Eighties Music Did Not Suck, And Don't Let Anyone Tell You Otherwise

The Eighties sucked. It's a popular refrain, but it's about as thin as a Ray Parker Jr. song. Here is a series of really great albums released in the Eighties that prove a ton of vibrant and timeless music came to light during that decade.

AC/DC: Back in Black (1980)
Crunchy goodness. What more can I say?

A-Ha: Hunting High and Low (1985)
More than just the one hit. Sure it's fey, but it's infectious.

Bauhaus: In the Flat Field (1980)
This will cheer you up on a Saturday night. No, not really.

Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill (1986)
This album made rap safe for middle America. And I mean that in a good way.

Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique (1989)
Leaps and bounds above Licensed to Ill, it's still a bratty and brilliant album.

B-52's: Wild Planet (1980)
Surprisingly good. Great music to clean your house to. Trust me.

Big Country: the Crossing (1983)
What made them unique also held them in check. How much of that bagpipe sound does one need? At least one album's worth.

Black Flag: Damaged (1981)
West Coast punk at its best. Don't play this when your grandma's in the car unless she left her hearing aid at the house.

Bowie, David: Scary Monsters (1980)
The last great Bowie album. There would be sturdy hits to come, but this album still has a bit of danger to it.

Bow Wow Wow: I Want Candy (1982)
Mindless fluff? Yeah, but it's my kind of mindless fluff.

Bragg, Billy: Talking with the Taxman about Poetry (1986)
Great working man's harmonies.

Bush, Kate: Hounds of Love (1985)
Incredible voice, and an inventive an artist as their is.

Carroll, Jim: Catholic Boy (1980)
People Who Died was the "hit" but there's great music to be found throughout this album.

Cars: Heartbeat City (1984)
This album did not come out of my car stereo most summers. I just wish I'd had a convertible. That and a supermodel girlfriend.

Cash, Roseanne: King's Record Shop (1981)
Cash, Roseanne: Seven Year Ache (1987)
I understand why people say they don't like country. But they haven't listened to these two albums.

Chameleons U.K.: Strange Times (1986)
At first this album has a sameness to it that can be off-putting, but it unfolds with repeated listenings. Another tape I wore out more than once.

Chapman, Tracy: Tracy Chapman (1988)
After sitting out of college as my friends went off to academic excellence, I connected with this album and its hopeful simplicity. I still think it's a charmer.

Cohen, Leonard: I'm Your Man (1988)
It's Cohen. He's ancient and still touring. He's finally grown into his voice.

Costello, Elvis: Get Happy! (1980)
Costello, Elvis: Trust (1981)
Costello, Elvis: Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Costello, Elvis: King of America (1986)
Some artists are lucky enough to have these sort of sustained runs. Few artists are this lucky.

Cowboy Junkies: Trinity Sessions (1988)
Nothing but whispers and harmonica. Great Sunday morning album.

Crowded House: Crowded House (1986)
This album just makes me feel right with the world.

Cult: Electric (1987)
I like this album better than anything Soundgarden ever did.

Cure: Head on the Door (1984)
My favorite Cure album hands down. Jangly in a way that would make the Byrds nervous, I can't get enough of this album.

Crenshaw, Marshall: Marshall Crenshaw (1982)
Step away from the Buddy Holly comparisons. The guy just writes great pop tunes.

DBs: Stands for Decibels (1981)
Kind of a hidden gem like Big Star. They never sniffed a hit, but certainly should have.

De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
Intelligent and tune savvy, this album hinted at what rap could do if the artists thought outside the box. No boxes here.

English Beat: I Just Can't Stop It (1980)
English Beat: Special Beat Service (1982)
No record collection is complete without these two albums.

Eno, Brian: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)

Etheridge, Melissa: Melissa Etheridge (1988)
Even if you don't think you like her, this album is a revelation. I saw her in Nashville and dragged a friend along, and afterward he said he thought she gave one of the better performances he'd ever seen.

Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (1983)
I can remember waiting up late hoping they'd play the video for Sweet Dreams one more time before I went to bed. Orange hair had never occurred to me as an option before I'd seen Annie Lennox.

Feelies: Crazy Rhythms (1980)
Guitar madness lies here. I'm just warning you, so you can't say you weren't warned.

Fine Young Cannibals: Fine Young Cannibals (1985) Loved the move back to soul. R&B had gotten pretty stale, but Roland Gift's voice was unlike anything I'd heard at the time.

