1981 was a very big music year for me. Though I certainly remember hearing tracks from the 70’s on the radio- mostly in my parents car, and can remember being obsesses with top 40 radio and purchasing some 45 records in 1980, ’81 was the first year that I bought any albums. I still remember them- Styx “Paradise Theater”, REO Speedwagon “Hi-Infidelity”, Hall & Oates “Private Eyes”, J. Geils Band “Centerfold”. All on cassette. My Mom got my a couple of comps called “Dancer” and “Dimensions” that I still remember rather vividly and both were surprisingly pretty awesome. I certainly started off anything but a hipster in training. In my teenage/adult life I only felt the need to upgrade one of those cassettes to CD (Geils), though I own a nice comp by Hall & Oates. ’81 was the height of the arena rock, which is exemplified by all of the above albums. It was towards the end of a very solid era of music (’77-’82) but by a long shot the weakest year of that period. There were some extremely solid and interesting albums but no real unifying masterpieces. That said there was plenty of interesting stuff going on. Though the top 40 was ruled by not only arena rock, but aging Boomer-rock, soft-rock (now known as Yacht-rock), Urban Cowboy music and the dying embers of Disco- plenty of stale & cheesy stuff for sure, but there were a number of gems to be found even amongst the most corporate and mainstream of the music. New Wave was also a dominate sound of ’81, along with its offshoots synth-pop & the New Romantic movement. Early Hip-Hop, Electro & Hardcore- particularly the L.A. & D.C. scenes, dominated the underground. MTV also launched toward the last third of the year, marking ’81 as both the beginning and the end of an era. As more and more subscribers received the cable it would come to dominate the music industry, infusing the music listening audience with younger, more far out and more underground bands (for good!) but also ensuring a focus toward looks & image and away from music (for bad!). Many homelier looking artists (sorry Christopher Cross) were not able to make the transition to the new era despite being hugely successful prior to it.

Though New Wave had been coined several years before as a way to market punk music to the mainstream, by ’81 it had split into different factions. The Synth-pop sound was all over the club scene and the radio. Its antecedents, groups like Kraftwerk & Suicide were far artsy, confrontational and “out there”, but groups like Soft Cell, the Human League & Depeche Mode figured out how to take their sound and morph into the confines of a 3-4 minute radio single. That’s not to imply any of those bands are sell-outs. Soft Cell had a huge pop hit with “Tainted Love”, but also had a club hit with “Sex Dwarf”- they were unafraid to challenge conventions, and explore perversions while lead singer Marc Almond was proudly openly gay during a time when few musicians were out. The Human League went to #1 with the great single “Don’t You Want Me”, and their album “Dare!” was one of the best of the year, containing a number of absolute gems which never were released as singles. The aforementioned Kraftwerk released their last great album “Computer World”, which predicted out future world with a high degree of accuracy. Depeche Mode released their debut album “Speak & Spell”, which included future Erasure founder Vince Clark. Though it wasn’t an immediate hit, it did contain future classic “Just Can’t Get Enough” as well as other great tracks like “Dreaming Of Me” and set the stage for a long and prolific career. After the very unfortunate suicide of Ian Curtis of the band Joy Division, the remaining members formed the band New Order, which would become Depeche Mode’s equal in influence in the 80’s synth-pop movement. Their debut “Movement” sounded like a hybrid of Joy Division and the future, clubbier New Order sound- it wasn’t one of their better albums but did contain classic tracks “Ceremony” and “Everything’s Gone Green”. Ohio group Devo, riding the success of their biggest hit “Whip It” in 1980, scored another hit with the follow up album “New Traditionalists”, which included great songs like “Jerkin’ Back & Forth”, “Beautiful World” & “Through Being Cool”. Some other classic synth-pop tracks of ’81 were “Happy Birthday” by Altered Images and “(We Don’t Need This) Facist Groove Thing” by Heaven 17- proving that synth-pop could be just as political as punk.

British bands Duran Duran, Adam & the Ants & Japan helped to form a New Romantic movement, which combined punk & synth-pop and very wild fashion. The scene would blow up in the next several years, as Duran Duran became one of the biggest bands in the world and other fellow New Romantics like Culture Club, Spandau Ballet & ABC emerged. ’81 saw the release of Duran’s self-titled debut which included hits “Girls On Film” & “Planet Earth”. It wouldn’t be until the following year that they really caught on with the general public, but once they did they were basically the poster band for MTV- five great looking and highly fashionable guys with some fantastic songs to boot. Adam Ant came from more of a punk background than Duran Duran, but streamlined his sound ditching the original band members and adding two drummers, appropriating the Burundi beat from Africa. Already legendary composer/producer/glam rocker/techo God Brian Eno and Talking Head David Byrne also collaborated on “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”, a groundbreaking collection combining African music, electronics, ambient & spoken word samples- many of them by creepy evangelists. Fellow Talking Heads, Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth’s side project Tom Tom Club released their self-titled debut which melded disco, synth-pop, rap & African music. It’s big hit “Genius Of Love” is one of the defining songs of the year and a music played and sampled to death club classic to this day. The great British Two Tone-Ska group the Specials released their defining song, the brilliant “Ghost Town” in the wake of anti-Thatcher riots all across England. Though the great Bob Marley had died in 1980, groups like Black Uhuru with their album “Red” were doing their best to move Reggae music forward after the tragic death of its leader. South Bronx group ESG were three sisters combining post-punk, rap & disco. They remained relatively unknown at the time but were a huge influence on the flourishing downtown NYC scene at the time and a prime example of all of the cross genre breeding going on in ’81 which continues to define so much of the great music we hear today.

