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Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#50

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (198

Score: 1078 points

Biggest fans:
pop elton (#5), Moonbeam (#11), Stephan (#13), BillAdama (#14), Rocky Raccoon (#14)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1988 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 59








#49

R.E.M. - World Leader Pretend (198

Score: 1081 points

Biggest fans:
Andre (#1), Jonah (#2), Michel (#5), Toni (#14), Mo (#1

Comments:
None

Place in the 1988 poll: 7

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 451








#48

XTC - Dear God (1987)

Score: 1084 points

Biggest fans:
LonesomePanda (#2), tremolo (#6), Mo (#17), Andre (#19), Netjade (#22)

Comments:
Non believers like me need this kind of songs to compensate for many centuries of religious songs. The argument is crystal clear: dear God, if you exist, please do something for us. (Honorio)

Place in the 1987 poll: 9

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 277








#47

R.E.M. - The One I Love (1987)

Score: 1086 points

Biggest fans:
Michel (#11), Snusmumrik (#13), Andre (#14), Mo (#15), Rocky Raccoon (#21)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1987 poll: 8

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 95








#46

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (1985)

Score: 1104 points

Biggest fans:
otisredding (#6), Adrian (#14), Midaso (#16), pop elton (#16), Mitchell Stirling (#1

Comments:
None

Place in the 1985 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 90

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#45

Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (1989)

Score: 1106 points

Biggest fans:
BillAdama (# , Toni (#9), Jonah (#10), John (#12), Stephan (#16)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1989 poll: 6

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: Bubbling Under








#44

The Cure - Lullaby (1989)

Score: 1111 points

Biggest fans:
LonesomePanda (#1), Henrik (#2), pop elton (#9), Mo (#10), Moonbeam (#12)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1989 poll: 8

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 361








#43

The Cure - A Forest (1980)

Score: 1114 points

Biggest fans:
Moonbeam (#3), LonesomePana (#7), Michel (# , Henrik (#13), Andre (#13)

Comments:
Tense, paranoid single that basically pointed the way toward the rest of the Cure's career. I'll always love that chord progression. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1980 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 352








#42

Prince - Little Red Corvette (1982)

Score: 1119 points

Biggest fans:
Rocky Racoon (#4), Snusmumrik (#10), Mo (#13), Midaso (#14), Sonofsamiam (#19), Greg Rumpff (#19)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1982 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 8


Little Red Corvette - Prince






#41

The Jam - Going Underground (1980)

Score: 1124 points

Biggest fans:
otisredding (#1), Adrian (#2), Honorio (#4), Netjade (#9), Mitchell Stirling (#10)

Comments:
The pioneers of power-pop. The pop came from the sixties but the power came from the punk. And the fury too. Paul Weller attacked the mass media and the military policy of Thatcher government: “You choose your leaders and place your trust / as their lies wash you down and their promises rust / you’ll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns”. (Honorio)

Place in the 1980 poll: 8

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 41





Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Stephan, you must have made some other mistake. Such brilliant songs not making the best 40 ... can't be!

That's really amazing! Well, at least they were higher than 'never-gonna-give-myself-up' Rick Astley.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

You’re right, André, wonderful songs in positions 41 to 50…
So we have 8 #1s yet in positions 41 to 100! The votes have been quite dispersed. By the way, otis, I love your #1!!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Great number one LonesomePanda!

Lullaby was my "rocket" in this poll. Before this year, it would have been somewhere around place 20-25 among these 100 songs, but now I just can't get enough of it. It has replaced A Forest as my favourite Cure song and climbed all the way up to #2 in this poll.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Great songs in the 41-50 range! I'm surprised that "Little Red Corvette" is the lowest Prince entry, given the level of appreciation I thought it had here! The double whammy of "Lullaby" and "A Forest" is awesome! I tend to overlook "Lullaby" a little (although I undoubtedly love it) because it's only my 4th or 5th favorite on Disintegration. If I could have only one 80-minute disc of music for the rest of my life, "A Forest" would be on it.

I also love "Fast Car". Her tale of the plight of disenfranchised urban blacks is told with such heartfelt expression. Wonderful, wonderful song, and it defies my usual prejudices.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Thanks Henrik, my top 3 it already out !
Lullaby was not a rocket for me, it was among the few 80s songs in my all time 200 list past year (with One, which was my number 3 here, with my number 4 of this poll, with Epic and Mala Vida (Mano Negra)). I guess there will be more in my new list, my top 10 of this poll would deserve a place there.
My real discovery during the different steps of the poll was Dear God, I totally love it, both for the music (and that great finish) and for the lyrics (that great finish too...)

