Now this is how it started: THE ILX 1980s ALBUM POLL RESULTS!!

i'm a little surprised at no echo.

Crossing my fingers for Ocean Rain in the next few. It's possible!

Rio has to place! How can it not?

I don't see that being higher than The Lexicon Of Love and Dare. I really wish more pop had made the list, no Japan, Soft Cell, Adam & the Ants, John Foxx, Yellow Magic Orchestra even a another Grace Jones album would have been great. I really thought Kid Creole & the Coconuts might have been in with a shot they had two albums on my list.

I thought the list would be full of british indie like The Chameleons, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Sound and a lot more Cocteau Twins. I'm gutted Forever Breathes The Lonely Word by Felt hasn't made it, surprise top ten entry maybe?

Is Computer World likely to be in? I listened to it today and it's just so classic!

PREDICTION: the Top 10 will consist of 2 by Zoogz Rift, 1 by Copernicus, 1 by The Romans, the Monitor s/t LP, 1 by Andre Cymone, 2 by The Scene Is Now, 1 by The Wallets and, seizing the top spot, Tripod Jimmy's A Warning To All Strangers.

Maybe it really is only me and about 3 others who see Rio as this peerless collection of sophisticated, utterly involving pop music

precisely 3 of my top 10 will place: numbers 2-4. 7 of my next 10 have placed.

The first two Duran albums are classics but they both just missed out on my list I'm afraid.

I guess that's not much comfort?

19. The Replacements - Let It Be [1984] (252 points, 18 votes, 1 first place vote)

http://img.imeem.com/ai/P4ZK2BPNXWOYXSBD42UYGFWP33BVUSIN.jpg

My favorite album of all time. Going with "Answering Machine" just because its the last, and therefore the only one that wouldn't leave me disappointed if another song from the album didn't follow.

― da croupier, 10. tammikuuta 2008 4:15

i sort of think this record (and the mats more generally, but this record especially) invented the slacker era. westerberg saw what was going on, or articulated it, 5-6 years before cobain, linklater, whoever. all the self-awareness, self-doubt, the appropriation of fm rawk (nothing ironic about "black diamond"), the refusal to aspire right in the midst of reagan america. that all got more anthemic later with "bastards of young," "i don't know," "we'll inherit the earth," but none of those top "unsatisfied." it took a recession to put this stuff in tune with the mainstream but they were there a lot earlier.

― tipsy mothra, 10. tammikuuta 2008 7:27

"Favorite Thing" — one of the greatest rock and roll songs ever.
Funny, when I first heard the song it sounded like an indecipherable mess — I couldn't make out the melody, chord structure or anything. Now when I listen, I always marvel at the incredible guitar interplay between Stinson and Westerberg.
I used this song in an air band competition in college. We stumbled around drunk and kicked beer cans into the audience. We were booed, but we kicked ass.

― Jazzbo, 10. tammikuuta 2008 15:37

Mark,I agree entirely. Any doubters please take a listen to "I will dare" or "Unsatisfied" from "Let it Be". Call it pop, call it rock, whatever you call it, it's great!

I love "Let it Be". It's just the essence of rock and roll for me, as is early Kinks or Nuggets-era 60's punk, or The Who, as are the Only Ones, as are the Buzzcocks. As are Urge Overkill! It's just something you feel, and I don't believe what I'm feeling IS a whole lot of cliched images of Americana.

"Tim" is almost there, but I really don't care for the final albums - too polished. I reckon Westerberg knew it was all up, had said all he had to say.

So, classic, despite the later albums. They deserve it despite the rubbish later albums.

― Dr. C, 16. helmikuuta 2001 3:00

awesome!

Not many 80s records better than this. Certainly not 18.

let it be seems awful low @ #19, but what the hell do i know, Wild Gift was my #2....

xpost:i'm sorry i did not vote for rio, tbh. DD sure had a knack for hooks and a gift for textures.

I do not love Duran Duran. Never have. There, I said it.

Let it Be is probably my 2nd favorite Mats album, after only All Shook Down (which still gets unfairly maligned). I love every second of it, and my favorite song changes all the time. Right now it's "We're Coming Out."

What about Elvis Costello? Get Happy could be top 10.

i voted for it, but not a chance. even his first 2 were a ways down on the 70s poll!

whats up w/these haircuts

ok now this list is getting boring. i agree with whoever said seeing #s 125-101 would be way more interesting. guess it'll be nice to see at least one kate bush album somewhere this far up the list

Replacements making the top 20 has stopped the list getting boring in my eyes

At what point will it be certain that Master Of Puppets didn't make it? Prolly around #12 or so I guess.. I stopped getting hopeful for Hysteria around #40.

Hysteria has it's fans on ILM, I wouldn't be surprised if it made it but metallica/slayer/maiden didn't. Esp since Pyromania is in the 100.

If any of them appear it will be between 11-18

Only metal album I voted for was Motorhead's 'No Sleep 'til Hammersmith' and I doubt that it will make the 20.

Prolly same for Straight Outta Compton then...

I have high hopes for Straight Outta Compton.

Straight Outta Compton >>>>>>>>>>>> anything Pixies tbh

Only metal that's probably going to show up is PIL Metal Box/Second Edition. Wouldn't be surprising to see that real soon.

Don't think it was nommed, probably ineligible as it was #8 in the 70s poll.

