Pazz & Jop 1985: Critical Hindsight Two Decades On

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When a link to the 1987 Pazz & Jop Poll was posted in the Janejane's addiction: name your reasons they are so bad and hated thread, several people expressed off-topic surprise. Curious about how hindsight and whippersnappers opinions are formed and wanting to keep it on topic (and wanting a nice round number) let's look at the Top 40 from 20 years ago, 1985:

1. Talking Heads - Little Creatures
2. The Replacements - Tim
3. John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow
4. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
5. Artists United Against Apartheid - Sun City
6. Husker Du - Flip Your Wig
7. R.E.M. - Fables of the Recontstruction
8. Husker Du - New Day Rising
9. Aretha Franklin - Who's Zoomin' Who?
10. John Fogerty - Centerfield
11. Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
12. The Velvet Underground - VU
13. Richard Thompson - Across A Crowded Room
14. Sade - Diamond Life
15. V/A - Go Go Crankin'
16. Bob Dylan - Biograph
17. V/A - Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill
18. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
19. The Blasters - Hard Line
20. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
21. Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles
22. Jason and the Nashville Scorchers - Lost and Found
23. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun
24. Lone Justice - Lone Justice
25. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
26. The Mekons - Fear and Whiskey
27. The Golden Palominos - Visions of Excess
28. Prefab Sprout - Two Wheels Good
29. Don Henley - Building the Perfect Beast
30. Luther Vandross - The Night I Fell in Love
31. Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls
32. Run-D.M.C. - King of Rock
33. Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians - Fegmania
34. Ruben Blades y Seis del Solar - Escenas
35. Marshall Crenshaw - Downtown
36. Professor Longhair - Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo
37. LL Cool J - Radio
38. Marti Jones - Unsophisticated Time
39. Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
40. The Minutemen - 3-Way Tie (for Last)

Village Voice

Also for those who like more information, here are the Grammy Winners that year, here's a list of all of the #1 Albums on Billboard and here's the Top 100 Pop Singles from that year.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:15 (twenty years ago)

NO YOUTHQUAKE NO CREDIBILITY

― Dom iNut (donut), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:19 (twenty years ago)

Number of these albums I have heard: 5.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:20 (twenty years ago)

Is Meat is Murder the most acclaimed album (as of today) that appears nowhere on those lists?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:21 (twenty years ago)

36. Professor Longhair - Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo

This is probably the most "wtf" entry for me, as far as just plain lack of familiarity on any level.

― Dom iNut (donut), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Didn't he die in 1980? I never knew he had such a late posthumous release.

― Dom iNut (donut), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Not a bad list. I think Tim should be number one, but thats nitpicking.

― Stephen C (ihope), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:27 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp at #3 is highlarious.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:27 (twenty years ago)

Run DMC at 32 is depressing.

― deej.. (deej..), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:29 (twenty years ago)

I've heard 32 of 40, I think. Was just talking yesterday about what an important record "Lost in the Stars" was for me.

Didn't hear "Live at the Harlem Square Club" until a few months ago, but loved it.

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:29 (twenty years ago)

They made it look like an extremely shitty year, when it was really just so-so. I'd say my #2 for that year, The Fall * This Nation's Saving Grace is the most glaring ommission.

Also:

The Pogues * Rum Sodomy & The Lash
Tony Allen & Afrobeat 2000 * N.E.P.A.
Sonic Youth * Bad Moon Rising
New Order * Low-Life
Einsturzende Neubauten * 1/2 Mensch
Slayer * Hell Awaits
The Jazz Butcher * Sex And Travel
Possessed * Seven Churches
Celtic Frost * To Mega Therion
Butthole Surfers * Psychic . . . Powerless . . . Another Man's Sac
Naked Raygun * All Rise

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:31 (twenty years ago)

Mellencamp was trying really hard to "Bruceify" around the time of Scarecrow, wasn't he? He gained a lot of critical acclaim with Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee, and to be honest, those albums are a great deal better than earlier efforts. Uh Huh has some great singles too.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:32 (twenty years ago)

its as if Anthony DeCurtis and David Fricke made it up over the phone…

Sting? Dire Straits? heh heh!

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:32 (twenty years ago)

I managed to find this one: The Top 20 Most Played Albums according to CMJ:

01 TEARS FOR FEARS Songs From The Big Chair
02 NEW ORDER Low-Life
03 DEPECHE MODE Some Great Reward
04 R.E.M. Fables Of The Reconstruction
05 TALKING HEADS Little Creatures
06 DIRE STRAITS Brothers In Arms
07 GUADALCANAL DIARY Walking In The Shadow
08 LOS LOBOS How Will The Wolf Survive?
09 SMITHS Meat Is Murder
10 ORCHESTRAL MANOEVRES IN THE DARK Crush
11 STING The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
12 BRONSKI BEAT Age Of Consent
13 EURYTHMICS Be Yourself Tonight
14 GENERAL PUBLIC ...All The Rage
15 U2 The Unforgettable Fire
16 FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD Welcome To ...
17 THREE O’CLOCK Arrive Without Travelling
18 SHRIEKBACK Oil And Gold
19 ROBYN HITCHCOCK Fegmania
20 HOOTERS Nervous Night

Source: CMJ (Note: This is a .PDF)

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:33 (twenty years ago)

It's one of the last times middle-aged white people would rule the charts.

Little Creatures remains the Heads' last good album, but as far as I'm concerned Scarecrow fuckin' rips R.E.M. and the Replacements.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:39 (twenty years ago)

Oh geeze, I totally forgot about This Nation's Saving Grace. Thats pretty big

― Stephen C (ihope), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Am I the only person who had never heard of Guadalcanal Diary? They sound pretty cool, if their AMG description can be believed.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:47 (twenty years ago)

the fall should be up there, king of rock and psychocandy higher, and OMG THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE AT #1

― sovietpanda (sovietpanda), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:51 (twenty years ago)

I used to like 'em. This was always one of my favorite album covers:

http://buzz-usa.com/blog/guadalcanal-diary.jpg

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:52 (twenty years ago)

Here are my omissions: I think these are all from 1985.