By ’81 the straight up balls to the wall punk rock of New York City and London was mostly dead, but it left many different strands in its wake- many of them falling under the all encompassing banner of post-punk. Though New Wave & Synth-pop were both related to punk, particularly the more D.I.Y., anti-fashion and political bands, the post-punk bands were more akin to their punk forefathers in sound. These bands came from many different places- in the U.K. there were leftovers from the original scene like the Clash & the Jam who were increasingly expanding their sound away from just the fast and heavy. The Fall, who then was just still starting out, but who would remain a D.I.Y. post-punk institution to the present day. The Pretenders, who’s Pretenders II was the last album with their classic lineup before the drug related deaths of two of their members. The socialist-punk group Gang Of Four released their second great album “Solid Gold” and one of their best singles ever “To Hell With Poverty”. Goth-punk bands like Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Cure & Echo & the Bunnymen (surprisingly goth in their early days) all released transitional albums- a few classic tracks to be found on each. Other bands would remain unheard and appreciated until later, like the above mentioned ESG, including Television Personalities a huge influence on the twee pop and lo-fi scenes of the late 80’s and early 90’s and Scottish-Punk bands Orange Juice and Josef K. An Irish band you may have heard of named U2 released their 2nd album “October”, a step down but still great follow up to their debut “Boy”. In the next few years they would become one of the biggest bands of the college rock/progressive/call it what you will movement, which of course set the tone for alt-rock domination in the early 90’s. Australia’s Radio Birdman & New Zealand’s The Clean were other great post-punk groups. Birdman had already broken up by ’81, but their 2nd album was posthumously released that year. They had been around since 1974 so should probably qualify as pre-punk or pub rock. Being so far away from the major media hubs allowed both of those bands to exist in more of a vacuum.

In the U.S., Boston’s Mission Of Burma released their great “Signals, Calls & Marches” EP. They would only be a regional sensation during their original run and broke up before they were able to capitalize on the future success of their type of music, but they are deservedly much celebrated today as one of the best post-punk groups ever. In Los Angeles groups like the Blasters, the Gun Club & the Flesh Eaters were providing a twisted take on punk & rockabilly called ‘Pyscho-billy’, celebrating the roots of rock n’ roll but bringing it into the modern era. The great L.A. punk group X toed the link between the original L.A 70’s punk scene & the 80’s hardcore and psycho-billy movements. Their second album “Wild Gift” is one of my favorite albums of ’81 and pales in comparison only to their debut. L.A. hardcore classics like “Living In Darkness” by Agent Orange and especially the scene defining “Damaged” by Black Flag also were released in ’81. In D.C. Minor Threat and Bad Brains dominated. Bad Brains wouldn’t release their debut until the following year but Threat’s first two 7 inches both came out in 1981 and are as note perfect as hardcore music gets. About half the tracks on both are classics of the scene and though Threat would release one full length two years later, these two 7 inches are their defining moment and maybe the defining moment in all of hardcore.

Though I may have been knocking aging Boomers above, there was still some great music in ’81 to come from them. Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac, released her first solo album, “Belladonna”, a smash hit and probably better than any Fleetwood Mac album that came after it. Though “Belladonna” was top heavy its three hits are all fantastic “Edge of Seventeen” & the duets with Don Henley “Leather & Lace” & Tom Petty “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”. Petty released his follow up to his 1979 breakthrough album “Damn the Torpedoes” with “Hard Promises” which failed to live up to its predecessor but did contain the great single “The Waiting”. The Rolling Stones had one more great album in them with “Tattoo You”, a sweet listen from start to finish with classics “Start Me Up”, “Hang Fire” & the majestic “Waiting On A Friend” complete with Sonny Rollins sax solo. Genesis continued their move away from progressive rock but before complete suckitude with “ABACAB”, their best album with Phil Collins at the helm. One of the quintessential arena rock bands Journey (why didn’t I buy that cassette in ’81?) released their biggest album “Escape” with huge single “Who’s Crying Now”, “Open Arms”, the enormous and unfortunately enormously overplayed “Don’t Stop Believing” and the great album jam “Stone In Love”.  Fellow arena-rockers Foreigner also issued their most popular album “4” with humongous singles “Urgent”, “Juke Box Hero” and “Waiting For a Girl Like You”.   If you’re too cool to like at least some of this music you’re missing out. The Kinks “Give the People What They Want” was also a big hit for them and contains the great tracks “Destroyer” & “Better Things”, one of their most touching songs. Former Punkers and New Wavers had big crossover hits in ’81 as well. Punk/Reggae group the Police created a more sophisticated sound with “Ghost in the Machine”, which had three big hits with “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, “Spirits In the Material World” & “Invisible Sun”, showing that you didn’t have to dumb down to be commercially successful and setting the stage for the world domination of 1983’s “Synchronicity”. Elvis Costello’s “Trust” was another move from him further away from punk as well and his 5th great album in a row. The Cars “Shake It Up” was a return to form after the slight misstep of 1980’s Panaroma”, though it didn’t reach the heights of their first two albums. Great English New Wave Poppers Squeeze probably did reach their high with 1981’s “East Side Story” which had “Tempted”, their signature track on it. Los Angeles women Joan Jett & The Go Go’s had monstrous hits in 1981. Jett with “I Love Rock N’ Roll” and the re-release of her 1980 “Bad Reputation” album and the Go Go’s with their debut “Beauty and the Beat”. The Go Go’s were part of L.A.’s late 70’s punk scene, but were signed to a major and were able to sheen off the rough edges and come up with an 80’s pop classic. Both groups would be huge influences on women in rock forevermore.

