Best of the '80s Redux, Poll — October 1, 2018 at 6:31 am

Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux: Vote for your favorite songs of 1984

We’re nearing the midpoint of our Best of the ’80s Redux series of year-by-year song polls as we now move on to the year 1984, giving Slicing Up Eyeballs readers the chance to vote for their 25 favorites as we rank the 100 best songs released that year.

The Best of the ’80s Redux polls launched in 2015 and covered 1980 and 1981 before fizzling out (the whole site ultimately went on hiatus for almost two years). But earlier this year we kickstarted the series, and relaunched it with polls that ranked the best songs of 1982 and then 1983.

VOTING: For the album polls (and our more recent artist discography polls), we presented you with a list, sometimes hundreds of titles long, to choose from, plus the ability to offer write-ins. We inevitably missed titles, and some argued this skewed the results. So this time, it’s a (mostly) free-for-all. You may vote for any songs you’d like — singles, B-sides, album cuts, etc. It’s all fill-in-the-blanks, not multiple choice.

A few important things to note:

  • To be eligible, songs must have been released in some format — whether it be on an album, EP or a single — for the first time during the year 1984. That means, for example, that a song that’s released as a single in 1985 will be eligible for the 1984 poll if it first appeared on an album released in 1984. Splitting hairs? Sure, but we have to draw the line somewhere.
  • With the album polls, acknowledging the theme of this website, we limited voting to artists that fall under the very loose and ill-defined “alternative” banner, generally acts from the punk, post-punk, goth, college rock, indie, synthpop, industrial, New Wave and related genres. Not the case anymore — although that’s still likely how the results will skew. For the song polls, vote for whatever you want.
  • Well, there is one limit. To prevent one-note fans from, say, simply listing every track off Zen Arcade, you may only vote for a maximum of two songs by the same artist when filling out your Top 25. Any ballots submitted with more than two songs by the same artist will be disqualified.

DEADLINE: Voting will be open through 5 p.m. ET Friday, Oct. 19, and results will be posted within a week or two — after which we’ll launch the 1985 poll and take it from there.

Sound good? Then vote away via the survey widget posted below. And if you have trouble with that embedded widget, you may vote directly on Polldaddy’s site.

And because there’s not a pre-set list to choose from, we encourage you to lobby for your picks (list your whole ballot if you want), and maybe sway some votes, in the comments below.

Finally, if you’re drawing a blank on what came out that year, take a look back at our Top 100 albums of 1984 poll results, or check out these other resources:

 

 

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

 

77 Comments

  1. My first pass, though haven’t voted yet… still checking for songs I might have overlooked.

    Top 25 Best of 1984 
    25. Shriekback, “Hand on My Heart” 
    24. Tears for Fears, “Shout” 
    23. The Smiths, “How Soon Is Now?” 
    22. XTC, “You’re the Wish You Are I Had” 
    21. U2, “Bad” 
    20. The Pogues, “Streams of Whiskey” 
    19. The Pretenders, “Time the Avenger” 
    18. Prince, “When Doves Cry” 
    17. The Psychedelic Furs, “The Ghost in You” 
    16. Husker Du, “I’ll Never Forget You” 
    15. The Fixx, “Are We Ourselves” 
    14. Depeche Mode, “Master and Servant” 
    13. Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah” 
    12. Minutemen, “#1 Hit Song” 
    11. Killing Joke, “Eighties” 
    10. Talk Talk, “It’s You” 
    9. General Public, “Tenderness” 
    8. Ministry, “Every Day is Halloween” 
    7. Echo & the Bunnymen, “The Killing Moon” 
    6. Tones on Tail, “Go!” 
    5. R.E.M., “So. Central Rain” 
    4. Simple Minds, “Up on the Catwalk” 
    3. The Replacements, “Androgynous” 
    2. Bruce Cockburn, “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” 
    1. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions, “Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?” 
     
