Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#12) Wham – Make It Big
Year Released: 1984 Notable Songs: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, “Careless Whisper”, “Freedom”, “Everything She Wants” Album MVP: “Careless Whisper” Why I Loved It: This title is about as symbolic to an 80s act as it can get, because boy did Wham ever “Make It Big” with this album. Staying on that symbolic word, … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#13) George Michael – Faith
Year Released: 1987 Notable Songs: “I Want Your Sex”, “Faith”, “Hard Day”, “Father Figure”, “One More Try”, “Monkey”, “Kissing a Fool” Album MVP: “One More Try” Why I Loved It: During the mid-to-late George Michael was straight fire. With a black leather jacket, an earring and the memorable beard Michael stylistically became a heartthrob to … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#14) Cyndi Lauper – She’s So Unusual
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, “Time After Time”, “She Bop”, “All Through the Night” “Money Changes Everything” Album MVP: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” Why I Loved It: Cyndi Lauper is the Gwen Stefani of the 80’s — only far, far better. Whether they were happy-go-lucky jams like “Girls Just … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#15) Madonna – True Blue
Year Released: 1986 Notable Songs: “Live to Tell”, “Papa Don’t Preach”, “True Blue”, “Open Your Heart”, “La Isla Bonita” Album MVP: “Papa Don’t Preach” Why I Loved It: When I first started putting together this countdown I was pretty confident “Like a Virgin” would be my highest ranking Madonna album. Turns out I was wrong. … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#16) Janet Jackson – Control
Year Released: 1986 Notable Songs: “What Have You Done for Me Lately”, “Nasty”, When I Think of You”, “Control”, “Let’s Wait Awhile”, “The Pleasure Principle” Album MVP: “Nasty” Why I Loved It: When it comes to vocals and funky beats to get down to, Control was nearly perfect. This was one of two Janet Jackson … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#17) Van Halen – 1984
Year Released: 1984 Notable Songs: “Jump”, “I’ll Wait”, “Panama”, “Hot for Teacher” Album MVP: “Jump” Why I Loved It: Admittedly I’m not a huge Van Halen fan on the whole, or at least I didn’t think I was, but this is Van Halen’s second album to make my countdown (Ou812 started things out at No. … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#18) Billy Joel – An Innocent Man
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Tell Her About It”, “Uptown Girl”, “An Innocent Man”, “The Longest Time”, “Leave a Tender Moment Alone”, “Keeping the Faith”, “This Night” Album MVP: “Uptown Girl” Why I Loved It: I’m hoping I can sneak this selection past my wife, who is literally one of the biggest Billy Joel fans … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#19) Journey – Escape
Year Released: 1981 Notable Songs: “Who’s Crying Now”, “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Open Arms”, “Who’s Crying Now” Album MVP: “Open Arms” Why I Loved It: This is flat-out one of the best rock albums of the 80’s, if not all-time. Thanks to the Sopranos if you’re under 30 it’s almost automatic “Don’t Stop Believing” is the … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#20) Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel
Year Released: 1988 Notable Songs: “Don’t Be Cruel”, “My Prerogative”, “Roni”, “Every Little Step”, “Rock Wit’cha” Album MVP: “Don’t Be Cruel” Why I Loved It: With this album, Brown permanently ridded himself of the candy-pop/bubblegum perception that followed him around as a key member of New Edition in the early-to-mid 80’s. By the late 1980’s … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#21) Debbie Gibson – Out Of The Blue
Year Released: 1987 Notable Songs: “Only in My Dreams”, “Shake Your Love”, “Foolish Beat”, “Out of the Blue”, “Red Hot” Album MVP: “Foolish Beat” Why I Loved It: Don’t even come at with any bullshit if you’re not a Debbie Gibson fan. If you were around in the 80’s and didn’t have love for Ms. … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#22) Madonna – Like A Virgin
Year Released: 1984 Notable Songs: “Like a Virgin”, “Material Girl”, “Angel”, “Into the Groove”, “Dress You Up” Album MVP: “Like a Virgin” Why I Loved It: That album cover though… Madonna was so hot I would’ve bought Like A Virgin for that cover alone, even if the music was one huge pile of shit. I, … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#23) Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer
Year Released: 1980 Notable Songs: “America”, “Love on the Rocks”, “Hello Again” Album MVP: “Hello Again” Why I Loved It: I have no doubt this selection is far higher than most would have, if they even included this at all. I can feel the criticism before even hitting send on this post. Fortunately, this is … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#24) Hall & Oates – Private Eyes
