I was hoping you'd like it, as I know if was your favorite decade. Though probably disappointed that 1984 by Van Halen didn't go top 10 for me. Oh well. Great album of course.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow oh i didn’t expect 1984 to be on your Top 10. I never owned that Springsteen album until maybe 4-5 yrs ago i found it for $1 and decided to pick it up and…. have never listened to it. We just got beaten to death with all those songs back then I can’t imagine being able to sit through it now. Don’t know why I even bought it cause I knew that then. Surprised ya got Madonna Top 10. There’s a tune on there called Stay I always kinda dug. Man, she looked good back then. I fell for her like many.
@@STEVEHEROLD back the I think we all did. She really was good. Like A Prayer was pretty much the end for me with Madonna though I do have a couple of others that I don’t listen to
Thanks so much. Yea I’m curious for 1994 as well. I’ll do it later this week. I’m guessing should be better. 80s probably amongst my least favorite decades especially the drum sound.
The mid-80's are a real nadir for me. I think things start picking up a little toward the end of the decade. The 90's is my second favorite decade for music. @@TheAlanRosenbergShow
@@danaaronmusic the 80s in general is a nadir for me too. But the top 10 albums in my list are really strong. But overall yea. I’m looking forward to doing the 1994 list. Should be interesting and an improvement in overall quality I imagine
A couple of other comments. Agreed about When Doves Cry, first time I heard it on the radio I was completely mesmerized, unlike anything I had heard before. Regarding Born in the USA, I used to agree, didn't want to hear it, it was overplayed to death back in the day, etc. One day a couple of years ago I was working out and decided to put it on and it just clicked. I actually think it works better as a whole than as a collection of hit singles, and once you establish some distance between its heyday and the present you're able to listen to it with fresh ears and appreciate it from that perspective, as a musically and thematically cohesive rock and roll record, one of the artist's most brilliant achievements. Not my favorite Springsteen record, but it would be just outside my top five.
Thanks so much. Yea I need to listen to it again with fresh ears. Been so long since I've listened to it. But I still put it at number 1 - it was and is an incredible accomplishment.
I absolutely love Heartbeat City Alan!!…It’s a deep cut album overshadowed by memorable hit singles (yeah, one of those, kinda like Hotel California by The Eagles)…You’re on point about Agent P, a real letdown after Foreigner 4…Interesting listing by ya though, some real surprises in there…Thanx so much!
Another great Time Capsule. I"m often surprised by the quality from some years, 3 of my favourites from the year: Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain, Sade - Diamond Life and The Cocteau Twins - Treasure. Kim Wildes father Marty (still going) was quite well known at one time. Kim is also known for being a very shrewd businesswoman and is quite rich.
1984. The Bruce Springsteen year. Good show. I was consumed by metal in 84. But of the airplay albums I have to go with The Pretenders. Great album. Great live albums from Dire Straits and Talking Heads. I'm the same as you with Peter Wolf. I think Last In Line is one of the best from 84 and have to give a shout out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers debut which was one of my favorites. It was definitely something new and I've always been a sucker for heavy funk.
Sure was Bruce’s year. Great to see Peter Wolf. Others had it too which is heartwarming because he’s so great. Heavy funk perfect description of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Personally I’m a moderate fan at best but I totally get it.
Lou Reed Live in Italy is tough to find on CD. There is a German import CD version that I was able to get. I agree, it’s very good. 👍 Scorpions Love At First Sting was another huge 1984 album. I remember being in video game arcades hearing Rock You Like A Hurricane over and over again. 🤘
Someone just told me Live in Italy is in one of those cheap box sets. Classic album series. Which is cool. Still hear Rock You Like A Hurricane on the radio a lot.
It's retitled louvered live with diff cover. Lou is only as good as the musicians that back him. He's also a jealous miserable prick who treated bob Quine shabbily.
Where do I start? Bryan Adams Run to You is Timeless. Great tune! The Cars Heartbeat City was okay but their first two albums are better and perfect! While taking about the Cars, did you know that David Robinson the drummer and Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads both were in the Modern Lovers? The Modern Lovers is one of the best albums ever made. Joan Jett covers Roadrunner in concert and does a great version of that classic Rocker! Jonathan Richman is kind of eccentric and has an unusual voice that not everyone likes. But the songs on that album are brilliant! Pablo Picasso was never called an Asshole! Clever Lyrics. What do you think of the album. They only did one. Unforgettable Fire 🔥 is about Heroin. Bono was playing with fire 🔥. Luckily he didn’t get burned and quit that 💩! SRV-I love Cold Shot and the video is funny and I generally hate videos. He’s on a couch and his lady keeps throwing out his guitar 🎸 so he keeps pulling them from behind the couch and keeps playing! 😂😅 RIP Joe Jackson Body and Soul? Yes! It was like New Wave Jazz or Jazz flavored New Wave! Take your pick. REM Yes! Don’t go back to Rockville. They were building up every year until they broke out big with Green. A great album! Prince? Yes! He created the Minneapolis sound and scene. A one man dynamo! The Minneapolis Genius! He wrote many hits for other people. RIP Madonna has a great catalog of hits from the Eighties. My favorites are Live to Tell, Isla Bonita and Into the Groove. Dire Straits Alchemy? Unreal! I can’t play like him. Believe me I tried! Did you ever see them live? I never had the chance. 1984 was a strong year for music.
