The best albums of the 1980's IMHO

[David]

These albums made me very happy in the Eighties and even happy today. Some of the decade's amazing work was off my radar, including Nick Cave and the Bad Seed, the Replacements, Public Enemy, and Lyle Lovett. So I don't include those because I really don't know them well.

1. The Dreaming (Kate Bush)
2. Murmur (R.E.M.)
3. Shoot Out the Lights (Richard and Linda Thompson)
4. Imperial Bedroom (Elvis Costello)
5. London Calling (The Clash)
6. 1999 or Purple Rain (Prince)
7. Los Angeles (X)
8. Pirates (Rickie Lee Jones)
9. The Joshua Tree (U2)
10. The River (Bruce Springsteen)
11. Speaking in Tongues (Talking Heads)
12. Hard Promises (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
13. Off the Wall (Michael Jackson)
14. The Visitor (Mick Fleetwood)
15. Law and Order (Lindsey Buckingham)
16. So (Peter Gabriel)
17. Dream of the Blue Turtles (Sting)
18. Midnight Love (Marvin Gaye)
19. The Crossing (Big Country)
20. All the Rage (General Public)

[TrueFaith77]

1. Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
2. Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985)
3. The Smiths: Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
4. The Associates: Perhaps (1985)
5. Morrissey: Viva Hate (1988)
6. Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (1985)
7. Au Pairs: Playing With a Different Sex (1981)
8. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
9. New Order: Brotherhood (1986)
10. Chic: Take It Off (1981)

11. The Clash: London Calling (1980)
12. Elvis Costello and The Attractions: Imperial Bedroom (1982)
13. Roxy Music: Flesh + Blood (1980)
14. Pet Shop Boys: Introspective (1988)
15. Echo & The Bunnymen Echo & The Bunnymen (1987)
16. De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
17. Prince and The Revolution: Parade: Music From the Motion Picture "Under the Cherry Moon" (1986)
18. Kid Creole & The Coconuts: Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places (1981)
19. Erasure: The Circus (1987)
20. Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love (1987)

21. X: Under the Big Black Sun (1982)
22. Malcolm McLaren and The Bootzilla Orchestra: Waltz Darling (1989)
23. The Jacksons: Triumph (1980)
24. Joy Division: Unknown Pleasures (1980)
25. Simple Minds: New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982)
26. Michael Jackson: Bad (1987)
27. Cherrelle: Affair (1988)
28. Alexander O'Neal: Hearsay (1987)
29. Madness: Mad Not Mad (1985)
30. Public Image Ltd: Compact Disc (1986)

31. The Isley Brothers: Smooth Sailin' (1987)
32. Grace Jones: Inside Story (1986)
33. Dire Straits: Making Movies (1980)
34. Bryan Ferry: Boys and Girls (1985)
35. David Byrne: Songs From "The Catherine Wheel" (1981)
36. Kirsty MacColl: Kite (1989)
37. Yaz: You and Me Both (1983)
38. Pretenders: Pretenders (1980)
39. Gang of Four: Songs of the Free (1982)
40. Dexys Midnight Runners: Don't Stand Me Down (1985)

[David]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

12. Elvis Costello and The Attractions: Imperial Bedroom (1982)

I've loved this album since the day I played it in my headphones on the train from Santa Barbara to LA in 1982. It's as splendid as any Beatles album.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by David

I've loved this album since the day I played it in my headphones on the train from Santa Barbara to LA in 1982. It's as splendid as any Beatles album.

Agreed. It's a marvel. It edges Get Happy!! and Punch the Clock as Costello's best 80s album. From 1977 to 1984. What a run!!

And I think you are probably quite right to rank it higher than London Calling.

Oh and The Dreaming ... sometimes I think it's her best album ... but then Hounds of Love ...

[LB Freakazoid]

Such a difficult choice... off the top of my head... no order

Melissa Etheridge - debut album - 88
The Squeeze - Argy Bargy - 80
INXS - Shahboo Shoobah - 82 (the first cd I ever bought)
Toni Childs - Union - 88
REM - Green - 88
Roxy Music - Avalon - 82
The Pretenders - II - 81
Cock Robin - 85
The Police - Ghost in the Machine - 81
Bob Marley - Uprising - 80

... so hard to remember the 80's... but I remember it was fun...

[Sugar Mouse]

Originally Posted by LB Freakazoid

Toni Childs - Union - 88

Can't believe someone else remembers Toni Childs. Great stuff.

[LB Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by Sugar Mouse

Can't believe someone else remembers Toni Childs. Great stuff.

She is still doing some great things. Check out her website... lots of intrinsic happenings....

[Sugar Mouse]

Originally Posted by David

These albums made me very happy in the Eighties and even happy today. Some of the decade's amazing work was off my radar, including Nick Cave and the Bad Seed, the Replacements, Public Enemy, and Lyle Lovett. So I don't include those because I really don't know them well.

1. The Dreaming (Kate Bush)
2. Murmur (R.E.M.)
3. Shoot Out the Lights (Richard and Linda Thompson)
4. Imperial Bedroom (Elvis Costello)
5. London Calling (The Clash)
6. 1999 or Purple Rain (Prince)
7. Los Angeles (X)
8. Pirates (Rickie Lee Jones)
9. The Joshua Tree (U2)
10. The River (Bruce Springsteen)
11. Speaking in Tongues (Talking Heads)
12. Hard Promises (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
13. Off the Wall (Michael Jackson)
14. The Visitor (Mick Fleetwood)
15. Law and Order (Lindsey Buckingham)
16. So (Peter Gabriel)
17. Dream of the Blue Turtles (Sting)
18. Midnight Love (Marvin Gaye)
19. The Crossing (Big Country)
20. All the Rage (General Public)

Some great choices there! Big Country ... what a band. Miss Stuart Adamson every day. And love, love, love General Public. Wish Mick Jones had stayed with them instead of forming Big Audio Dynamite. And love the choice of Hard Promises by TP. And great choice with Kate Bush. She's such a genius. And, London Calling, of course ... hard to beat that one.