Wednesday 19 August 2015

The Culture Fix's Top 100 Albums of the 80s (Part 2)



by J. Albert Barr


And now for Part 2 of my Top 100 Albums of the "acid-wash, florescent and Rubik's cubed" 80s! This second half of the countdown really gets into the creme-de-la-creme of what made the 80s a great decade for music. So let us continue, and thus wrap-up, the countdown:


50. Purple Rain - Prince and the Revolution (1984)













Favorite tracks: "When Doves Cry", "Let's Go Crazy" and "Take Me With You".


49. So - Peter Gabriel (1986)













Favorite tracks: "Big Time", "In Your Eyes" and "Red Rain".


48. The Unforgettable Fire - U2 (1984)













Favorite tracks: "Pride (In the Name of Love)", "Bad" and "A Sort of Homecoming".


47. Treasure - Cocteau Twins (1984)













Favorite tracks: "Pandora", "Aloysius" and "Otterley".


46. Back in Black - AC/DC (1980)













Favorite tracks: "Back in Black", "Hells Bells" and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution".


45. The Trinity Session - Cowboy Junkies (1988)













Favorite tracks: "Sweet Jane", "Misguided Angel" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry".


44. True Colours - Split Enz (1980)













Favorite tracks: "I Got You", "Poor Boy" and "Missing Person".


43. Rain Dogs - Tom Waits (1985)













Favorite tracks: "Singapore", "Time" and "Rain Dogs".


42. The Hurting - Tears for Fears (1983)













Favorite tracks: "Pale Shelter", "Change" and "Mad World".


41. Document - R.E.M. (1987)













Favorite tracks: "The One I Love", "Finest Worksong" and "Welcome to the Occupation".


40. Avalon - Roxy Music (1982)













Favorite tracks: "More Than This", "Avalon" and "While My Heart is Still Beating".


39. This Nation's Saving Grace - The Fall (1985)













Favorite tracks: "Paint Work", "I Am Damo Suzuki" and "My New House".


38. Disintegration - The Cure (1989)













Favorite tracks: "Pictures of You", "Lullaby" and "Untitled".


37. Within the Realm of a Dying Sun - Dead Can Dance (1987)













Favorite tracks: "Anywhere Out of the World", "In the Wake of Adversity" and "Summoning of the Muse".


36. Please - Pet Shop Boys (1986)













Favorite tracks: "West End Girls", "Love Comes Quickly" and "Violence".


35. Business as Usual - Men at Work (1982)













Favorite tracks: "Who Can It Be Now?", "Down By the Sea" and "Catch a Star".


34. The Pretenders - The Pretenders (1980)













Favorite tracks: "Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)", "Precious" and "Up the Neck".


33. English Settlement - XTC (1982)













Favorite tracks: "Senses Working Overtime", "Ball and Chain" and "Snowman".


32. Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police (1980)













Favorite tracks: "Don't Stand So Close To Me", "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da", and "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around".


31. Closer - Joy Division (1980)













Favorite tracks: "Isolation", "A Means to an End" and "Heart and Soul".


30. Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine (1988)













Favorite tracks: "Lose My Breath", "No More Sorry" and "Nothing Much to Lose".


29. Diesel and Dust - Midnight Oil (1987)













Favorite tracks: "Beds Are Burning", "The Dead Heart" and "Put Down That Weapon".


28. Fables of the Reconstruction - R.E.M. (1985)













Favorite tracks: "Maps and Legends", "Driver 8" and "Wendell Gee".


27. Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982)













Favorite tracks: "Billie Jean", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Human Nature".


26. Sound Affects - The Jam (1980)













Favorite tracks: "That's Entertainment", "Start!" and "Man in the Corner Shop".


25. Crush - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1985)













Favorite tracks: "So in Love", "Women III" and "The Lights Are Going Out".


24. The Indescribable Wow - Sam Phillips (1988)













Favorite tracks: "She Can't Tell Time", "I Can't Stop Crying" and "Flame".


23. Zen Arcade - Husker Du (1984)













Favorite tracks: "Pink Turns to Blue", "Something I Learned Today" and "I'll Never Forget You".


22. Time and Tide - Split Enz (1982)













Favorite tracks: "Dirty Creature", "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" and "Giant Heartbeat".


21. Spirit of Eden - Talk Talk (1988)













Favorite tracks: "I Believe in You", "The Rainbow" and "Desire".


20. Doolittle - The Pixies (1989)













Favorite tracks: "Monkey Gone to Heaven", "Here Comes Your Man" and "Debaser".


19. The Queen is Dead - The Smiths (1986)













Favorite tracks: "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side", "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" and "I Know It's Over".


18. Remain in Light - Talking Heads (1980)













Favorite tracks: "Once in a Lifetime", "Listening Wind" and "Crosseyed and Painless".


17. Let it Be - The Replacements (1984)













Favorite tracks: "I Will Dare", "Sixteen Blue" and "We're Coming Out".


16. Songs From the Big Chair - Tears for Fears (1985)













Favorite tracks: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "Head Over Heels" and "The Working Hour".


15. Hex Enduction Hour - The Fall (1982)













Favorite tracks: "The Classical", "Hip Priest" and "Jawbone and the Air-Rifle".


14. East Side Story - Squeeze (1981)













Favorite tracks: "Tempted", "In Quintessence" and "There's No Tomorrow".


13. Crowded House - Crowded House (1986)













Favorite tracks: "Don't Dream It's Over", "World Where You Live" and "Hole in the River".


12. The Dream of the Blue Turtles - Sting (1985)













Favorite tracks: "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free", "Fortress Around Your Heart" and "Children's Crusade".


11. Get Happy! - Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1980)













Favorite tracks: "High Fidelity", "New Amsterdam" and "Opportunity".


10. Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth (1988)













Favorite tracks: "Teen Age Riot", "Cross the Breeze" and "Candle".


9. Hatful of Hollow - The Smiths (1984)













Favorite tracks: "What Difference Does It Make?", "Hand in Glove" and "Back to the Old House".


8. The Colour of Spring - Talk Talk (1986)













Favorite tracks: "Life's What You Make It", "Give It Up" and "April 5th".


7. Ghost in the Machine - The Police (1981)













Favorite tracks: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", "Invisible Sun" and "Omega Man".


6. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)













Favorite tracks: "I Wanna Be Adored", "Waterfall" and "Made of Stone".


5. The Joshua Tree - U2 (1987)













Favorite tracks: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "In God's Country" and "Red Hill Mining Town".


4. Murmur - R.E.M. (1983)













Favorite tracks: "Pilgrimage", "Talk About the Passion" and "Sitting Still".


3. Skylarking - XTC (1986)













Favorite tracks: "Dear God", "The Meeting Place" and "Season Cycle".


2. Imperial Bedroom - Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1982)













Favorite tracks: "Beyond Belief", "The Long Honeymoon" and "Almost Blue".


1. Synchronicity - The Police (1983)













Favorite tracks: "Every Breath You Take", "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "Synchronicity II".




And there you have it, dear readers, and fellow music lovers! My personal choices for the Top 100 Albums of the 80s! Next up will be my Top 100 Albums of the 90s, which will be in two parts as well. So stay tuned!  :-)

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