1985- not one of the better music years of all time, or even of the 80’s. I was in junior high so I don’t think it was one of my favorite years either. ’85 though was the first year that I really got into music. Most of the music below doesn’t reflect what I was listening to it ’85, which was top 40 radio the first half of the year and nothing but Heavy Metal the 2nd half of the year. By ’85, New Wave, the dominant sound of the early 80’s was petering out.  Hair Metal was starting to show increasing chart dominance and the mainstream pop world was becoming progressively cheesier with a few exceptions.  Hip-Hop and rap was still mostly underground, though a few handfuls of important singles were released in ’85 that propelled the genre forward.  The 80’s funk sound which had dominated the early part of the decade for black music (George Clinton, the Gap Band, Kool & the Gang etc..) was also starting to fade and/or becoming more pop, perhaps in an effort to sell out to the white audience.  Music that would become known as adult contemporary was all over the radio and would unfortunately play ad nauseum at my on-campus gig at college in the early 90’s- it was the only station that got a decent signal.  I know this stuff better than I ever wanted to know it.  Singles were still being released off of huge albums from 1984 like Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” & Prince’s “Purple Rain” but no other huge pop/rock blockbusters were released in 1985 that were any good, save for maybe John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Scarecrow”- a relatively minor blockbuster compared to the three listed above.  Madonna was between albums, though she released two of her best singles with “Into the Groove” and “Crazy For You”.  Prince’s “Around the World In a Day” garnered two great single cuts as well with “Raspberry Beret” and “Pop Life” but was seen as a disappointment next to the gargantuan “Purple Rain”.  U2 released only an EP called “Wide Awake In America” and R.E.M. came out with the very good “Fables Of the Reconstruction”, which is a necessary part of their catalog for sure, but also kind of a bridge between their seminal early work of “Murmur” and “Reckoning” and their later, more popular 80’s albums like “Document” and “Green” which helped them to eventually become one of the biggest rock bands in the world.  So a situation like the above made for quite a ripe underground, both in rap and in rock.  That mid 80’s underground would set the table for the alternative revolution of the early 90’s.

Aside from the American rock and rap undergrounds, there was still plenty of great post-punk/synth pop music coming out of the U.K..  Much of it just didn’t cross over to America- some of it never really did and is loved today but a cultish few, and others took longer to sink in here.  They either were recognized past their time or on subsequent albums which broke them bigger in the U.S.   The biggest of those names are the Cure, the Smiths & New Order. All three groups tower over most everything else of the 80’s and though I don’t think any of them released their best stuff in ’85, all three were very relevant that year.  The Cure released “Head On the Door”, which helped break them with American college kids thanks to singles like “Close to Me” and “In Between Days”.  The Smiths “Meat Is Murder” I think is their worst album, but it still contains a handful of classic cuts including their most loved track “How Soon Is Now?” (which also appeared on the previous year’s “Hatful Of Hollow”).  New Order had already broken through with the massive 1983 single “Blue Monday” but 1985’s “Low Life”, which included standouts like “The Perfect Kiss” and “Love Vigilantes” solidified their status as the reigning kings of post-punk synth-dance pop.  Elsewhere in the U.K., Prefab Sprout released their debut album of sophisticated synth-pop “Steve McQueen” (AKA “Two Wheels Good” in the U.S.), Tears for Fears “Songs From the Big Chair” did break in the U.S. with three huge singles- “Shout”, “Head Over Heels” & #1 single “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”, which truly captured the zeitgeist of the greed is good 80’s.  “Big Chair” remains the jewel in their catalog.  The Simple Minds had a trio of top 40 hits, including #1 smash “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” which ended the beloved Brat-Pack classic move “The Breakfast Club”.  Scritti Politti had a great single with “The Perfect Way”, Depeche Mode with “Shake the Disease” and Echo & the Bunnymen with “Bring on the Dancing Horses”.  The more rock-oriented The Cult released “Love” which contained 80’s college radio classics She Sells Sanctuary” and “The Rain”.  Much loved band XTC came out with a side project called The Dukes Of Stratosphear, a group entirely indebted to 60’s psychedelic pop.  Their debut EP, released in 1985, is an overlooked pop gem.

