Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1981 poll

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Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1979 poll
Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1980 poll

Poll Results

OptionVotes
4 467 Kraftwerk - Computerwelt 17
1 199 The Human League - Dare! 13
6 600 X - Wild Gift 7
19 1226 The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk 6
9 799 Rush - Moving Pictures 6
3 334 Black Flag - Damaged 5
10 821 Japan - Tin Drum 4
22 1278 King Crimson - Discipline 4
7 663 Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret 3
24 1339 Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat 3
16 1119 Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here 3
23 1290 Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement 2
13 924 The Gun Club - Fire of Love 2
25 1371 Rick James - Street Songs 2
8 700 Grace Jones - Nightclubbing 2
2 282 Brian Eno - David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts 2
5 503 Motörhead - No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith 2
18 1151 The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You 1
17 1145 Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Trust 1
12 895 Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates 1
21 1236 The Birthday Party - Prayers on Fire 1
15 1104 Black Uhuru - Red 1
11 851 Squeeze - East Side Story 1
20 1230 Einstürzende Neubauten - Kollaps 0
14 980 The Police - Ghost in the Machine 0


Bee OK, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:08 (eleven years ago) link

human league and that took no deliberation whatsoever

relatively joan rivers (electricsound), Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:09 (eleven years ago) link

Talk Talk Talk for the same reason.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:15 (eleven years ago) link

but could've voted for:

Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Trust
Human League - Dare!
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat
X - Wild Gift

The singles released this year were crazygood.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:16 (eleven years ago) link

some albums just missing the Top 25 include: 26 Gang of Four - Solid Gold, 28 Siouxsie and The Banshees - Juju, 32 Journey - Escape, 36 U2 - October, 37 The Raincoats - Odyshape, 38 The Cure - Faith, 45 The Cramps - Psychedelic Jungle, 46 Simple Minds - Sons and Fascination, 47 Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell, 51 Foreigner - 4, 52 The dB's - Stands for Decibels, 53 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture & Morality, 54 The Undertones - Positive Touch and 57 Pretenders - Pretenders II.

Bee OK, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:16 (eleven years ago) link

this is the first list that has an album that didn't make it into the Top 1000.

Bee OK, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:18 (eleven years ago) link

X. Also missing, Hall & Oates - Private Eyes.

o. nate, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:24 (eleven years ago) link

Pretty good year

Soundslike, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:40 (eleven years ago) link

human league and that took no deliberation whatsoever

― relatively joan rivers (electricsound)

Same here.

Also love Kraftwerk, Soft Cell, X, Grace Jones, Japan, Heaven 17 and Go-Go's. Glad to see The DB's were fairly high up.

Kitchen Person, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:41 (eleven years ago) link

Also missing, Hall & Oates - Private Eyes.

yes! And Yoko's Season of Glass.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:44 (eleven years ago) link

A few other favourites from this year,

Kim Wilde-Kim Wilde
Luther Vandross-Never Too Much
Klaus Nomi-Klaus Nomi
Duran Duran-Duran Duran
Kid Creole & The Coconuts-Fresh Fruit In Foreign places
ABBA-The Visitors
Yellow Magic Orchestra-BGM
Bow Wow Wow-See Jungle
OMD-Architecture & Morality
Bobby Womack-The Poet
Madness-7
Prince-Controversy
The Fall-Slates
Marvin Gaye-In Our Lifetime
Durutti Column-LC
Romeo Void-It's a Condition

Another amazing year for albums.

Kitchen Person, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:46 (eleven years ago) link

The three I cared most about at the time were Wild Gift, The Fire of Love, and Talk Talk Talk. Truthfully, I haven't listened to any of them in ages. I'm sure X would hold up best. Would probably vote for the Chronic Town EP over Wild Gift, though.

clemenza, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:47 (eleven years ago) link

I was big on Damaged, too.

clemenza, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:47 (eleven years ago) link

Kraftwerk - Computerwelt

i will take 90% of Kraftwerk albums over just about everything. i also love japan, grace jones, heaven 17 and x. lots on this one i haven't heard tbh including dare!

Impetuous hybrid (Matt P), Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:51 (eleven years ago) link

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith is one of my desert island discs, so even though the best X album and best Costello are on the list it's Motörhead, now and forever.

EZ Snappin, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:51 (eleven years ago) link

man this one is hard, i think i'm going to vote for Penthouse and Pavement but Street Songs is here so.

i have never listened to Dare! despite being told that the album is a classic, might try to hear before actually voting.

