Posted on 01/22/2015 6:34:07 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel
What does everyone think of a music play-off bracket-type poll for best songs of the '80s?
You mean, the drugs? LOL
I think since you are talking about the ‘80s, the advent of music videos, MTV, VH-1, etc... you should make it not just a song playoff but a music video playoff. The top music videos of the 1980s. Just a thought...
Steve Perry? The “greatest voice ever” even according to the nostalgia site I’m also trying this on? Which again is full of fringe-rock lovers so typical on the ‘net?
(I like Journey - my sister RIP LOVED them - and Perry, but I do not think he has the greatest voice ever! LOL, I can even tell he’s a smoker even when singing!)
Liberty Valence, I may not know who, but now I know why. Just joking. Marshall Crenshaw? Not bad, but unremarkable: a 1-hit wonder which topped at #38? Nice lyrics, but it’s generic enough to be a background song in a high-school dance scene from a B movie.
I’ll nominate a few.
First, some “top of the bracket” types
Panama - Van Halen
Welcome to the Jungle - GnR
Back in Black - AC/DC
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Photograph - Def Leppard
We Didn’t Start The Fire - Billy Joel
Some “bottom of the bracket” types
She’s a Beauty - the Tubes
Heart of Rock and Roll - Huey Lewis and the News
Come on Eileen - Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Don’t You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Alone - Heart
When choosing THE song of the decade, wouldn’t you think that ANY nominee is going to have been played very heavily? “Overplayed” simply means you don’t like it much. Which is cool, but your personal taste is no basis for anyone else “unincluding” something.
But Nick had so much that was so much better. Actually, most of the good songs from the 80’s (and ever)were probably never heard on radio.
I do think you best check out this fabulous three piece with “Fire in the City”... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN55190P8WA. I’m so disappointed I never saw them.
And here’s something in a different vein, still 80’s, that was used in a movie or two but might not have gotten airplay except on college stations either... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_lKQ-p6hTg ...still super!
Young, huh?
It doesn’t matter. If anyone wants to play, they can look up the song (likely YT) and listen for comparison’s sake.
I was really miffed years ago when a very cool nostalgia site I frequented (which soon after went defunct) held a play-off pool. Do not know where they got the songs to start, but it included just a couple songs I never even heard of - and 1 of those WON “best of the ‘80s” over an actual charted #1 song of the YEAR. This song technically had charted - but at #17 for 1 week was the peak. Preposterous.
That has stuck with me since and while I love to do these contests (done it for other issues, too), I figure if I am going to do it, the songs will ACTUALLY represent what was truly popular and typical and in vogue at the time. Not go by someONE’s whim about what were good songs.
Like them or not, I would use the charts. (And yes, there are some top songs I do not like. But not many.)
For me, ‘80s music will always be the best. Love it.
I listened to these yesterday:
“Girls, Girls, Girls” by Motley Crue
“Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds
“Let’s Go Crazy” and “Purple Rain” by Prince
Yes, my plan would be to rank the 10 #7s, and leave in the top 4 of those.
The seeding would be a bit tricky, but we’d just have to bite the bullet.
I’ve been thinking about this for months, but just cannot find a better way to do it, for play-off brackets. Even my husband, very smart, cannot think of another way to get it to 64 nicely. Unless we chop off 1980 and 1989. ;-D
Forgot “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol
XTC - Senses Working Overtime or The Mayor of Simpleton
You mean, grew on you?
Yes, I’ve had that happen. Not sure the reverse has happened for me yet.
I didn’t much like “Don’t You Forget About Me” from that movie in the ‘80s. But now I like it pretty well.
Love me some ZZ.
Dirty Laundry - Don Henley
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