Lesser known U.K. bands were making a splash as well that set the tone for the burgeoning indie scene in America.  The Jesus & Mary Chain’s debut album “Psychocandy” is an indie classic and was the biggest influence on the shoegaze movement of the late 80’s/early 90’s.  Mark E. Smith’s band the Fall had been releasing great music since 1978 but 1985 album “This Nation’s Saving Grace” is to my ears the apex of their whole storied catalog. Ireland’s The Pogues released “Run, Sodomy & the Lash” is their pinnacle as well- produced by Elvis Costello (!) and still my favorite album to play on St. Patrick’s Day.  The Mekons, a group of leftist University of Leeds students who had also been churning out punk music since the late 70’s, released their best album “Fear & Whiskey”, name-checked by some as the first alt-country album.  In America groups like Husker Du, the Replacements, Sonic Youth & the Meat Puppets who had been slogging it out since the beginning of the decade all took great leaps forward.  Sonic Youth would still remain too inaccessible for most until a few years later but the track “Death Valley ’69” off of their 1985 album “Bad Moon Rising” was a sign of great things to come.  Each of the other three bands had released stellar albums in 1984, but “Up On the Sun” (Meat Puppets), “Tim” (Replacements) and “New Day Rising” and “Flip Your Wig” (both Husker Du) were all seen as classics as well, cementing those groups as indie-rock leading lights.  D.C. hardcore group Minor Threat released their farewell EP “Salad Days” and Pre-emo fellow D.C. group Rites Of Spring released their excellent debut.  Members of each band would go on to form the incomparable Fugazi in the late 80’s.

In addition to those well known indie groups above, there were some lesser appreciated yet still pretty great groups active in 1985 as well- Dramarama, Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus, Camper Van Beethoven & Fishbone all had big college radio hits and well reviewed albums or EP’s.  Another Australian group INXS released their biggest album to date “Listen Like Thieves”.  With their next release “Kick” two years later, they would become one of the bigger rock groups of the 80’s.  Baby boomer rockers like Tom Petty & the aforementioned John Mellencamp were big in ’85.  Bruce Springsteen, still basking in the wake of his biggest success to date, released his great life cover of “Trapped” by Jimmy Cliff, which was included on the “We Are the World” tribute album.  John Fogerty of CCR, came back from a dormant period of almost 10 years to release the very successful “Centerfield”- still played at every baseball diamond across America.  New Wave legends Talking Heads released perhaps their last great album with “Little Creatures”.  Long broken-up group the Velvet Underground released “VU”, a collection of previously unreleased studio tracks.  Some of which were legendary already due to bootlegs or previously released  live versions. Weirdo singer-songwriters Tom Waits and Kate Bush had seminal releases in 1985 as well.  Bush’s “Hounds of Love” was her best and Waits “Rain Dogs” was one of the top albums of the year and I think the best he ever made as well.  Though the New Wave movement was dying out a few great one hit wonders remained in ’85- Katrina & the Waves “Walking On Sunshine”, Murray Head’s “One Night in Bangkok”, Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” and the Dream Academy’s “Life In a Northern Town”- 80’s New Wave Classics all.

