These are the UK Official Indie Chart number-one hits of the 1980s, as compiled by MRIB.[1]
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 January | "Where's Captain Kirk?" | 7 weeks | ||
| 8 March | "Food for Thought" / King | Graduate | 12 weeks | |
| 31 May | "Bloody Revolutions" | 5 weeks | ||
| 5 July | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" | 10* weeks | ||
| 30 August | "Paranoid" | NEMS | 5* weeks | |
| 13 September | Can't Cheat Karma (EP) | 2 weeks | ||
| 18 October | "Requiem" | 1 week | ||
| 25 October | "Atmosphere" | 2 weeks | ||
| 8 November | "Kill the Poor" | 1 week | ||
| 15 November | "The Earth Dies Screaming" / "Dream a Lie" | Graduate | 5* weeks | |
| 6 December | Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (EP) | 1 week | ||
| 27 December | "Cartrouble" | 7* weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 January | "Zerox" | 3 weeks | ||
| 7 March | "Nagasaki Nightmare" | 2 weeks | ||
| 21 March | "Ceremony" | 3 weeks | ||
| 11 April | Four from Toyah (EP) | 3 weeks | ||
| 2 May | "Dreaming of Me" | 1 week | ||
| 9 May | Why (EP) | 2 weeks | ||
| 23 May | "I Want To Be Free" | 1 week | ||
| 30 May | "Don't Let It Pass You By" / "Don't Slow Down" | 1 week | ||
| 6 June | "Too Drunk to Fuck" | 5 weeks | ||
| 11 July | "New Life" | 7 weeks | ||
| 29 August | "One in Ten" | 4 weeks | ||
| 26 September | "Just Can't Get Enough" | 2 weeks | ||
| 10 October | "Procession" | 3 weeks | ||
| 31 October | "Thunder in the Mountains" | 4 weeks | ||
| 28 November | "Six Guns" | Rondelet | 1 week | |
| 5 December | Four More From Toyah (EP) | 5* weeks | ||
| 19 December | "Don't Let 'Em Grind You Down" | Exploited | 1 week | |
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 January | "Streets of London" | WXYZ | 2 weeks | |
| 30 January | "Do You Believe in the Westworld?" | Burning Rome | 2 weeks | |
| 13 February | "See You" | 7 weeks | ||
| 3 April | "I Hate People" | WXYZ | 2 weeks | |
| 17 April | "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" | 4 weeks | ||
| 15 May | "Only You" | 5 weeks | ||
| 19 June | "Temptation" | 3 weeks | ||
| 10 July | "Woman" | WXYZ | 2 weeks | |
| 24 July | "Don't Go" | 8 weeks | ||
| 18 September | "Leave in Silence" | 6 weeks | ||
| 30 October | "Shipbuilding" | 3* weeks | ||
| 6 November | "How Does It Feel to Be the Mother of 1000 Dead?" | 3 weeks | ||
| 27 November | "The Other Side of Love" | 4 weeks | ||
| 25 December | "Save Your Love" | Hollywood | 3 weeks | |
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January | "Fat Man" | 2 weeks | ||
| 29 January | "Heartache Avenue" | Ready Steady Go! | 3 weeks | |
| 19 February | "Oblivious" | 2 weeks | ||
| 12 March | "Get the Balance Right!" | 2 weeks | ||
| 26 March | "Blue Monday" | 13* weeks | ||
| 11 June | "Nobody's Diary" | 1 week | ||
| 18 June | "Pills and Soap" | 2 weeks | ||
| 2 July | "Sheep Farming in the Falklands" | 2 weeks | ||
| 16 July | "War Baby" | Panic | 3 weeks | |
| 6 August | "Everything Counts" | 5 weeks | ||
| 10 September | "Confusion" | 4 weeks | ||
| 5 November | "Temple of Love" | 1 week | ||
| 26 November | "This Charming Man" | 7* weeks | ||
| 3 December | "Never Never" | 2 weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 January | "What Difference Does It Make?" | 9 weeks | ||
