Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1980 poll

Voting with my heart.

X and there is no other.

― Matt M., Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:21 (11 months ago) Permalink

Underwater Moonlight favourite:

― clemenza, Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:24 (11 months ago) Permalink

Another that slipped through the cracks:

― jim, Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:40 (11 months ago) Permalink

Pretenders, for one of the most stunning debut records EVAR.

― Julie Derpy (Phil D.), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

Pretenders -- the sexiest records on this list.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

record too

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

Voted Talking Heads but would probably have voted for Beefheart's Doc At The Radar Station if it was there.

― You can do it Sun Myung Moon (NickB), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

Simple Minds' Empires & Dance should have been on there somewhere too.

― You can do it Sun Myung Moon (NickB), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:47 (11 months ago) Permalink

do yall think joy division is so overrated because of the suicide factor?

― Impetuous hybrid (Matt P), Thursday, June 7, 2012 8:20 PM (3 hours ago)

more inclined to say they're sometimes underrated for that reason -- everyone thinks 'oh joy division lol goth suicide depresso' but the MUSIC on those two albums is sharp, unpredictable, and rich in a way that the popular image of them doesn't do justice to. you can ignore curtis's lyrics (which are sometimes good and sometimes not) and still get as much out of them. if curtis hadn't offed himself i don't think anyone would think of JD as being any more particularly 'depressing' than magazine or young marble giants or PIL.

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:47 (11 months ago) Permalink

I'll reverse the usual polarity: Joy Division sounds even sharper now thanks to New Order.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 June 2012 23:56 (11 months ago) Permalink

I am prepared to venture that Zenyatta Mondatta is the weakest album the Police ever made. I like Voices Inside My Head and Shadows In The Rain and Don't Stand So Close To Me, but there's a truckload of filler on that thing.

― You can do it Sun Myung Moon (NickB), Friday, 8 June 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

Pretenders just barely over Sandinista!

Though the fact that Dirty Mind could be only the third best album of ANY year makes me want to live in 1980 right now.

― the mating calls of sarcastic sharks (jer.fairall), Friday, 8 June 2012 00:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

where is Chic's Real People?????

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 8 June 2012 00:13 (11 months ago) Permalink

I'd also include Donna Summer's The Wanderer.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 8 June 2012 00:14 (11 months ago) Permalink

where is Chic's Real People?????

64

― Bee OK, Friday, 8 June 2012 01:20 (11 months ago) Permalink

Soft Boys. Suspish me all you want, I'm not into AC/DC though I find them entertaning.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 8 June 2012 01:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

Thanks for that Family Fodder song, jim. I'd only ever heard their goofy cover of "Sunday Girl" before, but that song you posted is pretty rad. I'mma check 'em out.

― Quiet Desperation, LLC (Deric W. Haircare), Friday, 8 June 2012 01:31 (11 months ago) Permalink

Peter Gabriel. Only beaten my Japan in my 1980 favourite albums.

― The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Friday, 8 June 2012 01:38 (11 months ago) Permalink

This is possibly my favourite year for music. I am voting for Dexys just ahead of Prince but they are both in my top five albums of all time. Also love Talking Heads, Pretenders, The Jam, The Feelies, X, Bowie and Elvis Costello.

Plenty of other amazing albums that didn't make the list,

John Foxx-Metamatic
Associates-The Affectionate Punch
Japan-Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Diana Ross-Diana
Human League-Travelogue
The Passions-Michael & Miranda
Adam & The Ants-Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Devo-Freedom Of Choice
Grace Jones-Warm Leatherette
Kano-Kano
Change-The Glow Of Love
The Jacksons-Triumph
Telex-Neurovision

― Kitchen Person, Friday, 8 June 2012 01:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

ymg just squeaking out pretenders s/t

― sissy space echo (electricsound), Friday, 8 June 2012 01:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

was listening to that fehlfarben lp with s- the other day, reminded me of early midnight oil

― sissy space echo (electricsound), Friday, 8 June 2012 01:45 (11 months ago) Permalink

I didn't really start paying attention to music until 1981, but 1980 stands as a very fine year for me. The aftermath of new wave meeting the heyday of post punk, the beginning of new romantics and even some quite nice albums from old prog heroes Yes and Genesis.

― The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Friday, 8 June 2012 01:47 (11 months ago) Permalink

Other highlights of the year:

Sun Ra - Sunrise in Different Dimensions
Slapp Happy - Acnalbasac Noom
Bob Dylan - Saved

― o. nate, Friday, 8 June 2012 02:07 (11 months ago) Permalink

Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 8 June 2012 02:11 (11 months ago) Permalink

John Foxx-Metamatic
Associates-The Affectionate Punch
Japan-Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Devo-Freedom Of Choice

Holy crap, not sure The Soft Boys would be an automatic if they were up against these! Damn.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 9 June 2012 17:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

after much deliberation i decided that i must vote for the brilliant debut album by the Pretenders.

