David Bowie's 'Let's Dance' Single Hit No. 1 on This Day 43 Years Ago

If this song doesn't make you get up and dance, nothing will. On this day 43 years ago, inimitable music legend David Bowie's single "Let's Dance" peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The title track from his 15th studio album, released on April 14, 1983, was originally folk rock before co-producer Nile Rodgers and engineer Bob Clearmountain transformed it into a dance song.

After leaving his longtime label RCA Records in 1982, Bowie signed a new contract with EMI. He met Rodgers, co-founder of the disco band Chic. After asking Rodgers to produce his next album, Bowie told him he wanted "to make a commercial record." He wanted mainstream hits.

Later, during the development process, Bowie played the initially folk-like "Let's Dance" for Rodgers, who noted that it wasn't a danceable song. When it came time to record, Bowie hired guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was relatively unknown at the time, to play lead guitar.

The single itself hit the airwaves on March 14, 1983, before its ascent to No. 1 on May 21 of that year. In addition to dominating the Billboard chart, the toe-tapping tune also took the top spot on a whopping 18 other weekly global charts, including the UK Singles and US Mainstream Rock charts. It also achieved Platinum certification in three countries and Gold in seven.

A fusion of genres such as rock, funk, new wave, dance, and post-disco, "Let's Dance" was widely recognized as the biggest single of Bowie's prolific tenure. At the time, it revitalized his career and changed its trajectory. The song also became one of the best-selling UK singles of all time.

It was well-received by critics, both at the time of its release and retrospectively. The New York Timeshailed it for using different R&B rhythms to create "larger-than-life dance music that's almost timeless in its appeal."

In the wake of Bowie's passing in 2016, Rolling Stone included "Let's Dance" on its list of his 30 most essential songs.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 2:22 PM.