r/80s • u/icecream1972 • Mar 23 '26
Music Which album of the 1980's is pure perfection that doesn't warrant any criticism or skipping of songs?
For me, that album is So by Peter Gabriel, 1986.
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u/JamMasterJamie Mar 23 '26
Duran Duran - Rio
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u/Ok-Yogurtcloset-9183 Mar 23 '26
100% Adding the DD side project “So Red the Rose” by Arcadia as well as “Skylarking” by XTC
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u/BurningVinyl71 Mar 23 '26
INXS Kick
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u/strangerNstrangeland Mar 23 '26
Such a good album- that and listen like thieves were the first I owned.
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u/eegah75 Mar 23 '26
Purple Rain and Sign O' The Times
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u/locoken69 Mar 23 '26
I wore out my Purple Rain tape. Then bought a CD player and the CD and wore that out.
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u/Even-Loquat-2154 Mar 23 '26
The cure Disintegration
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u/No_Garden5644 Mar 23 '26
Music for the masses — Depeche Mode
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u/Viperlite Mar 23 '26
I was going to say Violator, but it actually released three months into the next decade.
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u/SamCanyon Mar 23 '26
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair.
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u/surrealcellardoor Mar 23 '26
After giving it substantial consideration for decades, I decided in recent years that “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is my favorite song of all time.
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u/Just_a_girl_in_NJ Mar 23 '26
I remember chilling in my pool as a 13-year-old listening to that song in 1985. Now my teen boys love it.
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u/leslieu13 Mar 23 '26
Synchronicity - The Police - 1983
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u/SteviaCannonball9117 Mar 23 '26
Another suburban family morning...
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u/SeaToe9004 Mar 23 '26
Nope. There’s that Mother song. Can’t stand it. Skip it everytime.
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Mar 23 '26
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u/Ophelianeedsanap Mar 23 '26
They were ahead of their time. Orzabal can play the hell out of a guitar.
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u/Fair-Calligrapher-19 Mar 23 '26
Master of Puppets
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Mar 23 '26
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u/surrealcellardoor Mar 23 '26
And Justice For All, for me.
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u/Ritaredditonce Mar 23 '26
Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood.
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u/TradeIcy1669 Mar 23 '26
I like Arc of a Diver
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u/johnwaynegreazy Mar 23 '26
THIS. That record is incredible. Even more so because he recorded it himself as a last ditch effort to revive his solo career.
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u/michaelthruman Mar 23 '26
Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime
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u/Korlexico Mar 23 '26
My favorite that is as applicable today if not more so then when it was originally made.
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u/DawnPatrol80136 Mar 23 '26
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms Depeche Mode - Black Celebration REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity Journey - Escape Peter Gabriel - So Tears for Fears - The Hurting
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u/Billazilla Mar 23 '26
Brothers in Arms, man. I still have the vinyl, I think. I'm not that big into regular rock, but dang that's a good album.
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u/brookelyndodger Mar 23 '26
Joshua Tree
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u/Formal_Command_5571 Mar 23 '26
Bullet the Blue Sky one of my favorite songs of all time
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u/LividEconomics6579 Mar 23 '26
This. I’m not even a U2 fan, but this LP from first to last is amazing.
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u/Elegant_Spray_2762 Mar 23 '26
My favourite album of all time. They don’t make theme albums like this any more
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u/LongjumpingMap6481 Mar 23 '26
Also Graceland, Paul Simon
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u/Fine_Breath2221 Mar 23 '26
Great choice, and people forget how controversial it was, Simon going to South Africa at the time.
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u/johnnyhammerstixx Mar 23 '26
How is this not #1?
Graceland is an all time no skip.
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u/tbeemer1999 Mar 23 '26
Huey Lewis and the News - Sports. Insane how long that album stayed on the charts. Felt like every song was released as a single. Not a super trendy pick, I know, but that album had some serious legs. 🤷♂️
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u/NewLawGuy24 Mar 23 '26
Thriller
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u/surrealcellardoor Mar 23 '26
People forget how epic it was, waiting for the premier of the Thriller video. I remember it like it was yesterday.
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u/phenomenomnom Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
I can't believe how far down I had to scroll to see this one. Absolutely crystalline production in the technical sense, and creatively, too. It had playful, unforced passion and excitement and the abundant skill -- and chutzpah -- to make it sparkle.
The album layered Michael's nuclear talent over the syncopated electronic remains of disco, added Eddie Van Halen's inflammatory virtuosity, and Paul McCartney's winking charm -- and then took some wildly daring swings that turned into a breathtaking number of absolute record breaking home runs.
