1983 in British music
This is a summary of 1983 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Events
- 8 January – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization. In 1984 electronic terminals will be used in selected stores to gather sales information, and the old "sales diary" method will be gradually phased out over the next few years.
- 20 August – The Rolling Stones sign a new $28 million contract with CBS Records, the largest recording contract in history up to this time.
- 1 September – Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon of The Clash issue a press statement announcing that Mick Jones has been fired from the group.
- 20 September – The first ARMS Charity Concert is held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
- 28 November – The first Now album is released.
Charts
Number one singles
| Chart date | Song | Artist | Weeks |
| 1 January | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato | 2 |
| 8 January | "Save Your Love" | Renée and Renato | 2 |
| 15 January | "You Can't Hurry Love" | Phil Collins | 2 |
| 22 January | "You Can't Hurry Love" | Phil Collins | 2 |
| 29 January | "Down Under" | Men at Work | 3 |
| 5 February | "Down Under" | Men at Work | 3 |
| 12 February | "Down Under" | Men at Work | 3 |
| 19 February | "Too Shy" | Kajagoogoo | 2 |
| 26 February | "Too Shy" | Kajagoogoo | 2 |
| 5 March | "Billie Jean" | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 12 March | "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | Bonnie Tyler | 2 |
| 19 March | "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | Bonnie Tyler | 2 |
| 26 March | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 2 April | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | Duran Duran | 2 |
| 9 April | "Let's Dance" | David Bowie | 3 |
| 16 April | "Let's Dance" | David Bowie | 3 |
| 23 April | "Let's Dance" | David Bowie | 3 |
| 30 April | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 4 |
| 7 May | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 4 |
| 14 May | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 4 |
| 21 May | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 4 |
| 28 May | "Candy Girl" | New Edition | 1 |
| 4 June | "Every Breath You Take" | The Police | 4 |
| 11 June | "Every Breath You Take" | The Police | 4 |
| 18 June | "Every Breath You Take" | The Police | 4 |
| 25 June | "Every Breath You Take" | The Police | 4 |
| 2 July | "Baby Jane" | Rod Stewart | 3 |
| 9 July | "Baby Jane" | Rod Stewart | 3 |
| 16 July | "Baby Jane" | Rod Stewart | 3 |
| 23 July | "Wherever I Lay My Hat " | Paul Young | 3 |
| 30 July | "Wherever I Lay My Hat " | Paul Young | 3 |
| 6 August | "Wherever I Lay My Hat " | Paul Young | 3 |
| 13 August | "Give It Up" | KC and the Sunshine Band | 3 |
| 20 August | "Give It Up" | KC and the Sunshine Band | 3 |
| 27 August | "Give It Up" | KC and the Sunshine Band | 3 |
| 3 September | "Red Red Wine" | UB40 | 3 |
| 10 September | "Red Red Wine" | UB40 | 3 |
| 17 September | "Red Red Wine" | UB40 | 3 |
| 24 September | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 1 October | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 8 October | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 15 October | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 22 October | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 29 October | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 6 |
| 5 November | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 12 November | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 19 November | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 26 November | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 3 December | "Uptown Girl" | Billy Joel | 5 |
| 10 December | "Only You" | The Flying Pickets | 4 |
| 17 December | "Only You" | The Flying Pickets | 4 |
| 24 December | "Only You" | The Flying Pickets | 4 |
| 31 December | "Only You" | The Flying Pickets | 4 |
Number one albums
| Chart date | Album | Artist | Weeks |
| 1 January | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon | 2 |
| 8 January | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon | 2 |
| 15 January | Raiders of the Pop Charts | Various Artists | 2 |
| 22 January | Raiders of the Pop Charts | Various Artists | 2 |
