AllMusic Loves 1980
April 3rd, 2009 | 7:00 am est |
1980 isn’t necessarily considered one of the all-time great years in music, not in the way that 1956, 1967, 1971, or 1977 are. Once again, an initial impression proves to be misleading, as 1980 was something of a watershed year, generating a mountain of all-time classics in all manner of styles. A lot of this was reverberation from punk and not just from the movement splitting into arty post-punk and poppy new wave. Mainstream rockers like Billy Joel and Daryl Hall borrowed some of punk’s sound and sensibility, while Paul McCartney cut his own home-grown synth-pop album and Prince cleverly co-opted punk’s nerviness for his breakthrough Dirty Mind. But 1980 wasn’t just about post-punk: this was the year that saw hip-hop make waves on vinyl, the year AC/DC unleashed Back in Black and Judas Priest countered with British Steel, the year disco produced its final classic crossover hits, the year Bruce Springsteen had his first Top 10 hit, the year George Jones had “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the year power-poppers donned skinny ties and knocked out killer melodies, a year where arena-rockers like Journey and REO Speedwagon ruled the heartland of America while the airwaves were filled with soft sounds of the music later dubbed as Yacht Rock, highlighted by Steely Dan’s West Coast masterpiece Gaucho. And all this was the background for such classics as Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, Elvis Costello’s Get Happy!!, The Pretenders and the Clash bookending the year with London Calling and Sandinista. The list could go on and on…. and it does below, in a number of lists that capture a lot, but by no means all, of what made 1980 a great year.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Another year where there was simply too much great music — great music in every style and sound, from acknowledged classics to ephemeral pop that’s proven strangely enduring. There is so much that it makes it hard to sort out the best albums and singles of the year, so I narrowed down the favorites, ranking them according to personal of-the-moment preference, and then tried not to have singles that were also on the album lists (although I could not resist “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” but these were self-imposed rules anyway).
Steely Dan - Gaucho
The Clash - London Calling
Pretenders - Pretenders
Rockpile - Seconds of Pleasure
Prince - Dirty Mind
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Get Happy!!
Billy Joel - Glass Houses
The Jam - Sound Affects
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
AC/DC - Back in Black
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
Bruce Springsteen - The River
Daryl Hall - Sacred Songs
Michael Jackson - Off the Wall
Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
Squeeze - Argybargy
Bobby Bare - Drunk & Crazy
Wreckless Eric - Big Smash!
Warren Zevon - Stand in the Fire
Daryl Hall/John Oates - Voices
XTC - Black Sea
Utopia - Deface the Music
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Paul McCartney - McCartney II
George Jones - I Am What I Am
Huey Lewis and the News - Huey Lewis and the News
Robbie Dupree - “Steal Away”
Rocky Burnette - “Tired of Toein’ the Line”
Phil Lynott - “Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)”
Paul Simon - “Late in the Evening”
Bobby Bare - “Numbers”
The Rolling Stones - “Emotional Rescue”
Genesis - “Turn It on Again”
The Jam - “Going Underground”
AC/DC - “You Shook Me All Night Long”
George Jones - “He Stopped Loving Her Today”
The Clash - “Bankrobber”
Tommy James - “Three Times in Love”
Fred Knoblock - “Why Not Me”
Kenny Loggins - “This Is It”
Led Zeppelin - “Fool in the Rain”
Waylon Jennings - “I Ain’t Living Long Like This”
Pretenders - “Talk of the Town”/”Cuban Slide”
Eddie Rabbit - “Drivin’ My Life Away”
Al Stewart - “Midnight Rocks”
The Vapors - “Turning Japanese”
Kenny Loggins - “I’m Alright”
Eagles - “I Can’t Tell You Why”
Al Stewart - “Midnight Rocks”
Tommy Tutone - “Angel Say No”
Split Enz - “I Got You”
Ambrosia - “You’re the Only Woman”
Felix Cavaliere - “Only a Lonely Heart Sees”
Boz Scaggs - “JoJo”
John Bush
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
Dexys Midnight Runners - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Echo & the Bunnymen - Crocodiles
The Fall - Grotesque (After the Gramme)
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Jon Hassell/Brian Eno - Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics
Paul McCartney - McCartney II
Pylon - Gyrate
Rockpile - Seconds of Pleasure
Steely Dan - Gaucho
XTC - Black Sea
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
Paul McCartney - “Coming Up”
Billy Joel - “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
Dr. Hook - “Sexy Eyes”
Olivia Newton-John - “Magic”
The Clash - “The Magnificent Seven”
Zapp - “More Bounce to the Ounce”
Disco Four - “Move to the Groove”
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - “Freedom”
Funky Four + 1 - “That’s the Joint”
The Romantics - “What I Like About You”
Pete Townshend - “Let My Love Open the Door”
Billy Joel - “Don’t Ask Me Why”
Journey - “Any Way You Want It”
REO Speedwagon - “Keep on Loving You”
The Beach Boys - “Endless Harmony”
Billy Joel - “You May Be Right”
Christopher Cross - “Ride Like the Wind”
John Denver - “Autograph”
Diana Ross - “Upside Down”
The Treacherous Three - “The Body Rock”
The Sequence & Spoonie Gee - “Monster Jam”
Christopher Cross - “Sailing”
Heather Phares
Buggles - The Age of Plastic
The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
Devo - Freedom of Choice
Echo & the Bunnymen - Crocodiles
The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
The Fall - Grotesque (After the Gramme)
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Danny Elfman - Forbidden Zone
Daryl Hall/John Oates - Voices
The Jam - Sound Affects
Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette
Joy Division - Closer
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Pretenders - Pretenders
Pylon - Gyrate
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
X - Los Angeles
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
AC/DC - “You Shook Me All Night Long”
Blondie - “Call Me”
Kurtis Blow - “The Breaks (Part 1)”
Christopher Cross - “Ride Like the Wind”
Devo - “Whip It”
The Flying Lizards - “Money”
Peter Gabriel - “Games Without Frontiers”
Michael Jackson - “Rock with You”
Grace Jones - “Warm Leatherette”
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - “(Just Like) Starting Over”
Olivia Newton-John - “Magic”
Pointer Sisters - “He’s So Shy”
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - “Don’t Do Me Like That”
Kenny Rogers - “Lady”
The Rolling Stones - “Emotional Rescue”
Diana Ross - “Upside Down”
Pete Townshend - “Let My Love Open the Door”
Vapors - “Turning Japanese”
Yellow Magic Orchestra - “Computer Game/Firecracker” [audio:]
Zapp - “More Bounce to the Ounce”
Tim Sendra
The first ten are albums I simply wore out in 1980, the second ten are albums that didn’t quite make it to small town Michigan that year but have become real favorites. In fact, I only just discovered how awesome the Brothers Johnson are about a month ago thanks to an Iowa City thrift shop find. The ten songs all sound as good today as they did 29 years ago.
Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
The B-52’s - Wild Planet
The Clash - Sandinista!
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Get Happy!!
Def Leppard - On Through the Night
The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
The Jam - Sound Affects
Prince - Dirty Mind
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity
The Specials - More Specials
The Brothers Johnson - Light Up the Night
Dexys Midnight Runners - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Vic Godard & Subway Sect - What’s the Matter Boy?
Lio - Premier Album
Freddie McGregor - Bobby Bobylon
The Revillos - Rev Up
Phil Seymour - Phil Seymour
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
The Wipers - Is This Real?
