Saw this on another board and thought I would bring it here.

So which single year from the entire decade of the 80's overall had the Best Music/Songs?  And which year had the Worst Music/Songs?

My choices:  Best - 1984, Worst - 1981

Best: 1984 or 1988
Worst: probably 1985 or 1986

I found this list on the IMDb Boards of Notable Hits from each year that might help your decisions

1980
-----
Queen - "Another One Bites The Dust"
Devo - "Whip It"
Michael Jackson - "Rock With You"
Pink Floyd - "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)"
Blondie - "Call Me"
Lipps Inc. - "Funkytown"
Gary Numan - "Cars"
Pete Townshend - "Let My Love Open The Door"
Pat Benatar - "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
Kool & The Gang - "Ladies Night"
Queen - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

1981
-----
Rolling Stones - "Start Me Up"
Olivia Newton John - "Physical"
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie - "Endless Love"
Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"
Kool & The Gang - "Celebration"
Grover Washington Jr. - "Just The Two Of Us"

1982
-----
Survivor - "Eye of The Tiger"
J. Geils Band - "(My Angel Is The) Centerfold"
Men At Work - "Who Can It Be Now"
Joan Jett - "I Love Rock 'N Roll"
John Cougar Mellencamp - "Jack & Diane"
Soft Cell - "Tainted Love"
Hall & Oates - "Maneater"
A Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran (So Far Away)"
Tommy Tutone - "867-5309 (Jenny)"
Tony Basil - "Mickey"
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder - "Ebony & Ivory"

1983
-----
Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"
Michael Jackson - "Beat It"
Dexys Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"
Irene Cara - "Flashdance (What A Feeling)"
The Police - "Every Breath You Take"
Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams"
Michael Sambello - "Maniac"
Bonnie Tyler - "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"
Men Without Hats - "The Safety Dance"
Marvin Gaye - "Sexual Healing"
Madness - Our House"
Styx - "Mr. Roboto"
Culture Club - "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?"
Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"

1984
-----
Michael Jackson - "Thriller"
Van Halen - "Jump"
Prince - "Purple Rain"
Prince - "When Doves Cry"
Culture Club - "Karma Chameleon"
Yes - "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
Cyndi Lauper - "Time After Time"
Wham! - "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"
Tina Turner - "What's Love Got To Do With It"
Ray Parker Jr. - "Ghostbusters"
Cyndi lauper - "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"
Nena - "99 Luftballoons"
Scorpions - "Rock You Like A Hurricane"
Kenny Loggins - "Footloose"

1985
-----
A Ha - "Take On Me"
Madonna - "Like A Virgin"
Katrina & The Waves - "Walking On Sunshine"
Huey Lewis & The News - "The Power of Love"
Tears For Fears - "Shout"
Mr. Mister - "Broken Wings"
Foreigner - "I Want To Know What Love Is"
Phil Collins - "One More Night"
Phil Collins - "Sussudio"
Starship - "We Built This City"
Tears For Fears - "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"
REO Speedwagon - "Can't Fight This Feeling"
General Public - "Tenderness"

1986
-----
Falco - "Rock Me Amadeus"
Robert Palmer - "Addicted To Love"
The Bangles - "Walk Like An Egyptian"
Berlin - "Take My Breath Away"
Madonna - "Papa Don't Preach"
Aerosmith & Run D.M.C. - "Walk This Way"
Boston - "Amanda"
Cameo - "Word Up!"
Dionne Warwick - "That's What Friends Are For"
Wang Chung - "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"
OMD - "If You Leave"
James Brown - "Living In America"
Bananarama - "Venus"

1987
-----
Cutting Crew - "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight"
Club Nouveau - "Lean On Me"
George Michael - "Faith"
U2 - "With or Without You"
Los Lobos - "La Bamba"
Michael Jackson - "Bad"
Kim Wilde - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
LeVert - "Casanova"
Aerosmith - "Dude Looks Like A Lady"

1988
-----
UB40 - "Red Red Wine"
INXS - "Need You Tonight"
Guns 'N Roses - "Welcome To The Jungle"
Guns 'N Roses - "Sweet Child O' Mine"
Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
Michael Jackson - "Dirty Diana"
Billy Ocean - "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car"
George Harrison - "Got My Mind Set On You"
Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car"

1989
-----
Fine Young Cannibals - "She Drives Me Crazy"
Michael Jackson - "Smooth Criminal"
Billy Joel - "We Didn't Start The Fire"
Tone Loc - "Wild Thing"
Tone Loc - "Funky Cold Medina"
Martika - "Toy Soldiers"
Metallica - "One"
Paula Abdul - "Straight Up"
Tom Petty - "Free Fallin'"
The B52's - "Love Shack"
Bobby Brown - "My Prerogative"



I was originally torn between 1983 and 1984 for the Best Year, and i've decided to change my mind and go with 1984

Here are my rankings from Best to Worst

1984
1983
1985
1980
1982
1989
1987
1988
1986
1981

1981 was probably the worst year, 1984/1983 and maybe 1989 were the best, though 1988-1987 wasn't that bad either, though it was bad in the mainstream.

1981
1989
1988
1987
1986
1980
1983
1985
1982
1984

Best 1982,1985
Worst 1980,1983

Best 1982,1985
Worst 1980,1983


:o 1983 a "Worst"?

The choice for worst is easy: 1988, which signalled the Stock Aitken and Waterman takeover.

The best is a REAL toughie for me, it's between 1984 or 1985....maybe 1984 just edges it with the consistency of hits -  so much quality during that year!  :o

Whatever, the years 1984-1987 were vintage 80's years.

Best = 1984
          1982
          1986
          1987

Worst = 1985

Best = 1984
          1982
          1986
          1987

Worst = 1985



Interesting.  Explain your reasoning here!  :o

Most of my favourite 80's songs come from 1983, so that will be my choice for best

I'd say the worst was 1989.  There were a few good songs in '89, but not enough to hold my vote against any other year

I think the '80s in general got better later on, but the early '80s were the best for music.

Anyway, probably 1982, 1983, or 1984.

Hey there.

I'm trying to find out who is the girl in the video "I Wish I Had A Girl" by Henry Lee Summer. She's the main one he ends up. She kinda looks like Jacqualyn Smith, but she's not.

Any Takers?

Tangl

Best years probably 1987-1989 as most of my 80s music is from then.
Worst, probably the mid-years of 1984-1986

Ranked:
1987
1988
1989
1983
1984
1981
1980
1985
1986