Great summation - love it. I did know that about Jonathan Richman and yea that album is a "classic". Bowie covered Pablo Picasso on Reality album if memory serves - good cover version. I saw Dire Straits but wish I saw them more than I did on earlier tours. I saw later day ones, but they were fantastic. They're at the top echelon for me and I still listen to them regularly. I never tire of Dire Straits. And oh, I love Live To Tell - what an incredible song from a great album - Isla Bonita another fantastic song from the same album.
That's a good list . My favourites from 1984 would be : The Cars : Heartbeat City Pretenders : Learning to Crawl Rush : Grace Under Pressure Tina Turner : Private Dancer Simple Minds : Sparkle in the Rain Prince : Purple Rain Stevie Ray Vaughan : Couldn't Stand the Weather Los Lobos : How Will the Wolf Survive ? Van Halen : 1984 King Crimson : Three of a Perfect Pair Thanks !
Alan, the Lou Reed live album is available on CD if you buy the Original Album Classics box set that also features New Sensations, Mistrial, Legendary Hearts and The Blue Mask.
Oh that's interesting - thanks for the tip. I don't typically go for those box sets because there's no liner notes or anything, but they're great deals price wise for the music. Shocked they put it in one of those box series - actually very cool. Thanks,
Going from your last “Time Capsule” video, focusing on 1974, to this one shows how just one decade in rock/pop music can be a world of difference. I am of the opinion that the 1980s, with very few exceptions (Hello, U2 and R.E.M.), were a period that saw perhaps the deepest decline for relatively modern-day popular music, including rock ‘n’ roll. (Don’t get me started on drum machines, suffocating synthesizers and clone-like vocal stylings.) That, of course, isn’t to say there weren’t blockbuster albums, as well as excellent LPs that, for whatever reason, didn’t sell very well. Your selections for 1984 are reminders of how Madonna, Prince, Van Halen, Bryan Adams and The Cars ruled the airwaves. Funnily enough, I own none of the CDs/albums you highlighted by them. While radio was bombarding me with songs from those albums, I was looking forward to getting out of my car and into my house to play “my jams” - mostly from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Go figure. It doesn’t mean I didn’t recognize Madonna’s power to get people onto the dance floor or (like Bryan Adams and The Cars) prompt listeners to sing along to catchy songs. Nor does it mean I didn’t recognize Prince’s genius as a multi-faceted composer and musician or Van Halen’s knack for mixing hard rock with infectious melodies. For me, it was just a matter of what moved me to want to hear some albums over others. That always changes based on a situation and my mood. But, there are plenty of albums that I just wouldn’t ever choose. The aforementioned albums fall into that category. However, 1984 did give me a few great listens, including “Stop Making Sense,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Alchemy,” “The Unforgettable Fire” (To say that “Pride” and “Bad” are masterpieces are understatements, IMHO) and “Learning to Crawl.” Then, there are what I consider to be the year’s “good to very good” albums, such as “Building The Perfect Beast,” “Body and Soul” and “Couldn’t Stand the Weather.” I love Peter Wolf, but to my ears “Lights Out” is a little marred by a few songs with a “very big ‘80s sound.” I do think that Peter Wolf and Mick Jagger are good singing partners, if you will.
Thanks as always. I agree totally. That's '80's sound has definitely marred some really fine albums - including Lights Out by Peter Wolf, but it's still a really good album. There is mostly a big gap in quality from the albums in my top 10 to the ones outside. Kudo's to Dire Straits who never went for the "80's sound and therefore their albums still sound timeless.
Even though the cinematic-like masterpiece, “Making Movies,” and the hit-it-out-of-the-park smash hit, “Brothers in Arms,” were released in the 1980s, many people seem to forget that Dire Straits is a 1970s’ band - having formed and released its first two albums in the late ‘70s. Perhaps that fact and the band’s collective integrity explain why Mark and the boys never jumped on the artificial sound bandwagon as they made their way through the ‘80s. They stayed true to their roots, giving us their unique take on solid rock (song title pun intended), irresistible melodies and meaningful lyrics. I say “unique” because no other band sounds like Dire Straits (IMHO).
This time we only overlap on Zebra and Deep Purple. One thing that I think is kind f funny about this video and your 1994 video is that in both videos you say several albums are not that great or far from the best. That makes me think, “I guess I don’t need to hear ‘em then.” I never got into Bruce Springsteen and the reason was that the two songs I knew were the two that you said you never need to hear again. Interesting selection. Very different from mine, but that’s one reason why I watched.
