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

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

Bullshit. Had a roommate who was obsessed with them. Since he was in deep self-loathing mode, it was the perfect soundtrack for him at the time and made me miserable too.

 

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

East
16 Nebraska (Bruce Springsteen) - although Thriller was a smash with some great songs on it, I love Nebraska more. The stories told with just a guitar, all recorded in one day in a home studio trumps Thriller.
9 Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits) - Matter of taste, I like Dire Straits more than Janet Jackson.
12 Rain Dogs (Tom Waits) - A tough one, lots of great rock on Prince's disc, I like this one a little bit more.
4 Like A Virgin (Madonna) - The material girl will trump George Michael everytime.
11 Pretenders (Pretenders) - Once again, a matter of taste.
3 Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) - The album that made me a Bruce fan. How can I vote against it?
10 1984 (Van Halen) - Personal taste.
2 Raising Hell (Run-D.M.C) - Although Tina had some great songs on her comeback LP, Run-DMC's is better.

South
16 Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi) - a matter of personal taste.
8 Like A Prayer (Madonna) - although Tracy Chapman has some good songs on her album, she's an acquired taste I haven't fully acquired, so the vote goes to Madonna.
12 The Message (Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five) - Not much of a talking heads fan, so decided to go with the beginnings of rap.
4 Synchronicity (The Police) - Don't like The Smiths.
11 The Unforgettable Fire (U2) - Don't like Metallica.
3 Sign O' The Times (Prince) - Like Prince better.
10 So (Peter Gabriel) - Although I don't like Genesis, Peter Gabriel, or Phil Collins, I never heard of the album this was against.
15 Document (R.E.M.) - Hate GnR

Midwest
1 Purple Rain (Prince and the Revolution) - lots of great stuff on Bonnie's album, but more great stuff here.
8 Hysteria (Def Leppard) - Personal taste.
12 Let It Be (The Replacements) - don't like Whitesnake.
4 Graceland (Paul Simon) - personal taste
11 The River (Bruce Springsteen) - like I'm going to vote for rap over Bruce <g>
3 Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A) - like Metallica less than NWA
10 War (U2) - personal taste
2 Back In Black (AC/DC) - personal taste

West
1 The Joshua Tree (U2) - personal taste
9 Bad (Michael Jackson) - personal taste
12 Dirty Mind (Prince) - personal taste
13 Beauty And The Beat (The Go-Go's) - personal taste
6 The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses) - basically a coin toss between two bands I don't care for.
3 Murmur (R.E.M.) - like R.E.M. better than Don't You Want Me
7 Run-D.M.C. (Run-D.M.C.) - don't like Motorhead
2 Licensed To Ill (Beastie Boys) - don't like Jane's Addicition

 

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

East
16 Nebraska (Bruce Springsteen)
9 Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits)
5 1999 (Prince)
4 Like A Virgin (Madonna)
11 Pretenders (Pretenders)
3 Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen)
10 1984 (Van Halen)
15 Private Dancer (Tina Turner)

South
16 Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi)
9 Tracy Chapman (Tracy Chapman)
5 Remain In Light (Talking Heads)
4 Synchronicity (The Police)
6 Master of Puppets (Metallica)
14 She's So Unusual (Cindi Lauper)
10 So (Peter Gabriel)
2 Appetite For Destruction (Guns N' Roses)

Midwest
1 Purple Rain (Prince and the Revolution)
8 Hysteria (Def Leppard)
5 Whitesnake (Whitesnake)
4 Graceland (Paul Simon)
11 The River (Bruce Springsteen)
14 Ride The Lightning (Metallica)
10 War (U2)
2 Back In Black (AC/DC)

West
1 The Joshua Tree (U2)
8 Radio (LL Cool J)
12 Dirty Mind (Prince)
13 Beauty And The Beat (The Go-Go's)
11 Disintegration (The Cure)
3 Murmur (R.E.M.)
10 Ace Of Spades (Motorhead)
15 Nothing's Shocking (Jane's Addiction)

 

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

Really hoping "personal taste" doesn't become the most popular reason for why a vote is cast a certain way.

 

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

If Chuck Klosterman is to be believed, that means you hate Mexicans. Nice going, Pat Buchanan.

 

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

Could be worse. My deep self-loathing college roommate was obsessed with The Doors. Hell, I'd play The Smiths to lighten the mood.

 

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

To me it's a legitimate factor because if you're asking someone to pick which album is best by two artists/bands, one they like and one they don't like, then someone is more likely to vote for the one they like.

 

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

That's a brutal matchup. Could be a final 8, final four match.

And let me go on vinyl record, that the best REM album, Life's Rich Pageant isn't represented, although I'm not surprised.

Also agree with your comment about Pyromania. That should be on here.

On the plus side, I like Joshua Tree's chances. And 1984 seems like a high seed poised for a deep run.

 

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

I think Pyromania is the most glaring omission of the "rock" bands

There's way too many examples of albums that critics liked a lot more than the general public did.

 

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

The general public thinks LMFAO is wonderful.

The general public can suck it.

 

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

I will say this for Metallica and its seedings.

Other than hardcore metalheads, the masses didn't listen to Metallica in the 80s. There were a significant amount of people who didn't know who the hell Metallica were back then. So, in that sense, the seedings are somewhat accurate if their attempt is to capture attitudes of the time.

Most people listened to Master Of Puppets, et al, later on when the band became more popular from the time of the Monsters Of Rock tour/One video onward.

(Not all, I know, I know, don't bombard me with your tales of listening to Ride The Lightning back in '84)

And I agree that Pyromania is a glaring omission. So is INXS Kick, which was a hugely-popular album. So are several from the early 80s. So are soft-rock schlock that was popular like Lionel Richie's Can't Slow Down.

 

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

I'm actually really impressed/glad that you didn't cite The Black Album as Metallica's initial popularity spike.

I'm well aware that the early adopters of Metallica were not legion.

But, regarding seedings: if the list is about what are now viewed as the great albums of the time, then while the impact of rap albums done by Run DMC, the Beastie Boys and NWA are respected, then an album that was seminal in the metal genre like Reign in Blood or Master of Puppets (holy crap, 1986 was a great year for the genre) should also receive its due.

I'm not a fan of the Beastie Boys. At all. But I appreciate their impact, and that will affect my vote.