Las Vegas Critics

My 80s

By Nick Manteris · 1 Comments · Leave a Comment

(a retrospective introspective look into Nick's musical taste)

In order to help establish a baseline for the style of music that I like, I've compiled a list of my 20 favorite albums from the eighties and I've included some random comments about the particular format of the albums I had as well as a few of my favorite songs from each one. They are presented in a somewhat rough order from least-liked to best, but I grouped artists together instead of judging the records against each other. I've tried to be as comprehensive as possible in creating this top 20 list, but more than a decade has passed since these albums were on heavy rotation and it's possible that something may have been overlooked.

My preferences are probably a bit different from the average music fan of the 80s and here are some of the most popular bands and artists that you might find on other "best of" and "top 10" lists for the "80's" that you won't find on my list: Billy Joel, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Prince, Wham!, The Pretenders, Tears for Fears, R.E.M., Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, XTC, Abba, Queen, Phil Collins, Neil Diamond, Madness, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Culture Club, Men At Work, The Police, Genesis, The Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, A-Ha, Fleetwood Mac, Kylie Minogue, and (last, but certainly not least,) Rick Astley.

 

 

Sting - ...Nothing Like the Sun (1987)

(I dubbed a copy of this album from my aunt. [Remember when tapes were going to kill the music industry?])

“Englishman in New York” “Little Wing”

 

 

Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (1989)

(A friend of mine let me tape a copy of this album.)

“Head Like a Hole” “Down in It” “Sin”

 

10,000 Maniacs - In My Tribe (1987)

(I first heard this on vinyl, but my copy was a cassette. Dubbed.)

“What's the Matter Here” “Like the Weather”

 

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)

(One of the first ten CDs that I owned. My copy had the censored blank white cover.)

“Mountain Song” “Jane Says”

 

Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward (1984)

(Borrowed this on cassette from a friend..for a really long time. Not sure if I ever made a copy or not.)

“People Are People” “Master and Servant” “Blasphemous Rumours”

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's Milk (1989)

(Owned the cassette version of this. I remember that the liner notes didn't match up with the lyrics on one song.)

“Taste the Pain” “Pretty Little Ditty” “Sexy Mexican Maid”

 

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend (1984)

(This one was also loaned for an extended period from a friend. Also not sure if I copied it.)

“No Woman, No Cry” “Three Little Birds” “Get Up, Stand Up” “Redemption Song”

 

Morrissey - Viva Hate (1988)

(This was one of the first three CDs that I ever bought.)

“Alsatian Cousin” “Everyday Is Like Sunday” “Suedehead”

 

Skinny Puppy - Rabies (1989)

(Had a dubbed version for years before I got the CD.)

“Worlock” “Tin Omen”

 

U2 - Boy (1980)

(Cassette purchased from K-Mart.)

“Twilight” “A Day Without Me”

U2 - War (1983)

(This was purchased at the same time as Boy.)

“Sunday Bloody Sunday” “New Year's Day”

 

 

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986)

(Pretty sure I only owned a dubbed version of this album.)

“Cemetery Gates” “Bigmouth Strikes Again”

The Smiths - The World Won't Listen (1987)

(This was an expensive import CD purchased from a store in the mall.)

“Panic” “Ask” “Bigmouth Strikes Again” “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” “That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore” “You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby”

 

The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs (1987)

(I owned the cassette version of this album.)

“Is It Really So Strange?” “Panic” “Ask” “Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now” “Hand in Glove” “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”

The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)

(Dubbed a copy of this from a friend.)

“A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours” “Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before”

 

Sinéad O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra (1987)

(at one time or another I've owned both versions of this album. The US version I had on cassette and the other one was a CD.)

“Jackie” “Mandinka” “Jerusalem” “Just Like U Said It Would B” “Troy”

 

The The - Infected (1986)

(Had this one on cassette. It may have been previously used.)

“Infected” “Heartland” “Sweet Bird of Truth”

The The - Mind Bomb (1989)

(Listened to this on someone else's tape many times before I actually got the CD.)

“Good Morning, Beautiful” “Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)” “The Violence of Truth” “Kingdom of Rain” “The Beat(en) Generation” “Gravitate to Me”

 

The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)

(one of the first cassettes that I ever had that was not obtained from one of those mail-order clubs.)

“The Kiss” “Why Can't I Be You?” “Just Like Heaven” “Hot Hot Hot!!!” “Like Cockatoos”

The Cure - Disintegration (1989)

(I also owned the cassette version of this album.)

“Pictures of You” “Fascination Street” “Prayers for Rain” “The Same Deep Water as You” “Disintegration” “Homesick”

 

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Tags: Music, Nick, 10000 maniacs, 80s, A-Ha, Abba, best of the 80s, Billy Joel, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, Duran Duran, eighties, Fleetwood Mac, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Genesis, Jane's Addiction, Kylie Minogue, Lionel Richie, Madness, Madonna, Men At Work, Michael Jackson, Morrissey, Neil Diamond, Nine Inch Nails, Phil Collins, Prince, Queen, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rick Astley, Sinéad O'Connor, Skinny Puppy, Sting, Tears for Fears, the Cure, The Eurythmics, The Police, The Pretenders, the Smiths, The The, top 20, U2, Wham!, Whitney Houston, XTC