Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 80s

[NewChief]

Great list. Even greater that one of my best friends just handed them all to me on some DVDs last night. Importing right now. :rockon:

* 100: Minor Threat - Out of Step [Dischord; 1984]
* 099: Gang of Four - Songs of the Free [Warner Bros; 1982]
* 098: Cocteau Twins - Treasure [4AD; 1984]
* 097: Mekons The Mekons - Rock 'N' Roll [A&M; 1989]
* 096: Rites of Spring - Rites of Spring [Dischord; 1985]
* 095: Duran Duran - Rio [Capitol; 1982]
* 094: Meat Puppets - II SST; 1983]
* 093: David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) [RCA; 1980]
* 092: Kate Bush - Hounds of Love [EMI; 1985]
* 091: X - Los Angeles [Slash; 1980]
* 090: Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking [Warner Bros; 1988]
* 089: Boredoms - Soul Discharge [Shimmy-Disc; 1989]
* 088: Spacemen 3 - Playing with Fire [Fire; 1989]
* 087: Prince - Dirty Mind [Warner Bros; 1980]
* 086: The Police - Ghost in the Machine [A&M; 1981]
* 085: Paul Simon - Graceland [Warner Bros; 1986]
* 084: ESG - Come Away with ESG [99; 1983]
* 083: Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring [EMI; 1986]
* 082: The Fall - Perverted by Language [Rough Trade; 1983]
* 081: Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll [4AD; 1988]
* 080: Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising [SST; 1985]
* 079: Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4 [Spalax; 1981]
* 078: They Might Be Giants - Lincoln [Fire; 1989]
* 077: The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come [Sire; 1987]
* 076: The dB's - Stands for Decibels [IRS; 1981]
* 075: Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded [Sugar Hill; 1987]
* 074: Mekons - Fear & Whiskey [Sin; 1985]
* 073: Coil Horse - Rotorvator [Relativity; 1987]
* 072: Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun [SST; 1985]
* 071: Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me [Sire; 1987]
* 070: Elvis Costello - Trust [Columbia; 1981]
* 069: The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms [A&M; 1980]
* 068: Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense [Sire; 1984]
* 067: The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & The Lash [MCA; 1985]
* 066: The Dukes of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot [Virgin; 1987]
* 065: The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight [Armageddon; 1980]
* 064: Television Personalities - ... And Don't the Kids Just Love It [Rough Trade; 1981]
* 063: Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth [Rough Trade; 1980]
* 062: R.E.M. - Reckoning [IRS; 1984]
* 061: Nurse with Wound - Homotopy to Marie [United Dairies; 1982]
* 060: Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska [Columbia; 1982]
* 059: Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction [Geffen; 1987]
* 058: Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom [Columbia; 1982]
* 057: Pixies - Come On Pilgrim [4AD; 1987]
* 056: King Crimson - Discipline [Warner Bros; 1981]
* 055: The Police - Synchronicity [A&M; 1983]
* 054: Big Black - Songs about F---ing [Touch & Go; 1987]
* 053: Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls & Marches [Ace of Hearts; 1981]
* 052: Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full [4th & Broadway; 1987]
* 051: Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man [Columbia; 1988]
* 050: Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription [Fire; 1987]
* 049: Mission of Burma - Vs. [Ace of Hearts; 1982]
* 048: R.E.M. - Document [IRS; 1987]
* 047: John Zorn - Naked City [Tzadik; 1989]
* 046: XTC - English Settlement [Virgin; 1982]
* 045: Prince - Sign 'O' The Times [Paisley Park/Warner Bros; 1987]
* 044: Kraftwerk - Computer World [Warner Bros; 1981]
* 043: Run-DMC - Raising Hell [Profile; 1986]
* 042: Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session [RCA; 1988]
* 041: Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill [Def Jam; 1986]
* 040: Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me [SST; 1987]
* 039: The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses [Silvertone; 1989]
* 038: The Cure - Disintegration [Fiction/Elektra; 1989]
* 037: The Replacements - Tim [Sire; 1985]
* 036: Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes [Rough Trade; 1983]
* 035: N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton [Ruthless/Priority; 1988]
* 034: Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden [EMI; 1988]
* 033: The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour [Kamera; 1982]
* 032: Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade [SST; 1984]
* 031: Sonic Youth - EVOL [SST; 1986]
* 030: U2 - The Joshua Tree [Island; 1987]
* 029: The Replacements - Let It Be [Twin/Tone; 1984]
* 028: New Order - Power, Corruption & Lies [Factory; 1983]
* 027: Michael Jackson - Thriller [Epic; 1982]
* 026: Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Get Happy [Columbia; 1980]
* 025: Black Flag - Damaged [SST; 1981]
* 024: Gang of Four - Solid Gold [Warner Bros; 1981]
* 024: Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy [Blanco y Negro/Warner Bros; 1985]
* 022: My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything [Creation/Sire; 1988]
* 021: Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts [Sire; 1981]
* 020: This Heat - Deceit [Rough Trade; 1981]
* 019: Public Image, Ltd. - Second Edition [Virgin; 1980]
* 018: De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising [Tommy Boy; 1989]
* 017: Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime [SST; 1984]
* 016: Galaxie 500 - On Fire [Rough Trade; 1989]
* 015: XTC - Skylarking [Virgin; 1986]
* 014: Sonic Youth - Sister [SST; 1987]
* 013: The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace [Beggars Banquet; 1985]
* 012: Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain [Warner Bros; 1984]
* 011: Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones [Island; 1983]
* 010: Joy Division - Closer [Factory; 1980]
* 009: Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back [Def Jam; 1988]
* 008: Tom Waits - Rain Dogs [Island; 1985]
* 007: Pixies - Surfer Rosa [4AD; 1988]
* 006: The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead [Sire; 1986]
* 005: R.E.M. - Murmur [IRS; 1983]
* 004: Pixies - Doolittle [4AD; 1989]
* 003: Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique [Capitol; 1989]
* 002: Talking Heads - Remain in Light [Sire; 1980]
* 001: Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation [Blast First/Enigma; 1988]

[KcMizzou]

No Dire Straits, huh?

Nice list, regardless.

[ChiefFripp]

I find the lack of Metal disturbing.

[Halfcan]

No Rush or hair bands?

Lame list.

[Braincase]

How can Van Halen's 1984 NOT be included in a list of this nature? Did this clown even LIVE in the 80's?

I'm sorry, but this list is an extreme case of subjectivity. AC/DC Back in Black came out July of 1980.

Pitchfork's taste in music is different from mine.

[NewChief]

No Rush or hair bands?

Lame list.


ROFL I knew you'd be in to decry the lack of Rush.

[NewChief]

How can Van Halen's 1984 NOT be included in a list of this nature? Did this clown even LIVE in the 80's?

I'm sorry, but this list is an extreme case of subjectivity. AC/DC Back in Black came out July of 1980.

Pitchfork's taste in music is different from mine.

Well, Pitchfork is an indy publication, so their tastes are going to run toward alternative/indy/eclectic.

[Third Eye]

How can Van Halen's 1984 NOT be included in a list of this nature? Did this clown even LIVE in the 80's?

I'm sorry, but this list is an extreme case of subjectivity. AC/DC Back in Black came out July of 1980.

Pitchfork's taste in music is different from mine.
Well, 1984 had some good songs on it, but VH I and VH II were far superior. Alas, they were released in the 70's. I do agree that this is a horrible list however. GNR's Appetite for Destruction at 59? Thriller at 27? Both of those should be top 10's with little doubt.

Oh, and for the Rush guys: 70's Rush > 80's Rush.

[|Zach|]

Pitchfork Media is great.

[Reaper16]

They should have titled it "Top 100 albums of the 80's in a finite number of genres the excludes plenty of great albums so that we can pander to our target audience more."
Because that list is awful, truly awful, as titled.

[Reaper16]

Oh, and Thriller at 27? That's a load of horseshit.

[Deberg_1990]

Oh, and Thriller at 27? That's a load of horseshit.

Agreed. Should be top 5 at least. Both that and BAD are simply brilliant pieces of pop.

[NUMBER7]

No Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon"...duh. :lame:

[Rain Man]

Is this by chance the best albums of the 1880's? I'm almost positive that I was alive in the 1980's, and I've never heard of most of these groups, let alone the albums.

[Nzoner]

No Robbie Robertson? ROFL

Yeah,this is a great list.

Showdown At Big Sky

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kebhBIoTb50"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kebhBIoTb50" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Somewhere Down The Crazy River

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVAwIJE-_84"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVAwIJE-_84" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

[Reaper16]

No Robbie Robertson? ROFL

Yeah,this is a great list.

Showdown At Big Sky

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kebhBIoTb50"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kebhBIoTb50" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Somewhere Down The Crazy River

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVAwIJE-_84"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zVAwIJE-_84" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Those were cool; thanks for posting.

[Bowser]

Boooo.

[PunkinDrublic]

Not a bad list. Best than most top 100 list you'd see out of Rolling Stone or Blender.

[htismaqe]

Two of Tom Waits' albums in the top 11.

Yuck.

[Nightwish]

Well, Pitchfork is an indy publication, so their tastes are going to run toward alternative/indy/eclectic.
Considering how obscure half that list is, I have to wonder what their criteria were for deciding these were the "best" 100 albums. It sounds like they just walked around their offices asking people, "What were your favorite albums of the 80s," until they got a list of 100. I could walk out on the street and compile a list every bit as authoritative as that one, I suspect.

[Fruit Ninja]

Paul's Boutique is a great album, but License to Ill is better.

[siberian khatru]

No Peter Gabriel? :harumph:

[Third Eye]

Paul's Boutique is a great album, but License to Ill is better.
I respectfully disagree. However, I think Check Your Head is better than either one.

[Fruit Ninja]

I respectfully disagree. However, I think Check Your Head is better than either one.
I think Check your head was 92 maybe? It did have some good songs on it though, as does Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. Wont argue about what album is better really, both are awesome.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

No Tears for Fears, Genesis, Phil Collins, Huey Lewis?

Did you know that Whitney Houston's debut LP, simply titled "Whitney Houston", had four #1 singles on it?

[Nzoner]

No Peter Gabriel? :harumph:

No Traveling Wilburys either,like I said earlier ROFL

[Demonpenz]

no metallica?

[Nightwish]

no metallica?
Yeah, I don't think you can have a legitimate "best 100" album list that doesn't include Metallica, and at least "Appetite for Destruction" from GnR. At least the list-maker showed at least a dim awareness of popular and influential 80s music by including "Thriller."

[Deberg_1990]

I think this list maker was trying too hard to be "oh so ultra hip and cool" by trying to find as many obscure and off the wall artists as he could. Then his editors probably told him he needed at least a few big titles sprinkled in to make the list look somewhat legitimate.

[frazod]

Is this by chance the best albums of the 1880's? I'm almost positive that I was alive in the 1980's, and I've never heard of most of these groups, let alone the albums.
And most of the ones I've heard of suck. There are a handful of decent albums on there (seemingly by mistake), but mostly that list is either ???? or shit.

Two Beastie Boys albums but no Van Halen? You've got to be f#cking kidding me. I don't know who or what Pitchfork is, but its taste is in its ass.

[Phobia]

I can't believe I'm wasting my valuable time responding to this crappy thread.

[Fairplay]

This thread sucks.

[Baby Lee]

This list just reminds me that, in the 80s there were people who'd never heard of Sonic Youth, The Pixies, and REM, there were people who'd heard of them, thought they were decent, but also had wider tastes, and then there were those who held their awareness of 'alt' music as a badge of honor.

I have the top 5 albums, and 9 of the top 15, and I enjoy them. But geez, get a little perspective.

Take that back, I don't have any Talking Heads.

[siberian khatru]

This list just reminds me that, in the 80s there were people who'd never heard of Sonic Youth, The Pixies, and REM, there were people who'd heard of them, thought they were decent, but also had wider tastes, and then there were those who held their awareness of 'alt' music as a badge of honor.



Pretty much (I was in group 2).

I think some folks like bands because they're supposed to like them.

But that cuts both ways. There were some groups in the 80s I refused to listen to mainly because they were popular. Today, I find myself watching their videos on Youtube and reminiscing about "the good old days."

[StcChief]

there was music in the 80s. only recognize these guys

Tom Waits
Bruce Springsteen
Elvis Costello
Paul Simon

[Nzoner]

I think some folks like bands because they're supposed to like them.



That's a good point.

I was going to mention I couldn't believe there was also no INXS on the list,however,after thinking about it I don't know that I'd consider any of their albums great but there's no arguing they were big in the 80's.

[StcChief]

That's a good point.

I was going to mention I couldn't believe there was also no INXS on the list,however,after thinking about it I don't know that I'd consider any of their albums great but there's no arguing they were big in the 80's. where was INXS they were big in the 80s

most of these I never heard.

[CosmicPal]

I believe that is a list of the best College/Alternative albums of the 80's

[QuikSsurfer]

Take that back, I don't have any Talking Heads.
rent "Stop Making Sense"
AMAZING show

[QuikSsurfer]

love Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine
shocked, in a good way, to see They Might Be Giants on the list

i agree w/the poster about no Tears for Fears

[noa]

Take that back, I don't have any Talking Heads.

That needs to change.
Like Quicksurfer said, check out Stop Making Sense. One of the greatest music performances of all time. I would also recommend their live performance titled "The Name of This Band is Talking Heads."
I don't think they put out a single bad album.

[Baby Lee]

That needs to change.
Like Quicksurfer said, check out Stop Making Sense. One of the greatest music performances of all time. I would also recommend their live performance titled "The Name of This Band is Talking Heads."
I don't think they put out a single bad album.
I am familar with their music, and have seen 'Stop Making Sense.' I just haven't purchased any of their stuff.

[Archie F. Swin]

That's a solid list! Especially with the XTC mentions. Definitely a college/indie list. No R&B, hard rock, metal.