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John Cargile's avatar

LL was definitely hard as hell to this southern kid. The Cure and JaMC followed for me a few years later.

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RJ's avatar

Movies: I’d have mentioned Real Genius, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, To Live and Die in L.A., Commando, Fright Night, Re-Animator, and Runaway Train.

Albums: Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair, a-ha: The Sun Always Shines on TV, Phil Collins: No Jacket Required

Just sayin’!

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Rock-Paper-Shadows's avatar

Starship's 'We Built This City' was rewritten for use in a toilet paper commercial earlier this year for Northern Quilted TP. (I'm surprised it took so long! ;))

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Ha! Right?

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Hugh Jones's avatar

Ah, the memories. . . I too sat in front of the TV all day with a stack of blank VHS tapes for "Live Aid". . .

And I've always looked back on '85 as a nadir for music in some ways too, but now running down your list of the good stuff I'm thinking you've undermined the whole premise (no offense intended) - I mean, Kate Bush, Prince, Jason, 'Mats, Hoodoo Gurus, Petty, Stevie Ray - those are all great albums and could qualify 1985 as a banner year!

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Michael Elliott's avatar

You get it!

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Tamara Casey's avatar

Bonkers. Remember almost all of this like it was yesterday. I have grown jaded about 80s music. Thanks for reminding me it's got great stuff like any other era. And most importantly, thanks for making the good stuff accessible.

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Bob Sassone's avatar

I was 20 in 1985 and this brings back a lot of great memories. And if I can say – and I'm sure younger people will roll their eyes at this – but they really did make better, more varied, more interesting music back then.

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Ahmed’s Stack of Subs's avatar

jason and the scorchers. thanks for that! absolutely sweet marie, too.

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Ahmed’s Stack of Subs's avatar

lone justice. coulda. woulda. shoulda. o7

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Mark Nash's avatar

Wow, such a fantastic post and list, really takes me back! Personally I’d have put The Cult’s Love and Sting’s Dream of the Blue Turtles above the honorable mention line, but that’s a minor quibble.

I’d also add The Smiths’ Meat Is Murder and Til Tuesday’s Voices Carry as top albums. I’d have to include the Depeche Mode compilation Catching Up With Depeche Mode as it was a foundational record for me at the time. It was the first time I’d ever heard them and I fell in love with the band on the back of that album.

Earlier this year I covered a handful of songs on The Filthy Fifteen list, which you can find here if you’re interested: https://open.substack.com/pub/joyinthejourney/p/five-faves-the-filthy-fifteen

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks! I get your point about the DM comp, that was an important release for many of us, although I usually stick to music released in the year I cover. Thanks for the tip about your 15 post!

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The Twelve Inch (Disco/80s)'s avatar

Great overview Michael. For me 1985's favorite album remains Scritti Politti's Cupid & Psyche.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Thanks! SP is one of those groups I never followed too closely, even though many artists I admire have championed them over the years (Miles, Meshell Ndegeocello, etc). Maybe it’s time to revisit!

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Sherman's avatar

Glad to see the love for the Hoodoo Gurus and Jason and the Scorchers. “White Lies” might be favorite song from the 80s.

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John Weston's avatar

Agree on the “Scorchers” inclusion. How hot would they be if they were a “new” band? You could argue that they blazed the trail for the popularity of the country/rock genre we hear now.

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Joe Ivory Mattingly's avatar

Nice collection! Thanks

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Christopher Manson's avatar

Also, "We Built This City" is awesome.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Alright now, calm down. :)

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Christopher Manson's avatar

Wow! That is very thorough, and having (barely) graduated high school in 1985, I really value this. I wonder if there's a FILTHY FIFTEEN playlist already floating around? Otherwise I'll make one... thank you!

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Michael Elliott's avatar

I don’t think the Vanity one is available on streaming platforms, otherwise, feel free!

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Dan Pal's avatar

I was in my early 20s in 1985 and listening to a lot of pop. At the end of the year when my friends and I had our annual Top Ten party, these were in my Ten:

New Attitude - Patti LaBelle

Everything She Wants - Wham!

Smooth Operator - Sade

Savin' All My Love For You - Whitney Houston

Angel - Madonna

Go Home - Stevie Wonder

Into the Groove - Madonna

Dare Me - The Pointer Sisters

Sussudio - Phil Collins

In My House - Mary Jane Girls

That's what 1985 was to me at the time!

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Solid! I was back and forth on adding some of those to the mixtape. I loved "Everything She Wants" and "Careless Whisper," but they were on an album that came out in '84, same with "Smooth Operator" and "Angel." I was also torn on adding Phil to it, but ultimately decided against it. It seemed like he was on almost every album I bought that year!

I also completely overlooked one of the year's biggest albums in my Best of 1984 post last year, Bryan Adams' 'Reckless'! But it was released so late in the year (November, I think), I always associated it with 1985. Memories can sure mess with the mind.

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Dan Pal's avatar

Release dates were always a debate for us. We ended up deciding that if a single was released in a given year OR was a hit in the next year it would qualify for our Top Ten lists. Madonna's album (and Wham's and Sade's) was released in '84 as was the first single. However, the additional releases from the album came out in '85. To this day I find it frustrating to try evaluating an album that comes out at the end of the year. I usually push them into the next one when they were really in my consciousness.

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Michael Elliott's avatar

I have an inner debate on that whenever I do one of these things, but ultimately, to keep it clean, I stick with album release years. If nothing else, it's to keep the "Actuallyyyyy" keyboard warriors from coming after me. Ha!

That said, however, I agree with you!

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Andy Sneed's avatar

Thank you as always - I love your “Best of” articles. BUT. Ima have to take exception with some of your rankings. You will not be surprised at all that I am scandalized by “New Day Rising” being a mere honorable mention. But also “Songs from the Big Chair” - it could supplant the Firm. I’d also swap out Power Station for “Riptide” 😉 Thanks for inclusion of Lone Justice and the Hoodoos, and Fables is one of my favorite REM albums and doesn’t get enough love. 🤘🤘

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Andy Sneed's avatar

😝 OK I’ll revisit Power Station - I just always dug Robert Palmer. Fun/weird fact: he used to cover “New Day Rising” in his concerts. Have a great weekend!

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Michael Elliott's avatar

I adored Palmer. His first few albums with Little Feat and the Meters are all-timers for me. He kept his stellar taste all through his career, even while everything was going nuts around him.

You, too!

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Michael Elliott's avatar

Point taken, but I was not really into Bob Mould and Co in the moment (I'd make up for it in my 20s), and while I dearly loved Tears for Fears when I heard them on the radio, I never got the full album, believe it or not! (Although I did add them to the mixtape.)

And Riptide over Power Station? I know it's basically the same players, but you, sir, are mad! :)

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