Hard Rock and Heavy Metal were also going strong in ’81 and both upped the ante on arena rock and provided an alternate to it in the underground. Former lead singer of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne surprised everyone, releasing his first two solo albums “Blizzard Of Oz” and “Diary Of A Madman” which had the legendary axeman Randy Rhoads on guitar. He would die a year later in an airplane crash but remains one of the defining metal guitarists of all time. Van Halen’s underrated fourth album “Fair Warning” was their darkest yet and was their least commercially successful but remains a fan favorite. High off of their success with 1980’s “Back In Black”, one of the highest selling hard rock albums ever, Australia’s AC/DC released their follow-up “For Those About To Rock We Salute You”. It was a disappointment compared to “Black” but was a huge hit and the title cut remains one of their best and most popular tracks ever. Iron Maiden released their second album “Killers” which would be the last with original vocalist Paul Di’Anno. He would be replaced by Bruce Dickinson and year later which would become the classic Maiden lineup, though I prefer them in their Di’Anno lead punk-metal incarnation. Prog-Metal was going strong as well. The Canadian band Rush released their biggest and perhaps best album with “Moving Pictures”, containing enduring classic tracks like “Tom Sawyer” and “Limelight”. King Crimson, a prog-rock pioneer changed their sound up to compete with the New Wavers and their 1981 album “Discipline” can stand right up their with a late 70’s/early 80’s Talking Heads album. Their musicianship is always unbelievable.

Black music was at quite a crossroads in ’81. Disco was both dying out and morphing into other sub genres. Hip Hop was still in its infant stages. The dominant black music forms in the very early 80’s were funk & slow jams (Venus Flytrap music). There were tons of great radio funk singles in ’81- nearly all of them were a smoother funk, combining aspects of modern R&B (the slow jams) and even New Wave. Rick James had his biggest hits in ’81 including “Super Freak” and “Give It To Me Baby”. The great Earth, Wind & Fire managed one of their biggest hits with “Let’s Groove” and Frankie Smith had his great one hit wonder “Double Dutch Bus”. Though he wasn’t quite a household name yet, Prince released his fourth album “Controversy”, which contained minor hits like the title track and “Do Me Baby”. Roger of Roger & Zapp released his first solo album containing the great “So Ruff, So Tuff”. Post Disco/future club smashes like Taana Gardner’s “Heartbeat” and Grace Jones’s “Pull Up The Bumper” proved that while Disco may have been dead, dance music lived on, just under a different name. Rap music had only a few big singles as of ’81 but Funky 4+1’s “That’s the Joint” and DJ scratching tour de force “The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels Of Steel” were both mind blowing enough to forward the genre on their own.

1981 may not be one of the defining years in music, but it sure as hell is a fun one to listen to and pointed the way forward for so many different strands of music.

BLACK FLAG- DAMAGED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Damaged – Black Flag
Buy Damaged [Explicit]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MINOR THREAT- MINOR THREAT (FIRST EP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy First 2 7″s – Minor Threat
Buy First Two 7″sAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GO GO’S- BEAUTY AND THE BEAT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Beauty and the Beat (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Remastered] – The Go-Go’s
Buy Beauty And The Beat (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [+Digital Booklet]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GUN CLUB- FIRE OF LOVE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Fire of Love – The Gun Club
Buy Fire of LoveAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS- TRUST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Trust – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Buy TrustAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KING CRIMSON- DISCIPLINE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Not available via iTunes
Buy DisciplineAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ROLLING STONES- TATOO YOU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Tattoo You (Remastered) – The Rolling Stones
Buy Tattoo YouAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE DB’S- STANDS FOR DECIBELS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Stands for Decibels (Bonus Track Version) – The dB’s
Buy Stands For DecibelsAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 
VAN HALEN- FAIR WARNING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Fair Warning – Van Halen
Buy Fair Warning (US Internet Release)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN- HEAVEN UP HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Heaven Up Here – Echo & The Bunnymen
Buy Heaven Up Here (US Release)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUMAN LEAGUE- DARE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Dare – The Human League
Buy Dare!Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GANG OF FOUR- SOLID GOLD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Not Available via iTunes
Buy Solid Gold / Another Day Another DollarAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KRAFTWERK- COMPUTER WORLD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Computer World – Kraftwerk
Buy Computer WorldAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MISSION OF BURMA- SIGNALS, CALLS & MARCHES (EP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Signals, Calls and Marches (Remastered) – Mission of Burma
Buy Signals, Calls and Marches [Remastered]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