Though outside of LL Cool J & a pair of classics by Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D (later to be known as Slick Rick), 1985 was mostly light on rap.  Run-DMC released their second album “King Of Rock”, which was inferior to both their self-titled debut and their breakthrough 3rd album “Raising Hell”.  But it still had at least two classic tracks in the immortal title cut and “Can You Rock It Like This”.  Cool J’s album debut was pure star power and announced the 2nd biggest star of rap’s new school which started with Run-DMC.  The Beastie Boys released their first singles as a rap outfit.  Kurtis Blow releases his last classic track “If I Ruled the World”.  Aside from those the year was filled with “Roxanne” response tracks- two of which introduced new females to the game- Roxanne Shante and The Real Roxanne.  Aside from Cool J’s singles off of “Radio” and the “King Of Rock” the best and most legendary rap tracks of ’85 was the two sided single “The Show/La-Di-Da-Di” by Doug E. Fresh, which inspired everything from beatboxin’ to Snoop Dogg.  Lesser known super producer Kurtis Mantronix released his debut album errr “Album”.  It’s electro beats took hip hop production to new places.  On the R&B tip Lisa Lisa & the Cult Jam’s debut single “I Wonder If I Take You Home” was a monster.  Unfortunately there were increasingly lame follow-up singles.  Mary Jane Girls Rick James-produced “In My House” and Sheila E’s Prince-produced “A Love Bizarre” were two other R&B classics but in ’85 the cupboard was mostly bare.  Sultry Brit Sade released her first two albums in the U.S.. She continues to flourish in the present day, but her sophisticated, jazzy bedroom soul was mostly an anomaly and pointed the way toward no great trends unless you hear it as a progenitor of the mid-late 90’s neo soul movement. Way underground music like techno (Detroit techno founder Juan Atkins group Model 500’s track No UFO’s came out that year) and Jamaican dancehall reggae were emerging and would become ever more important to music culture in years to come.  Barrington Levy’s “Here I Come”, Wayne SMith’s “Under Me Sleng Teng”, Anthony Red Rose’s “Tempo” and Tenor Saw’s “Ring the Alarm” are all early dancehall classics that came out that year.

 

HUSKER DU- NEW DAY RISING

Buy New Day Rising – Hüsker Dü
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THE CURE- HEAD ON THE DOOR

Buy The Head On the Door (Remastered) [Bonus Version] – The Cure
Buy The Head On The Door (Deluxe Edition)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TALKING HEADS- LITTLE CREATURES

Buy Little Creatures (Remastered) – Talking Heads
Buy Little Creatures [w/Bonus Tracks]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

SADE- DIAMOND LIFE       (*RELEASED 1984 U.K., 1985 U.S.)

Buy Diamond Life – Sade
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KATE BUSH- HOUNDS OF LOVE

Buy Hounds of Love – Kate Bush
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THE MEAT PUPPETS- UP ON THE SUN

Buy Up on the Sun – Meat Puppets
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RITES OF SPRING- RITES OF SPRING

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JESUS & MARY CHAIN- PSYCHOCANDY

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Buy Psychocandy (US Release)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE POGUES- RUN, SODOMY & THE LASH

Buy Rum S****y & the Lash (Expanded Version) – The Pogues
Buy Rum Sodomy & The Lash [Expanded] (US Version)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MEKONS- FEAR & WHISKEY

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JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP- SCARECROW

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TOM WAITS- RAIN DOGS

Buy Rain Dogs – Tom Waits
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NEW ORDER- LOW LIFE

Buy Low-Life (Collector’s Edition) – New Order
Buy Low-Life [Collector’s Edition]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

R.E.M.- FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION

Buy Fables of the Reconstruction (Deluxe Edition) – R.E.M.
Buy Fables Of The Reconstruction (Deluxe Edition) [+Digital Booklet]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE FAll- THIS NATION’S SAVING GRACE

Buy This Nation’s Saving Grace (Expanded Edition) – The Fall
Buy This Nation’s Saving Grace (Expanded Edition)Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

THE REPLACEMENTS- TIM

Buy Tim (Expanded Edition) – The Replacements
Buy Tim [Expanded Edition]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUSKER DU- FLIP YOUR WIG

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L.L. COOL J- RADIO

Buy Radio (First Edition) – LL Cool J
Buy Radio [Explicit]Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SMITHS- MEAT IS MURDER

Buy Meat Is Murder (Remastered By Johnny Marr) – The Smiths
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TEARS FOR FEARS- SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR

Buy Songs from the Big Chair (Bonus Tracks) – Tears for Fears
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Best of 1985 Volume 1 (6/25/02)

1.  The Pogues- Sick Bed Of Cuchaillain

Buy The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn – Rum S****y & the Lash (Expanded Version)

Buy The Sick Bed Of CuchulainnAmazon

 

2.  The Replacements- Bastards Of Young

Buy Bastards of Young – Tim (Expanded Edition)

Buy Bastards Of Young (Remastered Version)Amazon

 

3.  The Smiths- The Headmaster Ritual

Buy The Headmaster Ritual – Meat Is Murder
Buy The Headmaster Ritual (2011 Remastered Version)Amazon