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
The Babys - “Turn and Walk Away”
Echo & the Bunnymen - “Do It Clean”
The Gap Band - “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”
The J. Geils Band - “Love Stinks”
Joy Division - “Love Will Tear Us Apart”
Prince - “Uptown”
The Selector - “Too Much Pressure”
Bunny Wailer - “Dancing Shoes”
XTC - “Respectable Street”
Zapp - “More Bounce to the Ounce”
Jonathan Ball
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra - Xanadu
Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
Roxy Music - Flesh + Blood
The Clash - Sandinista!
Squeeze - Argybargy
AC/DC - Back in Black
Judas Priest - British Steel
Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra - “Xanadu”
Johnny Lee - “Lookin’ for Love”
Blondie - “Call Me”
Pink Floyd - “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2″
Joy Division - “Isolation”
Willie Nelson - “On the Road Again”
Eddie Rabbitt - “I Love a Rainy Night”
Ronnie Milsap - “Smoky Mountain Rain”
Air Supply - “All Out of Love”
Christopher Cross - “Ride Like the Wind”
Cliff Richard - “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
Santana - “You Know That I Love You”
Diana Ross - “Upside Down”
Gary Numan - “Cars”
Split Enz - “I Got You”
Led Zeppelin - “Fool in the Rain”
Pat Benatar - “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”
Paul Simon - “Late in the Evening”
Billy Joel - “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”
Dave Dudley - “Rolaids, Doan’s Pills and Preparation H”
Matt Collar
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
The Clash - London Calling
The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
Echo & the Bunnymen - Crocodiles
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Rupert Holmes - Adventure
The Jam - Sound Affects
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Billy Joel - Glass Houses
Joy Division - Closer
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Rockpile - Seconds of Pleasure
Diana Ross - Diana
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
Air Supply - “All Out of Love”
Ambrosia - “Biggest Part of Me”
George Benson - “Give Me the Night”
The Boomtown Rats - “I Don’t Like Mondays”
Buggles - “Video Killed the Radio Star”
Robbie Dupree - “Steal Away”
Dan Fogelberg - “Longer”
David Gates - “Where Does the Lovin’ Go”
Rupert Holmes - “Him”
Al Jarreau - “This Time”
Kool & the Gang - “Celebrate!”
Lipps, Inc. - “Funkytown”
Chuck Mangione - “Give It All You Got”
The Police - “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
Iggy Pop - “Dog Food”
Diana Ross - “I’m Coming Out”
Boz Scaggs - “JoJo”
Sister Sledge - “Got to Love Somebody”
The Vapors - “Turning Japanese”
Pete Townshend - “Let My Love Open the Door”
David Jeffries
AC/DC - Back in Black
Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla
Dennis “Blackbeard” Bovell - I Wah Dub
The Fall - Grotesque (After the Gramme)
General Echo - 12″ of Pleasure
Jezzreel - Great Jah Jah
Linton Kwesi Johnson - LKJ in Dub
Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette
Joy Division - Closer
Judas Priest - British Steel
Killing Joke - Killing Joke
Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap
Bob Marley & the Wailers - Uprising
Freddie McGregor - Bobby Bobylon
Johnny Osbourne - Truths and Rights
Robert Palmer - Clues
Yukihiro Takahashi - Murdered by the Music
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
UB40 - Signing Off
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
Andy Kellman
The Associates - The Affectionate Punch
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Doc at the Radar Station
The Comsat Angels - Waiting for a Miracle
The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
The Durutti Column - Return of the Durutti Column
John Foxx - Metamatic
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Joy Division - Closer
Chaka Khan - Naughty
Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap
Colin Newman - A-Z
Prince - Dirty Mind
Diana Ross - Diana
Simple Minds - Empires and Dance
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope
The Sound - Jeopardy
Steely Dan - Gaucho
Bernard Szajner - Some Deaths Take Forever
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Alan Vega/Martin Rev - Suicide
Atlantic Starr - “When Love Calls”
George Benson - “Give Me the Night”
The Brides of Funkenstein - “Never Buy Texas from a Cowboy”
The Brothers Johnson - “Stomp!”
A Certain Ratio - “Flight”
Delta 5 - “Mind Your Own Business”
The English Beat - “Mirror in the Bathroom”
Herbie Hancock - “Stars in Your Eyes”
Rick James - “Big Time”
Grace Jones - “Private Life”
Loose Joints - “Is It All Over My Face?”
Teena Marie - “I Need Your Lovin’”
The Pop Group - “Where There’s a Will”
Robert Rental - “Double Heart”
Shalamar - “Right in the Socket”
The S.O.S. Band - “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”
Was (Not Was) - “Wheel Me Out”
Robert Wyatt - “At Last I Am Free”
Yarbrough & Peoples - “Don’t Stop the Music”
Young & Company - “I Like What You’re Doing to Me”
Uncle Dave Lewis
There was an enormous amount of crap coming out of the mainstream in 1980; power ballads, fake new wave, commercial jazz and the groaning, screeching halt to disco. As a dedicated, Artpunky undergrounder myself, I was amazed at the sheer volume of great, edgy, groundbreaking music that came out in 1980 that didn’t seem to be getting into very many hands. What 1980 was really about was the true emergence of industrial electronics and the apogee of ’70s weird quirky artpunk, and Double Fantasy — an album I was slow to warm to, but is of primary importance in retrospect. Below are the albums that rocked my world that year; they were massively influential and important, but many remain largely unknown and controversial — some don’t even know positive critical attention. Within two years, nearly all of these acts would be either gone, off the radar or changed for good; 1980 was great, but it couldn’t last.
Cabaret Voltaire - The Voice of America
Cristina - Cristina
DAF - Die Kleinen und die Bösen
The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
Fad Gadget - Fireside Favorites
The Fall - Grotesque (After the Gramme)
Glaxo Babies - Nine Months to the Disco
Half Japanese - 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts
Joy Division - Closer
Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Off the Coast of Me
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
MX-80 Sound - Out of the Tunnel
New Musik - From A to B (Straight Lines)
Colin Newman - A-Z
Pere Ubu - The Art of Walking
The Pop Group - For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?
Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition
Pylon - Gyrate
The Residents - The Residents Commercial Album
Skafish - Skafish
The Specials - More Specials
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
Jason Lymangrover
Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
The B-52’s - Wild Planet
Circle Jerks - Group Sex
The Clash - Sandinista!
The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
Devo - Freedom of Choice
The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
Joy Division - Closer
Judas Priest - British Steel
Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
Pretenders - Pretenders
Siouxie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope
Alan Vega/Martin Rev - Suicide
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Wipers - Is This Real?
