TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 5, 2023 9:55:43 GMT 1
Ok top 10 time and not surprisingly a few Haven Factor acts are in there 4 of mine and at least 2 others. 10 Pat Benatar - Crimes Of Passion
We will be seeing her a lot on these lists of course. This was her 2nd album and this isn't even in my top 5 of her 80s albums and still it finishes at number 10. It has a killer side 1 every track is awesome, a couple of weaker tracks on Side 2 and I still haven't made my mind up about her 'Wuthering Heights' cover, which I would have used in HF if there had been a cover version round. 'Crimes Of Passion' is Pat's biggest seller in the US, I'm sure thanks mostly to 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot'. it reached #2 and has sold 3 million there. It did not chart in the UK when her debut did which is odd, it couldn't have been far away. We are still in
4/5 land
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 5, 2023 10:11:25 GMT 1
9 Adam And The Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Unless you were there, I don't think people know what a big deal this band were in the UK and Europe. This was their second album but to be honest, their debut was more of a practice run, most of that lineup are not in the band now. Adam & The Ants were the perfect band for the video-age but unfortunately that era didn't really kick in till 1981 with MTV. I think if it had been their in time for this album, they woudl have had a higher profile in the US and 'Prince Charming' would have exploded there and they would be remembered in the same way A Flock Of Seagulls are now in the US. But that's an alternative universe they were not ready for them yet but they were just a fanatastic mix of punk and glam and catchy hooks, with a charismatic singer you could not forget. You can tell they made a bif impression on me when I first saw them on TOTP or Swap Shop hehe. Anyway this album I think it's a better record overall than 'Prince Charming' although it maybe has better singles. We will see where that lands next year. The album went to #1 in the UK and #44 in the US.
4/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 5, 2023 10:20:29 GMT 1
8 Journey - Departure
Quite interesting where this finishes, like Pat Benatar before it, this is not one of my favourite albums of theirs and I feel better records will not finish this high due to more competition. This is maybe not the record that they became superstars with, this album and the previous two are all triple platinum in the US as well but it was the first top 10 hit and I feel that 'Any Way You Want It' was their first proper pop hit and it was their first to get noticed outwith North America. This is still not my Journey that will come soon. Thier sixth album peaked #8 in the US.
4/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 5, 2023 10:29:02 GMT 1
7 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Organisation
With their second appearance on the list much much higher. This was their second album and how coudl it fail with a first track that was pop perfection 'Enola Gay;, it never hits that height again but it all comes close, just a proper LP, one that you stick on and just play it all as a total experience, if you want hits play The Best of OMD, on eof my alltime favourite compilatiosn btw, if you want to hear a band at the cutting edge of electronic music doing their thing, listen to this. It isn't all fun though the ghost of Ian Curtis hangs over this record quite noticeably especially on the song 'Statues'. It raeched #6 in the UK.
4/5
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:36:48 GMT 1
36 Squeeze - Argybargy
Ooh it's another current HF act and it's their third album, won't name any tracks due to the game but this has two exceptional tracks and the rest of the album is great as well, its probably not my favourite Squeeze album but due to less competition this could be their highest finish, we will see. It reached #32 in the Uk and their first hit in US peaking #71. 4/5 I thought I had more Squeeze albums, but I only have this on vinyl and their essential CD.
