Tag: 1980sPage 1 of 24

Prince and the Revolution, Live, 2022 on NPG Records

Released in 1985 as a VHS live movie, this was issued on 3xLP vinyl by NPG records in 2022. It was recorded March 30th, 1985, at the Carrier…

Marshall Crenshaw, Marshall Crenshaw, 1982 on Warner Bros.

Debut album from Marshall Crenshaw, including the song for which he is best known “Someday, Someway.” The followup sophomore album (Field Day) was produced by Steve Lillywhite but…

Big Country, The Crossing, 1983 on Mercury

Debut album by Scotland’s Big Country, which charted at number 18 in the US, and contains the song “In a Big Country.” Produced by Steve Lillywhite and recorded…

The Smiths, The Smiths, 1984 on Rough Trade

Masterful debut album by Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce aka The Smiths. Produced by John Porter and recorded at multiple studios in Manchester and London…

Joe Jackson, Live 1980/86, 1988 on A&M

Recorded across four different tours in the early 80s, this double LP live album includes three versions of “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” on four sides…

Bauhaus, Mask, 1981 on Beggars Banquet

Second studio album from Bauhaus and their first on Beggars Banquet (In The Flat Field was on 4AD), with a cover drawn by Daniel Ash, across a gatefold…

Cyndi Lauper, She’s So Unusual, 1983 on Portrait

Lauper’s debut solo album, She’s So Unusual had four top-five singles: “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through The Night.” A…

XTC, English Settlement, 1982 on Virgin/Epic

This was the fifth XTC studio album, out on Virgin Records in the UK and Epic in the US. The band stopped touring after this LP and became…

Tom Waits, Big Time, 1988 on Island Records

Live album from Tom Waits, including performances from the 1987 tour, also available as a concert film on Amazon Prime / MGM+. Waits is joined by Willie Schwarz,…

Too Much Joy, Son of Sam I Am, 1988 on Alias

This was the second full length from Scarsdale New York’s Too Much Joy. I didn’t actually know them in the 80s so picked this up a bit on…

Billy Joel, An Innocent Man, 1983 on Columbia / Family Productions

Billy Joel’s ninth studio LP, with the title track, “Uptown Girl,” and “The Longest Time” as big hits. Toots Thielemans joins on harmonica on “Leave a Tender Moment…

Cowboy Junkies, Misguided Angel, 1989 on RCA

Margo, Peter, and MIchael Timmons with Alan Anton were Cowboy Junkies. This EP came out alongside the Trinity Session album, with the lead single “Misguided Angel” from that…

Billy Joel, Glass Houses, 1980 on Columbia / Family Productions

Billy Joel’s 7th studio album, produced by Phil Ramone. The house on the cover is was Joel’s own home in Cove Neck, Long Island. A harder rocking Billy…

The Power Station, Some Like It Hot And The Heat is On (12″), 1985 on Capitol

The Power Station were a kind of supergroup, pairing Andy & John Taylor (Duran Duran) with Tony Thompson (Chic) and Robert Palmer (who was later replaced by Michael…

Peter Gabriel, Ein Deutsches Album, 1980 on Charisma

This is the German language version of the third album Gabriel put out as self-titled (“Peter Gabriel”) but popularly known as Peter Gabriel III or “Melt” – listed…

a-ha, Hunting High and Low, 1985 on Warner Bros.

Debut album from Norway’s a-ha, fronted by Morten Harket, with Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar-Savoy. “Take On Me” with its animated video is the song everyone knows, but there’s…

Fine Young Cannibals, The Raw & The Cooked, 1988 on IRS Records / MCA

This was the second Fine Young Cannibals album following their self-titled debut. Roland Gift on vocals with the rhythm section of Andy Cox and David Steele (formerly of…

Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls, 1989 on Epic

Sophomore album from Amy Ray and Emily Sallers, with their massive breakout hit “Closer To Fine.” Michael Stipe guests on “Kid Fears” and Hothouse Flowers guest on multiple…

The Smiths, Strangeways Here We Come, 1987 on Rough Trade.

Fourth (and final) studio album from The Smiths, produced by Stephen Street, Morrissey, and Johnny Marr and recorded at The Wool Hall in Beckington, Somerset. On constant repeat…

The Fun Boy Three, The Fun Boy Three, 1982 on Chrysalis

The Fun Boy Three (Terry Hall, Neville Staple, and Lynval Golding) were a spin-off / outgrowth of The Specials. This was their debut, self-titled album with guests Bananarama…