X - Los Angeles
Dead Kennedys - “Kill the Poor”
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - “The Imposter”
Peter Gabriel - “Games Without Frontiers”
The Psychedelic Furs - “Sister Europe”
Genesis - “Turn It On”
Grace Jones - “Warm Leatherette”
The Jacksons - “Can You Feel It”
The Jam - “That’s Entertainment”
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - “Kiss Kiss Kiss”
Loverboy - “Turn Me Loose”
Motorhead - “Ace of Spades”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - “Enola Gay”
The Police - “Canary in a Coalmine”
Queen - “Another One Bites the Dust”
Ramones - “I Can’t Make It on Time”
U2 - “I Will Follow”
The Vapors - “Turning Japanese”
Stevie Wonder - “Lately”
XTC - “Generals and Majors”
Bob Marley - “Coming in from the Cold”
J. Scott McClintock
XTC - Black Sea
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Original Soundtrack - Xanadu
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
Gary Numan - Telekon
The Vapors - New Clear Days
Diesel - Watts in a Tank
Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Kurtis Blow - Kurtis Blow
The Blues Brothers - The Blues Brothers (Original Soundtrack)
The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us
The Damned - The Black Album
The English Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It
The Jam - Sound Affects
Killing Joke - Killing Joke
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Pretenders - Pretenders
Devo - “Girl U Want”
Ultravox - “Vienna”
The Teardrop Explodes - “Sleeping Gas”
The Rolling Stones - “Emotional Rescue”
Motörhead - “Ace of Spades”
Paul McCartney - “Coming Up”
Madness - “Baggy Trousers”
Neil Diamond - “America”
Barnes & Barnes - “Fish Heads”
Blondie - “Rapture”
Kim Carnes - “More Love”
The Jim Carroll Band - “People Who Died”
The Cure - “Killing an Arab”
Robbie Dupree - “Steal Away”
Echo & the Bunnymen - “Do It Clean”
The J. Geils Band - “Love Stinks”
Daryl Hall/John Oates - “You Make My Dreams”
The Jacksons - “Can You Feel It”
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - “(Just Like) Starting Over”
Loverboy - “Turn Me Loose”
James Christopher Monger
Original Soundtrack - Popeye
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
Rush - Permanent Waves
XTC - Black Sea
The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro
Nic Jones - Penguin Eggs
Judas Priest - British Steel
AC/DC - Back in Black
Adam and the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Queen - The Game
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
The Damned - The Black Album
Devo - Freedom of Choice
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
Ramones - End of the Century
Original Score - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Motörhead - “Ace of Spades”
Killing Joke - “Requiem”
Ultravox - “Vienna”
The Jim Carroll Band - “People Who Died”
Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra - “Xanadu”
Buggles - “Video Killed the Radio Star”
Steely Dan - “Hey Nineteen”
Split Enz - “I Got You”
Gordon Lightfoot - “Ghosts of Cape Horn”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - “Enola Gay”
The Clash - “London Calling”
Pink Floyd - “Comfortably Numb”
Daryl Hall/John Oates - “You Make My Dreams”
The Alan Parsons Project - “Time”
Talking Heads - “Once in a Lifetime”
Rockpile - “Teacher Teacher”
Warren Zevon - “Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School”
Donnie Iris - “Ah! Leah!”
Dexys Midnight Runners - “Geno”
Van Halen - “Everybody Wants Some!!”
Sean Westergaard
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Doc at the Radar Station
The Jim Carroll Band - Catholic Boy
The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
Defunkt - Defunkt
Devo - Freedom of Choice
Robert Fripp - God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners
Ronald Shannon Jackson & the Decoding Society - Eye on You
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Robert Palmer - Clues
Pretenders - Pretenders
The Psychedelic Furs - The Psychedelic Furs
Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition
The Specials - More Specials
Sun Ra - Strange Celestial Road
The Residents - Commercial Album
Snakefinger - Greener Postures
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
X - Los Angeles
XTC - Black Sea
Although some songs and albums in these lists are technically 1979 releases, they peaked in the U.S. in 1980.
Previously
AllMusic Loves 1968
AllMusic Loves 1974
AllMusic Loves 1977
AllMusic Loves 1984
AllMusic Loves 1987
AllMusic Loves 1988
AllMusic Loves 1993
AllMusic Loves 1999
Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell
Rush - Permanent Waves
MORE MORE MORE!!!
SWELL MAPS - JANE FROM OCCUPIED EUROPE!
Television Personalities - And Don’t the Kids Just Love It
Split Enz - True Colors
The Times - Go! With the Times
Throbbing Gristle - Heathen Earth
The Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party - The Birthday Party
Josef K - Sorry for Laughing [Not Released, but…]
The Fire Engines - Lubricate Your Living Room
The Only Ones - Baby’s Got a Gun
The Decline of Western Civilization (Soundtrack)
Nurse With Wound - Merzbild Schwet
Chrome - Red Exposure
Minus the Decline soundtrack. Add it the best of ‘81 list.
Ah, yes. 1980. The year of Great Soundtracks from Not-so-great Movies.
Fame (Irene Cara’s great “Fame” and beautiful “Out Here on My Own”)
Xanadu (ONJ’s chart-topping “Magic”, ELO’s “I’m Alive” and “All Over the World”, their teaming up on the title track, ONJ & Cliff Richard’s gorgeous “Suddenly”)
Urban Cowboy (Johnny Lee’s “Looking for Love”, Mickey Gilley’s cover of “Stand by Me”, Kenny Rogers’ “Love the World Away”, Boz Scaggs’ gorgeous “Look What You’ve Done to Me”, plus a host of country/pop crossover acts)
American Gigolo (Blondie’s “Call Me”, James Last’s cover of the Moroder composition “The Seduction”, Cheryl Barnes’ smoking “Love and Passion”)
Roadie (Eddie Rabbitt’s “Drivin’ My Life Away”, Pat Benatar’s “You Better Run”, Roy Orbison & Emmylou Harris’s “That Lovin’ You Feeling Again”, Blondie’s take on “Ring of Fire”)
While all the above movies have varying degrees of merit in terms of film, the soundtracks to all were generally much better than the films themselves.
I kept a personal chart back in 1980 and limiting myself only to songs that made their initial appearance on that chart IN 1980 (chart cut-off date 11/28/80), my Top 50 hits of 1980 are
01. Call Me (Blondie)
02. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt 2 (Pink Floyd)
03. Upside Down (Diana Ross)
04. Magic (Olivia Newton-John)
05. Funkytown (Lipps, Inc.)
06. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
07. Woman in Love (Barbra Streisand)
08. Another One Bites the Dust (Queen)
09. Lady (Kenny Rogers)
10. Coming Up (Paul McCartney)
11. Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones)
12. It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me (Billy Joel)
13. Desire (Andy Gibb)
14. Take Your Time (Do It Right) (SOS Band)
15. Sailing (Christopher Cross)
16. Ride Like the Wind (Christopher Cross)
17. Workin’ My Way Back to You/Forgive Me Girl (Spinners)
18. Little Jeannie (Elton John)
19. The Rose (Bette Midler)
20. Cupid/I’ve Loved You for a Long Time (Spinners)
21. He’s So Shy (Pointer Sisters)
22. Longer (Dan Fogelberg)
23. All Out of Love (Air Supply)
24. With You, I’m Born Again (Billy Preston & Syreeta)
25. Lost in Love (Air Supply)
26. Give Me the Night (George Benson)
27. Fame (Irene Cara)
28. The Wanderer (Donna Summer)
29. Shining Star (Manhattans)
30. Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer (Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes)
31. The Biggest Part of Me (Ambrosia)
32. Never Knew Love Like This Before (Stephanie Mills)
33. Brass in Pocket (I’m Special) (Pretenders)
34. Cars (Gary Numan)
35. Too Hot (Kool & the Gang)
36. Lookin’ for Love (Johnny Lee)
37. I’m Coming Out (Diana Ross)
38. Special Lady (Ray, Goodman & Brown)
39. Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John & ELO)
40. Off the Wall (Michael Jackson)
41. Second Time Around (Shalamar)
42. Drivin’ My Life Away (Eddie Rabbitt)
43. I Can’t Tell You Why (Eagles)
44. Let’s Get Serious (Jermaine Jackson)
45. More Love (Kim Carnes)
46. Real Love (Doobie Brothers)
47. I’m Alright (Kenny Loggins)
48. Hurt So Bad (Linda Ronstadt)
49. Steal Away (Robbie Dupree)
50. Against the Wind (Bob Seger)
(To put this in a measure of perspective, “Against the Wind” was actually my #72 song for the whole of the 1980 chart year which ran from 11/2/79 to 11/28/80. The 22 songs not listed were all holdovers from the 1979 calendar year, a number of the songs actually peaked on my chart before 1/4/80.)
