Our Favorite Songs of 1981 | Songs of the Year
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- Welcome to our Songs of the Year series. Today we're looking at 1981!
Every Friday we will each be choosing our favorite songs of a year, starting in 1958 and going all the way through 2021. We will be making five selections from the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Any song that broke the Hot 100 at any point during the year is eligible. After that we'll be making five more 'wildcard' selections. These picks can come from anywhere. They could've charted as well, but they could also be album cuts, from soundtracks, b-sides...anything at all. And lastly, we'll also be choosing our least favorite song to crack the Top 40.
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Here's the Year End Top 50. Will any of these make our lists?
1. "Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes
2. "Endless Love" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
3. "Lady" - Kenny Rogers
4. "(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon
5. "Jessie's Girl" - Rick Springfield
6. "Celebration" - Kool & the Gang
7. "Kiss on My List" - Hall & Oates
8. "I Love a Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt
9. "9 To 5" - Dolly Parton
10. "Keep on Loving You" - REO Speedwagon
11. "Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" - Joey Scarbury
12. "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" - Sheena Easton
13. "Being with You" - Smokey Robinson
14. "Queen of Hearts" - Juice Newton
15. "Rapture" - Blondie
16. "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" - Raydio
17. "The Tide Is High" - Blondie
18. "Just the Two of Us" - Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers
19. "Slow Hand" - The Pointer Sisters
20. "I Love You" - Climax Blues Band
21. "Woman" - John Lennon
22. "Sukiyaki" - A Taste of Honey
23. "The Winner Takes It All" - ABBA
24. "Stars on 45 Medley" - Stars on 45
25. "Angel of the Morning" - Juice Newton
26. "Love on the Rocks" - Neil Diamond
27. "Every Woman in the World" - Air Supply
28. "The One That You Love" - Air Supply
29. "Guilty" - Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb
30. "The Best of Times" - Styx
31. "Elvira" - The Oak Ridge Boys
32. "Take It on the Run" - REO Speedwagon
33. "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" - Ronnie Milsap
34. "Living Inside Myself" - Gino Vannelli
35. "Woman in Love" - Barbra Streisand
36. "The Boy from New York City" - The Manhattan Transfer
37. "Urgent" - Foreigner
38. "Passion" - Rod Stewart
39. "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" - Commodores
40. "Crying" - Don McLean
41. "Hearts" - Marty Balin
42. "It's My Turn" - Diana Ross
43. "You Make My Dreams" - Hall & Oates
44. "I Don't Need You" - Kenny Rogers
45. "How 'Bout Us" - Champaign
46. "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar
47. "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" - The Greg Kihn Band
48. "Time" - The Alan Parsons Project
49. "Hungry Heart" - Bruce Springsteen
50. "Sweetheart" - Franke and the Knockouts
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Remeber to vote for which of our winners is your favorite and check out the playlists:
Vote Here:
listographymusic.com/songs-of...
Songs of the Year 1981 (Spotify):
open.spotify.com/playlist/3j4...
Songs of the Year 1981 (RUclips):
• Songs of the Year | 1981
Songs of the Year Winners (Spotify):
open.spotify.com/playlist/3vw...
The Worst Top 40 Songs (Spotify):
open.spotify.com/playlist/0kC...
We hope you'll play along down in the comments. See ya there. Thanks for watching!
#SongsoftheYear #1981 #Songsof1981 #Billboard #Hot100
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Every little thing Kram ranks is magic
Every song he picks just turns us on
Even though his thoughts on Paul are tragic
Now I know McCartney love goes on
Is that a Styx song?
These 3 guys are loved by their subscribers. Long live Listography
@@kevtruth Well listography ain’t gonna much longer.
@@mariomartins4608 Long live these 3 gentlemen and their content
10. Gino Vannelli-Living Inside Myself
9. Foreigner-Urgent
8. Phil Collins-I'm Not Moving
7. Go Go's-Our Lips Are Sealed
6. Christopher Cross-Arthur's Theme
5. James Ingram-Find One Hundred Ways
4. Joey Scarbury-Believe It Or Not
3. Journey-Stone In Love
2. Dan Fogelberg-Hard To Say
1. Paul Davis-Cool Night
1981 Billboard
1. Don't Stop the Music : Yarborough and Peoples
2. Double Dutch Bus : Frankie Smith
3. Genius of Love: Tom Tom Club
4. Let's Groove - Earth Wind And Fire
5. I Can't Go For That ( No Can Do ) : Hall and Oates
1981 - Deep Cuts
1. I’m in trouble -The Replacements
2. Showdown - Furious Five Meets the Sugarhill Gang
3. Pay to Cum - Bad Brains
4. Fire Down Under- Riot
5. Rise Above -Black Flag
Worst chart song- Arthur's Theme ( Best that you can do ) - Christopher Cross
Bad Brains!!!
Do you maybe mean Fire Down Under by Riot? Although that would make it the only metal song on your list.
@@beetlebum7760 😂 yes I do !…I like to get a bit creative with song titles ..thank you
@@179rich oh yeah ☝🏽👊🏻
A small, helpful piece of advice for Kram: NEVER shake your head at XTC winning. That's pretty much the perfect answer to any winning question.
Top Ten:
10) “Doors of Your Heart,” The [English] Beat
9) “Waiting on a Friend,” The Rolling Stones
8) “Big City,” Merle Haggard
7) “Her Town Too,” James Taylor
6) “Trouble,” Lindsey Buckingham
5) “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday),” John Anderson
4) “Seven Year Ache,” Rosanne Cash
3) “A Lucky Guy,” Rickie Lee Jones
2) “Talk of the Town,” The Pretenders
1) “New Lace Sleeves,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
HONORABLE MENTIONS
“We Belong Together,” Rickie Lee Jones
“Watch Your Step,” “How Much I Lied,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
“The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar,” Bob Dylan
“Message of Love,” The Pretenders
“Labelled with Love,” “Tempted,” Squeeze
I'm liking those Ricki Lee Jones choices. I forgot about her album Pirates. A good one!
1. Every Grain Of Sand - Bob Dylan
2. Primary - The Cure
3. Takin' A Ride - The Replacements
4. The Jezebel Spirit - David Byrne & Brian Eno
5. Alone In The End Zone - Radio Birdman
6. Ceremony - New Order
7. Alone With You - The Sunnyboys
8. Spirits In The Material World - The Police
9. Computer Love - Kraftwerk
10. The Unguarded Moment - The Church
11. Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
12. Shots - Neil Young & Crazy Horse
13. We Belong Together - Ricky Lee Jones
14. Love Action - The Human League
15. Beautiful World - Devo
16. Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
17. Nick The Stripper - The Birthday Party
18. Golden Brown - The Stranglers
19. In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins
20. Jealous Guy - Roxy Music
Takin' a Ride! great song. Was the Hibtone single of Radio Free Europe released in 81?
Yeh the Hibtone single was released then, later rerecorded for Murmur in 83. Mayb shdve picked it then. Just listened to Sorry Ma...again for this list and I was blown away by the energy and punkish sound of that album. I actually prefer the later Replacement albums but I had to put a song on the list and I like energy of Takin' A Ride!
Dear Listography:
1. Yes, I am Gichi Manitou on Twitter.
2. Yes, I was at the Genesis show in Philadelphia last night.
3. Yes, they played DUCHESS 🙏🔥🚨
4. Yes, they played INVISIBLE TOUCH 😭😭😭
5. Highlight for me: AFTERGLOW 🌈
6. Wished they had played: ABACAB 🏵️
7. Wish all of us Genesis fans in Listo Nation could have been there together.
💯👊🎵
1. You Can't Kill Rock and Roll - Ozzy Osbourne
2. For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) - AC/DC
3. Diary of a Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
4. The Sign of the Southern Cross - Black Sabbath
5. Fire Down Under - Riot
6. Veteran of the Psychic Wars - Blue Oyster Cult
7. Wrathchild - Iron Maiden
8. Turn Up the Night - Black Sabbath
9. Joan Crawford - Blue Oyster Cult
10. Pearl Necklace - ZZ Top
1981 🎵💕
1. Abacab - Genesis
2. Escape - Journey
3. Flying High Again - Ozzy Osbourne
4. Hold On Loosely - .38 Special
5. Mean Streets - Van Halen
6. Message of Love - The Pretenders
7. Spirits in the Material World - The Police
8. Tempted - Squeeze
9. Tom Sawyer - Rush
10. You'll Never Be A Man - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Listography 4ever 🎉
Yes, Escape! The transition in the middle of the track where the main riff changes so subtly amazes me every time. I’m not an AOR fan at all, but this is fantastic.
@@beetlebum7760 so good to read this. i chose the title track because I really, really love it (loved it in '81, love it now) but also cuz I've never heard anyone ever at any point talk or write about the album's incredible title track, not once ever. until now, when i put it on my 81 SOTY list.. thx beetlebum & Listo ! 🎵👍
There's a lot of love in the comments for Siouxsie & the Banshees..lotta people who would no doubt love to see a listography week for them!
Yeah for sure....I only have a 3 albums top list at mo btw (Kaleidescope, JuJu and Tinderbox and and love the best of.) Aha would be great too. And Echo and The Bunnymen....but then I'd also like some newer extremely great artists that get overlooked.... Anekdoten, Mastadon, Opeth who all have masterful prog influenced discographies.....Spock's Beard are another good one. And something unusual like my recent find Cocteau Twins might open a few ears out there....👍👍👍🤠....Nektar, Faust and Can would be delightful too.
@@threestringsomg Those in my opinion are the three best Siouxsie albums.
@@threestringsomg Their top 5 are basically interchangeable to me.
@@179rich woah I got lucky there then....but it wasn't hard to pick them as I've loved songs on those 3 in particular since my student days....when I first bought the best of infact....it annoyed me that it didn't have Cities in dust though so that's why I got Tinderbox....
I’ll be officially grumpy if it doesn’t happen in the next six months or so.
10. Badfinger - I Got You
9. Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
8. ABBA - One of Us
7. Electric Light Orchestra - Hold on Tight
6. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. The Cars - Shake It Up
4. The Rolling Stones - Hang Fire
3. The Gun Club - Sex Beat
2. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - The Waiting
1. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
1981 : Non Billboard Wildcards
1. Ghost Town : The Specials
2. Show of Strength : Echo and The Bunnymen
3. O Superman- Laurie Anderson
4. What We All want - Gang of Four
5. Sweat in Bullet: Simple minds
Honourable Mentions
Golden Brown - The Stranglers
Love Action-Human League
The Sweetest Girl- Scritti Politti
Doors of Your Heart - The Beat
Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
1981. Hot 100 Billboard
1. Tempted : Squeeze
2. Our Lips Are Sealed : The Gogos
3. Tom Sawyer - Rush
4. Trouble : Lindsay Buckingham
5. I Missed Again - Phil Collins
Worst Billboard Chart Song : Stars on 45 Medley
Funny coincidence...I just put Laurie Anderson and Stranglers on my lists for some coming years.
