears

The Hurting

Fontana
via TK library: 11/19/2003 (11/2/1993)

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Transfer Affection

A Flock of Seagulls

Listen

BMG
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Too Shy

Kajagoogoo

White Feathers

EMI
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Mirror Man

The Human League

Fascination!

A&M
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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One Thing Leads to Another

The Fixx

Reach the Beach

MCA
via TK library: 7/7/2009

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Talking in Your Sleep

The Romantics

In Heat

Epic
via TK library: 4/24/2010

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Sunglasses at Night

Corey Hart

First Offense

Capitol
via TK library: 3/28/2013

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Here Comes the Rain Again

Eurythmics

Touch

Sony
via TK library: 6/23/2011

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Modern Love

David Bowie

Let's Dance

EMI
via TK library: 12/8/2007

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Strip

Adam Ant

Strip

CBS
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Great Fire

XTC

Mummer

Virgin
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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The Lovecats

The Cure

Japanese Whispers

Sire
via TK library: 11/7/2009

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Electric Lash

The Church

Seance

EMI
via TK library: 10/5/2013

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The Walls Came Down

The Call

Modern Romans

Mercury
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Rebel Yell

Billy Idol

Rebel Yell

Chrysalis
via TK library: 12/31/2010

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Cum on Feel the Noize

Quiet Riot

Metal Health

Epic
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Time Bomb

Ramones

Subterranean Jungle

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 2/1/2013

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Color Me Impressed

The Replacements

Hootenanny

Restless
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Diane

Hüsker Dü

Metal Circus

SST
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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The Anchor

Minutemen

What Makes a Man Start Fires?

SST
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Crazy

Pylon

Chomp

dB Recs
via TK library: 4/3/2011

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Procession

Psalms

No Great Cathedral

Reilly
via TK library: 2/28/2014

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Old Chief

Green on Red

Gravity Talks

Slash
via TK library: 3/10/2014

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This Can't Be Today

The Rain Parade

Emergency Third Rail Power Trip

Restless
via TK library: 5/27/2013

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A Million Miles Away

The Plimsouls

Everywhere at Once

Geffen
via TK library: 10/5/2013

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The New World

X

More Fun in the New World

Elektra
via TK library: 10/29/2012

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Radio Free Europe

R.E.M.

Murmur

I.R.S.
via TK library: 10/26/2003 (4/20/1995)

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Every Word Means No

Let's Active

Afoot

I.R.S.
via TK library: 2/12/2012

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This Is the Day

The The

Soul Mining

Sony
via TK library: 8/19/2010

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Anselma

Los Lobos

…And a Time to Dance

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 11/15/2003 (12/28/1997)

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Tear-Stained Letter

Richard Thompson

Hand of Kindness

Hannibal
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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A Girl Called Johnny

The Waterboys

The Waterboys

Chrysalis
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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New Year's Day

U2

War

Island
via TK library: 10/26/2003 (3/8/1994)

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In a Big Country

Big Country

The Crossing

Mercury
via TK library: 8/27/2010

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Overkill

Men at Work

Cargo

Columbia
via TK library: 7/14/2009

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Message to My Girl

Split Enz

Conflicting Emotions

A&M
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Our Town

Marshall Crenshaw

Field Day

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Jokerman

Bob Dylan

Infidels

Columbia
via TK library: 10/2/2007

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Turn Out the Light

Lou Reed

Legendary Hearts

RCA
via TK library: 2/3/2013

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Wonderin’

Neil Young

Everybody’s Rockin’

Geffen
via TK library: 2/1/2013

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I’ve Got a Rock ‘n’ Roll Heart

Eric Clapton

Money and Cigarettes

Reprise
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Buffalo Soldier

Bob Marley & The Wailers

Confrontation

Tuff Gong
via TK library: 1/26/2012

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Break My Stride

Matthew Wilder

I Don’t Speak the Language

Epic
via TK library: 1/7/2014

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Red Red Wine

UB40

Labour of Love

Virgin
via TK library: 2/11/2013

Notes
Bang the Drum All Day

Todd Rundgren

The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect

Bearsville
via TK library: 5/16/2008

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Rock and Roll Is King

Electric Light Orchestra

Secret Messages

Epic
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Pink Houses

John Cougar Mellencamp

Uh-Huh

Mercury
via TK library: 11/1/2003 (5/28/1998)

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Tender Is the Night

Jackson Browne

Lawyers in Love

Asylum
via TK library: 11/4/2010

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Islands in the Stream

Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton

Eyes That See in the Dark

RCA
via TK library: 4/29/2013

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Breakin’ Down

Waylon Jennings

It’s Only Rock and Roll

RCA
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Pride and Joy

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Texas Flood

Epic
via 103.7 The Mountain library: 11/17/2003 (11/18/1995)

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Legs

ZZ Top

Eliminator

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 7/28/2012

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How Can I Refuse

Heart

Passionworks

Epic
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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If Anyone Falls

Stevie Nicks

The Wild Heart

Atlantic
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Love Is a Battlefield

Pat Benatar

Live From Earth

Chrysalis
via TK library: 7/14/2012

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Photograph

Def Leppard

Pyromania

Vertigo
via TK library: 12/8/2011

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Owner of a Lonely Heart

Yes

90125

Atco
via TK library: 7/20/2011

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Say It Isn’t So

Daryl Hall & John Oates

Rock ’n Soul Part 1

RCA
via TK library: 2/7/2013

Notes
Heart and Soul

Huey Lewis & The News

Sports

Chrysalis
via TK library: 8/31/2009 (on cassette ca. 1984)

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Baby Jane

Rod Stewart

Body Wishes

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 2/11/2013

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Come Dancing

The Kinks

State of Confusion

Arista
via TK library: 2/1/2013

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Back of Love

Echo & the Bunnymen

Porcupine

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 3/2/2013

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Jeane

The Smiths

This Charming Man

Rough Trade
via TK library: 2/17/2012

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Raging Eyes

Nick Lowe

The Abominable Showman

Columbia
via TK library: 1/12/2013

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Everyday I Write the Book

Elvis Costello & the Attractions

Punch the Clock

Columbia
via TK library: 7/27/2008

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That’s All

Genesis

Genesis

Atlantic
via TK library: 2/1/2013

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Time After Time

Cyndi Lauper

She's So Unusual

Epic
via TK library: 3/4/2011

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Hearts and Bones

Paul Simon

Hearts and Bones

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 6/13/2007

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I Love L.A.

Randy Newman

Trouble in Paradise

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 5/10/2010

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Holiday Road

Lindsey Buckingham

Holiday Road

Warner Bros.
via TK library: 2/18/2012

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All Night Long

Lionel Richie

Can't Slow Down

Motown
via TK library: 3/26/2009

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