 

4.  The Mekons- Hard To Be Human

Buy Hard to Be Human Again – Fear and Whiskey
Buy Hard to Be Human AgainAmazon

 

5.  Prince- Pop Life

Buy Pop Life – Around the World In a Day
Buy Pop Life (LP Version)Amazon

 

6.  New Order- The Perfect Kiss

Buy The Perfect Kiss – Low-Life (Collector’s Edition)
Buy The Perfect KissAmazon

 

7.  Madonna- Into the Groove

Buy Into the Groove – Celebration
Buy Into The Groove (Album Version)Amazon

 

8.  Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D.- La-Di-Da-Di

Buy Ladi Dadi – Doug E Fresh (The Greatest Hits)
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9.  LL Cool J- I Can’t Live Without My Radio

Buy I Can’t Live Without My Radio – Radio (First Edition)
Buy I Can’t Live Without My RadioAmazon

 

10.  The Cult- She Sells Sanctuary

Buy She Sells Sanctuary – Love (Remastered)
Buy She Sells SanctuaryAmazon

 

11.  John Cougar Mellencamp- Rain On the Scarecrow

Buy Rain On the Scarecrow – Scarecrow
Buy Rain On The ScarecrowAmazon

 

12.  R.E.M.- Driver 8

Buy Driver 8 – Fables of the Reconstruction
Buy Driver 8 (2010 Digital Remaster)Amazon

 

13.  Tom Waits- Clap Hands

Buy Clap Hands – Rain Dogs
Buy Clap HandsAmazon

 

14.  Kate Bush- Running Up That Hill

Buy Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Hounds of Love
*Track not available via Amazon

 

15.  The Cure- In Between Days

Buy In Between Days – The Head On the Door
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16.  Jesus & Mary Chain- You Trip Me Up

Buy You Trip Me Up – Psychocandy
Buy You Trip Me UpAmazon

 

17.  Husker Du- Terms Of Psychic Warfare

Buy Terms of Psychic Warfare – New Day Rising
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18.  Dramarama- (I’ll Give You) Anything, Anything
Buy Anything, Anything – Cinema Verite
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19.  The Talking Heads- Stay up Late
Buy Stay Up Late – Little Creatures (Remastered)
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20.  ‘Til Tuesday- Voices Carry

Buy Voices Carry – Voices Carry
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Best of 1985 Volume 2 (6/26/02)

1.  Katrina & the Waves- Walking On Sunshine

Buy Walking On Sunshine – Anthology
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2.  New Order- Love Vigilantes

Buy Love Vigilantes – Low-Life (Collector’s Edition)
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3.  Kate Bush- Cloudbusting

Buy Cloudbusting – Hounds of Love
*Track not available via Amazon

 

5.  INXS- What You Need

Buy What You Need – Listen Like Thieves
Buy What You NeedAmazon

 

6.  LL Cool J- Rock the Bells

Buy Rock the Bells – Radio (First Edition)
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7.  Run-DMC- King Of Rock

Buy King of Rock – King of Rock
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8.  Lisa Lisa & the Cult Jam- I Wonder If I Take You Home

Buy I Wonder If I Take You Home – Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force
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9.  Prince- Raspberry Beret

Buy Raspberry Beret – Around the World In a Day
Buy Raspberry Beret (LP Version)Amazon

 

10.  Jesus & Mary Chain- Taste of Cindy

Buy Taste of Cindy – Psychocandy
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11.  The Ramones- Bonzo Goes to Bitburg

Buy My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg) – Animal Boy
Buy Bonzo Goes To Bitburg (LP Version )Amazon

 

12.  Husker Du- The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill

Buy The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill – New Day Rising
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13.  The Hoodoo Gurus- Bittersweet

Buy Bittersweet – Mars Needs Guitars!
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14.  Tom Waits- Jockey Full Of Bourbon

Buy Jockey Full of Bourbon – Rain Dogs
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15.  The Replacements- Here Comes a Regular

Buy Here Comes a Regular – Tim (Expanded Edition)
Buy Here Comes A Regular (Remastered Version)Amazon

 

