Best Album of the '80s - And the winner is ... on page 14

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

You argue for some love for metal and vote for Run-DMC over Motorhead? Philistine!

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Didn't Creosote ask that we vote via PM rather than post our ballots here?

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Oh NOES!

I may have besmirched the integrity of a vote on the best album of the 1980s!!!!!

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Yeah, I was just thinking that it would be easier for Creosote to compile all the votes if they are PMed. (I've done similar ballots on other forums and it's easier to have them in one place rather than having to comb through pages of threads.)

EDIT: What Creosote said.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

I also PMed them.

Creosote:

Master of Puppets
Ride the Lightning
Appetite for Destruction

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Looking over the brackets, I don't have a damn clue what's going to end up in the title game. That's the opposite of the TV bracket, where it was always going to be The Simpsons-Seinfeld.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

East
1 Thriller (Michael Jackson) vs. 16 Nebraska (Bruce Springsteen) -- No-brainer. I'm not passionate about Springsteen, but Nebraska is dirgy and hard-to-listen to.
8 Rhythm Nation 1814 (Janet Jackson) vs. 9 Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits) -- Don't have a strong feeling about either album.
5 1999 (Prince) vs. 12 Rain Dogs (Tom Waits) -- 1999 is great and Tom Waits is the most acquired of acquired tastes.
4 Like A Virgin (Madonna) vs. 13 Faith (George Michael) -- Personal preference. They're probably both about the same quality-wise.
6 Doolittle (Pixies) vs. 11 Pretenders (Pretenders) -- Good matchup. Could have gone either way here.
3 Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) vs. 14 Psychocandy (The Jesus and Mary Chain) -- Voted for Springsteen because it was a lot more popular.
7 Daydream Nation (Sonic Youth) vs. 10 1984 (Van Halen) -- See above, though I like Sonic Youth.
2 Raising Hell (Run-D.M.C.) vs. 15 Private Dancer (Tina Turner) -- Private Dancer was a comeback album with good songs. Raising Hell broke rap mainstream. No-brainer.

South
1 It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (Public Enemy) vs. 16 Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi) -- This is the Duke-North Carolina A&T matchup. I wish this were a real fight so I could see the SW1s come correct on Bon Jovi's sorry asses.
8 Like A Prayer (Madonna) vs. 9 Tracy Chapman (Tracy Chapman) -- If the previous matchup was Duke-NC A&T, this is that California-Virginia game no one gives a shit about.
5 Remain In Light (Talking Heads) vs. 12 The Message (Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five) -- Could have gone either way here.
4 Synchronicity (The Police) vs. 13 The Smiths (The Smiths) -- Want to know a band I hate more than Rush? The Smiths! These brackets are pretty good, my only complaint is there's way too much Brit-wimp rock on it.
6 Master of Puppets (Metallica) vs. 11 The Unforgettable Fire (U2) -- Unforgettable Fire has one really good track. Master Of Puppets is pretty strong throughout.
3 Sign O' The Times (Prince) vs. 14 She's So Unusual (Cindi Lauper) -- How did Cyndi Lauper get a 14-seed? This is an epic blowout.
7 Paid In Full (Eric B. & Rakim) vs. 10 So (Peter Gabriel) -- Both are these are rated too high.
2 Appetite For Destruction (Guns N' Roses) vs. 15 Document (R.E.M.) -- Appetite is the clear choice here.

Midwest
1 Purple Rain (Prince and the Revolution) vs. 16 Nick of Time (Bonnie Raitt) -- See Duke-NC A&T comment above.
8 Hysteria (Def Leppard) vs. 9 Closer (Joy Division) -- Hysteria sucks something fierce, but I hate Joy Division with every fiber of my being.
5 Whitesnake (Whitesnake) vs. 12 Let It Be (The Replacements) -- Whitesnake is No. 5? Tawny Kitaen wept.
4 Graceland (Paul Simon) vs. 13 King Of Rock (Run-D.M.C.) -- Graceland is the most overrated album of the 80s.
6 Paul's Boutique (Beastie Boys) vs. 11 The River (Bruce Springsteen) -- If it were my bracket, Paul's Boutique would be a No. 1 seed. Incredible album that was dismissed in its time.
3 Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A) vs. 14 Ride The Lightning (Metallica) -- Ride The Lightning as a 14-seed is a joke compared to some of the albums ahead of it. I listened to the hell out of both, but Straight Outta Compton is iconic.
7 Number Of The Beast (Iron Maiden) vs. 10 War (U2) -- I never got Iron Maiden.
2 Back In Black (AC/DC) vs. 15 Hounds Of Love (Kate Bush) -- No-brainer. Kate Bush leave me cold anyway.

West
1 The Joshua Tree (U2) vs. 16 Reign In Blood (Slayer) -- I think Joshua Tree is overrated, but its better than Slayer.
8 Radio (LL Cool J) vs. 9 Bad (Michael Jackson) -- Thriller is a cultural cornerstone. Bad is not.
5 3 Feet High and Rising (De La Soul) vs. 12 Dirty Mind (Prince) -- Somehow, I've never heard Dirty Mind, so I had to vote for what I knew.
4 The Queen Is Dead (The Smiths) vs. 13 Beauty And The Beat (The Go-Go's) -- Love the Go Go's, hate the Smiths. Easy choice.
6 The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses) vs. 11 Disintegration (The Cure) -- This list had to come from the UK. Neither of these albums deserves their seeds.
3 Murmur (R.E.M.) vs. 14 Dare! (The Human League) -- The Human League made interesting synth-pop, but I mean, c'mon.
7 Run-D.M.C. (Run-D.M.C.) vs. 10 Ace Of Spades (Motorhead) -- You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools, but that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live forever!
2 Licensed To Ill (Beastie Boys) vs. 15 Nothing's Shocking (Jane's Addiction) -- Easy choice.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

I cast my votes. Lots of upsets.
But am disappointed that three albums I would have voted for weren't in the tournament...

The Blasters - The Blasters
Sports - Huey Lewis & the News
Private Eyes - Hall & Oates
EDIT to add to other selection committee oversights:
Double Fantasy - John Lennon
High InFidelity - REO Speedwagon
Oh Mercy - Bob Dylan

Relegated to NIT status:
Escape - Journey

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

I would have had the Blasters debut going all the way to the final.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Piotr, you know you're my boy, but why complain about it or vote if you don't like it? I don't like many of the seeds or choices either, but Creosote explained what criteria was used and threw them out there. Nothing unfair or stupid about it.

He took the time. He gets to determine the criteria for a thread that will undoubtedly be really fascinating.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

Who said I didn't like it?

I expressed an opinion, same as you. Where you said "Meh, I just don't like this band" and someone else said "Don't wanna inflate Bono's ego!" I said, "Give metal some love."

It's a fun poll. And where you said "Gee, lot of British acts got a nice spike in the seedings," I said, "Why all the love for rap, and so little for metal?!"

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament

You mean John Lennon's "Double Fantasy" is relegated to the NIT?