The Culture Fix: The Culture Fix's Top 100 Albums of the 80s (Part 1)

by J. Albert Barr

Well, here we are at the fantastic 80s! This was my formative decade where I went through my teen years. And it was the decade, of course, where I officially became an incurable music geek! Sure, the 80s had its fair share of cheesy, silly, and even lame, music, but it definitely had some truly great music as well, music that has easily stood the test of time, and can stand beside the best from any other decade. I started out listening to mainstream Top 40 radio, but by decade's end I was wholly immersed in college rock and the more left-of-center brand of rock and pop. So here are my favorite albums from that very colourful decade:

100. Mirror Moves - Psychedelic Furs (1984)

Favorite tracks: "The Ghost in You", "Heaven" and "Here Come Cowboys".

99. The Golden Age of Wireless - Thomas Dolby (1982)

Favorite track: "She Blinded Me with Science", "Airwaves" and "Weightless".

98. Reach the Beach - The Fixx (1983)

Favorite tracks: "One Thing Leads to Another", "Saved by Zero" and "The Sign of Fire".

97. Burning From the Inside - Bauhaus (1983)

Favorite tracks: "Slice of Life", "She's in Parties" and "Antonin Artaud".

96. Ocean Rain - Echo and the Bunnymen (1984)

Favorite tracks: "The Killing Moon", "Seven Seas" and "Ocean Rain".

95. Flaunt the Imperfection - China Crisis (1985)

Favorite tracks: "The Highest High", "Black Man Ray" and "Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling".

94. Lone Justice - Lone Justice (1985)

Favorite tracks: "East of Eden", "Ways to be Wicked" and "Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)".

93. Jeopardy - The Sound (1980)

Favorite tracks: "I Can't Escape Myself", "Missiles", "Night Versus Day".

92. Rio - Duran Duran (1982)

Favorite tracks: "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Save a Prayer" and "The Chauffeur".

91. Floating Into the Night - Julee Cruise (1989)

Favorite tracks: "Falling", "Into the Night" and "The World Spins".

90. Power, Corruption and Lies - New Order (1983)

Favorite tracks: "Age of Consent", "Your Silent Face" and "Leave Me Alone".

89. Pornography - The Cure (1982)

Favorite tracks: "The Hanging Garden", "One Hundred Years" and "A Strange Day".

88. Graceland - Paul Simon (1986)

Favorite tracks: "The Boy in the Bubble", "Graceland" and "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes".

87. Actually - Pet Shop Boys (1987)

Favorite tracks: "It's a Sin", "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" and "It Couldn't Happen Here".

86. Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen (1982)

Favorite tracks: "Johnny 99", "State Trooper" and "Atlantic City".

85. Pyromania - Def Leppard (1983)

Favorite tracks: "Photograph", "Foolin'" and "Rock of Ages".

84. Killing Joke - Killing Joke (1980)

Favorite tracks: "S.O. 36", "Primitive" and "War Dance".

83. This is the Sea - The Waterboys (1985)

Favorite tracks: "The Whole of the Moon", "This is the Sea" and "Be My Enemy".

82. In My Tribe - 10,000 Maniacs (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Don't Talk", "Like the Weather" and "What's the Matter Here?".

81. Moving Pictures - Rush (1981)

Favorite tracks: "Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta" and "Vital Signs".

80. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Brian Eno and David Byrne (1981)

Favorite tracks: "America is Waiting", "The Jezebel Spirit" and "The Carrier".

79. The Nylon Curtain - Billy Joel (1982)

Favorite tracks: "Allentown", "Pressure" and "Laura".

78. Gaucho - Steely Dan (1980)

Favorite tracks: "Babylon Sisters", "Glamour Profession" and "Third World Man".

77. Shoot Out the Lights - Richard and Linda Thompson (1982)

Favorite tracks: "Don't Renege on Our Love", "Shoot Out the Lights" and "Wall of Death".

76. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983)

Favorite tracks: "Blister in the Sun", "Add It Up" and "Gone Daddy Gone".

75. War - U2 (1983)

Favorite tracks: "New Year's Day", "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Two Hearts Beat as One".

74. Full Moon Fever - Tom Petty (1989)

Favorite tracks: "Free Fallin'", "A Face in the Crowd" and "Runnin' Down a Dream".

73. Computer World - Kraftwerk (1981)

Favorite tracks: "Computer World", "Pocket Calculator" and "Home Computer".

72. Los Angeles - X (1980)

Favorite tracks: "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene", "Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not" and "Nausea".

71. Lifes Rich Pageant - R.E.M. (1986)

Favorite tracks: "Fall on Me", "Swan Swan H" and "What if We Give it Away?".

70. Victorialand - Cocteau Twins (1986)

Favorite tracks: "Lazy Calm", "Oomingmak" and "How to Bring a Blush to the Snow".

69. Tunnel of Love - Bruce Springsteen (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Brilliant Disguise", "One Step Up" and "Tougher Than the Rest".

68. Oh Mercy - Bob Dylan (1989)

Favorite tracks: "Everything is Broken", "Man in the Long Black Coat" and "Most of the Time".

67. The Lion and the Cobra - Sinead O'Connor (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Mandinka", "Troy" and "Jerusalem".

66. Now and Again - The Grapes of Wrath (1989)

Favorite tracks: "All the Things I Wasn't", "What Was Going Through My Head" and "Do You Want to Tell Me?"

65. Strangeways, Here We Come - The Smiths (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", "Death of a Disco Dancer" and "A Rush and a Push and the Land is Ours".

64. New Day Rising - Husker Du (1985)

Favorite tracks: "New Day Rising", "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "I Don't Know What You're Talking About".

63. Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Favorite tracks: "Dancing in the Dark", "I'm on Fire" and "Cover Me".

62. ...Nothing Like the Sun - Sting (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Be Still My Beating Heart", "The Lazarus Heart" and "Sister Moon".

61. The Swing - INXS (1984)

Favorite tracks: "I Send a Message", "Original Sin" and "The Swing".

60. Architecture & Morality - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1981)

Favorite tracks: "Souvenir", "Joan of Arc" and "Maid of Orleans"

59. Reckoning - R.E.M. (1984)

Favorite tracks: "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)", "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" and "Harborcoat".

58. Tim - The Replacements (1985)

Favorite tracks: "Bastards of Young", "Swingin Party" and "Kiss Me on the Bus".

57. Appetite for Destruction - Guns 'n' Roses (1987)

Favorite tracks: "Sweet Child o' Mine", "Welcome to the Jungle" and "You're Crazy".

56. Temple of Low Men - Crowded House (1988)

Favorite tracks: "Better Be Home Soon", "Into Temptation" and "I Feel Possessed".

55. Swordfishtrombones - Tom Waits (1983)

Favorite tracks: "Soldier's Things", "In the Neighborhood" and "16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought-Six".

54. Up to Here - The Tragically Hip (1989)

Favorite tracks: "Blow at High Dough", "New Orleans is Sinking" and "Boots or Hearts".

53. Steve McQueen/ Two Wheels Good - Prefab Sprout (1985)