Dinosaur - S/T
Leonard Cohen - Various Positions
Prince - Around the World in a Day
Style Council - Our Favorite Shop
Phil Collins - No Jacket Required (surely it should be there!)
Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark - Crush

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:53 (twenty years ago)

What would be really cool is if anyone who voted that year can recall their ballots... I have to assume there are some people here who voted that year, right?

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:55 (twenty years ago)

Was there anything good on the Sun City album apart from "Sun City"? The only other thing I remember off it is the U2 song, which is just ok.

That Professor Longhair album is great, but I didn't realize it was released so late.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 23:57 (twenty years ago)

I'm rather surprised Around the World in a Day didn't score higher (a year after Purple Rain!); the contemporary reviews weren't at all bad. The same way I'm surprised that Boys & Girls scored so high, since most contemporary reviews ranged from good-to-meh.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:15 (twenty years ago)

Really? I thought Around the World in a Day was more widely considered a turkey.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:17 (twenty years ago)

And Jesus, Fables of the Reconstruction pwns Flip Your Wig and Tim.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:19 (twenty years ago)

A Turkey??? With Raspberry Beret? Bite your tongue. It's Prince at his psychedelic popiest...

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:21 (twenty years ago)

I haven't heard the whole album in a long time and I like "Raspberry Beret." Was just talking more about teh general reception when it came out.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:23 (twenty years ago)

lost and found by jason and the scorchers is a good album.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:24 (twenty years ago)

Fables is R.E.M's worst. Tim's got some of the 'Mats best and worst. Flip Your Wig is best of all.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:25 (twenty years ago)

Sade at #14!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

I may have discovered these later, but if I could go back in time and vote:

The Ex - Pokherrie
Art Of Noise - In Visible Silence
Yello - Stella
Severed Heads - Come Visit The Big Bigot
The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche '85
Dead Or Alive - Youthquake
The Family - The Family
Love And Rockets - Seventh Age Of Teenage Heaven
Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising
New Order - Low-life
Pet Shop Boys - Please
Mark Stewart - As The Veneer Of Democracy Starts To Fade
The Verlaines - Hallelujah All The Way Home
Gauze - s/t(?)
Cabaret Voltaire - The Arm Of The Lord
PiL - album
and many more I'm forgettin'

Oh the singles!

Paul Hardcastle - "19"
Time Zone - "World Destruction"
Ready For The World - "Oh Sheila"
Magazine 60 - "Don Quichotte"
Boys Don't Cry - "I Want To Be A Cowboy"
Falco - "Rock Me Amadeus"
Murray Head - "One Night In Bangkok"
Prince - "Raspberry Beret"
Art Of Noise - "Legs"
Laibach - "Die Liebe"
Tackhead - "What's My Mission Now?"
The Swans - "A Screw"
NoMeansNo - You Kill Me EP
Ministry - "Over The Shoulder"
Butthole Surfers - Cream Corn From The Socket Of Davis EP
Dead Or Alive - "You Spin Me (Round Like A Record)"
Tears For Fears - "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"
Black Flag - "Slip It In"
The Dukes Of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock EP
Severed Heads - "Twenty Deadly Diseases"
Front 242 - The Politics Of Pressure EP
The Blackouts - Lost Souls Club EP
Sammy Hagar - "I Can't Drive 55"
John Parr - "St. Elmo's Fire"
PiL - "Rise"
The B 52's - "Summer Of Love"
Felt - "Primitive Painters"
and many more I'm forgettin'

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

Where is The Head On The Door?

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:30 (twenty years ago)

A lot of those singles were on the singles ballot:

http://robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres85.php

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:34 (twenty years ago)

Some stuff that may or may not have been missed is detailed herein:

probably not the 50 best albums and singles (and/or EPs) of 1985

― xhuxk, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:34 (twenty years ago)

I don't think three total is "a lot", but it did remind me of my gross exclusion of:

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam w/ Full Force "I Wonder If I Take You Home"

as well as..

James Brown "Living In America"
Trans-X "Living In Video"

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:36 (twenty years ago)

'85 a la Stacey Pomegranate: CDR700 Go! 1985

'85 a la omg@wtf: 1985 MP3 CDR 700MB

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:39 (twenty years ago)

And fuck..

Dazz Band "Let It All Blow"
Expose "Point Of No Return"

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:39 (twenty years ago)

Stacey reminded me.. holy shit

ABC - How To Be A Zillionare

I always knew 1985 was possibly the best year of the decade, if not the most unique.. It just takes a while to unroll the forgotten gems.

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:41 (twenty years ago)

How the hell did that Replacements album score so high?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:43 (twenty years ago)

because the last one was a masterpiece (4th in '84) and had lotsa carryover goodwill

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:53 (twenty years ago)

The AHAHAHAHA entry -- that Sun City thing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:53 (twenty years ago)

R.E.M. had TWO masterpieces before Fables, which I guess meant that they got less carryover goodwill.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Stacey Pomegranate?

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:55 (twenty years ago)

fables of the reconstruction drags

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:56 (twenty years ago)

And it's by REM

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:57 (twenty years ago)

pah. tim's a great record. gets underrated by people who overrate pleased to meet me (not to mention people who don't get the replacements at all, but that's their problem).

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:58 (twenty years ago)

But it's good dragging music. Would have sounded way better w/ Easter/Dixon or Gehman producing. (Or Billy Sherrill.)

x-psots

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 00:59 (twenty years ago)

fables rules, blount drools
and they KILLED on the preconstruction tour

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:00 (twenty years ago)

When was the last time anyone on this thread listened to "Sun City"?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:00 (twenty years ago)

I thought you'd like that, Andy!

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:00 (twenty years ago)

11 and 12 are interesting - the rules on those type of releases changed all the time (now no more reissues so everything's 'new'). 23, 26 and esp 37 are all at least a little underrated though still coming in reassuringly high considering everything. it's sorta odd that flip your wig outranks new day rising. lots of college rock nobody remotely cares about anymore spread thruout there - lot of crits backing wrong horses.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:02 (twenty years ago)

Flip Your Wig placed higher because it had "Makes No Sense at All" on it.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:03 (twenty years ago)

I still proudly own
the Sun City LP (but
my brother has it)

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:03 (twenty years ago)

yeah i figured it might be purely 'it's got the hit'. alot of people thought husker du were too NOISE back then, flip yr wig's definitely the album they woulda gone 'now we're getting somewhere!' with.

the sun city lp sounded great last time i heard it.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:05 (twenty years ago)

when they went on tour
that year they played any gig
that would have them on

my brothers and I
skipped work one day to see them
on 'a.m. northwest'

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:07 (twenty years ago)

PTTM cannot be overrated except for the icky horns on "Can't Hardly Wait." And there was a time when Tim was seriously overrated.

Flip Your Wig is still totally mediocre. Scarecrow is still good.

Fables was a very hard record for REM to make and it shows.

WHO'S ZOOMIN' WHO IN THE TOP TEN???????? Now that's a bleak indicator. Given that, I'm surprised that Dire Straits was so low.

― don weiner (don weiner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:08 (twenty years ago)

Where IS Kool & The Gang's Emergency?

Xgau put Aretha in his top 10 and I think it's a pretty good record, about which I'll have more to say when I finish a long post-1970 Aretha feature.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Not Just Knee Deep (In The Hoopla)

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:33 (twenty years ago)

yes, it's "pretty good" but that isn't Top 10 for me in any year. Or Top 20. Or Top 30. Maybe Top 40, but only because she's Aretha.

― don weiner (don weiner), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:42 (twenty years ago)

R.E.M. fans hated Scarecrow so much that they didn't mind when R.E.M. employed the Coog's Don Gehman to produce their next record.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:46 (twenty years ago)

PBNJ GEEKOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

top of my head based on lists above and acclaimed list.

1. Husker Du - New Day Rising (25)
2. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun (15)
3. Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love (15)
4. LL Cool J - Radio (15)
5. The Mekons - Fear and Whiskey (10)
6. The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace (10)
7. Luther Vandross - The Night I Fell in Love (5)
8. Mantronix - Mantronix: The Album (5)
9. John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow (5)
10. Guadalcanal Diary - Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man (5)

1. Madonna - "Into the Groove"
2. Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew - "The Show"/"La-Di-Da-Di"
3. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force - "I Wonder if I Take You Home"
4. Husker Du - "Makes No Sense At All"/"Love Is All Around"
5. Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls"
6. Prince and the Revolution - "Pop Life"
7. Tenor Saw - "Ring the Alarm"
8. Double Dee and Steinski - "The Payoff Mix/Lesson 2/Lesson 3 (Promo EP)"
9. Schoolly D - "P.S.K. (What Does It Mean)"
10. New Order - "The Perfect Kiss"

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:06 (twenty years ago)

1985 was one hell of a great year for singles.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:30 (twenty years ago)

No Ready for the World, Blount?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:37 (twenty years ago)

It's been years since I've heard Sun City, but I remember (and presumably still appreciate) Gil Scott-Heron's contribution. Miles Davis played on it as well.

― aworks (aworks), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:40 (twenty years ago)

GAH - i didn't notice it on the acclaimed list, i was purely glancing at that and what's on here and whatever immediately popped into my head. i'm not spending too much time constructing a fake pnj ballot. slot "oh sheila" in at #4 and slot "the fat boys are back" in at #10. make "perfect kiss" and "ring the alarm" trade places too cuz no "perfect kiss" on my list seems wrong.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:45 (twenty years ago)

and "Tarzan Boy"!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:46 (twenty years ago)

o godfuckingdammit

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:48 (twenty years ago)

and without at least one Tears for Fears single on your list, Blount...

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:52 (twenty years ago)

"head over heels" is probably top 30

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 02:56 (twenty years ago)

Fuck that Sun City album. Thorne/EMI was selling cattle prods to the South African cops at the same time that album was making them money. I don't fault the people involved, or the music, but they were duped and/or lied to so some suit could rake in some cash. Hated it then, hate it now.

lots of college rock nobody remotely cares about anymore spread thruout

The most accurate description of this in-hindsight-bizarre list as I see it. The Fall and Sonic Youth definitely the most glaring omissions, they are what I was listening to and playing on the radio that year. And Psychic TV were still good back then!

Other faves from the year: Foetus' Nail, 2nd Rhythm & Noise album Chasms Accord, Cocteau's Treasure, Shriekback's Oil And Gold, Halber Mensch.... jeez. A lot.

― sleeve (sleeve), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 03:17 (twenty years ago)

Rosanne Cash!

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 04:03 (twenty years ago)

sade robbed.

scarecrow is way better than little creatures, which i can't stand. urgh, just thinking about "and she was" gets my panties in a bunch. fuck, now it's gonna be in my head all night. la! la! la! la! out you piece of shit!!!

― my name is john. i reside in chicago. (frankE), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 04:06 (twenty years ago)

Rosanne Cash!

Indeed. Rhythm & Romance is fuckin' great.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 04:20 (twenty years ago)

It's one of the last times middle-aged white people would rule the charts.

Are we speaking about critics here or artists?

Can someone give me a bit of perspective here: in the alt-y circles I ran in around this time, people listened to New Order and the Cure but the Smiths didn't seem to break until Louder Than Bombs. (And we're talking provincial US). Is this how it really was, or is this just a weird local idiosyncracy?

Although there's admittedly some dubious stuff on the list (Jason and the Scorchers?) there's certainly more than five worth hearing. My favorite coffeehouse in Moscow has the cover of "Lost in the Stars" painted on the wall. Shocking when I first noticed it.