16.  Madonna- Crazy For You

Buy Crazy for You – Something to Remember
Buy Crazy For You (Album Version)Amazon

 

17.  The Pogues- I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day

Buy I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day – Rum S****y & The Lash
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18.  The Mekons- Last Dance

Buy Last Dance – Fear and Whiskey
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19.  R.E.M.- Maps and Legends

Buy Maps And Legends – Fables of the Reconstruction
Buy Maps And Legends (2010 Digital Remaster)Amazon

 

20.  The Talking Heads- Road to Nowhere

Buy Road to Nowhere – Little Creatures (Remastered)
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Best of 1985 Volume 3 (1/26/05)

1.  Jesus & Mary Chain- Just Like Honey

Buy Just Like Honey – Psychocandy
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2.  Nick Lowe- Rose Of England

Buy The Rose of England – Basher – The Best of Nick Lowe
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3.  The Pogues- A Pair Of Brown Eyes

Buy A Pair of Brown Eyes – Rum S****y & The Lash
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4.  Sade- Smooth Operator

Buy Smooth Operator – Diamond Life
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5.  Grace Jones- Slave to the Rhythm

Buy Slave to the Rhythm – Island Life
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6.  Kid Creole & the Coconuts- Endicott

Buy Endicott – Kid Creole Redux
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7.  Word Of Mouth (Feat. DJ Cheese)- King Kut

*Track not available via iTunes
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8.  Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew- The Show

Buy The Show – Doug E. Fresh – The Greatest Hits
Buy The ShowAmazon

 

9.  Tears For Fears- Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Buy Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Songs from the Big Chair (Bonus Tracks)
Buy Everybody Wants To Rule The WorldAmazon

 

10.  Shelia E.- A Love Bizarre (Single Version)

Buy A Love Bizarre – Romance 1600
Buy Romance 1600Amazon

 

11.  The Smiths- Rubber Ring

Buy Rubber Ring – Louder Than Bombs (Remastered By Johnny Marr)
Buy Rubber Ring (2011 Remastered Version)Amazon

 

12.  Husker Du- Makes No Sense At All

Buy Makes No Sense At All – Flip Your Wig
Buy Makes No Sense At AllAmazon

 

13.  The Fall- Couldn’t Get Ahead

Buy Couldn’t Get Ahead – This Nation’s Saving Grace
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14.  The Replacements- Left Of the Dial

Buy Left of the Dial – Tim (Expanded Edition)
Buy Left Of The DialAmazon

 

15.  R.E.M.- Can’t Get There From Here

Buy Can’t Get There From Here – Fables of the Reconstruction
Buy Can’t Get There From Here (Edit) (2006 Digital Remaster)Amazon

 

16.  The Cure- Six Different Ways

Buy Six Different Ways – The Head On the Door (Remastered) [Bonus Version]
Buy Six Different Ways (2006 Remastered LP Version)Amazon

 

17.  The Meat Puppets- Two Rivers

Buy Two Rivers – Up on the Sun
Buy Two RiversAmazon

 

18.  Tom Waits- Time

Buy Time – Rain Dogs Buy TimeAmazon

 

19.  Camper Van Beethoven- Take the Skinheads Bowling

Buy Take the Skinheads Bowling – Telephone Free Landslide Victory
Buy Take the Skinheads BowlingAmazon

Best of 1985 Volume 4 (2/6/05)

1.  The Fall- Bombast

Buy Bombast (Remastered) – This Nation’s Saving Grace (Expanded Edition)
Buy BombastAmazon

 

2.  The Eurythmics- Would I Lie To You?

Buy Would I Lie to You? – Be Yourself Tonight (Remastered)
Buy Would I Lie To You? (Remastered Version) Amazon

 

3.  Dramarama- Emerald City

Buy Emerald City – Cinema Verite
Buy Emerald CityAmazon

 

4.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers- Don’t Come Around Here No More

Buy Don’t Come Around Here No More – Southern Accents
Buy Don’t Come Around Here No MoreAmazon

 

5.  John Cougar Mellencamp- Between a Laugh & a Tear

Buy Between a Laugh and a Tear – Scarecrow
Buy Between A Laugh And A TearAmazon

 

