1979 Alternative Rankdown (Complete)

[Optical Apex]

Hello, everyone. I thought this might be a fun topic for a rankdown. I realized that the Alternative rankdowns ended at 1980, but it got me curious and I began looking into songs from before 1980 that could fit into the "Alternative" category. This is the list I came up with, but I didn't feel like just 100 songs would cut it, so I added five songs as "bonus" tracks. These will be optional for participants, and their positions will be tied with the closest song from the proper 100 to their average, so I would suggest tying them with another song instead of treating them as just a regular track on the list.

This isn't a "traditional" list, in that it isnt based on radio play. However, it is a list of songs from the year 1979 and songs from late 1978 that would have likely peaked in 1979 (such as "Teenage Kicks" or "Homicide"). I still ordered them so it still looks like a proper "chart" rankdown, albeit slightly arbitrarily, but to look similarly to what a chart year end list would probably look like. It is mostly well known artists, but there are a few exceptions. I also added artists that likely could have crossed over, a few might be a little controversial. All in all, I hope people enjoy this list. Format the list however you like, but please do not just copy the list and send it to me, or just switch a few songs around. The songs at top might be the most favored, but still. The due date is June 24, 2023. I actually created this list awhile back, but have changed a few things since. I also have lists for 1977 and 1978 pre-made, with these lists having way more obscure artists. Make sure to number your lists too, and while you should write them similarly to how I wrote them, I won't get mad at capitalization differences or whether you put "The" in front of the band names (i.e "The Ramones" and "Ramones" are both fine)

Anyway, without further ado, here is the Alternative songs of 1979.

The due date is currently December 11th of 2023. 

Here we go

1. The B-52's - Planet Claire
2. Joy Division - Transmission
3. Blondie - One Way or Another
4. XTC - Making Plans for Nigel
5. The B-52's - Rock Lobster
6. The Police - Message in a Bottle
7. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love With Someone (You Shouldnt Have Fallen In Love With)?
8. The Talking Heads - Life During Wartime
9. Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Accidents Will Happen
10. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
11. The Knack - My Sharona
12. Blondie - Heart of Glass
13. Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden
14. Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
15. Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind
16. Squeeze - Cool For Cats
17. The Records - Starry Eyes
18. Bauhaus - Bela Legosi's Dead
19. The Cars - Let's Go
20. Joe Jackson - Is She Really Going Out With Him?
21. Public Image, Ltd - Memories
22. Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
23. Sparks - Beat the Clock
24. Lene Lovich - My Lucky Number
25. The Specials - A Message to You, Rudy
26. Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays
27. 20/20 - Yellow Pills
28. The Pretenders - Kid
29. Roxy Music - Dance Away
30. The Police - Walking On the Moon
31. M - Pop Muzik
32. The Cars - Let the Good Times Roll
33. The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
34. Stranglers - Duchess
35. Joy Division - She's Lost Control
36. The Damned - Smash It Up
37. The Clash - English Civil War
38. Tubeway Army - Are 'Friends' Electric
39. Devo - Clockout
40. Dave Edmonds - Girls Talk
41. Grace Jones - On Your Knees
42. Blondie - Dreaming
43. Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
44. Patti Smith Group - Frederick
45. Public Image, Ltd - Swan Lake
46. The Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles
47. The Slits - Typical Girls
48. Ian Dury and the Blockheads -  Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
49. David Bowie - Boys Keep Swingin'
50. The Cars - It's All I Can Do
51. The Jam - Eton Rifles
52. The Skids - Into the Valley
53. The Pop Group - She Is Beyond Good and Evil
54. Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down
55. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Playground Twist
56. Roxy Music - Trash
57. Blondie - Sunday Girl
58. The Clash - I Fought the Law
59. The Raincoats - Fairytale in the Supermarket
60. Squeeze - Up the Junction
61. The Specials - Concrete Jungle
62. The Talking Heads - Cities
63. Generation X - Valley of the Dolls
64. Gruppo Sportivo - Beep Beep Love
65. The Cure - 10:15 Saturday Night
66. Gang of Four- I Found That Essence Rare
67. Buzzcocks - Harmony In My Head
68. XTC - Life Begins at the Hop
69. The Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing
70. James Chance and the Contortions - Contort Yourself
71. The Plugz - Electrify Me
72. Pere Ubu - 49 Guns 1 Girl
73. Sparks - Tryouts for the Human Race
74. Wire - Map Ref. 41°N 93°W
75. Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want)
76. Robert Palmer - I've Got a Bad Case of Loving You
77. English Beat - Tears of a Clown
78. Kleenex - Ain't You
79. The Undertones - Jimmy Jimmy
80. After The Fire - One Rule for You
81. The Kinks - (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
82. 999 - Homicide
83. Dave Edmonds - Crawling From the Wreckage
84. Marianne Faithful - Broken English
85. The Damned - Love Song
86. David Bowie - Look Back In Anger
87. The Fabulous Poodles - Mirror Star
88. Ultravox - Quiet Men
89. Selector - On My Radio
90. Rick James - Bustin' Out
91. Rachel Sweet - Who Does Lisa Like?
92. Graham Parker - Local Girls
93. Split Enz - I See Red
94. Chrome - TV As Eyes
95. Shoes - Too Late
96. Adam and the Ants - Zerox
97. The Knack - Good Girls Don't
98. Dickies - Where Did His Eye Go?
99. The Human League - Being Boiled
100. The Boomtown Rats - Someones Looking At You

