All Over the Place
Artist: The Bangles
Community Score: 7.00

The Bangles' major-label debut is an essential album in the band's catalog. Guitarist and vocalist Vicki Peterson penned most of the '60s and early-'70s guitar rock songs, like the mini-hit "Hero Takes a Fall" (it was rumored the hero in the title was Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn). The record also includes covers of the obscure Merry-Go-Round... Read More

Heartbeat City
Artist: The Cars
Community Score: 8.80

MTV had become a major marketing tool by 1984, and the Cars were one of the first bands to use the new video medium to their advantage. The band's fifth album, Heartbeat City (Elektra), spawned several imaginative and memorable videos, which translated into massive chart and commercial success, making it one of the biggest releases of the year.... Read More

The Collection
Artist: Ultravox
Community Score: 10.00

While Ultravox's commercial success was virtually nonexistent in the U.S., their singles were strewn across the British charts throughout the early half of the '80s. Led by Midge Ure's haunting but forceful vocal presence, sometimes reminiscent of U2's Bono, Ultravox used the keyboards to guide their sophisticated and intelligent pop style,... Read More

Should Have Been Greatest Hits
Artist: The Tourists

A best-of released in the wake of Eurythmics's success, and therefore emphasizing Stewart and Lennox's contributions over Coombes's. Nevertheless, it's a well-chosen selection and includes four of their five UK hits, among them their sole US chart entry, a terrific remake of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to Be with You." ~ William Ruhlmann,... Read More

Error in the System
Artist: Peter Schilling
Reach the Beach
Artist: The Fixx
Community Score: 7.54

Reach the Beach is a significant step forward from the Fixx's debut album, Shuttered Room, simply because the band can now craft immediately accessible, incessantly catchy pop/rock melodies. "One Thing Leads to Another" has a big, ringing guitar hook hammered home by the dance beat, while "Saved by Zero" and "The Sign of Fire" are cool, robotic... Read More

Be Yourself Tonight
Artist: Eurythmics
Community Score: 7.75

On Be Yourself Tonight, Eurythmics' most commercially successful and hit-laden album, the duo meticulously blended the new wave electronic elements that dominated their previous sets with the harder straight-edged rock and soul that would dominate later sets to come up with a near-perfect pop album. This disc scored no less than four hit singles... Read More

Colour by Numbers
Artist: Culture Club
Community Score: 7.50

Colour by Numbers was Culture Club's most successful album, and, undoubtedly, one of the most popular albums from the 1980s. Scoring no less than four U.S. hit singles (and five overseas), this set dominated the charts for a full year, both in the United States and in Europe. The songs were infectious, the videos were all over MTV, and the band... Read More

Greatest Hits
Artist: The Cars
Community Score: 7.60

The Cars were responsible for some of rock's most recognizable radio hits by the mid-'80s, so when the band took an extended break after their successful tour for Heartbeat City, 1985's Greatest Hits was assembled. Mixed in with the familiar selections was a brand-new track, the playful "Tonight She Comes" (which became a Top Ten hit), as well... Read More

Creatures of Leisure
Artist: Mental as Anything
Community Score: 10.00

Following up their biggest album yet, the Mentals rose to the occasion on this, their fourth full-length release. Though it may seem to be the little brother to 1981's Cats and Dogs, Creatures of Leisure is actually an even better album than it's predecessor. With producers Bruce Brown and Russell Dunlop again spinning the knobs, the Mentals... Read More