The following lists the number-one singles on the New Zealand Singles Chart during the 1980s. The source for this decade is the Recorded Music NZ chart, the chart history of which can be found on the Recorded Music NZ website or Charts.nz.[1][2]
A total of 150 singles topped the chart in the 1980s, including 20 by New Zealand artists. Three artists had three or more number-one singles; the most successful was U2, who spent 19 weeks at number one with five different singles. UB40 and Stevie Wonder reached number one three times, and two New Zealand acts topped the chart more than once this decade: Jon Stevens and Tex Pistol.
"Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye spent six weeks at number one in early 1983.Dire Straits earned their only New Zealand number one with "Twisting by the Pool".Despite peaking at number two with "Blue Monday", 1983's highest-selling single, New Order would attain the top spot with "Blue Monday 1988" five years later.Michael Jackson achieved his only New Zealand number-one single during the 1980s with "Beat It", which was number one for five weeks."Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club spent six weeks at number one in late 1983.
Note: The highest-selling single of New Zealand in 1983 was New Order's "Blue Monday", which peaked at number two for two weeks behind Michael Jackson's "Beat It".[62][63]
Elton John earned his fourth New Zealand number-one single with "Nikita" in January and February 1986."West End Girls" and "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys spent a combined total of five weeks at number one in 1986 and 1988, respectively.The Rolling Stones' rendition of "Harlem Shuffle" spent a week at number one in April 1986."Venus" by Bananarama topped the New Zealand Singles Chart for all four chart weeks of September 1986.Run–D.M.C. took "Walk This Way" to number one for seven weeks in 1986 and 1987.
Artists who appeared in the charity songs of the 1980s, including Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and USA for Africa's "We Are the World", which were both number-one singles, are not included in the individual tallies.