Thanks so much. Really appreciate your comments. As a fan of an artist I tend to buy every album. And in many cases it becomes another good solid album by that artist. Not an album I go back to much and if not a big fan of an artist not one I would overly recommend for a newbie. But for a fan it’s another good album by that artist. It happens a lot. It’s tricky to describe. But that’s the situation. Anyway. Thanks again
There are a couple of albums that I have and love that are the lowest ranked of an artist's catalogue. I don't care so much. When you love a band or solo artist, it's cool to try to get all their stuff.@@TheAlanRosenbergShow
@@musicisajourney absolutely. That playlist I have called treasure or trash is a fun look at that. Albums generally considered an artists worst. Of course I have them and enjoy them to an extent
I love the Peter Wolf, Cars, Don Henley, Prince, and Talking Heads. I actually saw that Talking Heads tour. Great movie too. By the way, I guess you saw that The Waterboys 1985 box set for This Is The Sea is being released next month. Six CD'S. Limited edition, of course. You do sound a whole lot better. Lots of respiratory mess going around right now. It's been bad here. Escaped so far😂
So great you actually saw that tour. That movie and soundtrack really made me a fan. Before that I was modest fan at best. That boxset looks amazing. They’re doing an amazing job on The Waterboys reissues. But so much music and so little time.
1984 is my 40th favourite year based on album plays, despite the fact that it contains some of the classic albums from the 1980s. Here are the albums I recommend, including two compilations and three live albums: 1 Ocean Rain-Echo & The Bunnymen* 2 Purple Rain-Prince 3 Body and Soul-Joe Jackson* 4 Legend-Bob Marley 5 Reckless-Bryan Adams 6 Diamond Life-Sade* 7 Born In The USA-Bruce Springsteen 8 Alchemy-Dire Straits 9 Stoneage Romeos-Hoodoo Gurus* 10 Hatful Of Hollow-Smiths 11 Stop Making Sense (Original Release)-Talking Heads 12 Pacific Street-Pale Fountains* 13 Budapest-Manfred Mann's Earth Band * means that this is my favourite album by the artist.
I only have comps from Echo & The Bunnymen - I have to get the complete Ocean Rain album. Nice to see Body & Soul as your favorite Joe Jackson album - it's a great piece of work. Great albums.
Here are my top 5 Alan 1.Deep Purple-Perfect Strangers 2.David Gilmour-About Face 3.The Kinks-Word Of Mouth 4.Peter Wolf-Lights Out 5.Dire Straits-Alchemy
Nice to see we completely overlap - great to see Lights Out in there. Didn't think too many people know it. And Word Of Mouth so high and Gilmour too. Awesome. Thanks.
Well, I think there may be some doubt as to whether or not Under Wraps is Jethro Tull's worst album inasmuch as I'd rate it in my Tull top ten.🙂 Love 1984. Possibly my favourite year for music. As your choices show, it was an extremely varied year. My top twenty (not so varied! 🙂) might look something like this: 1. Toto - Isolation 2. Al Stewart - Russians & Americans (UK version) 3. REO Speedwagon - Wheels Are Turnin' 4. 38 Special - Tour de Force 5. White Sister - S/T 6. Barclay James Harvest - Victims Of Circumstance 7. Nanci Griffith - Once In A Very Blue Moon 8. Survivor - Vital Signs 9. Juice Newton - Can't Wait All Night 10. Dan Fogelberg - Windows & Walls 11. Jethro Tull - Under Wraps 12. Chris de Burgh - Man On The Line 13. Marillion - Fugazi 14. Billy Satellite - S/T 15. Stephen Stills - Right By You 16. The Cars - Heartbeat City 17. Van Stephenson - Righteous Anger 18. Big Country - Steeltown 19. Camel - Stationary Traveller 20. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Plain Dirt Fashion
Wow - I love your diversity. I have to get that Al Stewart album (even if it's the American version). I've never heard of White Sister, Billy Satellite, Van Stephenson. Some great stuff there for me to check out. Tour De Force was a big album at that time - nice southern rock mention. Thanks so much for sharing.
Cheers! If you like Al Stewart, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of Russians & Americans. Current CD versions include all the tracks from both the UK & US issues. Van Stephenson had a US hit with an AOR song called Modern Day Delilah but he's probably best known, these days, for being a member of the country-rock band Blackhawk. He died young, sadly, in .2001. Billy Satellite were a one & done band but that one album was great. Their song I Wanna Go Back was an American hit for Eddie Money. White Sister missed the boat but their two albums are revered by fans of Angel style pomp-rock/AOR. Indeed their debut was produced by Angel's Gregg Giuffria. It's a shame they didn't manage to catch the zeitgeist because they were great songwriters. Three of them went on to form Tattoo Rodeo, who were more of a blues-rock band in the vein of Great White. Still good stuff but very different.
@@carlwmpylu I love I Wanna Go Back. Fantastic song. Had no idea was a cover. I actually have a bunch of Blackhawk CDs because I’m a Henry Paul fan. Really good stuff. Now I recognize the name. I actually enjoy some of Angel as well. Thanks again.
