It’s the first of the month, which means it’s time to unveil the results of Part 5 of our year-long Best of the ’80s feature, a year-by-year poll of Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers to determine the best albums of each year of the 1980s — and then, when that’s wrapped up at the end of 2013, we’ll run a monster best-of-the-decade poll to crown the overall champs.
For the 1984 poll, we received more than 35,000 votes — the most yet — naming some 285 different albums, including, as always, write-in votes for a number of records that were not actually released in 1984 (don’t worry, you can vote for Psychocandy and Low-Life next week).
Speaking of write-ins, Prince’s Purple Rain — the subject of much debate here and on our Facebook page after it was left off the ballot for not fitting the genre — received 43 such votes, which would have tied it with Felt’s The Splendour of Fear at No. 122 if we’d expanded the list that far.
So thank you all for voting and sharing your thoughts. Take a look at the Top 100 list below — and feel free to offer your own take on the results, good or bad, in the comments below.
And stay tuned for the Best of 1985 poll, which will launch next Monday.
PAST RESULTS: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
SLICING UP EYEBALLS READERS POLL: TOP 100 ALBUMS OF 1984
1. The Smiths, The Smiths
BACKSTORY: Having scrapped their original sessions with Troy Tate, The Smiths made their debut with this John Porter-produced collection — although many fans still prefer the BBC session versions of some of these songs that appeared on the Hatful of Hollow compilation later in 1984.
SINGLES: “What Difference Does It Make?”
BAND: Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce
PRODUCER: John Porter and The Smiths
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
2. R.E.M., Reckoning
BACKSTORY: R.E.M. re-convened with its Murmur production team for its second album, fending off pressure to sound more commercial and instead focusing on better capturing the band’s live sound.
SINGLES: “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry),” “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville”
BAND: Bill Berry, Peter Buck Mike Mills, Michael Stipe
PRODUCER: Don Dixon and Mitch Easter
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
3. Echo & The Bunnymen, Ocean Rain
BACKSTORY: Recorded, in part, with a 35-piece orchestra, Echo & The Bunnymen’s fourth album has been called “the greatest album ever made” by frontman Ian McCulloch, a man prone to hyperbole.
SINGLES: “The Killing Moon,” “Silver,” “Seven Seas”
BAND: Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Les Pattinson, Pete de Freitas
PRODUCER: All Concerned
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
4. U2, The Unforgettable Fire
BACKSTORY: U2’s fourth studio album featured a new, more ambient and atmospheric direction as the band for the first time worked with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.
SINGLES: “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “The Unforgettable Fire”
BAND: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.
PRODUCER: Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
5. Depeche Mode, Some Great Reward
BACKSTORY: For their fourth album, Depeche Mode continued to grow darker and adopt more industrial-like flourishes even as they scored hits like “People Are People” and “Master and Servant.”
SINGLES: “People Are People,” “Master and Servant,” “Blasphemous Rumours/Somebody”
BAND: Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder, Andy Fletcher
PRODUCER: Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller, Gareth Jones
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
6. The Cure, The Top
BACKSTORY: The Cure’s fifth album, which followed a string of pop singles that were compiled on Japanese Whispers, found Robert Smith getting dark and weird on what almost was a solo record.
SINGLES: “The Caterpillar’
BAND: Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst, Andy Anderson, Porl Thompson
PRODUCER: Robert Smith, Chris Parry, Dave Allen
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
7. The Replacements, Let It Be
BACKSTORY: The ‘Mats toned down the punk and focused more on songwriting on their third album, delivering songs both goofy (“Gary’s Got a Boner”) and heartfelt (“Answering Machine,” “Unsatisfied”).
SINGLES: “I Will Dare”
BAND: Paul Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars
PRODUCER: Steve Fjelstad, Peter Jesperson, Paul Westerberg
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
8. Cocteau Twins, Treasure
BACKSTORY: The Cocteaus’ third album was the first to feature bassist Simon Raymonde, and found the now filled-out group honing in on its signature spacey, ethereal sound.
SINGLES: None
BAND: Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie, Simon Raymonde
PRODUCER: Cocteau Twins
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
9. Hüsker Dü, Zen Arcade
BACKSTORY: For their second studio album, the Hüskers dropped a four-sided concept record that showed there was much more to the band than merely playing very fast hardcore music.
SINGLES: None
BAND: Bob Mould, Grant Hart, Greg Norton
PRODUCER: Hüsker Dü, Spot
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
10. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Hyaena
BACKSTORY: The Banshees’ sixth album, and major-label debut, is notable as being the only studio album on which Robert Smith wrote and recorded during his short tenure as the band’s guitarist.
SINGLES: “Swimming Horses,” “Dazzle”
BAND: Siouxsie Sioux, Steven Severin, Budgie, Robert Smith
PRODUCER: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Mike Hedges
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, digital, vinyl), iTunes (Digital)
11. INXS, The Swing
12. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Welcome to the Pleasuredome
13. The Psychedelic Furs, Mirror Moves
14. Talk Talk, It’s My Life
15. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Rattlesnakes
16. The Pretenders, Learning to Crawl
17. Minutemen, Double Nickels on the Dime
18. The Cars, Heartbeat City
19. This Mortal Coil, It’ll End in Tears
20. Dead Can Dance, Dead Can Dance
21. Simple Minds, Sparkle in the Rain
22. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, From Her to Eternity
23. Thompson Twins, Into the Gap
24. Public Image Ltd., This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get
25. Tones on Tail, Pop
26. The Bronski Beat, The Age of Consent
27. Alphaville, Forever Young
28. Howard Jones, Human’s Lib
29. Violent Femmes, Hallowed Ground
30. The Art of Noise, Who’s Afraid of the Art of Noise?
31. The Alarm, Declaration
32. The Style Council, Cafe Bleu (aka ‘My Ever Changing Moods’)
33. Meat Puppets, Meat Puppets II
34. The Cult, Dreamtime
35. Hoodoo Gurus, Stoneage Romeos (TIE)
35. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Junk Culture (TIE)
37. Ramones, Too Tough to Die
38. General Public, All the Rage
39. Midnight Oil, Red Sails in the Sunset
40. XTC, The Big Express
41. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Red Hot Chili Peppers
42. The Pogues, Red Roses for Me
43. The Blue Nile, A Walk Across the Rooftops
44. The Fall, The Wonderful and Frightening World Of…
45. Robyn Hitchcock, I Often Dream of Trains
46. Thomas Dolby, The Flat Earth
47. Billy Bragg, Brewing Up with Billy Bragg
48. Eurythmics, 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother)
49. David Sylvian, Brilliant Trees
50. Julian Cope, World Shut Your Mouth
51. Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Goodbye Cruel World
52. The Go-Go’s, Talk Show
53. Joe Jackson, Body and Soul
54. Ultravox, Lament
55. Big Country, Steeltown
56. The Waterboys, A Pagan Place
57. Black Flag, My War
58. Alison Moyet, Alf
59. Aztec Camera, Knife
60. David Bowie, Tonight
61. Skinny Puppy, Back & Forth
62. Berlin, Love Life
63. The Human League, Hysteria
64. Cabaret Voltaire, Micro-Phonies
65. The Icicle Works, The Icicle Works (TIE)
65. Dalis Car, The Waking Hour (TIE)
67. The dB’s, Like This
68. Guadalcanal Diary, Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man (TIE)
68. New Model Army, Vengeance (TIE)
68. Butthole Surfers, Psychic… Powerless… Another Man’s Sac (TIE)
71. Let’s Active, Cypress (TIE)
71. Everything But the Girl, Eden (TIE)
73. The Fixx, Phantoms
74. The Bangles, All Over the Place
75. Blancmange, Mange Tout
76. Bananarama, Bananarama
77. Christian Death, Catastrophe Ballet
78. Prefab Sprout, Swoon
79. Soft Cell, This Last Night in Sodom (TIE)
79. The Go-Betweens, Spring Hill Fair (TIE)
81. Madness, Keep Moving
82. Modern English, Ricochet Days
83. Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak
84. Devo, Shout (TIE)
84. Fad Gadget, Gag (TIE)
86. Black Flag, Slip It In’
87. Xmal Deutschland, Tocsin
88. The Gun Club, The Las Vegas Story
89. Nena, 99 Luftballoons
90. The Stranglers, Aural Sculpture
91. Julian Cope, Fried
92. Coil, Scatology
93, The Dream Syndicate, Medicine Show (TIE)
93. A Flock of Seagulls, The Story of a Young Heart (TIE)
95. Gary Numan, Berserker
96. Alien Sex Fiend, Acid Bath
97. Spandau Ballet, Parade (TIE)
97. And Also the Trees, And Also the Trees (TIE)
99. Danny Elfman, So-Lo
100. Lou Reed, New Sensations
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Top 100 Albums of 1983: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 4
- Top 100 Albums of 1982: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 3
- Top 100 Albums of 1981: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 2
- Top 100 Albums of 1980: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 1
A great list and spot-on! Keep up the good work. Long live the alternative 80s.
This, after years of Smiths haters’ invective, feels like a vindication.
I don’t see many Smiths haters out there…not any more than any other band has I guess. While maybe not as commercially successful as DMOde or The Cure…they as much loved by their fans as those…even more so. Probably the most devoted fans out there.
I love the Smiths and R.E.M. (and I think Unforgettable Fire is U2’s best), but none of those albums holds a candle to either Ocean Rain or to The Replacements’ Let it Be. For God’s sake people, have you listened to “unsatisfied” or “answering machine”? How anyone can find Depeche Mode’s Some Great Reward to be a better album than Let it Be I will never get. Seriously, that is perhaps life’s greatest mystery. And Ocean Rain speaks for itself.
I know where you’re coming from. But I’ve reconciled myself to the idea that as long as the “right” albums make the Top 10, I’m not so concerned about which order they’re in. Given the critical and popular stature of most of these records, these results seem credible to me. The year’s best albums generally rose to the top…
…one exception being “The Top,” which isn’t even a good Cure record, let alone one of the best releases of 1984. But that’s just my view, of course!
I couldn’t agree more with your description of the “The Top”. I love The Cure but in NO UNIVERSE is “The Top” a better album than “Let It Be”. On the other hand, it was good to see Husker Du break the top ten.
I find people’s views of The Top so interesting! For me, it is actually one of my favourite Cure albums…a bit of whimsical psychedelia and exotica that I personally wish they would revisit! Bliss. Absolutely great list by the way…1984 was clearly one of the best years of the eighties for all this wonderful music. In the future, will there be a “Best of 2013” list that stands up to the quality and diversity of this…? I doubt it!
Echo & the Bunnymen are overrated.
Not according to Ian McCullough who thinks he’s the second coming of Jim Morrison. That said, I actually think they are generally underrated.
A few of my Top 10 didn’t even make the Top 100 (Shriekback’s Jam Science!) and others are lower than I would have chosen, it’s a solid Top 10.
That’s your opinion. The first 4 records by them I think are great.
Not mad with the list at all, especially since the top 2 would be my top 2 as well. Would have liked to of seen The Mats, Husker and Minutemen’s releases higher though.
Good to see REM at number 2, Reckoning vindicated at last but Zen Arcade and Let it Be at the bottom of the Top Ten is unreal. The Top is probably The Cures worst album of the Eighties.
People have you never heard Zen Arcade or Let It Be :(
IMHO there is a lot more synthy crap starting to filter into the lists: “Alf”, “Berserker”, “Love Life”, but this list does truly reflect how it all went down. Thanks for the hard work in putting it together. I agree with Brian, “Ocean Rain” belongs in the number one spot. I know the Smiths rule (and for some reason the s/t was my least fave album of theirs) but Bunnymen fans need to feel that vindication too. The Smiths later albums will be topping the upcoming lists. Echo is a highly highly underrated band.
Thought for sure that “Let It Be” would be Top 3. Was my #1. But I think its placing is proof of how truly great the competition was for ’84. Again, what a year. “Zen Arcade” just cracks the Top 10?! “Steeltown” at #55?!!! My first thought was that too few people have actually heard these amazing records, but, again, I think it really gets down to this being one of the most competitive years.
Karma says “Tim” is #1 in the next poll!!! :)
I find the results here generally unsurprising, in a good way. Tracks from many of these albums were still in pretty heavy rotation on my local “modern rock” station into 1991 (darn Nirvana), so they did have longevity, too.
Sacrilege I know, but if any band on this list is overrated it’s Cocteau Twins… Props for their originality I guess, but their ‘brilliance’ has always escaped me. This album in particular which the band referred to as ‘an abortion’ back in the day.
Depeche made the Top-5. I’m happy. While not their best album, ‘Some Great Reward’ is a fantastic album nonetheless, and a very important album in the history of electronic music. A very influential album indeed.
Also OK with The Smiths making #1, and U2 and Echo making the Top-5 as well. Good on them. REM…… yawn! :)
BRING ON ’85!
Pleasantly surprised to see DCD and This Mortal Coil cracking the top 20. But, unpleasantly surprised to see Alphaville only hit 27 – that album was fantastic.
Seven?! Seven?!
Sigh
Of course, due to the often-stringent, frequently-confusing nature of “modern rock/alternative/new wave/postpunk/college rock” etc. and all its definitions and incarnations, Prince & the Revolution’s “Purple Rain” isn’t in the top 100 of the year–and I am hard pressed to find ONE album on this list that’s better. And that’s in the presence of a LOT of great records by great bands. I mean, I LOVE The Cure, and I can admit that “The Top” isn’t in the same league as “Purple Rain.”
Double Nickels could swap places with Let It Be in my opinion but a darn fine list none the less.
I’m honestly surprised Purple Rain didn’t make it in on write-ins. It’s a brilliant album and one I think has a lot of across-the-board appeal, even to alt rock fans like us. Other than that, all my choices made the list this time (a first) including my beloved And Also The Trees, who just squeaked in at tied for 97th. Curious to see how their later, better albums like Virus Meadow and Farewell To The Shade do in the upcoming lists…
Hey Ive been wrong for so long…
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, ‘Rattlesnakes’ 15
Tones on Tail, ‘Pop’ 25
Ultravox,Lament’ 54
Let’s Active, ‘Cypress’ 71
The Fixx, ‘Phantoms'(top 10 of all time for me) 73
Modern English, ‘Ricochet Days’ 82
Icehouse, ‘Sidewalk’ OUT
Men Without Hats, ‘Folk of the 80s (Part III)’ OUT
Microdisney, ‘Everybody Is Fantastic’ OUT
Section 25, ‘From the Hip’ OUT
What a list. I could get by for a long time listening to just these 100 records.
Wait- I already did.
Charles is right. Double Nickels should be Top 10 for the whole decade.
Like everyone I have likes and dislikes here, but my main thought is this: if this uneven Smiths record tops the year, “The Queen is Dead” may take the whole decade, which I could live with. Oh, and bring on Pychocandy!
You are correct about ‘The Queen is…’ taking the decade. Others include Tears for Fears-The Hurting, OMD-Crush (to me anyways), JAMC-Psychocandy. U2-Live Under A Blood Red Sky is also one of my Favs, it’s up there with Frampton Comes Alive, CT @ Budakon, Priest Unleashed in the East. The list of fantastic records from the 80’s is almost endless.
I have little doubt that Queen is Dead will take the decade given how the voting has played out so far. Disintegration may give it a run for its money though. Despite all that , Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation should be the real winner for the very best of the decade. It encapsulated the dissonant vibe that rippled through much of the underground music of the 80s and stretched the envelope towards nearly everything what would come in the future. And, on top of that, it flat out rocks.
Top 4 are spot on. Still listen to those albums a lot. Can’t believe the Go-Betweens’ Spring Hill Fair only ranked #79. One of their best.
Good list! I’d have thought Lament by Ultravox, Aural
Sculpture by The Stranglers and Sparkle In The Rain by Simple Minds
would have placed higher. When released, they did better on the
charts, in rotation, in clubs, and in video rotation that many that
finished higher in the list. I appreciate that staying power and
influence will have played roles in peoples’ choices, which is
ultimately what placed these albums where they are. I think in many
cases people choose based on things like the artist’s ‘brand name’,
and on the ‘coolness factor’ associated with having an affinity to
certain artists, more than based on the albums’ actual
quality.
Great list. I don’t care what 60’s & 70’s people say. There was never a better time in music than the early-mid 80’s. So many incredible albums. The Furs-Mirror Moves, The Alarm-Declaration, Mats-Let It Be, Simple Minds-Sparkle in the Rain are standouts for me. Oh to go back, just for a little bit. I was young, strong, and running against the wind….stole that last bit from Bob Segar. :)
It’s a shame that there were not enough votes to get Shriekback’s ‘Jam Science’ on this list, it is such a great album from ’84. I am also surprised that ‘The Top’ ranks so high. I don’t hate that album, but it’s more odd than good. Dolby’s ‘The Flat Earth’ and The Fixx’s ‘Phantoms’ would rank much higher on my own list. :)
Agreed 100 percent on “Jam Science”! That was an excellent record, probably better than “Oil and Gold” (which no doubt will make the cut thanks to ‘Nemesis’).
I remember “Jam Science” made quite a splash on the college charts at the time (at least at my station), but it came out during that hazy period when it was still rare for non-mainstream albums to be released on CD. For the matter of that, I don’t think it ever has been given a proper CD (or even digital) release, which is a shame. More people would surely remember it if it had been in broader circulation these many years, it’s a brilliant record.
Note to Arista: C’mon, people — get “Jam Science” on iTunes, at least!!!!
I had hoped Frankie would have made top 10. I know its uncool, but I guess I just wan’t angry enough yet in the 80’s to be as obsessed with the top bands.
A very good list, again. Three of my votes went Top 10, but two essential albums didn’t even make the Top 100: Felt’s ‘A Splendour Of Fear’ and Budd/Eno’s ‘The Pearl’.
Interesting statistics: The Cure, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Siouxsie & The Banshees and U2 all made the Top Ten four times within five years (with devoted fans pushing even not-so-perfect albums like ‘October’, ‘A Broken Frame’ and ‘The Top’)
More trivia at halftime: Only three acts made the Top 100 in all five years: Cabaret Voltaire, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Gary Numan. But only Elvis Costello has a total of six entries, charting twice in ’81.
The Smiths totally deserved to be at number 1, well done everybody!
And great to see Siouxsie And The Banshees and The Cocteau Twins make the top 10 too!
Best top 10 so far. Only the presence of U2 and Depeche Mode spoils it. In their place I’d have The Gun Club and Dream Syndicate LPs and it’d be perfect. Roll on 1985. Psychocandy has won already, by the way…
I feel like there’s some baffling pick in the top ten. Though I did probably vote for a few of them. Mostly, just that many The Cure albums deserve to be a year’s top five, but “The Top” ain’t one of ’em. Not sure it’s in their own discography top ten…
Overall, a fab list. However, Alterna-folks, you disappoint me with your Kool-Aid drinking vote for The Smiths’ debut at #1. Not everything Moz touched was gold… some of it is merely silver. To rate this flawed debut over the nearly perfect Ocean Rain shows your voting was based on a Prom King/Queen popularity mentality instead of constructive critical thought. We’re voting for ALBUMS, not BANDS. And the fact that INXS and The Cars rated above Robyn Hitchcock’s time-tested classic “I Often Dream Of Trains” or Thomas Dolby’s curve-ball statement “The Flat Earth” makes me wonder how high you rank Wham’s “Make It Big” in your “Alternative” universe. I say this because I love you.
Agreed Jay!
Well said..
You and I may disagree about particulars, but I feel the essence of your rant and agree.
Once again, it’s a blast going through these lists and remembering these great albums. Great top ten and am especially pleased to see Hyaena which is a psychedelic goth masterpiece and Treasure which still makes my heart soar. How ever Double Nickles on the Dime should be in the top ten bumping either Some Great Reward, The Top or Unforgettable Fire…all great albums but not as deep, layered and enduring as this Minutemen classic.
I think the list gets it pretty well: Very happy to see that Siouxsie and The Banshees’ masterpiece, HYAENA (the first S&TB LP I ever heard as a little boy) made the top ten. I feel that The Icicle Works debut LP should’ve charted WAY higher though; that collection of poetic, powerful songs is excellent and no less exceptional nearly 30 years later. I also agree about Prince’s album not being included. And, similarly, though the list might not encompass/cater to her style, I also think Tina Turner’s PRIVATE DANCER was worth mentioning, for it featured future rock, power-pop, new wave, and punk classics to wonderful effect.
the smiths at #1? jesus.
I’m very surprised to see one of my 80s faves (Nena) on the chart. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who remembers they released two CDs.
I presume many people voted for Julian Cope’s ‘World Shut Your Mouth’ album thinking that the song ‘World Shut Your Mouth’ is on it (it isn’t, it’s on St. Julian). Cos ‘Fried’, which he also released in 1984 is a far superior album but much further down the list. Oh well…
As I stated to a friend and what some here seem to be missing is that this list is how the test of time has treated these musical offerings, NOT how the list would have looked in 1985 after the year was done! So yes, maybe an album you felt should be higher and it may well have been if we took the poll 25 years ago, but it’s the poll as we see them today, and for the most part I’m ok with much of it. You folks arguing about the placement of albums in the top 10 are silly to me.
I wanted to give a special shout out to one of the most overlooked albums of all time, and one that barely squeaks onto the list here at #96 ACID BATH by Alien Sex Fiend, easily their finest hour and one of my top albums ever. I had that in my car’s cassette player exclusively for probably 5-6 months and it never got tiring. Brilliant work from Nik Fiend and the gang, and if you can find it I suggest going back in time and giving a listen.
Lastly, I’m pleasantly surprised to see anyone remember Fad Gadget (Frank Tovey), whom I liked but few knew. And Caberet Voltaire Micro-Phonies should be realistically 40 spots higher… #64 is an outrage for an album with ‘Do Right’, ‘Sensoria’ and ‘James Brown’ on it, and a shout out poster in Ferris Bueller’s bedroom.
Too bad the Screaming Blue Messiahs 6 song EP “Good & Gone” couldn’t qualify as an album. Everything else on this list pales in comparison.
Getting to this a bit late. I guess I might be the only Smiths fan in the world who doesn’t really care for their 1st album, except its version of Reel Around the Fountain. I much prefer Hatful of Hollow and after (The Queen is Dead being their greatest). It might be a very un-indie thing to proclaim, but A Sort of Homecoming is head and shoulders stronger than The Smiths first record (except for the album cover of course). And while I’m glad for the inclusion of Brilliant Trees and A Walk Across the Rooftops, their place should have been much higher if you ask me. (But no one is, I know)
And where is Purple Rain btw???
Did I say A Sort of Homecomeing??? duh, I meant Unforgettable Fire. Oh well, you know what I meant.
Anne Clark’s ‘Joined Up Writing’ should be in the Top 100.
Bunnymen are underrated… Ocean Rain and Heaven Up Here deserved to be #1 in their respective years, while Crocodiles and Porcupine deserved to be a minimum of 1-2 spots higher in their years. However, ignoring the actual number rankings I cant complain on most of the top 10’s – including the more pop bands such as Duran Duran and Human League.
the Smiths forever!!!
Urban Beaches by Cactus World News awesome
Classic album
What a great year:
“The Unforgettable Fire” (U2)
“Treasure” (Cocteau Twins)
“It’ll End In Tears” (This Mortal Coil)
“Some Great Reward” (Depeche Mode)
“It’s My Life” (Talk Talk)
“Ocean Rain” (Echo & The Bunnymen)
“Welcome To The Pleasure Dome” (FGTH)
…
And, And Also The Trees
“Heartbeat City” (The Cars)
“The Top” (The Cure)
Romeo Void – Instincts , deserved to be on the list!
Meat Puppets II, one of the few absolutely perfect albums ever made, finishes only 33rd? Hmm? Ah well.
This is a list of alternative music. I remember Billy Ocean’s Caribbean Queen,or Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called to Say I Love you, and many other songs on albums that didn’t make this list… How come the Footloose movie soundtrack is not listed here? If you’re looking for the most popular albums of 1984, this list is not for you.
1.hatful of hollow:THE SMITHS
2.SPARKLE IN THE RAIN:simple minds
3.ocean rain:ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
4.MIRROR MOVES:the psychedelic furs
5.rattlesnakes:LLOYD COLE & THE COMMOTIONS
6.THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE:u2
7.the smiths:THE SMITHS
8.CAFE BLEU:the style council
9.remote luxury:THE CHURCH
10.THE ICICLE WORKS:THE ICICLE WORKS
Queen – The Works.
Still very much listened to to this day, huge hits. Nowhere on this list.