U2- OCTOBER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy October (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered] – U2
Buy October (Deluxe Edition)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

TELEVISION PERSONALITIES- AND DON’T THE KIDS JUST LOVE IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy And Don’t the Kids Just Love It – Television Personalities
Buy And Don’t The Kids Just Love ItAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE POLICE- GHOST IN THE MACHINE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Ghost In the Machine (Remastered) – The Police
Buy Ghost In The MachineAmazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RUSH- MOVING PICTURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Moving Pictures (Remastered) – Rush
Buy Moving Pictures (2011 Remaster)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X- WILD GIFT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Wild Gift – X
Buy Wild Gift [Explicit]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SQUEEZE- EAST SIDE STORY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy East Side Story – Squeeze
Buy East Side StoryAmazon

Best of 1981 Volume 1 (9/14/02)

1.  Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5- Grandmaster Flash & the Adventures On the Wheels Of Steel

Buy The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels of Steel – Rhino Hi-Five: Grandmaster Flash – EP
Buy The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel (Album Version)Amazon

2.  Ozzy Osbourne- Crazy Train (*1980 U.K. Release/1981 U.S. Release)

Buy Crazy Train – Blizzard of Ozz (Expanded Edition)
Buy Crazy Train (Remastered Original Recording)Amazon

3.  Van Halen- Unchained

Buy Unchained – Fair Warning
Buy Unchained (Album Version)Amazon

4.  X- White Girl

Buy White Girl – Wild Gift
Buy White Girl (LP Version)Amazon

5.  The Go Go’s- Our Lips Are Sealed

Buy Our Lips Are Sealed – Beauty and the Beat
Buy Our Lips Are SealedAmazon

6.  The Human League- Don’t You Want Me

Buy Don’t You Want Me – Dare
Buy Don’t You Want Me (2002 – Remaster)Amazon

7.  Depeche Mode- Just Can’t Get Enough

Buy Just Can’t Get Enough (2006 Remaster) – Speak & Spell (Deluxe Remastered)
Buy Just Can’t Get Enough (Single Version)Amazon

8.  Tom Tom Club- Genius Of Love

Buy Genius of Love – Tom Tom Club
Buy Genius Of LoveAmazon

9.  Rick James- Super Freak

Buy Super Freak – 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rick James
Buy Super FreakAmazon

10.  Soft Cell- Tainted Love

Buy Tainted Love – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Tainted LoveAmazon

11.  Queen & David Bowie- Under Pressure

Buy Under Pressure – Classic Queen
Buy Under PressureAmazon

12.  The Police- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Buy Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – Ghost In the Machine (Remastered)
Buy Every Little Thing She Does Is MagicAmazon

13.  Elvis Costello & the Attractions- Watch Your Step

Buy Watch Your Step – Trust
Buy Watch Your StepAmazon

14.  Mission Of Burma- That’s When I Reach For My Revolver

Buy That’s When I Reach for My Revolver – Signals, Calls and Marches (Remastered)
Buy That’s When I Reach For My RevolverAmazon

15.  Minor Threat- Minor Threat

Buy Minor Threat – First 2 7″s
Buy Minor ThreatAmazon

16.  Black Flag- Rise Above

Buy Rise Above – Damaged
Buy Rise Above [Explicit]Amazon

17.  Gang Of Four- To Hell With Poverty (7″ Version)

*This version not available via iTunes or Amazon

18.  U2- October

Buy October – October (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered]
Buy OctoberAmazon

19.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- The Waiting

Buy The Waiting – Hard Promises (Remastered)
Buy The WaitingAmazon

20.  The Blasters- So Long Baby Goodbye

Buy So Long Baby Goodbye – The Blasters
Buy So Long Baby GoodbyeAmazon

21.  The Rolling Stones- Waiting On a Friend

Buy Waiting On a Friend – Tattoo You (Remastered)
Buy Waiting On A FriendAmazon

 

Best of 1981 Volume 2 (9/14/02)

1.  The Go Go’s- We Got the Beat

Buy We Got the Beat – Beauty and the Beat
Buy We Got The BeatAmazon

2.  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts- I Love Rock N’ Roll

Buy I Love Rock ‘N Roll – I Love Rock ‘N Roll (Remastered)
Buy I Love Rock N’ RollAmazon

3.  Adam & the Ants- Beat My Guest

Buy Beat My Guest – B-Side Babies
Buy Beat My GuestAmazon

4.  the Rolling Stones- Hang Fire

Buy Hang Fire – Tattoo You (Remastered)
Buy Hang FireAmazon

5.  Taana Gardner- Heartbeat

Buy Heartbeat – Maw Presents West End Records: the 25th Anniversary Edition Mastermix
Buy HeartbeatAmazon

