Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Oct 31, 2020 18:28:24 GMT -5
The 80s lists have given me a lot of these experiences where I don't recognize a solo artist, and I think "wonder why we're ranking this random Adult Contemporary song on Alt". Then I look up the name, realize they're a member of a 1st Wave band, and then my thought turns to "wtf how were they not able to retain any of their cool factor from the band into their own recordings?" Vince Clark could make even Pat Boone sound cool...not that Alison is as un-cool as Pat
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Oct 31, 2020 18:32:03 GMT -5
tomorrow yet another of us will clear their bottom 10, we award FOUR more PPPPPs & only one person loses at Top 10 rank (but how many will they lose?)
|
|
Juanca
Diamond Member
Enjoying work, family/personal life with partner and doggies, and music. I couldn't ask for more :)
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,078
|
Post by Juanca on Oct 31, 2020 23:12:59 GMT -5
85. Everybody's Somebody's Fool (86): The melody in the first few seconds was promising, but it didn't go anywhere else after that and the instrumental was just a tad too simple for the 80s. 84. Temptation (30): oops! I just watched a bit of the video... O thought a dude was singing this... regardless, this was a very nice discovery, with lush sophistipop productioon, rich instrumental (brass and all), strong melody with good hooks all over, and strong vocals. This is the kind of vibe I still dig. 83. Life In One Day (82): I like several HJ songs, but I did not warm up to this or Like To Get To Know You Well backing '85. Both were just too underwhelming. I've liked the melody a bit more with time, primarily due to nostalgia, but the music still sounds like an 80s parody, sitcom tune, or children commercial. 82. I Love You Like A Ball & Chain (93): I love Eurythmics, but this is one of the worst songs I've heard from them. Actually, I (luckily) hadn't heard it before this RD. The instrumental is good, but the melody is lackluster, especially in the chorus. Also, Annie's typically dynamic and soaring vocals were mostly muted here. 81. Bottom Line (13): Oh, no!! :( Not a big surprise seeing a BAD song tanked, but I'm glad that it at least escaped bottom 10, and that I made it break the 3-way tie! Yay!! This song was their second hit back home, 80. Hits of the Year (77): Just like with Ball & Chain, I tried to be specially open and patient with this song for this RD, because this was a discovery for a group that have several songs I like. In this case, I like the instrumental, especially the Halloween-like synth sound and the rockier bridge. The melody in the chorus is ok, but too short, and the rest of melody is just weak --although still stronger than the Eurythmics' one. 79. Bite The Hand That Feeds (80): Another discovery. This was more interesting than I thought for a PY song, maybe only comparable to I'm Gonna Tear... However, this felt outta place in a Modern Rock RD. Had this been a Mainstream or Pop RD, I could've ranked it higher. 78. I'll Be Around (63): I didn't know this was a cover. It was a nice discovery, with nice melody, classic 80s melancholic pop-rock vibe, and soothing vocals. 77. Nemesis (76): ( Troy I think there was a typo in your ranking #s, as I ranked this at #76). One of the best songs I've hear of this group, especially the synth production with interesting instrumental. Still, the vocals and the melody in the verses are pretty weak (the chorus is okay, but some of the high-pitched vocals are a bit too spooky ) 76. Old Man Down The Road (47): I have pretty good memories of this song from 1985, especially because the video had pretty good rotation back home. It made the top 15 of my personal chart and I've remained a fan of its instrumental. The melody is also pretty good, although it goes a bit too honky-tonky at some points. I hope this didn't escape the bottom quarter just because it has more of a mainstream rock sound --one of the reasons I didn't rank it even higher, btw. 75. Can't Get Enough Of You Baby (49): Nice discovery. I like its retro vibe, vocals, and main melody, although it does get a bit simple/repetitive in the end. 74. Rain (46): Another nice discovery. I had this in my 60s for most of the time before submitting my list. However, it clicked in my final listens. The sophistipop production (piano, claps, synths) with the added guitars, plus the nostalgic melody, and the harmonies worked in the end. I didn't know Bob Geldof was behind Boomtown Rats. 73. Space Jungle (55): I'm not liking these reveals in my half zone >:( Another nice discovery, with a very catchy, summery tune, and good instrumental, although maybe a bit too poppy / mainstream. 72. Castles In Spain (68): A first listen that had potential in the verses, but then it didn't land well. The pre-chorus wandered aimlessly, and didn't help the chorus at all. The chorus felt a bit underwhelming and with a roaming melody that didn't grab into a hook strong enough for me. Disappointing. 71. Ways To Be Wicked (43): Come on, stop the purge of my 40s!! Lol. I really liked the updated classic rock sound, and the strong Cyndi-Lauper-like lead vocals. Strong melody, too.
|
|
rowellfarm490
9x Platinum Member
Joined: October 2003
Posts: 9,398
|
Post by rowellfarm490 on Nov 1, 2020 9:39:12 GMT -5
{TRAIL OF STATS}
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 20:00:22 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 20:10:49 GMT -5
|
|
singingrulebritannia
Diamond Member
source: https://twitter.com/KyraKupetsky/status/1714407511749726582
Joined: January 2010
Posts: 24,540
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
|
Post by singingrulebritannia on Nov 1, 2020 20:13:33 GMT -5
Not only is "free free, set them free" not a good hook in the first place, but he sings it out of tune every time
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 20:24:31 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 20:35:56 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by thethirdcurry on Nov 1, 2020 20:40:08 GMT -5
#70 "Stay Up Late" - Talking Heads What dissociative said. Plus that "dun-dun...dun-dun" rhythm that underlies the verses gets old quick. This was easily their weakest hit this year. #69 "Burning House Of Love" - X Like many punk and new wave groups of the early '80s, X had definitely strayed from their roots by this point, but with a strong chorus, nice guitar solo, and decent keyboard hooks, this isn't a half bad attempt at going the AOR route. #68 "Walking On Sunshine" - Katrina & The Waves This song is a refreshing, lighthearted pop rock track that breaks away from the production trends of the era... if, and only if, you can get past the overexposure it's had over the years. #67 "Trail Of Tears" - Guadalcanal Diary
I'm pretty lukewarm on this group in general, and I really wasn't feeling this song when I was ranking. I don't dislike it as much as my low rating would seem to imply, but there's a sort of "store brand R.E.M." vibe to their sound, and I'm rather hit-or-miss on R.E.M. to begin with.
#66 "Perfect Skin" - Lloyd Cole
There's a pleasant jangle pop sound to the music here. Unfortunately, Lloyd Cole's vocal style comes across as flat and rambly to me.
#65 "Best Of Both Worlds" - Midnight Oil
I originally had this more towards the middle of the pack on my ranking, but the instrumental work towards the end of the track elevated things. It's also one song where the blaring '80s synths actually suit the track.
#64 "Tower Of London" - ABC
I like the over-the-top New Romantic sound this band has. While the songwriting here is of the repetitive "take a groove and run with it" variety, it's executed alright. Not a bad track, but they had a much better hit this year.
#63 "White Lies" - Jason & The Scorchers
Nothing too unique in the songwriting here but it doesn't matter - just fun, straight-forward cowpunk delivered without pretension. Great stuff if you don't mind a bit of country in your rock.
#62 "Invisible" - Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet really stood out as a vocalist in this batch of songs. She comes through with a unique deep voice and great execution here, plus the chorus hook isn't too bad either. It's overproduced a bit with all the keyboards, but hey, that's '80s pop for you.
#61 "Party At Ground Zero" - Fishbone
Sadly, no straight-forward rock from Fishbone this year, but we do get an upbeat ska party track with plenty of quirky touches. Not as "unique" as their other track this year, but certainly more fun to listen to.
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 20:47:11 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 21:04:36 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 21:07:45 GMT -5
who's going to make the top half & who will just miss out?...we've got four more unlucky songs coming up with 3 bottom 10 ranks & 2 more PPPPs!
