1982 could hardly be considered a vintage year. You have to wonder what the record buying public were thinking.

From Tight Fit to Charlene – there were some god awful Number 1s. They have certainly not stood the test of time. But you have to wonder how they ever reached Number 1 at the time.

But there were some wonderful songs – Town Called Malice, Come On Eileen and Eye Of The Tiger have more than stood the test of time. They are songs that everyone is familiar with and everyone can enjoy, whatever their age.

There are some gems that reached the top spot in 1981. But generally the standard isn’t great. There’s an eclectic mix of music and much of it has not aged well.

The best song of the year was The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me. There are some other excellent songs in Under Pressure, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Tainted Love and Imagine.

There has also been some dross – specifically Julio Iglesias and the songs by Adam And The Ants.

I guess 1981 was an improvement on 1980. If 1981 included some classics, you will be disappointed to hear that 1982 includes fewer greats. And there’s some distinctly cheesy Number Ones on their way.

Overall, I think 1980 was not as good a year for music as 1979 had been. The final year of the Seventies had, on reflection, been quite trend hitting and experimental with its Number Ones.

1980 seemed to have some appalling music at the top and some songs that had let the country down with hindsight.

The best songs of the year were probably Super Trouper and Going Underground, although many people will probably tell you it was Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall (Part II).

The worst song of the year, by a landslide, is St Winifred’s School Choir’s There’s No One Quite Like Grandma. Sorry kids, but you should never have been allowed to do that.

The end of the first year of the Eighties didn’t bode well for the decade, but there were some classics to reach the top in 1981…