    Just misses: 
    Nick Lowe, “Half a Boy and Half a Man” 
    Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Two Tribes” 
    The Nails, “88 Lines About 44 Women” 
    Prefab Sprout, “When Love Breaks Down” 
    Peter Gabriel, “Walk Through the Fire” 
    Bruce Springsteen, “I’m on Fire” 

  2. Here’s my 25,
    The Killing Moon – Echo and the Bunnymen
    Don’t look any further – Dennis Edwards
    What difference does it make – The Smiths
    Don’t go back to Rockville – R.E.M.
    Rattlesnakes- Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
    How soon is now ? – The Smiths
    The boys of summer – Don Henry
    Small town boy – Bronski Beat
    Two tribes- Frankie Goes to Hollywood
    My ever changing moods – Style Council
    Somebody- Depeche Mode
    When live breaks down- Prefab Sprout
    Lake of fire – Meat Puppets
    Shout to the top – Style Council
    The powers of love – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
    When doves cry – Prince
    Blue Jean – David Bowie
    It’s my life – Talk Talk
    Tomorrow started – Talk Talk
    So central rain – R.E.M.
    The lebanon – Human League
    Dancing girls – Nik Kershaw
    Hyperactive – Thomas Dolby
    Purple Rain – Prince
    The Big Music – The Waterboys

    • How did I miss the Waterboys… well, I think they bumped Minutement for a spot. But “Pagan Place” or “The Big Music”… or “All the Things She Gave Me”… yeesh… the whole album.

  3. My 25 in no particular order:

    Echo & The Bunnymen – Killing Moon
    Simple Minds – Speed Your Love To Me
    Psychedelic Furs – Heaven
    R.E.M. – So. Central Rain
    Replacements – I Will Dare
    Smiths – William, It Was Really Nothing
    Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
    Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    U2 – Pride
    U2 – A Sort of Homecoming
    Waterboys – Church Not Made With hands
    Aztec Camera – Still On Fire
    Cocteau Twins – Ivo
    The Cult – Resurrection Joe
    The Cure – The Catepillar
    Everything But the Girl – Each And Every One
    Go-Betweens – Bachelor Kisses
    Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
    Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Perfect Skin
    New Order – Thieves
    Orange Juice – What Presence?!
    Pale Fountains – Jean’s Not Happening
    Killing Joke – Eighties
    Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours
    Prefab Sprout – When Love Breaks Down

    Honourable Mention:
    Bruce Cockburn – Lovers In A Dangerous Time
    Ub40 – If It Happens Again
    Gun Club – My Dreams
    Midnight Oil – Best Of Both Worlds
    Ultravox – One Small Day, Dancing With Tears In my Eyes
    David Sylvian – Ink In The Well
    Siouxsie & The Banshees – Dazzle

    Fun and tough again making this list,can’t wait to see how it finishes. Bring on 1985!!!!
    Thanks SUE.

  4. Craig Shifflett

    Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, “Are You Ready to be Heartbroken”
    R.E.M.,”So, Central Rain (I’m Sorry)”
    General Public, “Tenderness”
    Psychedlic Furs, “The Ghost in You”
    The Alarm,”Sixty Eight Guns”
    The Replacements, “Unsatisfied”
    The Replacements, “Answering Machine”
    Hoodoo Gurus,”My Girl”
    The dB’s, “Lonely Is (As Lonely Does)”
    Los Lobos, “Will The Wolf Survive”
    Malcolm McLaren, “Eiffel Tower”
    R.E.M., “Camera”
    The Pretenders, “2000 Miles”
    Echo & the Bunnymen,”Killing Moon”
    Split Enz, “Message to my Girl”
    The Bangles, “Going Down to Liverpool”
    Eurythmics, “Julia”
    Bruce Cockburn, “If I Had a Rocket Launcher”
    The Del Lords,”How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?”
    Pat Benatar,”We Belong”
    Miracle Legion, “Butterflies”
    Miracle Legion, “Just Say Hello”
    The Bluebells, “Cath”
    Nick Lowe, “Half a Boy and Half a Man”
    Alison Moyet, “Love Resurrection”

    • “Message to My Girl” was an ’84 single, but came out first in ’83 (on that list already)… so that frees up a spot for H&C!

  5. Can anyone verify it Time Zone’s “World Destruction” was released in 1984 in the US? Only see 1 source saying 12/1984. Was a biggie for me.

  6. Testing…got 404 error before

  7. Haunted When the Minutes Drag

    In no discernible order (and, if I’m being honest, I thought this was a relatively weak year in terms of 80s music).