6.  Rick James- Give it To Me Baby

Buy Give It to Me Baby – The Ultimate Collection
Buy Give It To Me BabyAmazon

7.  Funky 4 + 1- That’s the Joint

Buy That’s the Joint – The Sugar Hill Records Story
Buy That’s The JointAmazon

8.  The Clash- This Is Radio Clash

Buy This Is Radio Clash – The Essential Clash
Buy This is Radio ClashAmazon

9.  Black Uhuru- Youth of Eglington

Buy Youth of Eglington – Red
Buy Youth Of EglingtonAmazon

10.  The Cars- Since You’re Gone

Buy Since You’re Gone – Shake It Up
Buy Since You’re Gone
Amazon

11.  Stevie Nicks (With Tom Petty)- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around

Buy Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around – Bella Donna
Buy Stop Draggin’ My Heart AroundAmazon

12.  U2- Gloria

Buy Gloria – October (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered]
Buy GloriaAmazon

13.  The Police- Spirits In the Material World

Buy Spirits In the Material World – Ghost In the Machine (Remastered)
Buy Spirits In The Material WorldAmazon

14.  The Kinks- Better Things

Buy Better Things – Give the People What They Want (Remastered)
Buy Better ThingsAmazon

15.  Squeeze- Tempted

Buy Tempted – East Side Story
Buy TemptedAmazon

16.  Elvis Costello- Psycho

*not available via iTunes or Amazon

17.  X- When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch

Buy When Our Love Passed Out On the Couch – Wild Gift
Buy When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch (LP Version)Amazon

18.  Minor Threat- I Don’t Wanna Hear It

Buy I Don’t Wanna Hear It – First 2 7″s
Buy I Don’t Wanna Hear ItAmazon

19.  Black Flag- Damaged II

Buy Damaged II – Damaged
Buy Damaged Ii [Explicit]Amazon

20.  Flipper- Sex Bomb Baby

Buy Sex Bomb (Generic) – Generic
BuySex Bomb (7″)Amazon

Best of 1981 Volume 3 (7/21/05)

1.  AC/DC- For those About to Rock We Salute You

Buy For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) – For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
*Track not available via Amazon

2.  Agent Orange- Bloodstains (Darkness Version)

Buy Bloodstains (1981 Darkness Version) – Living In Darkness
Buy Bloodstains (Darkness Version)Amazon

3.  The Flesh Eaters- See You in the Boneyard

Buy See You In the Boneyard – A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die
Buy See You In The BoneyardAmazon

4.  The Specials- Ghost Town (12″ Version)

Buy Ghost Town (Extended Version) – The Best of the Specials (Remastered)
Buy Ghost Town (Extended Version)Amazon

5.  ESG- UFO

Buy U.F.O. – ESG
Buy U.F.OAmazon

6.  Black Uhuru- Sponji Reggae

Buy Sponji Reggae – Red
Buy Sponji ReggaeAmazon

7.  Grace Jones- Pull Up the Bumper

Buy Pull Up To The Bumper – Nightclubbing
Buy Pull Up To The BumperAmazon

8.  Frankie Smith- Double Dutch Bus

Buy Double Dutch Bus – Double Dutch Bus
Buy Double Dutch BusAmazon

9.  The Pretenders- Message Of Love

Buy Message of Love – Pretenders II (Remastered)
Buy Message Of Love (2009 Remastered)Amazon

10.  Echo & the Bunnymen- A Promise

Buy A Promise – Heaven Up Here
Buy A PromiseAmazon

11.  The Clean- Tally Ho

Buy Tally Ho – Anthology
Buy Tally HoAmazon

12.  Genesis- No Reply At All

Buy No Reply At All – Abacab (Remastered) [Bonus Video Version]
Buy No Reply At All (LP Version)Amazon

13.  The Kinks- Destroyer

Buy Destroyer – Give the People What They Want (Remastered)
Buy DestroyerAmazon

14.  The Fall- Prole Art Threat

Buy Prole Art Threat – Slates
Buy Prole Art ThreatAmazon

15.  Minor Threat- In My Eyes

Buy In My Eyes – First 2 7″s
Buy In My EyesAmazon

16.  Mission Of Burma- This Is Not a Photograph

Buy This Is Not a Photograph – Signals, Calls and Marches (Remastered)
Buy This Is Not A PhotographAmazon

17.  Duran Duran- Girls On Film

Buy Girls On Film – Duran Duran (Remastered)
Buy Girls On Film (2010 – Remaster)Amazon

18.  The DB’s- Big Brown Eyes

Buy Big Brown Eyes – Stands for Decibels (Bonus Track Version)
Buy Big Brown EyesAmazon

19.  The Human League- Seconds

Buy Seconds – Dare
Buy Seconds (2002 Digital Remaster)Amazon

20.  Kraftwerk- Numbers

Buy Numbers – Computer World
Buy Numbers (LP Version)Amazon

21.  Elvis Costello & the Attractions- Clubland

BuyClubland – Trust
BuyClubland>Amazon

Best of 1981 Volume 4 (7/23/05)

