# 1980's music. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688 "2000-08-17T04:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darqangelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@Darqangelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darqangelle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/21 "2000-08-18T10:14:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > **One thing I noticed is there is no more “bubble gum” type songs anymore. By bubble gum I mean silly little top 40 ditties that are fun to listen to and don’t have a serious message at all.** You’re kidding me, right? I’m going to encompass it into one sentence: Euro-pop-trash. Tune into any top 40 radio station in North America, and you’ll hear LOADS of the $#!t! Whigfield, Venga Boys, Hippy-Hoppy Dancey troupes (and I won’t even get into the girl & boy “bands”). Some of it is just TOO freaking happy, IMHO. BTW: Loved Men Without Hats. HATED “Pop Goes The World”. ---
**Author:** ![Tommy-Tutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@Tommy-Tutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy-Tutone)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/22 "2000-08-18T14:08:24Z")
As a lover of the one hit wonders (I think my handle gives that away), I keep a special place in my heart for: Taco Wall of VooDoo Boys Don’t Cry Men Without Hats (they actually had 2, and I LOVE ‘Pop Goes the World’) Harold Faltemeyer Tim Buk 3 Murray Head Corey Hart Nena Suzanne Vega (She had 2, and ‘Blood Feels Cold’ was terrific) Maxwell (or is it Rockwell… must… wake… up) (The fun part is letting you tell me what their hit was) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/23 "2000-08-18T16:09:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tommy-Tutone \* > \*\*Taco > Wall of VooDoo > Boys Don’t Cry > Men Without Hats (they actually had 2, and I LOVE ‘Pop Goes the World’) > Harold Faltemeyer > Tim Buk 3 > Murray Head > Corey Hart > Nena > Suzanne Vega (She had 2, and ‘Blood Feels Cold’ was terrific) > Maxwell (or is it Rockwell… must… wake… up) > > (The fun part is letting you tell me what their hit was) \*\* I’ll venture a guess, in order: Puttin’ on the Ritz Mexican Radio Yes they do Safety Dance, Pop goes the World Axel F theme Future’s so Bright One night in Bangkok Sunglasses at Night 99 Luftballoons Luca Somebodies watching me And you need to add M to that list. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/24 "2000-08-18T16:38:01Z")
This is going to sound like The Outside Line from The Onion, but: Meat Puppets, **Minutemen** and almost anything from SST. **DOA!!!** And about a thousand local bands (weren’t they all local anyway?): Big Boys\>\>Cargo Cult, Scratch Acid… and if that wasn’t enough for those of you from Texas, just list every band at every Woodshock!!! Oh yeah, the Hickoids (though I’d much rather not have even heard about the drag races :rolleyes: ), but that’s probably getting a little too local. Hey, dumb question, but is Spot up to anything nowadays? ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/25 "2000-08-18T16:46:21Z")
Just an FYI - Murray Head was(and I believe still is) a Broadway performer, who just happened to have a “crossover hit” with One Night in Bankok, from Chess. I don’t believe there’s ever been a production of Chess, anywhere, oddly. He was also Judas in the original London cast of JC Superstar. But I know way too much about a lot of 80’s music acts. I have too much fun with most of the acts Michi mentioned…although I _hated_ Men without Hats. And I notice no one’s yet mentioned any of the 80s rap acts: Grandmaster Flash & Mel E Mel Run DMC Public Enemy… LOL White girl strikes again! I can’t think of any others. And I’m going to see Duran at the HOB at the end of this month. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sea\_Sloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Sea\_Sloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sea_Sloth)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/26 "2000-08-18T17:38:23Z")
Bronski Beat!!! English Beat!!! Echo and the Bunny Men!!! Fine Young Cannibals!!! oh, those were the days… ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/27 "2000-08-18T18:49:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > Hey, take that back. 80’s rock, new wave, and even thier pop music was better than it is today. I don’t like modern pop, but back then, pop bands like Wham made good music, even Paula Abdul pretty good. And we didn’t have crapy teeny bopers like Britny Spears, N’Sync, 38 Degrees, Christina Agulara, BackStreat Boys, and so on. Yeah, we had Debbie Gibson and Tiffany, but they weren’t so bad. Ok, so there were the New Kids On The Block…Yeeeaachhhhhh!!! > Anyway, with a few exceptions (like NKOTB), the 80’s made you feel good and produced good music. So there! \*\* Sorry **Joel** but I can’t take it back. Is my humble opinion and it aint about to change. I find the entire decade (with a few notable exceptions) lacking in creativity, innovation, and integrity. The whole music business was contrived and centered around making a buck. In many ways it’s worse in the 90’s and today, but at least now more and more independant record labels are allowing artists to have a voice. IMHO ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/28 "2000-08-19T11:03:59Z")
I disagree Moe, the 1980s were a brilliant decade for independent labels - and back then, they were **genuinely** independent, not bankrolled by the majors as so many are today. Put me on a desert island with nothing but the 80s catalogues of Postcard, Creation, Cherry Red, Rough Trade, and Factory records, and I’ll be a happy camper … ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/29 "2000-08-19T11:07:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tommy-Tutone \* > As a lover of the one hit wonders (I think my handle gives that away), I keep a special place in my heart for: > > [snip] > Suzanne Vega (She had 2, and ‘Blood Feels Cold’ was terrific) > [/snip] > > (The fun part is letting you tell me what their hit was) Do you mean **Blood Makes Noise**? I had the cassette single of that one. It had **Luka** , **Marlena On The Wall** and **Tom’s Diner** as the B-side. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/30 "2000-08-19T11:20:43Z")
Wang Chung! Wang Chung! ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/31 "2000-08-19T14:09:53Z")