Regarding Prince, I would have expected Little Red Corvette higher too, I don't like it much but it usually get more praise in our polls ! I thought Raspberry Beret would be the lowest ranked (I tried to, it is in my bottom 10... I wonder if I have heard the right song!)

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#40

The Smiths - This Charming Man (1983)

Score: 1125 points

Biggest fans:
pop elton (#4), Mitchell Stirling (#4), Adrian (#15), Michel (#17), Greg (#1

Comments:
None

Place in the 1983 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 12








#39

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Redemption Song (1980)

Score: 1135 points

Biggest fans:
Rocky Raccoon (#3), Adrian (#4), Sonofsamiam (#13), Nicolas (#16), pop elton (#17)

Comments:
The title is as good a description as any – it's Marley's swan song, and he sings it as such. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1980 poll: 7

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 245








#38

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1983)

Score: 1145 points

Biggest fans:
Snusmumrik (#1), Moonbeam (#2), Stephan (#2), Henrik (#9), Andre (#9)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1983 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 43








#37

U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love) (1984)

Score: 1153 points

Biggest fans:
Harold Wexler (#3), Rocky Raccoon (#7), Miguel (#7), Jonah (#9), Stephan (#15)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1984 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 42








#36

Pixies - Where Is My Mind? (198

Score: 1154 points

Biggest fans:
Toni (#7), Fred (#9), pop elton (#13), John (#15), Mitchell Stirling (#16)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1988 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 108


All the other videos had Fightclub material, and I wouldn't want to spoil the film for anyone.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Damn smilies.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#35

R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (1987)

Score: 1111 points

Biggest fans:
Stephan (#9), Rocky Raccoon (#10), Snusmumrik (#12), SuperFurry (#15), Andre (#16)

Comments:
Not really an end. In many ways it was the beginning of the world of pop music as we know it by now. And yes, I feel fine too. (Honorio)

Place in the 1987 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 49








#34

Neil Young - Rockin' In The Free World (1989)

Score: 1154 points

Biggest fans:
Andre (#5), Miguel (#5), Fred (#6), Nicolas (# , BillAdama (#13)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1989 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 72








#33

Prince - Let's Go Crazy (1984)

Score: 1159 points

Biggest fans:
Rocky Raccoon (#1), Moonbeam (#4), Toni (#5), Greg Rumpff (#11), Jonah (#17)

Comments:
One of the great album-openers, with Prince at the pulpit commanding us to dance and to, well, go crazy. The guitar on this is fucking mind-blowing, and I guarantee any party will be injected with 100% more energy when this gets played. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1980 poll: 8

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 356


Lets Go Crazy - Prince; The Revolution






#32

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

Score: 1174 points

Biggest fans:
Midaso (#4), Honorio (#5), Toni (# , Fred (#10), Mo (#12)

Comments:
Lessons of survival. After the suicide of leader Ian Curtis, New Order succeeded in finding a new sound taking the mystery and darkness to the dance floor, creating songs equally moving polished with sumptuous electronic clothes or, like Frente!’s cover, naked or barely dressed with a simple acoustic guitar. Every time I see you falling… (Honorio)

Place in the 1982 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 175








#31

Prince - Raspberry Beret (1985)

Score: 1179 points

Biggest fans:
Miguel (#2), Toni (#6), Fred (#10), Rocky Raccoon (#12), Greg Rumpff (#15)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1985 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 294


Prince - Raspberry Beret



Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Another great five.

Does anyone know why It's The End Of The World As We Know It has historically not been played at concerts? It seems to me like it'd be one of the most crowd pleasing choices.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Stipe can't remember the lyrics. When they were on MTV unplugged, he had to use a cheat sheet.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I saw R.E.M. live last year and then they played It's the End of the World... Mayby Stipe had studied the lyrics. Actually half of the songs they played in the concert were from the eighties. They played only two songs from Automatic for the People (Man on the Moon & Find the River).

Great list by far. Mercy Seat in top 30, wow.
I hope we see the final top 30 as soon as possible (mayby even in this weekend?)