1.  Gun Club- Sex Beat

Buy Sex Beat – Fire of Love
Buy Sex BeatAmazon

2.  The Pretenders- The Adultress

Buy The Adultress – Pretenders II (Remastered)
Buy The Adultress (2006 Remastered LP version)Amazon

3.  The Go Go’s- Lust to Love

Buy Lust to Love – Beauty and the Beat
Buy Lust To LoveAmazon

4.  Siouxsie & the Banshees- Spellbound

Buy Spellbound – Juju
Buy SpellboundAmazon

5.  The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes

Buy Charlotte Sometimes (Single Version) – Faith
Buy Charlotte Sometimes [Single Version]Amazon

6.  The DB’s- Bad Reputation

Buy Bad Reputation – Stands for Decibels (Bonus Track Version)
Buy Bad ReputationAmazon

7.  Squeeze- In Quintessence

Buy In Quintessence – East Side Story
Buy In QuintessenceAmazon

8.  Prince- Controversy (Single Edit)

Buy Controversy – The Hits / The B-Sides
Buy Controversy (Single Version)Amazon

9.  Elvis Costello & the Attractions- New Lace Sleeves

Buy New Lace Sleeves – Trust
Buy New Lace SleevesAmazon

10.  Psychedelic Furs- Pretty In Pink

Buy Pretty In Pink (Remastered) – Talk Talk Talk
Buy Pretty In Pink (Original Version)Amazon

11.  New Order- Ceremony

Buy Ceremony – Singles
Buy Ceremony [Original 7″ Single Version]Amazon

12.  Adam & the Ants- Stand & Deliver

Buy Stand and Deliver – Prince Charming
Buy Stand And DeliverAmazon

13.  Stevie Nicks (With Don Henley)- Leather & Lace

Buy Leather and Lace – Bella Donna
Buy Leather And LaceAmazon

14.  The Rolling Stones- Worried About You

Buy Worried About You – Tattoo You (Remastered)
Buy Worried About YouAmazon

15.  U2- I Threw a Brick Through a Window

Buy I Threw a Brick Through a Window – October (Remastered)
Buy I Threw A Brick Through A WindowAmazon

16.  Mission Of Burma- Fame & Fortune

Buy Fame and Fortune – Signals, Calls and Marches (Remastered)
Buy Fame And FortuneAmazon

17.  Minor Threat- Small Man, Big Mouth

Buy Small Man, Big Mouth – First 2 7″s
Buy Small Man, Big MouthAmazon

18.  Black Flag- Depression

Buy Depression – Damaged
Buy Depression [Explicit]Amazon

19.  Rush- Tom Sawyer
‘
Buy Tom Sawyer – Moving Pictures (Remastered)
Buy Tom SawyerAmazon

20.  The Police- Invisible Sun

Buy Invisible Sun – Ghost In the Machine (Remastered)
Buy Invisible SunAmazon

21.  The Kinks- Art Lover

BuyArt Lover – Give the People What They Want (Remastered)
BuyArt LoverAmazon

Best of 1981 Volume 5 (7/21/07)

1.  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts- Bad Reputation

Buy Bad Reputation – Bad Reputation (Remastered)
Buy Bad ReputationAmazon

2.  The Go Go’s- Skidmarks On My Heart

Buy Skidmarks on My Heart – Beauty and the Beat
Buy Skidmarks On My HeartAmazon

3.  The Pretenders- Talk of the Town

Buy Talk of the Town – Pretenders II (Remastered)
Buy Talk Of The Town (Album Version)Amazon

4.  Hall & Oates- I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)

Buy I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) [Single Version] – Greatest Hits – Rock ‘N Soul, Pt. 1
Buy I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) (Remastered)Amazon

5.  ESG- Moody

Buy Moody – Dance to the Best of ESG
Buy MoodyAmazon

6.  Television Personalities- Look Back in Anger

Buy Look Back In Anger – And Don’t the Kids Just Love It
Buy Look Back In AngerAmazon

7.  Orange Juice- Poor Old Soul (Part One)

Buy Poor Old Soul, Pt. 1 – The Glasgow School
Buy Poor Old Soul (Part Two)Amazon

8.  Soft Cell- Bedsitter

Buy Bedsitter – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Bedsitter (Album Version)Amazon

9.  The Replacements- Shiftless When Idle

Buy Shiftless When Idle – Sorry Ma! Forgot to Take Out the Trash!
Buy Shiftless When IdleAmazon

10.  Radio Birdman- Hanging On

Buy Hanging On – The Essential Radio Birdman (1974-1978)
Buy Hanging On (Album)Amazon