You covered my album picks (Clash, T Heads, Elvis Costello, Police, English Beat, Rockpile, Pete Townshend, among others) but here are two more great songs from 1980: “Echo Beach” by Martha & the Muffins and “She’s So Cold” by the Rolling Stones.
The most under-rated album of the year by the most under-rated rocker of all time:
“Willie Nile” Willie Nile
How could you completely overlook “Making Movies” by Dire Straits? Did you all come to the mutual agreement that it was merely a “good” album?
1980 was a transitional year for music as the industry moved away from late-70’s album oriented rock toward an unknown future that was to include the era-defining introduction of MTV in about a year. The result was a tentative and somewhat experimental period for musicians as synthesizer-based new wave was en vogue and hard rock/ heavy metal ruled the parking lot. As musicians experimented, the music industry played it safe with the release of mainstream FM-friendly soft rock ballads and movie soundtracks.
J. Scott McClintock comes through once again with the boldest proclamation of the Editor’s Picks for 1980 with his selection of Neil Diamond’s single “America”!
AC/DC – Back in Black
Airplay – Airplay
George Benson – Give Me The Night
Def Leppard – On Through the Night
Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer
Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel (Melt)
Genesis – Duke
Michael Jackson – Off the Wall
Al Jarreau – This Time
Billy Joel – Glass Houses
Loverboy – Loverboy
Nielsen/Pearson – Nielsen/Pearson
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Pretenders – Pretenders
Prince – Dirty Mind
Rush - Permanent Waves
Boz Scaggs – Middle Man
Steely Dan – Gaucho
Van Halen – Women and Children First
Stevie Wonder – Hotter Than July
Personal favorites of 1980:
1. U2-Boy
2. TALKING HEADS-Remain in light
3. RESIDENTS-The commercial album
More titles:
ALEX CHILTON-Like flies on sherbet
COCKNEY REJECTS-Greatest hits vol. 1 & 2
DEAD KENNEDYS-Fresh fruit for rotting vegetables
DER PLAN-Geri reig (German wave)
ROKY ERICKSON & THE ALIENS-Roky Erickson & the aliens
FEHLFARBEN-Monarchie und alltag (more German wave)
FISCHER Z.-Going deaf for a living
GIRLSCHOOL-Demolition
GREGORY ISAACS-Showcase
IRON MAIDEN-Iron maiden
JOE JACKSON-Beat crazy
JACKSONS-Triumph
BARRINGTON LEVY-Englishman (Roots reggae)
LYDIA LUNCH-Queen of Siam
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS-Uprising
MOTÖRHEAD-Ace o’ spades (album)
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK-Orchestral manoeuvres in the dark & Organisation
POISON GIRLS-Chappaquiddick Bridge (Wave/Punk on Crass label)
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS-Nobody’s heroes
TELEVISION PERSONALITIES-…And don’t the kids just love it
BOBB TRIMBLE-Iron curtain innocense (very obscure, very cool)
TUXEDOMOON-Half mute
TOM WAITS-Heartattack and vine
STEVIE WONDER-Hotter than july
VARIOUS-Hicks from the sticks
Individual tracks:
ABBA-The winner takes it all
BASEMENT 5-Riot in America (all-black/rasta wave band, produced by Martin Hannett)
BOW WOW WOW-C30, C60, C90 Go!
GLENN BRANCA-Lesson no. 1 for electric guitar
CHANGE-Searching (with early Luther Vandross)
CRAMPS-She said
DE BRASSERS-En toen was er niets meer (Belgian doomsters)
DEPARTMENT S.-Is Vic there ? (Wave)
DICKIES-Gigantor
FLACK OFF-Cocktails at six (hyperventilating U.S. Punk)
GO-GO’s-We got the beat (single version)
GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE-Super rappin’ vol. 2
GRAUZONE-Eisbär (Swiss wave)
JOY DIVISION-Atmosphere
LIL’ MARKIE-Diary of an unborn child (Christian anti-abortion activist, one of the most distasteful songs of all time. But brilliant, of course)
MADNESS-Baggy trousers
QUEEN-Another one bites the dust
SPANDAU BALLET-To cut a long story short
SPLODGENESSABOUNDS-Two pint of Lager and a packet of crisps please
STIFFS-Volume control (Punk, not the same band as Stiff little fingers)
THIS HEAT-Health & efficiency
UNDERTONES-My perfect cousin
RAYMOND VAN HET GROENEWOUD-Je veux de l’ amour (Belgian bard)
VICE SQUAD-Living on dreams (Punk)
VISAGE-Fade to grey
WAY OF THE WEST-Don’t say that’s just for white boys (Wave)
I just realized that Off the Wall came out in 1979. Please disregard that one from my list.
The Undertones - Hypnotised (Love this album. Is it just me, or is this band really underrated?)
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (Perhaps, my favorite Bowie)
The Jam - Sound Affects
Joy Division - Closer
Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Perhaps, my favorite THeads)
Goodness, I was 5 years old for most of 1980 and I remember when these songs were current! That shows these songs stand the test of time. I bet today’s 5-year-olds wouldn’t remember this era’s music 30 years from now!
Hey Teejay & Stuart -
It’s almost more satisfying knowing that those two great albums (’Willie Nile’ and ‘Making Movies’ aren’t listed aside many of the utterly predictable and disposable selections from 1980. Most fans and critics are fixated on the hits which frankly mean nothing to me. That said, here’s my top selections:
Adam & the Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier
Joan Armatrading - Me, Myself, I
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
T-Bone Burnett - Truth Decay
The Bushwackers Band - Dance Album
Elvis Costello - Get Happy
Elvis Costello -Taking Liberties
Dire Straits - Making Movies
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Steve Hackett - Defector
Ian Hunter - Welcome to the Club
Joe Jackson - Beat Crazy
Jethro Tull - A
Tonio K - Amerika
Madness - Absolutely
Willie Nile - Willie Nile
Mike Oldfield - QE2
Graham Parker - The Up Escalator
Piirpauke - Live in der Balver Höhle
The Selector - Too Much Pressure
Snopek - The First Band on the Moon
Specials - More Specials
Steeleye Span - Sails of Silver
Tom Waits - Heartattack and Vine
what about the Dead Kennedys “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables”?
“London Calling” - released in 1979.
Right? >:I
I have all the respect in the world for Stephen Thomas Erlewine, but I wonder if he’s revisited his AMG review of McCartney II lately.
I was a little surprised to see it make his list, based on that review.
how could you exclude THE BIRTHDAY PARTY debut?
or even hardly mentioning SUICIDE ?
Second Edition -PIL
Fresh Fruits for Rotting Vegetables- The Dead Kennedys
Suicide-Suicide
The Birthday Party
Four groundbreaking (no less) albums you lot hardly mentioned
shame on you, GAUCHOS…
Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” was released in 1979, not 1980.