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:40:11 GMT 1
34 Queen - The Game
I have stated before I am not really a Queen fan so for this to be in my top 40 albums of 1980 is pretty impressive. Thanks mostly to 'Another One Bites the Dust' which gives it a 1/5 all by itself. But yeh its very good not many songs I wasn't keen on. It was a Uk and US number one and has sold over 4 million in the US alone, a massive hit there. 4/5 I have this one on vinyl, a fairly recent purchase, I bought a lot of their albums on release, but this one was missed, but now in my collection
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:41:07 GMT 1
33 AC/DC - Back In Black
Shouts of too low, echo everywhere!! But considering I never really paid much attention to ACDC in the 80s at all, this is a great result. But what makes this a special album is the track order, you think that listening to an ACDC album is quite samey, not this one so much, just when you start too tire of their sound, another rock classic comes along and brings you back in. This was their 7th album and a UK number one and US #4. It has sold over 25 million in the US alone, over 30 million worldwide 4/5 Got this one on CD, only one I have by them
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:42:52 GMT 1
32 Genesis - Duke
Not quite their first pop album, they are still very much in prog land but you can tell that they are ready to start unloading pop rock bangers. And their first is for sure 'Turn It On Again' probably one of their top 5 singles of the 80s. This was their 10th album and 2nd with Phil Collins as vocalist. It was a UK number one, another one and #11 in the US. 4/5 Another album I bought just a few years ago,I have lots of Genesis albums, but I missed this at the time
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:44:18 GMT 1
29 Joy Division - Closer
Confession time, I have never heard this album in full until this month, I should be barred from any indie cabals or whatever we were called. But to say I loved this album way more than I expected is an understatement. I am not the hugest fan of Ian Curtis's voice but really that did not matter, the band sound amazing, the production on this is just top drawer, Hooky's bass work stunning, not that I should have expected any less from the band who would become New Order. I think if I played this 5 more times, it would be in my top 10!! This was their 2nd and last album sadly and it reached #6 in the UK. BTW I have heard 'Unknown Pleasures' in full but not for a long time, I'm not a total poser, think I better revisit it !! 4/5 but so nearly 4.5/5 Yes I have their albums, especially this one, great album.
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:46:29 GMT 1
21 Ultravox - ViennaI was expecting this to be a top 10 contender but it dropped down the list as I played more albums. Ultravox were one of my favourite bands at the time but I never went beyond the singles. This is quite a single heavy record anyway. But yes its totally wgar I expected moody chilling synth pop, I haven't really heard much of the John Foxx era so I don;t know how much of a departure it is but I still really liked it. This was their fourth album and first with Midge Ure as vocalist, it reached #3 in the UK giving them their first hit. 4/5 I remember buying this one when it was released, I have all their albums.
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:48:38 GMT 1
18 Pretenders - Pretenders
Like The Clash another album that was technically released in 1979 but is considered a 1980 record. This was their debut album and after the huge success of 'Brass In Pocket; it went straight in at number one in the UK, peaked #6 in the UK. I never thought I was a big Pretenders fan, I maybe like them more now than I did then but they are just one of those bands that are too good, you just can't criticize the music. 4/5 I picked this one up in a boxset where I got 5 of their albums,plus their greatest hits, a lot to like here
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:53:50 GMT 1
14 The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro
We are all the way up to 14 and we still don't have a 4.5 record, I doubt that will be the case in future years. The debut album from Julian Cope's band don't change that. 'Reward' was one of my songs of the year and apart from 'Treason' I had heard nothing else of this record. 'Reward' wasn't even on the originial Uk release. But even if we discount that brilliant song, I really enjoyed this album, think there is a couple of dodgy tracks but nothing poor enough to bring it down. IT reached #24 in the UK. 4/5 I bought this on vinyl in 1981, and played it over and over, so many good songs on this
|
|
|
Post by smokeyb on Feb 5, 2023 21:59:12 GMT 1
Ordering the next 5 albums was very hard and it's sad that one has to miss my top 10 but considering I wasm't even a fan of this artist at the time and maybe only liked one or two of his songs when I was a teenager means this placing is very good for me, although I know this might top other Haveners lists for this year. 11 David Bowie - Scary MonstersHis 14th album and I would say the last record by the classic Bowie, we are going to get a new version on the next record. I am not enough of a writer to express how great this album is, yes it's weird I only heard this album in full a few weeks ago. Side A is pretty much perfection but Side 2 is quite a bit weaker in comparison but on the whole still very good. 'Ashes To Ashes' is probably my favourite Bowie song now. The album reached #1 in the UK and #12 in the US. 4/5 As one of Bowie's greatest fans I have just about everything he ever released, This one I bought the day it came out. All the hits were on side A, he can do no wrong in my book.
