# Albums which define the 1980s

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-which-define-the-1980s/983184>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** music\
**Created:** [April 25, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-which-define-the-1980s/983184 "2023-04-25T23:57:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-which-define-the-1980s/983184/61 "2023-04-26T20:00:35Z")

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> [@EinsteinsHund](#):
>
> It was released in December 1979 in the UK and January 1980 in the US.

Also, the question was about albums that define the 1980s. I didn’t see a requirement that they had to be released in the calendar 1980s.

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-which-define-the-1980s/983184/62 "2023-04-26T20:13:36Z")

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Yeah, “London Calling” was an album that certainly foreshadowed much of what happened in the 80s (and further into the 90s), especially the effortlessly blending of that many different musical styles and genres.

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**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-which-define-the-1980s/983184/63 "2023-04-26T20:38:32Z")

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> [@nightshadea](#):
>
> I cant remember the album but didn’t the pet shop boys have something like 7 or 8 top 10 hits in a row or was that just in the UK?

Don’t know the answer to your question, but yes, **The Pet Shop Boys** produced perfect pop music throughout most of the decade (and beyond), and you could pick from a number of albums, at least for the UK. **The Smiths** cover more or less the same period (though less obviously pop) and again you could choose from a number of albums.

j

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