OK, who sent me off on a Dire Straits binge fest? You, right? Well, it was pretty magical, 'Alchemy,' their live greatest hits without their greatest hit, 'Brothers in Arms.' Quirky! But Mark Knopfler is quirky. For many years, he has been into Yorkshire blue grass music like Robert Johnson was born in Whitby, which he surely was not. Dracula, maybe. Still, don't ignore his excellent 'Drinks and Smokes etc.' And then Carla Olson. I started typing in 'Carla Olson,' and immediately got 'Carlson Olson and Mick Taylor.' Well, that was quite a rabbit hole - the man who put warmth and flair into the Rolling Stones - it turned out they didn't need it. Good to be reminded of all this stuff. Yes, 1984 wasn't quite 1974, but what happens when you get to 2026, will you sneak in an extra column for 1966? You know you have to, even it you have to adjust your table set in stone.
Did you used to write for Creem magazine? That was awesome. I only discovered Carla Olson because of the albums she did with Mick Taylor as her lead guitarist. Great stuff. There's a terrific live album call Too Hot For Snakes. That was my gateway. They do a fantastic live version of the Stones Sway, decades before the Stones ever tried it live. The Taylor/Olson version is far superior as Woody can't grasp those exquisite Taylor leads. Next up will be 1994, and I won't sneak in any other year. Thanks.
I am afraid I've never even read a copy of Cream Magazine. I was bought up in Britain, so it was New Musical Express, Melody Maker and Sounds, in descending order of coolness. I really like the David Gilmour album 'About Face' that you showcased. I'm more of a Roger Waters fan, so I like both the 'Hitchhiker' album and 'The Final Cut,' but this David Gilmour album has more energy and urgency to it than his later work. Plus he doesn't do that stupid screech Roger Waters resorts to about every ten minutes on both the above-mentioned albums.
1984 was not a banner year for music for me as far as I was concerned. Popular music was changing and I was not a big fan of synthesizers. There were only a few albums I really liked and played often like Real Live by Bob Dylan (Mick Taylor being the driving force behind that one). I thought Building The Perfect Beast by Don Henley was fantastic (not withstanding synthesizers and drum machines). I still think 'The Boys Of Summer' is one of the best songs of the decade. The Kinks Word Of Mouth I also liked. It was the last time I saw The Kinks live on that tour. Loved 'Lights Out' by Peter Wolf. I was pretty much done with Bruce Springsteen when I saw the 'Dancing In The Dark' video (with no guitar). I thought he was going through the 'Elvis at the Las Vegas Hilton' period. I never bought that record (way over played) but I did really like 'I'm On Fire.' I guess I was becoming more cynical in my mid twenties.
Glad your favorites are pretty much mine as well. Definitely not a patch on 1974 and overall I’m not a huge fan of the 80s especially with the drum sound. Personally I’m curious and looking forward to doing 1994 as I’m guessing it will be better. But we’ll see.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow I only like their joy division influenced. Faith pornography the top triumvirate. Dark dense acid infused. Souixsee and the banshees hyaena with Robert Smith falls into this category. It's the only souixsee I listened to more than oncce. I could add gun clubs las Vegas story and Nick cave from her to eternity to this list. Still have those cdsvas well, but xtc bigbexptess represents my fave for 1984;as well as go to xtc, definitely not the overrated mess of oranges and lemons or the skewed rundgren mix of skylarking. The first five songs from English settlement and the pastoral mummers are also essential to my collection as is the late to the party apple venus
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow so true. This is why it's so important to find and focus on the music you love, forsaking all others. This is why Victoria Williams lilac time Roy Harper al demeola Jeff beck Bruce Hornsby David Lindsey Roger Whittaker. Yes. Roger Whittaker receive highest rotation for the joy their music brings me. Not their fame or influence. It's the music. This is why I don't waste time on grand funk prince Billy Joel Bruce! Clash. Not my music. Does not resonate on a musical level with me. I'm the guy who turned down a chance to see can't in 1969 in favor of spirit. I walked out of a rush concert in 1984 after their great opening act Gary Moore finished. Rush does not register on my rock radar. Geddy gelded Lee annoying. Their guitarist like clem Clemson capable but non descript. No signature style, the mark of the greatest. Parts drumming and lyrics carry the day
@@SpenceCurry I hear you. But I do enjoy trying and experience new music. Doesn’t always work out. But on the rare occasion. Oh what joy. It’s a balance for sure.
We all have our reasons why we like certain artists, my wife loves David Gilmour including the album you showed, and why? In her own words ''He is the only really handsome rock star''.
1984 was an amazing year for music and you just showed a whole buncha reasons why. I think that was the peak of the 80s fer sure.
I was hoping you'd like it, as I know if was your favorite decade. Though probably disappointed that 1984 by Van Halen didn't go top 10 for me. Oh well. Great album of course.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow oh i didn’t expect 1984 to be on your Top 10. I never owned that Springsteen album until maybe 4-5 yrs ago i found it for $1 and decided to pick it up and…. have never listened to it. We just got beaten to death with all those songs back then I can’t imagine being able to sit through it now. Don’t know why I even bought it cause I knew that then. Surprised ya got Madonna Top 10. There’s a tune on there called Stay I always kinda dug. Man, she looked good back then. I fell for her like many.
@@STEVEHEROLD back the I think we all did. She really was good. Like A Prayer was pretty much the end for me with Madonna though I do have a couple of others that I don’t listen to
Finally a youtuber music guy who likes Dylan👍...and J.GEILS.🙂
Thanks so much. Love Dylan and J. Geils. Amongst my all time favorites. And Peter Wolf is fantastic too. Thanks again.