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Monday after 2 PM I will be free of pretty much any obligations, and the rest of the list will be unveiled then. I will see if I can get maybe another 5-10 done this weekend, but my exams come first.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Aced the exam, time to finish this.

#40

R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe (1981)

Score: 1187 points

Biggest fans:
Toni (#3), Jonah (# , Harold Wexler (#9), Michel (#9), Adrian (#13)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1980 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 34


Including a very young Letterman.






#39

Tom Waits - Downtown Train (1985)

Score: 1187 points

Biggest fans:
BillAdama (#3), Miguel (#3), Midaso (#5), SuperFurry (#9), tremolo (#12)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1983 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 249








#38

Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven (1989)

Score: 1189 points

Biggest fans:
Honorio (#7), Michel (#10), Fred (#15), Harold Wexler (#17), Adrian (#1

Comments:
Weird numerological/ecological tale, which has probably taken a hit in my list due to my ‘90s Pixies o.d. Still brilliant. (Sonofsamiam)
Pixies at their most epic. Cryptic lyrics with an unclear ecologist message (with references to the ozone layer and global warming) and strange religious imagery (or should I say numerology: “If man is 5 (faith?) then the devil is 6 (sex?) and God is 7 (heaven?)” . And the most subdued string section ever, discreetly mixed with the usual furious guitar attacks. (Honorio)

Place in the 1983 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 32








#37

The Cure - Just Like Heaven (1987)

Score: 1190 points

Biggest fans:
Mo (#2), Greg Rumpff (#4), otisredding (# , Greg (# , John (#9)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1988 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 52


Annoying intro, but the official clip cannot be embedded.






#36

Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - The Message (1982)

Score: 1190 points

Biggest fans:
Sonofsamiam (#2), SuperFurry (#3), Netjade (#4), Henrik (#4), BillAdama (#15)

Comments:
Some complain this is dated – those people are clearly insane. Melle Mel delivers a clear-eyed view on the travails of ghetto life, and in so doing changes the landscape of hip-hop for good. Stark, straightforward, and extremely smart. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1984 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 1

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Great start, didn't edit the years for the "Place in the 198x poll". Oh well!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

WHAT? Downtown Train this low? I thought it would definitely be in the top 20 after it's high placing in the all time songs poll last year...

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Stephan, I hope your exam went all well.

This was songs #30-#26, right?

And ... WHAT? THE MESSAGE this low???

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Arr, forgot to change that too. Getting sloppy. Hopefully no mistakes on these next 5:

#25

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983)

Score: 1209 points

Biggest fans:
Andre (# , BillAdama (#9), Harold Wexler (#10), Greg Rumpff (#10), Stephan (#11)

Comments:
One of the most memorable drum intros opens a passionate song about the (not memorable at all) massacre of Irish protesters from British troops. (Honorio)

Place in the 1983 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 30








#24

Bruce Springsteen - The River (1980)

Score: 1211 points

Biggest fans:
Nicolas (#1), SuperFurry (#6), Honorio (# , Miguel (#9), Andre (#10), Stephan (#10)

Comments:
The American dream being pursued by our born-to-runners has evaporated – this is one of the most pessismistic views of marriage, work, and growing up (from the guy who wrote "Growin' Up") that's ever been written. Harrowing because of the truths it speaks to. (Sonofsamiam)
The real story of Springsteen sister told from the point of view of his brother-in-law exemplifies the broken dreams of a whole generation, the young people growing up on the 70s just to face the big difference between their dreams and their reality. “All the things that seemed so important / well, mister, they vanished right into the air”. (Honorio)

Place in the 1980 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 239








#23

Public Enemy - Fight The Power (1989)

Score: 1215 points

Biggest fans:
tremolo (#1), otisredding (#3), Sonofsamiam (#7), Netjade (# , Rocky Raccoon (#9)

Comments:
One of the great openings in movie history: Rosie Perez in full-‘80s regalia dancing to "Fight the Power". And now VH-1 has lauded it as the greatest hip-hop track ever. I knew they had to get something right eventually. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1989 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 7








#22

Prince - Kiss (1986)

Score: 1225 points

Biggest fans:
Honorio (#3), Henrik (#5), Miguel (#15), Harold Wexler (#16), Nicolas (#17)

