Rolling Stones' Top Albums of the 1980s

[Chrome]

On the Talking Heads thread, someone (a younger someone) was discussing 1980s music nostalgia ... got me thinking about the Rolling Stones' list of the top 100 albums of that decade ... here's the top 20:

1. London Calling - The Clash

2. Purple Rain - Prince & The Revolution

3. The Joshua Tree - U2

4. Remain In Light - Talking Heads

5. Graceland - Paul Simon

6. Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen

7. Thriller - Michael Jackson

8. Murmur - REM

9. Shoot Out The Lights - Richard And Linda Thompson

10. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

11. Get Happy - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

12. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us - Public Enemy

13. Diesel And Dust - Midnight Oil

14. So - Peter Gabriel

15. Let It Be - The Replacements

16. 1999 - Prince

17. Synchronicity - The Police

18. Dirty Mind - Prince

19. New York - Lou Reed

20. Pretenders - Pretenders

FWIW, even though I usually consider "pop" music from that decade pretty cringe-worthy, I still can enjoy CDs 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 16 and 20.

[GregK]

I never understood the fascination with the Clash. I tried and tried to make it all the way through London Calling but I got bored quickly. I was, and still am, stunned by these choices for the best albums of the 80s. I don't want to get into one of those "what are they thinking, that album sucks!" debate, so I won't say what I think should be #1, but the Clash it aint

[Quincy]

I never understood the fascination with the Clash.

I never understood how an album that was released in 1979 can be the best album of the '80s.

Love The Clash!

[Eric]

FWIW, even though I usually consider "pop" music from that decade pretty cringe-worthy, I still can enjoy CDs 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 16 and 20.

On my list, I delete 13 and add 3 - otherwise I am in violent agreement B-)

There is some excess on London Calling, but for me, I have no problem putting it at no. 1. Some of the then-topical politics aside, it still resonates loudly with me. In any event, it beats the crap out of Exile on Main Street (now THAT is a boring album )

Edited August 20, 2004 by Eric

[Adam]

Did they ever do a list like that for the 90's?

[wesbed]

Hmmm... Steely Dan's Gaucho is not on the list? It's #1 on my 1980s list.

Edited August 22, 2004 by wesbed

[gdogus]

I never understood the fascination with the Clash. I tried and tried to make it all the way through London Calling but I got bored quickly. I was, and still am, stunned by these choices for the best albums of the 80s. I don't want to get into one of those "what are they thinking, that album sucks!" debate, so I won't say what I think should be #1, but the Clash it aint

To my ears, London Calling is one of the great rock 'n' roll albums of any decade.

The Clash's openly, insistently leftist politics probably wouldn't appeal to a Bush supporter.

[AmirBagachelles]

The best album of the 80s WAS made in the late 70s. It was Marquee Moon.

[GregK]

I never understood the fascination with the Clash. I tried and tried to make it all the way through London Calling but I got bored quickly. I was, and still am, stunned by these choices for the best albums of the 80s. I don't want to get into one of those "what are they thinking, that album sucks!" debate, so I won't say what I think should be #1, but the Clash it aint

To my ears, London Calling is one of the great rock 'n' roll albums of any decade.

The Clash's openly, insistently leftist politics probably wouldn't appeal to a Bush supporter.

It has nothing to do with politics, they just suck and THAT record, especially, is boring.

[Eric]

I never understood the fascination with the Clash. I tried and tried to make it all the way through London Calling but I got bored quickly. I was, and still am, stunned by these choices for the best albums of the 80s. I don't want to get into one of those "what are they thinking, that album sucks!" debate, so I won't say what I think should be #1, but the Clash it aint

To my ears, London Calling is one of the great rock 'n' roll albums of any decade.

The Clash's openly, insistently leftist politics probably wouldn't appeal to a Bush supporter.

Hey, I am a Bush supporter and I love the Clash Even though I don't agree with all their politics, I respect them and they rock like mothers. The best rock is about passion and spirit and they have truckloads of that

[Eric]

The best album of the 80s WAS made in the late 70s. It was Marquee Moon.

Good call ... love those guys too.