Sweat in Bullet! That song has so much swagger. Should have made my list.
Ghost Town is sooo good! My number one as well.
Glad there was a little bit of love for the GoGos. I wore out Beauty and the Beat in 1981.
1) "The Waiting" - Tom Petty
2) "I Threw a Brick Through a Window" - U2
3) "I Can't Go for That" - Hall and Oats
4) "Mean Streets" - Van Halen
5) Stray Cat Strut" - Stray Cats
6) "Once in a Lifetime" - Talking Heads
7) "In the Air Tonight" - Phil Collins
8) "Pretty in Pink" - Psychedelic Furs
9) "We Got the Beat" - Go Gos
10) "I Love a Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt
Best Track:
THE SPECIALS - Ghost Town
Best Singles:
1. GIRLS AT OUR BEST! - Go For Gold!
2. STRAY CATS - Stray Cat Strut
3. HEADGIRL - Please Don't Touch (St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP)
4. TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - The Waiting
5. THE ROLLING STONES - Waiting On A Friend
Wildcards
1. THE ROLLING STONES - Black Limousine
2. ALTERED IMAGES - Dead Pop Stars
3. THE GO-GO'S - We Got The Beat
4. THE DROOGS - Only Game In Town
5. PRETENDERS - I Go To Sleep
Honorable mentions:
ELVIS COSTELLO - Clubland
JOURNEY - Escape
THE BARRACUDAS - I Can't Pretend
THE BONGOS - The Bulrushes
SQUEEZE - Labelled With Love
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. - Flowers Of Romance
THE FLESHTONES - The World Has Changed
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES - Spellbound
TONY CAPSTICK - Capstick Comes Home
THE FRANTIC ELEVATORS - Searching For The Only One
THE CHURCH - The Unguarded Moment
THE CRAMPS - Goo Goo Muck
THE JAM - Funeral Pyre
SOFT CELL - Tainted Love
GIRLS AT OUR BEST - Fast Boyfriends
ELVIS COSTELLO - Good Year For The Roses
STRAY CATS - Rock This Town
KIRSTY MacCOLL - There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis
GO-GO'S - Our Lips Are Sealed
THE BANGS - Getting Out Of Hand
DOLLY MIXTURE - Been Teen
THE FALL - Lie Dream Of A Casino Soul
23 SKIDOO - Ethics
THE JAM - That's Entertainment
VIVIEN GOLDMAN - Launderette
RIP RIG + PANIC - Bob Hope Takes Risks
THE TIMES - Red With Purple Flashes
KIM WILDE - Water On Glass
THE CURE - Charlotte Sometimes
ROBYN HITCHCOCK - The Man Who Invented Himself
I had considered that Kirsty MacColl song as well...she will appear on my lists in other years though.
@@roxannewalsh She will definitely appear again in 1987 on my singles list with one of my all-time favorite songs she did with a little Celtic punk band. Unfortunately, these two, They Don’t Know and A New England are the only tracks of hers I’m really familiar with. I think I need to change that.
They Don't Know was a hit for Tracy Ullman while Billy Bragg wrote A New England. I remember her commenting that she rarely had a hit with her own songs.
Kudos for namechecking Girls At Our Best..........I have the Pleasure album complete with the pleasure bag.
@@charlesappleby8049 Very nice! I have the German pressing which didn’t come with the pleasure bag. The original pressing only contains two of the single tracks though. They can be found on recent reissues or Spotify.
10/ New Lace Sleeves-ELVIS COSTELLO 9/Message of Love-PRETENDERS 8/ Shot w/ his own Gun-ELVIS COSTELLO
7/ Different Finger-ELVIS COSTELLO 6/ How Bout Us-CHAMPAIGN 5/ Darkness-THE POLICE 4/ Tom Sawyer-RUSH 3/ Tempted-SQUEEZE
2/ Arc of a Diver-STEVE WINWOOD 1/ Clubland-ELVIS COSTELLO
Arc 👍🎵🏵️
Top 15 of 1981 ( A Great Year For Music ) - Charlotte Sometimes - The Cure , Love Action - The Human League , Spellbound - Siouxsie & The Banshees, Gone - The Comsat Angels , Dumb Waiters - The Psychedelic Furs , Over The Wall - Echo & The Bunnymen , Everybody Wants Some - Van Halen , I Go To Sleep - The Pretenders , Truth - New Order , Pull Up To The Bumper - Grace Jones , Do Me Baby - Prince , Always - Tom Verlaine , Since You're Gone - The Cars , Jezebel Spirit - Eno & Byrne & Back In Flesh - Wall Of Voodoo. Sleep No More by The Comsat Angels was the album of the year.
To Jason, Joe, Kramzer, and all of the Listographers- You guys are the bee’s knees- Please keep it up! What a beautiful thing - Grateful! 💙
Here’s 1981…
1. Procession - New Order - this song swirls around me like a whirlpool and that is why it’s #1
1. Something Must Break - Joy Division - I love the urgency of this; it never lets up
2. Invisible Sun - The Police - my favorite of theirs! Haunting.
3. Photographic - Depeche Mode - I’ve never hung out in a darkroom but this is inspiring
4. Stand and Deliver - Adam & the Ants - like a stampede of wild stagecoach horses! Also, the Dandyism of it all.
5. Primary - The Cure - Lyrical beauty & resonance
6. Super Freak - Rick James - Is this the only song with a licking sound in it?!
7. Never Say Never - Romeo Void - Girl anthem filled with Sax & Angst
8. Let’s All Make A Bomb - Heaven 17 - dance through Armageddon & vaporize!
9. Down Under - Men At Work - great storytelling and brings me back to my early childhood
A lot of great picks in your list, especially 'Photographic'.
Good to see someone else with some Adam & The Ants representation.
I was starting to feel a bit out of it with all the "Every Little Thing She Does..." picks so it's nice to see someone else pick "Invisible Sun."
@ Sir Eyeball Thank you, DM can do nearly no wrong!
@ Eric Gustafson Adam Ant is a Living Legend!
10. Hiroshima - Gary Moore
9. Diary Of A Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
8. Breaker - Accept
7. Indiscipline - King Crimson
6. Vengeance (The Pact) - Blue Oyster Cult
5. On Through The Night - Def Leppard
4. Murders On The Rue Morgue - Iron Maiden
3. Lonely Days, Lonely Nights - Whitesnake
2. Falling Off The Edge Of The World - Black Sabbath
1. Red Barchetta - Rush
Nice list!
Great Year! HM: Every Grain of Sand, Tempted, Bette Davis Eyes, Unchained, Lonely is the Night, Juke Box Hero, SIgn of the Gypsy Queen, Edge of Seventeen, Magic Power, The Breakup Song, Centerfold, Snowblind, Tom Sawyer, Since You're Gone, Don't Stop Believin'
10. Start Me Up - the Rolling Stones (last great Stones song)
9. You Better You Bet (last great Who song)
8. The Waiting - Tom Petty
7. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - the Police
6. Insider - Tom Petty
5. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
4. Limelight- Rush
3. Bringing on the Heartbreak - Def Leppard
2. Stone in Love - Journey
worst song - Stars on 45 Medly by Stars on 45. #1. Really? Really?
1. Picasso Viseta El Planeta De Los Simios - Adam & the Ants
(While the Masters Rot on Walls and the Angels Eat their Grapes
I watched Picasso, Pablo Picasso, visit the planet of the Apes.) No better lyrics than that.
A pretty weak year but here are a few standouts for me :
1. Strict Time - Elvis Costello - My fav on Trust. Try to look Italian to the musical valium - so clever.
2. Vienna - Ultravox - Depeche Mode must have been drooling
3. I Go to Sleep - The Pretenders - better than the original
4. O Superman - Laurie Anderson - Love the video.
5. Golden Brown - The Stranglers - Dave Greenfield was so great . The Stranglers playing harpsichords !
Golden Brown almost made my list. - Joe
"strict time" my favorite on Trust as well. That could be his most complete album
"O Superman"... what a great piece of aural art!
My favorite songs of 1981:
1. No Woman No Cry. Bob Marley and The Wailers
2.Talk of the Town. Pretenders
3.Start Me Up. The Rollling Stones
4.Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Police
5.Pretty In Pink. The Psychedelic Furs
6.Tainted Love. Soft Cell
7.Under Pressure. Queen & David Bowie
8.Sex Beat. The Gun Club
9.Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans). OMD
10.Centro di Gravetá Permanente. Franco Battiato.
11.It Must Be Love. Madness
12.Ceremony. New Order
13.The Waiting. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
14.Computer Love. Kraftwerk
15.Show of Strength. Echo & The Bunnymen.
16.Do The Wrong Thing. The Lounge Lizards
17.We Belong Together. Rickie Lee Jones
18.Kick In The Eye. Bauhaus
19.Ghosts. Japan
20.Don't You Want Me. The Human League
21.Arabian Nights. Siouxie and The Banshees
22.Salta! Tequila
23.I Threw A Brick Through A Window. U2
24.We Got The Beat. The Go-Go's
25.Déjame. Los Secretos
26.Passionate Friend. The Teardrop Explodes
27.Black and White. The dBs
28.Tempted. Squeeze
29.Dreams Never End. New Order
30.Sense of Purpose. The Sound
31.The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas. Penguin Cafe Orchestra
32.Betty Davis Eyes. Kim Carnes
33.Fiume Sand Creek. Fabrizio De André.
34.Kids In America. Kim Wilde
35.Diary of a Young Man. Television Personalities
36.The Dreg. Fleshtones
Comfort & Complaceny ! It Hurts Me !!
Nice to see the inclusion of Japan - Ghosts & OMD both narrowly missed my top spot, Kick In The Eye - Bauhaus was a favourite at the time...
Cool taste Ste!
@@frangarcia7774 Right back at you...
I like Lounge Lizards a lot but could not list a single tune, always a problem with instrumental albums. Voice of Chunk is a 5 star album for me in 1989 but do not ask me what the tunes are called...
The most memorable experience with my mom and Listography involved her saying halfway through the Dire Straits ranking, “These guys don’t seem to like much of anything.” 😂
I've been looking ahead to 1982, and My God, it is impossible. I've narrowed down to 50 songs and have no idea how you guys are going to do it.