Comments:
I hear this at every goddamn wedding reception I attend. And you know what? I end up on the dancefloor making an ass of myself every time. There's gotta be something said for that. (Sonofsamiam)
DMSR. Dance, music, sex, romance. A bomb for the dance floor, an immediate hit of funky music based on a minimalist electronic backing and on sensual wah-wah guitars, a hot plea for sex (“I just need your body, baby, from dusk till dawn” and the best example possible of seduction in music, of music for romance. (Honorio)

Place in the 1986 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 15


Kiss - Prince






#21

U2 - With Or Without You (1987)

Score: 1232 points

Biggest fans:
Stephan (#1), Rocky Raccoon (#5), Henrik (#7), pop elton (#11), Michel (#12)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1987 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 45





Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Awesome so far! I'm happy to see Eurythmics make the top 40, and Prince is doing very, very well!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I could literally cry right now. It turns out I've included Snusmumrik's song rankings as album rankings as well, which I didn't notice on my final check because he didn't submit any album rankings at all. You can imagine that this changes a lot of ranks; mostly just 1-3 spots, but practically everything besides the top 10 changed slightly and sometimes up to 8 spots.

I am really sorry about yet another screw-up. I've got the presentation for the last 20 (in the wrong order) pretty much ready, but it's kinda useless now. I guess I'm just not suited for these kinds of projects, not meticulous enough or something. I'll go bang my head against a few walls now. Fuck.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Hey Stephan: Don't worry about it. Just the fact that you agreed to do this is good enough. Plus, great choice for a #1 song (would have been mine too).

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Stephan, your presentation has been great and if you list an adjusted #21-100 it doesn't matter at all that the youtube clips were in the wrong order. No need to worry about this!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I still don't get why Joshua Tree is more highly regarded than War. In my mind it's the album where they lost the feel of energy and spontaneity they had before and gained that self conscious grandiosity that stuck with them till now.

'Swhy Sunday Bloody Sunday was in my top ten and I put With or Without You way lower.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Of course,neither come close to 'Achtung Baby' but that's another story...

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Stephan, I'm really, really sorry I didn't cry out when I noticed that I was being credited with having voted for certain songs when in fact I didn't succeed in making a song list at all.

I just thought that you had plenty to worry about as it was, and that most likely it was just something inadvertently cut-and-pasted from the wonderful album list presentation and had nothing to do with the actual ranking. Clear-cut head-in-the-sand politics on my part.

If anyone's to blame, blame me. But it's a wonderful job anyway, and as Henrik said, you can just post a brief revised 100-21 list, and those whose favourites go up a notch will have a chance to say I told you so ...

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Nah, it's not your fault. I should have seen two identical rows in the two tabs. I'll post the revised list in a little bit and then post the remaining 20 songs today.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

The previous rank is between brackets.

100) AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (100)
99) Rolling Stones, The - Start Me Up (99)
98) Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver (98)
97) Metallica - Master Of Puppets (96)
96) Replacements, The - Alex Chilton (97)
95) Jesus And Mary Chain, The - Some Candy Talking (94)
94) Church, The - Under The Milky Way (95)
93) Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World (93)
92) Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (92)
91) Replacements, The - I Will Dare (91)
90) Public Enemy - Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos (90)
89) Metallica - One (89)
88) Anderson, Laurie - O Superman (88)
87) Run-D.M.C. - Walk This Way (87)
86) Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (86)
85) Bragg, Billy - A New England (85)
84) Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure (75)
83) Jam, The - That's Entertainment (83)
82) R.E.M. - So. Central Rain (84)
81) Stone Roses, The - Fools Gold (82)
80) Clash, The - Rock The Casbah (78)
79) Public Enemy - Don't Believe The Hype (81)
78) Costello, Elvis - I Want You (80)
77) Springsteen, Bruce - Born In The U.S.A. (72)
76) Chris Isaak - Wicked Game (77)
75) Roxy Music - More Than This (76)
74) Public Enemy - Bring The Noise (79)
73) Madonna - Into The Groove (66)
72) Dylan, Bob - Blind Willie McTell (74)
71) Talking Heads - Burning Down The House (73)
70) Gaye, Marvin - Sexual Healing (71)
69) Waits, Tom - Time (70)
68) New Order - Ceremony (68)
67) This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren (61)
66) Squeeze - Tempted (67)
65) Smiths, The - The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (69)
64) Smiths, The - Bigmouth Strikes Again (64)
63) Police, The - Every Breath You Take (65)
62) De La Soul - Me Myself And I (63)
61) New Order - Temptation (62)
60) Wyatt, Robert - Shipbuilding (60)
59) Replacements, The - Unsatisfied (59)
58) Pixies - Gigantic (57)
57) Soft Cell - Tainted Love (58)
56) Sugarcubes, The - Birthday (56)
55) R.E.M. - Fall On Me (54)
54) Gabriel, Peter - Sledgehammer (53)
53) Violent Femmes - Blister In The Sun (55)
52) Joy Division - Atmosphere (52)
51) Springsteen, Bruce - Atlantic City (51)
50) R.E.M. - The One I Love (47)
49) Chapman, Tracy - Fast Car (50)
48) R.E.M. - World Leader Pretend (49)
47) XTC - Dear God (48)
46) Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (38)
45) Prince - Little Red Corvette (42)
44) Cure, The - Lullaby (44)
43) Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (45)
42) Cure, The - A Forest (43)
41) Jesus And Mary Chain, The - Just Like Honey (46)
40) Smiths, The - This Charming Man (40)
39) Marley, Bob & The Wailers - Redemption Song (39)
38) Jam, The - Going Underground (41)
37) R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (35)
36) Pixies - Where Is My Mind? (36)
35) Young, Neil - Rockin' In The Free World (34)
34) Prince - Let's Go Crazy (33)
33) U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love) (37)
32) New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (32)
31) Prince - Raspberry Beret (31)
30) Waits, Tom - Downtown Train (29)
29) R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe (30)
28) Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven (28)
27) Cure, The - Just Like Heaven (27)
26) Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - The Message (26)
25) Cure, The - Inbetween Days (19)
24) U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (25)
23) Public Enemy - Fight The Power (23)
22) Stone Roses, The - I Am The Resurrection (17)
21) Prince - Kiss (22)

Unfortunately for The Cure and The Stone Roses, that means they dropped out of the top 20.

#25

The Cure - Inbetween Days (1985)

Score: 1143 points

Biggest fans:
pop elton (#3), Nicolas (#5), Honorio (#13), Midaso (#15), Greg (#21)

Comments:
Robert Smith knows how to make a perfect pop song, sweet, bright and danceable but incredibly sad too. “Yesterday I got so old I felt like I could die”. (Honorio)

Place in the 1985 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 246








#17

The Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection (1989)

Score: 1169 points

Biggest fans:
tremolo (#3), Mo (# , Fred (#9), Midaso (#10), Sonofsamiam (#11), LonesomePanda (#11)

Comments:
Out of everything on their debut, this has always been The One. Goes from ultra-cocky, assured Brit-pop blueprint into fuckin' ass-shakin' mega-rock-jam breakdown, it's worth every second of its 8+ minutes. I'd been going through a classic rock and prog phase – this was a prime mover in at least partially turning that tide. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1989 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 275

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

20) Bruce Springsteen - The River (24)
19) U2 - With Or Without You (21)






#18

Echo and The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon (1984)

Score: 1181 points

Biggest fans:
Netjade (#2), Mitchell Stirling (#6), Mo (#6), Honorio (#11), Sonofsamiam (#17)

Comments:
There's no doubting that good rock music will always have room for overdramatic, orchestral ballads with vague middle-eastern undertones sung by tall, pasty, pretentious white men. God love 'em. (Sonofsamiam)
Majestic. The first song recorded for the “Ocean Rain” sessions marked the tone of the rest of the album. And what a tone. Elegant, mysterious and, yes, majestic. (Honorio)

Place in the 1984 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 135








#17

Prince - Purple Rain (1984)

Score: 1182 points

Biggest fans:
Sonofsamiam (#1), John (#11), SuperFurry (#13), Nicolas (#13), tremolo (#16)

Comments:
The power ballad to end them all – Prince stated he was actually going for a country-western feel with this! Regardless, no other master of funk and pop ever created a lighter-waver like this one. Man, and I just took it all for granted on the radio in 1984… (Sonofsamiam)
Prince built his own stairway to heaven with this song, fusing gospel with classic rock in a deeply emotional way. For listening with tears in your eyes. (Honorio)

Place in the 1984 poll: 4

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 63


Purple Rain - Prince






#16

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat (198

Score: 1185 points

Biggest fans:
Adrian (#1), pop elton (#7), SuperFurry (# , tremolo (# , Mo (#9)

