Considering that Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the English duo known as Tears for Fears, were avid followers of Arthur Janov, father of the Primal Scream form of mental therapy, it wasn't surprising that one of their biggest hits was titled "Shout." What was surprising was how the two managed to take all their deep-rooted inner turmoil and make such positively buoyant music. Case in point: their other Songs from the Big Chair-spawned, No. 1 hit, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," was a meditative contemplation of the struggle for power within interpersonal relationships as a metaphor for global supremacy--which, thank god, had a good beat so you could at least dance to it.--Billy Altman ... Read more

Asin: B000001FC0
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

The naughtily titled Immaculate Collection culls 15 of Madonna's Top 10 singles from 1984 to mid-'90, plus 2 new ones that continued the run (the dirty, trunk-bumping funk of "Justify My Love"--a Lenny Kravitz production that justifies his entire career--and the danceable desperation of "Rescue Me"). Rooted in disco and classic AM pop from girl groups and ABBA to Strawberry Alarm Clock, Madonna made savvy, touching music throughout her first golden era. These tracks retain their sonic and historical significance while, like "She Loves You" or "Rocket Man," still brightening any space they're being played in. Far more than just a wise, irreverent image-maker--like the Beatles or Elton, come to think of it--Madonna during these years was the gift that kept on giving, forever fresh, sexy, hooky, and joyously sharp. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Asin: B000002LND
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. Pop    3. Rock/Pop   

Michael Jackson's Thriller is the bestselling album of all time, with 45 million worldwide sales powered by seven Top 10 U.S. singles and eight Grammy Awards. The 1982 album was also a success from which the pop superstar never really recovered--subsequent albums seemed to have no other goal than to beat the records set by Thriller. The highly-polished sound of Quincy Jones's production sounds almost organic compared to Jackson's more recent work, and in the same regard, Thriller was significantly slicker than its predecessor, Off the Wall. Both albums established a Jackson style that aimed for the dance floor with songs built on a state-of-the-art bed of percussion and keyboards. Elements of milestone Thriller tracks like "Billie Jean" (arguably Jackson's best-ever performance) and "Beat It" (with its hard-rock solo by guitarist Eddie Van Halen) influenced not just Jackson's records, but those of the entire dance-pop world. On the song "Thriller," Jackson indulged his taste for the juvenile and invited Vincent Price to rap in a really scary voice. With Thriller the album, Jackson created a different kind of monster--a hit album of such magnitude that it would have an irrevocable impact not just on the singer's art, but on his altogether kooky life. --John Milward ... Read more

Asin: B0000025RI
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. R&B   

One of the earliest things that we learned about Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart was that the duo had style. In their first few MTV videos, including "Sweet Dreams" and "Love Is a Stranger," they were just as notable for their androgynous suits and rubber utility coverall, as they were for their ice box synthetic dance beats. But as Eurythmics continued to churn out one hit after another, something else became refreshingly apparent: In the midst of all of the impersonal drum machines and frozen electronics, Lennox displayed both rhythm and soul. With a voice powerful enough to hold its own against genre queen Aretha Franklin ("Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves"), Lennox added another dimension to the haunting moodiness of "Who's That Girl" and "Here Comes the Rain Again." Changing personas and musical stylings with every release, Eurythmics blasted out horn-infused rockers ("Would I Lie to You"), country-fied twangers ("Thorn in My Side"), and melodic brilliance ("When Tomorrow Comes"). Greatest Hits captures the band's most inspired moments and justifies all of the original fuss. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Asin: B000002VI0
Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Synth Pop   

While English pop monarchs Duran Duran have remained active for two decades, it's clear that the indomitable ensemble was at its peak during those mercurial '80s. This greatest-hits collection documents the band's ambitious beginnings as a funky glam-rock outfit and follows its gradual transformation into a high-tech pop band with loads of commercial appeal. Featuring now-classic tunes like "Girls on Film," "Rio," and "Planet Earth" as well as more recent songs like "Ordinary World," Greatest focuses on Duran Duran's unending string of hit singles. Although the young quintet that performs "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "A View to a Kill" has little in common with the posh, aging trio featured on 1997's "Electric Barbarella," vocalist Simon Le Bon provides some impressive continuity to these proceedings. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Asin: B00000DG1R
Subjects:  1. Dance    2. Dance-Pop    3. New Romantic    4. New Wave    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Synth Pop   