| 31 March | "You're Already Dead" | 1 week | ||
| 7 April | "People Are People" | 3 weeks | ||
| 28 April | "Hand in Glove" | 1 week | ||
| 5 May | "Thieves Like Us" | 2 weeks | ||
| 19 May | "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" | 2 weeks | ||
| 2 June | "Spiritwalker" | 1 week | ||
| 9 June | "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" | 3* weeks | ||
| 23 June | "Thanks for the Night" | Damned | 2 weeks | |
| 14 July | "In the Ghetto" | 4 weeks | ||
| 11 August | "Walk into the Sun" | Rebirth | 2 weeks | |
| 25 August | "Agadoo" | Flair | 2 weeks | |
| 8 September | "William, It Was Really Nothing" | 2 weeks | ||
| 22 September | "Master and Servant" | 6 weeks | ||
| 3 November | "Marimba Jive" | Self Drive | 2 weeks | |
| 17 November | "The Price" | Abstract | 1 week | |
| 24 November | 3 weeks | |||
| 15 December | "Nellie the Elephant" | Volume | 7 weeks | |
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 February | "Upside Down" | 4* weeks | ||
| 16 February | "How Soon Is Now?" | 4 weeks | ||
| 30 March | "Aikea-Guinea" | 2* weeks | ||
| 6 April | "Shakespeare's Sister" | 3 weeks | ||
| 4 May | "Be with Me" | One Way | 2 weeks | |
| 18 May | "Shake the Disease" | 2 weeks | ||
| 1 June | "The Perfect Kiss" | 3 weeks | ||
| 22 June | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | Spartan | 3 weeks | |
| 13 July | "Iron Masters" | 3* weeks | ||
| 20 July | "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" | 2 weeks | ||
| 17 August | "Tupelo" | 2 weeks | ||
| 31 August | "Well Well Well" | 3 weeks | ||
| 21 September | "Primitive Painters" | 2 weeks | ||
| 5 October | "It's Called a Heart" | 1 week | ||
| 12 October | "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" | 3 weeks | ||
| 2 November | "The Battle Continues" | Mortarhate | 2 weeks | |
| 16 November | "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" | 1 week | ||
| 23 November | "Sub-culture" | 1 week | ||
| 30 November | "Tiny Dynamine" | 2 weeks | ||
| 14 December | "Echoes in a Shallow Bay" | 8 weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 February | "Giving Ground" | 4* weeks | ||
| 1 March | "Stripped" | 1 week | ||
| 15 March | "The Trumpton Riots" | 3 weeks | ||
| 5 April | "Shellshock" | 3 weeks | ||
| 26 April | "Godstar" | 2 weeks | ||
| 10 May | "Rules and Regulations" | Vindaloo | 4 weeks | |
| 7 June | "Bigmouth Strikes Again" | 5 weeks | ||
| 12 July | "The Singer" | 2 weeks | ||
| 26 July | "Garden of Delight" | Chapter 22 | 2 weeks | |
| 9 August | "Panic" | 4 weeks | ||
| 6 September | "Tokyo Storm Warning" | 2 weeks | ||
| 20 September | "Come Here My Love" | 1 week | ||
| 27 September | "State of the Nation" | 3 weeks | ||
| 18 October | "Dickie Davies Eyes" | 1 week | ||
| 25 October | "(Love Affair With) Everyday Living" | 1 week | ||
| 1 November | "Love's Easy Tears" | 1 week | ||
| 8 November | "Ask" | 2 weeks | ||
| 22 November | "Bizarre Love Triangle" | 2 weeks | ||
| 5 December | "Sometimes" | 4 weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 January | "Into the Groove(y)" | 1 week | ||
| 10 January | "Kiss" | FON | 3 weeks | |
| 31 January | "Shoplifters of the World Unite" | 4 weeks | ||
| 28 February | "It Doesn't Have to Be" | 8 weeks | ||
