best albums of the 80's pt 1 (lyrics, singing, great songs, band)

[loose cannon]

Contrary to what some of you say, the 80's was just a great decade for music. Here is a list of the best albums from that decade. This is a very objective list including artist from genres that I am otherwise not a fan of. These are all top notch in my opinion. I tried to limit this list to 1 album per artist, but I made an exception for REM. I could not help it. I am such an REM mark. No particular order.


Murmur-REM groundbreaking album with catchy danceable jingly jangle guitars, bells, and garbled stream of conscious undecipherable lyrics by the poetic genius, Michael Stipe.

Lifes Rich Pageant-REM Don Gehman, who is John Mellencamp's producer was like a drill sergeant as he demanded a stronger work ethic forcing REM to improve and grow by leaps and bounds. The result is Life's Rich Pageant, a very catchy rockin' album with politically anthemic charged songs like These Days, Cuyahoga, and the beautiful folky melodic tune Fall On Me among others. The turning point in the band's career.

Prince- Around The World In The Day- This 1986 follow up to the multi-platinum Purple Rain which did alienate some fans was a brilliant tribute to 60's psychadelia. Aside from the accesible pop hit Rasberry Beret, the rest of the album is way out there with tunes like The Ladder and Paisley Park.

U2-The Unforgettable Fire- The band's first time working with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois on this ethereal album set the stage for future endeavors, but the magic created here was never quite matched. This is the ultimate winter album to listen to during a storm. All great songs, but Elvis Presley In America is absolutely beautiful.


Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers- Possibly the best comeback album in history. After various lineups throughout the 70's, the full original lineup reunited and came out with this blistering masterpiece. The title track is great in an intoxicating sinister way. DP tried a few more times after this, but they just could not top this gem.


Def Leppard- Pyromania Hair Metal in my opinion is mostly awful, but this is one of the exceptions. For the time period this was innovative. Photograph, Foolin', and Rock Of Ages, are all great songs that I have to admit deserve to be played today ad nauseum on the radio. Give me Def Leppard over Bon Jovi anyday. After Rick Allen's car accident which resulted in loss of a limb, and the rest of the band sobering up they kind of all wussed out. Of course I give kudos to Rick Allen for coming back and playing with 1 arm.



Replacements- Tim- super charged punky garage rock with superb lyrics by Paul Westerberg that has been ignorantly overlooked by the masses. The Replacements were the punk rock Stones! Other albums were great as well, but this is their best. The band showed a softer side on here with the profound, haunting song about alcoholism called "Here Comes A Regular.".


More to come. This is just the tip of the iceberg

[mikebnllnb]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

Contrary to what some of you say, the 80's was just a great decade for music. Here is a list of the best albums from that decade. This is a very objective list including artist from genres that I am otherwise not a fan of. These are all top notch in my opinion. I tried to limit this list to 1 album per artist, but I made an exception for REM. I could not help it. I am such an REM mark. No particular order.


Murmur-REM groundbreaking album with catchy danceable jingly jangle guitars, bells, and garbled stream of conscious undecipherable lyrics by the poetic genius, Michael Stipe.

Lifes Rich Pageant-REM Don Gehman, who is John Mellencamp's producer was like a drill sergeant as he demanded a stronger work ethic forcing REM to improve and grow by leaps and bounds. The result is Life's Rich Pageant, a very catchy rockin' album with politically anthemic charged songs like These Days, Cuyahoga, and the beautiful folky melodic tune Fall On Me among others. The turning point in the band's career.

Prince- Around The World In The Day- This 1986 follow up to the multi-platinum Purple Rain which did alienate some fans was a brilliant tribute to 60's psychadelia. Aside from the accesible pop hit Rasberry Beret, the rest of the album is way out there with tunes like The Ladder and Paisley Park.

U2-The Unforgettable Fire- The band's first time working with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois on this ethereal album set the stage for future endeavors, but the magic created here was never quite matched. This is the ultimate winter album to listen to during a storm. All great songs, but Elvis Presley In America is absolutely beautiful.


Deep Purple- Perfect Strangers- Possibly the best comeback album in history. After various lineups throughout the 70's, the full original lineup reunited and came out with this blistering masterpiece. The title track is great in an intoxicating sinister way. DP tried a few more times after this, but they just could not top this gem.