As I have always found top ten lists to be rather inane I’ll keep this short.
Desert island disks ?
Are you solar powered ?
Will your needle get dull ?
The more interesting approach would be to discern which ones your other band members are listening to and why.
The fact that the Comsat Angels - Waiting For A Miracle is even on this list is astounding.
The fact that John Cales - Honi Soit and
the Stranglers - The Gospel According To The Men In Black
where left off is extremely criminal.
I would suggest a mexican firing squad but I don’t see that sense of humor flying here either.
Sorry about the wrong URL grazers.
http://blog.allmusic.com/all/brianbath
Damn I seem to be keyboard and mouse challenged this mourning.
http://cdbaby.com/all/brianbath
The Fall- Grotesque
The Jam- Sound Affects
Joy Division- Closer
Echo and the Bunnymen- Crocodiles
XTC- Black Sea
Rockpile- Seconds of Pleasure
Talking Heads- Remain In Light
The Cure- Seventeen Seconds
David Bowie- Scary Monsters
The Specials- More Specials
My personal top ten of the 1980s would go something like this:
Any Trouble - Where Are All The Nice Girls?
Bruce Springsteen - The River
The Sound - Jeopardy
Joy Division - Closer
Talking Heads - Remain In The Light
The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Organisation
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
The Cure - Seventeen Seconds
The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue
Obviously that ’s’ on 1980 is a typo…
I’m mostly with Andy Kellman here. As for the singles, I think that “Generals and Majors” is too damn good to be mentioned only once
GOOD CALL MINDROCKER! TUXEDOMOON’s “HALF MUTE” SHOULD DEFINITELY BE REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST OF 1980. I DON’T KNOW HOW I MISSED THAT ON MY EARLIER POST. I’LL TAKE T-MOON OVER STEELY DAN ANY DAY! NO FOOLING.
I love how time makes memories fonder. There’s a lot of crap in these lists that people who were around in 1980 (I was 13) would not have been caught dead listening to. Olivia Newton-John? Hall and Oates? Billy Joel (nothing post Stranger by Billy Joel should ever have been released), ABBA, REO Speedwagon, on and on and on… As the rest of the 80’s would prove, 1980 was probably the highlight year of the decade and also probably why looking back on it now it doesn’t seem ’so bad’. But don’t fool yourselves people, Journey still sucks as bad today as they did back then. And no one who claimed to like the Clash and the Jam would have had any interest in the Eagles or Ambrosia - much less tried to put them on the same ‘best of’ lists.
Mark-O,
I agree with you 100%. It seems that many contributors here are more concerned with being all-inclusive than staying true to their own preferences.
Hey Mark-O, you yourself, apart from being a Clash buff also seem to be a kind of an expert on the music of Billy Joel. Tell us some more about that.
I was 9 years old in 1980, and the more mainstream bands like Journey, REO Speedwagon and Van Halen (otherwise known as “crap” according to some so-called reviewers) were what I listened to at the time. It was only later that I discovered “quality” bands like Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division and The Comsat Angels. While those bands have supplanted my childhood favorites, you know what? I still like Journey, REO Speedwagon and Van Halen. If you’re a true music fan, you can find something to like in just about any genre, so why limit yourself? There’s no point in picking a Top 10 or even a Top 50 list for the year 1980. Back then, it was all great.
I disagree with the notion that different types of artists should not be on the same list or that pairing certain artists is a sign of trying to be “all-inclusive”. Particularly given that artists such as The Clash, The Jam, Billy Joel, Van Halen, Oliva Newton-John, Ambrosia, The Eagles portrayed as having significant points of difference are not wildly different. While some of these artists maintained street credibility because they were marketed as rebellious and others who were sold as clean-cut seemed like “sell-outs”, they all sang concise pop songs, charted and were designed to sell albums.
It seems that there are some elitist music listeners who value perceived credibility over a good song or a quality performance. For instance, some may feel that Loverboy’s debut album was pop fluff while others feel that it was an important album in the new wave movement. Neil Diamond has written his share of schmaltz and his image has been anything but underground, but The Jazz Singer is a solid album. Rockpile’s fantastic Seconds of Pleasure is no-doubt popular among musical aristocrats, but it could be assailed as a camp uninventive musical exercise; It probably would be had it been performed by REO Speedwagon.
1980
I agree with these choices which I saw on lists by the AMG staffers:
Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “Get Happy!!”
Devo, “Freedom of Choice”
Dexy’s Midnight Runners, “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”
The English Beat, “I Just Can’s Stop It”
Peter Gabriel, “Peter Gabriel”
The Jam, “Sound Affects”
Joy Division, “Closer”
Judas Priest, “British Steel”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, “Double Fantasy”
The Pretenders, “The Pretenders”
Prince, “Dirty Mind”
Talking Heads, “Remain in Light”
Pete Townshend, “Empty Glass”
If they mentioned these I missed it, but I would add these personal favorites. Country and folk music so often gets overlooked on these lists.
Pat Benetar, “Crimes of Passion”
The Brains, “The Brains”
The Cramps, “Songs the Lord Taught Us”
The Cure, “Boys Don’t Cry”
The Feelies, “Crazy Rhythms”
The J. Geils Band, “Love Stinks”
Merle Haggard, “Back to the Barrooms”
Hall and Oates, “Voices”
Emmylou Harris, “Roses in the Snow”
George Jones, “I Am What I Am”
Barrington Levy, “Englishman”
Bob Marley, “Uprising”
The Psychedelic Furs, “The Psychedelic Furs”
The Raincoats, “The Raincoats”
Tony Rice, “Mar West”
The Selecter, “Too Much Pressure”
U2, “Boy”
Van Halen, “Women and Children First”
X, “Los Angeles”
Released ten days before Christmas 1979, the Clash’s “London Calling” didn’t leave my turntable for months starting in early 1980…I’ll always associate it with that year. Only The Pretenders’ amazing self-titled debut rivaled it.
It all depends on your situation. I finally landed a part-time radio job in 1980 after a lot of rejection. When I got to host the station’s only rock program once or twice a week, even 1980’s flawed albums sounded great in little pieces: Rockpile, the Kingbees, Joe “King” Carrasco & the Crowns, Teardrop Explodes, Specials. ‘Cause we picked our own songs, and they were on the radio!
Without that little station and all those promo singles laying around, I probably never would have heard Prince’s “Dirty Mind” until much later. I recall two 45s from “DM,” which led me to buy that one-of-a kind album. Fabulous.
Also way up there:
* Emmylou Harris–Roses In the Snow
* Stevie Wonder–Hotter Than July: An incredible array of songs, instruments and vocal styles (going from the top of his range to country-like crooning) crammed into one record.
* The Jam–Sound Affects
* Peter Gabriel (third album): A great antidote to current, lame DJs and their “here’s Phil Collins and Genesis!”
* Pete Townshend–Empty Glass
* T Bone Burnett–Truth Decay
* Bruce Springsteen–The River
* Dire Straits–Making Movies: Their first two sounded so sleepy to me, but not this one.
* Squeeze–Argybargy
* John Lennon & Yoko Ono–Double Fantasy: Some of John’s best work; I get teary thinking about hearing the awful news of Dec. 8. Even if you don’t dig Yoko, the crap still directed at her is unfair. A Philly public station had listeners vote for their fave albums (500? 1,000?) a few years ago, and this was listed under John’s name only. I’m surprised they didn’t re-title it “Single Fantasy.”