― mitya doesn't need no stinkin' password, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 05:02 (twenty years ago)

Well, here's what hindsight can provide - The Top Albums of 1986 on Rate Your Music ---

1 Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
2 Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
3 The Replacements - Tim
4 Iron Maiden - Live After Death
5 Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
6 The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy and the Lash
7 The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
8 Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising
9 The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
10 Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
11 Exodus - Bonded by Blood
12 Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen (UK) / Two Wheels Good (US)
13 New Order - Low-Life
14 The Cure - The Head on the Door
15 The Smiths - Meat is Murder
16 The Cult - Love
17 Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
18 Possessed - Seven Churches
19 S.O.D. - Stormtroopers of Death - Speak English or Die
20 The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always
21 The Waterboys - This Is the Sea
22 Butthole Surfers - Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac
23 Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
24 Hüsker Dü - Flip Your Wig
25 Einstürzende Neubauten - Halber Mensch
26 Camper Van Beethoven - Telephone Free Landslide Victory
27 Ry Cooder - Paris, Texas [OST]
28 The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically
29 Foetus - Nail
30 The Legendary Pink Dots - Asylum
31 Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
32 Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun
33 Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
34 D.R.I. - Dealing With It
35 Slayer - Hell Awaits
36 Propaganda - A Secret Wish
37 Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
38 R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
39 Yello - Stella
40 IQ - The Wake
41 Stevie Ray Vaughan - Soul to Soul
42 Hoodoo Gurus - Mars Needs Guitars!
43 Christian Death - Ashes
44 Death in June - NADA!
45 Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles
46 Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Firstborn Is Dead
47 Prince - Around the World in a Day
48 John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow
49 LL Cool J - Radio
50 Scorpions - World Wide Live
51 CCCP - Affinità-divergenze fra il compagno Togliatti e noi - Del conseguimento della maggiore età
52 Mekons - Fear and Whiskey
53 Magnum - On a Storyteller's Night
54 Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche '85
55 Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising
56 Beat Farmers - Tales of the New West
57 Bathory - The Return...
58 "Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare To Be Stupid
59 The Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in My Backyard
60 Sade - Promise
61 Robert Wyatt - Old Rottenhat
62 Dexys Midnight Runners - Don't Stand Me Down
63 Killing Joke - Night Time
64 Allan Holdsworth - Metal Fatigue
65 John Fogerty - Centerfield
66 Talking Heads - Little Creatures
67 Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls
68 Wynton Marsalis - Black Codes (From The Underground)
69 a-ha - Hunting High and Low
70 Half Man Half Biscuit - Back in the DHSS
71 Run-D.M.C. - King of Rock
72 Rush - Power Windows
73 Big Audio Dynamite - This Is Big Audio Dynamite
74 Amebix - Arise!
75 The Descendents - I Don't Want to Grow Up
76 Shriekback - Oil and Gold
77 Dead Kennedys - Frankenchrist
78 Brian Eno - Thursday Afternoon
79 Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians - Fegmania!
80 Richard Thompson - Across A Crowded Room
81 Mantronix - The Album
82 Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party
83 Kreator - Endless Pain
84 Love and Rockets - Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven
85 Steve Reich - The Desert Music
86 7 Seconds - Walk Together, Rock Together
87 Sielun Veljet - L'amourha
88 Overkill - Feel The Fire
89 Jason & The Scorchers - Lost & Found
90 Minutemen - 3-Way Tie for Last
91 INXS - Listen Like Thieves
92 Dinosaur Jr. - Dinosaur
93 Wang Chung - To Live and Die in L.A. [OST]
94 Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out
95 Beat Happening - Beat Happening
96 Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight
97 Arcadia - So Red the Rose
98 Radio Futura - De un país en llamas
99 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents
100 James Taylor - That's Why I'm Here

It looks like Chuck Eddy wrote a metal book about 1985 alone... Except he hates Iron Maiden...

Okay, I kid. But it is quite... Loud... Does that site always skew so Hessian?

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 05:13 (twenty years ago)

around the world in a day is awesome.

― lf, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 05:30 (twenty years ago)

weird that as college rock crazy as those pnj results are it doesn't include telephone free landslide victory

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 05:37 (twenty years ago)

I don't think they were very widely known yet. I think that album got accumultated cred as they went along.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 06:01 (twenty years ago)

The kids love their metal! '85 was a weird time for music. The production of most of the mainstream stuff really bothered me, especially those goddamned gated snare drums with the overdone reverb with the decay cut short. Aaaugh! I was 15-16, and ran with different groups -- the stoner metalheads, the roots fans (I bought Scarecrow with hopeful anticipation, but it just sounded trite to me. R.O.C.K. In the USA, man!), and the brainy popular kids were playing The Style Council to death. Shit drove me nuts. At one dance party I'd had enough, hijacked the decks and put in The Jam. Some people cheered at the relief of hearing some decent rock, others warmed up to it, but had no idea it was "that guy from The Style Council."

That was the frustrating thing - it seemed like everything was a watered down version of something that was done better just a few years back. I'd been listening to KUNI, a college station that broadcast throughout Iowa, with shows covering punk, post-punk, new wave, experimental electronic stuff, reggae, early hip hop pretty comprehensively. I was absorbing all that, and wondering why nearly all the good bands seemed to have combusted by 1983. I felt like I was stuck in a wasteland with no new music to call my own. I appreciated how The Smiths and Cure really spoke to the adolescent condition, but I felt more than half the songs on their current albums were shit.

Hindsight trickled in some good finds, and plenty of spotty albums with a couple good tracks. But I'd say '85 was the low point of the 80s. No wonder the 20th anniversary felt like deja vu...

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 06:03 (twenty years ago)

At the time I was still in the process of switching favorite bands from U2 to Husker Du. I didn't get my hands on The Fall, Pogues, Sonic Youth and Buttholes for another year or two, when everything really seemed to be picking up.