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 23:44:16 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 1, 2020 23:53:48 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 0:04:09 GMT -5
|
|
singingrulebritannia
Diamond Member
source: https://twitter.com/KyraKupetsky/status/1714407511749726582
Joined: January 2010
Posts: 24,540
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
|
Post by singingrulebritannia on Nov 2, 2020 0:09:03 GMT -5
Two 99s? Are you joking?!?
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 0:15:17 GMT -5
|
|
Juanca
Diamond Member
Enjoying work, family/personal life with partner and doggies, and music. I couldn't ask for more :)
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,078
|
Post by Juanca on Nov 2, 2020 0:26:33 GMT -5
70. Stay Up Late (85): I'm usually a defender of TH stuff, as I do like their quirky, eclectic style. This one didn't have much of that, though. The instrumental was rather simple, as was the melody. I won't even address the lyrics situation... 69. Burning House Of Love (35): Very good discovery, with the type of lush rock-pop production, including guitars and synths, as well as strong melody and vocals that I liked in the 80s. Surprised it's left this early. 68. Walking On Sunshine (31): A HUGE hit back home. It made the top of my personal chart back then, but overplay (including in commercials) made me get tired of it, and skipping it any time I’d hear it. I haven’t heard it as much in the past 15 years, so I’ve managed to overcome overplay and appreciate it for its own strength –catchy, breezy, fun, with strong instrumental and vocals. Should’ve made the top half here 67. Trail Of Tears (40): Another good discovery, with similar strengths as #69, although I liked the melody of that song a bit better. 66. Perfect Skin (94): This was the definition of a forgettable and unremarkable song. I’ve heard it several times and I still don’t recall how it goes. 65. Best Of Both Worlds (37): I love the instrumental especially how it starts with full adrenaline, but in general it’s got a great combo of hard edge and fun pop with the brass sounds. Vocals and melody are also good enough to me, but it’s true that they have better songs. Still, this sounded pretty good in this list. 64. Tower of London (75): I love lots of ABC stuff, but I had not heard this one till now. It’s catchy and well produced, but a bit underwhelming melodically, and I found those background vocals and synth effects a bit too pop for this RD. 63. White Lies (50): This was a fun discovery that had a nice rock-pop vibe to me, with good guitars, harmonies, and overall melody. I hadn’t heard the term “cowpunk”… I guess it’s the style that stuff from John Cougar, John Cafferty, Bryan Setzer, may have in common… 62. Invisible (58): I like Alison’s vocals, and I love her role in Yazoo, but this was too glossy AC ballad for this RD. She sang it, and I love her hard vocal performance, but the melody especially in the chorus isn’t as strong as other songs by her. 61. Party At Ground Zero (92): I like good ska, but I found this quite messy, chaotic in a not-so-good way, and melodically weak. 60. I Can't Stand It (45): This is a good example of a song that I liked more with every listen. I liked the minimalistic but effective instrumental, catchy melody. Good discovery. 59. If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free (6): Well, this is my favorite Sting song ever. A big hit back home, a personal chart-topper, and one of my favorite 80s songs. I love Sting's strong vocals under a slickly produced track with good brass and bass, and strong background vocals. 58. Her Head's Revolving (53): A very catchy discovery, with strong instrumental. The more I hear it, the more I liked it. The vocals are a bit weak and the main reason why I didn't rank it in my top half. 57. Forbidden Fruit (39): A great discovery. I really like the vibrant, lush instrumental (especially the strings and brass) contrasted by more nostalgic melody and vocals. Classic, timeless 80s sound. 56. Can't Ignore The Train (60): I always look forward to discovering 10k Manics songs. This didn't disappoint. I like the nostalgia of the instrumental and vocals. The melody is a bit simple and main reason why I didn't rank it higher in the end, but overall a nice, pleasant tune.
