80's Music

I think the 80s are known as the decade that taste forgot (or was that the 70s?)

Having spent the 70s as a musical participant and the 80s as an observer my objectivity is definitely skewed but I still have to consider the 80s as a decade of confusion for music.  While the 70s saw music running freely down every conceivable path and trail seemingly without restriction, MTV seemed to channel all creativity back into a pigeonhole of marketing and visual appeal.  Perhaps that was inevitable because the end of the 70s saw the rise of punk and new wave that flew in the face of what music had evolved into.  For progressive rock, however, the 80s seemed to strangle the genre by forcing it to adapt to the 3 minute video that overwhelmed the industry.  I'm not sure it ever fully recovered but I'm pleased that the prog spirit carries on due to websites like this one.

Oh yes, I don't deny that the 80's was devastating to prog, but I still think there was plenty of worthwile Non-Prog music that came out of it.

Edited by thellama73 - June 05 2006 at 12:40

Although there was a helluva lot of dire music around in the 80's. There were a good few gems IMO. I loved A Flock of Seagulls. I would even go so far to describe them as progressive pop if there is such a thing. Back then I was mainly in to heavier music but most of it hailed back to the 70's. I think bands like Rush & Yes produced great albums in that decade but they seemed to go with the flow of music of that time..   My wife has tons of 80's pop compilations which drive me nuts.

Don't get me wrong.  Compared to the rap-infested swill that's being passed off as music these days the tunes of the 80s sound like the golden age of melody!

There was some great and frankly revolutionaty Metal in the 1980s - everyone seems to forget that.

What's wrong with Spandau Ballet?

The best music in the 80s was the metal, although 95% of that is crap too.

- MERCYFUL FATE : Great band, King Diamond is just brilliant. "Melissa" and "Don't Break the Oath" are early occult masterpieces, groundbreaking both musically and lyrically.

- VENOM : Also groundbreaking. Black Metal.

- BATHORY : Quorthon was a true pioneer, I can't emphasize his importance and influence as a musician enough. "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" and "Blood Fire Death" are masterpieces.

- MANOWAR : These guys don't need introducing. The Kings of Metal!

- JUDAS PRIEST : Breaking the Law, anyone? Although they probably were better in the 70s.

- CANDLEMASS : Great Doom metal. "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" is a fantastic album.

Good lord, there was masses of great music in the 80's.

Just a quick look through my Album Player sorted by year (and not all my music is properly tagged with year, so there's a lot missing, to be sure - but it gives an indication of the fact that it was hardly a musically infertile decade):

1980:
Adam and the Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier
Bruford: Gradually Going Tornado
The Cure: Seventeen Seconds
Japan: Quiet Life
Joy Division: Closer
Yes: Drama
Zamla Mammaz Manna: Familjesprickor

1981:
Echo & The Bunnymen: Heaven Up Here
Japan: Tin Drum
Killing Joke: What's This For?
King Crimson: Discipline
Simple Minds: Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call

1982:
ABC: The Look of Love
The Birthday Party: Junk Yard
The Buggles: Adventures in Modern Recording
Kate Bush: The Dreaming
The Cure: Pornography
Peter Gabriel: 4
Simple Minds: New Gold Dream
Theatre of Hate: Westworld
Von Zamla: Zamlaranamma

1983:
Jon Anderson: Animation
Aztec Camera: High Land, Hard Rain
Echo & The Bunnymen: Porcupine
Eddie Jobson: Zinc
Metallica: Kill 'Em All
Pink Floyd: The Final Cut
XTC: Mummer

1984:
Laurie Anderson: Mister Heartbreak
The Cardiacs: The Seaside
Lloyd Cole & The Cmmotions: Rattlesnakes
The Cure: The Top
Thomas Dolby: This Flat Earth
Echo & The Bunnymen: Ocean Rain
The Icicle Works: The Icicle Works
IQ: Tales from the Lush Attic
Metallica: Ride the Lightning
Prefab Sprout: Swoon
The Smiths: The Smiths
David Sylvian: Brilliant Trees
XTC: The Big Express

1985:
Alcatrazz: Disturbing the Peace
Kate Bush: The Hounds of Love
The Dukes of Stratosphear: 25 O'Clock
Robert Plant: Shaken N' Stirred
Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen
Prince: Around the World in a Day
Stan Ridgway: The Big Heat
Rush: Power Windows
Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche '85
Sting: The Dream of the Blue Turtles