Bonus
101. The Village People - Y.M.C.A.
102. The Specials - Too Much Too Young
103. Joe Jackson - Sunday Papers
104. The Motels - Total Control
105. The Clash - Stay Free

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

Also, this is my second Rankdown I'm hosting. My first was the 1966 Rankdown, which went well, but it definitely took way too long. I want to make sure I don't make the same mistakes here, so I plan to tell everyone when I am not revealing, and reveal ten songs each day I reveal.

I might allow some extensions, but I'm not planning to go to crazy with it like I did for the 1966 list. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the 60s Billboard Pop Year End lists, but that is a possibility. I doubt I'm gonna go earlier than 1962, though, since most songs from the 58-61 lists aren't likely to be very appealing to most users here. I'm sure we will also get to 70s Year End lists for the Hot 100 soon, but I doubt I'll be the one to do them, or I'd get help for them since they will be highly popular. I do plan to do Alternative lists for both 1977 and 1978, but not any for prior to 1977 due to the genre barely existing before that (some 1976 songs will fall into the 77 YE list too).

I hope people will enjoy this rankdown, I might get a co-host for this to help me, since I do expect more turnout on this than the 1966 Year End (And once again, thank you to the 17 participants for that rankdown, and thanks for your patience. I am new to making Rankdowns, so it sometimes was very time consuming, especially when also working and having some mild depression/ procrastination issues. So thank all of you :)

And once again, enjoy this list!

[Optical Apex]

[gonecountry]

I'm in!

[singingrulebritannia]

Remember when I told you that you should build people's trust in your hosting abilities after 1966 Hot 100 by hosting to completion several smaller rankdowns before ramping back to the big ones?

In the past 3 months, you have opened one 50-song rankdown and abandoned it.

[Optical Apex]

Oct 24, 2022 0:34:28 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Remember when I told you that you should build people's trust in your hosting abilities after 1966 Hot 100 by hosting to completion several smaller rankdowns before ramping back to the big ones?

In the past 3 months, you have opened one 50-song rankdown and abandoned it.

I can put this one on hold and get that one first.

[singingrulebritannia]

That would be a good first step, yes.

[Optical Apex]

I'm opening this one back up. This one is going to be open for quite a while, but I want to open it right now and give people enough time to look at these songs. "I See Red" by Split Enz and "Electrify Me" by the Plugz are not on Spotify, at least not last time I checked. I will be opening another rankdown and have that rankdown due in late April, this one would be smaller though. I will be creating that rankdown list soon and will reveal it soon. I am about to get the 50 Arbitrary Songs rankdown revealed this week, though, starting tomorrow. Peace

[Optical Apex]

EXTRA

Elvis Costello and the Attractions

"Senior Service"

Elvis Costello is a bit controversial in these rankdowns. He tends to get tanked alot. Maybe the two songs on the list will be saved here, but will the list be too tanked. Would this possibly have done better than they would have?


