1984
20 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, starting with Say Say Say by Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson. No single song ran away with the year: Jump (Van Halen) and When Doves Cry (Prince) shared the longest stay at the top, 5 weeks each within 1984.
Prices rose 4.3% over 1983. One dollar in 1984 buys about what $3.10 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $1.21, down 2% from 1983. In 2025 dollars that is $3.76, 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 1984
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1984 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say Say Say | Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson | Jan 7 | 2 |
| Owner Of A Lonely Heart | Yes | Jan 21 | 2 |
| Karma Chameleon | Culture Club | Feb 4 | 3 |
| Jump | Van Halen | Feb 25 | 5 |
| Footloose | Kenny Loggins | Mar 31 | 3 |
| Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) | Phil Collins | Apr 21 | 3 |
| Hello | Lionel Richie | May 12 | 2 |
| Let's Hear It For The Boy | Deniece Williams | May 26 | 2 |
| Time After Time | Cyndi Lauper | Jun 9 | 2 |
| The Reflex | Duran Duran | Jun 23 | 2 |
| When Doves Cry | Prince | Jul 7 | 5 |
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | Aug 11 | 3 |
| What's Love Got To Do With It | Tina Turner | Sep 1 | 3 |
| Missing You | John Waite | Sep 22 | 1 |
| Let's Go Crazy | Prince And The Revolution | Sep 29 | 2 |
| I Just Called To Say I Love You | Stevie Wonder | Oct 13 | 3 |
| Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) | Billy Ocean | Nov 3 | 2 |
| Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go | Wham! | Nov 17 | 3 |
| Out Of Touch | Daryl Hall John Oates | Dec 8 | 2 |
| Like A Virgin | Madonna | Dec 22 | 2 |
Weeks are counted within 1984; a song that carried over from 1983 or into 1985 shows only its 1984 weeks.
What things cost in 1984
| Item | 1984 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $1.21 | $3.76 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $1.00 | $3.11 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.54 | $1.68 | $1.87 |
| Ground beef (per lb) | $1.29 | $3.99 | $6.09 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.81 | $2.51 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $1.86 | $5.76 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $2.58 | $7.99 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.36 | $1.11 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.36 | $1.12 | $1.02 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.21 | $0.66 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.08 | $0.25 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $3.35 | $10.38 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $79,950 | $247,772 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 20¢ | 62¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1984 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1984 →
The internet in 1984
- January 24, 1984The Macintosh goes on sale — Two days after its famous "1984" Super Bowl commercial, Apple releases the Macintosh with a mouse and a graphical desktop. source