6.  The Pogues- The Old Main Drag

Buy The Old Main Drag – Rum S****y & The Lash
Buy The Old Main DragAmazon

 

7.  Kate Bush- Hounds of Love

Buy Hounds of Love – Hounds of Love
*Track not available via Amazon

 

8.  The Dream Academy- Life in a Northern Town

Buy Life In A Northern Town (LP Version) – The Dream Academy
Buy Life In A Northern Town (LP Version)Amazon

 

9.  Sade- Your Love is King

Buy Your Love Is King – Diamond Life
Buy Your Love Is KingAmazon

 

10.  Prefab Sprout- Bonny

Buy Bonny – Steve McQueen
Buy BonnyAmazon

 

11.  The Cure- A Night Like This

Buy A Night Like This – The Head On the Door (Remastered) [Bonus Version]
Buy A Night Like This (2006 Remastered LP Version)Amazon

 

12.  The Replacements- Swingin’ Party

Buy Swingin Party – Tim (Expanded Edition)
Buy Swingin PartyAmazon

 

13.  The Smiths- Nowhere Fast

Buy Nowhere Fast – Meat Is Murder (Remastered By Johnny Marr)
Buy Nowhere FastAmazon

 

14.  The Cult- Rain

Buy Rain – Love (Remastered)
Buy Rain (2009 Remaster)Amazon

 

15.  The Meat Puppets- Swimming Ground

Buy Swimming Ground – Up on the Sun
Buy Swimming GroundAmazon

 

16.  R.E.M.- Feeling Gravity’s Pull

Buy Feeling Gravity’s Pull (Remastered) – Fables of the Reconstruction (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Feeling Gravitys Pull (2010 Digital Remaster)Amazon

 

17.  Tears For Fears- Head Over Heels

Buy Head Over Heels – Shout – The Very Best of Tears for Fears
Buy Head Over HeelsAmazon

 

18.  The Clash- This Is England

Buy This Is England – Cut the Crap
Buy This Is England Amazon

 

19.  Husker Du- Books About UFO’s

Buy Books About UFOs – New Day Rising
Buy Books About UFOsAmazon

 

20.  Tom Waits- Downtown Train

Buy Downtown Train – Rain Dogs
Buy Downtown TrainAmazon

 

21.  Jesus & Mary Chain- My Little Underground

Buy My Little Underground – Psychocandy
Buy My Little UndergroundAmazon

Best of 1985 Volume 5 (10/6/07)

1.  Barrington Levy- Here I Come

Buy Here I Come – Dancehall 101, Vol. 4
Buy Here I ComeAmazon

 

2.  Tenor Saw- Ring the Alarm

Buy Ring the Alarm – Dancehall 101, Vol. 3
Buy Ring the AlarmAmazon

 

3.  The Mary Jane Girls- In My House

Buy In My House (12″ Mix) – 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Mary Jane Girls
Buy In My HouseAmazon

 

4.  Mantronix- Needle to the Groove

Buy Needle to the Groove – Mantronix (Deluxe Edition)
Buy Needle to the GrooveAmazon

 

5.  Kurtis Blow- If I Ruled the World

Buy If I Ruled the World – Funk Essentials: The Best of Kurtis Blow
Buy If I Ruled The WorldAmazon

 

6.  New Order- Sub-culture

Buy Sub-culture – Low-Life (Collector’s Edition)
Buy Sub-cultureAmazon

 

7.  Sade- The Sweetest Taboo

Buy The Sweetest Taboo – Promise
Buy The Sweetest TabooAmazon

 

8.  The Velvet Underground- Stephanie Says     *originally recorded in late 60’s

Buy Stephanie Says – VU
Buy V.U.Amazon

 

9.  Husker Du- Green Eyes

Buy Green Eyes – Flip Your Wig
Buy Green EyesAmazon

 

10.  The Replacements- Little Mascara

Buy Little Mascara – Tim (Expanded Edition)
Buy Little Mascara Amazon

 

11.  The Talking Heads- And She Was

Buy And She Was – Little Creatures (Remastered)
Buy And She Was ( LP Version )Amazon

 

