TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 7:51:18 GMT 1
39 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Her fifth album and this is probably way too low for most people here, this album actually rose up the list, with the 2nd highest climber from its starting place, I had it around #80. There is one album still to come that climbed the furthest. Basically, the strength of Side one is so good, I had to keep pushing it up. Side two is superb as well, but side one is the best stuff she has ever done. The record peaked #1 in the UK and #30 in the US 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 7:55:42 GMT 1
38 Go West - Go West
Their debut so high maybe a bit of a surprise but my sister had this album and played it to death. It is just great 80s pop, the first three tracks especially. "We Close Our Eyes" is an absolute classic, and there are no duffers on here at all. Their biggest success by some distance, it peaked at #8 in the UK going double platinum and #60 in the US. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 8:02:32 GMT 1
37 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents
His sixth album and of course I really like it, although I should have guessed where the sound was going to go by the album title, rather than "Don't Come Around Here No More" being typical of the sound, it actually does not fit at all. So I was a little disappointed that this record was not more like that brilliant single, which was the first song I heard by them. Tom can do no wrong for me, and I have maybe not placed this as high as his previous albums, but I think I t will grow on me now I am more prepared for it. It peaked #7 in the US and #23 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 8:08:18 GMT 1
36 Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
Their second album fronted by Green Gartside, their best and most successful. One of the best bands doing dance-pop at the time, and also masters at emotional sophisto-pop as well. So many brilliant pop songs here "The Word Girl", "Absolute", "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)". Just love "The Word Girl" so much forgot that. It peaked #5 in the UK and #50 in the US. 4/5
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Post by greendemon on May 15, 2023 14:08:24 GMT 1
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' appearance here is timely - I just listened to their Greatest Hits yesterday for the first time in years!
Don't think I've heard that album specifically but I do also adore 'Don't Come Around Here No More' even though as you say it's very much atypical of their sound; to this day I don't know if I've heard another song quite like it!
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Post by Whitneyfan on May 15, 2023 20:03:06 GMT 1
Hounds of Love is a masterpiece. All of the tunes are on side 1, but side 2 is absolutely hypnotic and wonderful.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 20:09:00 GMT 1
35 Stevie Nicks - Rock a Little
Her 3rd solo album and although this ranks a bit lower than the first two, I probably love it just as much. Some of her best singles including her most pop moment 'I Can't Wait' and 'Talk To Me'. The record reached #12 in the US and #30 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by smokeyb on May 15, 2023 20:13:55 GMT 1
39 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Her fifth album and this is probably way too low for most people here, this album actually rose up the list, with the 2nd highest climber from its starting place, I had it around #80. There is one album still to come that climbed the furthest. Basically, the strength of Side one is so good, I had to keep pushing it up. Side two is superb as well, but side one is the best stuff she has ever done. The record peaked #1 in the UK and #30 in the US 4/5 Got this one on vinyl, side A is brilliant, the 4 singles are some of the best songs of the 80's, epic.
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Post by smokeyb on May 15, 2023 20:15:59 GMT 1
36 Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
Their second album fronted by Green Gartside, their best and most successful. One of the best bands doing dance-pop at the time, and also masters at emotional sophisto-pop as well. So many brilliant pop songs here "The Word Girl", "Absolute", "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)". Just love "The Word Girl" so much forgot that. It peaked #5 in the UK and #50 in the US. 4/5 I have this on CD, bought it when it was released, some great stuff on here, especially the songs you mention.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 20:17:39 GMT 1
34 Sandra - The Long PlayHere is a curveball you probably never seen coming. In the mid to late 80s I loved HI-NRG and EuroPop and the queen of both before PWL muscled in on it was Sandra, sadly even Sandra would succumb to that as well. This was her debut album and if it isn't the best Europop album ever I don't know what is, Londonboys??? don't laugh, they will make an appearance by the end of these lists. This has so many brilliant songs especially "In the Heat of the Night" and "(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena" but the album tracks are all great as well. A much bigger deal on Continental Europe, both songs mentioned were top 3 hits all across Europe. It didn't chart in the UK or US, but it did sell over a million copies worldwide. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 20:26:08 GMT 1
33 Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade
Haven't had much from Scotland for a while, and here we have a lovely debut album from the Glasgow girls. In 1985 I still didn't have a lot of contact with indie music and 'Since Yesterday' was as close as I got. Still a very unlikely top 10 hit as it is just a bit catchier than so many other indie bands on the scene. But I think it was their eye-catching image that separated them from bands like Shop Assistants or Tallulah Gosh. Although that is the stand-out track, the whole album is really, really good and a shame we didn't get more from them. The record reached #25 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 20:32:49 GMT 1
32 China Crisis - Flaunt the Imperfection
Their third album and they have done really well with all their records scoring 4/5 so far. Like Stevie this is not their highest peak, but it is my favourite album. The singles as ever are top quality "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style" especially, and this album doesn't have any tracks that annoy me, which they usually have 1 or 2. Still think they are a singles band though. The record peaked #8 in the UK and #171 in the US. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 15, 2023 20:40:08 GMT 1
31 Suzanne Vega - Suzanne VegaJust outside the top 30 we have the debut album from the singer-songwriter from California. And 'Pretty In Pink' strikes again, I was surprised that the only big song on this album was "Marlene on the Wall" which is of course brilliant but "Left of Center" the first song I heard by her is another soundtrack exclusive and is equally brilliant. Still the whole album is gorgeous, and although I have not replayed it yet, I think her follow-up will do even better. The record only peaked at #91 in the US but did much better here, reaching #11. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 17:12:20 GMT 1
30 Howard Jones - Dream Into Action
Another strong album for him with his second release, some really great singles including "Things Can Only Get Better", "No One Is to Blame" and "Life in One Day". The CD version also included "Like to Get to Know You Well". Amazing how big he was for such a short time really, this album peaked #2 in the UK and #10 in the US. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 17:41:16 GMT 1
29 R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
Their third album is my least favourite of the 80s and I think it will be the only one to miss the top 20. In fact, I think I would have to go all the way to 2004 to find an album I like less. There are still a lot of songs I love, but I don't know, it never won me over like the first two did. The record reached #28 in the US and #35 in the UK, their first top 40 album here. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 17:48:41 GMT 1
28 Talking Heads - Little Creatures
A lower placing for their sixth album as well, but really it is just a steady decline from them for me. This was a very successful record in the UK though with two top 20 hits "And She Was" and "Road to Nowhere". I think it's their last essential album after this one they get very patchy, weird somehow they keep getting bigger in the UK still. This was their biggest seller in the US where it reached #20 and #10 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 17:56:06 GMT 1
27 John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow
1985 is a weird year, another act I love takes a bit of a dip. Like R.E.M this will probably be his lowest position. Of course, no such thing as a bad 80s Mellencamp album and there are some great sonsg on this, but I don't find it as fulfilling as his previous records or the next two. There are so really odd tracks as well but "Small Town" and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock)" make up for it, not much of a fan of the other single "Lonely Ol' Night". I dunno is the record to political maybe, too American well maybe for the UK charts. This was his 8th album and peaked #2 in the US and missed completely in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 18:13:43 GMT 1
26 Magnum - On a Storyteller's Night
Their fifth album and their breakthrough record, and also I was surprised to see their biggest seller, I thought that would have been their 1988 album. But after hearing it I can understand why, it is an amazing record, I had heard their next two albums before but not this one. they are called hard rock, but this is more than the more commercial sound of 'Wings Of Heaven'. It's hard to explain it is just so good. The record reached #24 in the UK. 4.5/5
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Post by raliverpool on May 16, 2023 19:00:46 GMT 1
39 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Her fifth album and this is probably way too low for most people here, this album actually rose up the list, with the 2nd highest climber from its starting place, I had it around #80. There is one album still to come that climbed the furthest. Basically, the strength of Side one is so good, I had to keep pushing it up. Side two is superb as well, but side one is the best stuff she has ever done. The record peaked #1 in the UK and #30 in the US 4/5 All I have to say is this is my all time favourite album.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on May 16, 2023 20:04:16 GMT 1
39 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Her fifth album and this is probably way too low for most people here, this album actually rose up the list, with the 2nd highest climber from its starting place, I had it around #80. There is one album still to come that climbed the furthest. Basically, the strength of Side one is so good, I had to keep pushing it up. Side two is superb as well, but side one is the best stuff she has ever done. The record peaked #1 in the UK and #30 in the US 4/5 All I have to say is this is my all time favourite album. Not surprised about that but you have to realise how far I have come, I really used to hate her apart from a couple of songs.
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