Bee OK, Thursday, 14 June 2012 02:55 (eleven years ago) link

Man, you put on Computer World and it's just impressive from the first seconds.

timellison, Thursday, 14 June 2012 03:37 (eleven years ago) link

Side 1 of Trust crushes everything here

kornrulez6969, Thursday, 14 June 2012 03:52 (eleven years ago) link

Could have easily gone with Computerwelt, but decided to go with the tasty bag of treats that is Nightclubbing...
Interestingly, both artists (Kraftwerk, Grace Jones) can still put on a hell of a show.

azaera, Thursday, 14 June 2012 04:22 (eleven years ago) link

Actually I am way into Wild Gift, Fire of Love, and Talk Talk Talk. This time I am def voting for X.

freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 14 June 2012 04:47 (eleven years ago) link

Crazy, only two of my top 12 are on the list - Birthday Party and Byrne/Eno.

Not included are Wipers, Comsat Angels, Martha and the Muffins, Raincoats, Scientist, The Sound, This Heat, Gang Of Four, Au Pairs, Bad Brains. OTOH I own and like every album on the list except for the Rickie Lee Jones. What a freakin' great year for music.

One album that got decent radio play at the time that I took for granted and never imagined I'd be a fan of is Billy Squier - Don't Say No. I play it all the time now!

Fastnbulbous, Thursday, 14 June 2012 05:17 (eleven years ago) link

Of the ones no one is mentioning yet, I'm hoping Black Uhuru get at least one vote. Alas, it won't be mine. It's Talk Talk Talk for me.

that's not my post, Thursday, 14 June 2012 06:21 (eleven years ago) link

Soft Cell

Get wolves (DL), Thursday, 14 June 2012 08:54 (eleven years ago) link

Talk Talk Talk just ahead of Street Songs

gospodin simmel, Thursday, 14 June 2012 09:03 (eleven years ago) link

human league kraftwerk and that took no deliberation whatsoever

(REAL NAME) (m coleman), Thursday, 14 June 2012 09:19 (eleven years ago) link

The singles released this year were crazygood

probably my favorite year for R&B singles

(REAL NAME) (m coleman), Thursday, 14 June 2012 09:20 (eleven years ago) link

Wow, I like nearly all of these albums. But I'm voting Kraftwerk, with just the shortest wistful glance towards the Human League and X.

Fastnbulbous's list looks great too but I'd still pick Kraftwerk.

instant coffee happening between us (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 14 June 2012 09:54 (eleven years ago) link

human league and that took no deliberation whatsoever

― relatively joan rivers (electricsound)

balls, Thursday, 14 June 2012 10:53 (eleven years ago) link

The Psychedelic Furs
Rickie Lee Jones
Black Flag

nicky lo-fi, Thursday, 14 June 2012 11:07 (eleven years ago) link

Kraftwerk
Go-Go's
The Human League

Some other favourites not mentioned so far:
PiL - Flowers of Romance
Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music
Fela Kuti - Coffin for Head of State
Adolescents - S/T

Gavin, Leeds, Thursday, 14 June 2012 11:46 (eleven years ago) link

Oh, I could have got behind Dolmen Music. Voted for !|!|

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:01 (eleven years ago) link

Haha, my Black Flag bars have turned out shit.

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:02 (eleven years ago) link

Beauty and the Beat.

Julie Derpy (Phil D.), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:29 (eleven years ago) link

Oh man, not sure I could pick between The Sound and Comsat Angels were they on the list. Both bands mean sooooo much to me.

I went with the Psych Furs, who just don't get enough credit due to their later (brief) sell-out, much like Simple Minds.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:44 (eleven years ago) link

Computerwelt is my favorite Kraftwerk

they loooovin the crut (The Reverend), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:52 (eleven years ago) link

This is Dare! very easily.

justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:56 (eleven years ago) link

Why are all you poseurs calling it Computerwelt now?