Love 'em or hate 'em, there was no denying that Sting and the boys released some great singles. The title track practically distills the essence of perfect pop, while "Roxanne," "Don't Stand So Close to Me," "De do do do, de da da da," and "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" helped define a generation. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Asin: B000002G3U
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Asin: B000001FS3
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

While Best Of may not be inclusive enough for the avid collector because it focuses more on Blondie's new wave dance hits than on their punk beginnings, songs like "Heart of Glass," "Dreaming," "The Tide Is High," and "Call Me" display the diverse musical styles this band embraced. It's a new wave album, a reggae album, a dance album, a punk album, and a rap album. Rock-solid songwriting and Debbie Harry's sultry vocals hold the CD together despite the stylistic reaches of the tracks. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Asin: B000003JAL
Subjects:  1. American Punk    2. Club/Dance    3. Disco    4. House    5. New Wave    6. New York Punk    7. Pop    8. Pop/Rock    9. Punk    10. Rock    11. United States of America   

Where would the '80s have been without the Pet Shop Boys? Discography makes a compelling case for the notion of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe as pioneers, if not geniuses. Mixing the cold feel of Euro-techno beats with the Boys' quest for something warm between the sheets, "What Have I Done to Deserve This" and "Suburbia" sound almost soulful.Although they seemed to be suffering from a terminal case of boredom, they managed to alchemize their ennui into touching sentimentality in "Love Comes Quickly," "Rent," and, especially, the AIDS-oriented "Being Boring." Discography begins with the Pet Shop Boys' beginning, "West End Girls," traveling past "Domino Dancing" and including their covers "Always on My Mind," and the medley "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.)" --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Asin: B000002UZ4
Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dance-Pop    5. England    6. House    7. Pop    8. Rock   

Few could challenge John Hughes in 1980s teen coming-of-age flicks. This brat-pack extravaganza boasts the anthemic "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, a hit so large it vaulted them into the collective consciousness. The rest of it is more disposable. Elizabeth Daily (aka E.G.) was a kindred spirit of Pia Zadora in that people kept trying to make her famous, although in retrospect it's hard to figure out why. The Karla DeVito track "We Are Not Alone" still wears well, although it may be because it's synonymous with some great imagery from the movie. Producer Keith Forsey went on to work with Billy Idol and Charlie Sexton with mixed results. --Scott Wilson ... Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Asin: B000002GD4
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

"Well I guess it would be nice, if I could touch your body...." Given George Michael's restroom hi-jinks in early 1998, those words from "Faith" sound pretty funny, but they sounded fresh and exciting blasting out of car radios all over America in 1987. Michael's stunning solo debut (after four years in the lightweight British duo Wham!) sold seven million copies and yielded six Top 10 hits. Some of those were among the decade's best pop, including the hiccuping title track, the heartfelt ballad "Father Figure" and the wicked R&B groove of "I Want Your Sex." Unlike so much 1980s treacle, this disc hold ups surprisingly well--even if Michael hasn't always done so himself. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Asin: B0000026CH
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Dance-Pop    3. England    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Urban   

Picking up where the breakthrough funk-pop of Control left off, Janet Jackson and her production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis laced Rhythm Nation with high-minded references to societal ills--seldom the favored province of dance music, but a daring attempt nonetheless. Songs like "State of the World" and "The Knowledge" follow in the tradition of "free your mind and your ass will follow." Still, aside from the title track, it was the pure pop fare and dance music that stormed the charts: "Escapade," "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," "Alright," and "Come Back to Me" concentrate on the politics of personal relationships, not public policy, while "Black Cat" burns the place down with a fierce burst of hard rock. Rhythm Nation 1814 doesn't necessarily hang together thematically, but it's so chock full of hits, you scarcely notice. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Asin: B000002GFN
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance-Pop    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Urban   

This is the only Howard Jones album you'll ever need. HoJo was a founder of early '80s synth-pop, which was as easy to sing to as it was to dance to. The rhythms on this record pop like new wave corn kernels in heated oil, tempered by Jones's high-strung vocals extending over the top. Jones makes good use of the bright synth piano patches available during that time, especially during "Things Can Only Get Better." "No One Is to Blame" is a solid ballad, just Jones and his keyboard. It's heartfelt and regretful--a little cheesy, but in a good way. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Asin: B000002HE1
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Synth Pop