| 29 January | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 5 February | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 12 February | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 19 February | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 26 February | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 5 |
| 5 March | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 12 March | War | U2 | 1 |
| 19 March | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1 |
| 26 March | The Hurting | Tears for Fears | 1 |
| 2 April | The Final Cut | Pink Floyd | 2 |
| 9 April | The Final Cut | Pink Floyd | 2 |
| 16 April | Faster Than the Speed of Night | Bonnie Tyler | 1 |
| 23 April | Let's Dance | David Bowie | 3 |
| 30 April | Let's Dance | David Bowie | 3 |
| 7 May | Let's Dance | David Bowie | 3 |
| 14 May | True | Spandau Ballet | 1 |
| 21 May | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 28 May | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 4 June | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 11 June | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 18 June | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 5 |
| 25 June | Synchronicity | The Police | 2 |
| 2 July | Synchronicity | The Police | 2 |
| 9 July | Fantastic | Wham! | 2 |
| 16 July | Fantastic | Wham! | 2 |
| 23 July | You and Me Both | Yazoo | 2 |
| 30 July | You and Me Both | Yazoo | 2 |
| 6 August | The Very Best of the Beach Boys | The Beach Boys | 2 |
| 13 August | The Very Best of the Beach Boys | The Beach Boys | 2 |
| 20 August | 18 Greatest Hits | Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 | 3 |
| 27 August | 18 Greatest Hits | Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 | 3 |
| 3 September | 18 Greatest Hits | Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 | 3 |
| 10 September | The Very Best of the Beach Boys | The Beach Boys | 1 |
| 17 September | No Parlez | Paul Young | 1 |
| 24 September | Labour of Love | UB40 | 1 |
| 1 October | No Parlez | Paul Young | 2 |
| 8 October | No Parlez | Paul Young | 2 |
| 15 October | Genesis | Genesis | 1 |
| 22 October | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 3 |
| 29 October | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 3 |
| 5 November | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 3 |
| 12 November | Can't Slow Down | Lionel Richie | 1 |
| 19 November | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 2 |
| 26 November | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 2 |
| 3 December | Seven and the Ragged Tiger | Duran Duran | 1 |
| 10 December | No Parlez | Paul Young | 1 |
| 17 December | Now 1 | Various Artists | 3 |
| 24 December | Now 1 | Various Artists | 3 |
| 31 December | Now 1 | Various Artists | 3 |
Year-end charts
Note: The year-end charts published in Music Week on 7 January 1984 only covered the period 4 January to 17 December 1983 – the BPI Year Book 1984 included the complete charts to the end of 1983.Best-selling singles
| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | "Karma Chameleon" | Culture Club | 1 |
| 2 | "Uptown Girl" | 1 | |
| 3 | "Red Red Wine" | UB40 | 1 |
| 4 | "Let's Dance" | 1 | |
| 5 | "Total Eclipse of the Heart" | 1 | |
| 6 | "True" | Spandau Ballet | 1 |
| 7 | "Down Under" | Men at Work | 1 |
| 8 | "Billie Jean" | 1 | |
| 9 | "Only You" | 1 | |
| 10 | "All Night Long " | 2 | |
| 11 | "Sweet Dreams " | Eurythmics | 2 |
| 12 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | 1 | |
| 13 | "Too Shy" | Kajagoogoo | 1 |
| 14 | "Wherever I Lay My Hat " | 1 | |
| 15 | "Love of the Common People" | 2 | |
| 16 | "Every Breath You Take" | 1 | |
| 17 | "Is There Something I Should Know?" | Duran Duran | 1 |
| 18 | "Blue Monday" | New Order | 9 |
| 19 | "Give It Up" | KC and the Sunshine Band | 1 |
| 20 | "I.O.U." | Freeez | 2 |
| 21 | "Baby Jane" | 1 | |
| 22 | "Say Say Say" | and Michael Jackson | 2 |
| 23 | "They Don't Know" | 2 | |
| 24 | "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" | and Roberta Flack | 2 |
| 25 | "Words" | 2 | |
| 26 | "Bad Boys" | Wham! | 2 |
| 27 | "Flashdance... What a Feeling" | 2 | |
| 28 | "New Song" | 3 | |
| 29 | "Moonlight Shadow" | 4 | |
| 30 | "My Oh My" | Slade | 2 |
| 31 | "Sign of the Times" | 3 | |
| 32 | "Hold Me Now" | Thompson Twins | 4 |
| 33 | "Candy Girl" | New Edition | 1 |
| 34 | "Temptation" | Heaven 17 | 2 |
| 35 | "Cry Just a Little Bit" | 3 | |
| 36 | "Church of the Poison Mind" | Culture Club | 2 |
