Year Released: 1986 Notable Songs: “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Livin’ on a Prayer”, ‘Wanted Dead or Alive”, “Never Say Goodbye” Album MVP: “Livin’ on a Prayer” Why I Loved It: I can’t tell you how much I want to loathe Bon Jovi. Today it’s quite easy, especially if you’re a Buffalo Bills fan. … Read More
Year Released: 1984 Notable Songs: “Run to You”, “Somebody”, “Heaven”, “Summer of ‘69”, “One Night Love Affair”, “It’s Only Love” Album MVP: “Heaven” Why I Loved It: I put Adams on the same pedestal as Bruce Springsteen and John Cougar (Mellancamp—I hate typing that) as male 80s hit machine rockers. Adams had already made a … Read More
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Church of the Poison Mind”, “Karma Chameleon”, “Miss Me Blind”, “It’s a Miracle”, “Victims” Album MVP: “Karma Chameleon” Why I Loved It: Culture Club struck gold with Colour By Numbers, easily their best album both commercially and critically. Without question is it one of the most trendy albums of the … Read More
Year Released: 1979 (by days it’s technically not an 80’s album… Talk to my lawyer, pal) Notable Songs: “Sailing”, “Ride Like The Wind”, “Never Be The Same” Album MVP: “Sailing” Why I Loved It: This album was released at the end of December 1979 but didn’t have a single off it until 1980, so this … Read More
Year: 1980 Notable Tracks: “Keep On Loving You”, “Take It On The Run”, “Don’t Let Him Go”, “In Your Letter” Album MVP: “Keep On Loving You” Why I Loved It: REO Speedwagon was always unapologetically manufactured rock and roll completely produced for the mainstream masses, yet their tunes often had a genuine sense of emotion. … Read More
Year: 1987 Notable Tracks: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, “Didn’t We Almost Have it All”, “So Emotional”, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”, “Love Will Save The Day”, “I Know Him So Well” Album MVP: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” Why I Loved It: If she hadn’t become already, this album established Houston … Read More
Year: 1989 Notable Tracks: “I Won’t Back Down”, “Runnin’ Down a Dream”, “Free Fallin”, “A Face in the Crows”, “Yer So Bad” Album MVP: “I Won’t Back Down” Why I Love It: It doesn’t get more heartland U.S.A than Tom Petty and that’s very evident on this album, as was the case on several works … Read More
Year Released: 1985 Notable Songs: “Burning Heart”, “Living In America”, “Heart’s on Fire”, “No Easy Way Out” Album MVP: ALL FOUR OF THEM! Why I Loved It: This certainly wasn’t the best of the Rocky movies, but the soundtrack for Rocky IV kicked major ass. The unconquerable essence that is Rocky Balboa is perfectly epitomized with Survivor’s “Burning Heart”—one … Read More
Year Released: 1988 Notable Songs: “Knocked Out”, “The Way That You Love Me”, “Straight Up”, “Forever Your Girl”, “Cold Hearted”, “Opposites Attract” Album MVP: “Straight Up” Why I Loved It: A younger generation will mostly remember Abdul as the quirky and quite possibly occasionally comatose judge alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson on American Idol. It’s a shame, because … Read More
Year Released: 1987 Notable Songs: “Don’t Mean Nothing”, “Should’ve Known Better”, “Have Mercy”, “Endless Summer Nights”, “Hold On To The Nights” Album MVP: “Hold On To The Nights” Why I Loved It: Few artists of the era were better at selecting perfectly assembled mainstream pop radio tracks than Marx. Haters have and always will refer to Marx music … Read More
