I want to get ahead of the curve in buying up missing 80's albums for the contest. Thought I'd ask for suggestions.

Keeping in mind, I personally lean toward albums that nothing else quite sounds like.

For 1982...

I already had:
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
Prince - 1999
Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
Marshall Crenshaw - s/t

I just picked up:
Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights
Roxy Music - Avalon
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
The Cure - Pornography
Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast
Mission of Burma - Vs

For 1983...

I already have:
REM - Murmur
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones
Violent Femmes - s/t
Meat Puppets - II
Aztec Camera - High Land Hard Rain

I have not picked anything else up for 1983 yet.

So, suggestions? I'm mostly looking for any mainstream ones I'm unfairly not giving a chance, or any of the obscure ones that are lower rated because they're underreviewed.

Keep in mind, I hate The Police, and I'm thinking of getting War even though I hate U2 because my dad says he only likes their stuff from pre-Joshua Tree.

For 1983, I'd definitely recommend both Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) and Touch by Eurythmics. Eerie, icy synth pop perfection, backed by Annie's luscious voice and a great deal of experimentation. These albums really capture why I think Eurythmics are among the most innovative and worthwhile artists of the 80s.

1982: Lou Reed - The Blue Mask
1983: Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual

Both fairly unique sounding albums.

1983: Elvis Costello - Punch The Clock

Probably my 3rd favorite album by him.

1982:

- Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Destiny Street - I actually prefer it to Blank Generation. "Time" is a beautiful song.

- X - Under the Big Black Sun - if you like Los Angeles/Wild Gift. The title track is like if "Grease" had a punk soundtrack.

1983:

- I think Madonna's s/t is essential, really just a notch below Thriller.

- If you like Marshall Crenshaw's first, definitely pick up Field Day. check out "Our Town"

- Chameleons UK - Script of the Bridge - recent years have shown them to be a very influential band. this is their best record. check out "Up the Down Escalator"

- Bananarama - Deep Sea Skiving - no, i'm not kidding. check out "What a Shambles"

oh, also i second rocky's mention of The Blue Mask. definitely a unique-sounding album, brilliant in a way.

1982 : Don't forget Philip Glass - Glassworks

Damn BillAdama,I'd do anything for your disposal income - to be able to buy all those albums at once

Some great recommendations already, I'm gonna add a few of my personal favorites.

1982: The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky (I cannot believe the APP is not on AM anywhere, they made some brilliant music and this is their absolute best)

1983: Some of my favorites have already been recommended (Cyndi Lauper, Eurythmics) so I'll add to that Yazoo (Upstairs at Eric's) and my guilty pleasure: Bonnie Tyler (Faster Than The Speed Of Light)

Stephan, I thought that Yazoo album was from 1982- it is listed as such on my CD.

Oh yeah, I meant "You And Me Both". I'm working on some lists and I keep confusing years and titles. Just now "Love Will Tear Us Apart" somehow ended up in 1986.

1982:
Live It Up - David Johansen: Probably my favorite live album ever this album is just plain fun. The Animals medley is classic.

Days of Wine and Roses - Dream Syndicate: A little derivative of the Velvet Underground but a great album.

Seven Songs - 23 Skidoo: A little funk, ambient, world, industrial. Definitely nothing else sounds quite like this one.

1983:
Emergency Third Rail Power Trip - Rain Parade: Psyche pop mixed with some REM jangle

Just 1982 for this morning:

Chronic Town, R.E.M.’s pre-Murmur EP, is a masterpiece. I think it’s better than Murmur…in fact, some days, I think it’s the best thing they ever did.

Midnight Oil’s 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (now there’s an ungainly album title) is pretty good if you like them.

And of course, I second Greg’s endorsement of Under the Big Black Sun. Apart from the title track, “Hungry Wolf,” “Motel Room in My Bed,” and “Blue Spark” are essential.

And I envy you, getting to hear Shoot Out the Lights for the first time.

I can second that, schleuse. I consider "10, 9, 8, ..." Midnight Oil's best album and best album of 1982 as well. And Chronic Town is my favorite EP release from 1982 (I only have 2, the other one being Stink from The Replacments), but it is also my favorite EP release, period. Gardening at Night and Box Cars are just brilliant!

5 other 1982 albums, that I haven't seen in this thread so far, but I can highly recommend, are:
- Cocteau Twins - Garlands
- Joe Jackson - Night And Day
- XTC - English Settlement
- Talking Heads - The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads
- King Sunny Adé - Juju Music

And here are 5 albums from 1983, not seen in this thread either, that I like a lot:
- The Triffids - Treeless Plain (still LP only I think)
- The The - Soul Mining
- The Fixx - Reach The Beach
- The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops
- Big Country - The Crossing

Heh. I really don't have much income, I just happen not to spend my disposable income on much of anything other than CDs.

Plus it's not like I'm using the overpriced behemoths like FYE and Borders, I'm shopping used at smaller chains like Newbury Comics and buying used on Amazon.

That's a good point about Madonna's s/t. I'm not that much a fan of hers but I respect her music a lot more than all the current girl pop stars manufactured by the record companies ripping off her image.

(Plus I just got a big whopping zero-dependent refund. ;-) )