    The Vandals, Ladykiller
    Echo & the Bunnymen, Killing Moon
    Scott Goddard, Cowpunk
    Smiths, How Soon is Now
    INXS, Burn For You
    Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me
    Simple Minds, Waterfront
    Bananarama, Wild Life (sentimental pick that I’ll defend till the end!!)
    X, Wild Thing
    Prince, Let’s Go Crazy
    The Smiths, What Difference Does it Make?
    R.E.M., Camera
    The Time, Jungle Love
    Tones on Tail, Go
    Duran Duran, New Moon on Monday (only DD song I could ever own up to liking)
    The Go-Go’s, Head Over Heels
    U2, the Unforgettable Fire
    Echo & the Bunnymen, My Kingdom
    Replacements, Unsatisfied
    Replacements, I Will Dare,
    Prince, The Beautiful Ones
    R.E.M., Don’t Go Back to Rocksville
    What Difference Does It Make?
    Sheila E., Glamorous Life
    New Order, Thieves Like Us

    • New Moon on Monday came out on the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album in ‘83. The single didn’t come out until ‘84, but since the album was out before, it won’t count for ‘84.

      • Same with Waterfront… as it is on the ’83 list at #51. Or it would have been on mine… but that just means you can vote for another amazing song off of Sparkle in the Rain!

    • Haunted When the Minutes Drag

      Ok. If Waterfront and New Moon are out, I will replace them with these two:

      Nik Kershaw, Wouldn’t It Be Good (could have sworn this was not a 1984 pick. Had I known, it would definitely have made the original list).

      Psych Furs, Ghost in You (same comment)

  8. My picks:

    Alphaville, “Big in Japan”
    Black Flag, “My War”
    Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me”
    Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy”
    Cocteau Twins, “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops”
    The dB’s, “Love Is for Lovers”
    Echo and the Bunnymen, “The Killing Moon”
    The Eurogliders, “Heaven (Must Be There)”
    The Go-Go’s, “Turn to You”
    Husker Du, “Pink Turns to Blue”
    Nik Kershaw, “Wouldn’t It Be Good?”
    Killing Joke, “Eighties”
    Meat Puppets, “Lake of Fire”
    Ministry, “Everyday Is Halloween”
    The Minutemen, “Corona”
    Alison Moyet, “Love Resurrection”
    The Pretenders, “Time the Avenger”
    The Psychedelic Furs, “The Ghost in You”
    R.E.M., “Pretty Persuasion”
    The Replacements, “I Will Dare”
    Romeo Void, “A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)”
    Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Swimming Horses”
    Spinal Tap, “Big Bottom”
    The Stranglers, “Skin Deep”
    Tones on Tail, “Go!”

  9. Wow, this is my list:
    1- The Smiths, Reel around the fountain
    2- Talk Talk, It’s my life
    3- Cocteau Twins, Pandora (for Cindy)
    4- Tears for Fears, Shout
    5- New Order, Thieves like us
    6- Dead or Alive, You spin me round
    7- The Smiths, How soon is now
    8- Duran Duran, The wild boys
    9- Eurythmics, Sex crime
    10- Bronski Beat, Smalltown boy
    11- Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, Rattlesnakes
    12- U2, Pride
    13- Alphaville, Sounds like a melody
    14- Alphaville, Summer in Berlin
    15- Depeche Mode, Blasphemous rumours
    16- Depeche Mode, If you want
    17- The Psychedelic Furs, The ghost in you
    18- Prince, When doves cry
    19- Spandau Ballet, Only when you leave
    20- Siouxsie and the Banshees, Swimming horses
    21- Human League, The Lebanon
    22- Echo & The Bunnymen, The killing moon
    23- Bananarama, Robert de Niro’s waiting
    24- The Cure, The caterpillar
    25- Nena, 99 luftballons

    This was so hard to pick and I had to leave some really good tunes out of this poll like:
    Prince – Purple rain
    Tina Turner – Private dancer
    Hall & Oates – Out of touch
    Culture Club – The war song
    General Public – Tenderness
    Queen – Radio Gaga
    Ultravox – Dancing with tears in my eyes
    Human League – Louise
    INXS – Burn for you
    Lloyd Cole – Charlotte street
    Wham! – Wake me up (before you go go)
    Bronski Beat – why

    And a long, long list. :(

  10. Goddammit I give up…anything longer than 3 lines grts a 404 error. My list is in the Facebook thread.

    • I had that problem on the 1983 poll. I even e-mailed the webmaster but he didn’t know why it was happening. I guess it’s a random thing. Sorry.

    • Are you trying to enter your whole list in a single field? Sorry if it’s not clear, but there are 25 separate fields, one per song, to fill out. Makes it more manageable to tabulate that way.