This continues to be a fun series. Nice job today, but I'm waiting for '94--now that was a great year!
Thanks so much. Yea I’m curious for 1994 as well. I’ll do it later this week. I’m guessing should be better. 80s probably amongst my least favorite decades especially the drum sound.
The mid-80's are a real nadir for me. I think things start picking up a little toward the end of the decade. The 90's is my second favorite decade for music. @@TheAlanRosenbergShow
@@danaaronmusic the 80s in general is a nadir for me too. But the top 10 albums in my list are really strong. But overall yea. I’m looking forward to doing the 1994 list. Should be interesting and an improvement in overall quality I imagine
A couple of other comments. Agreed about When Doves Cry, first time I heard it on the radio I was completely mesmerized, unlike anything I had heard before. Regarding Born in the USA, I used to agree, didn't want to hear it, it was overplayed to death back in the day, etc. One day a couple of years ago I was working out and decided to put it on and it just clicked. I actually think it works better as a whole than as a collection of hit singles, and once you establish some distance between its heyday and the present you're able to listen to it with fresh ears and appreciate it from that perspective, as a musically and thematically cohesive rock and roll record, one of the artist's most brilliant achievements. Not my favorite Springsteen record, but it would be just outside my top five.
Thanks so much. Yea I need to listen to it again with fresh ears. Been so long since I've listened to it. But I still put it at number 1 - it was and is an incredible accomplishment.
Deep Purple was my favorite here. Glad you omitted Under Wraps by Tull!
Definitely a great favorite Purple album.
I absolutely love Heartbeat City Alan!!…It’s a deep cut album overshadowed by memorable hit singles (yeah, one of those, kinda like Hotel California by The Eagles)…You’re on point about Agent P, a real letdown after Foreigner 4…Interesting listing by ya though, some real surprises in there…Thanx so much!
thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Another great Time Capsule. I"m often surprised by the quality from some years, 3 of my favourites from the year: Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain, Sade - Diamond Life and The Cocteau Twins - Treasure. Kim Wildes father Marty (still going) was quite well known at one time. Kim is also known for being a very shrewd businesswoman and is quite rich.
Yes Sade and Echo are great choices. Like them both especially Sade. Good news about Kim Wilde. I actually like her and glad to know she’s set.
1984. The Bruce Springsteen year. Good show.
I was consumed by metal in 84. But of the airplay albums I have to go with The Pretenders. Great album. Great live albums from Dire Straits and Talking Heads. I'm the same as you with Peter Wolf.
I think Last In Line is one of the best from 84 and have to give a shout out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers debut which was one of my favorites. It was definitely something new and I've always been a sucker for heavy funk.
Sure was Bruce’s year. Great to see Peter Wolf. Others had it too which is heartwarming because he’s so great. Heavy funk perfect description of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Personally I’m a moderate fan at best but I totally get it.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow speaking of funk, how about the Hardware (Third Eye Open) album with Stevie Salas, Buddy Miles and Bootsy Colliins? 🙂
@@randybaker6042 honestly I’ve never heard of it but thanks for bringing to my attention. Will check it out
Lou Reed Live in Italy is tough to find on CD. There is a German import CD version that I was able to get. I agree, it’s very good. 👍
Scorpions Love At First Sting was another huge 1984 album. I remember being in video game arcades hearing Rock You Like A Hurricane over and over again. 🤘
Someone just told me Live in Italy is in one of those cheap box sets. Classic album series. Which is cool. Still hear Rock You Like A Hurricane on the radio a lot.
It's retitled louvered live with diff cover. Lou is only as good as the musicians that back him. He's also a jealous miserable prick who treated bob Quine shabbily.
Where do I start?
Bryan Adams Run to You is Timeless. Great tune!
The Cars Heartbeat City was okay but their first two albums are better and perfect!
While taking about the Cars, did you know that David Robinson the drummer and Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads both were in the Modern Lovers? The Modern Lovers is one of the best albums ever made. Joan Jett covers Roadrunner in concert and does a great version of that classic Rocker! Jonathan Richman is kind of eccentric and has an unusual voice that not everyone likes. But the songs on that album are brilliant! Pablo Picasso was never called an Asshole! Clever Lyrics. What do you think of the album. They only did one.
Unforgettable Fire 🔥 is about Heroin. Bono was playing with fire 🔥. Luckily he didn’t get burned and quit that 💩!
SRV-I love Cold Shot and the video is funny and I generally hate videos. He’s on a couch and his lady keeps throwing out his guitar 🎸 so he keeps pulling them from behind the couch and keeps playing! 😂😅
RIP
Joe Jackson Body and Soul? Yes! It was like New Wave Jazz or Jazz flavored New Wave! Take your pick.
REM Yes! Don’t go back to Rockville. They were building up every year until they broke out big with Green. A great album!
Prince? Yes! He created the Minneapolis sound and scene. A one man dynamo! The Minneapolis Genius! He wrote many hits for other people. RIP
Madonna has a great catalog of hits from the Eighties. My favorites are Live to Tell, Isla Bonita and Into the Groove.