11.  Gang Of Four- Paralyzed

*This version not available via iTunes or Amazon

12.  Brian Eno & David Byrne- Regiment

Buy Regiment – My Life In the Bush of Ghosts
Buy RegimentAmazon

13.  King Crimson- Thela Hun Ginjeet

*Not available via iTunes or Amazon

14.  Kraftwerk- Computer World

Buy Computer World – Computer World
Buy Computer World (LP Version)Amazon

15.  Spoonie Gee- Spoonie Gee is Back

Buy Spoonie Is Back – The Sugar Hill Records Story
Buy Spoonie Is BackAmazon

16.  Earth Wind & Fire- Let’s Groove

Buy Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits
Buy Let’s GrooveAmazon<

strong>17.  Madness- It Must Be Love

Buy It Must Be Love – Madness: Ultimate Collection
Buy It Must Be LoveAmazon

18.  The Human League- The Dreams That Dreams Are Made Of

Buy The Things That Dreams Are Made Of – Dare
Buy The Things That Dreams Are Made of (2002 – Remaster)Amazon

19.  The Cure- Primary

Buy Primary – Faith
Buy PrimaryAmazon

20.  The DB’s- Amplifier

Buy Amplifier – Repercussion
Buy AmplifierAmazon

21.  Minor Threat- Filler

Buy Filler – First 2 7″s
Buy FillerAmazon

22.  Black Flag- Gimme Gimme Gimme

BuyGimmie Gimmie Gimmie – Damaged
Buy Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie [Explicit]Amazon

Best of 1981 Volume 6 (7/22/07)

1.  The Rolling Stones- Start Me Up

Buy Start Me Up – Tattoo You (Remastered)
Buy Start Me UpAmazon

2.  Television Personalities- This Angry Silence

Buy This Angry Silence – And Don’t the Kids Just Love It
Buy This Angry SilenceAmazon

3.  Yoko Ono- Walking On Thin Ice

*This version not available on iTunes or Amazon

4.  New Order- Everything’s Gone Green

Buy Everything’s Gone Green (Edit) – Singles
Buy Everything’s Gone Green (Edit)Amazon

5.  Duran Duran- Planet Earth

Buy Planet Earth – Duran Duran (Remastered)
Buy Planet Earth (2010 – Remaster)Amazon

6.  Devo- Beautiful World

Buy Beautiful World – New Traditionalists
Buy Beautiful World (Remastered Album Version)Amazon

7.  Brian Eno & David Byrne- America Is Waiting

BuyAmerica Is Waiting – My Life In the Bush of Ghosts
Buy America Is Waiting (Album Version)Amazon

8.  Radio Birdman- Smith & Wesson

Buy Smith and Wesson Blues – The Essential Radio Birdman (1974-1978)
Buy Smith & Wesson Blues (Album)Amazon

9.  Van Halen- Mean Street

Buy Mean Street – Fair Warning
Buy Mean Street (Album Version)Amazon

10.  Echo & the Bunnymen- Over the Wall

Buy Over the Wall – Heaven Up Here
Buy Over The WallAmazon

11.  X- The Once Over Twice

Buy The Once Over Twice – Wild Gift
Buy The Once Over Twice (LP Version)Amazon

12.  The Cars- Shake It Up

Buy Shake It Up – Shake It Up
Buy Shake It Up (LP Version)Amazon

13.  Squeeze- Mumbo Jumbo

Buy Mumbo Jumbo – East Side Story
Buy Mumbo JumboAmazon

14.  Tom Tom Club- Wordy Rappinghood

Buy Wordy Rappinghood – Tom Tom Club
Buy Wordy RappinghoodAmazon

15.  Adam & the Ants- Prince Charming

Buy Prince Charming – Prince Charming
Buy Prince CharmingAmazon

16.  Prince- Jack U Off

Buy Jack U Off – Controversy
Buy Jack U Off (LP Version)Amazon

17.  Kraftwerk- Pocket Calculator

Buy Pocket Calculator – Computer World
Buy Pocket Calculator (LP Version)Amazon

18.  Boomtown Rats- Up All Night

*Track not available vis iTunes or Amazon

19.  Journey- Don’t Stop Believing

BuyDon’t Stop Believin’ – Escape
Buy Don’t Stop Believin’Amazon

Best of 1981 Volume 7 (3/24/13)

1.  Genesis- Abacab

Buy Abacab – Abacab (Remastered) [Bonus Video Version]
Buy Abacab (2007 Remastered LP Version)Amazon

2.  King Crimson- Elephant Talk

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

3.  The Police- Omegaman

Buy Omegaman – Ghost In the Machine (Remastered)
Buy Omegaman Amazon

4.  Rush- Limelight

Buy Limelight – Moving Pictures (Remastered)
Buy LimelightAmazon

5.  Ozzy Osbourne- Over the Mountain

Buy Over the Mountain – Diary of a Madman (Remastered Original Recording)
Buy Over The Mountain (Remastered Original Recording)Amazon

6.  Van Halen- Sinner’s Swing!

Buy Sinner’s Swing! – Fair Warning
Buy Sinner’s Swing! (Album Version)Amazon

7.  Iron Maiden- Killers

Buy Killers – Killers
Buy KillersAmazon

8.  The Jam- Funeral Pyre

Buy Funeral Pyre (Snap! Remixed Version) – The Very Best of the Jam (Digitally Remastered)
Buy Funeral PyreAmazon