Fixx: Reach the Beach (1983)
One thing leads to another. Another distinctive sound. To some I suppose they're another form of Toto, but I kind of like them.

Gabriel, Peter: 3 (1980)
You mean there was a Genesis before Phil Collins? Really? Video made Gabriel a pop culture star, but he was a visceral artist well before his album So.

Go-Gos: Beauty and the Beat (1987)
This album has some serious spine. When I listened to it again recently I was surprised at how fresh it still sounded. Kind of wish Belinda Carlisle had stuck with the rock chick thing instead of the more glamourous cat suit stuff. Well part of me doesn't, but my ears sure do.

Guns N' Roses: Appetite for Destruction (1984)
This album should be celebrated for giving rock back its soul. Some albums like Nirvana's Nevermind change music by pushing it in new directions. Other albums, like this one, change music by reminding other artists what's important.

Hiatt, John: Bring the Family (1987)
Labled for years as one of those songwriters who can't sing, Bring the Family gave the finger to his critics by using that worn out voice of his to show that great songs can be made transcendant when delivered honestly. Stripped down as it is, the album is incredibly moving and should be in any record collection worth a darn.

Hoodoo Gurus: Stoneage Romeos (1983)
One of those albums you buy because a clerk tells you it's good. But in this case, the clerk didn't lie. This was the soundtrack to my sophmore year. I have to say that the soundtrack was infinitely better than the movie it went with...

Housemartins: London 0, Hull 4 (1986)
Happy Hour indeed.

Husker Du: Zen Arcade (1984)
Husker Du: New Day Rising (1985)
I had a friend who went from listening to .38 Special and Journey to these guys. For the first few nights we went cruising along the main drag, I was deeply disturbed. And then I wasn't.

Icicle Works: Icicle Works (1984)
Worth buying for Whisper to a Scream, but like Modern English and I Melt With You, this band is unfairly labeled a one hit wonder. Many of their albums could be spotty, but that's not the case here.

Indigo Girls: Indigo Girls (1989)
Will drive the testosterone right out of a room, but you can't deny the power of this album. It's like an eighties version of Carole King's Tapestry.

INXS: The Swing (1984)
Another recommendation from a record store clerk that didn't suck. I prefer this and Shabooh Shabah to the later, pop craft of the following albums.

Jam: Sound Effects (1980)
The greatest Jam albums fell in the seventies, but you shouldn't let that stop you from picking this album up.

Jane's Addiction: Nothing's Shocking (1988)
Somewhere along the line Perry Farrell began to annoy me, but he hadn't reached that point yet with this great album from 1988.

Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (1985)
They never did this sound better. Honey's Dead came close, but if you have to buy only one (and who says you do?) then this is the place to start.

Joy Division: Closer (1980)
Classic in the way that AC/DC's Back in Black is classic. If you don't have the ears to hear it's brilliance, I don't have a lot of time for you.

Lone Justice: Lone Justice (1985)
Maria has a voice that makes you sit up and ask, Who is this? And this album is ridiculously inexpensive. Thanks Geffen!

Lang, K.D.: Shadowland (1988)
Lang, K.D.: Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)
Another great voice. I love these albums along with Ingenue from the nineties. Country music needed a little kick in the pants and K.D. gave it just that.

Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
Rootsy goodness all around. Kiko is a more adventuresome album, but this will have you rumbling down the road until it gets here.

Love and Rockets: Express (1986)
Big old wall of sound and a bit of eyeliner thrown in the mix. I think this album is highly underrated and a bit forgotten when discussion of the decade's best comes up.

Lovett, Lyle: Lyle Lovett (1986)
His likeable personality really comes through in his music. Country only in the broadest sense, see him live if you ever get the chance.

Lowe, Nick: Rose of England (1985) Red onions, black olives and Nick Lowe. My wife doesn't like any of the three and some days that makes me almost cry.

Madness: Presents the Rise and Fall (1982) Another band that makes me happy.

Mellencamp, John: Scarecrow (1985)
Another soundtrack to my high school days. He'd already shown an ability to make hit records, but few could have foreseen the growth of this artist over such a short period of time.

Mellencamp, John: The Lonesome Jubilee (1987)
Why Jackie Brown was not a huge hit, I'll never understand. It's a brilliant ballad and should have received more attention.

