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OT: Compiling list of 10 most iconic (and my favorite) albums of the 80's

ericstratton-rushchairman

ericstratton-rushchairman

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May 20, 2005
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After being dragged to One Direction, Taylor Swift, 5th Harmony concerts in last 12 months by my 14 year old daughter I am building my Top Ten albums from the 80's for her to sample (at gun point if necessary).

Open to feedback...

1. AC/DC Back in Black
2. U2 War
3. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill
4. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell
5. The Smith’s Queen is Dead
6. New Order Substance
7. REM Murmur
8. The Cure Disintegration
9. Metallica ...And Justice for All
10. The Clash London Calling
 
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If we're talking iconic, then Thriller has to be on the list. Also don't forget Madonna's first two albums.

For U2, The Joshua Tree could be on the list.
 
Nice list, but I would go with King of Rock over Raising Hell. One bite could kill a Big Mac!
 
just to represent the prog movement, I'd also include Asia Asia and Genesis Abacab and Genesis

also Grateful Dead In The Dark
 
ericstratton-rushchairman said:
After being dragged to One Direction, Taylor Swift, 5th Harmony concerts in last 12 months by my 14 year old daughter I am building my Top Ten albums from the 80's for her to sample (at gun point if necessary).

Open to feedback...

1. AC/DC Back in Black
2. U2 War
3. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill
4. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell
5. The Smith’s Queen is Dead
6. New Order Substance
7. REM Murmur
8. The Cure Disintegration
9. Metallica ...And Justice for All
10. The Clash London Calling
Click to expand...
Wow-you pretty much nailed it overall... Though London Calling was '79 i think.... Think you'd need to acknowledge Violator/DepecheMode

But were it my PERSONAL list I'd replace
#1 with "Love" by the Cult,
#3 would be Fair Warning by VH
#4 Pictures at Eleven by Robert Plant
#9 Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
 
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Agree that Thriller has to be on the list...not a big MJ fan but hard to argue that this album doesn't belong (probably at/near the top). Also agree that the Joshua Tree belongs on the list (again, near the top), though I do think War is a good selection (Sunday Bloody Sunday is the song that got me hooked on U2, but Joshua Tree is still my all time fave). Also, love Murmur, but I think I'd put Document or Green above it in terms of "iconic" albums.

Still, great list!
 
pretty interesting list:

Top Selling Albums of the 1980s in the US

Yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_by_year_in_the_United_States#endnote_1 Performing artist(s) Nationality Album Ref.
1980 Pink Floyd !Pink Floyd United Kingdom Pink Floyd !The Wall [25]
1981 REO Speedwagon !REO Speedwagon United States Speedwagon !Hi Infidelity [26]
1982 Asia !Asia United Kingdom Asia !Asia [27]
1983 Michael Jackson !Michael Jackson United States Michael Jackson !Thriller [28]
1984 Michael Jackson !Michael Jackson United States Michael Jackson !Thriller [29]
1985 Bruce Springsteen !Bruce Springsteen United States Bruce Springsteen !Born in the U.S.A. [30]
1986 Whitney Houston !Whitney Houston United States Whitney Houston !Whitney Houston [31]
1987 Bon Jovi !Bon Jovi United States Bon Jovi !Slippery When Wet [32]
1988 George Michael !George Michael United Kingdom George Michael !Faith [33]
1989 Bobby Brown !Bobby Brown United States Bobby Brown !Don't Be Cruel
 
ericstratton-rushchairman said:
After being dragged to One Direction, Taylor Swift, 5th Harmony concerts in last 12 months by my 14 year old daughter I am building my Top Ten albums from the 80's for her to sample (at gun point if necessary).

Open to feedback...

1. AC/DC Back in Black
2. U2 War
3. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill
4. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell
5. The Smith’s Queen is Dead
6. New Order Substance
7. REM Murmur
8. The Cure Disintegration
9. Metallica ...And Justice for All
10. The Clash London Calling
Click to expand...


I think you have to have Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues.
I'd add. The Call: Reconciled
I would probably replace The Queen is Dead with Strange Ways Here We Come (but thats just personal preference, both are great).
 
I would have to add Appetite for Destruction by Guns n' Roses.

And as far as the Beastie Boys, I would put Paul's Boutique above Licensed to Ill.
 
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Nittany Ned2 said:
IMO and in no particular order:

Michael Jackson - Thriller (ugh, as much as it pains me to say this)
Prince - Purple Rain (ditto above)
U2 - Joshua Tree
Talking Heads - Little Creatures
REM - Out of Time
Phil Collins - Face Value
The Clash - London Calling (even though this was released in '79)
The Police - Synchronicity
Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles
Springsteen - Born in the USA


Just a note, my daughter is 17. She and her contemporaries have no interest in listening to albums the way we did in the 70's and 80's. They are all about songs, singles. So much has changed. To this day, I am an album guy.

