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My (13 year old-almost 14) son recently "discovered" 80's tunes... (Original Post) ScreamingMeemie May 2012 OP
1978 to about 1987 is the best period for top-40, IMO. Systematic Chaos May 2012 #1
I agree and wish OriginalGeek May 2012 #2
I was one of those weird kids in high school who liked both Iron Maiden and Duran Duran. Systematic Chaos May 2012 #5
I'm glad I got to see Iron Maiden in their prime OriginalGeek May 2012 #7
Seemed like this song was constantly on the radio in '79 taterguy May 2012 #3
I was 10 and I loved this! Systematic Chaos May 2012 #6
Pet Shop Boys...Greatest Hits.... PassingFair May 2012 #4

Systematic Chaos

(8,601 posts)
1. 1978 to about 1987 is the best period for top-40, IMO.
Tue May 1, 2012, 12:21 AM
May 2012

Anything and everything could chart because the record companies were trying to lock onto the "next big thing."

We had New Wave, a second British Invasion, progressive rock bands trying their luck with brilliant pop songs, disco giving way to funk and R&B, and even some country crossover which wasn't that bad. And all of it was done without pitch correction and little to no sampling until the end of that period.

1969 was as good a time to be born as the early 50s when kids grew up with the Beatles and the Stones.

OriginalGeek

(12,132 posts)
2. I agree and wish
Tue May 1, 2012, 12:26 AM
May 2012

I had paid more attention to things outside my narrow definition of "good music" at the time. I bet I could have seen a lot of bands live then that I will never get to see now - Men at Work, Talking Heads, XTC, etc... I was mostly into metal at that time so I ignored tons of fantastic music that I deeply regret missing.

Nobody's fault but mine though...

Systematic Chaos

(8,601 posts)
5. I was one of those weird kids in high school who liked both Iron Maiden and Duran Duran.
Tue May 1, 2012, 11:15 AM
May 2012


The stoners and the preppies both laughed at me for liking the others' music. And then along about 1983 I started getting into prog and spending all my money I earned doing whatever work I could find either at K-Mart or Zody's buying Atari games for $3 when the video game market crashed, or piles of music at the local record store.

Damn, I miss those days.

OriginalGeek

(12,132 posts)
7. I'm glad I got to see Iron Maiden in their prime
Tue May 1, 2012, 03:07 PM
May 2012

but I wish I had gone to see Duran Duran too...

But I did work with a guy who sang in a band at night and I went to a bar once to watch his band and they did Hungry Like The Wolf. He liked Iron Maiden and Duran Duran too - I have to give him credit for at least prying that door open a little bit - he was a great guy and taught me I didn't have to follow in lock-step with my metal-only friends.




taterguy

(29,582 posts)
3. Seemed like this song was constantly on the radio in '79
Tue May 1, 2012, 07:33 AM
May 2012

"Oh Christ, he's even combing his hair" is one of my all-time favorite Top 40 lyrics


Systematic Chaos

(8,601 posts)
6. I was 10 and I loved this!
Tue May 1, 2012, 11:24 AM
May 2012

I've checked the yearly Billboard Hot 100 charts for every year from my birth up until when top-40 went to shit in 1989, and the years 1979-1985 have a grand total of about 6 or 7 shitty songs for the entire time period.

I think the absolute most dog-ass one of all is "I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene. And Charlie Daniel's hyper-patriotic anthem about "God Bless America Again" or what the fuck ever is a close second.

PassingFair

(22,434 posts)
4. Pet Shop Boys...Greatest Hits....
Tue May 1, 2012, 07:58 AM
May 2012

In the side door compartment of the Cube.

He'll have to suck it up, but it includes a light show.

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