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 06:20 (twenty years ago)

Here is a much better and more rounded list:

www.acclaimedmusic.net

1 The Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy
2 Tom Waits Rain Dogs
3 Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen/Two Wheels Good
4 The Pogues Rum, Sodomy & the Lash
5 Kate Bush Hounds of Love
6 Hüsker Dü New Day Rising
7 New Order Low-Life
8 The Replacements Tim
9 The Fall This Nation's Saving Grace
10 Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club 1963
11 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms
12 The Waterboys This Is the Sea
13 LL Cool J Radio
14 The Cure The Head on the Door
15 The Smiths Meat Is Murder
16 Hüsker Dü Flip Your Wig
17 The Velvet Underground VU
18 Sting The Dream of the Blue Turtles
19 Talking Heads Little Creatures
20 R.E.M. Fables of Reconstruction
21 John Cougar Mellencamp Scarecrow
22 Eurythmics Be Yourself Tonight
23 Meat Puppets Up on the Sun
24 Prince and The Revolution Around the World in a Day
25 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds The Firstborn Is Dead
26 The Mekons Fear and Whiskey
27 Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85
28 Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega
29 Dexy's Midnight Runners Don't Stand Me Down
30 Whitney Houston Whitney Houston
31 Mantronix Mantronix: The Album
32 John Fogerty Centerfield
33 The Blasters Hard Line
34 Simple Minds Once Upon a Time
35 Keith Jarrett Standards Live
36 The Sisters of Mercy First and Last and Always
37 Einstürzende Neubauten 1/2 Mensch
38 Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians Fegmania!
39 The Style Council Our Favourite Shop/Internationalists
40 Luther Vandross The Night I Fell in Love
41 The Golden Palominos Visions of Excess
42 Marillion Misplaced Childhood
43 Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair
44 Bryan Ferry Boys and Girls
45 Artists United Against Apartheid Sun City
46 Simply Red Picture Book
47 Barbra Streisand The Broadway Album
48 Run-D.M.C. King of Rock
49 The Cult Love

― BeeOK (boo radley), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 08:32 (twenty years ago)

of course it's more rounded, it's a work-in-progress amalgamation of a bunch of other lists.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 08:51 (twenty years ago)

... Does that site always skew so Hessian?

Rate Your Music. What is that???

Let me guess. You were between 6-12, if that, then. What's Hessian about this list?? And what does Hessian mean?

I was one year out of my Ph.D and Judas Priest was outselling all the few metal bands on this feeble "list" combined. The mention of the Scorpions second and very duff live album as significant only reveals the compilers as morons. And Bathory must have sold all of 700 copies. I think I knew half the people who bought them.

― George the Animal Steele, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 09:38 (twenty years ago)

What would be really cool is if anyone who voted that year can recall their ballots

this is an experiment...how much does marijuana REALLY impair one's memory...wading back thru the haze..not in order...10pts...letsee

New Order - Low Life
Talking Heads - Little Creatures
John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow
Eurthymics - Be Yourself Tonight
Scritti Politti - Cupid & Psyche 85
The Fall -- This Nation's Saving Grace
Prefab Sprout -- Two Wheels Good
Various Artists -- GoGo Crankin'

after this I'm blanking out...maybe Sonic Youth Minutemen & Tones On Tail? I definitely reviewed 3Way Tie For Last in 86 tho.

singles I voted for "Sun City" "Death Valley 69" and I don't know what else. OH YEAH "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush and "Single Life" by Cameo, my anthem at that point in time.

COMMENTS: Tim was the universal rock critics' fave rave. Dinosaur Jr didn't attract much attention until their 2nd album IIRC. Scarecrow was widely admired for its "politics." I liked the fiddle. I was a major Smiths fan, reviewed the debut in the Village Voice and must admit I thought Meat Is Murder was a stinker, then and now. in 1985 the general hostility against the Smiths among rock critics was intense and near universal in the States however, Morrissey really got on people's nerves.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 11:31 (twenty years ago)

lots of college rock nobody remotely cares about anymore spread thruout

Could you give me some examples of this? I don't see any.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 12:08 (twenty years ago)

Let me guess. You were between 6-12, if that, then.

I was 16 in 1985.

What's Hessian about this list??

Lotsa metal. Not even a complaint necessarily as I am a huge supporter of the dark arts. In fact, Feel The Fire (#88) was the first piece of vinyl I owned right after I got my first turntable. But it is pretty pervasive on that list. I haven't looked at 1986 - possibly the best year ever for metal - but it must be quite loud.

And what does Hessian mean?

Wiki

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 13:10 (twenty years ago)

1) Brothers in Arms was played on college radio, wow.

2) Interesting how important a political POV seemed to be in 1985. Four years of Reagan I guess.

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 13:46 (twenty years ago)

I was a major Smiths fan, reviewed the debut in the Village Voice and must admit I thought Meat Is Murder was a stinker, then and now. in 1985 the general hostility against the Smiths among rock critics was intense and near universal in the States however, Morrissey really got on people's nerves.

I'm relieved that some things never change.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 13:53 (twenty years ago)

Interesting how important a political POV seemed to be in 1985. Four years of Reagan I guess.

this always strikes me strange about now - considering all the hate you hear about Bush, you'd think "college radio" would be full of political music.

― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 13:57 (twenty years ago)

considering all the hate you hear about Bush, you'd think "college radio" would be full of political music.

American Idiot sewed up that market.

If I remember right, this was around the time Dave Marsh said that Lionel Richie's "Penny Lover" would be more of a landmark/influence on the future than anything the Smiths did. I kinda hope he gets up every day, gets down on his knees and prays to Whatever Deity is Out There If Any that at least he didn't say it was the video for "Hello."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:01 (twenty years ago)

OMG wasn't that the video where Lionel seduces a blind girl?

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:03 (twenty years ago)

Why Lovebug, you should check out ILE more often:

Hello? [This is Spencer Chow's first and only thread. Please read even if you hate me because I think it is very important.]

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:09 (twenty years ago)

If it's Can't Slow Down vs The Smiths, Ned, the former wins every time.

Now, The Queen is Dead vs Dancing on the Ceiling? Keats and Yeats are on Lionel's side, but Wilde is on Moz's.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:09 (twenty years ago)

can someone please explain Little Creatures? I find it almost unlistenable? Were the critics so much behind it?

― bb (bbrz), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:12 (twenty years ago)

Alfred, you smoke the sweet crack. (And I had Can't Slow Down for the longest time in the eighties, and you STILL smoke the sweet crack.)

BB, it's to do with this assumption then that somehow listening to the Talking Heads made you automatically superior to rock and pop filth. This is in large part why I hate the Talking Heads.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:15 (twenty years ago)

it was also seen as the Heads' Return To Rock. It's okay, but far from their best.

Ned: I'm surprised you of all people are blaming fans and marketing for your distaste.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Way I remember it was more Replacements/REM fans who copped that elitist attitude esp. to British new pop or anything w/synths.