12.  The Smiths- Shakespeare’s Sister

Buy Shakespeare’s Sister – Louder Than Bombs (Remastered By Johnny Marr)
Buy Shakespeare’s SisterAmazon

 

13.  The Fall- Cruiser’s Creek

Buy Cruisers Creek – This Nation’s Saving Grace
Buy Cruiser’s CreekAmazon

 

14.  The Pogues- Dirty Old Town

Buy Dirty Old Town – Rum S****y & the Lash (Expanded Version)
Buy Dirty Old TownAmazon

 

15.  The Mekons- Lost Highway

Buy Lost Highway – Fear and Whiskey
Buy Lost HighwayAmazon

 

16.  John Fogerty- The Old Man Down the Road

Buy The Old Man Down the Road – Centerfield (Remastered)
Buy The Old Man Down The RoadAmazon

 

17.  Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band- Trapped (Live)

Buy Trapped (Live) – The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Buy Trapped (Live)Amazon

 

18.  Minor Threat- Stumped

Buy Stumped – Salad Days – Single
Buy StumpedAmazon

 

19.  Rites Of Spring- Spring

Buy Spring – Rites of Spring
*Track not available via Amazon

 

20.  Leaonard Cohen- Hallelujah

Buy Hallelujah – The Essential Leonard Cohen
Buy HallelujahAmazon

 

21.  The Simple Minds- Don’t You (Forget About Me)

Buy Don’t You (Forget About Me) – The Breakfast Club (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Buy Don’t You (Forget About Me) (2001 Digital Remaster)Amazon

Best of 1985 Volume 6 (10/7/07)

1.  INXS- Listen Like Thieves

Buy Listen Like Thieves – Listen Like Thieves
Buy Listen Like Thieves (LP Version)Amazon

 

2.  The Fall- Barmy

Buy Barmy (Remastered) – This Nation’s Saving Grace (Expanded Edition)
Buy BarmyAmazon

 

3.  Rites Of Spring- Deeper Than Inside

Buy Deeper Than Inside – Rites of Spring
Buy Deeper Than InsideAmazon

 

4.  Husker Du- I Apologize

Buy I Apologize – New Day Rising
Buy I ApologizeAmazon

 

5.  The Velvet Underground- I Can’t Stand It        *originally recorded in late 60’s

Buy I Can’t Stand It – VU
Buy I Can’t Stand ItAmazon

 

6.  Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians- The Man With the Lightbulb Head

Buy The Man With the Lightbulb Head – Fegmania!
Buy The Man With The Lightbulb HeadAmazon

 

7.  R.E.M.- Crazy

Buy Crazy – Dead Letter Office
Buy CrazyAmazon

 

8.  The Hoodoo Gurus- Death Defying

Buy Death-Defying – Mars Needs Guitars!
Buy Death-Defying (LP Version)Amazon

 

9.  LL Cool J- Dangerous

Buy Dangerous – Radio (First Edition)
Buy DangerousAmazon

 

10.  The Beastie Boys- She’s On It

Buy She’s On It – Beastie Boys Anthology – The Sounds of Science
Buy She’s On It [Explicit]Amazon

 

11.  Mantronix- Fresh Is the Word

Buy Fresh Is the Word – The Album
Buy Fresh is the WordAmazon

 

12.  Murray Head- One Night in Bangkok

Buy One Night In Bangkok (Single Version) – Broadway’s Greatest Leading Men (2000 Compilation)
Buy One Night In BangkokAmazon

 

13.  U2- Three Sunrises

Buy The Three Sunrises – Wide Awake In America (Live) – EP
Buy The Three SunrisesAmazon

 

14.  The Simple Minds- Alive and Kicking

Buy Alive and Kicking – Once Upon a Time
Buy Alive And Kicking (2002 Digital Remaster)Amazon

 

15.  The Meat Puppets- Buckethead

Buy Buckethead – Up on the Sun
Buy BucketheadAmazon

 

16.  The Mekons- Chivalry

Buy Chivalry – Fear and Whiskey
Buy ChivalryAmazon

 

17.  The Pogues- Sally McLennane

Buy Sally MacLennane – Rum S****y & the Lash (Expanded Version)
Buy Sally MacLennaneAmazon

