Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1980 poll

X over Dead Kennedys for me (that The Beat album is pretty good too).

voting Cramps cuz they never get their due

voted 'colossal youth' on the strength of 'final day.'

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

voted underwater moonlight but could have gone with x, prince, the feelies, talking heads

Wildly suspicious of anyone who doesn't vote AC/DC.

voting Cramps cuz they never get their due

Cramps tempted me as well. But so did several other albums. 1980 was just as good as 1979 and 1981 imo.

voted underwater moonlight, driven more by affection than appreciation. hitchcock and the soft boys have long been heroes of mine, so though i don't like it more, song for song, than remain in light, back in black, dirty mind, ace of spades, colossal youth, songs the lord taught us or even iron maiden, my love for it overwhelms any rational comparison based on merit.

hard to choose, but as always when in doubt, go with the artist with the logo you have magic markered on your allstars the most times, so DK it is

Wildly suspicious of anyone who doesn't vote AC/DC.

I voted for them in the 1979 poll. I like the songs on Back in Black well enough and they're a great live band but I think Brian Johnson may be an even worse replacement singer than Bernard Sumner. Bon Scott's vocals actually had some range, dynamics, and expressiveness to them, not just relentless screeching.

Wish Pylon's Gyrate was on the list! It is amazing. But of the given options, I guess I'm going with The Soft Boys

i wish zapp were on the list

voted soft boys

I'm happy to see all the Soft Boys love on here. Truly.

I'm listening to it for the first time because of all the love here. Sounds all right so far.

Voting with my heart.

X and there is no other.

Underwater Moonlight favourite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I55t3-Q4aLo

Another that slipped through the cracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9cfLkxtKmI

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

Pretenders -- the sexiest records on this list.

record too

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

64

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

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.

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

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

ymg just squeaking out pretenders s/t

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

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.

Other highlights of the year:

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

Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue

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.

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

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

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

Only 2 votes for the Cramps. Shame on you

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

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.

the god Chrissie Hynde is too good for you people

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.

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

and lol at U2 getting no votes.

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.

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

no Cultosaurus Erectus, no credibility

okay I just read the full post, my bad

am bummed I could only do one write-in, but found four other worthy albums in there

this is kind of cool, thanks fnb.

The results! 3,360 ballots, man that site has some juice! And it's really just re-posts of news, very little original content.

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/03/08/best-albums-of-1980/

1. Joy Division, Closer
2. The Cure, Seventeen Seconds
3. Talking Heads, Remain in Light
4. U2, Boy
5. Echo & The Bunnymen, Crocodiles
6. David Bowie, Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
7. Bauhaus, In the Flat Field
8. The Clash, Sandinista!
9. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Kaleidoscope
10. Pretenders, Pretenders
11. The Police, Zenyattà Mondatta
12. X, Los Angeles
13. Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel (aka ‘Melt’)
14. Devo, Freedom of Choice
15. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Get Happy!!
16. The Psychedelic Furs, The Psychedelic Furs
17. The B-52s, Wild Planet
18. Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
19. The Jam, Sound Affects
20. XTC, Black Sea

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Adam-and-the-Ants-.jpg

21. Adam and the Ants, Kings of the Wild Frontier
22. The Beat, I Just Can’t Stop It
23. Ultravox, Vienna
24. INXS, INXS
25. Killing Joke, Killing Joke
26. The Feelies, Crazy Rhythms
27. OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
28. Squeeze, Argybargy
29. Kate Bush, Never For Ever
30. Ramones, End of the Century

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Cramps.jpg

31. The Cramps, Songs the Lord Taught Us
32. Japan, Gentlemen Take Polaroids
33. Oingo Boingo, Oingo Boingo
34. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Organisation (TIE)
34. Roxy Music, Flesh and Blood (TIE)
36. Simple Minds, Empires and Dance
37. The Soft Boys, Underwater Moonlight
38. Split Enz, True Colours
39. Magazine, The Correct Use of Soap (TIE)
39. Gary Numan, Telekon (TIE)

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Young-Marble-Giants.jpg

41. Young Marble Giants, Colossal Youth
42. Dexys Midnight Runners, Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
43. The Teardrop Explodes, Kilimanjaro (TIE)
43. Blondie, Autoamerican (TIE)
45. The Specials, More Specials
46. The Birthday Party, The Birthday Party (TIE)
46. The Cars, Panorama (TIE)
48. The Damned, The Black Album
49. The Human League, Travelogue (TIE)
49. The Sound, Jeopardy (TIE)

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/John-Foxx.jpg

51. John Foxx, Metamatic
52. Visage, Visage
53. The Fall, Grotesque (After the Gramme)
54. Madness, Absolutely
55. Cabaret Voltaire, The Voice of America
56. Pylon, Gyrate
57. Buggles, The Age of Plastic (TIE)
57. Circle Jerks, Group Sex (TIE)
59. Minutemen, Paranoid Time
60. Joe Jackson, Beat Crazy

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Wipers.jpg

61. Wipers, Is This Real?
62. The Comsat Angels, Waiting For a Miracle
63. Suicide, Suicide (aka ‘The Second Album’)
64. The Associates, The Affectionate Punch
65. Harold Budd/Brian Eno, Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror (TIE)
65. Stiff Little Fingers, Nobody’s Heroes (TIE)
67. Fad Gadget, Fireside Favourites
68. Jim Carroll, Catholic Boy
69. The Selecter, Too Much Pressure
70. Midnight Oil, Bird Noises

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Undertones.jpg

71. The Undertones, Hypnotised (TIE)
71. Flowers, Icehouse (TIE)
71. Tuxedomoon, Half-Mute (TIE)
74. Rockpile, Seconds of Pleasure
75. Lou Reed, Growing Up in Public
76. Iggy Pop, Soldier
77. Colin Newman, A-Z
78. Bow Wow Wow, Your Cassette Pet (TIE)
78. Prince, Dirty Mind (TIE)
80. Pop Group, For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Skids.jpg

81. Skids, The Absolute Game
82. Plasmatics, New Hope for the Wretched
83. Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Laughter
84. Pete Townshend, Empty Glass
85. Half Japanese, Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts
86. Poly Styrene, Translucence
87. Swell Maps, Jane From Occupied Europe (TIE)
87. Residents, Commercial Album (TIE)
89. Chrome, Red Exposure
90. Television Personalities, …And Don’t The Kids Just Love It
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Yellow.jpg
91. Yello, Solid Pleasure
92. Toyah, Sheep Farming in Barnet
93. Bad Manners, Ska ‘n’ B (TIE)
93. Lydia Lunch, Queen of Siam (TIE)
93. Alice Cooper, Flush the Fashion (TIE)
96. Klaus Schulze, Dig It
97. Motorhead, Ace of Spades
98. Rolling Stones, Emotional Rescue (TIE)
98. Any Trouble, Where Are All the Nice Girls? (TIE)
100. Cheap Trick, All Shook Up

this is great stuff, along with the pictures!

great showing for Seventeen Seconds it didn't do that in this poll...