A fun diversion: The case for 1984

My wife posted a video reviewing great music from 1984. I’ve long held this was the greatest music year of my generation, but was stunned at the video’s list. It prompted me to do some homework, and so below is the evidence to make my case: 1984 was the greatest year for pop music in at least 17 years (1967 was a pretty great year), and probably the best single year in the 33 years since.

First, you need a little background music. Put this on shuffle, and then keep reading…

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/02AvXrFaXso8an3GI4yZax?si=JkGfyLrvRwqCgDbXxGYOzQ

Defining Albums

I start with the albums, all of these released in 1984, and all of which are considered the peak of that artist’s success. Not every record was necessarily their artistic best, but in all cases, it was a pivotal record for the band.

• Prince — Purple Rain
• Michael Jackson — Thriller
• Madonna — Like a Virgin (not her best album, but this is the one that made her a superstar)
• Bruce Springsteen — Born in the USA (BTW, the first CD ever made in the US)
• The Smiths — Hatful of Hollow
• The Cars — Heartbeat City
• Culture Club — Colour by Numbers
• Van Halen — 1984
• Ratt — Out of the Cellar
• Scorpions — Love at First Sting
• Thompson Twins — Into the Gap
• Huey Lewis — Sports
• Chicago — 17 (still their best selling album)
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood — Welcome to the Pleasuredome
• Echo and the Bunnymen — Ocean Rain
• Bryan Adams — Reckless
• Tina Turner — Private Dancer
• Human League — Hysteria
• Alphaville — Forever Young
• Talking Heads — Stop Making Sense
• Wham — Make it Big
• Depeche Mode — Some Great Reward: not their biggest seller, but it was their breakthrough to the mainstream.
• OMD — Junk Culture: ditto.
• U2 — Unforgettable Fire: I know, it’s supposed to be the Joshua Tree, but this is a better album, IMO, and was their US breakthrough with “Pride”.

Here are a few more that aren’t technically from 1984 but are close enough to include.

• Phil Collins — Against All Odds was released, but more importantly, he wrote No Jacket Required during 84.
• Cyndi Lauper — She’s So Unusual was released at the end of 1983, but all the singles were released in 84.
• Billy Joel — An Innocent Man was released in late 83, with most of its singles released in 84.
• The Police — Released their final single, King of Pain, in 84 from their biggest album, Synchronicity.
• New Order — Only included because they’re my favorite band, but in 84 they were right between what’s usually considered their two best albums: Power, Corruption & Lies, and Low-Life.

Big Songs

An additional list of individual songs released in 1984 that became the artist’s most successful song:

• Duran Duran — The Reflex: released in 84, was their best selling single.
• Dead or Alive — You Spin Me Round, in retrospect, quite possibly one of the most defining songs of the decade. (Thanks to the Permanent Record Podcast for the reminder that the single was released in Nov 84.)
• Lionel Richie — Hello: his biggest song, was released in 1984.
• Yes — Owner of a Lonely Heart: their only song to go to #1.
• Chaka Khan — I Feel for You: the first R&B/rap crossover.
• Kenny Loggins — Footloose
• Bananarama — Cruel Summer
• The Romantics — Talking in Your Sleep: for some reason, did better than the superior “What I Like About You”
• ZZ Top — Legs
• UB40 — Red Red Wine
• Bronski Beat — Smalltown Boy

And there’s several memorable one-hit wonders from that year:

• Band Aid — Do They Know It’s Christmas?
• Laura Branigan — Self Control
• Nena — 99 Lutfballons
• Steve Perry — Oh Sherrie
• Corey Hart — Sunglasses at Night
• Night Ranger — Sister Christian
• Scandal — The Warrior
• Billy Ocean — Caribbean Queen
• Talk Talk — It’s My Life
• General Public — Tenderness
• Big Country — In a Big Country
• Peter Schilling — Major Tom
• Real Life — Send Me an Angel
• Rockwell — Somebody’s Watching Me

New Bands

Finally, here’s a few bands you might recognize that got their start in 1984:

• REM
• Howard Jones
• Pet Shop Boys
• Thomas Dolby
• Dead Can Dance
• Art of Noise
• Big Audio Dynamite
• Fine Young Cannibals
• Living Colour

And the next decade was already getting started with the formation of:

• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Live
• Soundgarden

I rest my case. And yes, this was written during those Christmas holiday moments when you just need some personal space…