Dire Straits Alchemy? Unreal! I can’t play like him. Believe me I tried! Did you ever see them live? I never had the chance.
1984 was a strong year for music.
Great summation - love it. I did know that about Jonathan Richman and yea that album is a "classic". Bowie covered Pablo Picasso on Reality album if memory serves - good cover version. I saw Dire Straits but wish I saw them more than I did on earlier tours. I saw later day ones, but they were fantastic. They're at the top echelon for me and I still listen to them regularly. I never tire of Dire Straits. And oh, I love Live To Tell - what an incredible song from a great album - Isla Bonita another fantastic song from the same album.
That's a good list .
My favourites from 1984 would be :
The Cars : Heartbeat City
Pretenders : Learning to Crawl
Rush : Grace Under Pressure
Tina Turner : Private Dancer
Simple Minds : Sparkle in the Rain
Prince : Purple Rain
Stevie Ray Vaughan : Couldn't Stand the Weather
Los Lobos : How Will the Wolf Survive ?
Van Halen : 1984
King Crimson : Three of a Perfect Pair
Thanks !
Fantastic list. Thanks so much for sharing.
Alan, the Lou Reed live album is available on CD if you buy the Original Album Classics box set that also features New Sensations, Mistrial, Legendary Hearts and The Blue Mask.
Oh that's interesting - thanks for the tip. I don't typically go for those box sets because there's no liner notes or anything, but they're great deals price wise for the music. Shocked they put it in one of those box series - actually very cool. Thanks,
Going from your last “Time Capsule” video, focusing on 1974, to this one shows how just one decade in rock/pop music can be a world of difference. I am of the opinion that the 1980s, with very few exceptions (Hello, U2 and R.E.M.), were a period that saw perhaps the deepest decline for relatively modern-day popular music, including rock ‘n’ roll. (Don’t get me started on drum machines, suffocating synthesizers and clone-like vocal stylings.) That, of course, isn’t to say there weren’t blockbuster albums, as well as excellent LPs that, for whatever reason, didn’t sell very well. Your selections for 1984 are reminders of how Madonna, Prince, Van Halen, Bryan Adams and The Cars ruled the airwaves. Funnily enough, I own none of the CDs/albums you highlighted by them. While radio was bombarding me with songs from those albums, I was looking forward to getting out of my car and into my house to play “my jams” - mostly from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Go figure. It doesn’t mean I didn’t recognize Madonna’s power to get people onto the dance floor or (like Bryan Adams and The Cars) prompt listeners to sing along to catchy songs. Nor does it mean I didn’t recognize Prince’s genius as a multi-faceted composer and musician or Van Halen’s knack for mixing hard rock with infectious melodies. For me, it was just a matter of what moved me to want to hear some albums over others. That always changes based on a situation and my mood. But, there are plenty of albums that I just wouldn’t ever choose. The aforementioned albums fall into that category. However, 1984 did give me a few great listens, including “Stop Making Sense,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Alchemy,” “The Unforgettable Fire” (To say that “Pride” and “Bad” are masterpieces are understatements, IMHO) and “Learning to Crawl.” Then, there are what I consider to be the year’s “good to very good” albums, such as “Building The Perfect Beast,” “Body and Soul” and “Couldn’t Stand the Weather.” I love Peter Wolf, but to my ears “Lights Out” is a little marred by a few songs with a “very big ‘80s sound.” I do think that Peter Wolf and Mick Jagger are good singing partners, if you will.
Thanks as always. I agree totally. That's '80's sound has definitely marred some really fine albums - including Lights Out by Peter Wolf, but it's still a really good album. There is mostly a big gap in quality from the albums in my top 10 to the ones outside. Kudo's to Dire Straits who never went for the "80's sound and therefore their albums still sound timeless.
Even though the cinematic-like masterpiece, “Making Movies,” and the hit-it-out-of-the-park smash hit, “Brothers in Arms,” were released in the 1980s, many people seem to forget that Dire Straits is a 1970s’ band - having formed and released its first two albums in the late ‘70s. Perhaps that fact and the band’s collective integrity explain why Mark and the boys never jumped on the artificial sound bandwagon as they made their way through the ‘80s. They stayed true to their roots, giving us their unique take on solid rock (song title pun intended), irresistible melodies and meaningful lyrics. I say “unique” because no other band sounds like Dire Straits (IMHO).
Perfectly said - absolutely right. @@ronalaurence4105
This time we only overlap on Zebra and Deep Purple.
One thing that I think is kind f funny about this video and your 1994 video is that in both videos you say several albums are not that great or far from the best. That makes me think, “I guess I don’t need to hear ‘em then.”
I never got into Bruce Springsteen and the reason was that the two songs I knew were the two that you said you never need to hear again.
Interesting selection. Very different from mine, but that’s one reason why I watched.