      • The survey entered fine, I’m trying to post my list in a comment here. It keeps taking me to a 404 error page.

  11. As of now this is the list I will likely submit as my official vote. But first I’ll post it here in hopes that somebody might be nice enough to see if there are any songs that are not from 1984. Many thanks!

    Here they are, countdown style:

    25. Misled – Kook & the Gang
    24. One Night In Bangkok – Murray Head
    23. The Caterpillar – The Cure
    22. My Ever Changing Moods – The Style Council
    21. Smooth Operator – Sade
    20. Sex Crime (1984) – Eurythmics
    19. Lie To Me – Depeche Mode
    18. Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) – The Icicle Works
    17. The Boys of Summer – Don Henley
    16. Show Me – The Pretenders
    15. Why Can’t I Have You – The Cars
    14. Slow Dancing – Lindsey Buckingham
    13. Lovers In A Dangerous Time – Bruce Cockburn
    12. Stories Of Old – Depeche Mode
    11. Invisible – Alison Moyet
    10. Doupleplusgood – Eurythmics
    9. Best Of Both Worlds – Midnight Oil
    8. Magic – The Cars
    7. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) – R.E.M.
    6. How Soon Is Now – The Smiths
    5. Pride (In The Name Of Love) – U2
    4. Where The Rose Is Sown – Big Country
    3. Bad – U2
    2. If I Had A Rocket Launcher – Bruce Cockburn
    1. 7 Chinese Brothers – R.E.M.

  12. Billy Casper

    25. The Sisters of Mercy – Walk Away
    24. The Chills – Pink Frost
    23. New Order – Thieves Like Us
    22. Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    21. The Cure – Shake Dog Shake
    20. Killing Joke – Eighties
    19. R.E.M. – Harborcoat
    18. Tears For Fears – Shout
    17. Cocteau Twins – The Spangle Maker
    16. The Fall – Slang King
    15. Lloyd Cole and The Commotions – Perfect Skin
    14. The Cure – The Top
    13. U2 – Bad
    12. Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
    11. The Fall – No Bulbs
    10. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Upside Down
    9. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity
    8. Echo and The Bunnymen – Seven Seas
    7. Lloyd Cole and The Commotions – Rattlesnakes
    6. Prince – When Doves Cry
    5. U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
    4. R.E.M. – So. Central Rain
    3. The Smiths – William, It Was Really Nothing
    2. Echo and The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
    1. The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?

  13. Crud…just realized Screaming Blue Messiahs “Good And Gone” EP was ‘84. “I Want Up” or “Someone To Talk To” has to be on my list.

  14. The Cure: The Top (whole album)
    The SIsters of Mercy: Body and Soul (whole EP)
    Plus songs from Siouxsie and the Banshees, Depeche Mode, The Waterboys, The Gun Club. This is going to be difficult.

  15. In no order:
    Blasphemous Rumours-DM
    Blue Jean-David Bowie
    Fade to Black-Metallica
    Walk Away-Sisters of Mercy
    Shout-Tears for Fears
    Handsome Devil-The Smith’s
    Small town Boy-Bronski Beat
    When love breaks down-prefab sprout
    Killing moon-echo & the bunnymen
    Wild Boys-Duran Duran
    Heaven-pyschedelic furs
    It’s my life-talk talk
    Skin Deep-Stranglers
    When Doves Cry-Prince
    Only when you leave -Spandau Ballet
    If I had a rocket launcher-Bruce Cockburn
    Wouldn’t it be good-Nik Kershaw
    Pearly Dewdrops Drops-cocteau twins
    Ghost in you-psychedelic furs
    Purple Rain-Prince
    Tenderness-General public
    Everyday is halloween-ministry
    Stories of Old-DM
    Love Resurrection-Allison moyet

  16. OK, here it is (in no particular order):
    Orange Juice – What Presence?!
    Everything But the Girl – Each And Every One
    Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    Echo & The Bunnymen – Killing Moon
    R.E.M. – So. Central Rain
    General Public, “Tenderness”
    R.E.M. – Harborcoat
    The dB’s, “Lonely Is (As Lonely Does)”
    The Go-Go’s, Head Over Heels
    U2, the Unforgettable Fire
    Echo & the Bunnymen, My Kingdom
    My Ever Changing Moods – The Style Council
    How Soon Is Now – The Smiths
    7 Chinese Brothers – R.E.M.
    Blue Jean-David Bowie
    Hero Takes a Fall – Bangles
    White Lines – Grand Master Flash
    Cruel Summer – Bananarama
    In A Big Country – Big Country
    Pale Shelter – Tears For Fears
    I Would Die 4 U – Prince
    Elvis Costello The Only Flame In Town
    Talking Heads Burning Down the House

