ABBA Live
Artist: ABBA

This recording is often underrated, and might seem superfluous in the wake of the release of the group's various hits compilations on CD, but it does have merits. Drawn from three distinct sets of performances, in Australia (1977), London's Wembley Arena (1979), and the television special Dick Cavett Meets ABBA (1981), the quartet proves that... Read More

Non Homologué
Artist: Jean-Jacques Goldman
Little Creatures
Artist: Talking Heads
Community Score: 7.40

Talking Heads' most immediately accessible album, Little Creatures eschewed the pattern of recent Heads albums, in which instrumental tracks had been worked up from riffs and grooves, after which David Byrne improvised melodies and lyrics. The songs on Little Creatures, most of which were credited to Byrne alone (with the band credited only with... Read More

The Glamorous Life
Artist: Sheila E.
Community Score: 7.00

When Sheila Escovedo started going by Sheila E. and soared to the top of the R&B charts with 1984's "The Glamorous Life," those who didn't know anything about her background assumed that she was just another Vanity or another Apollonia -- in other words, a sexploitive Prince disciple who was entertaining but had limited ability as a vocalist.... Read More

Cupid & Psyche 85
Artist: Scritti Politti
Community Score: 7.50

On their second album, Scritti Politti essentially was Green Gartside, who directed drummer Fred Maher, keyboardist David Gamson, and a multitude of studio musicians through a state-of-the-art, immaculately constructed set of catchy synth pop on Cupid & Psyche 85. The results are as impressive as Songs to Remember and produced the hit singles... Read More

Elvis' Gold Records, Vol. 5
Artist: Elvis Presley
Community Score: 9.67

Sixteen years after Elvis' Gold Records, Vol. 4 and seven years after his death came volume five in the series, courtesy of Joan Deary, the first RCA executive to take a sensible, intelligent approach to handling the Elvis Presley library. The original ten-song LP has been expanded to a 16-song CD. Later country chart hits like "Moody Blue" work... Read More

Can't Hold Back
Artist: Eddie Money
Community Score: 9.67

After Where's the Party's lack of recognition and poor sales, Eddie Money more than compensated for it with 1986's Can't Hold Back, an album which netted him three Top 40 hits and eventually gained platinum status. With some vocal help from Ronnie Spector and some exuberant sax work, "Take Me Home Tonight" emerged as Money's highest-charting... Read More

Like a Prayer
Artist: Madonna
Community Score: 8.16

Out of all of Madonna's albums, Like a Prayer is her most explicit attempt at a major artistic statement. Even though it is apparent that she is trying to make a "serious" album, the kaleidoscopic variety of pop styles on Like a Prayer is quite dazzling. Ranging from the deep funk of "Express Yourself" and "Keep It Together" to the haunting "Oh... Read More

True Blue
Artist: Madonna
Community Score: 7.79

True Blue is the album where Madonna truly became Madonna the Superstar -- the endlessly ambitious, fearlessly provocative entertainer that knew how to outrage, spark debates, get good reviews...and make good music while she's at it. To complain that True Blue is calculated is to not get Madonna -- that's a large part of what she does, and she... Read More

Control
Artist: Janet Jackson
Community Score: 8.36

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis tailored their contemporary dance-pop to the emerging personality of Janet Jackson, who attempted to take control of her life on this record. In the course of that attempt, she came across as an aggressive, independent woman, notably on "What Have You Done for Me Lately." But the album was primarily a production... Read More