The '80s: Were They Really That Bad?
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?
![Cover for Footloose [Expanded Edition]](http://media.npr.org/programs/asc/archives/20080902/footloosecvr-8ecb6f24a72e768c351ce33af24720d768fa3a76.jpg "Cover for Footloose [Expanded Edition]")
Original Soundtrack
- Artist: Original Soundtrack
- Album: Footloose [Expanded Edition]
- Song: Let's Hear It for the Boy
Escape Club
- Artist: Escape Club
- Album: Wild Wild West
- Song: Wild, Wild West
Tracy Chapman
- Artist: Tracy Chapman
- Album: Tracy Chapman
- Song: Fast Car
The label did not give us permission to play the full version of this song.
Tears for Fears
- Artist: Tears for Fears
- Album: Songs from the Big Chair [Deluxe Edition]
- Song: Head Over Heels
Talking Heads
- Artist: Talking Heads
- Album: Speaking in Tongues [Bonus Tracks]
- Song: This Must Be the Place [Naive Melody]
The label did not give us permission to play the full version of this song.
Doveman
- Artist: Doveman
- Album: Footloose
- Song: Let's Hear it For the Boy
This CD is not available for purchase. Visit the artist's Web site for more information.
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