Little Creatures was more about punks growing middle-aged, settling down having kids etc. Sounded boring and complacent when I put it on a couple years ago, Talking Heads at the worst IMO.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:19 (twenty years ago)

that is rockist ned
to the seventeenth degree
wow the things we learn

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:20 (twenty years ago)

True Stories is so much more rank.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

"Little Creatures was more about punks growing middle-aged, settling down having kids etc. Sounded boring and complacent when I put it on a couple years ago, Talking Heads at the worst IMO."

Talking Heads for the Borders buyers before it existed? I guess it was forward reaching after all.

― bb (bbrz), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:28 (twenty years ago)

BINGO! the "NPR sensibility" in its nascent stages, w/"world music" and Graceland looming ominously around the corner...

now that I'm a bonafide middle-aged parent I can see Little Creatures is more like bohemians passing 30, but same diff.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:32 (twenty years ago)

Except that Graceland really is a great album.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:35 (twenty years ago)

BINGO! the "NPR sensibility" in its nascent stages, w/"world music" and Graceland looming ominously around the corner...

I think Lovebug is putting it best here. At best I am savagely indifferent to Graceland, a song or two aside. And I used to own THAT as well, so my annoyance is not simply based on fans and marketing, thank you very much. (I seriously think Talking Heads are easily the most overrated band of the last thirty years. [Last fifty -- the Stones, of course.])

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:40 (twenty years ago)

Again, everything seems so white That is a very noticable difference between then and now in terms of the charts, I'd think

― matt2 (matt2), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:44 (twenty years ago)

Arguably rap was still a regional style at that point, intermittently breaking into the national charts. That all changed in 1986. Most rock critics respected rap but didn't enjoy it.

R&B was below most rock critics' radar creens in 1985. Thinking back, I must've chosen "Hanging On A String (Contemplating)" by Loose Ends and "Nightshift' by Commodores as top singles. Otherwise, drawing a blank. I can't check my reference books right now and determine whether 1985 was a good year overall for R&B. The fact that I need to look it up might not be a good sign.

1985 was kind of a hangover year after 1984. Look that year up.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:08 (twenty years ago)

I can't check my reference books right now and determine whether 1985 was a good year overall for R&B. The fact that I need to look it up might not be a good sign.

This should help you out:

http://rockmetonight.blogspot.com/2004_03_01_rockmetonight_archive.html

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:12 (twenty years ago)

how could I forget

Dancing In The Key Of Life Steve Arrington

was definitely on my Top Ten and my turntable in 1985

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

xpost

Debarge's "Rhythm of the Night" was great! And The Night I Fell In Love. And Jeffry Osborne and (sigh) Whitney Houston. Guess it was a pretty good year, coming off a halfdecade of great ones.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:19 (twenty years ago)

For me Little Creatures was the end of the line for the Talking Heads. (Of course, over the years I've come to really find David Byrne pretty intolerable in general.) I remember thinking: why are people whose taste in music I respect like this album?

I loved Meat is Murder (still my favorite Smiths album, my only favorite Smiths album really). I remember seeing some favorable reviews of the Smiths at around this time, but it was mostly a word of mouth/heard them played in clubs type of thing for me.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:38 (twenty years ago)

My favorite of 1985 in 1985 (I was 12 at the time) was probably Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. I went out and bought that record after hearing "Money For Nothing" and seeing the video. I loved that song, though there wasn't much else like it on the album - so I was kind of disappointed. About a year or two later, my favorite of 1985 became Oingo Boingo's Dead Man's Party. That was actually my favorite album period for about a couple of years (freshman and sophomore years of HS). Then I went through a period of another couple of years when my favorite of 1985 was Talking Heads Little Creatures. After that (around my freshman year of college) my favorite of 1985 became the Smiths Meat is Murder. That remained my favorite of the year for a few years. Now I don't really know what my favorite would be, though the album from that year I've listened to the most in the past year would be the Pogues Rum, Sodomy and the Lash.

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 15:45 (twenty years ago)

i am also surprised that there would be so much critical favor for Pyschocandy.

― bb (bbrz), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Again, everything seems so white That is a very noticable difference between then and now in terms of the charts, I'd think

Kinda makes me wonder about Christgau's annual cries of the institutional racisim in Pazz & Jop.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:30 (twenty years ago)

Little Creatures was way critical darling. Just like the Oscars, anything that displays a bit of intelligence yet still appeals to the mainstream will get the nod every time. J&M Chain rode a tsunami of hype into the US.

-- mitya doesn't need no stinkin' password (mity...), January 18th, 2006 12:02 AM.

From the East Coast perspective, Meat Is Murder was The Smiths' breakthrough, courtesy of "How Soon Is Now."

Christgau put Sonic Youth's "I Killed Christgau With My Big Fucking Dick" on his singles list, but that was likely more revenge-motivated than content-motivated seeing as how he appended the parenthetical "And Now It Don't Work No More."

http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans85.php

The Rate Your Music poll is much more on-point than the Pazz & Jop, both from a hindsight perspective and from an at-the-time perspective.

# of P&J top 10 albums I purchased in 1985: 3
# of RYM top 10 albums I purchased in 1985: 6

The RYM top 40 is a lot more eclectic than the P&J, which is indicative of critics' groupthink tendencies, especially when it comes to end of year lists. I'd much rather get stuck on a desert island with the RYM list than P&J's, if only to get the goodies by Foetus, Einsturzende, The Fall, and Butthole Surfers.

Other juicy '85 obscurities:
Killing Joke - Night Time
Black Flag - In My Head
Live Skull - Bringing Home The Bait
Slovenly - After the Original Style
Big Black - Racer X ('84?)
Swans - Raping A Slave ('84?)
Drunks With Guns first 7"
Schooly D - PSK What Does It Mean? 12"
9353 - We Are Absolutely Sure There Is No God

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:31 (twenty years ago)

9353 - We Are Absolutely Sure There Is No God

I remember liking the title and then finding the actual album very blah.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:38 (twenty years ago)

actually ,psychocandy makes pretty good sense considered next to bad moon rising...still, i had no idea the wave of hype crashed on these shores.

― bb (bbrz), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Most definitely. Funny how I've actually heard a lot of these albums. My listening habits were different back then.

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:52 (twenty years ago)

"still, i had no idea the wave of hype crashed on these shores."

their first show in new york was THE show to see. i'm still mad that i couldn't go. my friends went :(

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 16:52 (twenty years ago)

new day rising was a fitting end to one era of my life. sheesh, 80 to 84, what a rush of new sounds for me. then it was on to a new era. i guess that would be the pigfuck era. 85 to 90. touch & go, homestead, swans, etc. (speaking in indie-rock/punk/hardcore terms. not pop or trad rock terms.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:00 (twenty years ago)

(or rap & r&b terms. i don't know why i remember radio and king of rock as earlier than 85. i coulda sworn they were 84 releases.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:01 (twenty years ago)

run dmc broke huge in 84, that could be it

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:28 (twenty years ago)

I read a blurb in Rolling Stone prior to the US release of Psychocandy; British press are calling them the next Sex Pistols, riots break out at their noisy, confrontational shows, etc.

Psychocandy: I remember liking the title and then finding the actual album very blah.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:34 (twenty years ago)

'85 was the year metal and hardcore really started to mingle. One of the best records of the year was Corrosion of Conformity's Animosity.

― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:49 (twenty years ago)

2 decades later some folks are bemoaning Kanye for being the acceptable face to go on Time Magazine's cover; ILMers bemoan No Depression mag for highlighting middlebrow NPR-friendly folkies and rockers rather than pop-country; Pitchfork moves beyond indie-rock only coverage a bit while news-stand mags like Harp and Paste and others don't;Christgau continues to complain about the lack of support for African-American music and the P & J poobahs emphasize how they are trying to reach out and get more critics interested in such music into the poll...

some things change, some stay the same...

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 18:00 (twenty years ago)

"new day rising was a fitting end to one era of my life. sheesh, 80 to 84, what a rush of new sounds for me."

I know what you mean Scott, I was in college from '79 to 83 and got into all kinds of exciting stuff. I think I first contributed to P & J in 83 or 84. Yea, after I sent the Voice a copy of my zine Thrillseeker and complained in the letters to the editor one year about the lack of votes for the Fall's 'Hex Enduction Hour' (I think?) I got added.

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 18 January 2006 18:26 (twenty years ago)

Edward, Racer X and Raping A Slave are indeed from 1985.

― sleeve (sleeve), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 21:34 (twenty years ago)

There's many contenders here for best album of 1985, but the best album side of 1985 has got to be the glorious side 2 of Mekons Fear & Whiskey

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 21:54 (twenty years ago)

P&J albums that meant the most to me that year (I was 15):

8. Husker Du - New Day Rising
6. Husker Du - Flip Your Wig
40. The Minutemen - 3-Way Tie (for Last)
36. Professor Longhair - Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo
23. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun
12. The Velvet Underground - VU
25. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy
1. Talking Heads - Little Creatures
16. Bob Dylan - Biograph

Ones that meant a lot to me as the '80s went on:

37. LL Cool J - Radio [my first CD]
2. The Replacements - Tim
32. Run-D.M.C. - King of Rock
11. Sam Cooke - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 22:09 (twenty years ago)

remembered a couple more singles I voted for:

"I Wonder If I Take You Home" Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
"Set it Off" Strafe

1985 was also the year of ROXANNE: UTFO's "Roxanne, Roxanne" and its answer records including Ms Shante's immortal "Roxanne's Revenge"

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Sunday, 22 January 2006 17:52 (twenty years ago)

Both "Set It Off" and "Roxanne's Revenge" were actually 1984. But Spoonie Gee's "Street Girl" was 1985, as was Tina B's "I Always Wanted to Be Free," Debbie Deb's "Lookout Weekend," and the original version of Exposé's "Point of No Return" (the 1987 version had an entirely different set of singers, and is somewhat better).

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Sunday, 22 January 2006 22:08 (twenty years ago)

as were Tina B's "I Always Wanted to Be Free," Debbie Deb's "Lookout Weekend," and the original version of Exposé's "Point of No Return"

Damn, I seem to be losing control of my grammar this week.

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Monday, 23 January 2006 06:38 (twenty years ago)

yeah you're right abt "Rox" & "Set It Off" but IIRC both had their impact in 85 and probably showed up in P&J 85 rather that 1984?

making lists and keeping track of dates etc was always my least favorite part of the critics game. wouldn't want to see my orignal ballots now cause I'd always do em at the last minute and include some current enthusiasms that looked ridiculous a few months later.

it'd be intersting to see veterans like frank & xhuxk rate the last 25 years in order of musical preference. I subscribe to the "great year" theory, believing that certain years are pivotal in terms of quality and influence, esp in regard to chart pop, like say 1984 and 1988 and 1992...somewhere around 1998 I stopped giving a shit tho.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Monday, 23 January 2006 11:24 (twenty years ago)

Edward, Racer X and Raping A Slave are indeed from 1985.
-- sleeve (sleev...), January 18th, 2006 4:34 PM.

Ah, thanks. Of course, this was back in the good old days of the American underground, where an album could be released and you might not hear/see it for 1-2 years. Nowadays Lady Sovereign passes gas and it's up on a thousand blogs in a forthnight...

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:22 (twenty years ago)

YSI?

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:26 (twenty years ago)

Roffling

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Monday, 23 January 2006 18:15 (twenty years ago)

somewhere around 1998 I stopped giving a shit tho

But 1999 was absolutely one of the best ever! How could a fan of "Roxanne's Revenge" not like "Nann Nigga"?

