Acclaimed Music Top 50 Songs from 1979 poll

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Last summer we started with Acclaimed Music Top 25 from 1979 poll and ended with Acclaimed Music Top 25 Albums from 1989 poll. Thought it would be a good idea to do the singles now from that same time period. Would normally start with 1980 but since it started with 1979 i will start at that same point.

http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/

Poll Results

OptionVotes
11 638 Joy Division - Transmission 8
2 78 Chic - Good Times 7
5 290 Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough 5
30 1278 Suicide - Dream Baby Dream 4
24 1078 Michael Jackson - Rock With You 4
10 630 The Clash - Train in Vain (Stand by Me) 3
15 676 The Jam - The Eton Rifles 3
39 1693 Public Image Ltd. - Death Disco 3
46 1977 Tubeway Army - Are 'Friends' Electric? 3
7 493 The Cure - Boys Don't Cry 3
44 1894 The Jam - Strange Town 2
28 1253 Blondie - Atomic 2
35 1449 M - Pop Muzik 2
36 1561 Gang of Four - At Home He's a Tourist 2
38 1618 Smokey Robinson - Cruisin' 2
48 2105 Gang of Four - Anthrax 2
18 797 The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star 2
12 650 Sister Sledge - We Are Family 2
16 698 Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) 2
1 34 The Clash - London Calling 2
40 1767 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Refugee 1
6 473 Gary Numan - Cars 1
41 1830 Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions - Boogie Wonderland 1
43 1878 Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles 1
8 519 AC/DC - Highway to Hell 1
50 2220 The Clash - I Fought the Law 1
33 1386 Patti Smith Group - Dancing Barefoot 1
31 1280 Cabaret Voltaire - Nag Nag Nag 1
17 773 Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Oliver's Army 1
29 1254 Talking Heads - Life During Wartime 1
32 1312 Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3 1
21 907 Donna Summer - Hot Stuff 1
23 1024 Joy Division - She's Lost Control 1
25 1115 The Knack - My Sharona 1
14 670 Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead 1
9 591 Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 0
49 2142 The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket 0
3 163 The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight 0
47 2013 Madness - One Step Beyond 0
4 242 Pretenders - Brass in Pocket 0
45 1921 The Police - Walking on the Moon 0
26 1139 The Pop Group - She Is Beyond Good and Evil 0
19 825 The Police - Message in a Bottle 0
42 1846 Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb 0
13 662 The Specials - Gangsters 0
20 857 XTC - Making Plans for Nigel 0
22 917 Squeeze - Up the Junction 0
27 1163 Donna Summer - Bad Girls 0
37 1584 The Flying Lizards - Money 0
34 1448 The Specials - A Message to You Rudy 0


Bee OK, Thursday, 1 November 2012 02:30 (eleven years ago) link

wanted to use all 50 spots to make this a really, really tough choice.

Bee OK, Thursday, 1 November 2012 02:30 (eleven years ago) link

i want to vote "Bela Lugosi's Dead" but really leaning towards "Brass in Pocket,""My Sharona,""Anthrax" but probably voting for "Cruisin'."

Bee OK, Thursday, 1 November 2012 02:35 (eleven years ago) link

Okay, this one genuinely looks difficult.

_Rudipherous_, Thursday, 1 November 2012 02:52 (eleven years ago) link

impossible

but the boo boyz are getting to (Z S), Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:16 (eleven years ago) link

I've worked it down to "Good Times" and "Rock With You"

thraeds of life (The Reverend), Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:19 (eleven years ago) link

All of the above? Voting "My Sharona" because it's listed at the halfway point.

jetfan, Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:29 (eleven years ago) link

Rock With You makes voting easy every time

g simmel, Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:48 (eleven years ago) link

A little tired of Chic and MJ, so "Transmission."

clemenza, Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:55 (eleven years ago) link

cars

iatee, Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:57 (eleven years ago) link

Bela or Highway to Hell for me. Great year though.

EZ Snappin, Thursday, 1 November 2012 03:58 (eleven years ago) link

Glad to see this old thread get reviv--say WHAT?!!

o. mane (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:01 (eleven years ago) link

xxxp yeah, Transmission was the other choice

g simmel, Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:12 (eleven years ago) link

I had to go with Don't Stop Till You Get Enough but between that and the two Numan singles this is basically impossible

frogbs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:12 (eleven years ago) link

Hard to pick between Are 'Friends' Electric? Making Plans for Nigel, Rock With You, Boogie Wonderland, Crusin and Dream Baby Dream. Think I'm going to go for Tubeway Army.

Kitchen Person, Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:15 (eleven years ago) link

These are all the best songs ever.

LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:43 (eleven years ago) link

this is impossible so i went with anthrax

I have done bad. I love my pj's. (zachlyon), Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:51 (eleven years ago) link

tons of great stuff, voted for "Death Disco"

da croupier, Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:52 (eleven years ago) link

I Fought The Law, though really it's something like a 25-way-tie.

