1985: The Year In Music

1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev replaces Konstantin Chernenko as Soviet leader. An 8.1 earthquake in Mexico City kills an estimated 10,000 and leaves 250,000 homeless. The charity single “We Are the World” releases. Yikes … It’s a good thing Live Aid was also in this year, otherwise it would’ve sucked!

I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs / albums of the year, giving my opinions on their musicality and longevity as well as an overall verdict for the year as a whole.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – Take On Me (a-ha)

The synth riff might be a meme these days, but “Take On Me” remains a classic of 80’s Pop.

It’s bubbly and bright, with a vocal performance that takes your breath away.

9 – Crazy for You (Madonna)

Oh no … here comes Madonna.

I’m not a fan of her work at all, but to be fair that’s mostly her later stuff. That being said, “Crazy for You” is pretty boring.

8 – Money for Nothing (Dire Straits)

After a slow, tension-building opener (featuring Sting, of all people), the guitar part of “Money for Nothing” hits like crack.

The rest of the song isn’t as impactful as those first few minutes, but boy is it a fun ride from start to finish.

7 – Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears)

Tears for Fears were ahead of the game in 1985 – their other hit “Shout” is a personal favourite, and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” still dominates the radio waves forty years later.

The production sounds incredible, and that chorus is unbelievably effective.

6 – Out of Touch (Daryl Hall & John Oates)

I’m impartial to a bit of Hall & Oates, and “Out of Touch” is nothing if not harmless 80’s fun.

5 – I Feel for You (Chaka Khan)

“I Feel for You” has a lot less streams on Spotify compared to these other songs – I thought it was a well-known classic!

It’s intensely groovy and memorable, and I love that catchy Prince-esque chorus. It’s not surprising, therefore, that Prince was the one who actually wrote this song.

4 – I Want to Know What Love Is (Foreigner)

Very soppy. At the same time, it’s a classic. Maybe not a classic I personally revisit all that often, but a classic nonetheless.

3 – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Wham!)

There have been a lot of fun songs in 1985, but none have been as unabashedly flashy as “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”.

This is Wham at the top of their feelgood game.

2 – Like a Virgin (Madonna)

It’s Madonna again. Hurray.

My instinct is telling me to burn this song with fire, but objectively it’s a catchy tune with some merits.

1 – Careless Whisper (Wham!)

I always thought “Careless Whisper” was purely a George Michael song, so I was surprised to discover it came under the umbrella of Wham.

It has a a slick saxophone part and some really sultry production, and the whole thing is oh so smooth.

FAVOURITE – “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (Tears for Fears)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “Crazy for You” (Madonna)

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – Here Comes A Regular (The Replacements)

A more acoustic song from The Replacements. Charming, but not the Rock ‘n’ Roll I was looking for.

9 – Raspberry Beret (Prince And The Revolution)

It doesn’t have quite the same bite as songs from the “Purple Rain” album, but “Raspberry Beret” is still a delightful Baroque Pop romp.

8 – That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore (The Smiths)

Morrissey is a miserable bastard, and nowhere is that more prominent than “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”.

The lyrics are sombre and dismissive, but Johnny Marr’s vibrant guitar playing makes up for it.

7 – The Headmaster Ritual (The Smiths)

The opening track from The Smiths’ “Meat Is Murder”, and also the best from the album.

“The Headmaster Ritual” has all the hallmarks of a Smiths classic – bouncy guitar, an upbeat tempo and some downbeat lyrics.

6 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Tears For Fears)

This was my favourite Billboard hit of the year, so I’m glad the critics liked it too!

5 – Hounds Of Love (Kate Bush)

“Hounds Of Love” is the title track from the ground-breaking album of the same name and, like the album itself, it hits you like a ton of bricks.

The hard percussion is immediately noteworthy, and the sharp strings and hysteric vocals are what make the song so great.

4 – Just Like Honey (The Jesus And Mary Chain)

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but “Just Like Honey” threw me off-guard with how visceral and dirty it is.

The songwriting is simple, but the muddy production makes the track stand out.

3 – Inbetween Days (The Cure)

The Cure have consistently released some of my favourite music from the last few years of this retrospective, and “Inbetween Days” is another winner.

They just have that talent for making moody, yet life-affirming, Rock that’s always a joy to listen to.

2 – Cloudbusting (Kate Bush)

“Cloudbusting” is a recent find of mine, and it’s quickly becoming a personal favourite.

The production and songwriting are outstanding, and Kate Bush’s vocal performance is extremely evocative.

1 – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) (Kate Bush)

It’s more well-known for its use in “Stranger Things” these days, but “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” has a timeless appeal that will long outlive that Netflix series.

Kate Bush is at it again with the rousing lyrics and vocals, and the steady drumbeat hooks your attention throughout.

BEST SONG OF 1985 – “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” (Kate Bush)

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – Psychocandy (The Jesus And Mary Chain)

“Psychocandy” is unlike anything else you’ll hear in 1985.

“Just Like Honey” is the stand-out, but the rest of the murky tracks cemented The Jesus And Mary Chain as one of the most influential acts of their time.

4 – Meat Is Murder (The Smiths)

“Meat Is Murder” doesn’t have many of the “iconic” Smiths songs, but as a complete package it has a good shout of being the band’s best.

The stand-outs are “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”, “The Headmaster Ritual” and “Well I Wonder”, but the rest is great too.

3 – Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits)

Dire Straits’ most famous album, and I’d say their best.

“Money For Nothing”, “Walk of Life” and the title track are the clear show-stoppers, but I also adore gems like “Your Latest Trick” and “Why Worry?”.

2 – Rain Dogs (Tom Waits)

Tom Waits is the only artist in this top five not to have any of his songs feature in the Billboard or high-rated songs, and I can kinda see why.

“Rain Dogs” is bizarre, to say the least, but I can appreciate how out-there it is. If nothing else, I can confidently say there is nothing else like it.

1 – Hounds of Love (Kate Bush)

We’ve already heard plenty of songs from “Hounds of Love” on this list, so I’ll keep my praise brief – this album is awesome.

Kate Bush stuns in every song, and the whole thing oozes musical confidence and songwriting mastery.

BEST ALBUM OF 1985 – “Hounds of Love” (Kate Bush)

Final Thoughts

Another great year for music, even if I was disappointed by the odd track here and there. The 80’s has been serving up classic after classic so far!

Overall Grade: B

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: