What U.S. chart did Pac-Man Fever reach number 9 on?

“Pac-Man Fever” reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Buckner & Garcia novelty single climbed the principal U.S. pop-singles chart in March 1982, making it a genuine top-10 hit rather than merely an arcade-themed curiosity.

Released in late 1981, the song benefited from the enormous popularity of Pac-Man and the wider video-game craze. Its writers, Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia, had encountered the arcade game while working in the Atlanta area and built the recording around the excitement of playing, chasing scores, and hearing familiar game sounds.

The record first gained attention after Atlanta station WSTR played it locally and received repeated listener requests. CBS Records then released it nationally. Its Billboard performance helped turn the duo’s novelty concept into a mainstream success. The song also charted in Canada and performed differently on other U.S. listings, which can cause confusion when people quote its peak position.

The number 9 figure refers specifically to the Billboard Hot 100. It should not be substituted with the UK Singles Chart, Japan’s Oricon Singles Chart, or Australia’s ARIA chart. The single was also certified Gold in 1982 after shipping more than one million copies to retailers.