Best year for music in the '80s?

[Dawn]

I've been very low on ideas for new topics lately (one reason I haven't posted much), but this popped into my head as I was posting to the Glee thread.

If you had to pick one year from the '80s as your favorite musically, which one would it be, and why?

My choice would be 1983.

This was a time when radio was still fresh, and a lot of different styles were being played alongside each other. Singles were still very popular, but there were some great albums released that year as well. Production was starting to become more digitized, but didn't have as much of the "mechanical" sound that would become popular later in the decade.

For a runner-up, I would choose 1980. That's not a particularly well-regarded year musically these days in general, but I have a soft spot for it because many of the songs sound like an extension of the '70s. The westcoast/AOR sound (Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Ambrosia, etc.) was at its peak around this time, and I really enjoy that style of music.

[H2IZCOOL]

Glad to see you post a new topic, Dawn!

As you probably know, I am not as big a fan of the '80s as I am of the three decades preceding it. But I went back and looked at my top 250 list (my new top 500 list is not complete yet - closing in on 450, so I am not going to use it) and found to miy surprise that I had 28 '80s song listed in my top 250.

The years 1980, 1981 and 1984 are far ahead of the other three.

Here are the 28 songs:

226. Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon (1981)
217. We Don’t Talk Anymore – Cliff Richard (1980)
216. Africa – Toto (1983)
214. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N Roses (1988)
194. Suddenly – Billy Ocean (1985)
191. Woman In Love – Barbra Streisand (1980)
190. Elvira – The Oak Ridge Boys (1981)
150. I Just Called To Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder (1984)
138. Dancing In the Dark – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
121. What About Me – Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes and James Ingram (1984)
105. All Out of Love – Air Supply (1980)
95. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues – Elton John (1984)
91. Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes (1981)
90. Should Have Never Let You Go – Neil Sedaka and Dara Sedaka (1980)
89. Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson (1982)
88. (Just Like) Starting Over – John Lennon (1980)
86. All Cried Out – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force (1986)
75. The Search Is Over - Survivor (1985)
69. Hard To Say I’m Sorry – Chicago (1981)
68. The Longest Time – Billy Joel (1984)
67. She’s Out of My Life – Michael Jackson (1980)
59. Hearts – Marty Balin – (1981)
53. The Eternal Flame – The Bangles (1989)
44. Carrie – Europe (1987)
37. Make Me Lose Control – Eric Carmen (1988)
31. At This Moment – Billy Vera and the Beaters (1987)
16. Same Old Lang Syne – Dan Fogleberg (1981)
8. Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler (1983)

Interestingly, evey year of the decade is represented.

If you add in my love for Don Henley solos, Foreigner and Pink Floyd. It is obvious that I prefer early '80s. But other than that, I can't pick a year.

[Jughead]

See, maybe it's just because I grew up during that time, but my fondness of 80's music is more towards the end of the decade, like 1986, 1987-ish. I think that during those two years, we saw a whole bunch of different styles of music and they just blended together naturally. We had Hi-NRG, Metal, Pop, R&B, Bubblegum, Techno, Adult Contemporary. Lots of awesome songs from 1986 and 1987 for sure.

Plus, Kylie Minogue's first hit was recorded in 1987, so there we go.

[Dawn]

Jun 11, 2010 13:02:10 GMT -5 H2IZCOOL said:

Glad to see you post a new topic, Dawn!

As you probably know, I am not as big a fan of the '80s as I am of the three decades preceding it. But I went back and looked at my top 250 list (my new top 500 list is not complete yet - closing in on 450, so I am not going to use it) and found to miy surprise that I had 28 '80s song listed in my top 250.

The years 1980, 1981 and 1984 are far ahead of the other three.

Here are the 28 songs:

226. Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon (1981)
217. We Don’t Talk Anymore – Cliff Richard (1980)
216. Africa – Toto (1983)
214. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N Roses (1988)
194. Suddenly – Billy Ocean (1985)
191. Woman In Love – Barbra Streisand (1980)
190. Elvira – The Oak Ridge Boys (1981)
150. I Just Called To Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder (1984)
138. Dancing In the Dark – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
121. What About Me – Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes and James Ingram (1984)
105. All Out of Love – Air Supply (1980)
95. I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues – Elton John (1984)
91. Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes (1981)
90. Should Have Never Let You Go – Neil Sedaka and Dara Sedaka (1980)
89. Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson (1982)
88. (Just Like) Starting Over – John Lennon (1980)
86. All Cried Out – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force (1986)
75. The Search Is Over - Survivor (1985)
69. Hard To Say I’m Sorry – Chicago (1981)
68. The Longest Time – Billy Joel (1984)
67. She’s Out of My Life – Michael Jackson (1980)
59. Hearts – Marty Balin – (1981)
53. The Eternal Flame – The Bangles (1989)
44. Carrie – Europe (1987)
37. Make Me Lose Control – Eric Carmen (1988)
31. At This Moment – Billy Vera and the Beaters (1987)
16. Same Old Lang Syne – Dan Fogleberg (1981)
8. Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler (1983)

Interestingly, evey year of the decade is represented.