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Thursday, 14 June 2012 12:58 (eleven years ago) link

Man if 81 had only Boodle Boodle Boodle, Slates, and "Lie Dream", that would be enough to be one of my fvaorite years ever, but then there's also the first EPs by ESG & Liquid Liquid, Return of the Giant Slits, Wild Gift, Fire of Love, The Visitors, Talk Talk Talk, Slave's Showtime, Fire of Unknown Origin. Still tons from this list and others (Japan, Grace Jones, Soft Cell, Black Uhuru, New Age Steppers, Cab Voltaire's Red Mecca, Neubauten, etc)

freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 14 June 2012 15:06 (eleven years ago) link

that I need to check out, is how that last sentence should end.

freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 14 June 2012 15:08 (eleven years ago) link

Yellow Magic Orchestra-BGM

To me this is the clear winner, I'd even take it under Computerworld; there's so much innovation on BGM that was just unheard of in 1981, it's still one of the best produced albums I've ever heard and IIRC the first time pretty much anyone heard an 808. They released Technodelic the same year and I'd also take that over anything on the list; it sounds more like 1991 than 1981. Really YMO had three great musicians and composers all peaking at the same time and IMO there really hasn't been anything like it before or since.

frogbs, Thursday, 14 June 2012 15:27 (eleven years ago) link

Tough choice for me between Bush of Ghosts, Wild Gift and Discipline. Trust is up there too.

Biff Wellington (WmC), Thursday, 14 June 2012 15:29 (eleven years ago) link

Some excellent albums in the list, but I went for Kraftwerk in the end. Could have chosen five others and if "Architecture and morality" was in there it would be even tougher.

Rob M Revisited, Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:08 (eleven years ago) link

I would've been two this year. So many of these albums I haven't yet heard.

I may be wrong, but from a US point of view, looks like the only big singles were from the Rolling Stones and The Police. Were any other albums from the top 25 dominating the US radio with its singles?

musicfanatic, Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:14 (eleven years ago) link

"Don't You Want Me" and "Tom Sawyer" man!

bronytheus (some dude), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:19 (eleven years ago) link

and "Tainted Love"! and "Tempted"! and "We Got The Beat"! and motherfucking "Super Freak"! i'll stop.

bronytheus (some dude), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:21 (eleven years ago) link

Was Pull Up To The Bumper a hit in the US?

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:21 (eleven years ago) link

Not much on radio iirc. Big in dance clubs.

Soccer mom, hopeless and lost, in utter despair (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:31 (eleven years ago) link

(tie) Laurie Anderson: "O Superman"/"Walk the Dog" (One, Ten/Warner Bros.) 56
The Rolling Stones: "Start Me Up" (Rolling Stones) 56
3. Grandmaster Flash: "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" (Sugarhill) 44
4. Kim Carnes: "Bette Davis Eyes" (EMI America) 39
(tie) Yoko Ono: "Walking on Thin Ice" (Geffen) 39 *
6. Tom Tom Club: "Genius of Love" (Sire) 36
7. Pete Shelley: "Homosapien" (Genetic import) 31
(tie) Soft Cell: "Tainted Love"/"Where Did Our Love Go?" (Sire) 31
9. Funky Four Plus One: "That's the Joint" (Sugarhill) 28
10. Prince: "Controversy" (Warner Bros.) 27
11. Grace Jones: "Pull Up to the Bumper" (Island) 26
12. Taana Gardner: "Heartbeat" (West End) 24
(tie) Billy Idol With Generation X: "Dancing With Myself" (Chrysalis) 24 *
(tie) Teena Marie: "Square Biz" (Gordy) 24
(tie) Frankie Smith: "Double Dutch Bus" (WMOT) 24
16. Go-Go's: "Our Lips Are Sealed" (I.R.S.) 23
17. Smokey Robinson: "Being With You" (Tamla) 22
18. Rick James: "Super Freak" (Gordy) 21
19. Rosanne Cash: "Seven Year Ache" (Columbia) 20
20. New Order: "Ceremony" (Factory) 18
21. Bob Dylan: "The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar" (Columbia) 17
22. The Pointer Sisters: "Slow Hand" (Planet) 14
(tie) The Police: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (A&M) 14
24. Squeeze: "Tempted" (A&M) 13
25. Gang of Four: "To Hell With Poverty" (EMI import) 12
(tie) Deniece Williams: "Silly"

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link

Not a one of those singles is less than good.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:33 (eleven years ago) link

Yeah, wiki says "Bumper" didn't chart. First glance at this list I kinda knew it was going to be between Dare and Computerworld for most folks. I like both of those, and Red, but I can't front: I spun Beauty and the Beat way more than anything else on this list.

Soccer mom, hopeless and lost, in utter despair (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 14 June 2012 16:34 (eleven years ago) link

this would have been a big fight between Juju and Faith had they made the list

good thing for Talk Talk Talk they didn't

Victory Chainsaw! (DJP), Friday, 15 June 2012 20:07 (eleven years ago) link

oh man, had Controversy been on the table I probably would have had a fit and not voted

Victory Chainsaw! (DJP), Friday, 15 June 2012 20:09 (eleven years ago) link

1981 = one of my favourite ever years for music. And man, was this fucking difficult. I went for Dare in the end, but it could have been any number of albums on that list.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 15 June 2012 20:12 (eleven years ago) link

not cool, Alf

frogbs, Friday, 15 June 2012 20:13 (eleven years ago) link

which is..?