Def Leppard- Pyromania Hair Metal in my opinion is mostly awful, but this is one of the exceptions. For the time period this was innovative. Photograph, Foolin', and Rock Of Ages, are all great songs that I have to admit deserve to be played today ad nauseum on the radio. Give me Def Leppard over Bon Jovi anyday. After Rick Allen's car accident which resulted in loss of a limb, and the rest of the band sobering up they kind of all wussed out. Of course I give kudos to Rick Allen for coming back and playing with 1 arm.



Replacements- Tim- super charged punky garage rock with superb lyrics by Paul Westerberg that has been ignorantly overlooked by the masses. The Replacements were the punk rock Stones! Other albums were great as well, but this is their best. The band showed a softer side on here with the profound, haunting song about alcoholism called "Here Comes A Regular.".


More to come. This is just the tip of the iceberg

Some great picks. I'm not real familiar with the Deep Purple album but the others are great, with one exception.....Def Leppard who is the 80's Nickelback IMO.

[Mrs. Lindo]

Mixing impassioned political and social protest with stellar Rasta bats, these sons of Jamaican immigrants-led by David Hinds-rose out of humble Birmingham origins to become one of the U.K.'s all-time greatest reggae acts and a globallyl revered band. Their live shows-both headlining and opening for Bob Marley and others-are legendary. I still play this CD.

[mikebnllnb]

My top 5 would be:

Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (not released in 90's)
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
REM - Document
Jane's Addiction - Nothing Shocking

[loose cannon]

PT. 2


I am not going to open new threads.


Zenyatta Mondatta-The Police The best of the band's 5 albums. Clever jazzy experimental rock masterpieces. Sting claims the album could have been better as they were rushed by record company to start a tour.

Scarecrow- John Mellencamp Mellencamp started to gain respect by critics after Uh-Huh, but this album full of introspective songs about triumphs and struggles of Small Town America elevated him to Springsteen status.


Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska I pick this stripped down acoustic album of mostly sad songs over the mega blockbuster Born In The USA.

Violent Femmes- 3 This is the best Femmes album. Totally underappreciated, this is a haunting, stark, and stripped down masterpiece. I personally identify with most of the songs on here. It is almost like they wrote the album for me. World We're Livin' In about fear in a crime ridden world holds up more today than in 1989. The apocalyptic See My Ships should be played at Baptist church services everywhere on Sunday morning. At least most of it.

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by mikebnllnb

Some great picks. I'm not real familiar with the Deep Purple album but the others are great, with one exception.....Def Leppard who is the 80's Nickelback IMO.

Try that Deep Purple 84 out, Loose Cannon is right-it's a great lp!

[BigSwede]

Def Leppard pre-Hysteria had nothing to do with hair metal, but they were an excellent hard rock band peaking with Pyromania.

[loose cannon]

pt 3.

The Kinks Give The People What They Want Want Ray Davies was always a great commentator on societal issues and this radio ready rocker delivers with a bunch of topical songs. Many of which really ring true today like the title track.

Split Enz Waita. The Finn Brothers, Neil and Tim Finn are two of the best songwriters in history comparable to Lennon and Mcartney. This album features some great New Wave classic like 1 step ahead, and History Never Repeats.

[BigSwede]

I might have mentioned these bands once or twice before, but here is my list in no order:
Kiss-Animalize
Iron Maiden-Piece Of Mind
Mötley Crüe-Shout At The Devil
Judas Priest-Screaming For Vengeance
Saxon-Strong Arm Of The Law
Dio-Holy Diver
Ozzy Osbourne-Bark At The Moon
Accept-Balls To The Wall
Twisted Sister-Stay Hungry
AC/DC-For Those About To Rock
Def Leppard-Pyromania
Van Halen-1984
Scorpions-Love At First Sting
Quiet Riot-Metal Health
Ratt-Invasion Of Your Privacy
Motörhead-Ace Of Spades
Whitesnake-Ready An' Willing
W.A.S.P.-W.A.S.P.
And then I also have to agree about Perfect Strangers.

[aardvarks]

while not my favorite music decade, there were some great albums that came out in the 80's.

none better than Jim Steinman Bad for Good- this was supposed to be the follow up to Meatloaf Bat out of hell. but Meat was suffering from laryngitis (that many felt was psychosomatic) so Steinman released it himself in 1981.

Most of these songs were rereleased in the 90's when Meat made his comeback.

Jim Steinman was a terrific songwriter but this was his 1st attept at singing, it was very good but he did come up a little short in some of the big spots IMO, but the writing is superb.

here are a couple of favorites from Jim Steinman's bad for good


Jim Steinman - Left in the Dark - YouTube

Jim Steinman - Surf's Up - YouTube