# Best Pazz & Jop Critics Poll Album 1981 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608 "2014-11-25T16:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **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 25, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/1 "2014-11-25T16:58:28Z")
Not nearly as strong a year as 1980, but still plenty to choose from. For me it was a toss-up between the punk/rockabilly of X, the pure pop of Elvis Costello and The Go-Go’s, and the post-punkish Psychedelic Furs. In the end I went with the Furs just because of the memories I have associated with the album. It’s also nice to see Human Switchboard make the list, though I doubt it will get any votes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/2 "2014-11-25T17:42:04Z")
Yeah, interesting, after how insane 1980 was to choose from, there’s actually not too much here I listen to today. I’ll go for the fun Go-Go’s album in this one. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/3 "2014-11-25T18:01:32Z")
I went for Squeeze. ---
**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 25, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/4 "2014-11-25T18:37:50Z")
I almost chose Squeeze, but in the end, I had to go with _Controversy_. ---
**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 25, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/5 "2014-11-25T18:40:53Z")
I’ll go with X. I don’t listen to them much anymore, but I played that album into the ground once upon a day. Prince would probably be my second choice. ---
**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 25, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/6 "2014-11-25T19:10:50Z")
I could have chosen Elvis or Squeeze, but I went with X. Great albums, all. As for the list overall, much weaker than the previous four years IMO. ---
**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 25, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/7 "2014-11-25T20:25:33Z")
Kind of surprised _Controversy_ has the most votes so far. I’m a huge Prince fan, but aside from the title track and “Do Me, Baby”, I find it a pretty pro forma album from the man. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/8 "2014-11-25T21:18:45Z")
I went with the Go-Go’s. I hadn’t heard of them until they opened for The Police at the old Capital Center in early 1982, and they absolutely rocked. Immediately went out and bought the album, and then of course they were all over the airwaves. Can’t think of the winter of 1982 without their music running through my head. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/9 "2014-11-25T22:46:00Z")
For me, it came down to Squeeze, the Go-Gos, the Clash, or the Psychedelic Furs. (I actually haven’t heard the whole Furs album, but I just heard them on a podcast of that “Sound Opinions” radio show, and remembered how I dig their sound). Went with Squeeze. That’s some well-crafted Britpop there, burying that sweet spot between New Wave, early Beatlesque rock’n’roll, and wry Brit tunesmithing in the vein of the Kinks, the Jam, and some Elvis Costello. ---
**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 25, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-pazz-jop-critics-poll-album-1981/705608/10 "2014-11-25T23:29:19Z")
I think I’m supposed to go with Squeeze, but in the end still think “Trust” is the best of these albums. “Wild Gift” was a big favorite for a while, but all the songs have a certain sameness.