Have always hated Rehumanise Yourself, that kind of wacky tune is a bit of a throwback to their earlier stuff and doesn't really sit that well with the other tracks imo

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Friday, 15 June 2012 21:39 (eleven years ago) link

Had to go with Soft Cell. That album has been my #1 stress reliever all year, even ahead of wine.

Word of Wisdom Robots (Abbbottt), Friday, 15 June 2012 21:41 (eleven years ago) link

quite a drop in quality from the previous two years' lists imho

Black Flag all the way tho

a dense custard of infinity (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 15 June 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link

I like Talk Talk Talk, Street Songs, B&TB, Tattoo You, Hammersmith and Wild Gift but I don't feel super strongly about any

da croupier, Friday, 15 June 2012 21:59 (eleven years ago) link

there's a time i would have voted human league but the tracks between the first three and last three are just too blah

da croupier, Friday, 15 June 2012 22:04 (eleven years ago) link

Kraftwerk > Black Flag > Human League

mississippi joan hart (crüt), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:09 (eleven years ago) link

correction:

Kraftwerk > Neubauten > Black Flag > Human League

mississippi joan hart (crüt), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:10 (eleven years ago) link

there's a time i would have voted human league but the tracks between the first three and last three are just too blah

― da croupier, Friday, June 15, 2012 10:04 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

What? You're putting 'Darkness' and 'I Am The Law' into that pigeonhole?

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:11 (eleven years ago) link

hate to be boring, but this is Computer World

Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:13 (eleven years ago) link

But Heaven in Here is great, too!

Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:13 (eleven years ago) link

UP HERE

Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Friday, 15 June 2012 22:13 (eleven years ago) link

What? You're putting 'Darkness' and 'I Am The Law' into that pigeonhole?

haha well I skip "Darkness" too. My favorite album track is still "Seconds."

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 15 June 2012 23:32 (eleven years ago) link

actually I meant "Do or Die" for the crazy synth breakdowns.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 15 June 2012 23:32 (eleven years ago) link

Going to be hard to not vote for Moving Pictures but Neubauten, King Crimson, and Birthday Party are all classics. Interested in hearing all of Eno/Byrne, Police, Rickie Lee Jones, Elvis Costello.

EveningStar (Sund4r), Saturday, 16 June 2012 02:35 (eleven years ago) link

listening to Computer World for the first time ever, what can i say this was before my time.

Bee OK, Saturday, 16 June 2012 05:05 (eleven years ago) link

Wow, this is some incredible stuff and i'm only like 2 minutes into the first song...

Bee OK, Saturday, 16 June 2012 05:06 (eleven years ago) link

wait ok, i know the song "Pocket Calculator."

this is really cool, i need to explore Kraftwerk a bit more!

Bee OK, Saturday, 16 June 2012 05:10 (eleven years ago) link

"Computer Love" is hitting all the right spots right now. this stuff i right up my alley. incredible.

Bee OK, Saturday, 16 June 2012 05:27 (eleven years ago) link

i is

Bee OK, Saturday, 16 June 2012 05:29 (eleven years ago) link

I dont know whats the consensus on these polls but I like them. Some odd choices here and there and at least one album you mildly care about.

Moka, Saturday, 16 June 2012 06:51 (eleven years ago) link

Also voting kraftwerk because it blows my mind that this album is 30 years old.

Where any of you there? I imagine it sounded gimmicky for many of its listeners back then and only a few ones could visualize the scope and potential behind it.

Moka, Saturday, 16 June 2012 06:58 (eleven years ago) link

at first it sounded a bit gimmicky - as did "autobahn" on FM radio in the 70s - but repeated exposure to CW tracks on club dancefloors and subsequent use by and influence on afrika bambaataa et al made me realize its scope and potential. my critical line on this album: "the sgt. pepper of 80s R&B"

it's got a good beat and you can dance to it i give it a 10

(REAL NAME) (m coleman), Saturday, 16 June 2012 12:39 (eleven years ago) link

Does that make 1999 the Abbey Road?

robert mcnamara in reverse (loves laboured breathing), Saturday, 16 June 2012 12:47 (eleven years ago) link

What? You're putting 'Darkness' and 'I Am The Law' into that pigeonhole?

