Q: Was there good music in the 1980s? A: YES.

[hooplala]

Also, magnificent OP, I can't wait to read about 1981!  I was six!

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I got so wasted and so laid in the 80's that it's a miracle I didn't end up dead or pregnant or both! All the music from the 80's (even the fucking terrible shit) fills me with a good feeling when I hear it.

LEAVE MY HALCYON DAYS ALONE YOU FUCKS 

Jesus, how'd you keep from thinking about Thatcher?

(Pixie is a genius)

[P3nT4gR4m]

Did I mention "wasted"? For all I know I probably banged thatcher at some point   

[LMNO]

1981

Ok, so this year had a few surprises.  One of the first was the collaboration between Brian Eno and David Byrne, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.  There really aren't vocals, they decided to use samples taken from other sources.  They were one of the first ones to do this, and presaged a lot of electronic music in the process.  The Jezebel Spirit and Mea Culpa.  What the hell, I'll throw in Qu'ran, as well.

While we're in the realm of electronic music, Kraftwerk released Computer Love.  I've never been quite certain how something so cold could also have such a groove.  What's undeniable, though, is that it's more fun to compute.  Numbers and Pocket Calculator

And now for something completely different.  Five minutes of violence from Black Flag in the form of The Six Pack EP.  Satire?  Poe's Law?  Autobiography?  Who cares, just punch the person on your left.  Later this year, they would release Damaged, which has since been hailed as one of Hardcore Punk's foundations, which you can see on Rise Above and Depression.

After that, knock back a few more and listen to the first record from Minneapolis' inebriated heroes, The Replacements.  Far from the crafted songwriting of Hootenanny or Let It Be, their initial offering in 1981 was Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, and for me, it's one of their drunken best.  Customer, I Bought a Headache, I Hate Music, and I'm In Trouble

Once you've sobered up, go ahead and put on your thinking caps, because Robert Fripp is in town.  King Crimson's Disclipline is equal parts bombast and math equation.  If sheet technical skills turn you on, the title track is for you.   A five-note repeating pattern, but then one of the guitarists adds a few new notes to the riff, shifting the groove and the harmony, and then more time signatures start flying around, all while the drums play 17/16 rhythms.  If you're feeling more chaotic, Indiscipline (clever titles, no?) would be your style.  Say what you want about the self-indulgence of Art Rock, these songs are work.

Ok, enough intellectualism.  Or, at least, let's get less technique driven, and more philosophical.  Einsturzende Neubauten decided that they had enough of music, and did their best to destroy it on Kollaps.  No shit, that's really what they were trying to do.  Don't believe me?  Listen to Schmerzen Hören (Hören mit Schmerzen) (Hearing Pain (Listen With Pain).  Hey, don't look at me.  They're the ones who recorded it.  But they're not entirely without compassion.  They want to make you dance!  But really, not.

And then the freshly-shaven head of Minor Threat rose up, and weren't going to take any shit.  I Don't Wanna Hear It is a great middle finger to The Man, but his Guru status kicked in almost immediately with Straight Edge.  So it goes.

Fine, let's reel this back in.  We've already talked about these artists, as they released tracks the previous year:

Gang of Four released Solid Gold.  Paralysed and Cheeseburger.

The Birthday Party released Prayers on Fire.   Zoo Music Girl, Just You and Me

Killing Joke: The Fall of Because

Devo decided to be through being cool.

Dead Kennedys had something to say about Nazi punks.

And the Minutemen released a couple more EPs. 


So, what was at the top of the charts in 1981?

Kim Carnes – "Bette Davis Eyes"
Soft Cell – "Tainted Love"
Phil Collins – "In the Air Tonight"
Eddie Rabbitt  - "I Love a Rainy Night"
REO Speedwagon - "Keep on Loving You"
Rick Springfield - "Jessie's Girl"
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie - "Endless Love"
Christopher Cross  - "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" Olivia Newton-John  - "Physical"

[The Good Reverend Roger]

And now for something completely different.  Five minutes of violence from Black Flag in the form of The Six Pack EP.  Satire?  Poe's Law?  Autobiography?  Who cares, just punch the person on your left.  Later this year, they would release Damaged, which has since been hailed as one of Hardcore Punk's foundations, which you can see on Rise Above and Depression.

Okay, I'll give you Black Flag.

King Crimson's Disclipline is equal parts bombast and math equation.  If sheet technical skills turn you on, the title track is for you.   A five-note repeating pattern, but then one of the guitarists adds a few new notes to the riff, shifting the groove and the harmony, and then more time signatures start flying around, all while the drums play 17/16 rhythms.  If you're feeling more chaotic, Indiscipline (clever titles, no?) would be your style.  Say what you want about the self-indulgence of Art Rock, these songs are work.

Music for musicians, here.

Eddie Rabbitt  - "I Love a Rainy Night"

HE DOESN'T COUNT.   

[LMNO]

Absolutely, music for musicians.  But hey, this entire thing is YMMV. Just wait until the goth stuff really starts.



But I have a feeling you'd rather listen to King Crimson than our man with the plan, Phil Collins.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Absolutely, music for musicians.  But hey, this entire thing is YMMV. Just wait until the goth stuff really starts.



But I have a feeling you'd rather listen to King Crimson than our man with the plan, Phil Collins.

I would subject myself to Tower of Power before I listened to that bastard.

And Tower of Power is basically music written by congress.

[LMNO]

I will admit, the next few years have some slim pickings, but there was at least one phenomenal record per year.  It picks up again in the latter part of the decade, as a new artform from the gritty urban streets takes hold of the industry...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This thread is great. It's also reminding me of how much top 40 radio sucked ass in the 80's.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

This thread is great. It's also reminding me of how much top 40 radio sucked ass in the 80's.

For those of us that were stuck in the corn belt, that's all there was.

AC/DC songs still make me throw up what are probably vital organs.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This thread is great. It's also reminding me of how much top 40 radio sucked ass in the 80's.

For those of us that were stuck in the corn belt, that's all there was.

AC/DC songs still make me throw up what are probably vital organs.

No wonder you think 80's music sucks, if you were stuck with that. It was awful.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

This thread is great. It's also reminding me of how much top 40 radio sucked ass in the 80's.

For those of us that were stuck in the corn belt, that's all there was.

AC/DC songs still make me throw up what are probably vital organs.

No wonder you think 80's music sucks, if you were stuck with that. It was awful.

"Hey, let's play Bad Company again!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This thread is great. It's also reminding me of how much top 40 radio sucked ass in the 80's.

For those of us that were stuck in the corn belt, that's all there was.

AC/DC songs still make me throw up what are probably vital organs.

No wonder you think 80's music sucks, if you were stuck with that. It was awful.

"Hey, let's play Bad Company again!

[LMNO]

I can't believe no one's thrown death threats my way for reminding them that "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" exists.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I can't believe no one's thrown death threats my way for reminding them that "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" exists.

Luckily, I have no idea what that is!