January 11 – BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read announces on air that he will not play the single "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood because of its suggestive lyrics. The BBC places a total ban on the record at about the same time.[2]
January 17 – The SING BLUE SILVER tour continues on to Japan and North America as Duran Duran becomes the first act to utilize live video cameras and screens in their show. They break every existing merchandise record during this tour.
January 21 – "Relax" reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite the BBC ban; it will spend a total of 42 weeks in the Top 40.
January 27 – Michael Jackson's scalp is burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial and he is admitted to hospital. Around this time, Jackson also releases the title track from his album Thriller as the LP's final single.
Joe Perry and Brad Whitford attend an Aerosmith concert and re-join the band, which embarks on a reunion tour "Back in the Saddle" later in the year.
February 16 – Jerry Lee Lewis surrenders to federal authorities on charges of income tax evasion. Lewis is later acquitted.
February 25 – Thompson Twins debuts at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart with Into the Gap. The album would also top the chart the two following weeks and remain on the chart for 38 consecutive weeks until November.[3]
Sting plays his last concerts with The Police at the end of the Synchronicity tour; the band takes a "pause" after the tour and only play a few special events together after this, until 2007, when they would organize a reunion tour.
Alice Cooper, who has not toured for his last two albums, parts ways with his longtime label Warner Bros. and goes on hiatus from the music industry. Cooper begins mulling over plans for a comeback, which he would carry out in 1986.
June 18 – At the climax of a Judas Priest concert at Madison Square Garden, fans begin ripping out the cushions from the seats and throwing them on stage. Judas Priest pay damages through insurance and are banned from Madison Square Garden for life over the incident.
June 23 – Duran Duran earn their first US number 1 single with "The Reflex", making it their first single to top both the UK and US charts.[5]
July 1 – During his performance at the first ever Cornerstone Festival in Grayslake, Illinois, Steve Taylor jumps off the stage, breaking his ankle. Taylor hops back on stage and finishes his show. The next few shows on Taylor's tour were performed from a wheel chair.
July 10 – The last original member of Menudo, Ricky Meléndez, leaves the group and is replaced by Ricky Martin. Meanwhile, Menudomania reaches Asia in 1984.
September 11 – Country singer Barbara Mandrell suffers serious injuries in a head-on automobile collision on a Tennessee highway. She will make a comeback after spending over a year rehabilitating.
September 21 – The first compact disc manufacturing plant in North America opens in Terre Haute, Indiana. CDs have previously had to be expensively imported from Japan or West Germany. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. is designated as the first CD ever made in the United States.
October–December
October 1 – The Canadian music video series Video Hits premieres on CBC Television.
October 23 – A report on the Ethiopian famine by BBC journalist Michael Buerk is broadcast in the UK and receives an unprecedented public response. Among those watching is Bob Geldof, who is inspired to release a charity record to raise money to help with famine relief.
November 5 – Bryan Adams releases his breakout album called Reckless, spawning multiple hit singles, achieving diamond certification in Canada and topping the charts in the United States.
December 3 – Bob Geldof and Band Aid release the single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which becomes the fastest-selling single of all time in the UK.
December 9 – The Jacksons conclude their Victory Tour with the last of six concerts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. At the end of their final show, lead singer Michael Jackson surprises not only his fans, but also his band members with the announcement that he would be permanently leaving the Jacksons, stating that this would be the last time that they all performed together. The tour, which consisted of 55 shows over five months, has reportedly grossed $75 million, a new industry record. As for the Jacksons, they would release one more album in 1989 before splitting up, occasionally regrouping in the years afterward for reunion performances with and without Michael.
December 11 – While on tour, Bucks Fizz's tour bus crashes. All members of the group are injured and member Mike Nolan suffers brain damage after falling into a coma.
UK 1 – Aug 1984 (21 weeks), US Billboard 1 – Dec 1984 (20 weeks), US Radio 1 of 1985 (peak 1 12 weeks), Canada 1 – Dec 1984 (12 weeks), Netherlands 1 – Aug 1984 (14 weeks), Switzerland 1 – Sep 1984 (17 weeks), Poland 1 – Mar 1983 (44 weeks), Republic of Ireland 1 for 3 weeks – Aug 1984, Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks – Jan 1985, Australia 1 for 4 weeks – Sep 1984, Springbok 1 – Nov 1984 (21 weeks), ARC 2 of 1985 (peak 1 16 weeks), Sweden (alt) 2 – Sep 1984 (21 weeks), France 2 – Aug 1984 (3 weeks), Austria 2 – Nov 1984 (4 weeks), Norway 2 – Aug 1984 (16 weeks), Belgium 2 – Sep 1984 (12 weeks), Italy 2 of 1984
UK 1 – September 1984, US BB 1 – September 1984, Canada 1 – September 1984, Netherlands 1 – August 1984, Sweden 1 – September 1984, Sweden (alt) 1 – August 1984, Austria 1 – October 1984, Switzerland 1 – September 1984, Norway 1 – September 1984, Poland 1 – January 1984, Italy 1 of 1984, Germany 1 – September 1984, Republic of Ireland 1 – September 1984, New Zealand 1 for 9 weeks October 1984, Australia 1 for 8 weeks June 1985, Oscar in 1984, Australia 6 of 1984, US CashBox 9 of 1984, US BB 18 of 1984, POP 26 of 1984, Germany 52 of the 1980s, Scrobulate 100 of r & b
UK 1 – May 1984, US BB 1 – October 1984, Canada 1 – October 1984, Netherlands 1 – June 1984, Sweden (alt) 1 – June 1984, Norway 1 – June 1984, Republic of Ireland 1 – June 1984, Australia 1 for 5 weeks March 1985, Switzerland 2 – June 1984, Germany 2 – June 1984, Australia 5 of 1984, US BB 6 of 1984, Austria 6 – July 1984, POP 7 of 1984, US CashBox 19 of 1984, KROQ 20 of 1984, Poland 23 – June 1984, Europe 84 of the 1980s, OzNet 146, RYM 195 of 1984, Germany 230 of the 1980s
Norway 1 – March 1984, Republic of Ireland 1 – February 1984, New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks May 1984, Australia 1 for 2 weeks December 1983, UK 2 – January 1984, US BB 2 – January 1984, US BB 2 of 1984, Canada 2 – February 1984, POP 2 of 1984, Netherlands 3 – February 1984, Austria 3 – May 1984, Sweden (alt) 5 – March 1984, Switzerland 6 – April 1984, Germany 6 – March 1984, France 8 – December 1983, Australia 9 of 1984, US CashBox 16 of 1984, Italy 16 of 1984, Party 35 of 2007, RYM 63 of 1983, KROQ 65 of 1984, RIAA 122, Germany 388 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 391
UK 1 – November 1983, Switzerland 1 – February 1984, Germany 1 – February 1984, TOTP 1, KROQ 1 of 1984, France 2 – November 1983, Norway 2 – February 1984, Sweden (alt) 4 – March 1984, Austria 4 – March 1984, Netherlands 5 – January 1984, Canada 7 – April 1984, US BB 10 – February 1985, US BB 11 of 1985, Italy 11 of 1984, Australia 16 of 1984, POP 16 of 1985, Poland 18 – February 1984, RYM 21 of 1983, Virgin 31, Scrobulate 45 of 80s, Germany 72 of the 1980s, Europe 94 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 270, OzNet 574
December 24 - Jehnny Beth, a French musician, singer-songwriter, producer, presenter and actress (half of the duo John & Jehn and front woman of the English rock band Savages)