'I Am the Law' is the only song on Dare I don't love (I'm not crazy about 'Get Carter' either but that's more of a jingle).

Gavin, Leeds, Saturday, 16 June 2012 13:06 (eleven years ago) link

Computer Love was played on the radio here quite a bit (think it was a double-A with The Model or something?) and didn't sound gimmicky at all in the context of Einstein A Go Go and some of the other electrocheese that was being played that year - if anything it sounded rather stately in comparison. Such a dreamy song. Didn't hear the whole album though then, I was ten or something.

Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Saturday, 16 June 2012 14:57 (eleven years ago) link

Ok, cant' resist. The '1981' box I put together and shipped to people mostly via ILM is almost a decade old itself, now. Reading this thread makes me relive how fun the mixes (if not the actual boxes) were to put together:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/2624950152_929afbeff8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3254/2624126255_1b98c4d1d3.jpg

http://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/00_1981-feet_1981_cover-small
1 9 8 1 | Feet


01 British Electronic Foundation – Rise of the East (1981) (2:50)
02 Bush Tetras – You Can’t Be Funky (1981) (2:42)
03 Heaven 17 – We’re Going To Live (Edit) (1981) (2:50)
04 Foxx, John – Europe After the Rain (1981) (4:01)
05 Dome – D-D-Bo (1981) (3:50)
06 23 Skidoo – Last Words (1981) (3:38)
07 ESG – UFO (1981) (2:55)
08 Gang of Four – What We All Want (1981) (4:58)
09 Rip Rig Panic – How Caged Bird (1981) (3:32)
10 Logic, Lora – Wonderful Offer (1981) (3:07)
11 Mekons – St Patrick’s Day (1981) (2:36)
12 Newman, Colin – Alone (1981) (3:57)
13 Kraftwerk – Numbers (1981) (3:25)
14 Liquid Liquid – Zero Leg (1981) (2:31)
15 Massacre – Gate (1981) (2:37)
16 Family Fodder – Film Music (1981) (4:09)
17 Goat that Went Om – The Pirate Song (1981) (1:50)
18 Dif Juz – Diselt (1981) (2:39)
19 This Heat – Paper Hats (Edit) (1981) (5:24)
20 Trio – Danger Is (1981) (2:15)
21 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – The New Stone Age (1981) (3:22)
22 Pigbag – Sunny Day (Edit) (1981) (3:53)
23 Public Image Ltd – Flowers of Romance (1981) (2:51)
24 YMO – Light in Darkness (1981) (3:40)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2988481177_0e8cee6c34.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Convertible


01 Young Marble Giants – Final Day (1981) [1:43]
02 Orange Juice – Poor Old Soul (1981) [2:29]
03 Martha & The Muffins – This Is the Ice Age (1981) [4:06]
04 Altered Images – Happy Birthday (1981) [3:01]
05 The Church- Too Fast For You (1981) [3:33]
06 Scritti Politti – The Sweetest Girl (1981) [4:09]
07 Romeo Void – Myself To Myself (1981) [3:46]
08 Barracudas – Don’t Let Go (1981) [3:28]
09 The dB’s- Black and White (1981) [3:09]
10 Go-Go’s – Our Lips Are Sealed (1981) [2:45]
11 Magazine – The Honeymoon Killers (1981) [3:39]
12 Suburbs – Spring Came (1981) [3:18]
13 Marine Girls – Tonight (1981) [1:22]
14 Pretenders – Message of Love (1981) [3:07]
15 Necessaries – More Real (1981) [2:48]
16 The Teardrop Explodes – Falling Down Around Me (1981) [3:08]
17 Squeeze – Is That Love (1981) [2:31]
18 The Go Betweens – Your Turn, My Turn (1981) [3:03]
19 Robyn Hitchcock – Love (1981) [4:34]
20 The Stranglers – Golden Brown (1981) [3:28]
21 The Ramones – It’s Not My Place (1981) [3:23]
22 XTC – Respectable Street (1981) [3:40]
23 Pylon – Crazy (1981) [3:13]
24 Elvis Costello – Strict Time (1981) [2:42]
25 REM – Radio Free Europe (1981) [3:49]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/3019111928_f7102d44cc.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Brain