* If you gotta play McCartney’s “Coming Up” (I do), make sure it’s the live version.
I can’t believe that one of the crappiest singles ever released - “Steal Away” by Robbie Dupree - which is a direct rip-off of “Minute by Minute” by The Doobie Brothers, was considered among anybody’s top singles of 1980…..Good God, that thing had flies swarming around it when it “came out.”
A two-part reply here…
First, to Ben Tulach…The Dead Kennedys, “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables”…file that one under “I’m sure that (insert AMG editor here) will put that on his/her list, so I can leave it off of mine to make room for something a little more off-the-radar.” A glaring omission indeed.
Second, to Warren Mason…Neil’s “America” evoked a Raiders of the Lost Ark vibe in me. I had a one-handled jump rope for a whip and a too-big fedora, and I’d pretend that my bed was the front of a German troop transport - for some reason, “America” was always the preferred soundtrack for this. My guess is that it was the cinematic sound of the “dee-dah-dee-do / dee-dah-dee-do” motif that triggered the Harrison Ford role playing.
BTW - My 12″ Indiana Jones action figure is going for $180+ on E-Bay these days.
To J. Scott McClintock
when I saw the “loves 1980″ that’s the first album I thought of really… it’s one of my all time favorite records and it pained me to great length to see its omission… I’ve grown indifferent to allmusic.com over the last few years… when I first discovered this website at the end of the 90s, I was incredibly impressed by its design and its absolutely fantastic ratings… i don’t know if you re-call but Tool’s AEnima used to be a FIVE-STAR album… i’ve discovered so much great jazz music (from Phineas Newborn to Anthony Braxton) from reviews on this site, I used to talk about how AMG’s rating were like the album bible… however, as of late, they seems to be losing their focus, they write stunning reviews for artists like John Zorn & many lesser known acts, however, when it comes to lists they always seem to come down with amnesia to these artists… anyway, if you haven’t, check out rateyourmusic.com (it’s an online community of music nerds who rate albums hence the web address), I’ve found some amazing records that AMG rates 3-stars or whatever… oh yeah, thanks for the reply! :)
I agree very much with most of the selections, but I’m amazed that ‘Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables’ and ‘Ace of Spades’ (the album) didn’t make anyone’s list, and also somewhat surprised that Abba’s ‘Supertrouper’ isn’t there either (it may not be the coolest thing, but it’s catchy as hell and you couldn’t get away from it - all the mums were playing it!).
Also good to see ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ soundtrack make an appearance. Not an obvious choice, but about as good as orchestral movie soundtracks get.
“Fresh Fruit” was considered, having seen the DKs live twice in 1980 was the final consideration; always loved ‘em live better than on any record. “Half Mute” is a good call, but difficult to include as it never appeared verbatim on CD; only in a modified form. It was hard enough to track down MX-80’s “Out of the Tunnel,” never CDed.
As to the use of the word “crap” in reference to the mainstream in ‘80, it’s a personal thing: it was hard to feel much enthusiasm about arena rock when you’re living in Cincinnati and witness 11 of your peers get crushed to death at the Who concert. That was a turning point; Lennon’s assassination was another. The choices were not elitist — 1980 was a difficult time, and serious listeners tend to make serious choices, especially when one lived through the year and wants to make a statement about such experiences.
The Undertones - Hypnotised and The Jam - Sound Affects are my personal favorites.
Seriously though, someone should petition AMG to give the Undertones debut a 5/5. Few albums deserve it more.
Some very good records are listed from 80.
Here are a few more forgotten greats:
The Bus Boys: “Minimum Wage Rock And Roll”
Joan Armatrading: “Me, Myself And I”
Yellow Magic Orchestra: “Multiples”
Black Uhuru: “Sinsemilla”
Minnie Riperton: “Love Lives Forever”
Quincy Jones: “The Dude”
Fela Kuti: “I.T.T.”
The Jacksons: “Triumph”
You can get the release date of albums right here, on this site (AMG). I usually check on a few things before I write but still wind up putting my foot in my mouth.
as an old 80’s headbanger, this list has made me realize again what a watershed year 1980 was for metal. The excesses of the 70’s were fading and the next wave was coming up
Just some great metal/hard rock/progressive rock albums released in that year
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Oz
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
AC/DC - Back In Black
Rush - Moving Pictures
Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
Judas Priest - British Steel
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
and AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (although from a few years earlier) was given a big push and solidified Bon Scott as a great loss
the New wave of British Heavy Metal was in full swing (like Saxon, Def Leppard, ect), and while hard rock wasn’t having a great time as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper and Kiss were falling apart and Van Halen only put out a good album, the thrash, speed and extreme metal scene was clawing its way to light, and in all the great classic early 80’s pre-poodle rock metal boom was about to begin
I remember buying three cassette tapes at once in 1980:
‘Empty Glass’ by Pete Townshend
‘Duke’ by Genesis and
‘Freeze Frame’ by J. Geils
All three probably more influenced by MTV than radio at the time. Got into XTC too and found a ‘Black Sea’ import on vinyl with the green paper bag sleeve. Made a 14-year-old outcast feel so much more cooler. Buzzcocks and Mats were yet to come.
I dropped ‘McCartney II’ faster than a hot potato. Redefined my definition of unlistenable.
Oh, and the Pretenders and Kinks ‘One for the Road’ on 8-track. (!)
I was 12; know what I’m saying.
Some of this stuff I loved when I was 12, some I loved a few years later when as a teenager I was really getting into music, and some of it I didn’t even discover until a few years ago.
I’m including all of it, even the stuff that would have appalled me in 1980.
Rush - “The Spirit of Radio”
Scorpions - Animal Magnetism, esp. “Make it Real”
Prince - Dirty Mind, esp. “When You Were Mine”
Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
David Bowie - Scary Monsters, esp. “Ashes to Ashes”
AC/DC - Back in Black
Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles
The Fall - Grotesque
Devo - Freedom of Choice
The Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
X - Los Angeles
The Beat - I Just Can’t Stop It, esp. “Best Friend”
Van Halen - “Everybody Wants Some!!”
The Clash - London Calling
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
Madness - Absolutely, esp. “Embarrassment”
Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box
Your lists have reminded me of several that I should check out: Magazine’s The Correct Use of Soap, A Certain Ratio, The Pop Group, etc. Thanks to everyone for sharing.
And a big LOL to the phrase “Yacht Rock”. That phrase says enough.
What a coincidence… I was just walking along a sidewalk beside a cafe with an outdoor seating area. Their mood music was “Mystery Achievement” by Pretenders.
1980.
Blondie - AutoAmerican
Bruce Springsteen - the River
Dire Straits - Making Movies
the Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
Genesis - Duke
Jackson Browne - Hold Out
the Jam - Sound Affects
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Bad Reputation
Joy Division - Closer
Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
Peter Gabriel - “Melt”
Philip Lynott - Solo in Soho
Pretenders - Pretenders
Queen - the Game
Ramones - End of the Century
Rush - Permanent Waves
the Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
Stevie Wonder - Hotter Than July
Talking Heads - Remain in Light
Television Personalities - And Don’t the Kids Just Love It…
Tom Waits - Heartattack and Vine
U2 - Boy
Van Morrison - Common One
XTC - Black Sea
Yes - Drama
How about Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” for a late - and disturbingly overlooked - ‘79 entry and what about “One For The Road” by The Kinks as a great live album?
