Following the great efforts of @Dai and his and the suggestion from @Feedback_File – I would be delighted to compile an alternative list (don’t we all love lists) of our favourite albums from either 1980 or 1990 up to the present day. This should be a far more interesting list than one full of the Beatles, Dylan and Joni.
So can any of us think of our favourites from a time AFTER we were born or in some cases AFTER leaving education – I was only 4 when the Beatles (white album) was released.
#1 – Do we start from 1980 or 1990 – VOTE NOW!
#2 – Once it is clear what preference we have, can we think, think again and…
#3 – Can we then use Dai’s rulebook for presenting our Top Ten of the last 30 or 40 years?
I’d say from 1980, otherwise I may struggle for 10. Ha ha.
From 1990 could throw up some interesting lists. Few of the usual suspects.
So What do we think?
Personally the last 30 years sounds more of a challenge – and this is (I think) a good thing!
Over to you…
FWIIW, 1980 would be my choice.
I’m up for 1990 on, force us into the new! Well newish
After only 10 minutes of the game, the score is 1980 – 2 and 1990 – 3. Back to the studio…#
I literally logged on to start a 21st Century one as I foolishly undertook to do on the back of @dai ‘s sterling efforts but happy to defer to Craig! However I’d suggest we go for 2 lists (I realise this may not be helpful).
1. 80s and 90s
2. 21st Century.
There’s so much stuff in both periods that compressing it into one top ten is impossible.
And hey we’ve got this lockdown to get through, so let’s spin it out eh…?
Yes, I’d go for more lists too, but I’d even split it into three. The 80s were very different from the 90s and the music of the 21st century is different still (I find it more difficult distinguishing between the 00s and the 10s). But as I’m doing this album ranking project and already have more lists than you could shake a stick at, I would say that!
That was my recollection, that it was going to be a 21st century list.
I like Blue’s suggestion, but what do de Massive think?
I like the plan. I commend the motion to the house.
Me, though, being the awkward bugger that I am would push it too far and say
80s
90s
00s
10s
But, I support the 2 lists idea above.
The whole 2000s is just a blur, see nothing to really distinguish between 00s and 10s. Four more polls?
Ha, you and me have the same idea! My lists narrow down further than that though. I can give you a list of my favourite 100 albums from each decade going back to the 50s (which only has 60 something), but also have lists of my favourite 100 rap albums from each decade (only going back as far as the 80s of course!). I still have about 20 individual years left to complete, but I have all my albums ranked for the other 40 odd (from which I’ve been able to do separate lists for rap albums). And from all this I have lists of my favourite… 250 albums, 250 rap albums, 100 British rap albums, 100 debuts, 40 2nd albums, 100 albums from each century and 100 rap albums from each century. And that’s the tip of the iceberg!
To answer the questions you’re thinking, no, I don’t have anything better to do, no, I don’t know why I’m doing it, no, I don’t have any plans to show the lists to anybody (although a couple of my mates asked to see one or two of them) and yes, my wife does think I fit somewhere on the autism spectrum. I don’t though, I just like lists! I basically did a top 50 for the end of year list a few years ago, enjoyed it and then did it to excess, which I do with everything!
I wasn’t going to ask why. Very sensible in my mind – to bring order and understanding to all things. Me like lists.
Where would we be without a handy ranking of “Best Track 3” or “Songs Vaguely Like But Don’t Own”
You may mock, but the list that sees the most changes at the top end is my 100 favourite downloads, i.e. albums I only have downloaded and don’t have on CD, because I view this one as a shopping list. Gradually, however, albums that have never been released on CD are edging their way to the top, where I guess they’ll remain.
I like it as well
Ooh, it’s happening. I think if we do it from 1980 it will just be full of 80s albums. My suggestions would be from 1990 to 2020 or 2000s. I think if we have 2 more polls some fatigue may set in.
And there were a reasonable no. of 80s albums in the last poll (in the whole total), in fact I can compile results from that right now!
That wouldn’t really work as a definitive 80s list though. We could only do that if we each specifically gave lists of 80s albums
I did my list from 1980, and 6 of the top 10 were from the 80s. So, I think it would be interesting to have 80 to 00, and 00 to date.
I would have said 1980 (mainly so I can have Kate Bush / Hounds of Love & Genesis / Duke !) but I do like the idea of two lists as recommended by Blue Boy.
A poll about a poll! None more Afterword….
Going back to my workings out of the year for “our favourite 100”
1980-1984: 11
1985-1989: 11
1990-1994: 6
1995-1999: 4
21st century: 4
Which would suggest that there would be more surprises & new finds if its based on 1990 onwards.
Running a separate 21st century list would produce a much wider range of titles, but less consensus – as Arthur C’s “60albums from 60 years” last year showed – with most AWers moving from CDs to streaming.
And we already know it’ll be Blackstar.
Yup. Blackstar will certainly be on my list.
Blackstar? Overrated IMHO.
I liked the idea of a 21st Century poll, as suggested when we were doing the full one. I think the results would be more varied and interesting. Maybe keep that poll and have another for the years 1980-1999.
This gets my vote.
I think that was Blue Boy’s suggestion. He can run the 21st Century poll and Craig the late 20th Century one.
Smashing. At last, I have something to look forward to.
I vote 21st century.
Edit: having now read the OP, I vote 1990. But I’d find 21st century more interesting.
