Thorneys Top Albums of the 80s - 1989 complete

[TheThorne]

65 Julee Cruise - Floating Into the Night




The debut album from the singer most famous for singing the theme to 'Twin Peaks' which was called 'Falling', If you love that you will love the whole album has it is written and produced by Angelo Badalamenti who is responsible for the music in that TV show as well as other David Lynch movies. Her voice really suits the otherworldy feel of this music and my favourite track is probably the follow-up single  "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart". Although the singles were hits here, the album didn't chart but it reached #74 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

64 De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising



I think this is probably the highest placed hip hop album in the 80s, and it was nicely timed, as it was only just added to streaming services. I just wish this scene lasted longer as it was a great time where hip-hop could be fun and uplifting but still have a message. Brilliant use of samples and very charismatic rappers, you just couldn't help liking them and wanting to be in their gang. This was the debut album from the New York group, and it reached #13 in the UK and #24 in the US where it has sold over 1 million copies.

4/5

[TheThorne]

63 Runrig - Searchlight



Their 6th album and much better album that it looks on paper. 'News From Heaven' was a bad choice of single but then the best tracks on this album are the Gaelic ones which would be an issue now they are a major label national charting band. I did see them live when this album was out so that gives it a boost as well, it isn't their best I know that but its highlights are very special to me. But it is a bit too high, this equally their highest placed album is not right, the previous two albums are definitely 1/4 of a mark better. This though is by far their biggest hit so far and joint biggest seller, it reached #11 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

62 Whitesnake - Slip of the Tongue



This is the eighth album from the UK rock band and it carries on pretty much where '1987' left off.  We have some hair metal bangers like "The Deeper the Love" and another revival of an old hit in the new version of "Fool for Your Loving '89", which to be fair is not that different from the original, unlike 'Here I Go Again' though it really didn't need a revamp. The album is not quite in the league of their previous album, we have nothing with the creativity of 'Still Of The Night' sadly but it's still one of their best. It peaked #10 in the UK and US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

61 Hooters - Zig Zag



Their fourth album and a very appropriate name as The Hooters go back to their early more new wave/jam band sound.  Yes there are still the odd heartland track and roots in there but the biggest change is they have gone more political on this one, less songs about partying and shanty like tales on this. So not my favourite of their 80s album but "500 Miles" and "Brother, Don't You Walk Away" are both pretty storming. It was also less successful, only reaching #116 in the US.

4/6

[TheThorne]

60 The Primitives - Pure



A very strong second album from the indie pop band. A bit of a mix in sound as well with a hint of  Stone Roses influence like 'Shine' and 'All The Way Down'. More indie pop gems like 'Way Behind Me' and 'Secrets' and more punky tracks like 'Sick Of It'. It really couldn't be more 1989 if it tried, really. The record reached #33 in the UK and #113 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

This batch has a few follow-ups to huge albums

59 Tracy Chapman - Crossroads



Her second album while very similar in sound to her debut just does not hit as hard. There are no classics on this one and it is all just great but it wpn't change your live like the debut. In fact I am certain if they had been reversed this album would have done nothing, popular within the folk rock/singer songwriter crowd but that would have been it. But I am not knocking it this is a very fine record just maybe a bit rushed after her debut. Sophomore slump not quite but certainly 2nd album syndrome. Luckily though she now has a fan base so this album went straight into number one in the UK and #9 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

58 Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World



His third album and the one that brought him to the mainstream thanks to the track 'Wicked Game' featuring in the movie 'Wild At Heart', yes David Lynch plays a big part in music influence in this time. Chris Iassk takes the sound of Elvis or Gene Vincent but repackaging it for the 90s into a ghostly timeless sound/ It never sounds like a lazy revival or a rehash, this is just a magical utopia vision of the 50s. Like I said with his previous album it is not perfect so if you really want the best, get the compilation 'Wicked Game' which takes all the best songs from his first three albums it is a 5/5. The record reached #7 in the US by far his biggest hit, while over in the UK we waited until the compilation which reached #3.

4/5

[TheThorne]

57 All About Eve - Scarlet and Other Stories



Another second album and again it has a bit of the syndrome but the problem is the alternative music scene is changing so fast right now, goth is no longer flavour of the month and the sounds of Madchester, shoegaze and early grunge are pushing through. Their debut had such an advantage as it included two years worth of singles and hits, this was always going to be a hard sell. Similar to Primirives and Tracy Chapman, everything you loved about their debuts is still here, her fantastic voice, those jangly goth guitars, the dark romantic lyrics but the songs are just not quite as great. At least they are not jumping on trends yet, like they will do on their next album and that awful 'Phased' EP.

4/5

[TheThorne]

56 Debbie Gibson - Electric Youth



Aww how fickle we are and here we go again with a 2nd album. To say my music taste has changed a lot in 2 years is a bit of an understatement. Of course I bought this and the singles are still great but nothing on here that can compete with the big 3 on her debut. But again at least she is playing to her strengths and we still have sugary pop and gorgeous ballads and tracks like "Lost in Your Eyes" and "We Could Be Together". I always found "Electric Youth" to steering a bit too close to New Kids On The Block territory, which is not surprising as they were both the biggest things in US pop. So it is a US number one album and #8 in the UK. Always thought it was a terrible album cover, not a patch on her debut or even her next one. But I guess it is supposed to look a bit like a year book photo. It is a bit cringey though.