18. Joy Division - Closer [1980] (255 points, 24 votes)

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c314/capasculto/JoyDivision.jpg

Side 2 of Closer is the single most harrowing side of music i've ever heard.Of course that comment is tainted by the fact that i first heard the album about a month or two after his death.By this point i had already picked up Transmission,Atmosphere & Love Will Tear Us Apart & was pretty much expecting the greatest album ever.The production on Closer is brittle & kind of ghostly.I always thought the fuller sound achieved on the singles was a better representation of them,
I bought Unknown Pleasures knowing nothing of the band based on the fact i liked the cover & a review in Sounds.I really dug it but in a year when i bought Wires "154",PIL's "Metal Box.& Magazines first album this was just 1 more really good album. I didn't realize how special Joy Dision was until the release of Atmosphere.
Plus i always wished the guitars on Unknown Pleasures were louder..Therefore i choose Closer.And i still think Love will Tear Us Apart is their weakest single.Personally i prefer Ceremony.But i guess thats for another thread.

― evan chronister (evan chronister), 15. maaliskuuta 2005 4:27

Closer is colder, far more devastating. I think that explains why so many people here (including me) play it far less. It's like a beautiful humongous piece of ice sculpture. Keep wheeling it out and somone's liable to get hurt. Or it might melt, which would be worse. But no, I don't hear sluggish at all.

― David A. (Davant), 15. maaliskuuta 2005 10:14

Closer.

Not Goth or anything to do with Goth, as David A explains brilliantly above. Closer beats UP narrowly because they really pushed themselves to come up with something different and new. The synths were more integral to the sound too. Only New Dawn Fades on UP approaches the wintry, ruined beauty of Isolation, Decades, Heart and Soul and Isolation. By then Curtis knew it was all up, and while it's almost too much to take, like all great albums from the edge, it's also strangely uplifting too. A masterpiece.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), 15. maaliskuuta 2005 10:28

24 hours is totally mindblowing. while most of these tracks have a sense of resignation about them, 24 hours thumps along with a desperate urgency, predicting all things catastrophic and fearing the worst, but scavenging for answers and reason all the same. hope is portrayed in the starkest and most barren of ways - elusive and perhaps unattainable, but within the grasp of imagination.

― Charlie Howard, 11. helmikuuta 2009 16:03

Straight Outta Compton >>>>>>>>>>>> anything Pixies tbh

Apples >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oranges?

It's nice that the list is still throwing up the occasional total surprise - never would've thought Sandinista! would make it in a million years (It's another entry I've never heard too).

Shame Psychocandy beat Isn't Anything - I didn't hear either 'til long after the '80s but the latter was basically everything I'd hoped for from the former.

damn you capasculto!

haha I think the poster meant it was more deserving of placement. I enjoy both but prolly Pixies just a little more.

I'd love to see PIL place (if theyre eligible) but I've never considered them metal.

closer only #18? i am perplexed. ilm's demographic apparently has changed as someone already said upthread. i was pretty sure closer would make the top ten. maybe there will be some more surprises out there.

I'm thinking Locust Abortion Technician is a lock for top 5.

Speaking as a New Order fan, and a liker of things Joy Division pre-1980, and as an ILMer for seven years, I think Closer is a slight dud. I'd have liked to see it place in the 61-70 range. Ha!

"Shame Psychocandy beat Isn't Anything - I didn't hear either 'til long after the '80s but the latter was basically everything I'd hoped for from the former."

this is completely crazy. and i even like my bloody valentine.

I'm thinking Locust Abortion Technician is a lock for top 5.

if only

Well my top 5 have all appeared so far and I'm certain my number 6 will be in soon, loads of people love Word Up by Cameo right?

this is completely crazy. and i even like my bloody valentine.

I think Psychocandy is fine and I can understand why it's revered but for me IA just has better hooks and a more interesting range of textures (I love the way almost every track has its own guitar sound).

i never thought isn't anything was that strong. not compared to what came after. always sounded uneven and unfinished to me. psychocandy is the whole package. with lots of hooks!

Well I may revisit Psychocandy as part of the huge '80s listening splurge this poll has started me on - I can't have heard the whole thing in years. Power, Corruption & Lies is on right this moment. Great record!

starting to realize there will be no felt on this list. which is ridiculous

felt will always be on my list. in my heart.

i guess what i'm trying to say is that i don't think that MBV made some of the best music of the 80's. but i think that J&MC kinda did.

starting to realize there will be no felt on this list. which is ridiculous

I had that thought too. No Felt, Orange Juice or Magazine which is just kinda wrong. Which Felt record did you vote for?

I voted for the Magazine album nominated, but I think it was released in '79 anyway?

Isn't Anything is a lot more interesting to me than Psychocandy ever was. I like it's femininity for starters, and I like the way it seeks obliteraion in sensuousness rather than in that cliched rock'n'roll nihilism that the MAry Chain peddled. Prefer AR Kane's 69 to both though, and that's where my vote went.

My numbers 2, 5, 6, 8 and 10 have all placed now. No.4 won't, but I'm expecting the others to (though I'm slightly worried about the one with two albums in my top ten but who hasn't appeared at all yet).

Graceland was my no.2 and I'm a little disappointed not to see it higher. Thought it might be a surprise contender - little this year has pleased me more than finding out that everyone had this as their soundtrack for family road trips. I was checking out The Indestructible Beat of Soweto earlier - pretty sure at least one of those and 'Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes' are the same song - it's great obviously, but I think I prefer what Simon's done with it, just because his style adds an extra layer to the music and it all fits well despite itself. He writes a good tune too.

one thing that surprises: no madonna.

and no black flag or butthole surfers

"I like it's femininity for starters, and I like the way it seeks obliteraion in sensuousness"

i get you. this is what i loved about just like honey in 1985.

was hoping Flipper would make the lower reaches of this list...

xpost

Scott, I'll concede that, 'Just Like Honey' is great.

Tuomas are you posting down to no 11 tonight?