01 Art Bears – Truth [2:55]
02 The Birthday Party – Cry [2:41]
03 Glenn Branca – Structure [3:04]
04 Klaus Nomi – The Twist [3:06]
05 Ex, The – Weapons for El Salvador [2:43]
06 Flying Lizards – Hands 2 Take [4:06]
07 Negativland – Dearmary [1:49]
08 New Age Steppers – Crazy Dreams & High Ideas [2:58]
09 Lemon Kittens – Kites [3:29]
10 Trio – Kummer [2:40]
11 Pere Ubu – Lonesome Cowboy Dave [1:52]
12 The Residents – Would We Be Alive [3:20]
13 Matt Johnson – The River Flows East In Spring [1:33]
14 Eyeless in Gaza – The Decoration [2:45]
15 Einstürzende Neubauten – Abstieg & Zerfall [4:28]
16 Fire Engines – Candyskin [2:54]
17 Section 25 – Hit [2:50]
18 Crass – Bata Motel [3:28]
19 Liaisons Dangereuses – Aperitif De La Mort [1:37]
20 Crash Course in Science – Factory Forehead [3:00]
21 Foetus – Thank Heaven for Push Button Phones [4:26]
22 Cabaret Voltaire – A Touch Of Evil [1:52]
23 Chrome – Planet Strike [2:25]
24 DNA – Blonde Red Head [1:52]
25 Clock DVA – 4 Hours [3:52]
26 Homosexuals – Nursery Chymes [2:40]
27 Wim Mertins – Multiple 12 [1:00]
28 This Heat – Makeshift Swahili [3:54]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3230/3076820555_a731cf0a0d.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Amplifier


01 The Embarrassment – Celebrity Art Party [3:06]
02 Minutemen – Straight Jacket [0:57]
03 The Replacements – Johnny’s Gonna Die [3:24]
04 Flesh Eaters – Pray Til You Sweat [2:36]
05 Black Flag – Louie Louie [1:19]
06 Stiff Little Fingers – The Only One [4:18]
07 Mx-80 – Cover To Cover [2:42]
08 Meat Puppets – Big House [1:06]
09 Agent Orange – Too Young To Die [2:04]
10 The Saints – Paradise [2:56]
11 Buzzcocks – I Look Alone [3:01]
12 Empire – All These Things [3:15]
13 Secret Hate – New Routines-Suicide [1:26]
14 The Gordons – Coalminers Song [5:43]
15 Virgin Prunes – Twenty Tens [2:27]
16 The Cramps – Green Fuz [2:06]
17 Minor Threat – Straight Edge [0:45]
18 100 Flowers – Reject Yourself [2:34]
19 The Undertones – Julie Ocean [1:46]
20 Bad Brains – Pay To Cum [1:30]
21 Flipper – Ha Ha Ha [2:13]
22 Mission of Burma – Fame and Fortune [3:35]
23 Gun Club – Goodbye Johnny [3:45]
24 Josef K – Crazy To Exist [2:57]
25 Swimming Pool Q’s – Rat Bait [2:21]
26 Dead Kennedys – Nazi Punks Fuck Off [0:59]
27 Au Pairs – Love Song [2:52]
28 Wipers – When It’s Over [6:36]
29 X – Adult Books [3:19]
30 Zoomers – Give Your Heart [2:13]

http://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/00_1981-heart_1981_coversmall.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Heart


01 Cure, The – All Cats Are Grey [5:24]
02 Passions – Alice’s Song [3:13]
03 Depeche Mode – Any Second Now (Voices) [2:35]
04 Durutti Column – The Missing Boy [6:38]
05 Costello, Elvis & The Attractions – Gloomy Sunday [3:15]
06 MX-80 – Promise of Love [4:40]
07 Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime (Edit) [3:22]
08 New Order – Doubts Even Here [4:20]
09 Shelley, Pete – It’s Hard Enough Knowing (Edit) [2:50]
10 Sound, The – Winning [4:18]
11 Japan – Ghosts [4:34]
12 This Heat – A New Kind Of Water [5:02]
13 Raincoats – Only Loved At Night [3:30]
14 Gist – Love at First Sight [3:42]
15 Numan, Gary – Dance [2:45]
16 Psychedelic Furs – No Tears [3:16]
17 Gang of Four – Paralysed [3:23]
18 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Romance Of The Telescope [3:19]
19 Ultravox – Rage In Eden [4:12]
20 Weekend – Nostalgia (Demo) [5:21]

http://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/1981_individual-mixes_cassettesmall.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Cassette