    • Just fyi, several of these are from 1983… In a Big Country, White Lines, Burning Down the House, Cruel Summer… If you wanted to find replacements…

  17. In no particular order:
    The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
    The Smiths – What Difference Does It Make?
    Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
    Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
    Depeche Mode – People Are People
    Depeche Mode – Blasphemous Rumours
    Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    The Psychedelic Furs – The Ghost In You
    Prince – When Doves Cry
    Prince – I Would Die 4 U
    Queen – Radio Ga Ga
    OMD – Tesla Girls
    Tina Turner – What’s Love Got to Do with It
    David Bowie – Loving The Alien
    The Go-Go’s – Head Over Heels
    Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
    U2 – Bad
    Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah
    Leonard Cohen – If It Be Your Will
    The Cure – The Empty World
    Pat Benatar – We Belong
    Alphaville – Forever Young
    Bananarama – Robert deNiro’s waiting
    Dead or Alive – You Spin Me Round
    Sade – Smooth Operator

    • Ah “West End Girls”… another one falling under the “Radio Free Europe” ruling. Will it get more votes in ’84 (original) or ’85 (more well known/popular version)??

  18. Listed alphabetically. Tried to strike a balance between songs that were deeply part of my life in 1984 (even if they haven’t aged well) and songs that I may not have even heard that year but are now favorites of mine.

    Laurie Anderson, Excellent Birds
    Animotion, Obsession
    The Bangles, Going Down To Liverpool
    Berlin, No More Words
    David Bowie, Loving The Alien
    Bronski Beat, Smalltown Boy
    Lindsey Buckingham, Go Insane
    The Cure, Shake Dog Shake
    Depeche Mode, Master and Servant
    Eurythmics, Doubleplusgood
    Murray Head, One Night In Bangkok
    Roger Hodgson, Had A Dream (Sleeping With The Enemy)
    Katrina and the Waves, Mexico
    Marillion, Fugazi
    Men Without Hats, Messiahs Die Young
    Alison Moyet, Love Resurrection
    OMD, Tesla Girls
    Prince, When Doves Cry
    Queen, Radio Ga Ga
    REM, Don’t Go Back To Rockville
    Romeo Void, A Girl In Trouble
    The Smiths, How Soon Is Now?
    Tina Turner, What’s Love Got To Do With It
    U2, Pride (In The Name Of Love)
    Wang Chung, Dance Hall Days

    • Love Wang Chung, but “Dance Hall Days” was originally released in ’83 with the album (even though the single was officially released in ’84). Otherwise, I would have voted for it. (And I was disappointed it failed to make the ’83 list.)

      • And actually, just realized that Points On the Curve was ’83 release in the UK, but ’84 (for the album and singles) in the US… so maybe we CAN vote for it.

        Hmmm… maybe we can get a ruling on this? Anyone?

  19. Is it okay to vote for Overground by Siouxsie & The Banshees? I’m thinking of the re-recording for The Thorn EP…

  20. Ignoring the limit on two songs per artist…

    1 The Smiths Please, Please, Please
    2 Echo and the Bunnymen Ocean Rain
    3 The Smiths What Difference Does It Make?
    4 Echo and the Bunnymen Crystal Days
    5 The Cult Spiritwalker
    6 U2 A Sort of Homecoming
    7 The Smiths Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
    8 Adam Ant Apollo 9
    9 Replacements Unsatisfied
    10 U2 The Unforgettable Fire
    11 The Church A Month of Sundays
    12 The Cure The Caterpillar
    13 The Church Into My Hands
    14 Modern English Rainbows End
    15 The Psychedelic Furs Highwire Days
    16 The Psychedelic Furs The Ghost In You
    17 The Alarm Blaze of Glory
    18 REM Harborcoat
    19 The Jesus and Mary Chain Upside Down
    20 Husker Du Never Talking to You Again
    21 Echo and the Bunnymen Silver
    22 Metallica Creeping Death
    23 The Cure Shake Dog Shake
    24 The Cars Why Can’t I Have You?
    25 The Smiths William, It Was Really Nothing

  21. The early 80’s rankings are challenging since I was very young in those days. It was well past 1984 when I heard most of these songs or if I heard them in 1984 I couldn’t recall hearing them. I mean Duran Duran was the cat’s meow back then because of their video play on MTv. However in time I eventually discovered all of these songs or the artist.

