Sunday, March 29, 2009

Music Meme: 1986

Continuing my list of favorite albums from every year I've been alive.

1986

A-Ha: Scoundrel Days



I resisted picking this one for the year because I didn't want to choose the same band for two years in a row. "Keep it interesting," I thought. I tried plugging Music from the Edge of Heaven and Please into the top spot, but as much as I like those albums and Wham! and Pet Shop Boys in general, I just don't like them as much as this. In fact, song-for-song Scoundrel Days is even a better collection than Hunting High and Low.

Wish I could find the original video for this song, but oh well. Here it is live.



Runners up:
Belinda Carlisle: Belinda
Pet Shop Boys: Please
Pretty in Pink soundtrack
Prince: Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon
Poison: Look What the Cat Dragged In
R.E.M.: Lifes Rich Pageant
David Lee Roth: Eat 'Em and Smile
The Stranglers: Dreamtime
Wham!: Music from the Edge of Heaven

Singles:
The Bangles: "Walk Like an Egyptian"
Beastie Boys: "Fight for Your Right"
Berlin: "Take My Breath Away"
Blow Monkeys: "Digging Your Scene"
Chris de Burgh: "The Lady in Red"
Duran Duran: "Notorious"
Electric Light Orchestra: "Calling America"
Janet Jackson: "Nasty"
Run DMC featuring Aerosmith: "Walk This Way"

Looking at those runners up and singles, there's a lot of pop, rap, r&b, and glam rock. And the last good song from Duran Duran. I didn't know it yet, but New Wave was dying.

3 comments:

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Many disagree with me but Walk This Way with Run and Aerosmith saved Aerosmith and made rap palitable to the mainstream and white wankers like me everywhere. Why is it when two total opposite styles combine that you sometimes get gold? And no one loved ELO like I did before of course I saw Jeff Lynn on film and was freaked out beyond the capacity for rational thought.

Ryan Kelly said...

Wow, came by your blog by way of Zatanna drawing and I see you're a AHa guy too.

I listen to Scoudrel Days, literally, almost everyday. The title track and "The Swing Of Things" are one of the best 1-2 punches on any album ever, with The Swing Of Things being my fav song. the "Soft Rain Of April" is a great closing song too. They sure don't make em' like Morton Harket anymore.

Michael May said...

The title track and "The Swing Of Things" are one of the best 1-2 punches on any album ever...I so agree with that. Though I'd add that once you're knocked down by them, "I've Been Losing You" comes along and merrily jumps up and down on your chest. Those three songs together are the best three songs on pretty much any album ever.

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