| Festive Fifty |
| 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | ||||||
| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
This year is notable for three 'firsts' to the Festive Fifty.
- JP introduced a year-by-year listener's chart: this would in the following year supersede the all-time charts completely (although the practice would be revived once more in 1999, as a concession to the approaching millenium). Both charts are played in the same shows, side by side, but only one track, New Order's Temptation, appears in both lists.
- There are two dead heats: one at the beginning of the All-Time chart, and another in the yearly chart at number 14.
- Peel declares that there are two records in the yearly chart that he has never played before: they are by Weekend and Dexy's Midnight Runners.
- In addition, as with the charts for 1980-1, the yearly chart included a list of numbers 51-60 that were announced but not played as part of the rundown. The versions in the list below are the LP releases that were available then, or 7" if it had not been issued on album at that time.
- Ken Garner's The Peel Sessions lists the chart rundown as beginning on December 20. The author has subsequently provided valuable information as to the sessions played during each show.
Shows[]
- 15 December 1982: #50 - #46
- 16 December 1982: #45 - #41
- 20 December 1982: #40 - #36
- 21 December 1982: #35 - #31
- 22 December 1982: #30 - #26
- 23 December 1982: #25 - #21
- 27 December 1982: #20 - #16
- 28 December 1982: #15 - #11
- 29 December 1982: #10 - #06
- 30 December 1982: #05 - #01
The All-Time Festive Fifty Of 1982[]
John Peel's All Time Festive Fifty - 1982
- =49: Laurie Anderson, 'O Superman (LP-Big Science)' (Warner Bros)
- 48: Joy Division, 'The Eternal (LP-Closer)' (Factory)
- 47: Magazine, 'Shot By Both Sides (7 inch)' (Virgin)
- 46: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Hong Kong Garden (LP-Once Upon A Time/The Singles)' (Polydor)
- 45: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Icon (LP-Join Hands)' (Polydor)
- 44: Sex Pistols, 'Pretty Vacant (LP-Never Mind The Bollocks)' (Virgin)
- 43: Specials, 'Ghost Town (12 inch)' (2-Tone)
- 42: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Switch (LP-The Scream)' (Polydor)
- 41: Joy Division, 'She's Lost Control (LP-Unknown Pleasures)' (Factory)
- 40: Clash, 'Armagideon Time (7 inch-B side of London Calling)' (CBS)
- 39: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Jigsaw Feeling (LP-The Scream)' (Polydor)
- 38: Joy Division, 'Isolation (LP-Closer)' (Factory)
- 37: Sex Pistols, 'Holidays In The Sun (LP-Never Mind The Bollocks)' (Virgin)
- 36: Undertones, 'Get Over You (7 inch)' (Sire)
- 35: Ruts, 'In A Rut (7 inch)' (People Unite)
- 34: Killing Joke, 'Psyche (7 inch-B side of Wardance)' (Malicious Damage)
- 33: Theatre Of Hate, 'Legion (7 inch-B side of Original Sin)' (SS Label)
- 32: Killing Joke, 'Requiem (LP-Killing Joke)' (E'G Records)
- 31: Stiff Little Fingers, 'Suspect Device (7 inch)' (Rigid Digits)
- 30: New Order, 'Procession (7 inch-double A side with Everything's Gone Green)' (Factory)
- 29: Stiff Little Fingers, 'Johnny Was (LP-Inflammable Material)' (Rough Trade)
- 28: Birthday Party, 'Release The Bats (7 inch)' (4AD)
- 27: Scritti Politti, 'The Sweetest Girl (7 inch)' (Rough Trade)
- 26: Joy Division, 'Transmission (7 inch)' (Factory)
- 25: Sex Pistols, 'God Save The Queen (LP-Never Mind The Bollocks)' (Virgin)
- 24: Only Ones, 'Another Girl, Another Planet (7 inch)' (CBS)
- 23: Joy Division, 'Twenty-Four Hours (LP-Closer)' (Factory)
- 22: Echo And The Bunnymen, 'Over The Wall (LP-Heaven Up Here)' (Polydor)
- 21: Altered Images, 'Dead Pop Stars (7 inch)' (Epic)
- 20: Public Image Ltd, 'Public Image (7 inch)' (Virgin)
- 19: Clash, 'Complete Control (7 inch)' (CBS)
- 18: New Order, 'Temptation (7 inch)' (Factory)
- 17: Jam, 'Going Underground (7 inch)' (Polydor)
- 16: Stiff Little Fingers, 'Alternative Ulster (LP-Inflammable Material)' (Rough Trade)
- 15: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Israel (LP-Once Upon A Time/The Singles)' (Polydor)
- 14: Dead Kennedys, 'Holiday In Cambodia (LP-Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables)' (I.R.S.)
