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The '80s: Were They Really That Bad?

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September 2, 2008

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.

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The '80s: Were They Really That Bad?

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Original Soundtrack

  • Album: Footloose [Expanded Edition]
  • Song: Let's Hear It for the Boy
 
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  • "Let's Hear It for the Boy"
  • Album: Footloose [Expanded Edition]
  • Artist: Original Soundtrack
  • Label: Sony
  • Released: 1998
 
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Beastie Boys

  • Album: Licensed to Ill
  • Song: Fight for Your Right
 
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  • "Fight for Your Right"
  • Album: Licensed to Ill
  • Artist: Beastie Boys
  • Label: Def Jam
  • Released: 2008
 
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Escape Club

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  • Song: Wild, Wild West
 
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  • "Wild, Wild West"
  • Album: Wild Wild West
  • Artist: Escape Club
  • Label: Atlantic
  • Released: 1988
 
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Hall & Oates

  • Album: Voices
  • Song: You Make My Dreams
 
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  • "You Make My Dreams"
  • Album: Voices
  • Artist: Hall & Oates
  • Label: BMG
  • Released: 1980
 
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Don Johnson

  • Album: Heartbeat
  • Song: Heartbeat
 
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  • Album: Heartbeat
  • Artist: Don Johnson
  • Label: Razor & Tie
  • Released: 1986
 
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Bruce Springsteen

  • Album: Tunnel of Love
  • Song: Brilliant Disguise
 
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  • "Brilliant Disguise"
  • Album: Tunnel of Love
  • Artist: Bruce Springsteen
  • Label: Columbia
  • Released: 2008
 
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The Replacements

  • Album: Let It Be
  • Song: I Will Dare
 
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  • Album: Let It Be
  • Artist: The Replacements
  • Label: Twintone
  • Released: 1984
 
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Starship

  • Album: Knee Deep in the Hoopla
  • Song: We Built This City
 
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  • Album: Knee Deep in the Hoopla
  • Artist: Starship
  • Label: BMG Japan
  • Released: 1985
 
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Tracy Chapman

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  • Song: Fast Car

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  • Artist: Tracy Chapman
  • Label: Elektra/Asylum
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Guns N' Roses

  • Album: Appetite for Destruction
  • Song: Paradise City
 
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  • Album: Appetite for Destruction
  • Artist: Guns N' Roses
  • Label: Geffen
  • Released: 1987
 
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Tears for Fears

  • Album: Songs from the Big Chair [Deluxe Edition]
  • Song: Head Over Heels
 
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  • Album: Songs from the Big Chair [Deluxe Edition]
  • Artist: Tears for Fears
  • Label: Mercury
  • Released: 2006
 
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Talking Heads

  • Album: Speaking in Tongues [Bonus Tracks]
  • Song: This Must Be the Place [Naive Melody]

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  • Label: Sire
  • Released: 2006
 
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Minor Threat

  • Album: Minor Threat [EP]
  • Song: Straight Edge

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The Bats

  • Album: Daddy's Highway
  • Song: North by North
 
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  • "North by North"
  • Album: Daddy's Highway
  • Artist: The Bats
  • Label: Mammoth
  • Released: 1987
 
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Bush Tetras

  • Album: Boom in the Night
  • Song: Too Many Creeps
 
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  • Artist: Bush Tetras
  • Label: ROIR
  • Released: 1995
 
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Doveman

  • Album: Footloose
  • Song: Let's Hear it For the Boy

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