> [@](#): > > When I hear music that those 80’s rock/metal bands are making now, it sounds fairly crappy. Take the last Blue Oyster Cult album, it was very poor. . . > > * * * > > I didn’t even know that Blue Oyster Cult was still togeather I would hardly classify them as an 80s band anyway. Although they had a MTV hit with “Burning for You” in 1981 and “Shooting Shark” in 1983 (the _Club Ninja_ album with single “Dancing in the Ruins” was DOA in 1986), B.O.C. was very much a 70s band. Allen Lanier already had the band going when he was dating Patti Smith in the early 70s. Nearly all of their best (and best-known) songs come from albums released between 1972 and 1978. ---
**Author:** ![Kiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/32 "2000-08-19T14:29:23Z")
Is no one going to mention all the “hair bands” from the 80s? I _love_ 80s music, especially the hair bands. Skid Row, Motley Crue, Poison, Cinderella, Ratt, Slaughter, Twisted Sister, Faster Pussycat… I could go on and on. I just went to a concert a couple months ago and saw Slaughter, Dokken, Cinderella, and Poison and it was awesome!!! The shit music they have now I can definitely live without. I miss the Headbanger’s Ball and all the music videos that Mtv **used** to show. I have to resort to watching all the videos that I taped 10-15 years ago because there’s nothing worth watching on Mtv anymore! ---
**Author:** ![Nekochan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@Nekochan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nekochan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/33 "2000-08-19T15:42:48Z")
Let’s not forget… Book of Love Joy Division The Smiths Siouxsie and the Banshees Roxy Music Spandau Ballet The Cult OMD New Order ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/34 "2000-08-20T04:48:58Z")
Our house was broken into a few weeks ago, and the thieves stole a bunch of CD’s. But they missed my 80’s compilations ones 🙂 –tygre ---
**Author:** ![sliv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@sliv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sliv)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2000, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/35 "2000-08-20T06:49:35Z")
I, too, am, like, totally into the 80s thing. (And, apparently, commas.) I’m listening to the Fine Young Cannibals best of right now, and I’ve just finished listening to the entire XTC ouvre. I collect one-hit-wonders from the eighties – its fun to find out who’s still recording. Gary Numan is still touring, for heaven’s sake. (His latest album sounds nothing like his earlier work). Nekochan- I have almost complete collections of most of those artists. (Well, except for Roxy Musci who, for some reason, I can never find used, and the Cult, who never pumped my nads. So to speak.) However, I have few kind words for the hair bands of the later eighties. I purse my lips and level a steely gaze over my pence-nez at them! I waggle a disapproving finger! (OK, I can understand enjoying the cheese factor, but anything more than that…shudder). And SoMoMom, it’s “gag me with a spoon”, not “myself”. Just in case you need to use this handy phrase in a business meeting or something. You never know. What collections are people using? I like the “Living in Oblivion” five disk set. I’ve also got five of the “Just Can’t Get Enough” collection. I’ve also got a few of the English “A Kick up the Eighties” collections. It’s actually something of a challenge for me to find a collection that doesn’t completley overlap what I already have. ---
**Author:** ![SoMoMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SoMoMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoMoMom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/36 "2000-08-21T13:37:19Z")
Sliv, note the “;)” following the statement. Duh! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/37 "2000-08-21T17:09:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nekochan \* > \*\*Let’s not forget… > > Book of Love > Joy Division > The Smiths > Siouxsie and the Banshees > Roxy Music > Spandau Ballet > The Cult > OMD > New Order \*\* **Nekochan,** Get out of my head, you freak! I also love Aztec Camera, Echo and the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, the Cure. I was lucky enough to grow up near Canada, so I heard some pretty good radio in the 80s. Our Canadian friends will remember Platinum Blonde, the Spoons, the Parachute Club, 8 Seconds, Chalk Circle, Gowan, etc. **Sliv,** My favorite compilation set is “New Wave Hits of the 80s”. It’s got some fairly obscure tracks. It’s the only place I’ve seen Sparks on a compilation. **Tommy Tutone,** Check out [Strib.com](http://Strib.com) for one hit wonders. We have media player and I listen to [strib.com](http://strib.com) a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Tommy-Tutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@Tommy-Tutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommy-Tutone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/38 "2000-08-21T17:25:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dogsbody \* > \*\*Just an FYI - > Murray Head was(and I believe still is) a Broadway performer, who just happened to have a “crossover hit” with One Night in Bankok, from Chess. > > I don’t believe there’s ever been a production of Chess, anywhere, oddly. > \*\* It took over a decade, but Chess performed here in Atlanta not too long ago. It was part of a nationwide tour I think, so everyone has a chance to see it (I was unable to get away… sigh). And Public Enemy has a special place in my heart after hearing them perform with Anthrax for ‘Bring the Noise’ =) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/39 "2000-08-21T17:51:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Put me on a desert island with nothing but the 80s catalogues of Postcard, Creation, Cherry Red, Rough Trade, and Factory records, and I’ll be a happy camper I agree **ruadh** , but you left out **I.R.S.** ---
**Author:** ![Merlot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688/40 "2000-08-21T20:11:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Black12 \* > **Soft Cell (ok, don’t tell me you don’t dig "Tainted Love** Speaking of _Songs that make you change the radio station_… 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1980s-music/29688.md?page=3)