 

18.  Minor Threat- Salad Days

Buy Salad Days – Salad Days – Single
Buy Salad DaysAmazon

 

19.  Jesus & Mary Chain- Never Understand

Buy Never Understand – Psychocandy
Buy Never UnderstandAmazon

 

20.  Scritti Politti- Perfect Way

Buy Perfect Way – Cupid & Psyche 85
Buy Perfect Way (Album Version)Amazon

 

21.  Tom Waits- Hang Down Your Head
Buy Hang Down Your Head – Rain Dogs
Buy Hang Down Your HeadAmazon

 

Best of 1985 Volume 8 (7/14/12)

1.  Run-DMC- Can You Rock It Like This

Buy Can You Rock It Like This – King of Rock
Buy Can You Rock It Like ThisAmazon

 

2.  Roxanne With UTFO- The Real Roxanne

*Track not available via iTunes or Amazon

 

3.  Roxanne Shante- Roxanne’s Revenge (Street Version)

Buy Roxanne’s Revenge – Old School Hip Hop & Freestyle
Buy Roxanne’s RevengeAmazon

 

4.  Husker Du- Divide and Conquer

Buy Divide and Conquer – Flip Your Wig
Buy Divide And ConquerAmazon

 

5.  Rites Of Spring- Remainder

Buy Remainder – Rites of Spring
Buy RemainderAmazon

 

6.  The Smiths- Barbarism Begins at Home

Buy Barbarism Begins At Home – Meat Is Murder
Buy Barbarism Begins At HomeAmazon

 

7.  The Fall- Spoilt Victorian Child

Buy Spoilt Victorian Child – This Nation’s Saving Grace
Buy Spoilt Victorian ChildAmazon

 

8.  The Cure- Push

Buy Push – The Head On the Door (Remastered) [Bonus Version]
Buy Push (2006 Remastered LP Version)Amazon

 

9.  Echo & the Bunnymen- Bring On the Dancing Horses

Buy Bring On the Dancing Horses – Pretty In Pink (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Buy Bring On The Dancing HorsesAmazon

 

10.  Kate Bush- Jig Of Life

Buy Jig of Life – Hounds of Love
*Track not available via Amazon

 

11.  R.E.M.- Ages Of You

Buy Ages of You – Dead Letter Office
Buy Ages Of YouAmazon

 

12.  The Pogues- Whiskey You’re the Devil

Buy Whiskey You’re the Devil – Red Roses for Me [Expanded]
Buy Whiskey You’re The DevilAmazon

 

13.  The Velvet Underground- Foggy Notion       *Originally recorded in the late 60’s

Buy Foggy Notion – VU
Buy Foggy NotionAmazon

 

14.  New Order- Sunrise

Buy Sunrise – Low-Life (Collector’s Edition)
Buy SunriseAmazon

 

15.  Tears For Fears- The Working Hour

Buy The Working Hour – Songs from the Big Chair (Bonus Tracks)
Buy The Working HourAmazon

 

16.  Prefab Sprout- Faron

Buy Faron Young – Steve McQueen
Buy FaronAmazon

 

17.  Sade- Hang Onto Your Love
Buy Hang On to Your Love – Diamond Life
Buy Hang On To Your LoveAmazon

1. Love And Rockets- Ball Of Confusion (Single Version)
2. Jesus & Mary Chain- Taste The Floor
3. Killing Joke- Love Like Blood
4. The Church- Tantalized
5. Rites Of Spring- For Want Of
6. The Fall- I Am Damo Suzuki
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble- Come On (Part III)
8. Tom Waits- Raindogs
9. Beat Happening- Foggy Eyes
10. Godley & Creme- Cry
11. Kate Bush- The Big Sky
12. The Velvet Underground- Lisa Says
13. The Smiths- Stretch Out And Wait
14. The Replacements- Kiss Me On The Bus
15. Talking Heads- Creatures Of Love
16. Bernard Wright- Who Do You Love
17. Prince & The Revolution- Paisley Park
18. Howard Jones- No One Is To Blame
19. Dire Straits- So Far Away