And this week's long journey hits the home stretch.
20 - KOOL AND THE GANG
To this point in the decade: They began the 80s by switching from a harder funk sound to a more dance-pop direction. The results so far: Eight Top 40s, four Top 10s, and the #1 "Celebration."
My favorite of theirs from this decade: 1982's #10 "Get Down on It."
How they finished the decade: Eight more hits between '84 and '87, including the #2 ballads "Joanna" and "Cherish."
19 - BILLY JOEL
To this point in the decade: Another example of late-70s momentum carrying into the new decade. The piano man had so far racked up eight Top 40s, two Top Tens, and the first song Casey played, the #1 "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me." (The second? 1983's #17 "Allentown").
My favorite The new wave-embracing "Pressure" (#20, 1982).
How he finished: The second half of '83 saw the release of the album An Innocent Man, which produced six Top 40 hits. After that, he had six more, for a total of 12, with seven Top Tens and two #1s: 1983's "Tell Her About It" and 1989's "We Didn't Start the Fire."
18 - PAUL MCCARTNEY (#3 on the 70s list)
To this point: Sir Paul only had four Top 40 hits to this point in the decade, but all were Top 10s, one was the #2 duet with Michael Jackson, "The Girl is Mine," and the other two topped the charts: "Ebony and Ivory" (with Stevie Wonder) and "Coming Up" (the latter of which Casey played).
My favorite: "Coming Up" pretty much by default.
How he finished: The second half of '83 brought another Jackson duet, "Say Say Say," and this time the duo hit #1. After that, five more Top 40s, including the Top Tens "No More Lonely Nights" and "Spies Like Us."
17 - JOHN COUGAR
To this point: The rootsy Indianan made his Top 40 debut with 1979's "I Need a Lover." (#28), and then built on that in the early 80s with five Top 40s, including a #2 in the song Casey played, "Hurts So Good," and a #1 in "Jack and Diane."
My favorite: The understatedly intense "Ain't Even Done with The Night" (#17, 1981).
How he finished: Building on the multi-platinum success of the American Fool LP, he'd tack his real surname, Mellencamp, onto his stage name, organize the annual Farm Aid concerts, and pick up a dozen more Top 40s, including seven Top Tens and the #2 "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
16 - KIM CARNES
To this point: The raspy-voiced Californian had been recording for nine years when she finally scored a hit in 1980 with the Kenny Rogers duet "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer." She had hit the 40 four more times by this time. Two of those reached the Top Ten, and one of those was the nine-week chart-topping blockbuster Casey played, "Bette Davis Eyes."
My favorite: "Bette Davis Eyes," easy. An indisputable pop classic.
How she finished, Three more Top 40s, one of which was "What About Me" (#15, 1984) which also feature Kenny Rogers and James Ingram. Her last hit was the next year's #15 "Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)."
15 - EDDIE RABBITT
To this point: This Brooklyn-born country-pop songwriter had his first success writing "Kentucky Rain," a 1970 Top 20 hit for Elvis Presley. In the mid-70s, he was a regular on the country charts, and made his first pop chart appearance in 1979 with "Every Which Way But Loose." But in the early 80s, he became a crossover superstar, Four of his six pop Top 40s made the Top Ten, and one, 1981's "I Love a Rainy Night," hit #1. Not surprisingly, that was the one Casey chose to play.
My favorite: The rockin' "Drivin' My Life Away" (#5, 1980)
How he finished: He continued to be a country hit machine, but further pop success eluded him.
14 - BLONDIE
To this point: After breaking through in 1979 with "Heart of Glass," the New York New Wavers conitinued hot into the new decade. Three of their five Top 40 singles from this time hit #1: "Rapture," and the two Casey played, "Call Me" and "The Tide is High."
My favorite: "Rapture." Debbie Harry sets the bar for all future white rappers.
How they finished: Internal tensions and the serious illness of guitarist Chris Stein caused the band to go their separate ways shortly after their last hit, 1982' "Island of Lost Souls" (#37).
13 - BOB SEGER
To this point: Detroit's Styx is yet another example of momentum from the late 70s propelling early 80s success. To date, Seger had seven Top 40s in the 80s, including four Top Tens and the 1982 #2 "Shame on the Moon." Casey played 1980's "Against the Wind" (#5).
My favorite: I suppose it'd be "Fire Lake" (#6, 1980).
How he finished: Four more Top 40s, including future truck jingle "Like a Rock" (#12, 1986), and his first and only #1, 1987's "Shakedown."
12 - NEIL DIAMOND (#16)
To this point: Neil continued making hits into a third decade, picking up nine Top 40s and four Top Tens, including the 1980 #2 Casey played, "Love on the Rocks."
My favorite: For cheese value, his #5 E.T. tribute from 1982, "Hearlight."
How he finished: He continued to record and tour, but his days as a Top 40 regular were over.
11 - STEVIE WONDER (#5)
To this point: The one time "12-year-old genius" was still a master hitmaker into his 30s. To date in the eighties, Stevie had put 6 singles into the Top 40. Four of those made the Top Five, including his #1 with Paul McCartney "Ebony and Ivory." Casey played his 1982 #4 "That Girl."
My favorite: The spirited reggae bumper "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (#5, 1980).
How he finished: He was mainly an easy listening artist for the rest of the decade, but it was a lucrative direction for him, producing three #1s: "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Part Time Lover," and the all-star benefit collaboration with Elton John, Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight "That's What Friends are For."
10 - JUICE NEWTON
To this point: Arguably the early-80s answer to Shania Twain in terms of country-pop line-straddling, Ms. Newton had seven Top 40s in this time period. Four of those made the Top Ten, the biggest of which was the 1981 #2 Casey played, "Queen of Hearts."
