1982
16 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982, starting with Physical by Olivia Newton-John. No single song ran away with the year: I Love Rock 'N Roll (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts) and Ebony And Ivory (Paul McCartney And Stevie Wonder) shared the longest stay at the top, 7 weeks each within 1982.
Prices rose 6.1% over 1981, a fast year for inflation. One dollar in 1982 buys about what $3.34 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $1.29, down 6% from 1981. In 2025 dollars that is $4.32, against an actual 2025 average of $3.26.
Mailing a letter took a 20¢ stamp (it is 73¢ in 2025), and the federal minimum wage was $3.35 an hour.
Every #1 hit of 1982
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1982 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | Olivia Newton-John | Jan 2 | 4 |
| I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) | Daryl Hall John Oates | Jan 30 | 1 |
| Centerfold | The J. Geils Band | Feb 6 | 6 |
| I Love Rock 'N Roll | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts | Mar 20 | 7 |
| Chariots Of Fire - Titles | Vangelis | May 8 | 1 |
| Ebony And Ivory | Paul McCartney And Stevie Wonder | May 15 | 7 |
| Don't You Want Me | The Human League | Jul 3 | 3 |
| Eye Of The Tiger | Survivor | Jul 24 | 6 |
| Abracadabra | The Steve Miller Band | Sep 4 | 2 |
| Hard To Say I'm Sorry | Chicago | Sep 11 | 2 |
| Jack & Diane | John Cougar | Oct 2 | 4 |
| Who Can It Be Now? | Men At Work | Oct 30 | 1 |
| Up Where We Belong | Joe Cocker And Jennifer Warnes | Nov 6 | 3 |
| Truly | Lionel Richie | Nov 27 | 2 |
| Mickey | Toni Basil | Dec 11 | 1 |
| Maneater | Daryl Hall John Oates | Dec 18 | 2 |
Weeks are counted within 1982; a song that carried over from 1981 or into 1983 shows only its 1982 weeks.
What things cost in 1982
| Item | 1982 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $1.29 | $4.32 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $0.87 | $2.89 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.53 | $1.77 | $1.87 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.71 | $2.38 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $2.05 | $6.85 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $2.52 | $8.42 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.35 | $1.18 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.34 | $1.15 | $1.02 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.22 | $0.75 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.08 | $0.25 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $3.35 | $11.18 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $69,225 | $230,948 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 20¢ | 67¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1982 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1982 →
The internet in 1982
- September 19, 1982:-) is born — Scott Fahlman suggests marking jokes with :-) on a Carnegie Mellon message board, so readers can tell when someone is kidding. source
