Talking Heads

Were the 1980s the worst years for music? NPR listeners seem to think so, according to the results of our poll. When asked to pick the best year for music, nearly everyone skipped the '80s entirely. On this edition of All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen looks back at the decade of synth pop, hair metal, and hardcore with Stephen Thompson, editor of Song of the Day, Robin Hilton, All Songs Considered producer and host of Second Stage, and Carrie Brownstein, writer for the Monitor Mix blog.

We asked NPR listeners to tell us their favorite love songs for Valentine's Day. They responded in droves, posting to the All Songs Considered blog. On this edition of All Songs Considered we share some of those songs and the stories behind them. Hear a mix of music to fall in love with, from the Magnetic Fields and Arcade Fire to the Temptations and Sam Cooke.

"Once in a Lifetime," from Talking Heads' 1980 album Remain in Light, marked a change in the way the band worked: creating songs around improvised riffs and grooves recorded during jams in the studio. By recognizing the growing influence of hip-hop techniques on pop music, Talking Heads and producer Brian Eno embraced the future of music.