|
|
|
Post by Doc Indie Party Rock on Nov 2, 2020 2:01:20 GMT -5
#70: "Stay Up Late" - Talking HeadsThis is that Talking Heads song with baby this ,and little peepee that. F U C K that. I always hated those lyrics. I should have tanked this one even lower. #69: "Burning House Of Love" - XI'm not a fan of this band. This one had more of a melody and fell right at the cut off points of songs that still cause a tap here and tap there with my feet. #68: "Walking On Sunshine" - Katrina & The WavesI thought I would rank this one higher , but I ran into a lot of first time listen that pushed it out of my top 40. Still a fun one to bounce around to. #67: "Trail Of Tears" - Guadalcanal DiaryThis song reminded me of why I liked R.E.M in the 90's. Good melody. Good slot for it. Way better than the amateur R.E.M stuff we got on this list. #66: "Perfect Skin" - Lloyd ColeThis guy had cool vocals tones. This is probably the first song I heard from him ,and my favorite. Didn't chart it or anything that dramatic, but i liked when it showed up on KROQ (back when KROQ was cool of course). #66(?): "Best Of Both Worlds" - Midnight OilAmateur Midnight Oil. I guess it wasn't all that bad. His vocals were pretty commanding. I liked that and the fact that it had a big share of strong guitar strums. A 60's range sounds about right. Also I think this should be #65 unless it actually did tie with "Perfect Skin". I never was that good with math. #64: "Tower Of London" - ABC I knew I should have put this in my top 10. Both me and Troy got outranked here. This is one hell of a perfect 80's production. Doesn't miss one trick. The DOA claps, and female backups really add to the color of the melody. The backup synths could have been for a Miami Freestyle song. very similar to "How To Be A Millionaire" which I would have given a definite Top 10 slot. #63: "White Lies" - Jason & The ScorchersPretty strong for the Cow punk vibe. His vocals had the fire it needed to align with the music. Good guitarworks is always a plus. Good slot for it. Damn! So many close ranks but no P-P-P-P-Ps #62: "Invisible" - Alison MoyetRight about this year I was rediscovering the older Yazoo hits. I didn't even know she was the lead for the duo back then. This song had a nice enough Sophistipop melody to anchor my top 40. #61: "Party At Ground Zero" - FishboneI didn't recall this song sounding this hokey. I ended up liking this ska style later in the 90's , but not too much in the 80's. Except Madness. They rule. #60: "I Can't Stand It" - Velvet UndergroundThis was alright. Still in the range of songs I like, but I expected more after reading the name The Velvet Underground. #59: "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free" - StingI like this song. It was one of my top 100 of that year. Good for Pop and Modern Rock. This is the list where it should prevail. I'm gonna die laughing when all the sudden this ends up 20 slots higher on the Mainstream Rock RD. #58: "Her Head's Revolving" - 3 O'Clock This is easily one of my favorite first time listens. Massive Powerpop vibe like Cheap Trick or The Tubes. His vocals are very unique ,and part of the reason I ranked it high. The rest is all about those catchy strong guitars. Great song, but a ridiculous lot for it. #57: "Forbidden Fruit" - Blow MonkeysThis makes it into the lower half of songs I still like. The melody didn't always find its way, and His vocals didn't hit me the way they did on "Digging Your Scene", but it still sounds very 80's. #56: "Can't Ignore The Train" - 10,000 ManiacsI'm not really a fan of Natalie's vocals, but the music was pretty upbeat. Little of The Cure. Not much more than that to entice me. #55: "Come With Me" - TranslatorNice melody. I would have liked this song a lot mote with some female backup vocals. This was still alright. Definitely has those AAA type vocals. #54: "Skin Deep" - StranglersThis was really bad. I hated that little melody that carried the song, but most of all I just can't like this guy's vocal tones. #53: "This Time" - INXSThis isn't a favorite INXS song. Shows up right about where I thought it would. It's one of those were they were distancing themselves from the brass elements in their music. For me INXS was always about the brass. That gave them their edge. If it wasn't for that catchy chorus this would flop hard on my list. #52: "Swimming Ground" - Meat Puppets Amateur Meat Puppets. Clear tank swimmer for me. I never cared for this band except for that one song in the 90's with Powerpop elements. That one was alright. I didn't recall his vocals being that much of a tune out, and yet here they are easily causing me to tank this song hard. #51: "Highest High" - China CrisisI wanted to rank this one a bit higher. Loved his vocals and that Sophistipop vibe. Funny enough the whistling or whatever adds a little fun to the melody. The songs felt like Spandau Ballet meets Icicle Works.