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 14:47:44 GMT 1
6 The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
We are now in to my ultimate 6 albums of 1980 these are all classics to me. We start with the 2nd album from The Cure, the majestic 'A Forest' does tower above everything else but this album has such a gothic atmosphere they whole thing sounds awesome loud or with headphones. And you aren't going to get any of The Cure's upbeat moments on this, it is firmly in the dark and foreboding. Which seems not uncommon this year and the next to come, with Cold War tensions at their highest, and nobody does bleak like The Cure. Ypu can see why this album is viewed as the one of the first goth rock albums. It reached #20 in the UK. 4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 14:53:48 GMT 1
5 Talking Heads - Remain In Light
A much brighter album is the 4th from Talking Heads, featuring my song of the year in 1981 'Once In A Lifetime'. This record is everywhere covering so many different sounds and genres, new wave, world music, dance-rock, funk and post-punk. It might take a few listens to appreciate for that reason but I can never get bored playing it. It reached #21 in the UK and #19 in the US.
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 18:13:27 GMT 1
4 XTC - Black Sea
I knew I was going to love this. I had only heard two of the singles but based on singles I always knew XTC woudl have been a band I was really into if I bought albums in their era. Well we have to start with their fourth record, i am pretty sure I woudl love 'Drums And Wires' as well but 1979 is going to have to wait a long time. They are really the Blur of the 80s but less cockney and more Monty Python. But I have only lsitened to thsi album once so I know I will like it even more if I go back to it. 'Sgt Rock' though has also been in my top 5 XTC songs. This album went to #16 in the UK and #41 in the US. Their follow up to this album could do even better.
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 18:24:08 GMT 1
So the top 3 are all ex Haven Fcator acts and apart from my number one, before I compiled this list I wouldn't have expected them to be in my top 3. Although I do think that says more about 1980 than anything else, it isn't the strongest album year, it's going to get way more competitive. 3 Roxy Music - Flesh & Blood
Now being honest I really didn't like Roxy Music or Bryan Ferry much when I was a kid, yeh I liked the odd song but the thought I would love a whole record, unbelievable. But one show changed this for 'Ashes To Ashes', I may have heard it on chart rundowns but I had never realised how brilliant 'Same Old Scene' was. Then last month I played this whole album, again songs I never remember loving or knowing just made me go 'Wow' , like 'Oh Yeah' and 'Over You'. This album if you counted the originials songs alone, it would have been a 5/5 album but starting it with 'In The Midnight Hour' why??? its an alright cover actually but 'Eight Miles High' later on the record just didnt work at all. Their seventh album went to #1 in the UK amd #35 in the US, will find out in a couple of weeks if I love 'Avalon' even more got a feeling I will!!
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 18:34:59 GMT 1
2 Bruce Springsteen - The River
Helped a lot by the fact I had him as a HF act, never really gone back before 'Born In The USA' until then. This was his 5th album and his only double album which is the reason this album is not my number one or a 5/5. The album is juat too long, it's highs are brilliant and it doesn't really have any lows just a bit too much filler. Does 'Drive All Night' really have to be 8 and half minutes long!?! I get there is too much great music here for a single LP at the time, it would have made an amazing CD though, if we had them then. An 8 track of the best songs, would have been perfection well not quite as I think 11 are perfect but close!! It was a UK #2 and US #1 and has sold over 5 million in the US alone, around 1 million in the rest of the world.
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 18:45:44 GMT 1
1 The Police - Zenyattà Mondatta
Think this was quite predictable, it was the other album I knew at the time so when you have known a record for 40 odd years that gives it a bit of an advantage but I have not played it in full for maybe 20 years, I still have it on vinyl though. So what now well sadly again it's not a 5/5, a couple of tracks are a bit too Sting, you know the noodly doodly world music he will do a lot in his solo career, they are not bad but I prefer the more Copeland led stuff and I would consider 9 of the 11 tracks top tier though. It went to #1 in the Uk and #5 in the US and has sold over 4 million worldwide. I am not gushing over my number one, its brilliant but its not even my favourite Police album and they may struggle to top their years. 'Regatta de Blanc' in 1979 though it might have!!
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
|
Post by TheThorne on Feb 6, 2023 18:48:09 GMT 1
|
|