In November of 1984 Cocteau Twins released their 3rd studio album. Recorded in August and September of the same year, the record is a departure from their post punk roots and is one of the finest dream pop records ever pressed to wax. Let’s talk Cocteau Twins, Treasure!

In July of 1984 Sade released their debut album. Recorded over six weeks at Power Plant Studios with Robin Millar helming the board, the record would go on to spawn four singles, win Best British Album at the Brit Awards, and sell over ten million copies, making it the best selling album by a British…

In March of 1984 Run DMC released their debut album. Breaking down the genre to it’s bare bones, the group opted to keep the beats tighter and rhymes harder than anyone had done yet. The results? The first rap album to hit gold status, the creation of the rap/rock genre, and the opening salvo of…

In October of 1984 Frankie Goes to Hollywood released their debut studio album. Spanning four sides, and with producer Trevor Horn flexing complete control over the final product, the album is a testament to 80s excess. Let’s talk Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Welcome to The Pleasure Dome!

In October of 1983 Culture Club released their second studio album. Preceded by their smash hit Karma Chameleon, the record would go on to sell over ten million copies worldwide and became a touchstone of 80s pop music. Let’s talk Culture Club, Colour by Numbers!

In April of 1984 Meat Puppets released their second studio album. Gone are the hardcore roots of the band, opting to embrace their love of psych, country, and just a touch of thrash. The results? One of the finest recording of the 1980s and another feather in the cap of SST. Let’s talk Meat Puppets,…

In February of 1983 U2 released their 3rd studio album. It was the most overtly political musical statement to date by the band, with Sunday Bloody Sunday to this day being considered one of the best protest songs ever written. The album would finally unseat Thriller from the number one spot on the UK charts…

In January of 1983 Eurythmics released their second studio album. It became the record that broke them out on both sides of the pond. Let’s talk Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)!

In late March of 1983 ZZ Top released their eighth studio album. Every dang track is a stone cold classic and the album would go on to achieve diamond sales status. But is it really a Billy Gibbons solo record in disguise? Let’s talk ZZ Top, Eliminator!

In February of 1983 Echo and the Bunnymen released their 3rd studio album. Though initially panned by critics the album would go on to be their best selling to date and eventually reach gold status in sales. It’s also maybe there best record? Let’s talk Echo and the Bunnymen, Porcupine!

In November of 1983 Paul Simon released his 6th studio album. Entering into his fourth decade, Paul found himself in a rut. His vanity movie project One-Trick Pony was a commercial flop, the reunion concert with former band mate showed just why they broke up in the first place, and his pending divorce from Carrie…

In October of 1983 Cyndi Lauper released her debut album. The album is a pop masterpiece and has gone on to sell over 16 million copies worldwide. Let’s talk Cyndi Lauper, She’s So Unusual!

In May of 1983 Hanoi Rocks released their fourth studio album. These Finnish street urchins w/ the help of ex-Mott The Hoople alum Dale Griffen and Peter Watts production, made Glam Metal a thing and inspired the Sunset Strip crowd to step up their game. Let’s talk Hanoi Rocks, Back to Mystery City!

In April of 1984 The Blue Nile released their debut album. Linn Electronics had a conundrum, the hi-fi equipment they made was just too good to demo previously recorded artists. Their solution was to start a record label and give three art school kids studio time. Let’s talk The Blue Nile, A Walk Across the…

In October of 1983 The The released their debut album. NME’s Don Johnson: “In days when the pop song has been reduced to the reiteration of catch-phrases, Matt Johnson flexes a rare literary flair. More importantly he has the command of music’s immense possibilities to carry them through without self-indulgence. Ignore this LP if you…

In January of 1983 Def Leppard released their 3rd studio album. With engineering wizard Mutt Lange having complete control over the writing and recording, over the course of 10 grueling months in 1982 the band would create an otherworldly sounding record that set the high watermark for all hard rock to come. Let’s talk Def…

In May of 1983 British taste maker, Malcolm McLaren, released this album. It is the very definition of cultural appropriation but incidentally maybe started a trend that eventually led to the west caring about apartheid? Let’s talk Malcolm McLaren, Duck Rock!

In April of 1983 Violent Femmes released their debut album. The record has been included on many a critics best of the 80s list and would go on to sell over a million copies. The tunes aren’t bad either. Lets talk Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes!

In the year of our lord, 1982, Duran Duran released their sophomore studio outing. The album was not received well at all by critics of the day with NME saying it was “a sweet, lumpy pudding of a noise” and Record Mirror chiming in with, “thoroughly competent and yet bereft of the soul, passion and…

In March of 1982 Iron Maiden released their 3rd studio album. With the drug abuse related ouster of singer Paul Di’Anno heralded the arrival of the angel voiced former Samson vocalist, Bruce Dickinson, to fill the void. With his distinct “air raid” siren song added to Steve Harris’s incredible compositions, the band made Heavy Metal…

In May of 1982 Associates released their sophomore album. The record peaked at #10 on the British charts and was named by Melody Maker as album of the year. Let’s talk Associates, Sulk!

In September of 1982 Bruce Springsteen released his 6th studio album. Initially written as scratch tracks for the E Street Band and subsequently declined, The Boss eschewed the bombast of his past outings and after digging in his pockets for the only copy of the tape in existence released his most raw and intimate album…

In November of 1982 Venom changed the face of Heavy Metal, forever. Let’s talk Venom, Black Metal!

In May of 1982 The Birthday Party released their 3rd studio album. Inspired by Southern Gothic imagery, the record has been described as a “scuzzy masterpiece” and was No. 17 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. Let’s talk The Birthday Party, Junkyard!