- 13: Damned, 'New Rose (LP-Another Great Record From The Damned: The Best Of The Damned)' (Big Beat)
- 12: Joy Division, 'Dead Souls (7 inch-Licht Und Blindheit)' (Sordide Sentimentale)
- 11: Jam, 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight (7 inch)' (Polydor)
- 10: Clash, '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (7 inch)' (CBS)
- 09: Bauhaus, 'Bela Lugosi's Dead (7 inch)' (Small Wonder)
- 08: Undertones, 'Teenage Kicks (EP-Teenage Kicks)' (Good Vibrations)
- 07: Joy Division, 'Decades (LP-Closer)' (Factory)
- 06: New Order, 'Ceremony (7 inch)' (Factory)
- 05: Cure, 'A Forest (12 inch)' (Fiction)
- 04: Joy Division, 'New Dawn Fades (LP-Unknown Pleasures)' (Factory)
- 03: Joy Division, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart (7 inch)' (Factory)
- 02: Joy Division, 'Atmosphere (7 inch)' (Factory)
- 01: Sex Pistols, 'Anarchy In The U.K. (LP-Never Mind The Bollocks)' (Virgin)
The Festive Fifty Of 1982[]
Mentioned
- 60: Yazoo, 'Don't Go (LP-Upstairs At Eric's)' (Mute)
- 59: Captain Sensible, 'Happy Talk (7 inch)' (A&M)
- 58: Fall, 'Look, Know (7 inch)' (Kamera)
- 57: Theatre Of Hate, 'The Hop (7 inch)' (Burning Rome)
- 56: Stranglers, 'Golden Brown (LP-The Collection 1977-1982)' (Liberty)
- 55: Associates, 'Club Country (7 inch)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
- 54: Everything But The Girl, 'Night And Day (7 inch)' (Cherry Red)
- 53: Gregory Isaacs, 'Night Nurse (LP-Night Nurse)' (Island)
- 52: Josef K, 'The Missionary (Peel Session, also released as a 7 inch, The Farewell Single)' (Les Disques Du Crepuscule)
- 51: Stranglers, 'Strange Little Girl (LP-The Collection 1977-1982)' (Liberty)
Played
John Peel's Festive Fifty - 1982
- 50: Farmer's Boys, 'I Think I Need Help (7 inch)' (Waap)
- 49: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Melt (12 inch)' (Polydor)
- 48: Action Pact, 'Suicide Bag (EP-Suicide Bag)' (Fallout)
- 47: Higsons, 'Conspiracy (7 inch)' (Waap)
- 46: Bauhaus, 'Third Uncle (LP-The Sky's Gone Out)' (Beggars Banquet)
- 45: Simple Minds, 'Glittering Prize (LP-New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84)' (Virgin)
- 44: Shambeko Say Wah!, 'Remember (7 inch)' (Eternal)
- 43: Weekend, 'A View From Her Room (7 inch)' (Rough Trade)
- 42: Chameleons, 'In Shreds (7 inch-double A side with Less Than Human)' (Epic)
- 41: Passage, 'XOYO (LP-Degenerates)' (Cherry Red)
- 40: Clash, 'Rock The Casbah (LP-Combat Rock)' (CBS)
- 39: Jam, 'The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) (7 inch)' (Polydor)
- 38: Serious Drinking, 'Love On The Terraces (7 inch)' (Upright)
- 37: Cocteau Twins, 'Wax And Wane (LP-Garlands)' (4AD)
- 36: Musical Youth, 'Pass The Dutchie (7 inch)' (MCA)
- 35: Blancmange, 'Feel Me (LP-Happy Families)' (London)
- 34: Blancmange, 'Living On The Ceiling (LP-Happy Families)' (London)
- 33: Cure, 'A Strange Day (LP-Pornography)' (Fiction)
- 32: Simple Minds, 'Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) (LP-New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84)' (Virgin)
- 31: Redskins, 'Peasant Army (7 inch-B side of Lev Bronstein)' (CNT Productions)
- 30: Simple Minds, 'Promised You A Miracle (12 inch)' (Virgin)
- 29: Psychedelic Furs, 'Love My Way (7 inch)' (CBS)
- 28: Cure, 'The Figurehead (LP-Pornography)' (Fiction)
- 27: Clash, 'Know Your Rights (LP-Combat Rock)' (CBS)
- 26: Clash, 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go (LP-Combat Rock)' (CBS)
- 25: Cure, 'The Hanging Garden (LP-Pornography)' (Fiction)
- 24: Aztec Camera, 'Pillar To Post (7 inch)' (Rough Trade)
- 23: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Slowdive (12 inch)' (Polydor)
- 22: China Crisis, 'African And White (7 inch)' (Inevitable)
- 21: Farmer's Boys, 'Whatever Is He Like? (7 inch)' (Backs)
- 20: Killing Joke, 'Empire Song (7 inch)' (E'G)
- 19: Dexys Midnight Runners, 'Come On Eileen (LP-Too-Rye-Ay)' (Mercury)
- 18: Scritti Politti, 'Asylums In Jerusalem (LP-Songs To Remember)' (Rough Trade)
- 17: New Order, 'Hurt (7 inch-B side of Temptation)' (Factory)
- 16: Siouxsie And The Banshees, 'Fireworks (7 inch)' (Polydor)
- =14: Bauhaus, 'Ziggy Stardust (7 inch)' (Beggars Banquet)
- =14: Associates, 'Party Fears Two (7 inch)' (Associates/Beggars Banquet)
- 13: Scritti Politti, 'Faithless (LP-Songs To Remember)' (Rough Trade)
- 12: Yazoo, 'Only You (LP-Upstairs At Eric's)' (Mute)
- 11: Jam, 'A Town Called Malice (7 inch)' (Polydor)
- 10: Wild Swans, 'Revolutionary Spirit (7 inch)' (Zoo)
- 09: Artery, 'Into The Garden (Mini LP-Oceans)' (Red Flame)
- 08: Theatre Of Hate, 'Do You Believe In The Westworld (LP-Westworld)' (Burning Rome Records)
- 07: Wah!, 'The Story Of The Blues (7 inch)' (Eternal)
- 06: Clash, 'Straight To Hell (LP-Combat Rock)' (CBS)
- 05: Tears For Fears, 'Mad World (7 inch)' (Mercury)
- 04: Echo And The Bunnymen, 'The Back Of Love (7 inch)' (Korova)
- 03: Grandmaster Flash And The Furious 5, 'The Message (7 inch)' (Sugar Hill)
- 02: Robert Wyatt, 'Shipbuilding (7 inch)' (Rough Trade)
- 01: New Order, 'Temptation (7 inch)' (Factory)
Availability[]
- The majority of the shows are available from the date pages in various incomplete states.