    I love New Wave/Post Modern/Alternative/Left of the Dial or whatever you want to label this music genera! It is the best.

    Here’s my 25 picks:
    1) The Smiths, “This Charming Man”
    2) Depeche Mode, “Somebody”
    3) The Smiths, “What Difference Does It Make?”
    4) New Order, “Thieves Like Us”
    5) The Style Council, “Shout to Top!”
    6) The Style Council, “My Ever Changing Moods”
    7) Depeche Mode, “Master and Servant”
    8) The Jesus And Mary Chain, “Upside Down”
    9) Echo & the Bunnymen, “Seven Seas”
    10) Fiction Factory, “Feels Like Heaven”
    11) Billy Bragg, “St. Swithin’s Day”
    12) Prefab Sprout, “When Love Breaks Down”
    13) Tones on Tail, “Go!”
    14) The Replacements, “I Will Dare”
    15) Duran Duran, “The Wild Boys”
    16) Simple Minds, “Speed Your Love To Me”
    17) Dead Can Dance, “The Trial”
    18) Wang Chung, “Dance Hall Days”
    19) General Public, “Tenderness”
    20) The Psychedelic Furs, “Heaven”
    21) Talk Talk, “It’s My Life”
    22) Billy Idol, “Catch My Fall”
    23) Ultravox, “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes”
    24) Echo & the Bunnymen, “The Killing Moon”
    25) Eurogliders, “Heaven (Must Be There)”

  22. Chris Fuller

    No particular order . . .

    Minutemen, “This Ain’t No Picnic”
    The Alarm, “Sixty Eight Guns”
    REM, “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville”
    Echo & the Bunnymen, “The Killing Moon”
    The Smiths, “How Soon Is Now?”
    Time Zone, “World Destruction”
    Guadalcanal Diary, “Trail of Tears”
    The dB’s, “Amplifier”
    Bananarama, “Robert De Niro’s Waiting…”
    The Pretenders, “My City Was Gone”
    Ramones, “Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)”
    Sade, “Hang On to Your Love”
    Minutemen, “History Lesson Part 2”
    Echo & The Bunnymen, “Seven Seas”
    The Alarm, “Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke?”
    REM, “Pretty Persuasion”
    Wang Chung, “Dance Hall Days”
    Spinal Tap, “Big Bottom”
    Violent Femmes, “Country Death Song”
    INXS, “I Send a Message”
    Midnight Oil, “Best of Both Worlds”
    Black Flag, “Slip It In”
    Malcolm McLaren, “Madam Butterfly (Un bel dì vedremo)”
    Thompson Twins, “The Gap”
    The Bangles, “Hero Takes a Fall”

  23. I should’ve posted this sooner.

    Other good sources of info to jog memories:

    WLIR 1984 Dare ’84 Countdown
    https://archive.mgm51.com/cache/library/pdf/top100/WLIR_Top-84-of-1984.pdf

    WXCI New Year New Breakdown – Top 100 Songs of 1984
    https://archive.mgm51.com/cache/library/pdf/top100/WXCI_Top-100-of-1984.pdf

    CFNY – The Best Albums of 1984
    http://spiritofradio.ca/Charts.asp#1984

    CMJ – Top 20 Albums of 1984
    https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zVp_QgtYGGUC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

    Village Voice – Pazz & Jop Lists – Top Songs and Albums of 1984
    http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/village7080.htm#1984

    John Peel’s Festive Fifty 1984
    http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/festive50lists.htm#1984

    Melody Maker – Top Songs and Albums of 1984
    http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mmpage.html#1984

    The Face – Recordings of the Year, Albums and Songs – 1984
    http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/theface.htm#1984

    UK Charts – Top 100 of 1984
    http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1984.shtml

    Playlist Research – Top Modern/Alternative Songs of 1984
    http://www.playlistresearch.com/1980s/1984modern.htm

    Acclaimed – Top Songs of 1984
    http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/year/1984s.htm

    • Very cool resources. I’m bookmarking several of them. Just note that many of those lists include ’83 songs which don’t meet the criteria for this vote (Cruel Summer, Dance Hall Days, Hold Me Now, etc.).