Modern English: After the Snow (1982)
Everybody knows the single, now an ever-present commercial jingle. This song can't be diminished no matter what it's selling, but the album is above average as well, and those who listen only to the single risk missing out on one of the eighties's more solid offerings.

Mould, Bob: Workbook (1989) Gorgeous offering from Bob Mould, lead singer of Husker Du. Still part primal scream, but also quite pretty in places. Sunspots is a stand out.

New Order: Low Life (1985)
New Order: Brotherhood (1986)
I'm not sure if you can say these albums have soul, because they're very emotionally cool. Still find much to like here as many of the other electronic-based albums have fallen away.

Parker, Graham: The Mona Lisa's Sister (1988)
Some critics poo-poo Parker's choices on this album, particularly the cover of Cupid, but, while not the equal of his best '70's albums, it's still a damn good entry.

Petty, Tom: Full Moon Fever (1989)
I'm so glad he sold a million records. He's the rare artist who is commercially successful but still adventurous. Great for road trips and late night sing-a-longs.

Plimsouls: Everywhere at Once (1983)
This is an album that is the anti-Petty in that every song on here should have been a top ten hit because they're just so damned catchy. Did they get any airplay though? Crickets.

Pixies: Doolittle (1989)
This album is like a wooly worm in a blender.

Pogues: Rum Sodomy and the Lash (1985) Perhaps the ugliest teeth in rock and roll, Shane MacGowen gave us some great music before showing his ass once too often for the rest of the band. If I Should Fall... has some great songs as well, but this album, track for track, is my favorite from the eighties.

Police: Ghost in the Machine (1981)
Police: Synchronicity (1983)
Sting. first few solo albums aside, bores me to the very core. These albums still sound a bit dangerous, noisy and driven. Why would you give that up and play things so safe?

Pretenders: Pretenders (1980)
Pretenders: Learning to Crawl (1984)
Not bad for a rock critic giving up her day job. I could listen to her voice all day, every day. And few vocalists can sound this ballsy one minute and just as vulnerable the next.

Prince: 1999(1982)
Prince: Purple Rain (1984)
Prince: Sign of the Times (1987)
This is the one artist that had a run to rival REM's. He's still interesting track to track, but the sustained quality of these three gems is impressive. Now if he could just be a bit less expansive, he might have some other great albums in him.

Psychedelic Furs: Psychedelic Furs (1980) I suppose some listeners may find them droney. I like that in small doses, and this album is the perfect dose.

Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1982) Parents just don't understand what makes this album so inviting. Watching Flavor Flav on his reality show, it must be even a bit more perplexing. Still, it has the raw power of anything Iggy did.

REM: Murmur (1983)
REM: Reckoning (1984)
REM: Document (1987)
From college darlings to arena rock megastars in a few short years. The Reckoning is my favorite right now, but that changes every few months. This band always had great singles, but the album tracks are often their equals.

Replacements: Pleased to Meet Me (1987)
Replacements: Let It Be (1984)
Tough call on which album is best. Skyway has the charm of Big Star's Thirteen, so I'll give it the edge.

Robertson, Robbie: Robbie Robertson (1986)
Robertson's voice sounds epic. Sultry and spare, this album finds Robertson not resting on his laurels.

Rundgren, Todd: Nearly Human (1989)
Todd is God indeed. I think this is out of print, so keep an eye out in the used bins. The cover of Costello's Two Little Hitlers is sublime, and the rest of the album matches that tracks energy.

Run DMC: Run DMC (1984)
Run DMC: King of Rock (1985)
Run DMC: Raising Hell (1982)
Their cover of Walk This Way broke rap to the masses. Until this track there was a schism between rock & roll and rap. In the video, the bands literally break through that wall. All three albums are worth owning, and a lot of fun to listen to.

Saints: All Fool's Day (1987)
More polished than their punk albums from the 1970s, the horns may throw off long time fans, but to those who love great music, this is a masterpiece on the level of Eternally Yours.

Saints: A Little Madness to be Free (1984)
Harder to find than the earlier and later albums, this is still worth seeking out.

Simon, Paul: Graceland (1986)
Unlike my wife, I prefer solo Simon to the Simon and Garfunkel albums. This album's brightness might date it a bit, but it's importance in breaking world music to a larger audience can't be denied. It kept Chevy Chase in the limelight as well.