4/5

[Earl Purple]

I was expecting that one a lot higher.

Classic songs apart from the singles are: Silence Speaks A Thousand Words, Should Have Been The One and the opening Who Loves You Baby is pretty strong too.

[TheThorne]

I know but it's a still 4/5, just not in the same league as Janet, Madonna or Belinda this time

[raliverpool]

Aug 13, 2023 9:08:41 GMT 1 TheThorne said:

56 Debbie Gibson - Electric Youth



Aww how fickle we are and here we go again with a 2nd album. To say my music taste has changed a lot in 2 years is a bit of an understatement. Of course I bought this and the singles are still great but nothing on here that can compete with the big 3 on her debut. But again at least she is playing to her strengths and we still have sugary pop and gorgeous ballads and tracks like "Lost in Your Eyes" and "We Could Be Together". I always found "Electric Youth" to steering a bit too close to New Kids On The Block territory, which is not surprising as they were both the biggest things in US pop. So it is a US number one album and #8 in the UK. Always thought it was a terrible album cover, not a patch on her debut or even her next one. But I guess it is supposed to look a bit like a year book photo. It is a bit cringey though.

4/5

The interesting thing about the USA #1 lead single "Lost In Your Eyes" is in the early days of streaming in it was only her third most popular track (behind "Foolish Beat" & "Only In My Dreams"). But then in late 2014 when a certain female US singer songwriter was promoting her album "1989", she was asked by MTV to countdown her top 20 favourite songs of 1989 (the year she TS was born), and guess what she choose as her #1 of the year....... seven places ahead of Madonna's LAP; Billy Joel WDSTF; & Phil Collins ADIP rounded out the podium places).

Fast forward to 2023, where TS has (already) replaced Madonna as the #1 female artist who has been seen by more concert goers, and Lost In Your Eyes has over 100 million streams on Spotify, nearly 4 times more than her next most streamed track.

That's the power of the Swiftogedden masses for you.

[TheThorne]

Yep those Swifties are pretty scary in their fan power but I would think a large proportion of them would have found a lot to like in Debbie and ventured a bit further

[TheThorne]

55 Blake Babies - Earwig



The second album from the band featuring Julianna Hatfield. This is often considered their debut as the previous album is very low budget and homemade. If you are a fan of her later stuff this is the jump on point. I love Julianna Hatfield, she is still my gif so that says something but it was great to finally go back and properly listen to these Blake Baibes records. So the debut has its moments but this is 100x better. This is one of the earliest appearances of the girl fronted alt-rock that is going to be so popular in the next few years and still influential today on acts like Wolf Alice, Wet Leg, and Bully

4/5

[TheThorne]

54 Lou Gramm - Long Hard Look



The second album from the often Foreigner frontman and I bought this one, on the strength of the single 'Midnight Blue' of his previous album. It is another solid AOR rock album, not a lot more to say. The first half is excellent and drops off a little as it goes on. The main highlight is the single "Just Between You and Me", co-written by my girl Holly Knight. Not really a big success, only reaching #85 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

53 Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time



The tenth album from the American singer and this was a massive album when I was working in Virgin, think it was number one in the US at the time. This album was showered with awards and accolades and it is maybe  little overrated, I though this would be in my top 50 but found it a bit boring by the last few tracks. The title track is brilliant and it totally rescued her career that had tanked completely but I think it is what I called a late night record. So as I said it was a US #1 and sold over 5 million copies there.

4/5

[TheThorne]

52 Transvision Vamp - Velveteen



Another one I bought at the time and the second album from the pop punk band, that is what they are. They may not get called that but really what else is it?  This record is not quite as strong as the debut but very close. Side one is much stronger than 2, with the anthem 'Baby I Don't Care' and the gorgeous 60 tinged 'Landslide of Love' which really deserved to be huge. Wendy James may have got a lot of grieff but at least she was interesting and I wonder know how much of that was deserved. The record reached #1 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

51 Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi



Her debut album and it is hard to explain what an impact Neneh Cherry made when she broke through with a revamped version of 'Buffalo Stance' produced by herself and Bomb The Base guy Tim Simenon. It took everything that was going on in the dance, hip hop and house scene and wrap it all together into a perfect pop song. That song is of course the best track but she was no one hit wonder, this whole album is excellent especially side one with "Manchild", "Inna City Mamma" and "Kisses on the Wind" all featuring with 'Buffalo Stance'. The album just misses my top 50 as the last couple of tracks are a bit meh. The record reached #2 in the UK and #40 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

Ok top 50 time


50 XTC - Oranges & Lemons



Their 11th album and it starts like it is going to be one of their very best and it would have been if it had not been a double LP. Disc 1 is brilliant, especially  "Mayor of Simpleton", "King for a Day" and "The Loving". The only misstep is the song  "Here Comes President Kill Again". Disc 2 is very solid but it doesn't have any particular songs that stay with you, just XTC doing their thing. It is very front loaded. Their record did well though, #28 in the UK and #44 in the US.

4/5