PS - left out so many of my "go to" artists...The English Beat, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, New Order, Yaz, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, The Cure.....on and on and on....
Click to expand...
Another good list, except Out of Time was released in 1991...great album though, and one of their best from beginning to end.
 
Nittany Ned2 said:
IMO and in no particular order:

Michael Jackson - Thriller (ugh, as much as it pains me to say this)
Prince - Purple Rain (ditto above)
U2 - Joshua Tree
Talking Heads - Little Creatures
REM - Out of Time
Phil Collins - Face Value
The Clash - London Calling (even though this was released in '79)
The Police - Synchronicity
Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles
Springsteen - Born in the USA


Just a note, my daughter is 17. She and her contemporaries have no interest in listening to albums the way we did in the 70's and 80's. They are all about songs, singles. So much has changed. To this day, I am an album guy.

PS - left out so many of my "go to" artists...The English Beat, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, New Order, Yaz, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, The Cure.....on and on and on....
Click to expand...
the more they change the more they stay the same. I remember my older brothers discussing whether to buy 45's or to buy the LP?? with a 45 you only heard the songs you wanted to hear, with an LP, you have to listen to all of it!!! But maybe the LP was cheaper in the long run. and really would these 33 1/3 stick around??
 
Seems like you're missing a lot of the biggest 80s names... obviously MJ but also:

Cindi Lauper She's so unusual (basically launched one of the 80s biggest careers)
Madonna Like a Virgin
Pat Benatar - She may not have "one" album"

Most of the albums you selected are more popular now as "80s" than during the 80s.

LdN
 
Huey Lewis and the News-Sports
Van Halen-1984
Cars - Heartbeat City
U2- Joshua Tree
Chicago-14
Prince-purple Rain
Beastie Boys- License to ill
Bon Jovi-Slippery when Wet
Michael-thriller
Soundtrack to Footloose, breakfast club, pink in pink,top gun,
 
London Calling's USA release date by CBS records was January 1980.

Replacements - let it be, tim and please to meet me any of these trumps any named so far...

Flesh for Lulu - here comes the new flesh

Creeps - The Creeps

Ramones - End of the Century "Danny Says" might be the song of the decade.

To everyone don't be afraid to dig under the surface, less crap, better choices...

N i t t a n y A m e r i c a
 
Another vote for ZZ TOP, "Eliminator". It is really tough to pick just a top ten, but I guess you knew that!
 
simons96 said:
I would also nominate that song as one of THE most misunderstood songs in the history of rock.

clearly not a rah rah go team patriotic anthem . . .
Click to expand...
I always roll my eyes when some doofus politician chooses to play Born in the USA at a campaign rally. It has "USA" in the title so it must be all good, right? And to go a bit off topic, it's like when MIchele Bachmann was using American Girl by Tom Petty at some of her rallies until she was told to stop.
 
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OK... I hate to admit this but I am not a Springsteen fan. I think his music insists upon itself (to steal a line from Family Guy). I debated about two bands, Ramones and Depeche Mode, and could have easily expanded list to 12. I was trying to choose the best (my favorite) album of the best acts that I found so inspirational during my high school and college years (1980-88). Of course the entire trajectory of my music life changed when I first listened to the "Never mind the Bullocks"
 
ericstratton-rushchairman said:
After being dragged to One Direction, Taylor Swift, 5th Harmony concerts in last 12 months by my 14 year old daughter I am building my Top Ten albums from the 80's for her to sample (at gun point if necessary).

Open to feedback...

1. AC/DC Back in Black
2. U2 War
3. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill
4. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell
5. The Smith’s Queen is Dead
6. New Order Substance
7. REM Murmur
8. The Cure Disintegration
9. Metallica ...And Justice for All
10. The Clash London Calling
Click to expand...
Journey - Escape...I spent
ericstratton-rushchairman said:
After being dragged to One Direction, Taylor Swift, 5th Harmony concerts in last 12 months by my 14 year old daughter I am building my Top Ten albums from the 80's for her to sample (at gun point if necessary).

Open to feedback...

1. AC/DC Back in Black
2. U2 War
3. Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill
4. Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell
5. The Smith’s Queen is Dead
6. New Order Substance
7. REM Murmur
8. The Cure Disintegration
9. Metallica ...And Justice for All
10. The Clash London Calling
Click to expand...
Nothing says 80's music like Journey - Escape. I spent that decade listening to U2 and The Smiths but at 9x platinum don't think you can leave it out. It's a fun album. I think your daughter would like it.
 
Disintegration by The Cure is a GREAT call. Incredibly underrated album. Good list overall. I definitely put on Bruce Springsteen The River and U2 Joshua Tree. Rain Dogs by Tom Waits needs to be there as well.
 
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