01 Clean, The – Billy Two [2:22]
02 Fall, The – Lie Dream of a Casino Soul [3:09]
03 Dow Jones & The Industrials – Ladies With Appliances [2:22]
04 Ludus – Mutilate [2:33]
05 Nervous Gender – Fat Cow [2:37]
06 49 Americans – Love at first sight [1:23]
07 Plasticland – Office Skills [1:43]
08 Beakers, The – Four Steps Toward A Cultural Revolution [1:29]
09 Felt – Something Sends Me to Sleep [2:54]
10 Work – Duty [1:02]
11 Fall of Saigon – Blue Eyes [2:00]
12 Blackouts, The – Dead Man’s Curve [3:26]
13 Scapa Flow – Somewhere [2:41]
14 Dancing Cigarettes – Mr Morse [1:23]
15 Amoebas In Chaos – Designer Genes [1:28]
16 Tall Dwarfs – All My Hollowness to You [2:20]
17 Monitor – Amphibious [3:04]
18 Dolphins – She Took a Long Cold Look [1:20]
19 Blue Orchids – Bad Education [2:28]
20 Watt, Ben – Departure [1:34]
21 Neonbabies – Profi [3:20]
22 Voice Farm – AM City [1:31]
23 Laughing Apple – Wouldn’t You [2:16]
24 Social Climbers – Hello Texas [2:09]
25 Der Plan – Das Insekt [1:30]
26 Biting Tongues – Reflector [2:40]
27 Flux of Pink Indians – Sick Butchers [2:27]
28 Aztec Camera – Lost Outside The Tunnel [3:29]
29 Diagram Brothers – Bricks [2:43]
30 Human Switchboard – I Used to Believe in You [3:56]
31 Half Japanese – My Knowledge Was Wrong [0:55]
32 Television Personalities – This Angry Silence [2:38]
33 Philosophic Collage – Toxic Poppies [1:32]
34 Violent Femmes – Waiting For The Bus (Demo) [2:07]
35 Thick Pigeon – Silhouettes [3:23]

http://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/1981-computer1.jpg
1 9 8 1 | Computer


01 Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough [3:39]
02 Devo – Working In a Coal Mine [2:49]
03 Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft – Der Mussolini (Edit) [2:26]
04 Thomas Dolby – Europa & The Pirate Twins [3:21]
05 Associates – White Car in Germany (Edit) [3:28]
06 Eurythmics – Take Me To Your Heart [3:35]
07 Heaven 17 – The Height of the Fighting [3:00]
08 Plastics – Diamond Head [3:18]
09 Yello – Bostich (Edit) [2:11]
10 New Musik – Areas [1:02]
11 Human League – The Things that Dreams Are Made Of (Edit) [3:39]
12 Manuel Gottsching – E2 E4 (Excerpt) [1:50]
13 Duran Duran – Girls on Film [3:27]
14 Tuxedomoon – Incubus (Blue Suit) [3:46]
15 Gary Numan – Stories [3:10]
16 The Blue Nile – I Love This Life [3:46]
17 Chris & Cosey – This Is Me [2:55]
18 Moev – Cracked Mirror (Edit) [3:34]
19 Cybotron – Alleys Of Your Mind [3:32]
20 The Buggles – Blue Nylon [2:26]
21 Soft Cell – Tainted Love [2:38]
22 Cars – Shake It Up (Edit) [2:54]
23 Classix Nouveaux – 623 [2:25]
24 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Sacred Heart [3:30]
25 Kraftwerk – Computer Love (Edit) [4:16]

http://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/1981-fire.jpg
1 9 8 1 | F i r e


01 A Certain Ratio – Waterline [3:36]
02 New Order – Chosen Time [4:07]
03 Fad Gadget – Make Room (Edit) [3:18]
04 Fun Boy Three – The Lunatics [3:12]
05 David Byrne – The Red House [3:22]
06 Creatures – But Not Them [3:20]
07 Raybeats – Calhoun Surf [1:53]
08 Suburbs – Tired of My Plans [3:33]
09 David Thomas – Crickets in the Flats [4:59]
10 Killing Joke – Butcher (Edit) [3:12]
11 Japan – Talking Drum [3:33]
12 The B-52′s – Give Me Back My Man (Remix) (Edit) [3:04]
13 Lizzy Mercier-Descloux – Room Mate [2:44]
14 The Beat – Too Nice To Talk To [3:08]
15 Lounge Lizards – Do The Wrong Thing [2:39]
16 INXS – Stay Young [3:24]
17 Prince – Controversy [3:28]
18 Talking Heads – Houses in Motion (Edit) [2:51]
19 Bauhaus – Of Lillies & Remains (Edit) [2:51]
20 The Specials – Ghost Town (Edit) [3:47]
21 Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love [4:02]
22 Wire – Midnight Bahnhof Cafe (Edit) [2:38]
23 Family Fodder – Emergency [2:39]
24 Raincoats – Shouting Out Loud [4:54]


