I was a young man in the 1980's, deeply alienated from the charts of the day. I remember having to walk out of the TV room in my hostel when Top of the Pops was broadcast Thursday evenings. However, recently I've been warming to that decade. A lot of legends were still alive, and I think there was some great music made after all. I think there's some great music from that decade waiting for me to discover. I'd love to see some recommendations from you.

Here is my favorite forgotten song from the 1980's:

Joyce Sims - Come Into My Life

Here's another great one I only discovered this year, actually two EP's on one lo-fi classic compilation album:

Earle Mankey - Earle Mankey

I mentioned this album before in another thread:

Stacey Q - Better Than Heaven

View From The Hill - <i>In Time</i>

Long, Hot Summer - The Style Council.

The Replacements - "Johnny's Gonna Die"

Personal favorite, although much maligned by Ministry's fans:
"With Sympathy"
Violent Femmes: "Hallowed Ground"
Prince: "Lovesexy"

Going Down to Liverpool -- Katrina and the Waves
The version on Original Recordings 1983-84 is the best, although the later one and the Bangles' version are great, too. Killer song.

Marshall Crenshaw -- Field Day
His first album got all the raves, but this one is just as good.

Chris Isaak -- Chris Isaak
His best and most consistent album.

My Ever Changing Moods and Headstart for Happiness -- The Style Council
The best songs from their first full album. Long Hot Summer (mentioned earler) is pretty great, too.

The Bangles -- Different Light
People who wrote them off as a novely act because of Walk Like and Egyptian really missed the boat.

True dat. A little heavy on the echo, but "Our Town" and "One More Reason (To Cry)" are minor rock miracles.

It sneaks in at the end of the decade . . . but I've always loved

Acadie by Daniel Lanois

Single: "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Black. One last new-wave gasp from 1987 that failed to chart at all.


Album: Steve Forbert's Streets of This Town from 1988.

As an 80's freak I can name these fine releases that, at least here in the US did not become the smashes they should have been:

Asia-Astra
One of their very best, it was ahead of its time technology-wise and used the latest keyboard technology to the max (the intro of "Countdown To Zero" is the now infamous THX music). They did have a hit with "Go", but the album stalled at #67.
There was no tour as they sadly disbanded. This album remains a favorite with many Asia fans and was the last true album by the band (although Steve Howe left early in the sessions Mandy Meyer did a fantastic job on guitar). I still listen to all the time and crave a remaster!

Echo & Bunnymen-Heaven Up Here
-I love everything they've done, but this album remains a masterpiece. Even the boobs at Rolling Stone put in their Top 500. No sophomore slump with tracks like "Zimbo (All My Colours)", "A Promise", "Over The Wall" and "Show Of Strength". And they were just getting better and better as writers and players. Top 10 in the UK, it barely charted here.

Pete Townshend-All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
-Odd, intriguing, and very artsy, I love this album. So many great songs like "Stop Hurting People", "Slit Skirts", "Face Dances Part Two" (a minor hit and hilarious video) and the mini-epic "The Sea Refuses No River". Glad Pete got off drugs and created this awesome album!

X-Under The Big Black Sun
-In my opinion, their very best, but everything rules. Ray Manzarek's best production job with the band and it contains the killer song "Hungry Wolf" which I used to see on MTV all the time and introduced me to their amazing music.

Kiss-Creatures Of The Night
-Balls out Metal. Shame it didn't happen when they needed such an album, but it's still a killer effort, though the drums sound a little too big. The title track still gives me chills and Vinnie Vincent's guitar work is stellar! It did eventually go gold and got some fans back thanks to "I Love It Loud".

Van Halen-Fair Warning
-Why did people not love this as much as the first three? It kicks major amounts of ass. Worth it for "Mean Street" alone. But "Hear About It Later", "Unchained" and "Sinner's Swing" all cook too. My favorite VH effort.

Dire Straits-Love Over Gold
-One of the best produced albums of the 80s and the remaster sounds beautiful. "Telegraph Road" is one of the best epics ever written. The addition of keyboards into Dire Straits sound was a stroke of genius as they added texture and were not overbearing. "Private Investigations" became the longest song (7 minutes) to ever reach #2 in the UK singles charts. Why do I know that?

Peter Gabriel-Security
-Eerie and atmospheric, this is Gabriel's last great album in my opinion. I'll never know why he broke up this lineup (Larry Fast, Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin and David Rhodes) . At least Rhodes and Levin are still there. "San Jacinto" is stunning. Gabriel still does good work but the 1st, 3rd and this album are tops for me.

Marillion-Clutching At Straws
-The last Fish abum and the best. I still can't get over how good this album is. A bit depressing but who cares?

Pink Floyd-The Final Cut
-Talk about depressing. But I love it. Some of David Gilmour's best solos are here-probably because he was very pissed off.

Thin Lizzy-Thunder And Lightning
-Their last and their heaviest. It rocks like no tomorrow, and John Sykes injected new life into the band. The title track still makes me want to smash things!

The Cure-Pornography
-Bleak, but this is where they really became the band everyone knows.

Simple Minds-Sparkle In The Rain
-Crystal clear production (by Steve Lillywhite) and great songs that combine dance, pop, new wave and rock. "Speed Your Love To Me", "Up On The Catwalk" and "Waterfront" rule! Not sure about rhe cover of Lou Reed's "Street Hassle" though.

Roxy Music-Avalon
-Very sophisticated. Some said too easy listening, but I think it's brilliant. "More Than This", "The Space Between", "Avalon", "The Main Thing"-wow.

Tom Waits-Swordfishtrombones
-The album that introduced me to him. Demented. And incredible.

Fishbone-Truth And Soul
-They never made another great album but this one had it all-funk, punk, ska, metal, alternative. And, akiller cover of "Freddie's Dead". Great memories of college for me.

I'll also include Rainbow "Bent Out Of Shape", Golden Earring "Prisoner Of The Night", Black Sabbath "Headless Cross", Robert Plant "The Principle Of Moments", Bruce Hornsby & Range "The Way It Is", Rush "Power Windows", Iron Maiden "Piece Of Mind", Poco "Ghost Town", Uriah Heep "Abominog", The Fixx "Reach The Beach", Yes "Drama", Jethro Tull "Broadsword And The Beast", Big Country "Steeltown", "Men At Work "Cargo" and man, many more. I'm boring myself now!