# Best Pazz & Jop Critics Poll Album 1980 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421 "2014-11-23T18:45:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/1 "2014-11-23T18:45:14Z")
We’re into the '80s now, and hopefully these lists will prove it wasn’t just a decade of disposable synth pop and overproduced robotic r&b. I count at least 5 albums on this list that were released in '79, which in a way is too bad - I would have voted for _Entertainment!_ if it had been on that list without a second thought; I’m still voting for it here, because it’s one of the greatest albums of all time IMO, but it sucks to have to pick it over so many great albums that actually came out in 1980 like _Get Happy!!_ and _Dirty Mind_ and _Remain in Light_. Much as I love _London Calling_, it was more a roots move (admittedly great), while these other albums were more forward-looking. And I consider _Off The Wall_ MJ’s strongest album, so the whole list is almost an impossible choice. Still, _Entertainment!_ it is for me. It will be fun to see how everyone votes on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/2 "2014-11-23T18:50:18Z")
_Empty Glass_. No contest. One of Pete’s best solo albums, and it’s such a wild deviation from what he’d been doing with the Who. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/3 "2014-11-23T18:52:20Z")
Jesus H. Christ - that list is damn near perfect. Each new one was like “Oh THAT one”… Can’t vote but one of the best lists ever… ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/4 "2014-11-23T18:53:39Z")
Oh, if anyone was wondering, the Peter Gabriel album on this list is the melting face cover album (the one with “Games Without Frontiers” and “Biko”). Some other great albums that made the list but not the top 15 were The Feelies, _Crazy Rhythms_; X, _Los Angeles_; The English Beat, _I Just Can’t Stop It_; Joy Division, _Closer_; Squeeze, _Argybargy_ and the first Specials album. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/5 "2014-11-23T18:55:09Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Jesus H. Christ - that list is damn near perfect. Each new one was like “Oh THAT one”… > > Can’t vote but one of the best lists ever… Wait - why can’t you vote? We need all the music geek votes we can get in these things! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/6 "2014-11-23T18:55:41Z")
Holy Christ, I’d forgotten how good these years were. It’s ridiculous to think of best albums in a year like this… 1. The Clash: London Calling 2. Talking Heads: Remain in Light 3. Pretenders: Pretenders 4. Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Get Happy!! 5. Gang Of Four: Entertainment! 6. Peter Townshend: Empty Glass 7. Rockpile: Seconds Of Pleasure …but I have to go with The Clash because of how much it meant to me. Still, i was lucky enough to see the Remain in Light tour, and the Heads with Adrian Belew lasted in my memory for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/7 "2014-11-23T19:00:01Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Oh, if anyone was wondering, the Peter Gabriel album on this list is the melting face cover album (the one with “Games Without Frontiers” and “Biko”). Some other great albums that made the list but not the top 15 were The Feelies, _Crazy Rhythms_; X, _Los Angeles_; The English Beat, _I Just Can’t Stop It_; Joy Division, _Closer_; Squeeze, _Argybargy_ and the first Specials album. XTC, _Black Sea_; Dead Kennedys, _Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables_. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/8 "2014-11-23T19:01:13Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > XTC, _Black Sea_; Dead Kennedys, _Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables_. Undoubtedly - neither of those made the critics’ poll list, though (which seems odd in the case of XTC). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/9 "2014-11-23T19:01:34Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Wait - why can’t you vote? We need all the music geek votes we can get in these things! I can’t imagine NOT voting for Prince, Peter Gabriel or The Pretenders alone - let alone the other love I have for so many others. I mean, I love Rockpile, fercrissake… Picking one would feel like a betrayal to the others, and I am a big enough geek that I couldn’t do that…and I can’t believe I just typed that. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/10 "2014-11-23T19:05:15Z")
Oh, I get it, but the whole idea of these polls is that it’s going to be a Sophie’s Choice. There’s no way I could pick one of these over the others in my actual life, but it’s a fun experiment here on the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/11 "2014-11-23T19:07:06Z")
Yeah, that’s a pretty awesome list. I’m torn between _London Calling_ and _Remain in Light_ for the top slot, but almost the entire group are pretty worthy. I talked up The Clash album last list, so I guess I’ll go with them - it’s not been often you run across double albums that are truly worthy of being double albums. It wouldn’t work with _Sandinista_ ( which should have been a single powerful disc IMHO ), but here it does. Sheer volume of quality material gets them the win. ETA: > [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Some other great albums that made the list but not the top 15 were The Feelies, _Crazy Rhythms_; X, _Los Angeles_; The English Beat, _I Just Can’t Stop It_; Joy Division, _Closer_; Squeeze, _Argybargy_ and the first Specials album. Man, what a great year for music. I’ve been listening to my Feelies albums again recently - just great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/12 "2014-11-23T19:10:46Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I mean, I love Rockpile, fercrissake. That little riff that runs through “Pet You and Hold You”… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/13 "2014-11-23T19:11:43Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Oh, I get it, but the whole idea of these polls is that it’s going to be a Sophie’s Choice. There’s no way I could pick one of these over the others in my actual life, but it’s a fun experiment here on the boards. Then I wanna pick The (English) Beat! Seriously, I wouldn’t know which to pick - I listen to many, even most, of those albums regularly. I am not a huge Springsteen guy but deeply respect the River. Off the Wall is MJ’s best and he deserves respect. Pete and Empty Glass is brilliant… Just an embarrassment of excellence… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/14 "2014-11-23T19:14:35Z")
In the absence of Joy Division and The Specials, I’m voting for PIL - but it’s a very strong year again. I could never get on with Gang of Four though. They’re the sort of thing I normally like, but they’ve never clicked with me. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/15 "2014-11-23T19:51:28Z")
Hm. I just noticed that, starting in '79, there was also a Pazz & Jop singles poll. Maybe after I’m done with all these other polls I’ll do those. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/16 "2014-11-23T20:04:33Z")
A great selection, but Talking Heads still stand out a mile for me. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/17 "2014-11-23T20:05:05Z")
As I thought, this year I stop voting for Elvis. _Get Happy!!_ was a very enjoyable album–I quite like it–but _Remain in Light_ is just superb. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/18 "2014-11-23T20:09:19Z")
Michael Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/19 "2014-11-23T20:34:17Z")
Mine’s the first vote for _Dirty Mind_ (as it should be). Were it not on this list, it’d be a battle-to-the-death between _Remain in Light_ and _Pretenders_. And I honestly have no clue who would’ve emerged victorious. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421/20 "2014-11-23T22:25:04Z")
I chose London Calling, but this is a ridiculously top heavy list. No matter what I pick leaves far too much unchosen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1980/705421.md?page=2)