Room 227 (cryptosicko), Thursday, 1 November 2012 05:01 (eleven years ago) link

decided to rock with MJ

thraeds of life (The Reverend), Thursday, 1 November 2012 05:03 (eleven years ago) link

train in vain vs are friends electric

billstevejim, Thursday, 1 November 2012 07:14 (eleven years ago) link

Man, somebody Spotify this list so I can listen to it all day.

C-3PO Sharkey (Phil D.), Thursday, 1 November 2012 10:43 (eleven years ago) link

Went with Refugee, just to be a roots nerd.

Everything You Like Sucks, Thursday, 1 November 2012 10:44 (eleven years ago) link

Couldn't not go with "Don't Stop."

5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 1 November 2012 13:42 (eleven years ago) link

Anticipating a runoff poll of "Rock With You" vs. "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"

Bobby Ken Doll (Eric H.), Thursday, 1 November 2012 13:44 (eleven years ago) link

"Don't Stop" beat "Rock With You" in the Jacksons poll: The Jacksons Tracks - Smooth CrimiPOLL results1!!1!!!!

let's not be Neil Young thread crazies and keep pitting the same songs against each other over and over

some dude, Thursday, 1 November 2012 13:51 (eleven years ago) link

Voted for "Atomic"

justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Thursday, 1 November 2012 13:51 (eleven years ago) link

bullshit there's no B-52's on this list

voted Death Disco

o. mane (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 1 November 2012 14:57 (eleven years ago) link

just over At Home He's a Tourist

o. mane (Drugs A. Money), Thursday, 1 November 2012 14:57 (eleven years ago) link

Words can never say, the way..

Mark G, Thursday, 1 November 2012 14:59 (eleven years ago) link

shit, Cruisin and Dancing Barefoot probably needed my vote more than MJ or JD.

g simmel, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:07 (eleven years ago) link

yeah so i cant do this, srsly

goatee-framed sphincter-mouth (jjjusten), Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:17 (eleven years ago) link

Spotify playlist here. Does not include AC/DC since they're not on Spotify, and the two Floyd tracks are from a Waters live show and the Waters-less 1990 Knebworth show.

C-3PO Sharkey (Phil D.), Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:50 (eleven years ago) link

As much as I love about 28 of these, it has to be "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".

The acclaimedmusic guy must apply the hell out of a personal weighting of included polls, as this list (as most of those at acclaimedmusic) is way better (closer to my own taste) than any contemporaneous one.

圧迫系プレイ (Sanpaku), Thursday, 1 November 2012 18:55 (eleven years ago) link

I wouldn't even know where to start with this poll my God.

ENBB, Thursday, 1 November 2012 18:56 (eleven years ago) link

it's a cuet enough song but what the helll are the cure doing anywhere near that top ten?

Aimeej0rd0nian Ghoulcaper (NickB), Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:04 (eleven years ago) link

A CUTE ENOUGH SONG?!

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/square/000/000/428/%E0%B2%A0_%E0%B2%A0.jpg

ENBB, Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:06 (eleven years ago) link

Dream baby dream
forever

Trip Maker, Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:06 (eleven years ago) link

impossible
All of the above?
These are all the best songs ever

"Now do you begin to understand, Grasshopper?"

Jeff W, Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:11 (eleven years ago) link

cure song just seems a bit small in ambition to me i guess.. most of the rest of the tunes in the top ten feel like they couldve blown up the world.

Aimeej0rd0nian Ghoulcaper (NickB), Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:14 (eleven years ago) link

Numan really had the '80s aesthetic down before anyone else

soaked (Lee626), Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:30 (eleven years ago) link

are 'trends' electric?

some dude, Thursday, 1 November 2012 19:39 (eleven years ago) link

man thanks for the Spotify playlist Phil, going to rock that here in a few

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 00:39 (eleven years ago) link

so i'm listening to this and the thing that strikes me most is how different Joy Division sound compared to the rest. i really feels monumental compared to the pop sound that was going around at the time.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 01:14 (eleven years ago) link

oh man The Specials "Gangsters" is so good, i forgot all about that song until i heard it right now.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 01:24 (eleven years ago) link

this is the first time i have ever heard Squeeze "Up the Junction" it is OK.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 02:11 (eleven years ago) link

man, i forgot "Atomic" was "Atomic". i re-bought Eat to the Beat a couple of years back but resold it, because it was limited and got major cash for it, without even opening it. had that album on vinyl back in the day.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 02:25 (eleven years ago) link

this is also the first time i'm hearing "Dream Baby Dream" this is hitting all the right buttons.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 02:34 (eleven years ago) link

need to get off thread, goodnight.

Bee OK, Friday, 2 November 2012 02:35 (eleven years ago) link

was out of mind last night, sorry about that.

Bee OK, Saturday, 3 November 2012 03:15 (eleven years ago) link

I think HurricanevSandy is influencing my vote because rightf now Strange Town is summing up my life

kornrulez6969, Saturday, 3 November 2012 03:27 (eleven years ago) link

Incredible year.

o. nate, Saturday, 3 November 2012 03:27 (eleven years ago) link

man, i forgot "Atomic" was "Atomic". i re-bought Eat to the Beat a couple of years back but resold it, because it was limited and got major cash for it, without even opening it. had that album on vinyl back in the day.