Thanks so much. Really appreciate your comments. As a fan of an artist I tend to buy every album. And in many cases it becomes another good solid album by that artist. Not an album I go back to much and if not a big fan of an artist not one I would overly recommend for a newbie. But for a fan it’s another good album by that artist. It happens a lot. It’s tricky to describe. But that’s the situation. Anyway. Thanks again
There are a couple of albums that I have and love that are the lowest ranked of an artist's catalogue. I don't care so much. When you love a band or solo artist, it's cool to try to get all their stuff.@@TheAlanRosenbergShow
@@musicisajourney absolutely. That playlist I have called treasure or trash is a fun look at that. Albums generally considered an artists worst. Of course I have them and enjoy them to an extent
I love the Peter Wolf, Cars, Don Henley, Prince, and Talking Heads. I actually saw that Talking Heads tour. Great movie too. By the way, I guess you saw that The Waterboys 1985 box set for This Is The Sea is being released next month. Six CD'S. Limited edition, of course. You do sound a whole lot better. Lots of respiratory mess going around right now. It's been bad here. Escaped so far😂
So great you actually saw that tour. That movie and soundtrack really made me a fan. Before that I was modest fan at best. That boxset looks amazing. They’re doing an amazing job on The Waterboys reissues. But so much music and so little time.
1984 is my 40th favourite year based on album plays, despite the fact that it contains some of the classic albums from the 1980s.
Here are the albums I recommend, including two compilations and three live albums:
1 Ocean Rain-Echo & The Bunnymen*
2 Purple Rain-Prince
3 Body and Soul-Joe Jackson*
4 Legend-Bob Marley
5 Reckless-Bryan Adams
6 Diamond Life-Sade*
7 Born In The USA-Bruce Springsteen
8 Alchemy-Dire Straits
9 Stoneage Romeos-Hoodoo Gurus*
10 Hatful Of Hollow-Smiths
11 Stop Making Sense (Original Release)-Talking Heads
12 Pacific Street-Pale Fountains*
13 Budapest-Manfred Mann's Earth Band
* means that this is my favourite album by the artist.
I only have comps from Echo & The Bunnymen - I have to get the complete Ocean Rain album. Nice to see Body & Soul as your favorite Joe Jackson album - it's a great piece of work. Great albums.
Here are my top 5 Alan
1.Deep Purple-Perfect Strangers
2.David Gilmour-About Face
3.The Kinks-Word Of Mouth
4.Peter Wolf-Lights Out
5.Dire Straits-Alchemy
Nice to see we completely overlap - great to see Lights Out in there. Didn't think too many people know it. And Word Of Mouth so high and Gilmour too. Awesome. Thanks.
Well, I think there may be some doubt as to whether or not Under Wraps is Jethro Tull's worst album inasmuch as I'd rate it in my Tull top ten.🙂
Love 1984. Possibly my favourite year for music. As your choices show, it was an extremely varied year. My top twenty (not so varied! 🙂) might look something like this:
1. Toto - Isolation
2. Al Stewart - Russians & Americans (UK version)
3. REO Speedwagon - Wheels Are Turnin'
4. 38 Special - Tour de Force
5. White Sister - S/T
6. Barclay James Harvest - Victims Of Circumstance
7. Nanci Griffith - Once In A Very Blue Moon
8. Survivor - Vital Signs
9. Juice Newton - Can't Wait All Night
10. Dan Fogelberg - Windows & Walls
11. Jethro Tull - Under Wraps
12. Chris de Burgh - Man On The Line
13. Marillion - Fugazi
14. Billy Satellite - S/T
15. Stephen Stills - Right By You
16. The Cars - Heartbeat City
17. Van Stephenson - Righteous Anger
18. Big Country - Steeltown
19. Camel - Stationary Traveller
20. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Plain Dirt Fashion
Wow - I love your diversity. I have to get that Al Stewart album (even if it's the American version). I've never heard of White Sister, Billy Satellite, Van Stephenson. Some great stuff there for me to check out. Tour De Force was a big album at that time - nice southern rock mention. Thanks so much for sharing.
Cheers!
If you like Al Stewart, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of Russians & Americans. Current CD versions include all the tracks from both the UK & US issues.
Van Stephenson had a US hit with an AOR song called Modern Day Delilah but he's probably best known, these days, for being a member of the country-rock band Blackhawk. He died young, sadly, in .2001.
Billy Satellite were a one & done band but that one album was great. Their song I Wanna Go Back was an American hit for Eddie Money.
White Sister missed the boat but their two albums are revered by fans of Angel style pomp-rock/AOR. Indeed their debut was produced by Angel's Gregg Giuffria. It's a shame they didn't manage to catch the zeitgeist because they were great songwriters. Three of them went on to form Tattoo Rodeo, who were more of a blues-rock band in the vein of Great White. Still good stuff but very different.
@@carlwmpylu I love I Wanna Go Back. Fantastic song. Had no idea was a cover. I actually have a bunch of Blackhawk CDs because I’m a Henry Paul fan. Really good stuff. Now I recognize the name. I actually enjoy some of Angel as well. Thanks again.
OK, who sent me off on a Dire Straits binge fest? You, right? Well, it was pretty magical, 'Alchemy,' their live greatest hits without their greatest hit, 'Brothers in Arms.' Quirky!