Comments:
Breathless, seething first-person horror, played out from the point-of-view of a killer on the chair, while he's dying. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1988 poll: 5

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 130








#15

The Human League - Don't You Want Me (1981)

Score: 1209 points

Biggest fans:
otisredding (#2), John (#3), Stephan (#4), Miguel (#11), Moonbeam (#13)

Comments:
The blend of blank female vocals with the over-stylized male vocal shouldn't work, but does in absolute spades. Also check out the somehow simultaneously annoying and mesmerizing "(Keep Feelin') Fascination".
(Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1981 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 25








#14

Prince - 1999 (1982)

Score: 1237 points

Biggest fans:
Moonbeam (#1), Greg Rumpff (#3), John (#5), Jonah (#7), Midaso (#9)

Comments:
When I first heard this as a young pup in 1983, it blew my mind. All those different vocal parts trading off, something about partying and something about nuclear war, it rocked but you could dance to it, what the hell was this? I still feel the same way. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1982 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 51


Prince - 1999 - Prince






#13

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (1987)

Score: 1239 points

Biggest fans:
Stephan (#3), Nicolas (#3), Greg (#4), Harold Wexler (#5), BillAdama (#6)

Comments:
One of my best friends got married about a year ago, and the reception was pretty much standard-fare wedding "classics" – some disco, some pop, some slow songs, some contemporary-but-safe hits. Then, out of nowhere, "Sweet Child O' Mine" came on. And suddenly, it seemed EVERYONE surged onto the dancefloor (at least all those between 18 and 4 and collectively became a giant karaoke, air-guitar-playing mass of drunken glee. It was in fact a musical epiphany for me – G&R, with this song at least, bridged and transcended so many cultural gaps. (Sonofsamiam)
Instant classic. The guitar intro by Slash (very difficult to play, I must say) went straight to the pantheon of the most memorable guitar intros ever. (Honorio)

Place in the 1987 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 11









#12

Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot (198

Score: 1249 points

Biggest fans:
Jonah (#4), SuperFurry (#5), LonesomePanda (#5), Harold Wexler (#6), tremolo (#7)

Comments:
This was a real clarion call for me at the time; there was more out there than Top 40 that was growing stale, hair metal, and classic rock, and I was just realizing it. (Sonofsamiam)
One of the most influential songs ever, the combination of furious guitars and melody ignited the fuse of a bomb that exploded years later, in the early 90s. (Honorio)

Place in the 1988 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 31








#11

Prince - Sign 'O' The Times (1987)

Score: 1268 points

Biggest fans:
otisredding (#5), Moonbeam (#5), Netjade (#6), Adrian (#10), Nicolas (#11)

Comments:
Prince did his own take on protest song with this one. AIDS, drug abuse, poverty, gang violence or hurricanes never were so funky. (Honorio)

Place in the 1987 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 14


Prince - Sign O The Times - Prince



Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

It feels strange that my name never came up as one of the biggest fans, because I love these songs. What a great 11-20!

(No error, Stephan. I guess I'm just a semi-big fan...)


Honorio and Sonofsamiam, your comments really add value to this countdown. Thank you!!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Yeah, you have a tendency of being the 6th or 7th biggest fan. Sorry.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

your comments really add value to this countdown

Many many thanks, Henrik. The results are the same, but the comments (in general) make the whole thing more interesting. Sadly many of the posters are not willing to write comments for polls and games. In fact I found quite shocking that for the 80s albums poll the only ones that wrote comments were Toni, Nicolas and me, the non-English speakers!! (we speak other wonderful languages as português, français and español). It’s a lot of work, I know, but I would like to encourage everyone to write comments (just as brilliant as the ones that usually do for other threads!!).

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

It's something I've always struggled with - thinking of comments for songs and albums. It's my obsession,I listen to hours of music every day,but ask me why some of my favourites are my favourites,I'd have nothing...