Smiths: Smiths (1985)
Smiths: The Queen is Dead (1986)
Some people think of the Smiths as the worst incarnation of that sniveling eighties' sound, but I love the angst of the vocals, the melody in even the most morose material, and of course, Johnny Marr's guitar.

Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)
If you only get one Sonic Youth album (!?) this should be it.

Specials: More Specials (1980)
There are better Specials albums, but this one is not to be missed either.

Springsteen, Bruce: Nebraska (1982)
Spare and dark. And I tend to prefer my Springsteen spare and dark.

Squeeze: East Side Story (1981)
Not nearly enough people appreciate the sheer pop genius of this group in their heyday. It's an incredibly catchy album, but then again, this is Squeeze we're talking about.

Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues (1983)
I began my love affair with the Talking Heads with S.I.T., an album I've seen downgraded the last few years, but I still can't get enough of songs like Burning Down the House, Girlfriend is Better, and This Must be the Place. Remain in Light is an even better outing, maybe their best.

Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
Poppier than the Hurting, this album launched Tears for Fears into the stratosphere. The production is absolutely of its time, but I just can't think of that as a bad thing.

10,000 Maniacs: In My Tribe (1989)
I loved the Wishing Chair even though I couldn't understand a word Ms. Merchant was singing. She discovered enunciation with this album (sort of) and it may be a slightly better album because of it. Both are worth checking out though.

They Might Be Giants: They Might Be Giants (1986)
With later albums I felt they became more of a singles band, but there's not a bad song in this bunch. Hideaway Folk Family always cheers me up.

Thompson, Richard and Linda: Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
Folk. Rock. Folk Rock. Makes a ton of Top 100 album lists, and justifiably so. Linda's voice is one of the finest I've ever heard. He's not bad at playing guitar either.

Tommy Tutone: Tommy Tutone (1980)
Tommy Tutone: Tommy Tutone 2 (1981)
This band is so much better than a one hit wonder. If you like 867-5309 then find these albums. It kills me when people assume a band is the sum of their single hit.

UB40: Labour of Love (1983)
UB40: Rat in the Kitchen (1986)
Perhaps too polished for reggae purists, I still backed into reggae music by discovering this band. They knew a good cover when they heard one. Rat in the Kitchen is overlooked, and the equal of Labour in just about every way.

U2:War (1983)
U2: Joshua Tree (1987)
Before Bono became a saint, he was just insufferably earnest. But there's no denying the power of their music, his voice, and the tightness of the band.

Vapors: New Clear Days (1980)
Another band known for a single "hit," they are another example of some major talent ignored by the masses. If the Hooters could be all over the airwaves, why not the Vapors?

Vega, Suzanne: Suzanne Vega (1985)
Before her huge hit, she still was an artist to be reckoned with. This album was released at the beginning of the burgeoning folk revival movement, and it's one of the best releases of that year.

Violent Femmes: Violent Femmes (1983)
If you don't already own this, I have to ask, "What happened?"

Waits, Tom: Swordfishtrombones ((1983)
Waits, Tom: Raindogs (1985)
So what if he can't sing? His off-kilter ballads and madman crooning lift the hair off the top of my head. In a good way. Gun Street Girl, Clap Hands, Cemetery Polka-- tremendous albums both.

Waterboys:
This Is the Sea (1985) Whole of the Moon cranks along nicely, and the horns aren't overdone. This album swells and ebbs in all the right ways. A Pagan Place is worth seeking out as well.

X: Los Angeles: (1980)
Wailing vocals and dangerous bass guitar. Los Angeles sounded like a post-Apocalyptic hell to my young mind.

XTC: Skylarking ((1986)
Many of their albums are just as good, but I love the song Dear God in a way that put my little Methodist soul in serious jeopardy.

Yaz: Upstairs at Eric's (1982)
This album was played before high school play. I still couldn't remember my lines, but by the end of the school year I could do a mean Moyet.

Yoakam, Dwight: Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (1988)
Why country stations won't play him is beyond me. He is country. He is. And a damn fine actor to boot.

Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (1980)
Rudimentary and austere, this album still sounds fresh. A classic to rock critics, it's still not a wellknown album in many circles. You should buy it and try to change that immediately.

Zevon, Warren: Sentimental Hygiene (1987)
His earlier albums are more consistently brilliant, but this is a slow boil of a collection. Boom Boom Mancini is a highlight. And Leave My Monkey Alone went on about every compilation tape I made that year.