Top Ten Albums From My Youth | OH the 1980s

A high school friend of mine posted a list of her favorite albums from her childhood on Facebook and it sent me into a frenzy of nostalgia!  I decided to attempt to make a list of my own.  It was hard but fun!

This list will certainly emphasize my age but I know there are some other folks out their that will jam to this music.  Most of these I still recognize as really really great albums and they are in no particular order.  Join me on this musical trip to the 1980s...

1) Duran Duran  - Rio (1982)

I was a HUGE Duranie as a kid (if you're wondering I was a Simon LeBon devotee) and a big fan of British musicians in general (you'll probably pick up on that in the list).  In fact, all these British musicians that made it huge in the U.S. were referred to as the Second British Invasion (the first being led by The Beatles).  My favorite song from this album was probably Save a Prayer and the video typifies their early videos which were famously set in gorgeous locales (Sri Lanka I believe in this one).

 2) Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983)

As I said. Duranie.  My favorite from this album was New Moon on Monday and it featured probably my favorite video of theirs as well (though Wild Boys was pretty out there and cool).  I mean, of COURSE freedom fighters would have such brilliantly coiffed hair, right?  At one point there are even light sabers.

3) The Police  - Synchronicity (1983)

Second only to Duran Duran was The Police and Sting so they get two spots as well.  Their music is great because it's so straight forward - bass, guitar, drum maybe a keyboard.  My favorite from this album is probably Wrapped Around Your Finger  - I love when, briefly, 2/3rds through the song, it briefly loses the dreamy quality and gets fierce and then fades back down. "I will turn your face to alabaster....when you find your servant is your master." This is a great one but I love so many songs from this album!  

4) Sting  - Nothing Like The Sun (1987)

Honestly, The Dream of the Blue Turtles should be on here as well but I'm trying to keep Sting and Duran Duran from completely taking over the list.  These were the first two of Sting's solo albums and while I've loved all of his newer stuff too, these are still my favorites. Fragile has to be my favorite song from this album.

And because I can't help it, I must include the video of Moon Over Bourbon Street from The Dream of the Blue Turtles.  I was a huge Anne Rice fan at the time and went GAGA over this song.  It is a song from the perspective of Louis from Interview with a Vampire.

5) Dexy's Midnight Runners - Too Rye Ay (1982)

Everybody knows the song Come On Eileen - It was Dexy's only big U.S. hit and boy was it a hit.  While, I do love that song and its probably my favorite from this album, I actually really LOVE the rest of the album too.  It's got so many great songs.  To feature one of the other excellent songs here's Plan B.  Kevin Rowlnad stirred up such complicated and passionate feelings in my pre-adolescent heart.

6) The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come (1987)

Oh Morrissey.  Such angst.  Such peppy beats.  I love, truly love every song on this album.  How could you not want to bop along to Girlfriend in a Coma or gleefully sing along to Unhappy Birthday. Most people think The Queen is Dead is the best Smiths album but I don't know if it's when it came out or what, this album just spoke to my angsty, snarky teenaged heart.  "I've come to wish you an unhappy birthday, 'cause you're evil and you lied. And if you should die...I may feel slightly sad but I won't cry."  Don't ever hold back M.

7) Madonna - Like a Virgin (1984)

I'm finally leaving the U.K.!  I was such a huge fan of Madonna as a young 'un.  My love for this album has perhaps not persisted as much as the albums above but boy did I listen to it nonstop as a 12 year old. I think Dress You Up is probably my favorite song from the album.

8) Michael Jackson  - Thriller (1982)

Best pop album of all time?  I think it may be.  At least 6 of the 9 songs on the album were HUGEMONGOUS hits.  Of course the featured song and video has to be Thriller.  Michael does a pretty great acting job actually!

9) Crowded House - Temple of the Low Men (1988)

You don't still hear much from this Aussie group anymore but I loved them and this album is one of my favorites of all time, not just from my youth.  I love every track but I think Better Be Home Soon is my favorite. 

But I also have to feature Love This Life because its pretty perfect too.

10) INXS - Kick (1987)

My friends and I were so completely obsessed with this album and INXS.  The song I have to feature from it is Never Tear Us Apart which we sang, very melodramatically, at the top of our lungs every time it came on.  Good times.

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Okay, that was super fun for me!  So fun I may do Albums 11-20 next week.  So how about you?  Do you love or loathe the 80s? What's a few of your favorite albums from your youth?