1984
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[Album 966/1001]
Of the ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die,’ 15 are from the year 1984.
I’ve reviewed all but one of them already (Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the last remaining non-reviewed album).
Which 1984 albums are the most essential to hear again?
Ranked by their essential-ness, here’s how I’d prioritize revisiting these 15 albums, enjoy!
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15. Minor Threat – Out of Step. The longest tracks were the standouts.
14. Youssou N’Dour – Immigrés. His vocals on In Your Eyes should help propel Peter Gabriel’s So toward the top of the 1986 list.
13. Cocteau Twins – Treasure. I chose option ‘a)’ below when exploring Cocteau Twins albums (after previously enjoying Heaven or Las Vegas) and I’m pleased to report, no diminishing returns!
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12. Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Welcome to the Pleasuredome.
Years ago, I found a copy of Welcome to the Pleasuredome in the wild.
When I opened it, I saw it had the name “MILES” in ALL-CAPS.
I recognised the handwriting immediately as that of one of my colleagues!
11. The Style Council – Café Bleu &/or My Ever Changing Moods Doors. With different track lists, depending on region and listening format (cassette vs. LP)
10. Sade – Diamond Life. Smooth is an understatement.
9. Tina Turner – Private Dancer. Any old music will do.
8. Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime. Is both my kind of album and my kind of album name!
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7. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Rattlesnakes. A top 10 album from the year and also a contender for a top 10 backup band names list.
6. The Replacements – Let it Be. I think I might prefer this to its namesake 1970 Beatles album.
5. Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA. My album review #4 out of 1001, also Bruce’s 4th of 5 on the list.
4. Van Halen – 1984. I brought my pencil!
3. Run DMC – Run DMC. Their first of a pair on the list.
2. Echo & The Bunnymen – Ocean Rain.
1. Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain.
In the battle of the 1984 ‘Rain’ albums, Prince emerges victorious!
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Verbalize the Positive
Happy November to all – trick or treating was fun last night!
1001albumsin10years 
Huh, I didn’t know that ‘Born in the U.S.A’ was from 1984. I thought it was younger that.
I’m finding that with a lot of these albums, I still think of 1990 as being 10 years ago or so – apparently that’s not the case!
Oh gosh! And it’s 2021 now! Time is flying by fast.
Great review of the 1984 album. lol Love it!
The ‘gimme somethin’ to write on’ is among my favourite DLR lines!
Cool on the “MILES” find. What are the odds? I only have two of these, Van Halen and Prince.
It was funny talking to them about it after I’d found it – apparently, a decade or so before, they’d gotten rid of their record collection. And then years later, the person they’d given their records to had done the same, and I ended up finding it at the local flea market!
You should’ve bought a lottery ticket that same day.
Not much this year, huh? I think the 1984 Let It Be is indisputably better than the 1970 one. Not thrilled by Run DMC as an album artist, even though the singles are great.
To paraphrase a Smiths tune, Some (years) are bigger than others – there’s some big mid-90s ones on the horizon!
I don’t think they dealt with the recent stuff so well – it’s easier to tell what the best albums are with the benefit of hindsight. Husker Du’s Zen Arcade is one 1984 album I would have included.
And I haven’t seen all of the more recent editions of the list, but I gather many of the post-2000 albums have been replaced to make room for even more recent albums.
Sometimes it’s one by the same artist (Hail to the thief is out, In Rainbows is in) but others just didn’t have the durability that maybe was anticipated when the first book was made in 2005.
Replace Echo with Minutemen and I’ll take your Top 5!
And they didn’t miss the Top 5 by much, solid album (and album title)!
It’s an excellent record for so many reasons!