My favourites…
The Clash - Sandinista!
The Jam - Sound Affects
Joy Division - Closer
Bauhaus - In The Flat Field
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
AC/DC - Back In Black
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
I was eleven years old, so intrigued by Gary Numan’s “Cars” that went to see his show (my first concert). Blown away! Been a Numanoid ever since. A good year indeed…
Here’s a Top 50 for 1980:
1. Joy Division, “Closer”
2. Talking Heads, “Remain in Light”
3. X, “Los Angeles”
4. The Jam, “Sound Affects”
5. The Feelies, “Crazy Rhythms”
6. Prince, “Dirty Mind”
7. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “Get Happy!!”
8. The Pretenders, “The Pretenders”
9. Pete Townshend, “Empty Glass”
10. Dead Kennedys, “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables”
11. Peter Gabriel, “Peter Gabriel”
12. The Police, “Zenyatta Mondatta”
13. The Cure, “Seveteen Seconds”
14. Bob Marley, “Uprising”
15. Echo & The Bunnymen, “Crocodiles”
16. David Bowie, “Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)”
17. The Psychedelic Furs, “The Psychedelic Furs”
18. The Beat, “I Just Can’s Stop It”
19. Stevie Wonder, “Hotter Than July”
20. Warren Zevon, “Stand in the Fire”
21. U2, “Boy”
22. Bauhaus, “In the Flat Field”
23. The Teardrop Explodes “Kilimanjaro”
24. Tom Waits, “Heart Attack and Vine”
25. Siouxsie & The Bashees, “Kaleidoscope”
26. Japan, “Gentlemen Take Polaroids”
27. The Jacksons, “Triumph”
28. Joan Jett, “Joan Jett”
29. Squeeze, “Argybargy”
30. Joni Mitchell, “Shadows and Light”
31. The Clash, “Sandanista!”
32. Steely Dan, “Gaucho”
33. Kate Bush, “Never For Ever”
34. XTC, “Black Sea”
35. Gary Numan, “Telekon”
36. Circle Jerks, “Group Sex”
37. The Specials, “More Specials”
38. Devo, “Freedom of Choice”
39. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, “Double Fantasy”
40. Bruce Springsteen, “The River”
41. Adam and the Ants, “Kings of the Wild Frontier”
42. Dexy’s Midnight Runners, “Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”
43. AC/DC “Back in Black”
44. The Rolling Stones, “Emotional Rescue”
45. Ramones, “End of the Century”
46. Diana Ross, “Diana”
47. Paul McCartney, “McCartney II”
48. Billy Joel, “Glass Houses”
49. Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb, “Guilty”
50. Christopher Cross, “Christopher Cross”
Of course, in 1980, I was 5/6 yrs old, and I think may favorite song was “Copa Cobana” by Barry Manilow.
Kudo’s to whoever mentioned the Willie Nile Debut & Undertones 2nd Release.
My favourites for that year were probably London Calling, The River & Gabriel’s 3rd (which probably remains his best).
There was some pretty good powerpop coming out of the UK in 1980.
Check out Evening Standards by The Jags..a little patchy but there is some great stuff to be heard.
some forgotten treasures yet seemingly forgotten…
Blue Oyster Cult : “Cultosaurus Erectus”
Caravan : “The Album”
Dave Davies : “Dave Davies”
Gentle Giant : “Civilian”
Jack Green : “Humanesque”
Heart : “Bebe Le Strange”
Manfred Mann : “Chance”
Graham Nash : “Earth & Sky”
Nektar : “Man In The Moon” (best album of the year as far as I’m concerned !)
Alan Parsons Project : “The Turn Of A Friendly Card” (second best !)
Pretty Things : “Cross Talk”
Mike Rutherford : “Smallcreep’s Day”
Utopia : “Adventures In Utopia” & “Deface The Music”
Neil Young : “Hawks And Doves”
I’m glad someone in the reader comments mentioned it, and it’s a shame none of the AMG guys didn’t:
For heavy metal, 1980 was a landmark year. Not only did 1980 have “British Steel,” “Ace of Spades,” “Blizzard of Oz,” “Heaven and Hell,” and “Back in Black” among other classics, but it was also the year that saw the peak of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal! Although only Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and to a lesser extent Saxon and Venom had lasting careers, the influence of many of these bands reached through the underground and spawned so many bands. Metallica never would have existed if Lars Ulrich had never heard Diamond Head’s “Lightning to the Nations.”
Also worth mentioning is that although most of the NWOBHM bands did not last, some of those musicians did go on to bigger and better things. The glam-influenced Girl provided Def Leppard with guitarist Phil Collen and LA Guns with singer Phil Lewis. Sweet Savage guitarist Vivian Campbell went on to play on Dio’s seminal early albums, toured with Whitesnake, then ended up later with Def Leppard. Speaking of Whitesnake, John Sykes from Tygers of Tan Tang also played with Thin Lizzy in that bands later years before going on to join Whitesnake during their commercial peak.
1980 was a great year. of course i am bias i was 16 that year and had fallen madly in love with rock music. every list invoked a memory. the clash, joy division, steely dan, david bowie. so pleased to see magazine’s correct use of soap mentioned a couple of times, a truly brillant and underrated album. as for listing records of artist who were at odds with each other commerically. cool vs uncool is so sad and wrong. as a unbearably hip teenager who only shopped at wax trax’s records in chicago i look back at some of the “uncool” music listed and thank god i have gotten over that and can listen without prejudice.
i learned an excellent lesson in 1980 from my friend steve who was 10 years older than i. he said as much as you love the music of your youth never stop listening. great music is always being made. so do not get stuck in time continue to search for its because its out there waiting to be discovered.
Glad Devo, the Psychedelic Furs and Gary Numan were on some lists. I didn’t see the Numan song ‘I Die You Die’. One of my new wave favs, and apparently it impressed Stephen Merritt (Magnetic Fields) enough to do a remake.
Well 1980 certainly sounds better in retrospect after reading these various lists. Without looking, it’s hard to remember exactly when a certain song/album came out. It says something though when my two strongest musical memories of that year were the Devo album and ‘Xanadu.’ A lot of the new wave stuff like Elvis Costello made a strong initial impression then faded pretty quickly. Even with disco fading, rock wasn’t a strong enough presence again yet… and we still had to go through that awful ‘hair band’ period. Seriously, has anyone gone back and listened to a lot of that lately? Most of it is unbelievably cheesy. So while there were a few high points here and there, 1980 wasn’t really too great, and it kicked off the worst decade for popular music since rock & roll began, in my opinion.