― Bee OK, Sunday, 10 June 2012 00:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Monday, 11 June 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

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

― System, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

Only 2 votes for the Cramps. Shame on you

― van smack, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 00:04 (11 months ago) Permalink

Wau Closer are we in the midst of a full-blown JD backlash?

― freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 00:14 (11 months ago) Permalink

I've always thought of Joy Division as one of my favourite bands but I just rarely get the urge to put them on these days, especially compared to how much I listen to New Order. Closer is one of probably ten classic albums in this list but unlike most of the others I guess I have to be a certain mood to put it on. It was the same with the 79 list, Unknown Pleasures is obviously a great album but there were a bunch of albums I go back to a whole lot more. I was delighted The B-52's won as that album sounds incredible anytime.

Not surprised with the top two here, Dexys got my vote but these two albums are perfect.

― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 02:05 (11 months ago) Permalink

the god Chrissie Hynde is too good for you people

― shipl.de.al (some dude), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 02:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

what is most interesting about these results is Dexys Midnight Runners Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. i have heard exactly one song by these guys. so i would like to know a bit more about them if anyone wants to suggest where to start.

― Bee OK, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 04:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

btw, i really thought The Soft Boys were going to win in an upset.

and lol at U2 getting no votes.

― Bee OK, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 04:08 (11 months ago) Permalink

Boy is far and away my favorite U2 album, but it's not nearly the best record on that list. Love the Pretenders and Cramps too, but I feel the same way about those.

― Soccer mom, hopeless and lost, in utter despair (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 04:23 (11 months ago) Permalink

Dexys album is more in a Northern Soull style than "Come On Eileen" isn't it?

― freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 04:49 (11 months ago) Permalink

I don't know how Northern Soul it is. They had their own style!

― timellison, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 04:55 (11 months ago) Permalink

Although "Seven Days Too Long" does have a real '60s soul chorus.

― timellison, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 05:25 (11 months ago) Permalink

Seven Days Too Long is actually a cover of an old Northern Soul song by Chuck Wood. They also covered Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache which is another Northern Soul favourite too. They were heavily influenced by that scene, especially on Young Soul Rebels but they really did have their own sound which mainly comes from Kevin's unique voice and personality.

what is most interesting about these results is Dexys Midnight Runners Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. i have heard exactly one song by these guys. so i would like to know a bit more about them if anyone wants to suggest where to start.

― Bee OK

I can't recommend all three of their albums enough, they are all quite different but all equally great. I'd start with Searching For The Young Soul Rebels, it's passionate, moving and totally ridiculous in places. Don't Stand Me Down is their third album which pretty much killed their career at the time due to most of the songs being really long and featuring a lot of talking. Its a really incredible album, that would be the next one to try as it features their best song This Is What She's Like which is 12 minutes long but is not boring for a single second.

Here are a few tracks to try out. I'm guessing Come On Eileen is the only song you've heard.

There There My Dear from Searching For The Young Soul Rebels.

Let's Make This Precious from Too-Rye-Ay (the album with Come On Eileen on it)

This Is What She's Like from Don't Stand Me Down

― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

Small sample, I know, but maybe X isn't as forgotten as I sometimes think they are--nice. (I assume Wild Gift will do even better on the next one.)

― clemenza, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:46 (11 months ago) Permalink

Speaking of which, anyone ever seen The Unheard Music? I almost rented it out the other day but passed.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:48 (11 months ago) Permalink

one of those docs that I don't think is necessarily amazing in its own right but if you want to see old X live clips and interviews, you really don't have a better option

― da croupier, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:51 (11 months ago) Permalink

They're in the Penelope Sheeris film, but I don't think there's very much of them.

― clemenza, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:55 (11 months ago) Permalink

that's out of print, too

― da croupier, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 14:58 (11 months ago) Permalink

They are AWESOME in Decline and Fall; I ended up going w Fresh Fruit, just bcz my favorite songs from that film--"We're Desperate" and "Beyond and Back"--were on Wild Gift. Nausea is p great too

― freebroheem (loves laboured breathing), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 16:06 (11 months ago) Permalink

They were heavily influenced by that scene, especially on Young Soul Rebels but they really did have their own sound which mainly comes from Kevin's unique voice and personality.

Songwriting too. You can hear that they liked Northern Soul, but "Geno" and "Burn It Down" don't seem to me like they're structured that much like Northern Soul tunes.

― timellison, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 22:00 (11 months ago) Permalink

Honestly, I think it's like how the Jam don't really sound all that much like The Who Sings My Generation, if people think that's comparable.

― timellison, Tuesday, 12 June 2012 22:21 (11 months ago) Permalink

Slicing Up Eyeballs is doing a 1980 poll this month.
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/02/04/vote-for-best-albums-of-the-80s/

VOTE FOR YOUR 5 FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 1980

Rules: Pick up to 5 albums, hit 'Submit' button | Voting ends 5 p.m. EST Feb. 22
If a record's not listed, you may enter it in the 'Other' field at the end of the list

01. Adam and the Ants, 'Kings of the Wild Frontier'
02. The Associates, 'The Affectionate Punch'
03. The B-52s, 'Wild Planet'
04. Bauhaus, 'In the Flat Field'
05. The Beat, 'I Just Can't Stop It'
06. The Birthday Party, 'The Birthday Party'
07. Blondie, 'Autoamerican'
08. David Bowie, 'Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)'
09. Bow Wow Wow, 'Your Cassette Pet'
10. Harold Budd/Brian Eno, 'Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror'
11. Buggles, 'The Age of Plastic'
12. Kate Bush, 'Never For Ever'
13. Cabaret Voltaire, 'The Voice of America'
14. Jim Carroll, 'Catholic Boy'
15. The Cars, 'Panorama'
16. Circle Jerks, 'Group Sex'
17. The Clash, 'Sandanista!'
18. The Comsat Angels, 'Waiting For a Miracle'
19. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, 'Get Happy!!'
20. The Cramps, 'Songs the Lord Taught Us'
21. The Cure, 'Seventeen Seconds'
22. The Damned, 'The Black Album'
23. Dead Kennedys, 'Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables'
24. Devo, 'Freedom of Choice'
25. Dexys Midnight Runners, 'Searching for the Young Soul Rebels'
26. Ian Dury & The Blockheads, 'Laughter'
27. Echo & The Bunnymen, 'Crocodiles'
28. Fad Gadget, 'Fireside Favourites'
29. The Fall, 'Grotesque (After the Gramme)'
30. The Feelies, 'Crazy Rhythms'
31. Flowers, 'Icehouse'
32. John Foxx, 'Metamatic'
33. Peter Gabriel, 'Peter Gabriel' (aka 'Melt')
34. Half Japanese, 'Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts'
35. The Human League, 'Travelogue'
36. INXS, 'INXS'
37. Joe Jackson, 'Beat Crazy'
38. The Jam, 'Sound Affects'
39. Japan, 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids'
40. Joy Division, 'Closer'
41. Killing Joke, 'Killing Joke'
42. Madness, 'Absolutely'
43. Magazine, 'The Correct Use of Soap'
44. Midnight Oil, 'Bird Noises'
45. Minutemen, 'Paranoid Time'
46. Colin Newman, 'A-Z'
47. Gary Numan, 'Telekon'
48. Oingo Boingo, 'Oingo Boingo'
49. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, 'Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark'
50. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, 'Organisation'
51. Plasmatics, 'New Hope for the Wretched'
52. The Police, 'Zenyattà Mondatta'
53. Poly Styrene, 'Translucence'
54. Iggy Pop, 'Soldier'
55. The Pop Group, 'For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?'
56. Pretenders, 'Pretenders'
57. The Psychedelic Furs, 'The Psychedelic Furs'
58. Pylon, 'Gyrate'
59. Ramones, 'End of the Century'
60. Lou Reed, 'Growing Up in Public'
61. Roxy Music, 'Flesh and Blood'
62. The Selecter, 'Too Much Pressure'
63. Simple Minds, 'Empires and Dance'
64. Siouxsie and the Banshees, 'Kaleidoscope'
65. Skids, 'The Absolute Game'
66. The Soft Boys, 'Underwater Moonlight'
67. The Sound, 'Jeopardy'
68. The Specials, 'More Specials'
69. Split Enz, 'True Colours'
70. Squeeze, 'Argybargy'
71. Stiff Little Fingers, 'Nobody's Heroes'
72. Suicide, 'Suicide' (aka 'The Second Album')
73. Talking Heads, 'Remain in Light'
74. The Teardrop Explodes, 'Kilimanjaro'
75. Tuxedomoon, 'Half-Mute'
76. U2, 'Boy'
77. Ultravox, 'Vienna'
78. The Undertones, 'Hypnotised'
79. Visage, 'Visage'
80. Wipers, 'Is This Real?'
81. X, 'Los Angeles'
82. XTC, 'Black Sea'
83. Young Marble Giants, 'Colossal Youth'

― Fastnbulbous, Monday, 4 February 2013 19:08 (3 months ago) Permalink

Wow, talk about impossible even to pick just 5! Sigh...

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 5 February 2013 00:10 (3 months ago) Permalink

no Cultosaurus Erectus, no credibility

― Drugs A. Money, Tuesday, 5 February 2013 08:41 (3 months ago) Permalink