But Mark Knopfler is quirky. For many years, he has been into Yorkshire blue grass music like Robert Johnson was born in Whitby, which he surely was not. Dracula, maybe. Still, don't ignore his excellent 'Drinks and Smokes etc.'
And then Carla Olson. I started typing in 'Carla Olson,' and immediately got 'Carlson Olson and Mick Taylor.' Well, that was quite a rabbit hole - the man who put warmth and flair into the Rolling Stones - it turned out they didn't need it.
Good to be reminded of all this stuff. Yes, 1984 wasn't quite 1974, but what happens when you get to 2026, will you sneak in an extra column for 1966? You know you have to, even it you have to adjust your table set in stone.
Did you used to write for Creem magazine? That was awesome. I only discovered Carla Olson because of the albums she did with Mick Taylor as her lead guitarist. Great stuff. There's a terrific live album call Too Hot For Snakes. That was my gateway. They do a fantastic live version of the Stones Sway, decades before the Stones ever tried it live. The Taylor/Olson version is far superior as Woody can't grasp those exquisite Taylor leads. Next up will be 1994, and I won't sneak in any other year. Thanks.
I am afraid I've never even read a copy of Cream Magazine. I was bought up in Britain, so it was New Musical Express, Melody Maker and Sounds, in descending order of coolness.
I really like the David Gilmour album 'About Face' that you showcased. I'm more of a Roger Waters fan, so I like both the 'Hitchhiker' album and 'The Final Cut,' but this David Gilmour album has more energy and urgency to it than his later work. Plus he doesn't do that stupid screech Roger Waters resorts to about every ten minutes on both the above-mentioned albums.
Not a fan of Hitchhiker or Final Cut though I've certainly tried. Gilmour is easier on the ears for sure. @@timhewtson6212
1984 was not a banner year for music for me as far as I was concerned. Popular music was changing and I was not a big fan of synthesizers. There were only a few albums I really liked and played often like Real Live by Bob Dylan (Mick Taylor being the driving force behind that one). I thought Building The Perfect Beast by Don Henley was fantastic (not withstanding synthesizers and drum machines). I still think 'The Boys Of Summer' is one of the best songs of the decade. The Kinks Word Of Mouth I also liked. It was the last time I saw The Kinks live on that tour. Loved 'Lights Out' by Peter Wolf. I was pretty much done with Bruce Springsteen when I saw the 'Dancing In The Dark' video (with no guitar). I thought he was going through the 'Elvis at the Las Vegas Hilton' period. I never bought that record (way over played) but I did really like 'I'm On Fire.' I guess I was becoming more cynical in my mid twenties.
Glad your favorites are pretty much mine as well. Definitely not a patch on 1974 and overall I’m not a huge fan of the 80s especially with the drum sound. Personally I’m curious and looking forward to doing 1994 as I’m guessing it will be better. But we’ll see.
The cure the top. Xtc big express. David sylvian brilliant trees. Lets active cypress. Still own these cds
Funny Spence. I never liked The Cure. Obviously a huge band but not for me.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow I only like their joy division influenced. Faith pornography the top triumvirate. Dark dense acid infused. Souixsee and the banshees hyaena with Robert Smith falls into this category. It's the only souixsee I listened to more than oncce. I could add gun clubs las Vegas story and Nick cave from her to eternity to this list. Still have those cdsvas well, but xtc bigbexptess represents my fave for 1984;as well as go to xtc, definitely not the overrated mess of oranges and lemons or the skewed rundgren mix of skylarking. The first five songs from English settlement and the pastoral mummers are also essential to my collection as is the late to the party apple venus
@@SpenceCurry I have to get more XTC. But as always so much music so little time.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow so true. This is why it's so important to find and focus on the music you love, forsaking all others. This is why Victoria Williams lilac time Roy Harper al demeola Jeff beck Bruce Hornsby David Lindsey Roger Whittaker. Yes. Roger Whittaker receive highest rotation for the joy their music brings me. Not their fame or influence. It's the music. This is why I don't waste time on grand funk prince Billy Joel Bruce! Clash. Not my music. Does not resonate on a musical level with me. I'm the guy who turned down a chance to see can't in 1969 in favor of spirit. I walked out of a rush concert in 1984 after their great opening act Gary Moore finished. Rush does not register on my rock radar. Geddy gelded Lee annoying. Their guitarist like clem Clemson capable but non descript. No signature style, the mark of the greatest. Parts drumming and lyrics carry the day
@@SpenceCurry I hear you. But I do enjoy trying and experience new music. Doesn’t always work out. But on the rare occasion. Oh what joy. It’s a balance for sure.
We all have our reasons why we like certain artists, my wife loves David Gilmour including the album you showed, and why? In her own words ''He is the only really handsome rock star''.
Lol. I can honestly say I really like David Gilmour and his solo career. But it’s not because he’s handsome. Lol. But your wife has good taste.
Handsome? Can you hear that on the record?
Gilmour sounds good! He has a great voice. There’s No Way out of here is one of his best songs! My favorite!
I LOVE that song - amongst the very best by him....he didn't write it, but doesn't matter. @@dynjarren8355