| 25 April | "Sheila Take a Bow" | 3 weeks | ||
| 16 May | "Nosedive Karma" | In Tape | 3 weeks | |
| 6 June | "Victim of Love" | 2 weeks | ||
| 20 June | "Can't Take No More" | Raw TV | 4 weeks | |
| 18 July | "Flowers in Our Hair" | Eden | 2 weeks | |
| 1 August | "True Faith" | 3 weeks | ||
| 22 August | "Girlfriend in a Coma" | 2 weeks | ||
| 5 September | "Pump Up the Volume" | 7 weeks | ||
| 24 October | "Blue Water" | 2 weeks | ||
| 7 November | "My Baby Just Cares for Me" | 5 weeks | ||
| 12 December | "Touched by the Hand of God" | 6 weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 January | "Behind the Wheel" | 1 week | ||
| 30 January | "Rok da House" | 1 week | ||
| 6 February | "Coldsweat" | 2 weeks | ||
| 20 February | "I Should Be So Lucky" | PWL | 1 week | |
| 27 February | "Beat Dis" | Mister-Ron | 4 weeks | |
| 26 March | "Ship of Fools" | 4 weeks | ||
| 23 April | "Theme from S'Express" | 4 weeks | ||
| 21 May | "Blue Monday 1988" | 2 weeks | ||
| 4 June | "Got to Be Certain" | 1 week | ||
| 11 June | "Moonchild" | 2 weeks | ||
| 25 June | "Doctorin' the Tardis" | 4 weeks | ||
| 23 July | "Superfly Guy" | 3 weeks | ||
| 13 August | "The Only Way Is Up" | 5 weeks | ||
| 17 September | "Birthday" | 1 week | ||
| 24 September | "Stop This Crazy Thing" | 1 week | ||
| 1 October | "Why Are You Being So Reasonable Now?" | Reception | 3 weeks | |
| 22 October | "A Little Respect" | 2 weeks | ||
| 5 November | "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" | PWL | 1 week | |
| 12 November | "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" | 3 weeks | ||
| 3 December | "Say a Little Prayer" | Bomb the Bass feat. Maureen | 1 week | |
| 10 December | "Fine Time" | 2 weeks | ||
| 24 December | Crackers International (EP) | 8 weeks | ||
| Date first reached number one | Song | Artist | Label | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 February | "Can't Be Sure" | 3 weeks | ||
| 11 March | "Hey Music Lover" | 1 week | ||
| 18 March | "Too Many Broken Hearts" | PWL | 1 week | |
| 25 March | "Round & Round" | 1 week | ||
| 1 April | The Power of Lard (EP) | 1 week | ||
| 8 April | "Monkey Gone to Heaven" | 4 weeks | ||
| 6 May | "Who's in the House?" | 1 week | ||
| 13 May | "Hand on Your Heart" | PWL | 1 week | |
| 20 May | "Just Like Heaven" | 1 week | ||
| 27 May | "Ferry Cross the Mersey" | PWL | 3 weeks | |
| 17 June | "Sealed with a Kiss" | PWL | 2 weeks | |
| 1 July | "Here Comes Your Man" | 3 weeks | ||
| 22 July | "Hypnotized" | 1 week | ||
| 29 July | "She Bangs the Drums" | 3 weeks | ||
| 19 August | "Pure" | Ghetto | 2 weeks | |
| 2 September | "Hey DJ / I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" | 1 week | ||
| 9 September | "Find Out Why" | Cow | 1 week | |
| 16 September | "Run 2" | 1 week | ||
| 23 September | "Regina" | 1 week | ||
| 30 September | "Personal Jesus" | 1 week | ||
| 7 October | "Drama!" | 1 week | ||
| 14 October | "Wrote for Luck" | 1 week | ||
| 21 October | "Street Tuff" | Desire | 2 weeks | |
| 4 November | "Eye Know" | 1 week | ||
| 11 November | "Widowermaker" | 2 weeks | ||
| 25 November | "Move" | Cow | 1 week | |
| 2 December | "Fools Gold / What the World Is Waiting For" | 3 weeks | ||
| 23 December | "Getting Away with It" | 3 weeks | ||