[Guest ariceffron]

i strongly disagree w/ most of those on that list---

the 2 best albums of the 80s are 90125 and Back in the High Life.

[Noj]

Why bother to include Public Enemy? I would argue that it isn't even close to the best rap album of the 80s and contextually doesn't belong next to the other albums on the list in any way, shape, or form.

[bertrand]

I would have included (just to name five):

1. Charlie Haden - Ballad Of The Fallen

2. Dewey Redman - The Struggle Continues

3. Wayne Shorter - Atlantis

4. Weather Report - Night Passage

5. Old And New Dreams - Playing

Phew... At least no Wynton Marsalis album made the list.

Bertrand.

Edited August 22, 2004 by bertrand

[John L]

Actually, that is not a bad list. I would have expected much worse from Rolling Stone. I guess that 20 years is enough perspective even for those fools.

[A Lark Ascending]

How can any list of the 1980s omit:

A Spaghetti Western with Uilleann Pipes!

Jigs and reels arranged to perfection.

Andy Irvine at his heartbreaking best!

And Christy Moore in excelsis on the astounding 'Little Musgrave' - the same long ballad better known as 'Matty Groves' but done with a gentleness and deftness of touch (and a different melody) that makes it a very different animal to the Fairport barnstormer.

Oh, and then there's the last minute of the record that contains the greatest piece of flute playing ever put to record. Thank you Matt Molloy!

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Any list without a Tubes lp on it is an Abomination to God!!

[Quincy]

For a different list check out Pitchfork. I get the feeling the reviewers were toddlers for much of the decade, and sometimes they try too hard to be oh-so-hip. However, it is refreshing to see U2 & the Police get ignored, as well as see the Minutemen get some credit.

Pitchfork's List

01. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation

02. Talking Heads - Remain In Light

03. Beatie Boys - Paul's Boutique

04. Pixies - Doolittle

05. R.E.M. - Murmur

06. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

07. Pixies - Surfer Rosa

08. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

09. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nations of Millions to Hold Us Back

10. Joy Division - Closer

11. Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones

12. Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain

13. The Fall - The Nation's Saving Grace

14. Sonic Youth - Sister

15. XTC - Skylarking

16. Galaxie 500 - On Fire

17. Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime

18. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising

19. Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition

20. This Heat - Deceit

At least the kids know their years: London Calling makes it to #2 on the best of the '70s list.

I'd drop a few from their list (This Heat?) and reinstate (The Replacement's) Let it Be and Elvis's Get Happy.

While the critics love Thompson's Shoot Out The Lights I confess I rarely play it. Unless you're looking for a divorce or separation, it's best to keep it on the shelf!

[Noj]

Interesting thing about Paul's Boutique and Three Feet High & Rising--these two albums could never happen under present-day sampling restrictions. The royalties that would need to be paid for the amount of samples on these albums would be astronomical. Albums like that won't ever happen again--legally.

[Eric]

Interesting that "Remain in Light" is top 4 on both lists. No disagreement here. I bought it when it came out in 80 or so and played the hell out of it in college. You know it is going to be special 5 seconds into the opening cut ("Born Under Punches"). For those that don't know it (and think of the Heads as punk rock or "new wave"), it is hardly either of those. It is a mind-blowing mix of rock, funk and African influences (not to mention an occasional pre-techno blip and rap). I would imagine many open-minded jazzheads would enjoy it too. Brian Eno was all over this one, although it is nothing like Roxy Music. You also get Adrian Belew's whacked out guitar snaking all over the place.

There is nothing like it on either the RS or the Pitchfork list, and while traces of "Remain" find their way on to "Speaking Tongues" (the "Burning Down the House" album), the Heads never created anything this wonderous before or after.

Edited August 22, 2004 by Eric

[A Lark Ascending]

And how did they miss this...

[A Lark Ascending]

Or this...

[A Lark Ascending]

Or this...

[That's June Tabor - Abyssinians, 1983]

Edited August 22, 2004 by Bev Stapleton

[bertrand]

How about the Starship's Knee Deep In The Hoopla ?

[A Lark Ascending]

Or this: