We’ve reached November, which means it’s time for our year-long Best of the ’80s poll to continue on to 1989 as we again ask Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers to help rank the releases of each year of the decade throughout 2013 — concluding, next month, with a giant, decade-concluding poll to determine the best records of the entire 1980s.
VOTING: It’s a simple process. Below, we’ve assembled a list of more than 260 albums released in 1989, and you’re welcome to vote for up to 10 of them — or write in any title(s) you wish that we didn’t include.
A few notes and reminders on how this works:
- Given the theme of this website, the albums that made the ballot are generally those that fall under the very loose and ill-defined “alternative” banner, titles from the punk, post-punk, goth, college rock, indie, synthpop, industrial, New Wave and related genres. This time around we’ve again broadened the selection a bit to include some key albums from outside the genre. And, of course, you’re still free to write in any album released in 1988 that you want.
- Speaking of write-ins, you may list multiple albums in the box at the end of the poll, but, please, limit your total votes to 10. If you run out of room, e-mail info@slicingupeyeballs.com.
- As has been the case with all of the polls in this series, this is a ranking of studio albums. So no EPs, live albums or compilations. We’ll run additional polls to determine the best EPs, comps and/or live albums of the ’80s when this series is done at the end of 2013.
- Finally, one bit of housekeeping: Some of you will notice that Fine Young Cannibals’ The Raw and the Cooked is not on the ballot. Due to conflicting information on the Internet (never trust the Internet!) we put it on the 1988 ballot, and since the record placed No. 30 on the Top 100 albums of 1988, we’re not going to repeat it here, even though it is, by most accounts, a 1989 album. Oops.
DEADLINE: Voting will be open through 5 p.m. EDT Friday, Nov. 22, and results will be posted the following week — after which we’ll launch the big one, the Best of the ’80s poll, in early December.
Sound good? Then vote away.
And feel free to discuss/list/explain/lobby for your picks — or gripe about the shocking exclusions and/or inclusions on this month’s ballot — in the comments section below.
PAST RESULTS: Finally, if you missed any of the previous results, here are the Top 100 albums of 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 — as voted by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers.
NOTE: If this app isn’t letting you vote, you also may vote directly via Polldaddy: poll.fm/4hexg.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Top 100 Albums of 1980: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 1
- Top 100 Albums of 1981: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 2
- Top 100 Albums of 1982: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 3
- Top 100 Albums of 1983: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 4
- Top 100 Albums of 1984: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 5
- Top 100 Albums of 1985: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 6
- Top 100 Albums of 1986: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 7
- Top 100 Albums of 1987: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 8
- Top 100 Albums of 1988: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s — Part 9
TFF wins for me.
The most excellent year. As far as the most far reaching to the future for a seminal ablum that had such an impact on dance music, Storm the Studio by Meat Beat Manifesto was absolutely amazing. It was nice to see one of my favorites which I thought nobody but me remembered, which was Rotund For Success by Severed Heads. Also, I will never forget seeing NIN in Portland Oregon May of 1990, and as the concert ended a genius in the sound booth put on Hats by The Blue Nile! What a perfect mellow vibe after the physical and mental release of NIN. Yes, it was very difficult leaving of Kate Bush, The Mighty Lemon Drops, and The Ocean Blue. A fantastic year!
The Cure!!
omg so much good music
Damn – and I though ’88 was hard… this was a tough one ! So many great records!
Voted my 10
1989 was ridiculously eclectic…
Probably the hardest year for me to vote for
Awsome year was 1990.
Ok
Another great year. Stone Stone still holds up.
Love and Rockets baby!
Tough choices, it’s was definitely the year of industrial!
so. hard. to. CHOOSE!
NIN-Pretty Hate Machine Start to finish a masterpiece!
So many great albums. Hard to keep it to 10.
I was so tempted to just vote Kate Bush and The Cure… So freaking tough. This was the first half of my Senior Year… so many memories and I was hitting my peak in music appreciation.
Wow. I didn’t think this would be a hard one to vote on. I was WRONG! I had to give props to iconic industrial albums by Nitzer Ebb, NIN, Ministry… and couldn’t NOT vote for Ian McCulloch and Peter Murphy’s brilliant solo albums. Classic albums by The Stone Roses and New Order. And of course then there’s The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’. It’s going to take the cake.
Tough to narrow it down, coupla all-timers in there….
Leaving that Kate Bush album off was painful.
my guess is NIN, theCure, Stone Roses and Pixies are top 4, in whatever order.
Wow, I hadn’t remembered how many seminal albums came out in 1988! I had to make some hard choices!
’89 was everywhere!
This was a tough year! So many albums that I fell in love with and influenced my tastes came out this year, Queen Elvis, Key Lime Pie, Boomerang, Disintegration… Although I didn’t vote for them, I appreciate that Fetchin’ Bones and Max Q were on the list!
my grad year. It was a good one.
nice poll
Cure, Pixies, Stone Roses, New Order, Mudhoney, Love & Rockets, Ministry, Replacements, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More in that order for me. What a ridiculously diverse year!
Waaaay to much good stuff to pick from this year. Kinda sad that so many heavyweight albums are going to overshadow so many awesome, smaller discs. The intro graphic pretty much shows the top 9, and rightfully so.
Tough choices this time around.
It was SO hard to pick JUST 10!!
I started working at the record store in 1989,and I was REALLY finding my myself musically that year…
I made my picks listening to The Cure Disintegration while at work at the record store :)
Stone Roses, i believe.
I should also add that it pained me to leave off NIN, Hoodoo Gurus, The Cult, Nirvana, and Peter Murphy off my list, which would have been 11-15.
Hardest one yet. I didn’t realize that so many of my all-time favorites came from this one calendar year.
Some great choices – Peter Case, Replacements, Stone Roses, XTC, Kate Bush, Nirvana. Harder than the ’88 list.
THE OCEAN BLUE = perfect album!
I could not agree more! VERY under rated band…
One of my favorites of all time too!
Some great stuff on the list, all the ones I picked are still on my iPod :-)
80’s ROCKS
hat’s of for including Slint
but still no Fugazi?
now that’s fubar…
Fugazi didn’t release their first studio album until 1990.
Cure, 10K Maniacs, Kate Bush and Peter Murphy
all in my top 10 as well.
Oh that was so hard….1989 was such an amazing year. I am so sad I had to leave off Erasure, NIN, and Renegade Soundwave.
I feel dirty with some omissions. What a great diverse year in music. I had to include Sonic Temple by the Cult. There was an underground rock club by that name, Nirvana played there 6/16/89. That was my high school graduation. If there was ever a way to graduate high school in Nope, not gonna go back, not gonna do it, fashion, that was it. Imagine the fight about skipping out on the usual stuff to see a band no one, not even I had heard of(true). I feel a little bit vindicated by the career they went on to have.
great year for alt music hard to narrow to 10
surprisingly difficult choices this year. 1989 was sneaky good! There were some tough choices that had to be made, with some favorite bands left out in the cold. After careful consideration, here’s my 10:
10,000 Maniacs
B-52’s
The Bodeans
Peter Case
Elvis Costello
De La Soul
Chris Isaak
Joe Jackson
The Smithereens
Squeeze
1989 was all about New Order’s Technique and The Cure’s Disintegration for me. It was hard for me to choose the other 8!
It’ll be curious to see where “New York” lands and speculate where it would have landed if not for his passing last week.
I’d like to think it will do well on its own merits. It was a very good record, and was acknowledged as such at the time.
a good year
People can argue about which year was the best, worst, average . . . But 1989 has two things going for it that no other year has: (1) Best album ever made — Stone Roses; and (2) best hip hop album ever made, Paul’s Boutique.
Yes, yes, I know every Cure, DM, and Smiths fan will disagree. And on a personal note, the Smiths are right there next to the top for me. But track for track, nothing touches the Roses’ debut.
paul’s boutique is a fine album, but the idea that any beasties record is the “best hip-hop album ever made” is just fucking ludicrous. and the stone roses having made the best album EVER, of any kind? equally ludicrous.
Someone looked up the word ludicrous today . . .
FWIW, Brian, I pretty much agree with you, though I must say CVB’s Key Lime Pie sits right next to the Roses for me. But the Boutique? Damn. Only rap album that comes close to it is Paid In Full from 86.
89 was a wonderful year.
so..paul’s boutique is a better hip-hop album than the best records by public enemy, de la soul, bdp/krs-one, a tribe called quest, nas, run-dmc, ll cool j, nwa, epmd, big daddy kane, slick rick, mc lyte, x-clan, digital underground, outkast, fugees/lauryn hill. jay-z, eminem..?
really?
In response to qotita’s question — yes. It’s great that you can list a bunch of his hop acts, but so what? What Big Daddy Kane disc touches Pauls’s? RAW, no. And LL Cool J, who has a lot of hits over a long period — which of his albums on its own is even in the same conversation? Can’t be Radio, and that’s his best. Same with Tribe and EPMD? Name the groundbreaking album that holds up over the last 20 years like Paul’s has. The closest things you have are Public Enemy’s Nation of Millions (3rd best hip hop record in my opinion — second, being Paid in Full) and Raisin Hell by Run DMC (groundbreaking, but half of it does not hold up well at all as far as I’m concerned, but to each his own), and NWA Straight Outta Compton (which is/was great, but lacked the diversity and creativity of Paul’s and, frankly, does not speak to me, as I am not an “OG” gangsta, like I presume you believe yourself to be. As for the rest of your list, Slick Rick, Digital Underground, Nas . . . ha! I assume you are just being funny.
I have looked over your comments on this thread. It’s laughable how you make pronouncements that you expect people to take as fact. Even more laughable is your comment about being an astute “musicologist.” I’m happy you have an opinion about things, but that’s all it is – your opinion. And judging from the dismissive and childish tone of your comments, I’m guessing not to many people take that opinion very seriously.
ha!
funny how the idiot above you talks so much shit to me but configures his comments so that i can’t reply.
Yeah — I configure my comments so that you can’t reply. You’re right, I run the website. Truth is, I’m terrified of being bitch-slapped by a “musicologist” such as yourself. And BTW, still waiting for you to name any hip hop album better than Paul’s.
Calling me (and a few others on this thread) an idiot does not make you right; it only shows that you resort to childish attacks because you are incapable of defending your positions — even though you make assertions as if they were gospel. I urge people to read this guy (qotits’s) comments here. Is there anyone who would not come to the conclusion that this guy had got serious issues? Seriously, even if you think Disintegration is the greatest album ever made (fine, I disagree, but just my opinion), would you really want this guy in your camp? I would continue, but I have to configure my comment so that qotita cannot reply. Please, for the love of God, protect me from his wit and wisdom!!!!!
well, dickhead, your comments can;t be replied to, while others can. so there’s no other way for me to respond to your bullshit than to reply to THIS poor sap’s comment. and i didn’t bother naming REAL hip-hop records that are better than any beastie boys record, because there are dozens. but to humor you:
public enemy — it takes a nation of millions to hold us back/fear of a black planet/apocalypse ’91
boogie down productions — criminal minded/by all means necessary/ghetto music-the blueprint of hip-hop/edutainment
de la soul — 3 feet high & rising/de la soul is dead/stakes is high
a tribe called quest — the low-end theory/midnight marauders
run-dmc — run-dmc
ll cool j — radio
eric b. & rakim — paid in full
epmd — strictly business
jungle brothers — done by the forces of nature
slick rick — the new adventures of..
mc lyte — lyte as a rock
x-clan — to the east, blackwards
nas — illmatic
fugees — the score
dr. dre — the chronic
outkast — everything they’ve ever done
lauryn hill — the miseducation of..
jay-z — reasonable doubt/hard knock life/blueprint/black album
eminem — first 4 albums
kanye west — first 3 albums
..and that’s just a start. and i am a musicologist. i have an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music that surpasses that of most people. and if you think that nas and slick rick aren’t hugely important, respected emcees, yet you’re only “spoken to” by the beastie boys, then you’re not really a fan of hip-hop (and again, i quite like the beastie boys, and i am not denigrating this records, and i believe many dismiss them as parody when i would agree that some of their work, this album in particular, is true hip-hop). and i’m not an “OG” at all, in the sense that i am sure you mean–that i am some kind of wigger. i’m a white italian guy from long island who grew up on classic rock and then alternative rock..i am a diehard fan of artists like billy joel and steely dan as much as the cure and r.e.m..but i also love real hip-hop, and i grew up in a place that was a hotbed for it (PE is from the next town from me and i’ve met them; i went to high school with busta and the rest of leaders of the new school; de la, epmd, rakim, craig mack, ll, tribe and 3rd bass are all from this area, among others) at a time when the genre was at it’s creative peak. i was there, so to speak, and i know the whole form well. you are free to feel personally that paul’s boutique is your favorite hip-hop album, but the idea that it’s the best one ever made is just silly, and borderline racist. and you made a “pronouncement” too (that pb is the best “rap” album ever).
Hey. Thanks for your comment. I don’t think any album you listed is better than Paul’s. Somehow that makes me racist (I guess you listing the first 4 Eminem discs over that of, say, Jurrasic 5 makes you more of a racist than me under that definition, but whatever). I agree that PE’s Nation of Millions and Eric B and Rakim’s Paid in Full give Paul’s a close run for the money, but I’ve already said that. Although it would suit your purpose to suggest that I implied that Paul’s is the only hip hop disc that “speaks to me,” truth is (backed up by the comments above for anyone keeping score) is that I merely said NWA’s Straight Outta Compton” does not speak to me – mostly because it’s meant to speak to an aspect of life that I know nothing about. Unlike some people (looking at you qotita), I don’t consider myself an expert in all things (or is it just in the field of musicology?). I liked Straight Outta Compton, but ultimately I can relate to it only on the most superficial level. I don’t come from the streets, and I probably wouldn’t survive in the streets. So, considering that’s is pretty much what SOC is all about, I don’t feel a whole lot of affinity with it. Maybe you are just way more “down” than me.
Now with that out of the way, your comments continue to prove my point of how childish you are. And, as one can see from the comments below, I’m far from the only person who feels that way. Are you really a grown man? Are you really still acting this way? I understand that we are discussing music from the 80s, but that doesn’t mean you have to revert back to your 80s level of maturity. For anyone paying attention, all you need to know about this guy (qotita) is the following quote from his comment above: “and i am a musicologist. i have an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music that surpasses that of most people.” Does this really need any commentary?
As for your hip-hop credentials, fantastic. You grew up near hip hop hotbeds. That, however, doesn’t mean that you know the first thing about it (and surely, not more about it than others — whoops, sorry, I forgot that you are a musicologist with an encyclopedic . . .zzzz). I grew up in Hollywood, but that does not make me an actor or a rock star. So, it looks like geography does not dictate knowledge or experience.
As for my statement that Paul’s is the best hip hop disc ever. You are correct: I made a pronouncement. But my pronouncement and those of others on this site are intended (or, as far as I can tell, appear to be intended) to spark thought-provoking, interesting dialogue. For example, I love that Eric (a few comments up) kind of agrees with me, but has some issues with my opinion. Indeed, he or anyone can flat out disagree with me. Just make a thought-provoking point. Listen carefully here: what People are looking for here is interesting debate about great music. No one expects everyone else to agree with them. That would be boring. You, on the other hand, make pronouncements and then unleash sixth-grade like ad hominem attacks against anyone who disagrees with you. Put simply, the people on this site are grown-ups. So, please stop acting like a spoiled little child. And, in case you were wondering, calling people “idiot,” “dickhead,” and “fucking dope” is the definition of child-like behavior.
Finally, because of the way in which the website is configured, I cannot respond to your comments either at this level (that’s because no one can reply after a certain level). So rest assured, there is no conspiracy against you, although there does appear to be a substantial amount of dislike for you.
WOW!!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone get more crushed than Qotita did here!!!! Dude, if I were you, I’d just walk away from this. You are outclassed!
rrrr
Vote from Taiwan, Puli.
The Cure
Jesus Jones
Jesus & Mary Chain
Peter Murphy
The Ocean Blue
Nine Inch Nails
Tears For Fears
Ian Mcculloch
The Wonder Stuff
and of course….The Stone Roses
Year of my all time favorite album release, Disintegration!
word
Damn that was hard
from argentina
Pixies-Doolittle. Period.
I agree 100%
Same here! The best album for the year!
exactly
Yup
So hard, many great options but at the end i must accept that Disintegration is my favorite ever.
Brilliant,deep,gorgeous,a pleasure,legendary…..my life……
great site!
…
the only good álbum in this list!
if you can only find one good album on this list of TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY, perhaps you should find another type of music to listen to–an amazing thing to consider, really, with the scope of styles and level of excellence exemplified here.
Agreed qotita. WTH is Moises doing here?
Disintegration by The Cure best album ever
a handful of standouts, but the year as a whole sucked, at least as far as albums that really stand the test of time. and especially compared to ’86-’88.
annnnnnd here come the aging hipsters again.
Heh heh. It’s funny cause it’s true. Bless your heart for calling them out. I usually just try to ignore them but they don’t make it easy.
Baddog, why don’t you try to be a good dog.
qotita, you critized almost everyone statement on everything. Before you accuse anyone, take a look at yourself. Maybe you’re too young & immature to comment 80’s music. Did Matthew tell you his year of birth that you call him ‘aging hipsters’. qotita, you are really big disappointment.
i was born in 1972. so no.
You are born 1972, but you behave like a 5-year old child.
And of course, ladies & gentleman, one and only outstanding qotita.
Agree completely Matt. I could barely pick out ten enduring albums from this list. Pretty week release year over all. ’84-’88 were the peak years for the decade.
A perfect album. Every song is great from start to finish.
DISINTEGRATION
Simplemente Disintegration de The Cure compone a la perfeccion lo que es el Soundtrack de mi vida. God bless Robert Smith.
the year that I continued the transition to the CD…
the cure toujours
disintegration
the cure Disintegration 1989
Stone Roses would obviously be number one
except no.
Agreed. It’s not even a competition. That’s why it ranks top five or ten of all time in EVERY British music poll — critics and fans — for the last fifteen or so years. And before people say, “what do the British know?” Keep in mind that they are the ones who gave you your heroes (Smiths [who are great], Cure, DM, Clash [greatest ever], Sex Pistols) plus the world’s heroes (Beatles, Kinks, Who, Rolling Stones). If that album just had “I am the Resurrection” recorded eight times on repeat, it would still top this list. Thankfully, it has so much more.
while the uk boasts a shit-ton of incredible bands, the british PRESS routinely canonizes bands that aren’t that great (arctic monkeys, vampire weekend, interpol, tv on the radio, wilco, the strokes, yeah yeah yeahs, arcade fire, oasis, the hives, the vines, pixies, pavement). so the stone roses being crowned the best record ever by those “writers” doesn’t hold a lot of water.
Did you honestly just say Pixies “aren’t that great”. Your credibility = zero.
did i say that? i’m sorry, what i meant to say was that they’re incredibly average at best, and probably the most overrated band in the history of alternative rock music, with sonic youth running a close second.
Man, I’ve been on this site for all of maybe 2 hours over the last year, and in that time, I’ve already been able to routinely pick you out as the absolute jackoff of this site. Sonic Youth, Pixies, and Pavement are unquestionable masters of indie rock.
They’re literally the three most overrated bands in alternative music history and are all awful. They can’t sing, play or write and have never expressed a relatable thought between them.
CAN???? Surprising but I guess appropriate. Not their best though, by far. If we were doing another decade I guess Future Days or Ege Bamyasi would have to be #1!
Interesting thought about the year’s diversity…end of a decade, an era…a genre about to fall apart or implode or whatever. Lawd amighty I hated the 90’s…
’90-93 had TONS of great albums.
Agreed. Nick Cave, Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, The Cramps, etc. A lot of bands really hit there stride at the end of the decade and the beginning of the new one.
But the whiners on this board aren’t happy unless they’ve got something to moan about.
So many good albums in 1989. It’s really hard to choose just ten.
cosmic thing is my n01 choice
I would have to agree. This album doesn’t have a bad tune on it. Always a great party album.
Head & shoulders above the rest of there contemporaries at this moment in time.
Ministry, Nine Inch Nails et PIXIES. J’ai pris trois directs en pleine tronche !
:o)
good year for music
Mind Bomb, Hup and Oranges and Lemons. Still 3 of my favorites.
Hard to keep it to 10. There’s at least 20 great ones
A lot of great albums came out pointing towards the future. NIN and Ministry are my favorites from that time period, with The Pixies and Kilbey’s A Slow Crack nipping at their heels. I graduated high school in ’89 with many of these albums providing memory fodder for sure.
viva the cure!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t see any album but Disintegration being #1. This is arguably the best album by the best new wave band of all time. I’m putting it on right now!
agreed, except the cure were never really a “new wave” band.
DISINTEGRATION – THE CURE!!!
Incredible year!
1989 has a fair number of my all-time favorite albums:
The Cure – Disintegration
Bob Mould – Workbook
Lou Reed – New York
Stone Roses – s/t
Neil Young – Freedom
(Don’t know why Neil Young isn’t on these lists if N.W.A., De La Soul, Guns n’ Roses, and Metallica are allowed on. Neil was a big influence on many ’80s alt-rock bands.)
Agreed with your point re: Neil Young and inclusion of the the metal bands. To a degree, I can understand why some of NY’s other albums from the 80’s were left off, but “Freedom” really should be here (IMO).
I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers what a fantastic — and for the artist, groundbreaking — album Bob Mould’s “Workbook” was. Emerging from the “sustained sound of shattering glass” that had been Husker Du, Bob really blew everyone’s minds with this remarkably nuanced record. Acoustic guitars, a cello, an understated and contemplative vibe . . . it holds up 100 percent after all these years. A fantastic record, and I hope some new listeners will check it out.
ps. Yes to Neil Young’s “Freedom” too, it should be here as well.
Pearl Jam (in the 90’s top 5 bands of alt. music) basically modeled their sound on Neil Young, especially “Freedom”, so yes, it should be here.
I’m okay with Neil not being on this list, on this site (and I say this as a HUGE N Young fan). His influence was already marked on the next generation, hell look at The Bridge Neil Young tribute album that came out in 1989 (Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Pixies, etc).
And Eleventh Dream Day IS on this list, and what were they but a punkier Crazy Horse.
89 was one of the best years for music ever!
Tough choices this year!
MySpace favourSt albums
My picks:
1. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
2. The Cure – Disintigration
3. De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
4. The Stone Roses
5. Pixies – Doolittle
6. Soundgarden – Louder Than Love
7. Galaxie 500 – On Fire
8. NIN – Pretty Hate Machine
9. Lou Reed – New York
10. Ministry – A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste
Desintegraton by the cure is the best of 1989
Synth pop albums!
I can’t believe they left MC 900ft Jesus, ‘Hell with the Lid Off’ out of the list. It may not be as epic as “Welcome to My Dream”… but it was still very noteworthy.
Damn Puppet, I almost forgot this was when that came out. MC 900 was the first “rap” artist I actually ever liked. Still listening to all 3 of his albums to this day. Why did he have to quit :(
Yes! MC900 got a lot of play, esp. the song “Truth Is Out Of Style.”
http://goo.gl/sgPr9
That was a really good period for Nettwerk Records generally: Moev, Sarah McLachlan, Skinny Puppy, Grapes of Wrath (also appearing in this poll), MC900, others I’m forgetting right now. They had some great releases.
I was heavily into Wax Trax!/Nettwerk/PIAS by ’89 (but also an avid 120 Minutes fan), so my picks reflect what I was playing the most back then. I’m sure Doolittle will rank near the top – and I do think it’s a classic album – but my picks were in heavy rotation for me at the time. I found this year to be more challenging than ’88!
The Cure, ‘Disintegration’
Ministry, ‘The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste’
Peter Murphy, ‘Deep’
Nine Inch Nails, ‘Pretty Hate Machine’
Nitzer Ebb, ‘Belief’
New Order, ‘Technique’
Severed Heads, ‘Rotund For Success’
Skinny Puppy, ‘Rabies’
Trisomie 21, ‘Works’
Xymox, ‘Twist of Shadows’
This list is very UK oriented. There was a lot going on in North America, as well.
Whom have they left off?
Deeply impressed New Model Army’s “Thunder & Consolation” was considered for this list.
One of the best albums ever. Yet sadly not heard by many people.
huh? no public image ltd. “9” ?
Argh, I should really proofread my posts :P
“Disintegration is the best album ever!” Thanks, Stan. We know. We know.
Had to go with:
1) The Frogs – It’s Only Right and Natural
2) Kate Bush – The Sensual World
3) The Ocean Blue – The Ocean Blue
4) The Lilac Time – Paradise Circus
5) Killdozer – Twelve Point Buck
6) The Blue Nile – Hats
7) Blake Babies – Earwig
8) The Beautiful South – Welcome To …
9) Too Much Joy – Son of Sam I Am
10) The Innocence Mission – The Innocence Mission
Agree, The Lilac Time “Paradise Circus” is absolutely brilliant.
This is an amazing album that I listened to A LOT as a 17 year old kid back in 1989. I still love it to this day, a positively groundbreaking and seminal piece of work by a fantastic band.
1. The Cure – Disintegration
2. The Pixies – Doolittle
3. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
4. Galaxie 500 – On Fire
5. The Wedding Present – Bizarro
6. Mudhoney – Mudhoney
7. The Field Mice – Snowball
8. Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians – Queen Elvis
9. New Order – Technique
10. The The – Mind Bomb
Grrr, 2nd time in a row you’ve forgotten about McCarthy with 1989 seeing the release of their follow-up lp ‘The Enraged Will Inherit The World’. It deserves to be on there!
Wow, this was the hardest, as my 4th year in college, listened to almost all of these…but must point out Ocean Blue a mastery, Beautiful South and Stone Roses amazing!
No comment ..
I thought 1989 would be easy, but as I scanned the list I realized I didn’t have enough votes. This was my grad year and the year I was introduced to industrial. From the comments it looks like The Cure, NIN, and The Stone Roses will be on top.
I reckon it’ll be between Stone Roses and Doolittle
The cure son los mejores!!!
Didn’t vote for JAMC, Pixies, New order, Love & Rockets or the Cure because EVERYONE else would. So I voted..
The Wedding Present, ‘Bizarro’
Beat Happening, ‘Black Candy’
Pussy Galore, ‘Dial M for motherfucker”
Einstürzende Neubauten, ‘Haus der Lüge’
Galaxie 500, ‘On Fire’
Loop, ‘Fade Out’
Momus, ‘Don’t Stop The Night’
Spacemen 3, ‘Playing with Fire’
The Stone Roses, ‘The Stone Roses’
The Telescopes, ‘Taste’
Wanted to but didn’t get to include Concrete Blonde, Julee Cruise, Sebadoh, Ocean Blue, Field Mice, Pastels and Slint in my list. :(
THE CURE / MINISTRY / NIN / PETER MURPHY / all bands I apply my makeup to on an almost nightly basis.
LOVE AND ROCKETS TOO!!
As I mentioned earlier, I think the Stone Roses is the best album of this year or any other year. But what I am surprised to see is how much love it is getting from the comments. I have always felt like an army of one over the past 20 or so years on arguing how great that album is. Glad to see that I’m not alone.
BTW — didn’t mention Pretty Hate Machine in my original comment. That was a big oversight. Great album and a game changer as far as the breakthrough of industrial dance. I’m sure the Pixies will rank high. If so, that’s fine. But I hope it’s because people legitimately love the album — not because they feel they should.
Some top choices here and extremely difficult to come up with just 10 – number 1 ist possibly the easiest ever for me personally, one word: ‘Disintegration’, the best album of all time. And of course the fabulous and vastly underrated ‘Twist Of Shadows’ album.
Disintegration
An excellent year for music! I love Rhyme by Marty Willson-Piper and The Slow Crack by Steve Kilbey.
Another great year for music
I guess The Stone Roses, Pixies, The Cure and New Order will be in the TOP 5.
Erasure, Tears For Fears, Ramones, Faith No More and Spandau Ballet also released great albums in 1989.
I meant “Prefab Sprout” instead of “Spandau Ballet” haha
Was studying my tail off in 1989 but still managed to catch some decent gigs in NYC. Wish Rose of Avalanche had played in NY.
Cheers
What a good year for albums. NMA, the Wonder Stuff, NIN, Pixies…
Love the 80’s!
This one was the hardest to choose out of all the 80s years!
The Cure: Disintegration holds the top spot for me,
but so many other wonderful albums and flooding memories.
The Creatures, Kate Bush, The The, New Order would round out my top 5.
I had to leave NIN and Stone Roses out of my top ten even though I love those albums now they weren’t as important to me at the time in 1989…
Loved this period of music revolution
The title of the Dramarama record is actually “Stuck in Wonderamaland”, not Stuck in Wonderland.
The Pastels’ “Sitting Pretty” was amazing, as was Field Mice. But it’s obvious that Disintegration is going to win (and deservingly)
XTC’s Oranges and Lemons was hands down the very best of the year. Beatlesque and brilliant.
Definitely Borderline. Asylum Party never got the attention they deserved.
Weird, transitional year in music, which just happens to be the release year of the best album ever made (yes, Disintegration).
Honorary mention: Marc Almond – Jacques. That is one beautiful cover album. Long live both Brel and Almond.
hard to pick only 10, harder than any other year.
1&2. nine inch nails tied with the cure
3. pixies
4&5. skinny puppy tied with ministry
6&7. peter murphy tied with love and rockets
8. nirvana
9. clan of xymox
10. flesh for lulu
PWEI? Disintegration? Stone Roses Debut? Paul’s Boutique? Faith No More?? NIN???
what an awesome year!!!
Good list. Great year!
OMG there are too many!!!
1989…
Don’t Tell a Soul my #2 album from my #1 band.
The Cure Disinegration is the best album ever made..South Park Mecha Streisand!
Man, what a year. 89-90 was my senior year in high school. Music was so important to me then, as it is now. So many great memories perusing this list. New Model Army’s Thunder & Consolation was a standout for me as were the Mats and The Cult. I didn’t discover The Cure or Peter Murphy for a few more years.
you discovered new model army before the cure and peter murphy? how’d that happen?
Seems like a good-sized list.
Stone Roses all the way!
Expecting it to be a toss up between Disintegration and Doolittle.
So many still getting heavy rotation with me. Cure, stone roses, new order, Ian mcculloch, nine inch nails,. Going to dig out Ocean Blue, Xymox, Peter Murphy, Galaxie and Bob Mould.
Queen The Miracle is missing just add
What a year! Incredible
Apart from the obvious cure, new order pixies & stone roses there was
The Blue Nile – Hats (flawless)
Lou Reed – New York (his best imho)
Galaxie 500 – On Fire (perfection)
American Music Club – United Kingdom (my favorite album ever)
Spacemen 3 – Playing With Fire
Wedding Present – Bizarro
Felt – Me Monkey & Moon
Kitchens of Distinction – Love Is Hell
And i still love that Max Q album!
The Cure – Disintegration
I had to write in a few because New Zealand had some good ones that year- The Dead C ‘Eusa Kills’, Bailter Space ‘Thermos’, and Jean Paul Sartre Experience ‘Size of Food’.
Oh and The The’s Mind Bomb. Definately his best.
The Cure’s Desintegration is the best!
This was incredibly difficult! What a way to end the decade with many last hurrahs from classic New Wave bands, great indie pop bands, and many juggernauts that will rule the alt-rock landscape in the coming decades! Here’s hoping the series continues into the 90s!
Oh, my picks and it was hard…Blue Nile, XTC, China Crisis, The Cure, Stone Roses, Nine Inch Nails, Beastie Boys, Love and Rockets, Kitchens Of Distinction and my vote for best of the year and (and one of the beat of the decade), New Order.
10,000 Maniacs – Blind Man’s Zoo
The Blue Nile – Hats
The Cure – Disintegration
The Innocence Mission – The Innocence Mission
Steve Kilbey – The Slow Crack
Peter Murphy – Deep
Pixies – Doolittle
Swans – The Burning World
The The – Mind Bomb
Throwing Muses – Hunkpapa
The cure the best
I don’t think 10 albums will do this year justice!
i must be the only one not totally enamored with the cure’s “Disintegration”…i consider myself a pretty serious cure fan but honestly have always felt that album a bit weak and meandering (with the exception of plainsong and closedown). i suppose in lieu of what came after it’s pretty decent (wish, wild mood swings, bloodflowers), but when held up to their best work (seventeen seconds, faith, head on the door, kiss me x3), it’s just not solid enough. looking at the other posts here, i seem to be in the minority.
I’m with you. I thought that the band’s sound changed drastically with this album. While it’s okay, it’s kinda like one song for however long the CD is – their earlier albums had much more diverse songs. I find it boring compared to their earlier work, but I know others who adore it. Maybe it also has to do with it having been overplayed because a whole raft of people who had never listened to the Cure suddenly loved them.
it’s SUPPOSED to be kinda like one long song, with variations on a theme. that’s the point. then, when a song DOES stray from the sound established by plainsong, pictures of you, closedown etc.–as with fascination street, disintegration itself, and lovesong–it’s that much more striking. and if anything, it’s the PERFECTION of what started with 17 seconds, faith and pornography. the beauty of the cure is that they can make a brilliant record like shit, and an EQUALLY brilliant record that’s all over the place and does EVERYTHING well, like kmkmkm, wish or head on the door.
you’re in the minority among all cure fans, really.
Not the fans who were into them before Kiss Me(x3) or disintegration. Seriously, anyone hailing “lovesong” as a great or representative cure songs should really stop talking. If you like it, great. You can also like Just Like Heaven and Friday, I’m in Love for that matter. But those songs (and disintegration as a whole) were calculated steps into a more commercial sound. Again, if you like it, great. But I’d say you are in the minority among die-hard cure fans if you think that Disintegration ranks among the best Cure albums.
first off, i never said lovesong was a great or representative cure song, though i have no particular problem with it. second, as good as much of kmkmkm is, there are some definite clunkers as well (snakepit, all i want, shiver and shake). third, the idea that disintegration–a 72-minute record with several songs that mine a single, repetitive, droning musical motif for 7, 8 and 9 minutes at a clip, and laden with incredibly downbeat themes–is calculatedly commercial, is just inane. fourth, i guaranTEE you that a huge chunk of cure diehards rank disintegration at the top of their lists. and fifth, if you don’t like just like heaven, much less think it’s a sellout, you’re not a real cure fan.
Sure thing, “Just Like Heaven” is the litmus test for whether or not you are a real cure fan. Your comments should come with a laugh track.
And yes, I know that that not all the songs I mentioned are on Disintegration, but each was a step towards a more commercial sound. Can’t speak for everyone (unlike it appears you are able to do), but I remember Cure fans cringing at those songs.
or not
the or not was meant qotita who thinks he speaks for all cure fans…..
i’ve been a diehard fan and a relative musicologist for long enough to feel pretty confident that, anecdotally, disintegration has a VERY special place in their catalog.
im with you, i may need to revisit the record at some point, as ive only listened to it a few times almost 25 years ago and went meh……but i had been listening to the cure for 10 years at that point and it didnt feel as special as any of their earlier releases…..
I’m with you. Totally overrated IMHO. I consider Pornography their masterpiece, with Faith a close runner-up.
Lo mejor de the cure!!
Amazing how much came out that year.
XTC: Oranges & Lemons, Too Much Joy: Son Of Sam I Am, The Replacements: Don’t Tell A Soul, The Cure: Disintegration, Hoodoo Gurus: Magnum Cum Louder, Bob Mould: Workbook, Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians: Queen Elvis, etc. Such a fantastic time in alternative music!!
There are really no bad years in music because there’s always more good stuff than most people have time to hear, but there were a lot of good bands that released their worst albums in 1989. I’d say it’s between that and 1986 for weakest year of the 80s. My write-in vote goes to Breathless – Chasing Promises. Cool to see Asylum Party and And Also The Trees in there!
i meant to nominate mary my hope’s very obscure “museum” record but forgot–but it wouldn’t have made a dent anyway, so oh well. and sarah mclachlan’s “touch” was a pretty good debut, and considered alternative at the time. vox is a terrific song.
my ballot:
the cure — disintegration
kate bush — the sensual world
indigo girls — s/t
the the — mind bomb
de la soul — 3 feet high and rising
the primitives — pure
peter murphy — deep
terence trent d’arby — neither fish nor flesh: a declaration of love, hope, faith and destruction
10,000 maniacs — blind man’s zoo
mary my hope — museum
others in my top whatever: the sugarcubes, galaxie 500, blake babies, michael penn, elvis costello, squeeze, shelleyan orphan, psychedelic furs, nine inch nails, xtc, epmd, sarah mclachlan, beastie boys, lou reed, kitchens of distinction, spacemen 3, loop, howard jones, simply red, tears for fears, ian mcculloch, stone roses, camper van beethoven, pil, wonder stuff, smithereens, ocean blue, bob mould, replacements, ministry, faith no more, max q, wedding present, lenny kravitz, erasure, and neil young.
really a pretty damn interesting year.
props on the Mary My Hope mention. Museum was a the Bowie record for all of us who were never going to listen to Tin Machine.
Shame that band didn’t last long, though.
Thanks for opening my eyeballs to this awsom genera.
Another awful year in 80’s. Tears For Fears, New Order. Simple Minds is also release great underrated album. I know that everyone hates this album but it works for me. Neneh Cherry, De La Soul is on this poll and for example Simply Red is not? Why? Neneh Cherry & De La Soul is not punk, post-punk, goth, college rock, indie, synthpop, industrial, New Wave and related genres.
Quote from wikipedia: Michael “Mick” Hucknall (born 8 June 1960) is an English singer and songwriter. Formerly the lead singer of the modestly successful punk rock band The Frantic Elevators, Hucknall achieved international fame in the 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter of the soul-influenced pop band Simply Red, with whom he enjoyed a 25-year career and eventually sold over 50 million albums.Hucknall was among the people present at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June 1976 where the Sex Pistols were playing.His interest in the music scene led to the launch of his career in the late 1970s, when he was part of the formation of the band Frantic Elevators.
Conclusion: Muck Hucknall is have more post-punk roots than Neneh Cherry & De La Soul together.
i dig simply red too, to the point where i actually complained here that their first album wasn’t listed in the poll from ’85. but what’s the relevance of what someone’s “roots” are? in 1989, the records by de la soul and neneh cherry were progressive, innovative and offbeat enough to fit under the then-VERY eclectic umbrella of alternative rock music. simply red’s a new flame, however, was a smooth soul-pop record with jazzy flourishes, really mo more “alternative” than hall & oates or anita baker (and i love those two artists, too). go listen to “you got it” or the cover of “if you don’t know me by now”–not just the style and genre, but the production and execution–and tell me they have ANY kinship to post-punk, new wave, etc.
Loved Doolittle, Pretty Hate Machine, 3
Feet and Rising and Technique most.
Mr Hucknall may have had punk roots but he sure wasn’t showing them by 89! I think you need to find the AOR site, how can you say it was a terrible year for music is baffling!
Agree with Richard, but Neneh Cherry & De La Soul in 1989 also doesn’t show their punk roots. There is a bit difference, Neneh Cherry & De La Soul is on this poll & Simply Red is not. Why Richard? What is the reason, Richard?
not all alternative rock has punk or even post-punk roots. you’re being reductive.
De La Soul were v important by bringing hip hop to the white alternative crowd and were immensely influential across the spectrum, i bet most people on this site had a copy or listened to it at some point.
I can’t really justify Neneh Cherry though but hey it’s just a poll!
Kisses on the Wind by Neneh Cherry was pretty epic.
Maybe, but it’s not a song that has passed the test of time. Just like any song from De La Soul (including Me, Myself & I – this song is obviously not passed the test of time). For example, Simply Red ‘Holding Back The Years’ (released 1985) is complete evergreen (28 years later). And this band is not in this poll, not even in 1985. Pretty strange.
Manchild was a pretty sweet tune co-written by Massive Attack’s 3D.
Eurythmics & Jimmy Somerville did a great job that year, not forgeting Neneh Cherry.
Eurythmics & Jimmy Somerville released their worst albums in 1989. Let’s be honest – Read My Lips & We Too Are One are not great record compare to their previous efforts. Neneh Cherry – only 3 albums in entire career and just one in 1989 (1989 – worst year for best music decade in history of music).
Richard, if this is only just a poll (80’s poll), why band like Simply Red is not included (they released 3 albums in 80’s, one is outstanding – Picture Book), and De La Soul (one album in 80’s) & Neneh Cherry (one album in 80’s) are included in this poll. Hey, this is only just a poll, and Neneh Cherry and her ‘Raw Like Sushi’ is definitely more mainstream in 1989 than any Simply Red album in the 80’s. Even De La Soul and only 80’s album is more commercial and mainstream (not alternative) in 1989 than any other Simply Red album. Why? Because, 1989 is year for commercial hip-hop music (De La Soul, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy – Fight The Power single in 1989, LL Cool J, Tone Loc, 2 Live Crew and other hip hop artist). They all have commercial and mainstream success in 1989 not as alternative hip hop artists. All this artists are just ordinary commercial hip-hop music, including De La Soul. 1989, the year in which hip hop becomes mainstream music.
with all due respect–well, no, fuck it. with NO respect, because you don’t deserve it, you’re a fucking dope. de la soul and public enemy are “commercial hip-hop”? they’re too of the most unique, influential hip-hop artists in history. just because you have success doesn’t mean you’re commercial. to lump them in with tone loc and 2 live crew shows your utter ignorance of the genre. and simply red had a lite-soul cover of an r&b chestnut in 1989 that hit fucking number one. how is THAT not “commercial and mainstream”? if you honestly think simply red’s straightforward, soft-rock-that-doesn’t-actually-rock-at-all record from ’89 is more alternative than de la soul’s groundbreaking, wildly eclectic debut, you’re out of your mind. and as i said, i LIKE simply red.
Simply Red, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Tone Loc. This is all commercial music. Hip hop is pretty comercial and kind of ‘in’ that year. In terms of hip hop music De La Soul is not unique and not so influential as for example, Grandmaster Flash (1982 – Message). This artist is one of the pioneer of hip-hop sound.
The Cure, Peter Murphy, New Order, The Creatures, Ian McCulloch, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Einstürzende Neubauten, Pixies, Love and Rockets, and Public Image Ltd.
Peter Murphy’s Deep should get this, and I write that knowing all too well how great Disintegration is. It’s a close call, but Peter really did make an astonishingly great piece of music with this. I really hope Haus der Luge from Einstürzende Neubauten places highly. And can I just add that Ian McCulloch’s Candleland is wonderful?!
Great….
In 1989, my favourite records were Kate Bush’s ‘The Sensual World’ and NIN’s ‘Pretty Hate Machine’. Still loving ‘TSW’, can’t listen to ‘PHM’ anymore. The aggression’s gone ..
A record to write in:
Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie – Good Deeds and Dirty Rags
These days just famous for being Shirley Manson’s first band, their debut album is full of classics. ‘Face to Face’ still sends a shiver down my spine.
Following these year-by-year polls, the idea of dedicating a website to just one decade makes even more sense to me than before. 1980 started a whole new music scene, only few albums from before would’ve fitted nicely in the post-punk years to come. By end of the decade, the next music revolution is knocking at the door. Albums like ‘Bug’, ‘Daydream Nation’ (and probably ‘Bleach’ as well) are underrated on this poll just because their sound aesthetic aleady belong to the ’90s (and would be featured better on a Grunge/Britpop-90s website).
Suggestion to SUE: Please include ‘Licensed to Ill’ in the final decade spanning poll. It will perform good ..
totally incorrect. dozens–perhaps even hundreds–of records from ’77-79 and ’90-92 are completely in line with congruent albums released in 1980 or 1989. to omit those years completely takes away entirely bands like, for instance, the sundays, the smashing pumpkins, radiohead, etc., and very nearly excludes joy division..as well as ignoring seminal records by the cure, squeeze, the jam, xtc, elvis costello, my bloody valentine, jane’s addiction, sinead o’connor, dinosaur jr., morrissey, and so many more. to put it another way, a band like depeche mode didn’t suddenly become “90s” and not alternative when violator came out just because it was released 78 days into 1990.
Por mucho Desintegration es no solo un album de excelente trabajo artististico y de ejecucion instrumental, es tambien sin duda, un album de culto y por ende de las joyas que nos ha heredado esta gran banda.
Nice to vote for the Can comeback album, who knew Malcolm Mooney was floating around still 20 years after he had left. Spacemen 3, Felt, you can tell I managed a CD shop, I burned out on many of the more well known albums.
I would’ve voted for Xymox’s ‘Twist of Shadows’, but it’s wrongly listed under Clan of Xymox. Someone vote for it for me. :)
Many good albums on the list, a few very good, but I don’t think The Cure’s Disintegration can honestly be matched. Tough luck for the competition to be judged against the cure’s best album and one of the most important of the last few decades…
or the cure 7th best album
you’re wrong.
Music is all about opinion. You sure flaunt your opinions around as correct on here often. You are not any more valid a commentator than anybody else. If “Disintegration” is someone’s 7th fave Cure album…they are correct.m They might be in the minority among Cure fans, but it’s still a valid opinion. Ease off.
NMA’s Thunder and Consolation all the way. Favorite album of all time by my favorite band of all time. Happy to see a few mentions here in the comments.
After that? Who knows. Stone Roses, NIN, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, FLA, JAMC, The The. All likely candidates.
Maybe the Cure, which I see getting a lot of love. Good album, not a lock for my top ten here, though.
Have to look a bit more closely at that list.
XTC are awesome
As others have said, a very eclectic list. I voted for:
The Cure
Daniel Lanois
Max Q
Nine Inch Nails
Simple Minds
Tears for Fears
New Order
Lou Reed
plus a couple that will likely receive very few votes:
Underworld
FIGURES ON A BEACH!!!
This was Hard, but top 10 would be in order
cure-
nin
Beautiful south
Laurie anderson
peter murphy
stone roses
Pop will eat itself
new order
nitzer ebb
Lou reed
This was all about THE STONE ROSES, Technique(two of my ALL TIME favourite LPs), Doolittle and Mind Bomb for me. Some other stuff I liked – Kate Bush, Smithereens, Wire, Lou Reed.
no comment
Obligatory exclusion mention:
The Shamen – “In Gorbachev We Trust”
Hoping Nomeansno’s ‘Wrong’ charts high on this.
Would love to see Nina Hagen’s self titled 1989 release listed as an option. Don’t think it’ll chart very high as a write in. Than again it might not chart very high if it’s listed. But I like it.
Wow this is hard to choose.. and it doesn’t even include some of the more mainstream albums like ‘Full Moon Fever’. I’m not sure how I managed to narrow this down to 10..
Ah, some great memories there
You’re missing Bongwater – Too Much Sleep and Bevis Frond – Any Gas Faster
The Cure – Disintegration…. it’s not even close
Here’s a few missing items for the list:
Madonna – Like a Prayer *
Depeche Mode – 101 **
Chris & Cozey – Trust
The Orb – A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain… ***
* If Prince’s “Batman” can be on the list, Madonna sure should.
** I know about the no-live-albums rule, but one of the best DM releases, hands down.
*** Unfortunately this is a an EP, so against the rules. But really, this is one of the best releases of the year.
No Madonna, no Simply Red. This is too commercial for this poll. And obviously it’s very strange, because Prince is on the list with Batman, and i think that his earlier and better albums are not. At the end of this poll i will wote for Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’. This is not my favourite album but I think that ‘Thriller’ deserves to be in this poll. I think that we all agree that ‘Thriller’ is better than ‘Batman’. This is not a joke.
how is thriller alternative?
If Batman soundtrack is alternative, then probably Thriller is also alternative. Or maybe both is not alternative? What do you think qotita? You have opinion on everything.
thriller is pure pop music. batman soundtrack–and it’s not prince’s best work by a longshot–has creative things like batdance, scandalous, arms of orion, electric chair etc. prince is a true artistic genius. mj was a great pop star.
Since he disables his comments, I’ll say it here. Prince and MJ are basically the same genre-wise. Pop. Neither belong here. MJ is no less an “artistic genius” than Prince. Sure, Prince play a shitload of instruments, but MJ wrote or co-wrote just about everything he recorded. I’m a bigger fan of Prince than NJ, but they are VERY similar musically.
love to see the orb getting a nod, one of the best songs ever!
how is prince not much more progressive, innovative and alternative than madonna?
A couple more 1989 releases that should be on the list. A lot of back catalog stuff but really solid. Red Flag, Sharpe + Numan, and Ofra Haza still get plays from me.
ABC – UP
China Crisis – Diary Of A Hollow Horse
Eurythmics – We Too Are One
Eyeless In Gaza – Back From The Rains
Boy George – Boyfriend
Ofra Haza – Desert Wind
Gary Numan – New Anger
Grace Jones – Bulletproof Heart
Moev – Yeah Whatever (might be 1988 or 1989)
Mike Oldfield – Earth Moving
Prefab Sprout – Protest Songs
Red Flag – Naive Art
Sharpe + Numan – Automatic
Thompson Twins – Big Trash
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Beauty
Shakespear’s Sister – Sacred Heart
Wang Chung – The Warmer Side Of Cool
The Cure “disintegration” is the best album of all the time
The Cure- Disintegration… A masterpiece.
My skull HURTS trying to pick just 10! SEVERED HEADS!!!
I love Severed Heads. I’m voting for “Rotund for Success” because I forgot to cast my vote for their earlier, stronger albums (like “Since the Accident” and “Come Visit the Big Bigot”).
Not sure why I need a comment
Hard choices!
Sorry, cannot accept your argument that Three feet High was more mainstream than Simply Red, utter nonsense. Just because they had hit singles? So did a lot of the bands on this list, DeLa Soul were never a major commercial act like Simply Red but they appealed to the alternative scene a lot more than Simply Red
And so what that they had three albums in 80s as opposed to De La’s one, so did the Stone Roses, its a moot point.
^all this.
Kate Bush and The Beautiful South
Disintegration, Doolittle, easy…
In terms of pure musicality, XTC pretty much curb-stomps the field, again.
My top 5. This is just my opinion, of course.
1)The Cure – Disintegration. This is my favorite album of all time. Yeah, it’s dark and depressing but it’s not like it made me want to kill myself. Oh wait. Pills.
2) New Order – Technique. Not my favorite New Order album but it’s close. Vanishing Point is amazing.
3) Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine. He would never even come close to capturing the feeling of this one. He got self absorbed and whiny after this one. Trent, go cry upstairs.
4) Stone Roses – Just WOW! So much 60’s in there which is pretty. Made of Stone is just plain brilliant. Elizabeth, My Dear makes me smile every time I hear it.
5) The B-52’s – Because who expected THAT after Ricky died? Deadbeat Club is one of the best songs ever.
I was never a huge Pixies fan, but Doolittle is great, as is The Ocean Blue album. Galaxie 500 deserved more attention.
So many of you missed out on the wonder of Too Much Joy. Son of Sam I Am was my FAVORITE album of that year and just killer. Go find it! Go find all their albums actually. Great alt-pop-rock stuff! Also Faith No More made it big that year. The Cult – Sonic Temple is a classic and the Julee Cruise debut Into The Night (with the theme song from Twin Peaks) is killer as well.
A little surprised Duran Duran’s Big Thing was left off the list. Had to do a write in.
It was #39 in the ’88 Poll.
And am guessing you’re not actually Andy Taylor–are ya?! :)
Probably he’s just a fan of that album. Just like me. One of the best DD album.
Yikes!
Je li bre, AndyP, što znači Yikes!. Govori engleski da te ceo svet razume.
In other words, “Don’t monkey with my business” with a Nazi reference thrown in? Nice, Marko.
And also nice to see that you are making other new friends and earning new nicknames (i.e. “fucking dope” should stick) here at SUE with some of your other recent comments.
Maybe if R.E.M. get back together only to do a Duran Duran covers album, with De La Soul helping out on the cover of the cover of “White Lines,” peace will be restored in the World of Marko, huh.
Don’t be angry Andry. We’re just different people with different taste in music and this is just a poll. Relax, Andy, relax…
Very tough year. A few omissions from the list that are still on my playlist:
Tommy Keene – Based on Happy Times;
The Sidewinders – Witchdoctor;
Toad the Wet Sprocket – Bread & Circus
One other omission from the 1989 list: The Wygals – Honyocks in the Withersoever. Admittedly obscure but really worth searching out.
Thanks for these lists and please keep going. Already looking forward, 1990 was the year my ears went to the UK – first full-length releases from the Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets, The La’s, and Ride. Plus the House of Love’s “butterfly” album = brilliant. Even my favorite US band, the Connells, went to Blighty to record One Simple Word. Finally, 1990 saw the first release from a short-lived but utterly brilliant Irish band called the Power of Dreams. Their record, Immigrants, Emigrants and Me is still among my all-time favorites.
Good call on the Wygals, that was a cool record and I was listening to it the other day. Gene Holder was in that band after the dB’s.
The Wygals album is still one of my all-time favorites. I once drove out to some dive in Central New Jersey during a hurricane to see them.
Disintegration & Stone Roses – two masterpieces that should be in the top albums of the decade and all time.
Excellent list of albums
disintegration, sensual world, love and rockets
PWEI, this is this, not only the best album of 89, but the greatest album of all time IMHO
DiSINTEGRATiON was is will be best album ever!
The Creatures aka Siouxsie ”Boomerang” which is Bjork’s template for her 1993’s debut. Kate Bush, Pixies, Stone Roses…
Hothothot
A decade of music in transition. So evident in this list. My picks:
1. The Stone Roses
2. The Cure – Disintegration
3. Peter Murphy – Deep
4. The The – Mind Bomb
5. New Order – Technique
6. Del Amitri – Waking Hours
7. Welcome to the Beautiful South
8. The Alarm – Change
9. XTC – Oranges and Lemons
10. 10,000 Maniacs – In My Tribe
I’m sorry, the Pixies may be the most overrated band of the 80s. I know it’s your namesake, but had to be said.
wrong 10k maniacs record.
Sad to see Toad the wet sprocket’s bread & circus was left off. I would have assumed they would be on the list.
.
The Cure’s Disintegration is one of the best albums of all time and definitely the best album of 1989.
Yes
1. Pixies, ‘Doolittle’
2. 13 Engines, ‘Byram Lake Blues’
3. Camper Van Beethoven, ‘Key Lime Pie’
4. Jello Biafra with DOA, ‘Last Scream …’
5. NoMeansNo, ‘Wrong’
6. Eleventh Dream Day, ‘Beet’
7. Flaming Lips, ‘Telepathic Surgery’
8. Jesus and Mary Chain, ‘Automatic’
9. Stone Roses, ‘Stone Roses’
10. Replacements, ‘Don’t Tell a Soul’
A good year for American and Canadian music!
toughest year so far
Wow. 1989 had some incredible highs and lows
This year’s winner (between disintegration and stone roses) will be the winner of the decade too. Third place for the queen is dead
I was 17 in 1989 and Disintegration and Mind Bomb were basically the soundtracks to my year. Honourable mentions include The Wolfhounds, Blue Nile and KAte Bush
Stone Roses? Are you people kidding???? Disintegration is a layup here. Come on.
The cure for sure
Indie years, last breath before grunge & electro…
Too many good albums to choose from…
Good times
Jason & Scorchers best band in this list.
How many times can I vote for “Disintegration” by The Cure ?? Still listen to the entire thing all the time.
Kirsty MacColl’s “Kite” tops my list. Got a feeling I’m alone on that one.
“Doolittle” would be a deserving winner, too.
Kirsty’s album shares my top spot with The Wygals’ “Honyocks In The Whithersoever”, which isn’t on the list.
Wow. Lot’s of touch decisions. What a great year for music.
Oh man!
This was the year I graduated from high school, so many memories and good times and even better music!
1) Love and Rockets (saw them open up for the Cure!)
2) Peter Murphy
3) NIN (in fact I saw them OPEN UP for Peter Murphy!)
4) The Cure
5) Kate Bush
6) New Order
7) KMFD
8) Nitzer Ebb
9) 808 State
10) Ministry
1989 had to be the year that industrial really took off, no year since has come even remotely close.
pretty sure nin opened for murphy in ’90.
Too hard to choose 10
Great year
Innocence Mission and The Ocean Blue….great central PA bands, great albums.
The The “Mind Bomb,” FTW.
Doolittle by Pixies #1. A close second to Son of Sam I am by Too Much Joy. Still on heavy rotation after all these years…
Having to choose ten albums is a nightmare BUT! If I were to vote for only one, it has to be my all-time fave album, ever: New Model Army’s Thunder and Consolation.
1989
Such a great year for music!! Very hard to narrow the vote to 10!!
The funny thing, people say music in the 80’s sucked! Are uou insane? So many vreat bands so many great albums. So many diferent styles.
Put the needle on the record,
Mark
The write-in system still sucks. I could only fit in one album, The Wygals “Honyocks In The Whithersoever” (best album of the year, hands down), but couldn’t put in The Swimming Pool Q’s “World War Two Point Five”, Don Dixon’s “EEE” or Neil Young’s “Freedom” (which deserves to be as much on this list as about half the other records mentioned). At least I could vote for Kirsty MacColl, Michael Penn, Warren Zevon, Robyn Hitchcock, and The Innocence Mission. Kudos for including Fetchin’ Bones!
The best album ever goes to ‘Mind Bomb’ by The The!
So many options!
Neil Young: Freedom!
Chris Rea: Road to hell!
Billy Joel: Stromfront!
Van Morrison: Avalon sunset!
Paul McCartney: Flowers in the dirt!
’89 is the year I graduated from high school & started college. I loved the music from this year! Really hard to pick just 10. I have so much of this stuff on cassette still. Now I’m going to entertain myself by seeing how much of it is on spotify. Yay reminiscence project for me!
Beastie Boys, ‘Paul’s Boutique’
The Cult, ‘Sonic Temple’
The Cure, ‘Disintegration’
Ministry, ‘The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste’
Peter Murphy, ‘Deep’
Nine Inch Nails, ‘Pretty Hate Machine’
New Order, ‘Technique’
Pixies, ‘Doolittle’
The Stone Roses, ‘The Stone Roses’
The The, ‘Mind Bomb’
1.:DISINTEGRATION
2.:DISINTEGRATION
3.:DISINTEGRATION
The Cure forever,and ever…………!!!!!!
The very best songwriter Robert Smith and the best bassplayer all time Simon Gallup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Replacements–Don’t Tell A Soul (C’mon, it’s right there on the Slicing Up Eyeballs banner!)
10,000 Maniacs–Blind Man’s Zoo (if only for the song “Headstrong”…and it ain’t only for that)
Camper Van Beethoven–Key Lime Pie (“Pictures Of Matchstick Men”, “Sweethearts”, “When I Win The Lottery”, and so on)
The Connells–Fun and Games (one of my all-time favorite records)
Bob Mould–Workbook (“See A Little Light” is a classic for any era)
Pixies–Doolittle (that one should go without saying)
Lou Reed–New York (not for any recent mawkish sentimentality; “Romeo Had Juliet”, “Dirty Boulevard”, “Busload of Faith”,etc)
XTC–Oranges and Lemons (“Pink Thing”, “Mayor of Simpleton”, “King For A Day”, “Garden of Earthly Delights”…just an all-around great record)
The Cure–Disintegration (can’t really leave that one out, can we?)
Nine Inch Nails–Pretty Hate Machine (which is what I should’ve nicknamed my girlfriend at the time)
Damn…I completely left out Robyn Hitchcock’s “Queen Elvis”. The song “Madonna of the Wasps” still puts me in that late-80s state of mind.
I have bad memories of this year overall. I think part of it is that I’ve just outgrown several of the albums (“Pretty Hate Machine,” “Doolittle”) that totally possessed me at the time. If I listen to either of those records anymore, it’s just out of intellectual curiosity, no emotion.
Other bands I liked issued minor letdowns (New Order – “Technique”) or complete wastes of vinyl (“Love and Rockets”).
I will gladly vote for two records that still hold up very well: Bob Mould’s “Workbook,” and Throwing Muses’ “Hunkpapa.” Both show the artists at the top of their game. Probably my two favorites of the year.
Other random likes from 1989:
Peter Murphy – Deep (still his best album, counting Bauhaus)
Galaxie 500 – On Fire (although their next record would be even better)
Xymox – Twist of Shadows (Anke Wolbert, where have you gone?)
Golden Palominos – A Dead Horse (the Amanda Kramer songs, anyway, especially “Darklands” which is amazing)
Grapes of Wrath – Now and Again
Green on Red – This Time Around
Peter Koppes – From the Well
Lou Reed – New York
Soundgarden – Louder Than Love (“Ugly Truth” and “Hands All Over” slay)
Walkabouts – Cataract
Marty Willson-Piper – Rhyme
that Connells record
Not appearing in the poll but deserve to be mentioned:
Beautiful Pea Green Boat’s “Still Life.” Gothy electronic band from Scotland with moody/dreamy/breathy female vox. Released on short-lived C’est La Mort label.
Overlooked from 1988 but I forgot to mention it at the time:
Heavenly Bodies, “Celestial” — refugees from Dead Can Dance and This Mortal Coil united for a big dance club hit, “Rains On Me” (with Robin Guthrie remix, no less). The whole album was mysterious and cool. Would have become legendary if released by 4AD, but was another C’est La Mort release.
Oh – and the Cure’s “Disintegration” of course. Their finest hour.
The Walkabouts and Pere Ubu records were also good. And the unlisted Wygals record, as several have mentioned.
agreed on two notes–deep is murph’s best (i think his solo stuff in general is way better than bauhaus–we learned he can really SING when he went solo, and beautifully at that!), and galaxie 500’s this is our music from ’90 is amazing (and i hope there is at least a ’90 poll because there’s a lot of great stuff from that year).
As if voting for just 10 albums per year isn’t hard enough, I’ve been looking back over the various polls to rank the decade, year by year. Subjective? Absolutely. I’m not going to waste space defending my choices, but feel free to rank them for yourselves…anyway, here’s my list year by year:
1. 1982
2. 1986
3. 1989
4. 1985
5. 1983
6. 1984
7. 1987
8. 1981
9. 1980
10. 1988
by the way…this has been fun so far, with the exception of the hateful comments between
some of the commenters. Can’t wait to see the knock down drag out fight the “best of the best” poll is going to be!
here’s my list, but with the caveat that i’m considering, in my mind, all music i loved from all these years, not just the stuff that factors into the SUE template.
1. 1980
2. 1987
3. 1989
4. 1981
5. 1988
6. 1982
7. 1985
8. 1986
9. 1983
10. 1984
Agree with you. First place is definitely 1982.
There’s a lot of discussion on The Cure which is interesting in showing how varied the appeal of their records has been. I’m surprised though at the little mention of Head On The Door. Not a big Cure fan but that’s my favorite by them and a favorite album overall. While I think that’s a perfect album I can leave the rest of their output.
Once again, I don’t expect The Jazz Butcher to place high but glad they’re included. My Top 10: Adrian Belew, Camper van, Gurus, Jazz Butcher, Ian Mac, Mighty Lemon Drops, Ocean Blue, Pixies, Stan Ridgway, Tears For Fears
How could you forget The Sundays, ‘Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic’?
My bad…technically released in 1990 in US.
it was a great album though. Saw them at the palace in Hollywood a year or two later. Such a wonderful band. “Can’t be sure” was a particular favorite.
That’s a good reason to have a 1990 poll, just so we can vote for it! What a great album that is!
One of my favorite records.
My favorite album of all time. Hopelessly romantic.
Would have been an interesting vote battle between The Cure and DM had Violator come out a few months earlier and hit ’89. I would have liked reading the comments as both albums are fantastic. Lots of good choices for ’89 and still a tough decision although I think Disintegration is the likely #1. I didn’t realize how many I bought in ’89 until I saw this list.
Wow, another vintage year for music! I found it exceptionally tough to pick 10 in a year that delivered so many good records. I had to go for Disintegration, New Order’s Technique, Stone Roses and Doolittle – arguably the last great album any of these artists released. They are some of the best records ever made, period. Outside of these impeachable classics, massive shouts for The Sensual World (my favourite Kate album), The Blue Nile’s timeless ‘Hats’, the wonderful Durutti Column album, Beasties epochal Paul’s Boutique, the De La Soul record that re-wrote hip-hop and AR Kane’s spectacular ‘i’ – a sprawling masterpiece that was way ahead of its time and to my ears, still sounds like the future.
Year I graduated and started working at an indie record store. Many albums on this list bring back some great memories.
Memories
<3
Damn near impossible. Every scroll meant i had to go uncheck somebody else. Sad. Apparently ’89 was better than I remembered :)
it was. I was completely surprised by how many good albums were released in 1989!
Woot woot!!!
Woohoo!
So many great albums listed and so difficult to condense it all down to just 10. The later half of the 80’s was such a great time for music. Though, in all honesty, the entire decade was such a musical proving ground.
Far too many good album on here. I had to give my vote to The Verlaines. Love my Kiwi rock!
With Disintegration, Stone Roses, and Bizarro on the list, I’m glad I didn’t have to choose a #1.
Also, I’d enjoy doing the yearly polls again, this time voting for the least favorite albums, just so I can vote for Cosmic Thing as many times as possible.
Wow – didn’t realise how many good albums there were that year!
Dolittle, at 17 I was amazed…
Stone Roses!!!!
Great list of memories
Love the 80’s.
I stopped at Paul’s Boutique because that’s it. Nothing else on this list matters.
Tough choices
My favs!
The alarm change – still not the greatest album but the best one in the list
ERASURE – WILD! <3 <3 <3 is the best album
NIN – Pretty Hate Machine
Wire – IBTABA (It's Beginning To And Back Again)
1. The Pixies: Doolittle
2. The Cure: Disintegration
Very interesting year, really…right about the time that “college rock” really started morphing into the alt.rock you hear on such stations nowadays. They always say 1992 is when punk “broke”, but 1988-89 is really when it started being more accepted by the mainstream. ;)
Disintegration is a timeless masterpiece. Darkly beautiful aural art. Melancholic yet uplifting. The Cure’s magnum opus.
Dear qotita,
Things you don’t criticize: someone else’s dog, someone else’s partner and someone else’s music choices. You have your opinions and others have theirs. Grow up.
In no particular order:
Clan of Xymox, ‘Twist of Shadows’
New Order, ‘Technique’
Nine Inch Nails, ‘Pretty Hate Machine’
Peter Murphy, ‘Deep’
Pixies, ‘Doolittle’
The Beautiful South, ‘Welcome to the Beautiful South’
The Cure, ‘Disintegration’
The Ocean Blue, ‘The Ocean Blue’
The Stone Roses, ‘The Stone Roses’
The The, ‘Mind Bomb’
Where’s the love for Tears for Fears “The Seeds of Love”? Loved The Hurting and Songs From the Big Chair, but Seeds remains TFF’s defining, most mature and intricate album. 9 perfect songs, with brilliant production. Curt Smith was largely marginalized, but the additions of Nicky Holland and Oleta Adams more than made up for it.
Where is Violent Femmes 3? This should be on the list.
It’s a sin that XTC probably won’t make the top 10. Meticulously crafted Brian Wilson/Beatle-esque pop. Andy Partridge is an obvious genius and that album was the best of that year. Pixies come a very close second.
Doolittle, Mind Bomb, Disintegration.
I can’t decide if I should vote on how I feel about these records now (love The Ex but didn’t know them back then) or at that time (wore out my Indigo Girls cassette in 1989 but haven’t listened to them in 10+ years, and don’t really care if I ever do again)… If I had made this list in 1989 it would look almost completely different than the one made by the 40+ year old me…
Curious how others approach this?
Glad to see Red Flag on there. That was my late husband’s band. Brings back great memories.
I must be the only person here who has never heard a Stone Roses song. At least knowingly.
You owe it yourself to listen to Fool’s Gold if you’ve never heard the stone roses.
1989 is the first year I finally realized how awesome music could be beyond top 40 radio & so grateful for TheThe, Jesus & Mary Chain, Ian McCullouh, OceanBlue, and so many more bands!
Cure probably takes it for me, but with a McCulloch, Prefab Sprout, TFF and Murphy album as well, it was a very good year. As much as I like New Order’s Technique now, it annoyed me when it was released.
Stone Roses and JAMC. Two of the best ever.
Best year in music history…
This one was the hardest yet! Ugh, I could’ve voted 20 at least…
Best album of 1989:
Pixies – Doolittle
And the rest, in no particular order:
PIL – 9
Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
Lou Reed – New York
De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
Bob Mould – Workbook
The The – Mind Bomb
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
New Order – Technique
The Cure – Disintegration
The weakest year of the 80’s
’89 was a quality music year. Nice way to end the decade.
What a great year. So tough to choose only 10.. Kitchens of distinctions’ Love is Hell is my all time favourite!
I HATE EVERYTHING EXCEPT TOO MUCH JOY!
But seriously, what a great year for college rock. An extremely hard list to narrow to ten.
So many excellent choices!
Cool!
Great year for music!!
Great list!!
What an amazing year in music. Finally seeing the end of hair metal!
The Cult rule!!
Amazing year for music
Best album ever :-)
The Cure’s “Disintegration” is still the greatest album of all time.
The Cure, New Order, nin, Skinny Puppy….them was the days….
the cure “disintegration” the best
Love this album, it has everything
The Cure’s Disintegration-yeeesssssss!!!!
in no particular order
Pixies – Doolittle
Beastie Boys – Pauls Boutique
Crime + the City Solution – The Bride Ship
De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising
The Cure – Disintegration
Vulgar Boatmen – You and Your Sister
Nirvana – Bleach
Screaming Trees – Buzz Factory
Lou Reed – NY
Eleventh Dream Day – Beet
Who knew 1989 was that awesome?
http://www.Facebook.com/TheCureOfficial
What a great list though, for me personally, three glaring omissions:
Soul II Soul’s Club Classics (some filler but there are five classics!)
S’Express – Original Soundtrack (the first proper dance music album + Phillip Glass)
A Guy Called Gerald – Hot Lemonade (KLANG!)
great year!
Doolittle!
Stone Roses. the end
T & C all the way though I was Pixies / 10000 maniacs fan at the time so 2 snd 3 for me.
Great year for music
Great list.
Impossible to limit it to ten.Great year for music.
Too many good albums to choose from!
Excellent list!
1989 was a great year for music.
Favorite album from my favorite band. It’s really that simple.
GhshshzhzbzhzbzbBZNnNnjjjjahjHjHjHZnzbnz.
Let’s win this thing.
You guys are rad!
’89 was a tough year. The Cure’s Disintegration was a genre-transcending masterwork, though.
A year where a Blue Nile album is on the list = Blue Nile wins!
Also, I have a special place in my heart for that first Ocean Blue album. I still listen to it often.
B-52’s, Elvis, Cure, NIN, Lou, Mats, Smithereens and XTC round out my list, with about 15 honorable mentions after that.
Great list……
1989 was just a precursor to the nineties
Stone Roses!
10 was too few! I think it will skew the results poorly. But damn what a year.
De La Soul. So nice.
Thanks
Really hard to pick just one! So many memories….
Too many choices…. My mind I’d blown…..
Stone Roses has to be No.1. Was really pleased to see ‘Fuzzbox’ in there :-)
Simple minds street fighting years number one album . Belfast child number one single
poll closed early……this is an outrage
Paul’s Boutique
…I feel like I’ve listened to tons of albums from certain years and not other. I guess i just haven’t heard that many others from 1989