Suddenly (Billy Ocean song)

"Suddenly"
Single by Billy Ocean
from the album Suddenly
B-side	"Lucky Man"
Released	March 1985 (US) 3 May 1985 (UK)[1]
Recorded	1984
Genre	Quiet storm[2] pop[3] soul
Length	3:55
Label	Jive Records
Songwriter(s)	Keith Diamond, Billy Ocean
Producer(s)	Keith Diamond
Billy Ocean singles chronology
"Loverboy" (1984) "Suddenly" (1985) "Mystery Lady" (1985)

"Suddenly" is a song from 1985 co-written and performed by UK-based singer Billy Ocean. Co-written and produced by Keith Diamond, it is the title track to Ocean's 1984 breakthrough album.

Released as the third single from the album (following the success of "Caribbean Queen" and "Loverboy"), the ballad became the album's most successful single in the UK, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart in mid-1985.[4] The song also reached the same chart peak on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, spending two weeks at number four in June of that year.[5] It peaked at number five on the Billboard R&B chart and spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard adult contemporary chart.[6]

Music video

The music video features Billy Ocean appearing to perform the song live before an audience.[7]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Suddenly"

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8]	15
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9]	7
Europe (European Top 100 Singles)[10]	14
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11]	28
Ireland (IRMA)[12]	4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13]	23
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14]	20
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15]	38
UK Singles (OCC)[16]	4
US Billboard Hot 100[17]	4
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[18]	1
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[19]	5
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[20]	4
US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)[21]	5
West Germany (GfK)[22]	50

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Suddenly"

Chart (1985)	Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23]	55
UK Singles (Gallup)[24]	49
US Billboard Hot 100[25]	52
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[26]	6
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[27]	26
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[28]	47
US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)[29]	35

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1985 (U.S.)

References

1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 14.
2. Harvey, Eric (19 May 2012). "The Quiet Storm". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
3. Kantor, Justin. Billy Ocean - The Collection (1992) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
4. "body and soul | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
5. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
6. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
7. "Video". Prosieben.de. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 221. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0539." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
10. "European Top 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 27/28. 8 July 1985. p. 12. OCLC 29800226.
11. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Billy Ocean". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 188. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Suddenly". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Billy Ocean" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
14. "Billy Ocean – Suddenly" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
15. "Billy Ocean – Suddenly". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
16. "Billy Ocean: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
17. "Billy Ocean Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
18. "Billy Ocean Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
19. "Billy Ocean Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
20. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 22, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
21. "Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles". Cash Box. Vol. XLIX, no. 2. 22 June 1985. p. 17. ISSN 0008-7289.
22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Ocean – Suddenly" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
23. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. p. 11. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
24. "Top 100 Singles (January 5–December 28, 1985)". Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 10. ISSN 0265-1548.
25. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
26. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
27. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
28. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
29. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 50 Black Contemporary Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.