Ain't No Way Baby - David Lindley
Gaucho - Steely Dan (Music:. Keith Jarrett)
She Is Mine - Psychedelic Furs
Strict Time - Elvis Costello
Always - Tom Verlaine
A Thing About You Tom Petty
Matte Kudasai - King Crimson
Procession - New Order
Squeeze - Is That Love
In This House That I Call Home - X
1. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go's
2. Since You're Gone - The Cars
3. Watch Your Step - Elvis Costello
4. Procession - New Order
5. Limelight - Rush
6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
7. The Unguarded Moment - The Church
8. Piccadilly - Squeeze
9. Pull Up To The Bumper - Grace Jones
10. Favourite Shirts - Haircut One Hundred
11. Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
12. Primary - The Cure
13. Absolute Beginners - The Jam
14. Destination Unknown - Missing Persons
15. A Promise - Echo & The Bunnymen
16. Homosapien - Pete Shelley
17. Love Is Like A Rock - Donnie Iris (pittsburgh's very own!)
18. Private Eyes - Hall & Oates
19. Love Action - Human League
20. Planet Earth - Duran Duran
21. Shoot You Down - APB
22. Kick In The Eye - Bauhaus
23. What's He Got - The Producers
24. You Better You Bet - The Who
25. Mea Culpa - Brian Eno & David Byrne
26. The Voice - The Moody Blues
27. Talk To You Later - The Tubes
28. Hang Fire - Rolling Stones
29. This Is Radio Clash - The Clash
30. Keep It Dark - Genesis
The unguarded moment!..great pick!!
Pull Up to the Bumper is a thumpin' song. Made my top 5 wild cards. Nice pick.
Billboard Top 5 Real Time (my favorite songs in 1981, when I was a young 'un)
5. Treat Me Right - Pat Benatar
4. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
3. You Make My Dreams - Hall and Oates
2. Don't Stand So Close to Me - The Police
1. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
Billboard Top 5 Remastered (my adult list, probably not as good as my young list)
5. She's a Bad Mama Jama - Carl Carlton
4. Waiting on a Friend - Rolling Stones
3. Rapture - Blondie
2. Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
1. Our Lips Are Sealed - the Go Go's
Wild Card Top 5
5. Message of Love - The Pretenders
4. So Long Baby, Goodbye - The Blasters
3. Pull Up to the Bumper - Grace Jones
2. Johnny's Gonna Die - the Replacements
1. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police
SOTY - Our Lips Are Sealed
Worst song of the year - The Stroke - Billy Squier
HM: So many. A great year for the Billboard charts: I Missed Again - Phil Collins; Her Town Too - Taylor and Souther; Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington and Bill Withers; Being With You - Smokey Robinson; Burn Rubber - the Gap Band; Lady (You Bring Me Up) - the Commodores; Turn Your Love Around - George Benson; Slow Hand - the Pointer Sisters; Clubland - Elvis Costello; Pocket Calculator - Kraftwerk; Sponji Reggae - Black Uhuru; This Little Girl - Gary U.S. Bonds; Tempted - Squeeze; and a trio of "country" tunes, but other than the clothes these folks wear and the stations that play their music, these tunes sound like pop music to me: (There's) No Gettin' Over Me by Ronnie Milsap; I Loved 'em Every One by T.G. Sheppard; and Somebody's Knockin' by Terri Gibbs.
You forgot Too Much Time On My Hands - Styx
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
Talk To Ya Later - The Tubes
Life Of Illusion - Joe Walsh
Burnin' For You - Blue Oyster Cult
Billboard:
1. Just Like Starting Over - John Lennon
2. I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
3. Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen
4. Just The Two of Us - Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers
5. Rapture - Blondie
Wildcards:
1. Red Barchetta - Rush
2. Tops - The Rolling Stones
3. Twilight - ELO
4.
Ghetto Life - Rick James
5. Controversy - Prince
HM - David Lindley - Mercury Blues, J.J. Cale - Mama Don't, Ramones - We Want the Airwaves, Chris Spedding - I'm Not Like Everybody Else (The old Kinks classic), Gary U.S. Bonds - Jole Blon (with a little help from his admirers Bruce Springsteen and Little Steven)
5. Boomtown Rats - Banana Republic (They really made a handful of good singles even if none of their albums stood the test of time for me.)
4. Greg Kihn - The Breakup Song (A breakup song to lament that nobody writes good breakup songs any more, funny, catchy and forever memorable, what else can you want from power pop?)
3. James Blood Ulmer - Where Did All the Girls Come From? (How to describe this one...Jimi Hendrix plays George Clinton backed by Captain Beefheart's Magic Band and Fela Kuti's female singers.)
2. Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach for My Revolver (Two singles, one EP, one LP was their initial impact - until they started a second career 20 years later. Covered by everybody.)
1. Jam - That's Entertainment (The Jam were as great a song band in the 80s as CCR was in the early 70s.)
👍🏻That’s when I reach for my revolver👍🏻
Yep, Mission of Burma - same pick for me. I'm a massive fan, love The Obliterati from '06.
@@johnwilliams4658 Obliterati is their best album for me as well. OnOffOn is close behind.
@@roxannewalsh I agree. Such a great band!
@@johnwilliams4658 Really good live too…at least in their later years. I saw them open for the Pixies at UMASS in 2004.
Ghost Town - The Specials
Souvenir - Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Spellbound - Siouxsie & the Banshees
Golden Brown - The Stranglers
O Superman - Laurie Anderson
Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie
Do You Dream In Colour? - Bill Nelson
Don’t You Want Me?- The Human League
Reward - The Teardrop Explodes
That’s Entertainment - The Jam
Bedsitter - Soft Cell
Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder
A Promise - Echo and the Bunnymen
Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs
Life in Tokyo - Japan
Homosapien - Pete Shelley
Walking on Thin Ice - Yoko Ono
It’s Going To Happen - The Undertones
Ceremony - New Order
Charlotte Sometimes - The Cure
Wordy Rappinghood - Tom Tom Club
Gloria - U2
I Go To Sleep - The Pretenders
A Good Year for the Roses - Elvis Costello
didn't Reward come out in 1980?
This!
@@gassyjack5421 Was a hit in Jan 81 in the UK but was on the US version of Kilimanjaro in 1980 (not on the UK version)
(I ignore the Billboard; any song released this year is eligible. One song per artist/band unless they release multiple albums)
20) Paper Hats - This Heat
19) Girls on Film - Duran Duran
18) Flying High Again - Ozzy Osbourne
17) Kick in the Eye - Bauhaus
16) Sistren - Black Uhuru
15) Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
14) Computer World - Kraftwerk
13) Show of Strength - Echo & the Bunnymen
12) Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club
11) We Got the Beat - The Go-Go's
10) Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs
09) The Jezebel Spirit - Brian Eno/David Byrne
08) Faith - The Cure
07) Invisible Sun - The Police
06) Stranger in a Strange Land - U2
05) Since You're Gone - The Cars
04) River Blindness - J. Geils Band
03) Into the Light - Siouxsie & the Banshees
02) Limelight - Rush
01) Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
The Jezebel Spirit is a great choice.
@@johnwilliams4658 so freaky!
The Cure and The Cars on same list this year is not just a coincidence....The Cure will go down in history as the most famous instigators of that pre goth pop sound but boy The Cars were bang on the money too at this point....
Love My life in the bush of ghosts as an album and for that strange in between Krautrock and new wave pop/pre super electronic wave genius Eno beauty it has....great album in my top 10 for the year easily....but couldn't pick one song from it. I remember the video for it as really cool for Jezebel Spirit I think.
That’s a great playlist.
1. Echo & The Bunnymen - Over The Wall / A Promise -
2. Japan - Ghosts / Visions Of China -
3. Elvis Costello - Watch Your Step / Good Year For The Roses -
4. The Police - Invisible Sun / Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic -
5. U2 - Gloria / October -
6. Pretenders - Message Of Love / I Go To Sleep -
7. Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure -
8. Grace Jones - Walking In The Rain / Libertango - I've Seen That Face Before -
9. The Stranglers - Golden Brown / La Folie -
10. Tom Tom Club - Genius Of Love / L'Elephant -
11. The Psycedelic Furs - Pretty In Pink -
12. Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough / New Life -
13. Blue Oyster Cult - Burning For You -
14. Phill Collins - In The Air Tonight -
15. Wipers - Youth Of America -
16. Simple Minds - Love Songs -
17. Human League - Love Action / Don't you Want Me -
18. Soft Cell - Tainted Love -
19. Stray Cats - Rock This Town -
20. Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls -
21. Black Uhuru - Youth Of Ellington -
22. The Clash - This Is Radio Clash -
23. Tuxedomoon - East / Jinx -
24. John Martyn - Glorious Fool -
25. Visage - Fade To Gray -
Love that Black Uhuru pick. I had Sponji Reggae on my HM list, but could have been any number of songs from that album.
1) Under Pressure - David Bowie & Queen (29). One of the best collaborations between two giants ever.
2) The Waiting - Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker (19). Possibly my favorite Petty song. I just love this era of Tom Petty.
3) Waiting on a Friend - The Rolling Stones (13). The last great Rolling Stones single. A beautiful tale of bromance.
4) That's When I Reach for My Revolver - Mission of Burma (WC). Post punk classic! Moby did an admirable cover in the 90s.
5) Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police (3). The Police ditch their reggae/punk roots and go mainstream pop.
6) Ceremony - New Order (WC). Rising from the ashes of Joy Division, New Order hits a homerun with this.
7) That's Entertainment - The Jam (WC). A lot of people had this in 1980, but it was released as a single in January of 1981. Great backwards guitar.
8) A Life of Illusion - Joe Walsh (34). One of my favorite solo Joe Walsh songs. The Mariachi horns are great.
9) Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield (1) . I wanna tell this song I love it, but the point is probably moot.
10) Stand and Deliver - Adam & The Ants (WC). Throw your safety overboard and join our insect nation.
1981 is maybe a slight step down from 1980, but I think the Hot 100 is actually way better to the point where I only used 4 wildcard spots. I'd argue this stretch of years in the early '80s actually eclipses the 1960s in terms of the quality of the Hot 100 singles.
This is actually the toughest vote yet. I've got Jason and Joe's picks in my top 5 this year, but "Since You're Gone" is actually my #1 for 1982, when it was released as a single and charted. I'll have to think about this one.
Damn, another year where we have quite a bit of overlap (especially if you add That's Entertainment from my last year, and Since You're Gone!). I almost had Waiting on a Friend too.
I love Waiting On A Friend as well. Although I would argue against it being the last great Stones single. Undercover (of the Night), She Was Hot, One Hit (to the Body), Love is Strong, Anybody Seen My Baby, Saint of Me, Plundered My Soul (definitely deserving 5 stars, one of their greatest singles ever), Doom and Gloom and Living in a Ghost Town are all pretty strong.
@@beetlebum7760 Not crazy about a lot of those, but I'll give you "Undercover". That is a really good song.
Under Pressure almost won it for me, but when the last ballots were counted it fell to second.
That Joe Walsh album is very good...really like the opener Things!👍
My favourites for 1981
01) One Of Us - ABBA
02) I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango) - Grace Jones
03) This Must Be Love - Phil Collins
04) Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Gos
05) Ghost Town - Specials
06) The Visitors (Crackin' Up) - ABBA
07) Under Your Thumb - Godley & Creme
08) Head Over Heels - ABBA
09) I'm Lucky - Joan Armatrading
10) One Step Ahead - Split Enz
My favorite band of all time enters the stage in 1981!
(Honourable Mentions: King Crimson - Elephant Talk, Eurythmics - English Summer, Men at Work - Down Under, Men at Work - Who Can It Be Now?)
Charting Songs:
5. Toyah - I Want to Be Free (UK #8)
4. Grauzone - Eisbär (Germany #12)
3. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound (UK #22)
2. The Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘em) (US #15)
1. Depeche Mode - Dreaming of Me (UK #57) [If the Beach Boys would’ve continued to work on the sound that ‘…Love You’ had, this is what they would’ve come up with.]
Wildcards:
5. The Cars - Since You’re Gone
4. Men at Work - I Can See it in Your Eyes
3. Depeche Mode - Ice Machine [Not the last excellent B-side Depeche Mode will produce. Quite a special song to me because this is how I learned about Susanne Sundfør. I searched ‘Depeche Mode cover’ and her cover of this song with Eletcro-Duo Röyksopp showed up.]
2. Depeche Mode - Photographic [On this song, DM start with what they will bring to perfection on ‘Black Celebration’: Blending melodies.]
SONG OF THE YEAR 1981: The Human League - Don’t You Want Me
The most funny match between us...a Greg Kihn song, I cannot believe it.
@@roxannewalsh Must be a magic song then, haha. Why is it funny though?
Wow, now that you mention the Love You comparison on Dreaming of Me, I hear it.
@@Sir_Eyeball We do not often pick pure pop songs - so there must be far more to this one than Joe hears/not hears.
@@TimeToGetAlone Do you like Depeche Mode?
Not a great year, but quite important for me: the year indie rock takes over.
#1 Brenda's Iron Sledge - Robyn Hitchcock
#2 That's When I Reach For My Revolver - Mission of Burma
#3 Big Brown Eyes - The dB's
#4 Gloria - U2
#5 Sat In Your Lap - Kate Bush
Honourable mentions:
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Open Your Heart - Human League
Kram redeems himself with his hate for Styx after his love of Christopher Cross. I almost unsubscribed for those song choices in 1980. Don’t tell me Jason isn’t trying to win with these song picks. Btw, I told you guys 1979 was going to be close, and Jason even pulled out the win! Do not underestimate the power of XTC. Jason, you might even pull out a win with a Robyn Hitchcock tune in the 1980s. Joe has had some fascinating picks so far in the 1980s. That Stevie Nicks tune is great. Cheers, fellas ✌🏻
The 80s is really when I come alive! - Joe
1. Bette Davis Eyes- Kim Carnes
2. Did It in a Minute- Hall & Oates
3. Christmas Wrapping- The Waitresses
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic- The Police
5. For Your Eyes Only- Sheena Easton
6. Walking On Thin Ice- Yoko Ono
7. Lady (You Bring Me Up)- The Commodores
8. Trouble- Lindsey Buckingham
9. Make a Move On Me- Olivia Newton-John
10. Tonight I'm Yours- Rod Stewart
HM- not in order
Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)- Christopher Cross
Der Kommissar- Falco
Hang Fire- Rolling Stones
Sitting In My Room- Ramones
Can't Stop the World- The Go-Go's
All Those Years Ago- George Harrison
Queen of Hearts- Juice Newton
Hearts- Marty Balin
The Break-up Song (They Don't Write 'Em)- Greg Kihn Band
Jessie's Girl- Rick Springfield
We're in This Love Together- Al Jarreau
Lonely Nights- Bryan Adams
Urgent- Foreigner
Joan Crawford- Blue Oyster Cult
Styx- The Best of Times
Just the Two of Us- Grover Washington Jr./Bill Withers
I get a kick out of that cheesy music video for "Make a Move on Me."
The greatest rock 'n roll Xmas song of all time, "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses! Nice call!
@@AbbeyRoadkill1 Thanks. Didn't wanna leave it out. One of the best songs of 80s!
I really, really, really, really enjoy these videos. Thanks guys!
Another good year. My 5 UK chart hits would include:
Pretty In Pink ... Psychedelic Furs
Golden Brown ... The Stranglers
Romeo & Juliet ... Dire Straits
I'm In Love With A German Film Star ... The Passions
O Superman ... Laurie Anderson
Deep Cuts are plentiful but I've narrowed it down to these 5:
The Great Dominions ... Teardrop Explodes
All About You .. The Scars (SoTY)
Every Grain of Sand ... Bob Dylan
All My Colours/Zimbo ... Echo & The Bunnymen
Nowhere To Go ... Anthony More
My top ten of 1981.
1)The Waiting - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2)It's Going To Happen - The Undertones
3)Passionate Friend - The Teardrop Explodes
4)Letting You Go - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
5)Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Stevie Nicks (With Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers)
6)It's Not My Place (In The 9 to 5 World) - Ramones
7)Message Of Love - The Pretenders
8)Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham
9)Bedsitter - Soft Cell
10)There It Is - Shalamar
Great year for horns and horn sections. Wonderful sax solo by Sonny Rollins on Waiting on a Friend and by Junior Walker on Urgent. And the Phenix Horns?! Whatta year they had with the Phil Collins album, an appearance on No Reply at All by Genesis, and an EWF album. Lots of great R&B in this year, which I didn't appreciate as much then but really love now. Such a stacked year, Prince didn't even get an HM from me.
Go-Go’s - Fading Fast
Billy Squier - In The Dark
Rolling Stones - Little T&A
Van Halen - Unchained
Squeeze - In Quintessence
Steve Winwood - While you see a Chance
Genesis - Abacab
Moody Blues - The Voice
Journey - Stone in Love
REO - Take it on the Run
Quarterflash - Find Another Fool
BOC - Burning for You
Triumph - Magic Power
Dire Straits - Romeo & Juliet
J Geils - Freeze Frame
OMD - Joan of Arc
ZZ Top - Tube Snake Boogie
Santana - Winning
Billboard:
1.Rick James - Give It To Me Baby
2.Earth, Wind, And Fire - Let's Groove
3.Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage
4.Billy Squier - The Stroke
5.AC/DC - Back in Black
Wildcards:
1.Slave - Watching You
2.The Jacksons - Heartbreak Hotel
3.Van Halen - Sinners Swing!
4.Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
5.The J.Geils Band - Centerfold
Billboards Worst:
The Irish Rovers - Wasn't That A Party
Other Songs I Dig From 1981:
Rick James - Ghetto Life
The Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song
DeBarge - Strange Romance
Unlimited Source - Feel The Music
The J.Geils Band - Flamethrower
Junie Morrison - Rappin' About Rappin'
Queen - Flash's Theme
Slave - Snap Shot
Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
Con Funk Shun - I'll Get You Back
The Whispers - This Kind Of Lovin'
Stone City Band - Freaky
Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music
The Jones Girls - ASAP
Starpoint - Starnite Your Night
Stacy Lattisaw - Screamin' Off The Top
Norman Connors- Mr.C
Bernard Wright - Bread Sandwiches
Sister Sledge - If You Really Want Me
Chaka Khan - I Know You, I Live You
Prince - Let's Work
Level 42 - Starchild
Teena Marie - It Must Be Magic
Qunicy Jones - Razzamatazz
Ozone - Keep On Dancin'
Lulu - If I Were You
Get Wet - Just So Lonely
Change - Paradise
Jermaine Jackson - You Like Me Don't You
Sugarhill Gang & The Furious Five - Showdown
Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus
Hmmm this will be a tough one to vote for, these are all great winners.
Hot 100:
- Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
- Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams
- Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
- The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
Wildcard:
- Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver
- Black Flag - Rise Above
- Siouxsie & the Banshees - Spellbound
- X - When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch
- ABBA - One Of Us
Worst: Objectively it is "General Hospi-tale" by The Afternoon Delights or one of the many ridiculous Stars on 45 style medleys that were big that year. But for me personally I have a particular dislike for "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. Years ago at a former workplace of mine they decided it would be a great idea to play it continuously for like 6 months straight to the point where it fills me with dread every time I hear it. Nothing to celebrate about that.
Winner: Kinda a weird one I think but "Seven Year Ache" by Rosanne Cash. Just a great pop-country song, I could listen to it over and over (and I did this week) and not tire of it. Great album too.
1982 is going to be ridiculously tough though. I've already got a head start, my playlist of contenders is 76 songs long and I know it's going to be painful to narrow down.
I am fully supportive of "Seven Year Ache" as #1, and I, too, dislike "Celebration"; just because a song instructs me to "celebrate good times" does not mean it is making me feel like doing so.
Good call on Mission of Burma. Also, though it missed my list, I do have a soft spot for "You Make My Dreams". That was the entrance music for my wife and I at our wedding reception.
I'm loving the eclectic variety on your list. Great call on the Black Flag.
"Celebration" is a good call for worst song too.
1. Limelight - Rush
2. Don't You Want Me? - Human League
3. Endless Love - Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
4. We Got the Beat - The Go-Go's
5. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police
6. Waiting on a Friend - Rolling Stones
7. If Leaving Me is Easy - Phil Collins
8. Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
9. Who's Crying Now - Journey
10. Tom Sawyer - Rush
I have less to choose from compare to the the late 70s but still a lot of pretty cool stuff to dive in!
My 1981 top songs:
1. Wipers - Youth Of America
2. Gun Club - She's Like Heroin To Me
3. This Heat - New Kind Of Water
4. The Sound - Winning
5. Adolescents - Kids of the Black Hole
6. Siouxie And The Banshees - Into The Light
7. Prince - Controversy
8. The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty In Pink
9. The Stranglers - Golden Brown
10. ESG - Moody
Yes! I'm not the only one who chose Into the Light ;-)
Billboard
5. Abacab- Genesis
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic- Police
3. Young Turks- Rod Stewart
2. The Breakup Song- Greg Kihn Band
1. Our Lips Are Sealed- the GoGo's
Wild Cards
5. Watch Your Step- Elvis Costello
4. Fight The Good Fight- Triumph
3. Vanity Fair- Squeeze
2. Messed Around-Squeeze
1. See Below
Worst Song- Medley (Stars on 45)- Stars on 45- I don't like the mash up of songs together.
Song of the Year- Piccadilly- Squeeze- Their best story song, it's about a couple on a date, and all the things that they experience on that night. Dinner and a show, then the hormones that set in later that everything. The piano on the song is amazing.
I am surprised none of the guys picked the Stars on 45 for worst song. I remember those being all over the radio, and they were as dreadful as the concept sounds.
My Favorite Singles, of 1981:
“Start Me Up” - The Rolling Stones
“Our Lips Are Sealed” - The Go-Go’s
“Under Pressure” - Queen & David Bowie
“Rapture” - Blondie
“Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” - Christopher Cross
Album Picks + (some singles/previously or in the future will be released):
“All Those Years Ago” - George Harrison
“In the Air Tonight” - Phil Collins
“Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)” - Stevie Nicks
“Insider” - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
“Twilight” - Electric Light Orchestra
Worst single:
“Queen of Hearts” - Juice Newton
01. Dün - Eros
02. Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen
03. Los Kjarkas - Llorando se fue
04. Soft Cell - Tainted Love
05. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
06. Manuel Donayre - Yo Perdi El Corazon
07. Rocio Durcal - La gata bajo la lluvia
08. George Harrison - All Those Years Ago
09. Julio Iglesias - Begin the Beguine
Will Joe ever be able to talk Kram and Jason into doing a Weird Al Listography?? Wouldn't that be a hoot!
That would be a lot of fun!
Sounds like the faithful want the April Fools Week 2022 Weird Al-apalooza! Book it. 🎉
For me, "Since You're Gone" is example A of why you shouldn't listen to the Top 40 exclusively. How did this song make it only to No. 41? ... The '81 Billboard charts are embarrassing for someone who was a teen back then, but the albums rule.
Hot 100:
5. While You See A Chance - Steve Winwood
4. Tom Sawyer - Rush
3. I Can't Go For That - Hall and Oates
2. Tempted - Squeeze
1. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
Wild Cards:
5. Flamethrower - J. Geils Band
4. Lunatic Fringe - Red Rider
3. Souvenir - OMD
2. Message Of Love - Pretenders
1. Since You're Gone - Cars
Worst: Key Largo (Spot-on pick. Also despise Best Of Times. But Greg Kihn Band rules)
Best: Since You're Gone
HMs: Limelight (Rush), Watching The Wheels (Lennon), Time (Alan Parsons Project), In The Air Tonight (Collins), Hold On Tight (ELO), Shake It Up (Cars), Unchained (Van Halen), Mean Street (Van Halen), Just Can't Get Enough (Depeche Mode), White Girl (X), Demolition Man (Police), Our Lips Are Sealed (Go-Gos), Arc Of A Diver (Winwood), Just The Two Of Us (Grover Washington Jr./Bill Withers), Red Barchetta (Rush), Keep It Dark (Genesis), Abacab (Genesis), Spellbound (Siousxie and the Banshees), Pack It Up (Pretenders), (I'm Gonna) Run Away (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts), Hang Fire (Rolling Stones), Breaking Away (Balance), Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Nicks and Petty), The Waiting (Petty & HBers), A Woman In Love (Petty & HBers), Another Tricky Day (Who), Rain Is Falling (ELO)
I'm crazy about that J. Geils album. Which are you picking, Since Your Gone or Magic?
@@179rich Like Jason, I think Since You're Gone is my all-time favorite Cars song.
@@nightowl1851 It's up there for me too. Top 5.
My Top 10
1. JEAN MICHEL JARRE ´´Magnetic Fields. Part 2´´
2. RUSH ´´Tom Sawyer´´
3. THE POLICE ´´Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic´´
4. MIDNIGHT OIL ´´Don´t Wanna Be The One´´
5. AC/DC ´´For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)´´
6. IRON MAIDEN ´´Wrathchild´´
7. FOREIGNER ´´Urgent´´
8. ORCHESTAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK ´´Souvenir´´
9. JUDAS PRIEST ´´Solar Angels´´
10. DEPECHE MODE ´´Just Can´t Get Enough´´
Greetings From Canary Islands.
1981 best song:
1 Johnny's Gonna Die - The Replacements - Not the album version but live on RUclips
2 From a Whisper to a scream - Elvis Costello
3. Invisible Sun and Spirit in the Material World - The Police
3.5 Under Pressure - Bowie and Mercury
4 Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen (thought it was might be Jackson Browne at first)
5 Pretty in Pink or In to you like a train - Psychedelic Furs
6. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
7 A Woman in Love - Tom Petty and the HB
8 Burning for You - BOC
9. Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham
10. Who's crying now and Don't stop believing - Journey (should be higher up)
The rest:
Jesse's Girl - Rick No Respect Springfield
So This is Love? Van Halen
Jealous Guy - Bryan Ferry (great cover)
Livin inside myself - Gino Vannelli
Harden my heart Quaterflash
Kiss on my list - Hall and Oates
Hearts - Marty Balin
Watch Your Step - Costello
Seven Year Ache - Rosanna Cash
Let's Groove Tonight - Earth Wind and Fire
Change of Heart - Petty 1982 (don't want to forget this forgotten song by Tom even if a year early)
Gloria - U2
The Waiting - Tom Petty and the HB
The Pretenders - English Roses
Endless Love - Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
Betty Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Best Albums :
1 Talk Talk Talk - Psychedelic Furs . Side one is unbelievable.
2 Trust - Costello (a weaker Costello, the downfall begins)
3 Ghost in the Machine - The Police
Also Squeeze and Phil Collins albums, I guess? Only know a couple songs.
Elvis still has 2 5-star albums to go… - Joe
Stop the hate on Key Largo. Roland Hearn wrote a year ago :
"It was 1982, I was lying on the living room floor with the most beautiful girl in the world and we were falling in love to this song. A few months later I was taking her to the beach to ask her to marry me. A fateful tire defect caused the car to crash. She was taken from this world and my life turned upside down. My life moved on. I have been married now for more than 30 years and have 4 wonderful adult children. But I am sitting here in the dark listening to this song and I feel her arms around me. My first real love, gone way way too soon. My heart breaks with the memory."
I can see how Key Largo might sound like a corny overwrought song but it brings it all home for Roland's first love "the headless gunner". The production is not really that lame - nothing is that wrong with this song. I don't turn it off . Marrying a vacation with the movie really works for me too .. who cares? Maybe better as an Instrumental. The Greg Kihn Band two songs are OK. Paul tried to marry in many songs ... in one of his annoying songs "Come Together" he married California grass and his dislike of Yoko Ono (get back to where you came from).
Winner: Kramz for best sense of humor, funny voices, segways.
@@TastesLikeMusic What albums? King of America and Imperial Bedroom? I never picked up either but only like a few songs on each but Imperial Bedroom is a 3.2 and King of America .. 2.5 Blue Chair is a good song from Blood and Chocolate
@@oppothumbs1 Although I never listen now- Imperial Bedroom was a 5 star lp at the time. Now probably 4. Still pretty great.
@@Gardosunron I can't like it much though but for a couple of songs. I tried to be kind when I gave it a 3.2. I did sort of lie without thinking as Costello sang: "Laying about, lying in bed".
Deep cuts for 1981
1. White Girl - X
2. You'll Never Be A Man - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
3. Frame By Frame - King Crimson
4. Fire - U2
5. Pretty In Pink - Psychedelic Furs
It’s a weak year for sure. My personal SOTY pick is probably “Monitor” by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
As for my favorites from the Listography playlist, it’s a (near) trifecta for Rush:
1. Rush- Red Barchetta
2. Rush- Limelight
3. Steely Dan- Time Out of Mind (dang these Gaucho tracks growing on me, gotta raise that one in the Steely Dan rankings)
4. The Police- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Rush- Tom Sawyer
“Tempted” by Squeeze was a close contender too. Was wondering what song it reminded me of. Then I realized what it was- “Hand Me Down World” by the Guess Who (a previous pick!)
Since You're Gone - Easton's guitar tone was him trying to replicate the sound of "Heroes"
5. The Jam - That's Entertainment
4. Elvis Costello - You'll Never Be a Man
3. Roky Erickson and the Aliens - Cold Night for Alligators
2. Elvis Costello - New Laced Sleeves
1. Elvis Costello - Watch Your Step
I understand I'm heavily biased towards this artist and this record, but there is no way you can tell me Trust is not the best record of songwriting of 81. In my opinion by quite a distance aswell.
Roky Erickson's discography is pretty weird with many songs appearing on different albums released by different small labels. Like many songs form The Evil One were also released in 1980 on the Five Symbols album credited to Roky and The Aliens. And the same album was released as I Think of Demons by another label...Anyway, great songs by a great artist who probably never saw a cent from any of those releases.
@@roxannewalsh Certainly a tricky discography to pin down, for the purposes of this list I just go by what's on rateyourmusic. The main thing like you say is his songs are all great.
I love Elvis Costello, and have been listening to him avidly since 1987, but he has two major stumbles from 1977-1986 - Goodbye Cruel World, and Trust. I like the album okay - four stars - but I can’t wrap my head around anyone finding it to be a peer, much less superior to, anything else other than GCW or Almost Blue.
I think it was 1976 where I found that many of my favourites hit the UK chart at the back end of the year. Well I found 1981 to be somewhat front-loaded. In fact, I looked at the first top 10 songs on my 'long list' and thought they would make a decent top 10 in their own right, and, as it turned out, 6 of those songs ended up making my list. This year's nearly act were the Human League with 4 tracks of their album Dare on my long list but missing my 10. I got that album on cassette from my sister for my birthday that year to play on the radio cassette recorder that my parents got me. I currently consider it my 2nd favourite album of the year. The iconic lead single from my number 1 choice, Phil Collins' Face Value makes my list. His band, Genesis, also have an entry to make up for them missing my 1980 list which I hadn't expected to happen. Other iconic entries include Ultravox's Vienna that once won a poll as the nation's favourite number 2 single (kept from number 1 by Joe Dolce's execrable Shaddap You Face) and Ghost Town by The Specials, which is often seen as the soundtrack to a summer of inner-city riots in the UK as unemployment rose during the recession. I hope that Phil Oakey isn't too upset that Heaven 17, who were founded by 2 ex Human League members are in my list for the first, and probably not last, time:
In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
Sailing - Christopher Cross
Keep it Dark - Genesis
Penthouse & Pavement - Heaven 17
That's Entertainment - The Jam
Ghost Town - The Specials
Labelled with Love - Squeeze
Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
Reward - The Teardrop Explodes*
Vienna - Ultravox
*My favourite single to play really loud as a teen when I had the house to myself.
1981 was a vintage year for AOR music, and also an excellent one for Canadian rock bands:
Billboard Top 100:
Urgent - Foreigner
Just The Two Of Us - Grover Washington Jr & Bill Withers
Burnin’ For You - Blue Oyster Cult
The Voice - Moody Blues
Wildcards:
Diary Of A Workingman - Blackfoot
Cruiser - The Cars
Sign Of The Gypsy Queen - April Wine
Stone In Love - Journey
Fight The Good Fight - Triumph
Worst song: Birdie Song - The Tweets
(I could just about tolerate the music if it wasn’t for that ridiculous dance that always accompanies it. It’s fine for young children but definitely not for adults)
Song of the Year: Limelight - Rush
(If I wasn’t limiting myself to just one song per artist each year, I could easily have selected 4 or 5 from the fabulous Moving Pictures, which would be my clear choice for Album of the Year)
I think this was a strong year for the Billboard charts, so there are no shortage of HMs in that category:
HMs - Billboard:
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - Police
Lately - Stevie Wonder
Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates
Tempted - Squeeze
HMs - Wildcards:
Message Of Love - Pretenders
Ghosts - Japan
Primary - The Cure
Snowblind - Styx
Read ‘Em And Weep - Meat Loaf
That Quarterflash song is a good 'un. No Chilliwack with My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)? A Canadian one-hit wonder, but a good tune nonetheless.
@@burmajones803 Yes, that Chilliwack song is very good - in most years it would probably have deserved at least an HM. Unfortunately the Billboard chart was more stacked than usual with good quality songs in 1981, so it has unfortunately missed out.
@@brentjackson6839 Hey Brent. Likewise, there are a few in your list that I don’t remember hearing, so I will give those a listen. That’s what is so good about this series - we can all learn and broaden our musical knowledge by picking up recommendations from each other. 👍
@@brentjackson6839 You too buddy.
Great list, Bryan!!..i had Urgent on my list, but had to cut it. Love the sax in that song!!
1) In the air tonight - Phil Collins
2) Lonely is the night - Billy Squier
3) Stop dragging my heart around - Stevie Nicks and tom Petty
4) Fight the good fight - Triumph
5) Waiting for a girl like you - Foreigner
6) Who's crying now - Journey
7) Edge of seventeen - Stevie Nicks
8) Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie
9) Bringin on the heartbreak - Def Leppard
10) In the dark - Billy Squier
11) Mother, Father - Journey
12) Stranger - Jefferson Starship
13) Over and Over - Black Sabbath
14) Keep it dark - Genesis
15) Every little thing she does is magic - The Police
16) Tom Sawyer - Rush
17) Another Tricky Day - The Who
18) Arthur's Theme - Christopher Cross
19) Spirits in the material world - The Police
20) My kinda lover - Billy Squier
21) Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham
22) Fire and Ice - Pat Benatar
23) Watching the wheels - John Lennon
24) All those years ago - George Harrison
25) Limelight - Rush
26) Hold on loosely - 38 Special
27) Ah Leah - Donnie Iris
I would agree that "Stop Draggin..." beats the other Petty songs this year.
@@179rich yeah i was surprised they didn't mention it honestly.
I just do favorite songs overall...
1. This Heat - Makeshift Swahili
2. King Crimson - Frame by Frame
3. ELO - Twilight
4. The Sound - Winning
5. The Fall - Leave the Capitol
6. Prince - Controversy
7. The Cure - The Funeral Party
8. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
9. The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me
10. Agent Orange - Bloodstains
Nice pick, Frame by Frame. It's in my top 20.
From The Lions Mouth is amazing 👏
Great Cure choice.
'81 is certainly a decline from previous years,but being 17 at this time,a lot of these songs really resonate;
Academy Fight Song-Mission of Burma
Elephant Talk-King Crimson
Hitsville U.K.-The Clash
Hungry For You--The Police
In This House that I Call Home-X
Invisible Sun-The Police
Mean Street-Van Halen
Mob Rules-Black Sabbath
Mr. Blur-Tom Verlaine
Murders in the Rue Morgue-Iron Maiden
Our Lips are Sealed-The Go Go's
Out of Control-U2
Sex Beat-The Gun Club
Shots-Neil Young
Strict Time-Elvis Costello
Tempted-Squeeze
The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar-Bob Dylan
Waiting on a Friend-Rolling Stones
You'll Never Be a Man-Elvis Costello
Youth of America-Wipers
Top 5;
5)Hear About it Later-Van Halen-People talk about Jump,but I think this is the best VH ever got marrying hard rock and power pop.
4)Ah!Leah-Donnie Iris-This came out in 80',but charted in the spring of '81,brings back great memories cruising LI New York in my best friend's '66 Mustang. Power pop perfection from the City of bridges,the Stillers and fries on sandwiches!
3)Police on my Back-The Clash-The Clash always did reggae well,but this gem from Sandanista! is the best they ever covered it IMHO. Explosive and urgent.
2)Tom Sawyer-Rush-Love everything about this,the drum break is legendary,with maybe Neil Peart's best lyrics. It is the song they will always be known for most and it deserves it.
1)Universal Corner-X-I love this album(Wild Gift),and this tune just totally smokes! It stands up with any rocker from the 80's,4 + minutes of relentless energy.
Great list!
Excellent worst songs of the year choices especially Key Largo- Bertie Higgins. Name says it all. I'm with Jason on the song of the year "The Waiting" is probably my fav Tom Petty song. But I'd pick " Spirits in the Material World" as song of the year. Honorable mention to : " America is Waiting" from Byrne/Eno's magnificent concoction of weirdness "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts". Also - Grace Jones nasty funk "Pull up to the Bumper" featuring Sly Dunbar (drums) and Robbie Shakespeare (bass) from Bob Marley's band.
if you haven't endured the pain of cutting a great song because it's #6 on your top 5 list, you haven't haven't had the full listography experience - imo
That is why we do it. - Joe
Hey Guys!
Interesting year this. Here's my 10 faves of this year from the UK charts.
My SOTY:
I'm In Love With a German Film Star - The Passions (The Foo Fighters did a version of this, which was great but not as great as the original which is more atmostpheric.
Then (in no particular order)..
Sgt.Rock - XTC
Fade to Grey - Visage
Funeral Pyre - The Jam
Ghost Town - The Specials
Grey Day - Madness
Vienna - Ultravox
Spellbound - Siouxsie & the Banshees
Gloria - U.2
In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
Looking forward to seeing your picks
Cheers!
I would have added Ghost Town to my list but overlooked it - how could I? One of the great songs of all time. And I included I'm In Love With A German Film Star too, classic one hit wonder material.
Thanks for I'm In Love With a German Film Star!! Love it! Never heard or knew about the foo fighters cover
Oh yeah I totally forgot about I’m in Love with a German Film Star. That song is brilliant. Go to for an early dream pop sound!
Bravo for ghost town and the passions
Charted Songs :
The Moody Blues - The Voice
Gary Wright - Really Wanna Know You
Chilliwack - My Girl
Diesel - Sausalito Summernight
Carl Wilson - Heaven (#107)
Wildcards :
Mike Love - Paradise Found (produced by Curt Boettcher) (favorite song)
Styx - The Best Of Times
Godley & Creme - Wedding Bells
Renaissance - Bonjour Swansong
Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music (a whole side)
Listography song :
The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
album by a ‘new’ act :
Styx - Paradise Theater
Least favorite song :
Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus
Ooh, Heaven, nice call. That one gets buried coming from his shortlived solo career.
Sausalito Summernights is a fun tune. Should have had it on my HM list, but I missed it.
BILLBOARD
1. WINNER: *Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie #29* (One of the great rock collabs ever, surely. Iconic bassline, but also the breakdowns later on in the song make this one quite special.)
2. *Walking on Thin Ice by Yoko Ono #58* (Say what you will about some of her album stuff with Lennon, but this one is a banger. Just the right amount of weird. I get shades of Bowie and Kate Bush.)
3. *Our Lips Are Sealed by Go-Go's #20* (Fun catchy new wave pop, and a next level middle eight.)
4. *Controversy by Prince #70* (Prince basically perfecting his early synth funk sound.)
5. *Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police #2* (With that peppy chorus, I sometimes forget how unusual this song actually is, in a good way.)
WILDCARD
1. *Since You're Gone by The Cars [#41, 1982]* (Another awesome single from one of my favorite acts of the period. Love that low, near constant guitar underneath it all.)
2. *Golden Brown by The Stranglers* (It's like they grabbed a song straight out of the baroque era, and yet it works. Immaculate harpsichord.)
3. *Ceremony by New Order* (Essentially the transitional song between Joy Division and New Order, and it offers the magic of both.)
4. *Joan Crawford by Blue Öyster Cult* (Great poppy rock for your deep cut Halloween playlist.)
5. *Rain Is Falling by Electric Light Orchestra* (I adore the spacey synth sound all over this one to go with Lynne's trademark pop instincts.)
TOP 10 Wildcard HM:
I Go to Sleep by The Pretenders
The Unguarded Moment by The Church
Into the Light by Siouxsie and the Banshees
I didn't find there to be nearly as many obvious picks this time around. Lots of creative stuff to be found nonetheless, and a step forward for synthpop/new wave. I expect the next few years will be big as far as pop singles go.
WORST TOP 40: Elvira by The Oak Ridge Boys #5 (To my ears, this is quite terrible and annoying country pop. How it got to the top five I'll never understand.)
WORST Runner Up:
Stars on 45 by Stars on 45 #1
Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Diana Ross #7
"Walking On Thin Ice" - great call. That track slams.
Best Songs Matches:
*57 - Kram +2*
*50 - Joe +1*
*43 - Jason +3*
Worst Songs Matches:
4 - Jason
2 - Joe
0 - Kram
Top Song Votes:
11 - Jason
*10 - Kram*
9 - Joe
Golden Brown is amazing, but I thought it was from 1982.
@@Sir_Eyeball '82 as a single, but it's also on La Folie which came out in '81.
@@TimeToGetAlone Good to know. I need to get into The Stranglers more. I also liked their new album a lot. Could make my Top 10 of 2021.
Very strange year. I had to dig deep to find songs from the charts, but I like all the songs I selected. On the wildcard side, it was a dominant year for Talking Heads in a year when they did not even release an album.
1981 Wildcards
1. Big Blue Plymouth - David Byrne - This was my favorite song in 1981, and 40 years have not diminished it whatsoever. The album only had a few songs with vocals, but those are all masterpieces.
2. What a Day that Was - David Byrne - Close call between this one and BBP. I went back and forth several times during the week, but in the end this one comes in second.
3. Thela Hun Ginjeet - King Crimson - Vocals don’t get in the way of amazing guitar and propulsive bass.
4. Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club - Pure fun. Talking Heads rhythm section and a gaggle of Weymouths produce a funk masterpiece.
5. America is Waiting - Brian Eno/David Byrne - More Byrne. Nothing like this track before or since.
6. This is Radio Clash - The Clash - Stand alone single that is exactly what the Clash is all about.
1981 Charts
1. Under Pressure - Queen/David Bowie - Best team-up ever?
2. Give it to Me Baby - Rick James - Funk returns to the charts.
3. Controversy - Prince - Prince opened for the Stones on a few stops in October 1981. He was literally booed off the stage. He rebounded rather nicely.
4. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones - Not their greatest song, but fun as hell. Mick camps it up.
5. Miss Sun - Boz Scaggs - Barely cracked the charts, but possibly my favorite track of his.
6. Tempted - Squeeze - Not their only hit, but maybe there most well-known. Pop perfection.
Song of the Year: Big Blue Plymouth - Barely beat out out Under Pressure and What A Day That Was. An obscure song that I have listened to for over 40 years. Incredible sound, fun to sing along with in the car. Great tune.
Big Blue Plymouth is freakin' great!
Top 5:-
1. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic- The Police
2. Don't Stand So Close to Me - The Police
3. One Day in Your Life - Michael Jackson
4. Being With You - Smokey Robinson
5. Rapture - Blondie
Wild Cards :-
1. Invisible Sun - The Police(not released as a single in the USA - although made #2 in the UK and it's on The Police's album Ghost in the Machine - it feels like a U2 song)
2. Jealous Guy - Roxy Music(great cover by them)
3. Ghost Town - The Specials
4. Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go Go's
5. The Sound of the Crowd - Human League
Honourable mentions to Spirits in the Material World - The Police, The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, Open Your Heart, Love Action - all from Human League.
Top 5 albums of the years :-
1. Dare - Human League
2. Ghost in the Machine - The Police(probably their most experimental album)
3. The Visitors - ABBA
4. Time - ELO
5. Beauty and the Beat - The Go Go's
Styx were my favorite in 1981 when I was 11. I grew out of it shortly after.
You broke my heartJoe with your pick of Greg Khin.
Chart Hits: Tainted Love - Soft Cell, Our Lips Are Sealed - Go Go's, No Reply At All - Genesis, Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs Wild Cards: Don't You Want Me - Human League, In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins, Don't Stop Believin' - Journey, Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode, Happy Birthday - Altered Images Worst Song: Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross S.O.T.Y. for 1981 - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
It was a struggle to come up with my top 20 favourite songs for this year because the quality is just not there. These are the best I can come up with:
20. Survivor - Take You On A Saturday
19. Pretenders - Talk Of The Town
18. Frank Zappa - If Only She Woulda
17. Nils Lofgren - Night Fades Away
16. Blackfoot - Searchin'
15. King Crimson - Indiscipline
14. Camel - Lies
13. Rolling Stones - Waiting On A Friend
12. Moody Blues - The Voice
11. Abba - Soldiers
10. Peter Hammill - Central Hotel
9. Saxon - Denim & Leather
8. Black Sabbath - Falling Off The Edge Of The World
7. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots
6. Michael Schenker Group - Looking For Love
5. Journey - Stone In Love
4. Blue Oyster Cult - After Dark
3. Rush - Red Barchetta
2. Van Halen - Mean Street
1. PETER FRAMPTON - BREAKING ALL THE RULES
Stone in Love! My favorite Journey song. Sadly often overlooked thanks to Don’t Stop Believin’
@@josejones Hola Pepe! It's in my top 5 of Journey's songs for sure and my favourite of theirs is coming in 1983. It's that great that I might make it my number 1 for the year. By the way, you've got my approval with your comment on Epic by Faith No More. Some of the finest dung ever recorded!
@@jesuschambers 👍🏻 Yup…Epic garbage!
Drowning man- the cure..and second is since you're gone.
Kram- Styx is a band that is quite divisive, you either hate them or love them, but they have songs not sung by Dennis DeYoung, such as the Tommy Shaw songs like "Too Much Time On My Hands". That makes them somewhat redeemable, yes?
Such a strong year, great lists guys.
CHARTS:
1 Luther Vandross - Never Too Much
2 Change - Paradise
3 Rene & Angela - I Love You More
4 Steely Dan - Time Out Of Mind
5 Luther Vandross - Don't You Know That
PICKS:
1 The Specials - Ghost Town
2 Marvin Gaye - Far Cry
3 Human League - Seconds
4 Joy Division - Dead Souls
5 Pretenders - Pack It Up
Worst/Honorable Mention:
Woman In Love - Barbra Streisand
Lots of interesting RnB coming out during the early 80s. Thanks Gents. I'm going with Kram this week. Since You're Gone is it.
good call on the great Luther Vandross. He only just missed out on my billboard list to some other brilliant rnb and funk tracks which charted same year ( early 80s is a fantastic time in terms of the development of funk/rnb which would explode in the 90s along with hip hop) , but undoubtedly one of the major rnb vocalists with that distinctive, warm tone that he had..( RIP Luther)
@@komoleeray687 agreed, thx komo, luther was definitely a GOAT
Agree, not the best for albums but great for songs especially with some digging, here's some fav top 10:
- Golden Brown and Strange Little Girl - The Stranglers
- That's When I Reach for My Revolver - Mission of Burma
- Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police
- I'm in Love with a German Film Star - The Passions
- Under your thumb - Godley and Creme
- Ghosts - Japan
- Sat in your lap - Kate Bush
- Burning for You - Blue Oyster Cult
- Souvenir - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
- This Town - The Go-Go's
And honourable mentions:
- Winning - The Sound
- Down Under - Men at Work
- I'll find my way home - Jon Anderson and Vangelis
- Computer Love - Kraftwerk (Did coldplay steal this?)
- Matte Kudasai - King Crimson
- (We don't want this) Fascist Groove Thang, and Let's all Make a Bomb - Heaven 17
- Heart of Mine - Bob Dylan (Thank you Jason, never heard it before, love at first listen, few more and it will be an all time top one)
- The Voice - Ultravox
- I've seen that face before (Libertango) - Grace Jones
- Hot River - Nick Mason (Love anything Robert Wyatt sings)
- Hit Over Heels - ABBA (should be top 10 but just remembered it, god i love this one)
Favourite longs songs:
- La Poderosa Muerte - Los Jaivas
- Camera Eye - Rush
Edit: BEST SONG : Ghost Town - The Specials!!!!! :D
My top songs of 1981:
Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon
Games People Play - The Alan Parsons Project
Ah! Leah! Donnie Iris
Too Much Time On My Hands - Styx
You Better You Bet - The Who
Find Your Way Back - Jefferson Starship
In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins
The Break Up Song (They Don't Write 'Em) - The Greg Kihn Band
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
Talk To Ya Later - The Tubes
Life Of A Illusion - Joe Walsh
Burnin' For You - Blue Oyster Cult
Urgent - Foreigner
Heading Out To The Highway - Judas Priest
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
Live For Today - Toto
Fire And Ice - Pat Benatar
Rapture - Blondie
Flash's Theme - Queen
Tom Sawyer - Rush
Just Between You And Me - April Wine
Bad Reputation - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Who's Crying Now - Journey
Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Feat. Tom Petty) - Stevie Nicks
Working For The Weekend - Loverboy
Bettie Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go Go's
Centerfold - The J. Geils Band
Passion Play - Rod Stewart
Tempted - Squeeze
Physical - Olivia Newton-John
The Waiting - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
I Love You - The Climax Blues Band
Angel Of The Morning - Juice Newton
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
Lunatic Fringe - Red Ryder
🎸🏆 Best song of the year: Talk To Ya Later - The Tubes
☹️ Worst song of the year: The Best Of Times - Styx
AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)." A powerhouse of an anthem with some thunderous drumming from Phil Rudd.
*Favourite track by artist
** John Fogerty Cover
1.Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Waiting
2.Kim Wilde - Kids In America*
3.The Cars - Shake It Up*
4.Meat Loaf & Cher - Dead Ringer For Love*
5.Susan Fassbender & Kay Russell - Stay*
6.Men At Work - Down Under*
7.Dave Edmunds - Almost Saturday Night**
8.Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
9.Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
10.Rod Stewart - Young Turks
Billboard 100
Seven Bridges Road The Eagles
Don't Stand So Close To Me The Police
The Voice The Moody Blues
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty
Start Me Up The Rolling Stones
Deep Cuts
The Waiting Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Harden My Heart Quarterflash
Blow Wind Blow Eric Clapton
Hey Pocky Way The Neville Brothers
Waiting On A Friend The Rolling Stones
A Quarterflash mention! The pride of Portland.
1981 is one of my favourite years. I was 18, loving music, seeing loads of bands & gigging around London myself . Loads to choose from.
Honourable Mentions:
Meatloaf - Dead-ringer for Love
Stray Cats - Rock this Town
Kim Wilde - Kids in America
ZZ Top - Party on the Patio
Joan Jet - I love Rock & Roll
Blackfoot - Good morning
UK Charts
5. Rolling Stones - Start me up
4. REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
3. Adam & The Ants - Stand & Deliver
2. Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
1. Slade - We’ll Bring the House Down. Their come back single.
Wild Cards
5. AC/DC - For those about to rock
4. Motley Crue - Merry Go Round
3. Loverboy - Working for the weekend
2. Foreigner - Jukebox Hero
Favourite Song of the year
1. Rick Springfield - Jessie’s Girl. Just the perfect pop rock song.
Worst song of the year
Bucks Fizz - Making your mind up.
Here's my Top 10 for 1981, which I think was a pretty good year for songs!
10. Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield
9. We Got The Beat, The Go-Gos
8. Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes
7. The Waiting, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
6. Temptation, New Order
5. Don't Stop Believing, Journey
4. When All Is Said And Done, ABBA
3. Wrathchild - Iron Maiden
2. Pretty In Pink - Psychedelic Furs
1. Don't You Want Me, Human League
Again, good to see some overlap with you fellas! There were a few Hall and Oates singles that could have made my list on another day, but it is what it is...
I could legitimately pick all 4 side 1 tracks from Moving Pictures for a top 10 of the year (“YYZ” is probably my current favorite), but my song of the year and possibly decade has to be “Computer Love” by Kraftwerk. So many classic synth melodies there, and the whole vibe is just my internet addiction and love sickness summed up. 😂 As for who I’d vote for in the poll, it’s really tough between “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “The Waiting”, but I narrowly go with the latter. It’s probably among my top 5 Thomas Petty songs.
BILLBOARD
"Under Pressure" - Queen & David Bowie (WINNER)
"Start Me Up" - The Rolling Stones
"Our Lips Are Sealed" - The Go-Go's
"You Better You Bet" - The Who
"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" - The Police
WILDCARD
"Primary" - The Cure
"Ceremony" - New Order
"Spellbound" - Siouxsie and the Banshees
"She's a Sensation" - Ramones
"Pocket Calculator" - Kraftwerk
My "Billboard Hot 100"...
05. "Trouble" / Buckingham, Lindsey / Album: Law And Order (1981)
04. "All Those Years Ago" / Harrison, George / Album: Somewhere In England (1981)
03. “Kiss Is On My List” / Hall & Oates / Album: Voices (1981)
02. "Limelight" / Rush / Album: Moving Pictures (1981)
01. "Super Freak" / James, Rick / Album: Street Songs (1981)
My "Wildcard picks"....
05. "Mean Street" / Van Halen / Album: Fair Warning (1981)
04. "Ghost Town" / The Specials / Album: The Singles Collection (1981)
03. “From A Whisper To A Scream” / Costello, Elvis / Album: Trust (1981)
02. "Stone In Love" / Journey / Album: Escape (1981)
01. "Love Games" / Level 42 / Album: 12” (Full Length Single) (1981)
My "Worst Song"....