|
|
|
Post by thethirdcurry on Nov 2, 2020 12:18:32 GMT -5
#60 "I Can't Stand It" - Velvet Underground It's a simple, late-career Velvet jam that sounds like something from their third album. While certainly not one of the band's most innovative tracks, it's still enjoyable for the surprisingly playful vibe it has. I'm not sure why Verve Records felt the need to modernize the production though - the cavernous sound mix and drum reverb here are clearly not from the '60s. #59 "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free" - Sting Perhaps the single most irritating song to rank in both this and the mainstream rock rankdown. Sometimes I think that chorus works and I move it up, other times I feel the track is a bit too mild and laid-back and I move it down. I guess right in the middle 20 is a pretty good place for it to exit this game then. #58 "Her Head's Revolving" - 3 O'Clock I get that they were going for a dense, wall of sound type thing here, but the production still manages to be on the overbearing side. The instrumental work is solid though, even if the vocals are just average. #57 "Forbidden Fruit" - Blow Monkeys
Brass section sounds a little plastic, but I really dig the sophsti-pop style of this piece - it feels very lush, especially the production work. Robert Howard almost takes the crooning a little too far in places, but he manages to tastefully reel it in. Nice little guitar solo at the end as well.
#56 "Can't Ignore The Train" - 10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is good for some breezy alt-rock at times, but they can also get too lightweight for their own good. This one worked out reasonably well though. The organ and guitar sounds mix nicely and Natalie Merchant's vocals are competent, though not her best.
#55 "Come With Me" - Translator
Happy to be one of the three in the #27 club here. Vocals are just okay, but the chorus is great and the alt/heartland fusion the group has going on works well for them.
#54 "Skin Deep" - Stranglers
Oddly catchy despite it's low-key style, though I don't feel like it stood out too much among the many synth heavy alt tracks this year.
#53 "This Time" - INXS
This is very middle-of-the-road and overly straight-forward for INXS. It's not bad enough to be ranked lower, but it feels too low effort for me to rank higher.
#52 "Swimming Ground" - Meat Puppets
I was pretty curious as to where this would end up; Meat Puppets are definitely an acquired taste, especially in terms of vocals. Personally, I like the blend of country and psychedelic influences they had in this era - sounds like a slightly demented take on early Grateful Dead.
#51 "Highest High" - China Crisis
Another fairly light modern rock track built on keyboard hooks. I barely remember listening to this.
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 21:47:26 GMT -5
|
|
singingrulebritannia
Diamond Member
source: https://twitter.com/KyraKupetsky/status/1714407511749726582
Joined: January 2010
Posts: 24,540
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
|
Post by singingrulebritannia on Nov 2, 2020 21:51:49 GMT -5
Did not at all expect this to make top half
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 21:59:50 GMT -5
|
|
peacebone
6x Platinum Member
Joined: April 2015
Posts: 6,441
Pronouns: he/him/they/them
|
Post by peacebone on Nov 2, 2020 22:02:52 GMT -5
I find it mildly amusing that despite using various guest vocalists, every Golden Palominos song we’ve ranked has had Michael Stipe on vocals
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 22:12:25 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 22:27:04 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 22:36:37 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 23:34:06 GMT -5
|
|
Troy
9x Platinum Member
I have learned I will rise & you'll see me return Being what I am Theres no other Troy For me 2 burn
Joined: January 2015
Posts: 9,728
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
|
Post by Troy on Nov 2, 2020 23:45:28 GMT -5
|
|