      • Thanks Neil.
        Earlier this year I took some time to scour the Internet to find radio stations, etc. that had ‘best of’ lists from the 80’s. Tried to stick to the alternative / indie / college radio genre. I also have some lists from CMJ that aren’t online.
        Think I got them ‘all’, but if anyone has seen others, please post them! Thanks.

  24. Ugh. Twice when I was filling out the ballot I hit return trying to get to the next field and it submitted a partial ballot. If the tallier is reading please disregard those partial ballots in favor of my full one. It was a goof on my part and not an attempt at ballot box stuffing!

  25. That was harder to do than I expected! But at least I’ve got a good Spotify list out of it. ;-)

    Top 25 (alphabetical order)

    1. Alphaville – Sounds Like a Melody
    2. APB – What Kind of Girl (Are You)?
    3. Blancmange – Don’t Tell Me
    4. C.S. Angels – You Move Me
    5. Echo & the Bunnymen – Seven Seas
    6. Echo & the Bunnymen – Silver
    7. Hoodoo Gurus – I Want You Back
    8. Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
    9. Jane Siberry – Mimi on The Beach
    10. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Rattlesnakes
    11. Ministry – All Day
    12. Miracle Legion – Backyard
    13. R.E.M. – Harborcoat
    14. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Dazzle
    15. Spoons – Tell No Lies
    16. The Chills – Pink Frost
    17. The dB’s – Love Is for Lovers
    18. The March Violets – Walk Into the Sun
    19. The Psychedelic Furs – The Ghost in You
    20. The Replacements – I Will Dare
    21. The Smiths – This Charming Man
    22. The Stranglers – Skin Deep
    23. The Waterboys – Church Not Made With hands
    24. Ultravox – One Small Day
    25. Ultravox – Love’s Great Adventure

    Honorable Mentions
    1. Big Country – Wonderland
    2. Billy Bragg – It Says Here
    3. C.S. Angels – Independence Day (re-release)
    4. Captain Sensible – There Are More Snakes Than Ladders
    5. Icehouse – Taking the Town
    6. Jane Siberry – Symmetry
    7. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Perfect Skin
    8. Martha and the Muffins – Black Stations / White Stations
    9. Martha and the Muffins – Cooling The Medium
    10. Miracle Legion – Butterflies
    11. Miracle Legion – Closer To The Wall
    12. Miracle Legion – Just Say Hello
    13. Modern English – Hands Across the Sea
    14. Propoganda – Dr. Mabuse
    15. Psychedelic Furs – Heartbeat
    16. Psychedelic Furs – Alice’s House
    17. R.E.M. – Letter Never Sent
    18. R.E.M. – Second Guessing
    19. Ramones – Wart Hog
    20. Scritti Politti – Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)
    21. Scritti Politti – Hypnotize
    22. Scritti Politti – Absolute
    23. Simple Minds – The Kick Inside of Me
    24. Spoons – Romantic Traffic
    25. The Colourfield – The Colour Field
    26. The dB’s – Amplifier
    27. The Fall – 2 x 4
    28. The Fall – C.R.E.E.P.
    29. U2 – Indian Summer Sky
    30. U2 – Wire
    31. U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
    32. Woodentops – Plenty
    33. XTC – You’re the Wish You Are I Had
    34. XTC – Wake Up

    biggest influences
    – CFNY, WCDB

  26. Mine :

    New Order, Thieves Like Us
    The Cure, Shake Dog Shake
    Cocteau Twins, Millimillenary
    Laurie Anderson, Excellent Birds
    Cabaret Voltaire, Do Right
    Art Of Noise, Close To The Edit
    Telex, The Voice
    Depeche Mode, If You Want
    Gary Numan, Berserker
    Fad Gadget, Collapsing New People
    Chris & Cosey, Walking Through Heaven
    Captain Sensible, Glad It’s All Over
    PIL, The Order Of Death
    Fred Schneider & The Shake Society, Monster
    Devo, Shout
    Robert Görl & Annie Lennox, Darling Don’t Leave Me
    The Smiths, How Soon Is Now
    The Go-Go’s, Head Over Heels
    Echo & The Bunnymen, The Killing Moon
    Ministry, All Day
    Wang Chung, Dance Hall Days
    Danny Elfman, Tough As Nails
    Siouxsie & The Banshees, We Hunger
    A Certain Ratio, Life’s A Scream
    Coil, Tainted Love

  27. frank_reich

    Collapsing New People I think would count as 1983, as lease if Wikipedia is correct.

