80's albums that hold up on any level

[C.E. Evans]

I think "Sowing The Seeds of Love," by Tears For Fears holds up very well. It may have had the benefit of being released on the tail end of the '80s, but it sounds like something that could have just been released today, IMO.

I also think the early U2 albums kind of defy the '80s too.

 

[gblews]

There are certain 80s albums I still find enjoyable but which sound a bit dated because of certain "faddish" musical flourishes, most notably the synthesizer.

That snapping sound on the 1 and 3 beats where you used to get the sound of a snare drum and lots of echo, two 80's musical characteristics -- also, schmaltzy over dramatized lyrics. When I hear the aforementioned on a recording I immediately think, uh oh, the 80's. I may actually like the song, but to say it "holds up" when it sounds so dated seems like a contradiction to me.

For example: U2, REM and Springsteen all had huge albums in the 80s but I wouldn't consider any of their music dated.

I would agree. There are others too but I'm too lazy to give it enough thought to come up with some names. Not all great 80's music had the 80's cliches.

 

[1001001]

REM had some great stuff in the 80's.

Document and Green are two I still listen to today.

 

[Orac Zen]

U2: War, The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree

Agreed.

Brothers In Arms - Of its time, but nonetheless a timeless classic.

Agreed again.

I'd take Making Movies and Love Over Gold over that one any day of the week.

I'm okay with all three, but to each their own.

 

[1001001]

I just thought Brothers in Arms was too mainstream, too "poppy". It relied a lot on synths, and didn't really have any killer Knopfler trademarks. The best guitarist in the world basically sat on his hands for that record.

So it's not that it didn't "hold up" in my opinion: I didn't think it wasn't all that good to begin with.

So Far Away is okay, and Money for Nothing and Walk of Life were definitely clever and catchy, but compare those songs to Romeo and Juliet, or Telegraph Road, or Skateaway, or Tunnel of Love....

JMHO, of course..

 

[M'Sharak]

Just a few I think hold up nicely:

Remain in Light - Talking Heads
The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads
Nothing to Fear - Oingo Boingo
Waiata (Aus Corroboree) - Split Enz
Crazy Backwards Alphabet
Shoot Out the Lights - Richard & Linda Thompson
Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
The Completion Backward Principle - The Tubes
Discipline - King Crimson

 

[Pingfah]

Well, same for me. Which is why I put 'on any level'...meaning it doesn't sound dated (still subjective of course) and that you think it would appeal to a lot of people.

Fair enough then. I would say The Game by Queen. Not my favourite Queen album by any means, but represented something of a transition from their harder 70s sound to their 80s pop sound. Covers a lot of ground in terms of the styles of music, and Another One Bites the Dust for instance is so heavily ingrained into popular culture that it doesn't age at all.

I think all of their 80s albums hold up well to be honest, and obviously still have massive global appeal.

 

[Triskelion]

Lots and lots of good mentions in this thread.

I would add lots but right off the top of my head:

Infidels - Bob Dylan

And since Talking Heads, Iron Maiden and Thomas Dolby were mentioned, I'll add The Who's It's Hard.


Honorable mentions: The B-52's, The Ramones, The Kinks, Elvis Costello, Yes, Eurythmics and Weird Al Yankovic's In 3-D.

Oh, and the absolutely timeless Stevie Ray Vaughn: Texas Flood and Couldn't Stand the Weather.

 

[1001001]

This thread has brought back some great memories.

As an 80's guy, I appreciate all of it.

 

[Pingfah]

I was listening to Permanent Waves by Rush yesterday at a friends house, and I was thinking how well the music holds up. But the production... my god, it is absolutely appalling. To think they actually co-produced themselves, the mind boggles.

Geddy Lee may as well have been playing the bottom 4 strings of a guitar rather than a bass. The sound was that lacking.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
Kraftwerk - Die Mensch-Maschine
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come
Prince - Purple Rain, Sign o'the Times
The Cure - Disintegration
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

 

[1001001]

The Cure - Disintegration

A thousand times, yes.

One of the Ten Best Albums of All-Time.

It still gets regular play here.

 

[Roshi]

Back In Black.

I dare you, I double dare you, motherfuckers!

 

[lurok]

Lots of great choices here and a few I should check out. Second anything by Kraftwerk, B-52s (esp. Whammy!) and PiL.

And The Dreaming: One of Björk's fave albums.

It was purportedly the closest her record label, EMI had come to returning an artist’s recording. Speaking in hindsight, Bush observed how this was her "she’s gone mad" album.

Yup. One batshit-crazy album but pure genius
Great 30th anniversary overview of the album here

 

[Dale Sams]

Lots of great choices here and a few I should check out. Second anything by Kraftwerk, Public Enemy (esp FoABP), B-52s (esp. Whammy!) and PiL.

And The Dreaming: One of Björk's fave albums.

It was purportedly the closest her record label, EMI had come to returning an artist’s recording. Speaking in hindsight, Bush observed how this was her "she’s gone mad" album.

Yup. One batshit-crazy album but pure genius
Great 30th anniversary overview of the album here

I also have to give a shout-out to The Dreaming. At the time, I assumed it was a result of her working with Peter Gabriel on the 'melty-face album.'

I also thought Phil Collins was on it with all those gated drums.

Also, as for "Get Out of my House" being inspired by "The Shining", I felt it works better as a really effed up relationship, ...and by house I don't mean a physical house, but just the woman's entire existance.

 

[Avon]

to whoever said man-machine by kraftwerk its from the 70s. computerworld was their first 80s one.

now i like kraftwerk, their stuff was pretty revolutionary, but im not sure it holds up as 'good music'

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I was listening to Permanent Waves by Rush yesterday at a friends house, and I was thinking how well the music holds up. But the production... my god, it is absolutely appalling. To think they actually co-produced themselves, the mind boggles.

Geddy Lee may as well have been playing the bottom 4 strings of a guitar rather than a bass. The sound was that lacking.

I disagree. The production is awesome. The record sounds brand new.

 

[Australis]

I'm appalled - appalled - no one's mentioned Deep Purple's comeback album, 'Perfect Strangers'.

While 'The Dreaming' is good, I rate 'Never For Ever' a little higher.

And Godley and Creme's 'L'.

Many others, these are just the first that came to mind.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Warren Zevon's 'Sentimental Hygiene' has been a sanity saving album through the years, a fine album.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

A Secret Wish - Propaganda