EXTRA

Delta 5
"Mind Your Own Business"
A neat discovery. Group from Leeds, was close to Gang of Four. (4, 5)


EXTRA

The Stranglers
"Nuclear Device"

The Stranglers utilize the arabesque organ sound they later employ for "Golden Brown". From the same album as Duchess. These guys were the bomb (get it). And RIP Jet Black (their drummer)


EXTRA

The Teardrop Explodes
"Sleeping Gas"

Another cool group, kinda reminds me of Wire.


EXTRA

David Bowie
"D.J"

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

I see my #1 song. everybody sees my #1 song, but I still gotta play. so is it April or June?

[Optical Apex]

Mar 9, 2023 1:30:12 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

I see my #1 song. everybody sees my #1 song, but I still gotta play. so is it April or June?

June

[Optical Apex]

This one is getting a deadline change. I forgot about it and have been busy with work. I will keep this updated.

[gonecountry]

I have like 10 more to go. I've found a lot of great discoveries so far.

[Optical Apex]

3 months to go, wanted to update this thread. More extras coming soon.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

44 Days left:

Here is a bonus, this time from The Fall (a New Wave group founded in the late 1970s) with "Rowche Rumble"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

40 days left, everyone. Here is some very early Black Flag from 1979, "Nervous Breakdown".

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

39 days left. 

Here is a fabulous song from Queen, "Don't Stop Me Now". This one is really big, and Queen did make a few entrances on the 1980 Modern Rock list (although one of them performed poorly in the Rankdown, I doubt this one would if it was on here)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

37 days left
The Beat, but a different group than the other one here. Here, they got "Rock N Roll Girl". 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

36 Days Left: 6 Squared

Here is Cabaret Voltaire, named after a night club. This is an acid-house cover of a 1966 garage rock song called "No Escape" originally done by a band called The Seeds. 

[Optical Apex]

Triple reveal today for extras. This song is from a band called The Donkeys. It's called "What I Want". The second one is by English punk band The Adicts, best known for their 1982 song "Viva la Revolution". Here is "Easy Way Out". My mom got a CD of theirs when I was a preteen.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

34 days left. The Specials with "Nite Klub"

[Optical Apex]

22 Days Left: Early Midnight Oil here with "Cold Cold Change", almost a decade before they hit big with "Beds Are Burning".

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

13 days left

[Optical Apex]

10 Days left

[Deleted]

Surprise, I submitted line. Some of the top stuff did make this RD worth it.

[Optical Apex]

Currently, we have 9 days until the due date. 2 lists have been sent thus far, from Ernesto and @crapkuki23 . Thank you both. For today's extra, we have U2.

U2
"Out of Control"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Optical Apex]

And we have another extra. 

The Members

"The Sound of the Suburbs"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33  

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

Just about to submit in a couple days ,but I noticed this

38. Are 'Friends' Electric - Tubeway Army

it's the only one where you post song title before artist. Is this how you want it? Wouldn't want to be disqualified for something this simple before asking?

[Optical Apex]

Sept 22, 2023 2:32:25 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

Just about to submit in a couple days ,but I noticed this

38. Are 'Friends' Electric - Tubeway Army

it's the only one where you post song title before artist. Is this how you want it? Wouldn't want to be disqualified for something this simple before asking?

Thank you for noticing. I just fixed it, but you would not have been disqualified either way. 

[Optical Apex]

Currently five days left:

Here is "Bring on the Night" by The Police
Hope everyone is doing well. 

The Police

"Bring On The Night"

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}: samo🦕        BB🌕        Red        Butterflies & Hurricanes        singingrulebritannia       DJDaveMick69       gonecountry       Gonza'90       khan       rowellfarm490       Ernesto       emerald       Fire       annoymous1        alexcuse       Mirago    craziaskowboi       Doc Indie Party Rock       tanooki       wyckyd       Lost In Musical Reverie       Juanca       razorshark       Human Clay    Sambalada  mikerivera  312999  aerodynamite  Daryl the Beryl  Lordef†ones  peacebone  willapted33