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#10

Pixies - Debaser (1989)

Score: 1322 points

Biggest fans:
Fred (#3), Mitchell Stirling (#3), Mo (#7), Harold Wexler (# , SuperFurry (#12)

Comments:
The disturbing image of “slicin’ up eyeballs” from Buñuel’s surrealistic film “Un chien andalou” was the starting point. Just imagine the rest. (Honorio)

Place in the 1989 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 40








#9

David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes (1980)

Score: 1332 points

Biggest fans:
Honorio (#1), pop elton (#2), John (#2), Nicolas (#7), otisredding (#9)

Comments:
Bowie was quite cruel with “a guy that’s been in such an early song”. In the course of a decade the heroic major Tom turned into a junkie, “strung out in heaven’s high, hitting an all-time low”. But it wasn’t the case for Bowie, he stepped firmly into the 80s as the godfather and the main inspiration for the new romantics and synth-pop heroes. (Honorio)

Place in the 1980 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 148








#8

The Specials - Ghost Town (1981)

Score: 1344 points

Biggest fans:
Netjade (#1), Mitchell Stirling (#1), Toni (#2), Henrik (#3), Adrian (#7), SuperFurry (#7)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1981 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 10








#7

The Smiths - How Soon Is Now? (1984)

Score: 1363 points

Biggest fans:
SuperFurry (#2), BillAdama (#4), Adrian (#5), Midaso (#7), otisredding (#10)

Comments:
Johnny Marr holds a clinic in texture and mood, and Morrissey sings to all the lonely wallflowers everywhere. Also – has anyone else ever heard the double-meaning of "son and heir" with "sun and air"? I always considered it another example of Morrissey's sly narcissism, but maybe I'm just wacked. Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1984 poll: 3

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 23








#6

New Order - Blue Monday (1983)

Score: 1407 points

Biggest fans:
Jonah (#1), Andre (#2), SuperFurry (#4), Moonbeam (#6), otisredding (#7)

Comments:
In the end, it would be silly to claim that anything else is their best song. Utter brilliance, and also associated with perhaps the greatest 45 sleeve in history. (Sonofsamiam)

Place in the 1983 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 6

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Awesome, awesome, awesome! I wish I had more time to dedicate to this. I was so keen to give comments, but I just don't have the time right now.

I'm bummed at the big drop for "Sweet Dreams", but I never in my wildest dreams imagined that "1999" would get to number 14! I should have known given its strong placement in the songs poll, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless! I'm glad to see it get some well-deserved love. More than any other song, "1999" is the reason that I love music, and given the amount of time I spend listening to it, obsessing about it and discussing it, that has to count for something.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

80's...taping songs from all four sides of "Sign Of The Times" to have them in prefered order...His next album I bought was on cd...one big track...

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#5

The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (1986)

Score: 1425 points

Biggest fans:
SuperFurry (#1), Mo (#1), Midaso (#1), Honorio (#2), Greg (#6)

Comments:
Best song ever about a shared death experience, imagined or otherwise? Makes it sound romantic in its own detached way, just as Morrissey wanted it, I'm sure. (Sonofsamiam)
Love according to Morrissey. There’s escape (“take me out tonight where there’s music and people young and alive” , generational conflict (“it’s not my home, it’s their home” and mad love (“to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die” . But it’s also an unconsummated love (“but a strange fear gripped me and I just couldn’t ask” . Pure Morrissey. (Honorio)

Place in the 1986 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 24








#4

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (1980)

Score: 1490 points

Biggest fans:
Michel (#1), Jonah (#3), Harold Wexler (#4), Mo (#4), Netjade (#5)

Comments:
A claustrophobic tale about the renunciation to youth ideals that comes with the middle age, when you realize that you’ve been “letting the days go by”. (Honorio)

Place in the 1980 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 13








#3

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)

Score: 1526 points

Biggest fans:
Midaso (#2), Mitchell Stirling (#2), tremolo (#2), Adrian (#3), Andre (#3), Greg (#3)

Comments:
No, the more than probable number 1 of our poll it’s not my number 1, although it’s in my Top 10, of course. The sadly prophetic song of Joy Division is the perfect description of the bitter end of a relationship. Routine bites hard, resentment rides high, respect run so dry and desperation takes hold. And love. Love will tear us apart. Again. (Honorio)

Place in the 1980 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 2

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Whaat? Joy Division is not our #1? Anyway excellent list everyone, I'm delighted to se my #1 (Ashes to Ashes) on the Top 10. And two Smiths songs!!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

This '80s poll has been much more surprising than the '90s! The Queen Is Dead "only" in #5, and no one of the great contenders Debaser, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out and Love Will Tear Us Apart winning is something no one would think of! And I'm saying this as a good thing!
Also, it's awesome to see Ghost Town at #8! If ties were accepted, it would be my absolute #1 along with Sledgehammer!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Wow, Love Will Tear Us Apart is only #3. And it's nobody's #1.
Billie Jean & When Doves Cry were songs I expected to be in top 10 but definetely not this high. Huge surprise.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Really surprised - this list leaned really towards more alternative songs from the 80s and here we are with two of the biggest songs of the 80s at 1 and 2.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

When Doves Cry was my pick for #1. Of course, that was after Prince nabbed #2 and #3 in the album side.

