Hits of 1984: I Guess That’s Why They Call it Past 10s

Dave and Milt crack open the Billboard Top 10 from January 14, 1984 — a chart absolutely stacked with heavy hitters like Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Culture Club, Elton John, and more. It’s pop perfection, power ballads, synth hooks, and at least one harmonica discussion that gets wildly out of hand. Along the way, the guys dig into the songs, the lyrics, and the cultural moment — plus listener emails, high-school flashbacks, and a true story of Dave weaponizing song lyrics. There’s serious love for classics like “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Say Say Say,” plus some healthy debate when Milt swaps out “Break My Stride” for Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody,” and Dave pulls an audible by replacing “Talking in Your Sleep” with early-era U2. Expect deep dives, dumb tangents (baseball makes a surprise appearance), TikTok-era song revivals, harmonica legends, and the usual combination of nostalgia, nitpicking, and laughs that probably goes on five minutes longer than planned — as it should. Chapters: 01:59 Listener Mail 09:43 Back to 1984 14:21 The Countdown Begins 35:56 Harmonica Jealousy (Yes, Really) 37:40 Elton John Gets the Blues 42:55 “Break My Stride” (or Does It?) 45:33 Songs That Refuse to Die on TikTok 55:21 Olivia Newton-John Curveball 01:01:46 Duran Duran Era Begins 01:19:22 “Owner of a Lonely Heart” 01:25:54 McCartney + MJ 01:34:12 The Substitution Chaos 01:44:51 Final Thoughts & What’s Next