1 9 8 1 | I c e


01 Holger Czukay – Fragrance (Edit) [3:16]
02 Jerry Harrison – Worlds In Collision [5:03]
03 Comsat Angels – Restless [3:16]
04 Selecter – Their Dream Goes On [3:42]
05 Gun Club – Promise Me [2:37]
06 ESG – You’re No Good [3:12]
07 Siouxsie & The Banshees – Into the Light [4:15]
08 Laurie Anderson – O Superman [8:21]
09 Phew – Fragment (Edit) [2:37]
10 Honeymoon Killers – Histoire a Suivre [3:05]
11 The Del-Byzanteens – Girl’s Imagination [6:44]
12 Was (Not Was) – Oh, Mr. Friction [3:32]
13 Brian Eno & David Byrne – A Secret Life [2:30]
14 Echo & The Bunnymen – All My Colours [4:03]
15 Material – Square Dance [4:27]
16 Ryuichi Sakamoto – Kachakuchane (Edit) [2:50]
17 Grace Jones – Nightclubbing [5:04]
18 The Slits – Earthbeat (Peel Session) (Edit) [5:44]
19 Robert Wyatt – Born Again Cretin [3:06]
20 Delta 5 – Different Fur [2:37]

Soundslike, Saturday, 16 June 2012 19:02 (eleven years ago) link

Amazing mix. Not many people would dig deep enough to pull out an unheralded cut by Jerry Harrison, for example!

Fastnbulbous, Saturday, 16 June 2012 21:50 (eleven years ago) link

Agreed. That's the dopest thing posted in some time.

robert mcnamara in reverse (loves laboured breathing), Sunday, 17 June 2012 00:05 (eleven years ago) link

Soundslike that is completely awesome, makes me wish i was around back in the day...

Bee OK, Sunday, 17 June 2012 02:01 (eleven years ago) link

"Tin Drum" is the obvious pick here.

The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 17 June 2012 02:12 (eleven years ago) link

Thanks, guys. You can't go wrong, with music that good. Bee OK, the mixes are available for download at the links provided (mix titles). Amazingly, I got requests for a copy of the box trickling in for years--sadly I don't even have a copy myself anymore.

Soundslike, Sunday, 17 June 2012 02:15 (eleven years ago) link

Aw that is sad

robert mcnamara in reverse (loves laboured breathing), Sunday, 17 June 2012 03:37 (eleven years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Monday, 18 June 2012 00:01 (eleven years ago) link

thanks for telling me about those links Soundslike, looking very forward to hearing this.

Bee OK, Monday, 18 June 2012 02:48 (eleven years ago) link

Talk Talk Talk again!

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 18 June 2012 02:57 (eleven years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 00:01 (eleven years ago) link

Loving the mixes soundslike. Two questions:

1. Are there any more like this?
2. What's the concept behind each disc? I get feet is for dancing per example.

Moka, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 01:38 (eleven years ago) link

Oh ignore the second question just realized you explain it in your posts.

Moka, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 01:40 (eleven years ago) link

High five to you other two Go-Go's lovers. You know what's up.

Julie Derpy (Phil D.), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 01:41 (eleven years ago) link

Moka-- I had hopes to treat 1979 in a similar fashion, or maybe 1971. But the project was made when I was young, had just broken up with someone, had disposable income and free time. None of those things is true, nine years on from when it started : )

However, there are some "post-punk miniatures" mixes on that blog, as well as a number of other post-punk related mixes. The 'Le Tour du Monde' mixes are sort of like these, but for three-or-four year periods, and focused on the '70s.

Soundslike, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 03:55 (eleven years ago) link

High five back atcha, Phil D. Also happy to see Grace Jones got a couple votes; I played that record more than most on this list.

Mafia-owned bar for transvestites (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 15:09 (eleven years ago) link

so proud of ILX right now

frogbs, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 15:14 (eleven years ago) link

I'm listening to Talk Talk Talk for the nth time this morning.

a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 15:14 (eleven years ago) link

This one's tough. DAMAGED or DARE? Yang or Yin?

Matt M., Tuesday, 19 June 2012 16:16 (eleven years ago) link

six months pass...

This box - one of my fave things ever.

Hearing Family Fodder for the first time was like - !!!

mr.raffles, Saturday, 12 January 2013 05:38 (eleven years ago) link


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