Here are the #1 Hot Black Singles for 1984. The word Hot wasn’t added until October 20, the same week Billboard added it to the Adult Contemporary nomenclature.
As noted, two songs appeared on the pop, AC, and Black Singles that year. Hello by Lionel Richie (2 weeks pop, 6 weeks AC, 3 weeks RB) and I Just Called To Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder (3 weeks each on all three charts).
Also, When Doves Cry by Prince was #1 for 8 weeks RB and for 5 weeks pop. Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) by Billy Ocean was #1 for 4 weeks RB and for 2 weeks pop. Let’s Hear It For The Boy by Deniece Williams was #1 for 3 weeks RB and for 2 weeks pop. Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr. was #1 for 2 weeks RB and for 3 weeks pop. Let’s Go Crazy – Prince and the Revolution was #1 for 1 week RB and 2 weeks pop.
Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell, 5 weeks at #1; also #2 for three weeks pop. He was born Kennedy Gordy, a son of Berry Gordy. Michael Jackson sang background vocals, though he denied his involvement for YEARS, not wanting to upstage Rockwell.
Operator – Midnight Star, 5 weeks at #1; also #18 pop
If Only You Knew – Patti LaBelle, 4 weeks at #1; also #46 pop
She’s Strange – Cameo, 4 weeks at #1; also #47 pop, which explains why it was unfamiliar to me
I Feel For You – Chaka Khan, 3 weeks at #1. It was written and recorded by Prince five years earlier. A Grammy-winning song featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel (rap) and Stevie Wonder (harmonica); also #3 for three weeks pop. VERY familiar.
Joanna – Kool & The Gang, 2 weeks at #1; also #2 pop
A single week at #1 RB
Encore – Cheryl Lynn; also #69 pop
Don’t Waste Your Time – Yarborough & Peoples; did not chart on the pop charts
Lovelight – O’Bryan; also #101 pop. Very dancable.
Cool It Now – New Edition; also #4 pop
Country
I was also going to list the #1 country songs of 1984 – Billboard had used the term Hot Country since the 1960s. However, there are 50 – FIFTY! – of them! I ain’t doing that.
The only songs charting #1 for even two weeks:
Why Not Me – The Judds; the Grammy-winning song did not chart on the pop charts
To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before – Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson; also #5 pop