I voted Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar" number one and proceeded to get into complex arguments with Andrew Palmer, who considered it far inferior to the Thin Lizzy version. If I were to vote all over, "...Baby One More Time" would be my number one (I somehow managed not to vote for it at all, even though I loved it; further proof it was such an amazing year). I also somehow didn't include "Back That Azz Up," maybe because I didn't yet own it, though I'd heard it on the radio enough. Anyway, tremendous year: Mannie Fresh turning into Schubert, Swizz Beatz simultaneously at his most popular and most extreme ("What Ya Want," "Down Bottom"), Max Martin delirious and gorgeous, Christina and Beyoncé and Pink spreading their wings (and Blaque better than any of them), Trina opening her trap, Natacha Atlas finally putting together a consistently good album, Arling & Cameron cracking me up, Europop novelties charting in the U.S. and cracking me up ("Mambo No. 5"), my relationship with my girlfriend cracking up (er, that wasn't so good)... well, anyway, the crests of a whole bunch of waves.

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Monday, 23 January 2006 18:37 (twenty years ago)

How could a fan of "Roxanne's Revenge" not like "Nann Nigga"?

Uh, really easily?

― Pete Scholtes (Pete Scholtes), Monday, 23 January 2006 23:34 (twenty years ago)

Trina]
Hell no I don't wanna holla at no motherfuckin Trick
He all over there smelling like boonk and Hennesey and shit
Hell no

[Taterhead]
I'm saying though
What you got a playa back there just trying to say what's up

[Trina talking]
Hell no
I don't wanna holla at him
That's alright

[Trick Daddy talking]
Hold up bitch
Hold up bitch
Hold up hoe
Check it out

[Trick Daddy]
Hoe you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
That'll represent like me
Who'll say some shit like me
One who'll lay the dick like me
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Who do the shit that I do
Run through yo whole lil' crew
Pay for it if I got to
Hoe you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
That'll run off in yo house
Put the gun off in yo mouth
Blow yo motherfucking brains out
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Who'll fall off in the club
Free drinks for the show some love
Take the bar home for the thugs
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Who know mo' niggas than me
Who do mo' killings than me
And weigh mo' dope dealings than me
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
You don't know nann nigga
That dress fresher than me
And you don't know nann nigga that wear mo' Polo shit than me
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Who do mo' freaky stuff
Eat the coochie wit the legs up
Then I blow it all in yo butt
And I don't know nann hoe uh-uh
Who liked the dick like you
Who'll bite the dick like you
On a dikey bitch like you
And I don't like a bitch like you
I'll fight a bitch like you
Ol' trifling bitch like you
Ain't no telling what you might do
Bitch you don't know nann nigga uh-uh
Hoe you don't know nann nigga uh-uh

[Trina talkin]
Uh-Uh-Uh
Hold up who the fuck this nigga think he is
I ain't ashamed of nothing I do
Hold up check this shit out

[Trina]
You don't know nann hoe uh-uh
Don' been the places I been
Who can spend the grands that I spend
Fuck bout 5 or 6 best friends
And you don't know nann hoe uh-uh
That's off the chain like me
That'll floss the thang like me
On a awful thang like me
You don't know nann hoe uh-uh
That sell more ass than me
You know nann hoe
That'll make you cum like me
Nigga you don't know nann hoe uh-uh
That don' tried all types of shit
Who quick to deep throat the dick
And let another bitch straight lick the clit
Now you don't know nann hoe uh-uh
That'll keep it wet like me
Make it come back to back like me
Lick a nigga nut sack like me
Now you don't know nann hoe uh-uh
That'll ride the dick on the dime
Who love to fuck all the time
One who's pussy fatter than mine
Bitch you don't know nann hoe

[Trick Daddy]
Hold up baby hold up
What you said you'll do bitch
[Trina]
Nigga you heard what I motherfucking said
[Trick Daddy]
Well baby if you gon' be doin' all this
You need to be on my team
Cuz I'm the realest nigga you motherfucking know
[Trina]
Well if you want me you know how to find me
Taterhead got the number
[Trick Daddy]
Tater boy bet they help Tater boy
Ha ha ha hah

[Trick Daddy]
Bitch you know nann nigga
That keep it knocked like me
That keep it hot like me
One who'll chop the chops like me
Bitch you know nann nigga
Wit connections wit the mob
Money millions for stars
And the Lexus flexin hard
Bitch you know nanna nigga
Who representin they grill
In Miami is where I live
And this is how I pay my bills
I love livin here
It be straight thuggin livin here
And all my thug niggas here
We be ballin'up in here
Bitch you know nann nigga
Bitch you know nann nigga
No no bitch you know nann nigga
Oh you know nann nigga
Bitch you know nann nigga
Bitch you know nann nigga
No no bitch you know nann nigga

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 11:56 (twenty years ago)

VS "I wonder if I take you home/would you still be in love BABY"

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 11:57 (twenty years ago)

but yeah, "Mambo #5" = PARADIGM SHIFT

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 11:59 (twenty years ago)

problem is, once you stop "keeping up" with pop music you fall behind and get caught up with other shit and time...goes...by...

thought about listening to current hits yesterday but rain makes me think jazz so I played Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Harris.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 12:02 (twenty years ago)

I seem to recall thinking, if not when this particular pazz & jop came out, then not too long afterward, that it was the first really boring one--or anyway the year itself was the first really boring music year since punk. Looking at the albums list anyway I still believe that (though for pazz & jop albums, '82 is also incredibly blah--I think I'd need to go over the singles lists for a more accurate snapshot). I didn't vote in it, but I did submit a list to the mag I wrote for at the time (http://rockcritics.com/features/ballot_woods.html). Not a great ballot by any stretch, some of it is clearly me trying to impress my indie peers, though I'm glad I had the scritti politti single and the aretha franklin album in there even if it should've been the scritti politti album and the aretha franklin single.

― s woods, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 13:56 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

I read the above comments with interest. It so happens I own 34 of the albums on that list, but I have eclectic musical taste (and a humongous amount of pop music. Over 1500 CDs and counting).

If anyone owns a copy of Unsophisticated Time by Marti Jones and would be willing to burn me a copy (it is comepletly out of print), I would be greatful, plus I won a lot of oop stuff myself, so I would happily trade.

― robin bickel (a2zmom), Saturday, 11 February 2006 06:17 (twenty years ago)

thirteen years pass...

The results don't impress, eh?

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 3 November 2019 13:03 (six years ago)

one month passes...

The singles are better.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 6 December 2019 01:09 (six years ago)

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