| 37 | "Electric Avenue" | 2 | |
| 38 | "Mama" | Genesis | 4 |
| 39 | "Beat It" | 3 | |
| 40 | "Double Dutch" | 3 | |
| 41 | "Africa" | Toto | 3 |
| 42 | "Club Tropicana" | Wham! | 4 |
| 43 | " Fascination" | 2 | |
| 44 | "Gold" | Spandau Ballet | 2 |
| 45 | "Modern Love" | 2 | |
| 46 | "Let's Stay Together" | 6 | |
| 47 | "Come Back and Stay" | 4 | |
| 48 | "Victims" | Culture Club | 3 |
| 49 | "I'm Still Standing" | 4 | |
| 50 | " The Rock Steady Crew" | 6 |
Best-selling albums
| Title | Artist | Peak position | |
| 1 | Thriller | 1 | |
| 2 | No Parlez | 1 | |
| 3 | Colour by Numbers | Culture Club | 1 |
| 4 | Let's Dance | 1 | |
| 5 | Fantastic | Wham! | 1 |
| 6 | True | Spandau Ballet | 1 |
| 7 | Now That's What I Call Music | Various Artists | 1 |
| 8 | Stages | 2 | |
| 9 | Genesis | Genesis | 1 |
| 10 | Can't Slow Down | 1 | |
| 11 | Synchronicity | 1 | |
| 12 | Labour of Love | UB40 | 1 |
| 13 | Business as Usual | Men at Work | 1 |
| 14 | 18 Greatest Hits | and The Jackson 5 | 1 |
| 15 | Sweet Dreams | Eurythmics | 3 |
| 16 | Too Low for Zero | 7 | |
| 17 | The Luxury Gap | Heaven 17 | 4 |
| 18 | Snap! | 2 | |
| 19 | The Hurting | Tears for Fears | 1 |
| 20 | Rio | Duran Duran | 3 |
| 21 | The Very Best of The Beach Boys | 1 | |
| 22 | In Your Eyes | 3 | |
| 23 | The Crossing | Big Country | 3 |
| 24 | Seven and the Ragged Tiger | Duran Duran | 1 |
| 25 | An Innocent Man | 4 | |
| 26 | War | U2 | 1 |
| 27 | Introducing Richard Clayderman | 2 | |
| 28 | Chas 'n' Dave's Knees Up: Jamboree Bag No. 2 | Chas & Dave | 7 |
| 29 | Hello, I Must Be Going! | 3 | |
| 30 | The John Lennon Collection | 1 | |
| 31 | Faster Than the Speed of Night | 1 | |
| 32 | Quick Step and Side Kick | Thompson Twins | 2 |
| 33 | Pipes of Peace | 4 | |
| 34 | Under a Blood Red Sky | U2 | 2 |
| 35 | The Final Cut | Pink Floyd | 1 |
| 36 | Touch | Eurythmics | 8 |
| 37 | You and Me Both | Yazoo | 1 |
| 38 | Voice of the Heart | Carpenters | 6 |
| 39 | Toto IV | Toto | 4 |
| 40 | Crises | 6 | |
| 41 | Raiders of the Pop Charts | Various Artists | 1 |
| 42 | Formula 30 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 43 | Body Wishes | 5 | |
| 44 | Chart Hits '83 | Various Artists | 6 |
| 45 | Twice as Kool: The Hits of Kool & the Gang | Kool & the Gang | 4 |
| 46 | Heartbreaker | 4 | |
| 47 | The Essential Jean Michel Jarre | 14 | |
| 48 | Lionel Richie | 9 | |
| 49 | The Two of Us | Various Artists | 3 |
| 50 | Kissing to Be Clever | Culture Club | 10 |
Notes:
Classical music
- Alun Hoddinott - Quodlibet on Welsh Nursery Tunes - arr. for brass quintet
- William Mathias - Symphony No. 2, Op.90
- John Pickard - Nocturne in Black and Gold
Opera
- Oliver Knussen - Where the Wild Things Are
Musical films
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
- The Pirates of Penzance, starring Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury
Births
- 3 March - Katie White, singer
- 8 May - Matt Willis, singer and musician
- 16 May - Mince Fratelli, musician
- 23 May - Heidi Range, singer
- 17 June - Lee Ryan, singer
- 30 June
- *Cheryl Cole, singer
- *Patrick Wolf, singer/songwriter
- 18 August - Mika, singer
- 25 August - James Righton, musician
- 11 September - Matthew Halsall, jazz trumpeter and promoter
- 13 September - James Bourne, singer and musician,
- 14 September - Amy Winehouse, singer-songwriter
- 25 September - Hayden Powell, jazz trumpeter and composer
Deaths
- 5 January - Amy Evans, operatic soprano
- 28 January - Billy Fury, singer-songwriter
- 22 February - Sir Adrian Boult, conductor
- 8 March - William Walton, composer
- 14 April - Pete Farndon, the Pretenders
- 12 July - Chris Wood, founding member of Traffic
- 19 November - Tom Evans, bassist of the rock group Badfinger
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1983 BRIT Awards winners were:- Best British producer: Trevor Horn
- Best classical recording: John Williams - "Portrait"
- Best international artist: Kid Creole and the Coconuts
- Best Live Act: U2
- Best selling album: Barbra Streisand - Love Songs
- British breakthrough act: Yazoo
- British female solo artist: Kim Wilde
- British group: Dire Straits
- British male solo artist: Paul McCartney
- British single: Dexys Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"
- Life achievement award: Pete Townshend
- Outstanding contribution: The Beatles
- Special Award: Chris Wright
- The Sony award for technical excellence: Paul McCartney