My favorite: "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" (#7, 1982)
How she finished: Like Eddie Rabbitt, she continued to score on the country charts, but she wouldn't crack the Top 40 again after 1983's #27 Zombies cover "Tell Her No."
9 - RICK SPRINGFIELD
To this point: The Australian who at the turn of the decade seemed desperate to be remembered only as a one-hit wonder and the star of a short-lived Saturday morning cartoon turned things around with a starring role on a soap and seven Top 40 singles, including four Top tens and the 1981 #1 Casey played, "Jessie's Girl."
My favorite: How can you deny a song like "Jessie's Girl"?
How he finished: With nine more Top 40s, but just one more Top Ten, 1984's "Love Somebody" (#5) from his failed attempt to launch a movie career, Hard to Hold.
8 - JOURNEY
To this point: The San Francisco rockers broke through in a big way in the early 80s, during which they accumulated nine Top 40s and four Top Tens, the biggest of which being one of the songs Casey played, "Open Arms" (#2, 1982). He also played "Any Way You Want It" (#23, 1980).
My favorite: "Any Way You Want It," the song Mr. Burns' son Larry once used to start an impromptu party in downtown Springfield.
How they finished: Six more top 40s, but just one more Top 10 in 1986 with "Be Good to Yourself." Lead singe Steve Perry also picked up four solo hits, including the 1984 #3, "Oh Sherrie." And at the end of the decade, guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain had a #1 with "When I See You Smile" as part of the band Bad English.
7 - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
To this point: This native of San Antonio, Texas became an MOR giant right from the beginning of the decade, with seven Top 40 hits, including the #2 Casey played, "Ride Like the Wind," and two #1s: 1980's "Sailing, and the next year's, "Arhtur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)."
My favorite: I guess "Ride Like the Wind." It's the rare song he did where it seemed like he had a pulse/
How he finished: One more hit in '84, the Top Ten "Think of Laura," then obscurity beckoned.
6 - MICHAEL JACKSON
To this point: I know what you're thinking, "Only Number Six?" But remember, we were only a few months into Thriller's record run, so he was only three singles deep into it, and so those and hits from Off the Wall were all he had in the bank at this time. But it was still a pretty strong resume. Six Top Tens, three of which went to Number 1: "Beat It" and the two Casey played, "Rock with You" and "Billie Jean."
My favorite: The unstoppable "Billie Jean."
How he finished: Twelve more Top 40s, including five more #1s, all from 1987's Bad. Also, a reunion with his brothers that produced two more hits, but also the commercial shoot in which his hair caught fire. Plus the 3D short film for Disney theme parks, Capatain EO. All in all, a busy decade for the man.
5 - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (#22)
To this point: The 70s sweetheart kept producing hits into the new decade, with seven Top 40s, five Top Tens, and two #1s, 1980's "Magic," and the one from next year that Casey played, the ten-week charttopper "Physical."
My favorite: Her #8 collaboration with Electric Light Orchestra, the title song from the notorious 1980 movie Xanadu.
How she finished: Just three more Top 40s, including the 1983 Top 5 "Twist of Fate. She disappeared from the pop charts after 1985's "Soul Kiss" (#20).
4 - KENNY ROGERS
To this point: The country crossover king was all over pop radio in this time period, racking up ten Top 40s, four Top 10s, and the #1 Casey played, 1980's "Lady."
My favorite: 1980's "Coward of the County" (#3).
How he finished: A bunch more country hits, but only two more Top 40s. However, one of those was his #1 duet with Dolly Parton, "Islands in the Stream."
3 - AIR SUPPLY
To this point: The Aussie MOR duo were a formidable force for these three-and-a-half years, with seven of their eight Top 40s making the Top Five (including their first, "Lost in Love," which Casey played), and 1981's "The One that You Love" hitting #1.
My favorite: 1980's #2 "All Out of Love," with that marathon note-hold at the end.
How they finished: The second half of '83 brought a #2 in the Jim Steninman epic "Making Love Out of Nothing at All," but their Top 40 days ended after 1985's "Just as I Am" (#19).
2 - DIANA ROSS (#12)
To this point: The ex-Supreme kept on rolling in the 1980s. To date, she had registered eight Top 40s, seven Top Tens, and two #1s: the Lionel Richie duet "Endless Love" and the song Casey played for her, 1980's "Upside Down."
My favorite: "I'm Coming Out" (#5, 1980), with or without Notorious B.I.G.
How she finished: Just four more Top 40s, the last of which was her 1984 Top Ten tribute to her late friend Marvin Gaye, "Missing You."
And the biggest act of the 1980s up until this moment in time was...
1 - DARYL HALL AND JOHN OATES
To this point: Some may have thought that this Philadelphia duo's biggest hits were behind them as the 80s dawned, but this was most definitely not the case. The stats thus far: Eleven Top 40s, eight Top Tens, and four Number Ones: "Kiss on My List," "Private Eyes," "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," and the one Casey played, "Maneater."
My favorite: The Mike Oldfield cover "Family Man," (#6, 1983)
How they finished: Pretty well, with ten more Top 40s, including five Top Tens and one more #1, 1984's "Out of Touch."
And finally, here are all of the NotCasey extras. The 70s: "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand, "Over My Head" by Fleetwood Mac, and "Super Bad" by James Brown. The 80s: "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Gos, "Young Turks" by Rod Stewart, "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, and "I Can't Tell You Why" by the Eagles.
And that concludes this long long week. There will be less to read here next week. Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you.
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