I’m with Gary (if it’s ok for Dom to travel it’s ok for me) but surely 21st Century Only would be far more interesting??
Now excuse me whilst I go clean Gary’s pool, let’s hope he keeps his swimming trunks on today.
Here’s the Top 60 of the 80s from the “best of all time” poll
Top 80s Albums:
1 Hounds of Love Kate Bush
2 Get Happy!! Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3 Rain Dogs Tom Waits
4 Remain In Light Talking Heads
5 Skylarking XTC
6 Black Sea XTC
6 The Stone Roses The Stone Roses
6 You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever Orange Juice
9 Peter Gabriel (3) Peter Gabriel
9 King Of America Elvis Costello
9 Spirit Of Eden Talk Talk
12 The Colour of Spring Talk Talk
13 Dazzle Ships OMD
14 Murmur R.E.M
15 Hats The Blue Nile
16 The Queen is Dead The Smiths
17 Lexicon of Love ABC
17 Sign O The Times Prince
19 Swordfishtrombones Tom Waits
20 Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello & The Attractions
21 One Trick Pony Paul Simon
22 Parade Prince
22 Technique New Order
24 Bummed Happy Mondays
24 Closer Joy Division
24 Common One Van Morrison
24 Dexys Midnight Runners Don’t Stand Me Down
24 Fisherman’s Blues The Waterboys
24 Hearts And Bones Paul Simon
24 Hex Enduction Hour The Fall
24 My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts Brian Eno & David Byrne
24 Nonsuch XTC
24 Reckoning R.E.M.
24 Silver Town The Men They Couldn’t Hang
24 Starfish The Church
24 The Distractions Nobody’s Perfect
24 The Nightfly Donald Fagen
24 Tin Drum Japan
24 When in Rome Penguin Cafe Orchestra
40 High Land Hard Rain Aztec Camera
40 Lifes Rich Pageant R.E.M.
40 Milestones Miles Davis
40 On the Way to the Peak of Normal Holger Czukay
40 Passion Peter Gabriel
40 Sweet Baby James James Taylor
40 The Dreaming Kate Bush
40 Workers Playtime Billy Bragg
48 ABC Beauty Stab
48 As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls Pat Metheny
48 Dare! The Human League.
48 Fried Julian Cope
48 Graceland Paul Simon
48 Life’s a Riot With Spy vs Spy Billy Bragg
48 Life’s hard and then you die It’s Immaterial
48 Pontiac Lyle Lovett
48 Signing Off UB40
48 The Waitresses Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful?
48 This Is The Sea The Waterboys
48 Thunder And Consolation New Model Army
48 Unfinished Revolution Christy Moore
It will be interesting to see how many of the top 10 there make the top 10 in the 1980-1999 poll. Probably just 2 or 3 I’d think.
I’m up for 80-00 and Century 21 as I agree – as with FA Cup finals – it’s easy to distinguish between various years in the 80s and even 90s, but 2000 to now is a bit of a blur. Also, my all time top 10 featured 8 albums from 1980 on, so – as long as there are AWers happy to volunteer – two polls would suit me better..
Cup Final Saturday used to be my third favourite day of the year, after Christmas and my birthday. The first one I remember watching was 1977’s. But I reckon I’d be okay on a quiz about Cup Finals from 1970 to 1993, but after that you can pretty much forget it. I don’t even know who won last year, as I haven’t watched one in ages. In fact, I haven’t really watched any televised football in years, including World Cups. The way money has ruined the game and the ridiculous amount of cheating have turned me off the game. I’m still a season ticket holder at Barnsley though, although that’s not something to sing about this season!
I think the Liverpool v West Ham one is the last Cup Final I watched, cos my mate had a party. My daughter was a toddler and cried every time there was a cheer, so I’d guess it was 2006. After that I know that Portsmouth cheated their way to winning in 2008 with a team they didn’t pay for, cos Barnsley got knocked out in the semis, and I know Wigan won one year. I’m guessing the rest were all won by Man U, Man C, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. When second division teams start playing a team of reserves in the Cup cos they are concentrating on their relegation battle, the Cup is finished as I knew it.
I’d be happy to do 2 lists – but ONE AT A TIME
say… 1980-1999 very soon
and 2000-2020 in a month or 2 ?
Thoughts?
I think I would go for this option.
Sounds like a decent compromise
Smashing.
Preparing contenders right now …
Sounds good.
Triffic
I vote for two lists
1980 – 1999
2000’s up to present day – some good albums released this year, lets give them a chance!
I like the two lists idea. 1980s would be easy (I was 13 in 1980), 2000 more likely to throw up stuff the rest of us mike not know but would enjoy.
@Blue_Boy
If all are happy, are you okay to do the 2000 -2020 and I will do the 1980-1999?
Shall I go first?
Sounds a plan. Go for it!
The votes so far – caveat – some may have voted for more than one AW Chart period.
1980s+1990s 13 votes (I will happily compile)
2000s+2010s 15 votes (Blue_Boy may be happy to do this one)
1990 – 2020 8 votes
1980 – 2020 4 votes
So – which to do first – I would prefer 80s/90s.
Thoughts?
Makes logical sense
I would struggle to name ay albums released after 2004 so I will pass on this one.
Similarly I couldn’t name a single rap album from whenever it was released as I don’t like shouty stuff.
1980s and I am in!