Year Released: 1981 Notable Songs: “Private Eyes”, “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)”, “Did it in a Minute”, “Your Imagination” Album MVP: “Private Eyes” Why I Loved It: First, let me just say how much I love God damn Hall and Oates. This is their second album to hit the top 30 of … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#25) Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill
Year Released: 1985 Notable Songs: “Hold It Now, Hit It”, “Paul Revere”, “The New Style”, You Gotta Fight For Your Right (To Party!)”, “Brass Monkey”, “No Sleep Til’ Brooklyn”, “Girls” Album MVP: “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” Why I Loved It: To refute how significant this Beastie Boys debut studio effort was to the music and … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#26) Phil Collins – No Jacket Required
Year Released: 1985 Notable Songs: “One More Night”, “Sussudio”, “Don’t Lose My Number”, “Take Me Home” Album MVP: “One More Night” Why I Loved It: After all the hits Collins put out with Genesis followed by his Face Value and Hello, I Must Be Going albums you’d think he would’ve slowed down when it came … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#27) The Police – Synchronicity
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Every Breath Your Take”, “King of Pain”, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, “Synchronicity II”, “Tea in the Sahara” Album MVP: “Every Breath You Take” Why I Loved It: Featuring tracks significantly more pop-friendly and investigational than Ghost in the Machine (No. 32 on this countdown) or either of their previous three … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#28) Don Henley – The End Of The Innocence
Year Released: 1989 Notable Songs: “The End of the Innocence”, “Heart of the Matter”, “Last Worthless Evening”, “New York Minute” Album MVP: “Heart of the Matter” Why I Loved It: If I were to create my own Mt. Rushmore of male vocalists, Don Henley would be a prime contender to make the cut. Obviously beginning … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#29) Hall and Oates – H20
Year Released: 1982 Notable Songs: “Maneater”, “Family Man”, “One on One”, “Italian Girls” Album MVP: “Maneater” Why I Loved It: Hall and Oates had already been around for years making glorious music that embarked them on a future Hall of Fame of career. In fact, this was actually their 11th studio album but for me … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#30) New Kids On The Block – Hangin’ Tough
Year Released: 1988 Notable Songs: “Please Don’t Go Girl”, “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, “I’ll Be Loving You Forever”, “Hangin’ Tough”, “Cover Girl” Album MVP: “Please Don’t Go Girl” Why I Loved It: When I reflect back on the ‘80’s there’s a handful of memories I have that stand out more than others. Jordache … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#31) Madonna – Madonna
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Holiday”, “Lucky Star”, “Borderline”, “Everybody”, “Burning Up” Album MVP: “Borderline” Why I Loved It: This album is truly a pioneer in the genre of dance music, setting the bar extremely high not just in the mid-80s but for many years since. “Borderline” is the first of what would be countless … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#32) The Police – Ghost In The Machine
Year Released: 1981 Notable Songs: “Invisible Sun”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, “Spirits in the Material World”, “Secret Journey” Album MVP: “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” Why I Loved It: There’s a handful of albums on this countdown in which their position will be questioned more than others, and this is … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#33) Toto – Toto IV
Year Released: 1982 Notable Songs: “Rosanna”, “Make Believe”, “Africa”, “I Won’t Hold Back”, “Waiting For Your Love” Album MVP: “Africa” Why I Loved It: It’s hard to put into words how much I love the single “Africa.” Let me put it to you this way – last year on this very blog I ran a … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#34) Def Leppard – Pyromania
Year Released: 1983 Notable Songs: “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages”, “Foolin”, “Too Late for Love” Album MVP: “Rock of Ages” Why I Loved It: First and foremost when I recall this album I instantly think of its unforgettable cover. I was only around 12 years old when Pyromania came out and I vividly remember going with … Read More
Favorite 100 Albums of the 80s: (#35) Heart – Heart
Year Released: 1985 Notable Songs: “What About Love”, “Never”, “These Dreams”, “Nothin’ at All”, “If Looks Could Kill” Album MVP: “These Dreams” Why I Loved It: As I got older one of the things that bothered me about long time Heart fans is their accusations that the group became “sell-outs” with this album. I feel … Read More