“Endless Love” / Ross, Diana & Richie, Lionel / Album: Endless Love (Soundtrack) (1981)
My "Song of the year"
"Stop Draggin My Heart Around" / Nicks, Stevie & Petty, Tom / Album: Bella Donna (1981)
All three top picks are great. I love all of Hard Promises and think the Waiting is the best written of the three, but I would vote with Kram for Since You’re Gone just because it’s so fun to sing along with
The stunning Spellbound by Siouxsie and the Banshees is a landmark record where the guitar playing and the exotic sound was an influence on the likes of Radiohead, late Cure, Primal Scream and The Smiths amongst others. It's a truly great new wave single that retained its punk roots with its energy whilst blossoming into a blaze of new wave creativity. As a guitar guy, Kramzer, you should be ashamed not to have this in your list. Still, I'm sure you know it and if not, worth a listen.
I've noticed Siouxsie and the Banshees are one of those bands that have been overlooked in your songs of the year and albums of the year when they are a major artist between 1978-82
I go with Jason 100% on SOTY. The Waiting is my favorite Tom Petty song. Love it. Joe and Kramz had good choices too. My worst song is Tom Sawyer by Rush-I don't like Rush, the vocals especially. But very close to worst song would be Don't Stop Believing by Journey. Hate it. Please listen to the passion, especially in the inventive guitar playing, of Blues at My Baby's House by Buddy Guy. That's a new discovery for me.
1 The Winner Takes It All-ABBA-billboard #8
2 Fade Away-Bruce Springsteen-billboard #20
3 The Waiting-Tom Petty-billboard #19
4 While You See A Chance (Take It)-Steve Windwood-billboard #7
5 Ship Ahoy-Frank Zappa-wild card
6 The Groom’s Still Waiting At The Alter-Bob Dylan-wild card
7 Skateaway-Dire Straits-billboard #58
8 Hungry Heart-Bruce Springsteen-billboard #5
9 Under Pressure-Queen and David Bowie-billboard #29
10 Blues at My Baby’s House-Buddy Guy-wild card
11. The Map Room, by John Williams
10. I Just Can't Get Enough, by Depeche Mode
9. Jean Pierre, by Miles Davis
8. The Twilight Clone, by Herbie Hancock
7. In The Air Tonight, by Phil Collins
6. Chariots of Fire, By Vangelis
5. Genius Of Love, by Tom Tom Club
4. Five Golden Sections, by David Byrne
3. Down Under, by Men At Work
2. Dreams Never End, by New Order
1. Gloria, by U2
1981, not necessarily in that order. Surprised at how many instrumentals are on this year's list.
Nice lists, guys.
Hot 100:
5. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Hall & Oates
4. The Stroke - Billy Squier
3. Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
2. Urgent - Foreigner
1. In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins (Song of the Year)
Wild Card:
5. Who Killed Delores - City Boy
4. Another One Rides The Bus - "Weird Al" Yankovic
3. Heavy Metal - Don Felder
2. All Of You - Don Felder
1. Party On The Patio - ZZ Top
Worst Top 40 Song:
Morning Train (Nine To Five) - Sheena Easton (Strong contention for my most hated song of all time)
1. Stand and Deliver - Adam and the Ants
2. The Voice - The Moody Blues
3. The Waiting - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4. You Better You Bet - The Who
5. Twilight - ELO
6. Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Go's
7. Arabian Knights - Siouxsie and the Banshees
8. Limelight - Rush
9. Burnin' For You - BOC
10. Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth - Devo
HM (alpha by artist) 30 songs:
The Visitors - ABBA
Who Do You Think We Are - Alice Cooper
Fire and Ice - Pat Benatar
Promises in the Dark - Pat Benatar
Veteran of the Psychic Wars - BOC
Victim of Love - The Cars
Since You're Gone - The Cars
Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
The Unguarded Moment - The Church
Bel-Air - The Church
White Knuckles - Elvis Costello
Watch Your Step - Elvis Costello
Working in the Coal Mine - Devo
Planet Earth - Duran Duran
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
Baby Talk - Billy Idol
Victim of Circumstance - Joan Jett
Dead Ringer For Love - Meat Loaf (and Cher)
Veteran Cosmic Rocker - The Moody Blues
Angel of the Morning - Juice Newton
Talk of the Town - The Pretenders
Day After Day - The Pretenders
Only Loved at Night - The Raincoats
Baby Song - The Raincoats
Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
Hang Fire - The Rolling Stones
Little T&A - The Rolling Stones
A Woman in Love - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Kings Road - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
You - The Who
Hello Boys 'n' Everyone: A fantastic year - although maybe a slight step down from the greatness that was 1980. Jason gets my vote since his song is my third favorite of the year. (ironically he's the one who doesn't like this year much.) A fair amount of sames with each of the boys . . more so than any other previous year for whatever reason. For me, this was VERY close between the top 2 songs: the Old vs. the New. Adam gets the win. The Dandy Highwayman! What better symbol for a movement - New Romantic ?!
@@brentjackson6839 Let me know if you hear anything new you like! I'm not familiar w the particular Depeche Mode or OMD songs you listed so i will check those out. Was never a synth-pop fan. :) Happy to see we both have the Church.
Good call on Adam & The Ants.
@@NaughtyVampireGod You have chosen a well balanced mix between old and new artists. I feel bad for leaving ELO and The Who Out of my list, and I almost picked We Got The Beat by The Go-Go’s as a HM. Tom Petty will definitely be appearing again for me but he has missed out this year.
You have some HMs that I am not familiar with (I don’t know anything by The Church or The Raincoats, and I haven’t heard the songs by Joan Jett or Billy Idol). That’s a good call with George Harrison!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
@@edgustafson Thank you, Sir . . . Adam will be back in 82 (I believe)
@@bryanbyrde8338 hey Bryan - yep - Old meets New this year - I think in just a year or two that will change drastically and i will feature artists that simply were not around before new wave - always an exception of course - The Go-Go's debut album is very solid w a few standouts, We Got the Beat is certainly one of them - I will feature much more of Tom Petty up through the mid 90's basically - The Church are one of my favorite 80's bands - Raincoats just the 81 album and a 90's reunion - Thanks as always for your comments, Bryan ! Always well-appreciated, my friend.
The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic". One of the most joyous pop songs ever written. Another No 1 single for the band in the UK. The video was cool as well, with the band larking about in George Martin's former studio in Monsterrat on location.
Hot 100:
In the Air Tonight -- Phil Collins
I Missed Again -- Phil Collins
Magic Power -- Triumph
Tom Sawyer -- Rush
Deep Cuts:
High School Confidential -- Rough Trade
Pocket Calculator -- Kraftwerk
A Promise -- Echo & the Bunnymen
Dumb Waiters -- Psychedelic Furs
Good Year for the Roses -- Elvis Costello
Worst Top 40:
More Than I Can Say -- Leo Sayer
Song of the Year:
Limelight -- Rush
Honorable Mentions:
Ain't Even Done With the Night -- John Cougar Mellencamp
No Reply at All -- Genesis
Too Fast for Love -- Motley Crue
Just the Two of Us -- Grover Washington Jr. & Bill Withers
The Voice -- Moody Blues
Feels So Right -- Alabama
Hungry Heart -- Bruce Springsteen
Who's Crying Now -- Journey
Red Barchetta -- Rush
All Touch -- Rough Trade
1 Tom Sawyer -Rush 2 Killers -Iron Maiden 3 Unchained -Van Halen 4 Burning For You -Blue Oyster Cult 5 A Woman In Love -Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 6 The English Roses -Pretenders 7 Over The Mountain -Ozzy Osbourne 8 Burn Rubber On Me -Gap Band 9 Hot Rockin' -Judas Priest 10 This Is Radio Clash -Clash 11 I Can't Stand It -Eric Clapton 12 Invisible Sun -Police 13 Abacab -Genesis. Can any future year can match '81?
BOC's Burning for You is awesome. My favorite '81 song.
In no specific order:
- Soft Cell: Tainted Love
- Adam & the Ants: Prince Charming
- Siouxsie and the Banshees: Spellbound
- Stranglers: Golden Brown
- Men At Work: Who Can It Be Now
- Kim Carnes: Bette Davis Eyes
- Pretenders: I Go To Sleep
- Ramones: The KKK Took My Baby Away
Who Can It Be Now was released and charted in the U.S. in 1982. I just want to point that out.
My #1... The Lunatics - Fun Boy Three... (Still one of my favourites by Terry Hall, I don't know if it's true but I read that this was penciled for the next 'Specials' single after 'Ghost Town'...)
The worst... Stars on 45 Medley - Stars on 45 ( Loved it at the time, hate it now)
Hot 100...
Watching The Wheels - John Lennon,
Our Lips Are Sealed : The Gogos,
Being With You - Smokey Robinson,
Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie,
Tempted - Squeeze,
Wildcards...
Joan Of Arc - OMD,
Is That Love - Squeeze,
Ghost Town - The Specials,
A Promise - Echo & The Bunnymen,
JUST MISSED OUT...
Friday Night, Saturday Morning - The Specials,
Rumble In Brighton, Stray Cay Strut - Stray Cats,
Remembrance Day - B-Movie ,
Christian - China Crisis,
Souvenir - OMD,
One In Ten - UB40,
All My Colours - Echo & The Bunnymen,
Stranglers - Golden Brown,
All Those Years Ago - George Harrison,
Ghosts, Sons Of Pioneers - Japan,
Bankrobber - The Clash
Ceremony, Everythings Gone Green - New Order, (I adore this and was a fan of Joy Division but New Order never did it for me)
Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps
A musical remnant from 1981 that didn't really see the light of day until 2007 or so: Downtown 81, a short film starring Jean Michel-Basquiat, who was also the DJ in Blondie's video for Rapture. The film Downtown 81 is on the Criterion Channel, if any of you are film buffs and are subscribed to it. Or you can watch it on RUclips. Don't watch it for the acting though, watch it for the incredible music because the movie seems like nothing more than an excuse to show what was going on in 1981 in the NYC No Wave scene in places like Club Mudd. Kid Creole and the Coconuts' version of Mister Softee is so much fun. I watch it at least once a week. You also have James Chance doing his white James Brown bit on Sax Maniac. I watch that once a week too. Arto Lindsay and DNA. Suicide's Cheree over the closing credits. Coati Mundi. A cameo by Tav Falco. Such fun stuff!
Went with "Since You're Gone" on the vote. The others were strong contenders (toughest choice yet, and 1979 was pretty tough). You guys are right in that every part on that song is just really cool in it's own way. My favorite lyric was always, "Since you're gone, the moonlight ain't so great."