A step down in quality from '84, but still some great stuff - Hüsker Dü, who had a double album in the last poll, continues their prolific streak with 2 albums this year (and another double coming in ‘87), and the usual critics’ darlings all make an appearance (R.E.M., The Replacements, Talking Heads, Richard Thompson). The Velvet Underground album is kind of a cheat (ETA: as is the Sam Cooke), but the list also includes the only charity record worth listening to. Myself, I’m going with the aforementioned Hüsker Dü - basically it was a coin flip between albums; both are top-shelf.
I wish they’d removed the “Baby Song” from “Flip Your Wig” and replaced it with the B-side from the single (“Love is All Around”, aka the Mary Tyler Moore theme song), but otherwise it’s a fantastic album.
Couldn’t agree more. Thankfully it’s less than a minute long.
In fact, here are a couple songs that were outtakes from '85 that would have been better than “The Baby Song”, as well.
Mellencamp.
Not being the biggest - by a long shot - fan of Hüsker Dü (I know, I know: I’m hopeless, etc.), and being of the opinion that the Talking Heads and R.E.M. entries on this list are good, if uneven … well, I sort of had to go with either Tim or Scarecrow. And while I still break Tim out every once in a while and listen to it (digging it the whole time, of course), Scarecrow remains deeply entrenched in my listening schedule all these years later.
So Scarecrow it is; I don’t care how much of an asshole John Mellencamp is personally, it’s a brilliant fucking album.
I have the same problem. I should like them, given my music sensibilities, but for whatever reason, they just haven’t yet clicked with me, although I’ve warmed up slightly over the years (and I love Bob Mould’s other work). So, for me, it was between Talking Heads and the Replacements, and, since I went with the Replacements with Let It Be, I’ll give this year’s vote to Talking Heads.
Were there not more albums on these lists, having looked them up. I was looking forward to voting the Don Henley album. I’ll have to see which to vote for.
Maybe it’s just because it is pouring outside, but I’m gonna go with Tom Waits ;). If you like his crazed-carny period in the 1980’s ( and I do ), it’s pretty much the ultimate example of that style.
Otherwise it would be three-way race between Talking Heads, Replacements and Hüsker Dü ( New Day Rising ). Replacements might take it.
Can I just say I love Sade?
I loved her stuff when it came out - easy and mellow but without a bad smooth-jazz aftertaste. 
Pretty much every album is the same, but I have more than a few.
Anybody listen to that Artists Against Apartheid album lately?
No, I didn’t think so. It doesn’t even hold up as well as the USA for Africa album.
I’ll hold my nose and vote for John Mellencamp, but again, there are numerous albums from 1985 I like better than any of these.
My favorite was probably Dire Straits’*** Brothers in Arms***, just ahead of ***Maverick *** by George Thorogood. But I’d also take:
The Hooters’ Nervous Night
Tom Petty’s Southern Accents
INXS’*** Listen Like Thieves***
I went with Talking Heads.
No Psychocandy? I went for Husker Du (New Day Rising), although I suspect there will be another opportunity or two to vote for them.
Richard Thompson
All these threads have only had the top 15 choices. I don’t want to have to do a 40 or 50-choice poll every time.
Yeah, that was the album I was looking for, as well. Seems it may have been too late in the year to make the poll - it will be on there for '86.
Went with REM. I love their earlier stuff, and that album is their best IMO.
I have. It holds up about a billion times better than USA For Africa. Aside from the single being far superior, the album tracks from Peter Gabriel, Miles Davis, Gil Scott-Heron and even Bono (with Keith Richards) are way better than the soggy Steve Perry, Pointer Sisters, Chicago and Kenny Rogers songs on We Are The World.
Thanks, forgot there was a cut-off before the year end. Hmmm, 1986 is going to be one hell of a hard choice if what I expect to be on the list is all there 
Yeah, there are some good ones on there.
Waits is it for me.