― Bee OK, Thursday, November 1, 2012 10:25 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

OK, true story, last month I went to see the Corin Tucker Band, and late in their set I told a friend I was with that their drummer, Sara Lund, reminded me a lot of Clem Burke in her beats and the way she approached songs. Then the set ended and they came out for a one-song encore and it was Blondie's "Atomic" and I lost my mind. The end.

C-3PO Sharkey (Phil D.), Saturday, 3 November 2012 12:55 (eleven years ago) link

that's pretty awesome!

some dude, Saturday, 3 November 2012 13:12 (eleven years ago) link

This poll is fucking beyond impossible. I can't choose, folks! Sorry!

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 4 November 2012 00:07 (eleven years ago) link

I think HurricanevSandy is influencing my vote because rightf now Strange Town is summing up my life

It's such a weird and perfect combination of heavy and chirpy.

5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Sunday, 4 November 2012 00:47 (eleven years ago) link

that playlist has me listening to "cruisin" on repeat, wish i voted for it now

I have done bad. I love my pj's. (zachlyon), Sunday, 4 November 2012 03:27 (eleven years ago) link

Have fatih in you and the things you do!
You can't go wrong!

pretty even gender split (Eazy), Sunday, 4 November 2012 07:45 (eleven years ago) link

xp same here.

g simmel, Sunday, 4 November 2012 13:19 (eleven years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Monday, 5 November 2012 00:01 (eleven years ago) link

not a huge Clash guy but gonna vote for "Train In Vain," just love that song

some dude, Monday, 5 November 2012 01:30 (eleven years ago) link

sticking with my first choice and voting "Cruisin'." though when i listened to all these tracks i sure was blown away by a bunch of them.

Bee OK, Monday, 5 November 2012 03:16 (eleven years ago) link

Seeing all those songs listed in one place brought tears to my eyes. How could so much intensely beautiful music have been created in one year? And each song reminds me of many others that could have made it to the list. 1979 was just better.

Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3
if only for "sitting on the potty, curing smallpox"

but IF this ever-changing world IN which we're LIVIN' (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Monday, 5 November 2012 03:29 (eleven years ago) link

Michael's home demo for "Don't Stop" is so wonderful: http://youtu.be/PQjAq9JUbuc

5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 5 November 2012 03:41 (eleven years ago) link

Seeing all those songs listed in one place brought tears to my eyes. How could so much intensely beautiful music have been created in one year? And each song reminds me of many others that could have made it to the list. 1979 was just better.

beautiful

Bee OK, Monday, 5 November 2012 06:33 (eleven years ago) link

and "Pop Muzik" the version posted in the Spotify playlist which is about six plus minutes is a time warp, great.

Bee OK, Monday, 5 November 2012 06:35 (eleven years ago) link

Dream Baby Dream

crüt, Monday, 5 November 2012 06:50 (eleven years ago) link

xpost: Thank you Bee

but IF this ever-changing world IN which we're LIVIN' (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:51 (eleven years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 00:01 (eleven years ago) link

uh

thraeds of life (The Reverend), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 00:13 (eleven years ago) link

hey now, that's a good song.

crüt, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 00:14 (eleven years ago) link

9 591 Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 0

Kinda surprised/disappointed by this. Easily their best single.

5-Hour Enmity (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 00:15 (eleven years ago) link

I can't take Ian Curtis at all xp

thraeds of life (The Reverend), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 00:16 (eleven years ago) link

yeah Joy Division sucks imo

they say they gon' mod me, see me never do shit (some dude), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 01:34 (eleven years ago) link

feel bad that i didn't rally around "Don't Stop," figured it'd be a likely winner without my help

they say they gon' mod me, see me never do shit (some dude), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 01:35 (eleven years ago) link

wow lot of great songs got goose eggs, to the point where if they were polled i'd still be weighing three or four

da croupier, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 01:37 (eleven years ago) link

yeah, i'm thinking 50 choices are just too many. will modify the next round, which will come in a few days.

Bee OK, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 03:08 (eleven years ago) link

can't believe "Brass in Pocket" got no votes.

Bee OK, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 03:09 (eleven years ago) link

I can't believe it was #4 on the original list. It's good, but I never thought it was that exciting compared to everything else that's here. It just sounds very normal.

LeRooLeRoo, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 06:49 (eleven years ago) link

you are just literally wrong i go nuts when it comes up on the radio

I have done bad. I love my pj's. (zachlyon), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 06:52 (eleven years ago) link

i love "Brass In Pocket" but #4 is definitely too high given the company

they say they gon' mod me, see me never do shit (some dude), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 09:48 (eleven years ago) link

I think that I only didn't give my vote to Brass In Pocket because I've already voted for it in numerous other recent polls here.

Room 227 (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 14:07 (eleven years ago) link


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