If you add in my love for Don Henley solos, Foreigner and Pink Floyd. It is obvious that I prefer early '80s. But other than that, I can't pick a year.

Thanks, Ed.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your top 500 list when you have it finished. One of these days I'd like to do a similar list myself.

That's interesting that 1984 was among the most represented years for you. At one time I probably would have given that year as my answer to the question, as I've always considered that the last truly good year overall for music (not that later years didn't have good songs, but in terms of favorites, my numbers would drop off sharply after '84).

[Dawn]

Jun 11, 2010 15:13:43 GMT -5 Jughead said:

See, maybe it's just because I grew up during that time, but my fondness of 80's music is more towards the end of the decade, like 1986, 1987-ish. I think that during those two years, we saw a whole bunch of different styles of music and they just blended together naturally. We had Hi-NRG, Metal, Pop, R&B, Bubblegum, Techno, Adult Contemporary. Lots of awesome songs from 1986 and 1987 for sure.

Plus, Kylie Minogue's first hit was recorded in 1987, so there we go.

Matt, I think you make a good point about those years being extra special because you were growing up then. The equivalent years for me would be 1973 and 1974, and I very much like a large percentage of the music from those years, not only for the quality of the songs but also the memories they bring back. That definitely plays a big role in enjoyment of music.

I remember when Kylie's "The Loco-Motion" was at its peak...that was about a year after I graduated from high school. Hard to believe that's been over 20 years ago now...seems like no time in some ways.

[Railyn]

1984. I'm a new-wave head. That's the ultimate right there.

[Dawn]

Jun 11, 2010 19:55:52 GMT -5 Railyn said:

1984. I'm a new-wave head. That's the ultimate right there.

I agree, that was a great year for New-Wave. The radio stations I listened to back in the early '80s were kinda slow to play New-Wave songs (except for the very popular hits like "Don't You Want Me"), but by '84 they had begun featuring them more. I only wish I had more access to MTV then (didn't get it on cable where I lived until the late '80s), so I could have been exposed to more of the songs. I've become more familiar with New Wave artists in the years since, but there's still a lot I need to check out yet.

[Railyn]

Jun 11, 2010 20:42:51 GMT -5 Dawn said:

I agree, that was a great year for New-Wave. The radio stations I listened to back in the early '80s were kinda slow to play New-Wave songs (except for the very popular hits like "Don't You Want Me"), but by '84 they had begun featuring them more. I only wish I had more access to MTV then (didn't get it on cable where I lived until the late '80s), so I could have been exposed to more of the songs. I've become more familiar with New Wave artists in the years since, but there's still a lot I need to check out yet.

I still have stuff I need to get out to you, and when I get my act together, I'll burn you a few cd's of essential new-wave goodness. I'm stocked to the gills with it.

[dave910]

Jun 11, 2010 8:55:52 GMT -5 Dawn said:

I've been very low on ideas for new topics lately (one reason I haven't posted much), but this popped into my head as I was posting to the Glee thread.

If you had to pick one year from the '80s as your favorite musically, which one would it be, and why?

My choice would be 1983.

This was a time when radio was still fresh, and a lot of different styles were being played alongside each other. Singles were still very popular, but there were some great albums released that year as well. Production was starting to become more digitized, but didn't have as much of the "mechanical" sound that would become popular later in the decade.

For a runner-up, I would choose 1980. That's not a particularly well-regarded year musically these days in general, but I have a soft spot for it because many of the songs sound like an extension of the '70s. The westcoast/AOR sound (Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Ambrosia, etc.) was at its peak around this time, and I really enjoy that style of music.

Dawn,

I always have fondness for the 80's music, because it was the soundtrack to my adolesence. I was on the phone with a friend of mine from FL. He tells me how much he misses the fun and the spirit of the music of the 80's. I even have American Top 40 the 80's as a bookmark, so I can hear the program streamed online Sunday evenings.

I can find tunes that I enjoy from each year in the 80's. Ironically, my least favorite year was 1989, the year I graduated. My senior year was great, but top 40 wasn't.

My favorite year for 80's music was 1983. You had new wave which dominated the charts. Michael Jackson became a superstar with "Thriller". The Police were the biggest band with the top single, "Every Breath You Take" and the "Syncronicity" album was their blockbuster. Prince had breakout hits like "Little Red Corvette" and "1999". Singer-songwriters like John Mellencamp and Stevie Nicks were establishing themselves with strong albums.

A close second would have to be 1984. For some of the same reasons.

[cairnterrier]

1986....Van Halen put out their killer "5150" album, Bob Segar and the Silver Bullet Band released "Like a Rock" (another great album), Huey and the News with "Fore", even Chicago without Peter Citera had a decent #18. Many other great songs that year.