9.  The Gun Club- She’s Like Heroin to Me

Buy She’s Like Heroin to Me – Fire of Love
Buy She’s like heroin to me Amazon

10.  This Heat- S.P.Q.R.

Buy S.P.Q.R. – Deceit
Buy S.P.Q.R.Amazon

11.  Vic Godard & Subway Sect- Parallel Lines

Buy Parallel Lines – Twenty Odd Years – The Story Of….
Buy Parallel Lines (From unreleased original Subway Sect punk album)Amazon

12.  Gang Of Four- Outside the Trains Don’t Run On Time

Buy Outside the Trains Don’t Run On Time – Entertainment! (Remastered)
Buy Outside The Trains Don’t Run On Time (Remastered Album Version)Amazon

13.  The Replacements- Takin’ a Ride

Buy Takin’ a Ride – Sorry Ma! Forgot to Take Out the Trash!
Buy Takin’ A RideAmazon

14.  Black Flag- Six Pack

Buy Six Pack – Damaged
Buy Six PackAmazon

15.  Minor Threat- Screaming At a Wall

Buy Screaming At a Wall – First 2 7″s
Buy Screaming at a WallAmazon

16.  Adolescents- Kids of the Black Hole

Buy Kids of the Black Hole – Adolescents
Buy Kids Of The Black HoleAmazon

17.  The Wipers- Youth of America

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

18.  Altered Images- Happy Birthday

Buy Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday
Buy Happy Birthday (Album Version)Amazon

19.  The Go Go’s- How Much More

Buy How Much More – Beauty and the Beat
Buy How Much More (2011 – Remaster)Amazon

Best of 1981 Volume 8 (3/24/13)

1. The Go Go’s- This Town

Buy This Town – Beauty and the Beat
Buy This TownAmazon

2.  Kim Wilde- Kids in America

Buy Kids in America – The Very Best of Kim Wilde
Buy Kids in AmericaAmazon

3.  Stevie Nicks- Edge of Seventeen

Buy Edge of Seventeen – Bella Donna
Buy Edge of SeventeenAmazon

4.  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts- Crimson & Clover

Buy Crimson and Clover – I Love Rock ‘N Roll (Remastered)
Buy Crimson and CloverAmazon

5.  Journey- Stone in Love

Buy Stone In Love – Escape
Buy Stone In LoveAmazon

6.  J. Geils Band- Centerfold

Buy Centerfold – Classic Rock
Buy Centerfold (2006 – Remaster)Amazon

7.  Squeeze- Is That Love?

Buy Is That Love – East Side Story
Buy Is That Love?Amazon

8.  The DB’s- Black and White

Buy Black and White – Stands for Decibels (Bonus Track Version)
Buy Black And WhiteAmazon

9.  The Television Personalities- Picture of Dorian Gray

Buy A Picture of Dorian Gray – And Don’t the Kids Just Love It
Buy A Picture Of Dorian GrayAmazon

10.  The Human League- Love Action (I Believe in Love)

Buy Love Action (I Believe in Love) – Dare
Buy Love Action (I Believe in Love) (2002 – Remaster)Amazon

11.  Depeche Mode- Dreaming Of Me

Buy Dreaming of Me (2006 Remaster) – Speak & Spell (Deluxe Remastered)
Buy Dreaming Of Me (2006 Remaster)Amazon

12.  Soft Cell- Sex Dwarf

Buy Sex Dwarf – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Sex DwarfAmazon

13.  Heaven 17- (We Don’t Need This Fascist) Groove Thing

Buy (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang [Remastered] – Penthouse and Pavement (Special Edition)
Buy (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove ThangAmazon

14.  Devo- Through Being Cool

Buy Through Being Cool – New Traditionalists
Buy Through Being Cool (Remastered Album Version)Amazon

15.  Roger- So Ruff, So Tuff

Buy So Ruff, So Tuff – The Many Facets of Roger
Buy So Ruff, So TuffAmazon

16.  Bohannon- Take the Country to N.Y. City

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

17.  Phil Collins- In the Air Tonight

Buy In the Air Tonight – Face Value
Buy In The Air TonightAmazon

18.  Elvis Costello & the Attractions- You’ll Never Be a Man

Buy You’ll Never Be a Man – Trust
Buy You’ll Never Be A ManAmazon

19.  The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping

BuyChristmas Wrapping – 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Waitresses
Buy Christmas WrappingAmazon

1. Ozzy Osborne- I Don’t Know
2. Black Sabbath- The Mob Rules
3. Iron Maiden-Wratchchild
4. Rush- Red Barchetta
5. The Undertones- It’s Going To Happen
6. Adolescents- Amoeba
7. New Order- Procession
8. Grace Jones- Nightclubbing
9. Kraftwerk- Computer Love
10. Sylvia Striplin- You Can’t Turn Me Away
11. Prince- Do Me Baby
12. Odyssey- Going Back To My Roots
13. Bohannon- Let’s Start II Dance Again
14. Echo & The Bunnymen- With A Hip
15. X- Universal Corner
16. Def Leppard- Bringin’ On The Heartbreak