1986:
The Colourfield: Virgins and Philistines
Miles Davis: Tutu
Peter Gabriel: So
Peter Hammill: Skin
It Bites: The Big Lad in the Windmill
It's Immaterial: Life's Hard and Then You Die
Metallica: Master of Puppets
Momus: Circus Maximus
The Smiths: The Queen is Dead
David Sylvian: Gone to Earth
Talk Talk: The Colour of Spring
The The: Infected
XTC: Skylarking

1987:
Aztec Camera: Love
Lloyd Cole & The Commotions: Mainstream
The Dolphin Brothers: Cath the Fall
Echo & The Bunnymen: Echo & The Bunnymen
Momus: The Poison Boyfriend
Prince: Sign o' the Times
David Sylvian: Secrets of the Beehive
Yello: One Second

1988:
The Cardiacs: A Little Man and a House and the Whole World Window
Giraffe: The View from Here
It Bites: Once Around the World
Metallica: ...and Justice for All
Momus: Tender Pervert
Morrissey: Viva Hate
Prefab Sprout: From Langley Park to Memphis
Sylvian/Czukay: Plight & Premonition
Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden

1989:
Barry Adamson: Moss Side Story
Kate Bush: The Sensual World
The Lilac Time: Paradise Circus
Prefab Sprout: Jordan: The comeback
Stan Ridgway: Mosquitos
Sylvian/Czukay: Flux & Mutability
XTC: Oranges and Lemons

There's a lot missing, but these are the ones I consider five-star releases.

Teaflax wrote: Good lord, there was masses of great music in the 80's.(...) (list edited) There's a lot missing, but these are the ones I consider five-star releases.

    
There's a lot of guilty pleasures on that list...

BTW, ABC's album was called "The Lexicon of Love"

A few more 5 starrers (off the top of my head) include:

Killing Joke: Killing Joke
Soft Cell: Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
The Power Station: The Power Station
Slayer: Reign In Blood
King Crimson: Discipline
Marillion: Script For a Jester's Tear
Marillion: Fugazi
AC/DC: Back In Black
Black Sabbath: Heaven and Hell
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast
Motorhead: Ace Of Spades
Motorhead: Iron Fist
Motorhead: Orgasmatron
Scorpions: Blackout
Hawkwind: Sonic Attack
Camel: Stationary Traveller
Paul Simon: Graceland
David Lee Roth: Skyscraper
Frank Zappa: Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
Ozric Tentacles: Erpsongs


...and so many more...

Teaflax wrote: Certif1ed wrote: BTW, ABC's album was called "The Lexicon of Love" My bad - thanks. I can't believe that of Trevor Horn productions, I completely missed out on mentioning The Art of Noise...

I can - I never heard anything I actually liked by them, and didn't really hear anything of great note in the compositions either - if you'll pardon the pun.

Trevor Horn was also involved with the Buggles and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, let's not forget...

I can't believe no-one's mentioned the Police and either Ghosts in the Machine or Synchronicity.

Teaflax wrote: Certif1ed wrote: The Power Station: The Power Station I posit that Arcadia's So Red the Rose far outshone this rather bland Rocker.

Posit what you like - I don't know the Arcadia album, although I've read glowing reviews of it, and the sound bites I've heard sound good.

While it's true that Power Station has got many moments of blandness, it also has exquisite power and energy thanks to the Duran Duran boys - who really weren't as bad as many seem to think.

I couldn't quite bring myself to award a 5 star rating to a Duran Duran album though.

Teaflax wrote: Certif1ed wrote: King Crimson: Discipline Didn't I list that?

Yes - but it's so good it deserves a second mention

OK, I 'fess up - I missed it.

Teaflax wrote: Certif1ed wrote: David Lee Roth: Skyscraper I prefer Eat 'Em and Smile. Both dragged down by a few weak tracks, though, IMNHO.

EEAS is a good album in many places too, but Skyscraper is more "devil-may-care", and one of the best party albums ever, which is why it gets my vote.

Sometimes an album is good even though the music isn't exactly adventurous. It just has to press the right buttons.

    

    

Edited by Certif1ed - June 06 2006 at 15:51