FINALLY ‘McCartney II’ gets the props it deserves. Some of my favourites from the year (the AMG staff picked quiet a few of these!), which I didn’t realize had so many truly great albums:
Adam and the Ants - ‘Kings of the Wild Frontier’
Bauhaus - ‘In the Flat Field’
The Cars - ‘Panorama’
Lizzy Mercier Descloux - ‘Mambo Nassau’
Echo & the Bunnymen - ‘Crocodiles’
Fad Gadget - ‘Fireside Favourites’
The Fall - ‘Grotesque (After the Gramme)’
The Feelies - ‘Crazy Rhythms’
Peter Gabriel - ‘Peter Gabriel’ (Melt)
Japan - ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’
Joy Division - ‘Closer’
Killing Joke - ‘Killing Joke’
Martha & the Muffins - ‘Metro Music’
Paul McCartney - ‘McCartney II’
Pretenders - ‘Pretenders’
The Psychedelic Furs - ‘The Psychedelic Furs’
Pylon - ‘Gyrate’
The Residents - ‘The Commercial Album’
Siouxsie & the Banshees - ‘Kaleidoscope’
Snakefinger - ‘Greener Postures’
The Soft Boys - ‘Underwater Moonlight’
Talking Heads - ‘Remain in Light’
The Teardrop Explodes - ‘Kilimanjaro’
Pete Townshend - ‘Empty Glass’
U2 - ‘Boy’
X - ‘Los Angeles’
Yello - ‘Solid Pleasure’
I’m glad Blondie’s AutoAmerican album was mentioned. It’s certainly not as strong as their debut or Parallel Lines, but it has some memorable songs nevertheless, like “Rapture.” I like “T-Birds” a lot too.
ok, as I did a little more research my memory is a little fuzzy - I always thought Rush - Moving Pictures came out in 1980, and Permanent Waves came out in 1979 - but it seems I was wrong as Pictures was 1981, and Waves was 1980.
But it still doesn’t change the overall picture, as if Moving Pictures is (arguably) Rush’s best, or at least most known/popular album, Permanent Waves, led by Spirit Of Radio and Free Will, is number 2
1.) Rush - Permanent Waves
2.) U2 - Boy
3.) The Teardrop Explodes - Kilimanjaro
4.) Ultravox - Vienna
5.) Talking Heads - Remain In Light
6.) Roxy Music - Flesh & Blood
7.) The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
8.) Joy Division - Closer
9.) Gary Numan - Telekon
10.) The Psychedelic Furs
No love for CATHOLIC BOY by Jim Carroll?
Some pretty good stuff on here Clash, Elvis, Talking Heads, Echo, Pete Townshend, Tom Waits, Feelies, Bruce. I am struck however, by how most (not all) of this music sounds so dated today. Not much has really held up and does not sound all that essential in retrospect. Compare this with what was being delivered on AM radio (rock and soul) and via “album” oriented bands from ten years earlier. Really not even close. This stuff from ‘80 is a huge drop off from what was being delivered in 71. Example; Fillmore East - Allmans, Sticky Fingers - Stones, Who’s Next -Who, Low Spark - Traffic. Again, lot’s of “good” stuff from ‘80, just not too much great stuff.
Blue Angel
This Heat - Health and Efficiency
Univers Zero - Heresie
The ultimate travesty here:
Mentioning the sub-par Emotional Rescue and skipping the infinitely superior Cross Talk by their supposed clones, The Pretty Things. Wow, how can She’s So Cold even compare to I’m Calling, Bitter End and Office Love.
Another shout out to Cultasaurus Erectus.
Does anybody like Kate Bush? What about Babooshka? Her absolutely enjoyable LP Never for Ever? Nobody, I see. Hm?
Def Leppard’s “On Throught The Night” should be on any list, even if it’s not the band’s best album.
It’s mandatory.
The people on this list that cut down the 80’s are totally ignorant of truly great music.The 80’s will always be my favorite decade of pop/rock music as it is for millions of other people. The people who don’t like the 80’s are probably grunge crusaders who would’nt know good music if it was dropped on their lap.Journey, REO Speedwagon are just as good today as they were in the 80’s.They blow away anything that was made in the bland 90’s.The 80’s were an awesome time for music and always will be.
Love the article! Great lists.
http://feedthebeat.com/widget/ check out new music choices from some great bands. Thanks for your help.
Thanks for putting together an awesome list for a very great year in music!!
I don’t get it: on his Writer’s Bloc page, Stephen Thomas Erweline lists ”Respectable Street” as one of his all-time favorite singles, but he doesn’t mention it here.
There are just so many masterpieces missing here (Dead Kennedys, The Teardrop Explodes, The Durutti Column) that I find it hard to take this list seriously.
When I found out Kate Bush’s Never for Ever came out in 1980 I was also surprised to see it left unmentioned. I guess there’s too much other good material to include.
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field
X - ‘Los Angeles’
Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Mambo Nassau
Simple Minds - Empires and Dance
Associates - The Affectionate Punch
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
The Comsat Angels - Waiting for a Miracle
Cabaret Voltaire - Three Mantras
Prince - Dirty Mind
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Organisation
Pylon - Gyrate
Creation Rebel - Starship Africa
Lio - Lio
Xex - Group: Xex
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
Teena Marie - Irons in the Fire
Blackbeard - I Wah Dub
The New Age Steppers - “Love Forever”
The Sugarhill Gang - “8th Wonder”
The B-52s - “Strobe Light”
Bauhaus - “Stigmata Martyr”
Kate Bush - “Breathing”
Black Uhuru - “Sensemilla”
Van Halen - “Everybody Wants Some!!”
Eyeless in Gaza - “Fixation”
A Certain Ratio - “Do the Du”
Vaughan Mason & Crew - “Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll”
Funky Four + 1 - “That’s the Joint”
Pookey Blow - “Get Up (And Go to School)”
Yoko Ono - “Walking on Thin Ice”
Cristina - “Is That All There Is?”
Split Enz - “Nobody Takes Me Seriously”
Bobb Trimble - “Glass Menagerie Fantasies”
Glenn Branca - “Lesson No. 1″
Ramona Brooks - “I Don’t Want You Back”
Beat Rhythm Fashion - “Turn of the Century”
Odyssey - “Don’t Tell Me, Tell Her”
Trouble Funk - “E-Flat Boogie”
James “Blood” Ulmer - “Jazz is the Teacher, Funk is the Preacher”
The Pop Group - “Forces of Oppression”
The Slits - “In the Beginning There Was Rhythm”
Joy Division - “Twenty-four Hours”
The Teardrop Explodes - “Treason (It’s Just a Story)”
Echo and the Bunnymen - “Stars are Stars”
The Soft Boys - “I Wanna Destroy You”
The Jam - “That’s Entertainment”
FK9 - “Stranger at the Heart”
The Birthday Party - “The Friend Catcher”
The Jetsonnes - “Newspaper”
This Heat - “Health and Efficiency”
Talking Heads - “Burn Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)”
Emmylou Harris - “Roses in the Snow”
Was (Not Was) - “Wheel Me Out”
The Psychedelic Furs - “Imitation of Christ”
The Police - “When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around”
The Beat - “Too Nice to Talk To”
Colin Newman - “Troisieme”
The Selector - “Too Much Pressure”
The Cure - “M”
Magazine - “A Song from Under the Floorboards”
Siouxsie and the Banshees - “Happy House”
Josef K - “It’s Kinda Funny”
The Durutti Column - “Sleep Will Come”
John Foxx - “Underpass”
Martha and the Muffins - “Paint by Number Heart”
MX-80 Sound - “Follow That Car”
The Go-Betweens - “I Need Two Heads”
Chrome - “Eyes on Mars”
Motorhead - “Ace of Spades”
The Sound - “Unwritten Law”
And I’ve gone on long enough, but I could go on longer. However, I won’t.
Stephanie Mills - “Never Knew Love Like This Before”
Orange Juice - “Simply Thrilled Honey”
Okay, I forgot “Upside Down” by Diana Ross. That’s it.
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[b] The Cure [/b} - M
I wonder if there is a large % difference from location in which they are grown? Or even bought, sicne that might vary based on geographic location, such as East coast Vs West coast?