And I'm pretty sure Billie Jean was my #1. I forget, maybe When Doves Cry was my #2 too. That'd be weird.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

great !
is this an Obama effect ?
But black music rules (for once)

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

#2

Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)

Score: 1580 points

Biggest fans:
Greg Rumpff (#1), Harold Wexler (#2), BillAdama (#2), Rocky Raccoon (#2), LonesomePanda (#6)

Comments:
None

Place in the 1984 poll: 2

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 4


When Doves Cry - Prince






#1

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1982)

Score: 1597 points

Biggest fans:
Henrik (#1), BillAdama (#1), John (#1), Greg Rumpff (#2), Nicolas (#2)

Comments:
The unfuckwithable catchiness and groove make it easy to miss the fact that this is a tense parable of paranoia and defensiveness. It also foreshadows Jackson's precipitous personal descent over the next 2 decades, though I'm pretty sure he wasn't a full-blown reclusive maniacal pedophile. Yet. Regardless, love the music, not the man. (Sonofsamiam)
The usual impeccable singing of Michael Jackson met here with brilliant song-writing, with lyrics about a fictional paternity suit (that posterior facts made it completely improbable). But let me point to the polite and detailed production of Quincy Jones. Every note, every sigh, every cry, every element of the song is perfectly executed and exactly placed. (Honorio)

Place in the 1982 poll: 1

Acclaimed Music 1980s rank: 3

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

And there we have it. All 100 of them. A little belated, but still. Hope you enjoyed it anyway.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I bet we did !
thanks Stephan for the poll !

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Good to hear it nicolas.

Correlations:

Rocky Raccoon and Harold Wexler: 0.60
Toni and Jonah: 0.47
Mo and Michel: 0.42
Mitchell Stirling and pop elton: 0.41
Mitchell Stirling and Midaso: 0.41
BillAdama and Harold Wexler: 0.40
Jonah and Harold Wexler: 0.40
Midaso and pop elton: 0.40

...

Rocky Raccoon and Fred: -0.31
Miguel and Netjade: -0.32
Greg Rumpff and tremolo: -0.32
Greg Rumpff and Netjade: -0.33
Greg Rumpff and Fred: -0.34
Greg Rumpff and Mitchell Stirling: -0.35
Netjade and Stephan: -0.35

Not sure why Greg Rumpff is in most of those. I guess his correlation of the poll rank of 0.09 (the lowest out of everyone) has something to do with it.

I will post the Excel file with both the album and song statistics in a little bit, need to make a few alterations.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Thank you, Stephan

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Thanks a lot, Stephan! Great to have all these youtube videos and it was cool with a somewhat unexpected top of the list.

Strange that Greg Rumpff had the lowest correlations and still managed to get his 2 favorite songs in the top 2!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Awesome job, Stephan!

I think these 80s polls have been a blast, and it's nice to see that they seem to reflect Prince's status as the most acclaimed act of the 80s!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Haroooooooooooooold!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I want to grow, grow up to be, be a DEBASER!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Completely forgot to upload this. Enjoy.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Excellent stuff, thanks as always!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

I think the #1 and #2 entries are a TRAVESTY!

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Wow, André, look at our correlation in the albums list (0.56). And Stephan too! (0.53). The only higher value is the (unreachable) correlation of Rocky Raccoon and Harold Wexler (0.68!!).
A (very late) thanks for this, Stephan.

Re: Forum Poll: The Best Songs of the 1980s Results (Part 2)

Hey, interesting statistical question. How high can you get everyone's R^2 level if you factor in everybody else? (That is, whose list is most predicted by everyone else's?)

It's interesting that I have the correlation with Harold Wexler, and he has it with Rocky Racoon, but I don't have one with Rocky Racoon.