The Favorite Albums: The 1980s

My sister Becky has been looking forward to it, and here it is:  my list of my favorite albums from the 1980s.

I actually don't have much affinity for the music that we stereotypically think of as '80s, such as synthesizer-heavy, over-produced music.  In nostalgic looks back at the '80s in music, there seems to be a lot of focus on the one-hit wonders of the decade; every decade had its share, I suppose, but the '80s seem to have even more than others.  While I enjoy a number of those individual hits, those artists intrinsically would not figure in an albums list such as this one.  So the artists in my best-of-'80s list tend to either look backward to the classic rock of the '60s and '70s or forward toward the alternative rock of the '90s:

1. R.E.M., Murmur
2. The Clash, London Calling
3. Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A.
4. Traveling Wilburys, Volume 1
5. R.E.M., Document
6. Richard and Linda Thompson, Shoot Out the Lights
7. The Pixies, Doolittle
8. R.E.M., Lifes Rich Pageant
9. Camper Van Beethoven, Key Lime Pie
10. (tie) Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Imperial Bedroom
10. (tie) The Costello Show, King of America

A couple of old standbys that I respect but just don't love enough to make the cut are Graceland and The Joshua Tree.

Can you guess what my favorite band of the '80s was?  As my list shows, as R.E.M. moved through the decade from jangly, atmospheric music to guitar-driven, political rock, they didn't necessarily improve, but they remained consistently good.  London Calling has as much of a '70s flavor as an '80s flavor, but it's less pure punk and a bit more worldly than, say, their debut.  Springsteen's consistency and songcraft is undeniable; he may have reached the height of his songwriting prowess here.  The criminally forgotten Traveling Wilburys album is perhaps the one album out of all these that brings the most joy---it's great to hear icons of four different decades join forces to make wonderful (and very funny) songs.  The Thompsons' farewell album mixes styles beautifully; the the Pixies and CVB anticipate different strands of the alternative revolution.  Lastly, I couldn't choose between the two Costello albums, but he's so consistently strong that you could probably substitute several other choices as well.

Next up:  the 1990s, a decade whose music I like even a bit more than the '80s.