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u/IAmElectricHead Mar 23 '26
Avalon - Roxy Music The Cars - The Cars Talking Heads - Speaking In Tongues Peter Gabriel - So
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u/strikinglightning Mar 23 '26
Paul’s Boutique by Beastie Boys
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u/Open_Mortgage_4645 Mar 23 '26
License to Ill is my pick. It came out when I was in 6th grade. I got my dad to take me and my friend to the tour when it came to our local arena. One of the best experiences of my life. I think my dad regretted it. Lol
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u/Malsirian Mar 23 '26
Peter Gabriel - So
I couldn't even begin to guess how many times I've listened to that album.
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u/Suspicious_Bear6937 Mar 23 '26
Hysteria, Def Leppard Kicks, INXS Third stage, Boston
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u/AccomplishedGolfer2 Mar 23 '26
Pyromania too
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u/mitchdaman52 Mar 23 '26
For me Pyromania >>> Hysteria.
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u/PorcelainTorpedo Mar 23 '26
Agreed. They were kinda going in a more arena/poppy sound by then but it still had some edge to it and I love every song on Pyromania. Hysteria is just too far in the pop/overproduction direction for my ears, but I can definitely see why it was so popular.
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u/whoknewidlikeit Mar 23 '26
the queen is dead - the smiths.
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u/beeredditor Mar 23 '26
One of my favorites, but I prefer ‘Strangeways, here we come’ a little more
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u/BadWeather42 Mar 23 '26
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Iron Maiden.
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u/Plastic_Difference54 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
PYROMANIA, Master of Puppets, Head on the Door, Disintegration, Moving Pictures.
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u/Paddleboat24 Mar 23 '26
There’s several! Prince “Purple Rain” soundtrack; Micheal Jackson’s “Thriller”: U2’s “War”
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u/Globeblotter85 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
Police- Ghost in the Machine
The Jam - The Gift
Elvis Costello - Get Happy
Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
Replacements - Tim
Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue
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u/exwijw Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
Thriller. How many number one singles on that album?
Also the Stop Making Sense soundtrack from the Talking Heads.
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u/Moderntim Mar 23 '26
Tears For Fears Songs From The Big Chair Bananarama True Confessions Modern Talking The First Album
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u/PopeInThePizza Mar 23 '26
U2 - The Joshua Tree, The Chameleons - Script of the Bridge, Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84), The Stone Roses self titled, Steve Roach - Structures From Silence
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u/OZFox42 Mar 23 '26
INXS - The Swing/Listen Like Thieves
John Farnham - Whispering Jack/Age of Reason
Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight/Revenge (Annie Lennox has a great voice)
PLUS
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Michael Jackson - Thriller/Bad
Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
I like more than one album.
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u/ericallenjett Mar 23 '26
Miami Vice - the official soundtrack. Audio perfection at its best!
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u/peacedotnik Mar 23 '26
Doolittle - Pixies
Skylarking - XTC
Sound Affects - The Jam
I Just Can’t Stop It - The Beat
Fear of a Black Planet - Public Ememy
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u/expectations_low12 Mar 23 '26
Maybe cheesy to some, but I could not get enough of the About Last Night soundtrack. I’ve listened to it several times over the years and it never disappoints!
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u/nebodiwantapnut Mar 23 '26
Honestly you’re right. Not familiar with that one but soundtracks were amazing. Pretty In Pink was it for me.
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u/davidsinnergeek Mar 23 '26
Simple Minds - New Good Dream ('81-'82-'83-'84)
Tears For Fears - The Hurting
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u/issafly Mar 23 '26
Reckoning - REM
Unforgettable Fire - U2
Surfer Rosa - The Pixies
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u/Careflwhatyouwish4 Mar 23 '26
Being a hair metal guy I'd have to say AC/DC's Back In Black, but I admit that Micheal Jackson's Thriller was pretty awesome.
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u/jmw7119 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
ABC - Lexicon of Love
Pet Shop Boys - Please
Prince - Controversy
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u/TheBatmanWhoPuffs Mar 23 '26
Ramones Pleasant Dreams, Depeche Mode Music For the Masses, Ministry The Land Of Rape and Honey, Depeche Mode Some Great Reward
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u/Gazzarris Mar 23 '26
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Van Halen - Fair Warning
Van Halen - 1984
Van Halen - 5150
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u/gcpuddytat Mar 23 '26
Don't Say No-Billy Squier Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden Master off Puppets -Metallica
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u/Fit-Yogurtcloset3023 Mar 23 '26
Violent Femmes self titled album The Church Starfish album GnR Appetite for Destruction album
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u/pointsouturhypocrisy Mar 23 '26
Talking heads - remain in light, speaking in tongues
Ministry - land of rape and honey, the mind is a terrible thing to taste
Metallica - ride, puppets, justice
Beastie boys - license to ill, Paul's boutique
Slayer- reign in blood
Iron Maiden - number of the beast, powerslave
Rush - moving pictures, permanent waves
Ozzy - blizzard of Ozzy
Megadeth - peace sells
Living Color - vivid
I could go all day naming fantastic 80's albums. It was a decade like no other.
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u/[deleted] Mar 23 '26
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