    I didn’t check your other picks. Just know about Fad Gadget as I was thinking about picking that one myself.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fad_Gadget

  28. My ’84
    1. Echo & the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
    2. Meat Puppets – Lake Of Fire
    3. Robyn Hitchcock – This Could Be The Day
    4. Rain Parade – No Easy Way Down
    5. The Fall – 2×4
    6. The Mighty Wah! – I Know There Was Something
    7. Husker Du – Pink Turns To Blue
    8. This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren
    9. Yo – The Plough
    10. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity
    11. The Gun Club – Walking With The Beast
    12. Simple Minds – Waterfront
    13. The Smiths – What Difference Does It Make
    14. Peter Hammill – This Side Of (Looking Glass)
    15. Foetus – Lust For Death
    16. Replacements – Unsatisfied
    17. Violent Femmes – Country Death Song
    18. Tones On Tail – Go!
    19. Flipper – In Life My Friends
    20. True West – And Then The Rain
    21. Chills – Pink Frost
    22. Julian Cope – Sunshine Playroom
    23. Cocteau Twins – Pandora (For Cindy)
    24. Certain General – My Gang Is In The Woods
    25. Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods
    …and many othes from Siouxsie, REM, New Math, 17 Pygmies, Rainy Day, Three Johns, Minimal man, Jonathan Richman, Prince…

  29. LOVED 1984 music!

    A-ha – Take On Me
    Art of Noise – Close (To the Edit)
    Chaka Khan – I Feel For You
    David Bowie – Blue Jean
    Depeche Mode – People Are People
    Depeche Mode – Somebody
    Echo and the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
    A Flock of Seagulls – The More You Live, the More You Love
    General PUblic – Tenderness
    Limahl – Never Ending Story
    Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – From Her to Eternity
    Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
    Prince – The Beautiful Ones
    Prince – When Doves Cry
    The Psychedelic Furs – Heaven
    Queen – Radio Ga Ga
    Rebbie Jackson – Centipede
    The Smiths – How Soon is Now
    The Smiths – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
    The Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods
    The Style Council – The Paris Match
    Talk Talk – Dum Dum Girl
    Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    U2 – A Sort of Homecoming
    U2 – The Unforgettable Fire

  30. My Top 3 Predictions

    1) The Killing Moon – Echo and the Bunnymen
    2) How Soon Is Now? – The Smiths
    3) It’s My Life – Talk Talk

    • These lists have interesting results, because often, the better the album the lower the songs… because votes get split. Husker Du and U2 and Prince and Lloyd Cole and R.E.M. all have multiple different songs getting votes… but if you voted Ultravox, it appears “Dancing With Tears…” is the go-to song, which might artificially bump that song higher.

      Granted, the posted lists here are a statistically insignificant fraction of the whole, so who knows what is out there.

      I’d guess Killing Joke – Eighties and Sisters of Mercy – Walk Away as two more that will be pretty high up.

      Also, the number of incorrect votes (’83 songs) will skew the results quite a bit.

  31. Anne Clark – Our Darkness
    Anne Clark – Sleeper In Metropolis
    Ultravox – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
    Nena – Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann
    Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round
    Propaganda – Dr. Mabuse
    Duran Duran – Save A Prayer
    Duran Duran – Wild Boys
    Alphaville – Forever Young
    Public Image Ltd. – This Is Not A Love Song
    Killing Joke – Eighties
    Les Rita Mitsouko – Marcia Baila
    Severed Heads – Dead Eyes Open
    Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun
    Siouxsie & The Banshees – Dear Prudence
    The Cure – The Caterpillar
    Gary Numan – Berserker
    Secession – Touch (Part 1)
    The Sisters Of Mercy – Walk Away
    The Fixx – Less Cities, More Moving People
    Simple Minds – Don’t You
    OMD – The Wheels Of The Universe

  32. Got my list in just under the wire!

    Aztec Camera – Jump
    The Bangles – Hero Takes a Fall
    Big Black – Racer-X
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – From Her to Eternity
    The Chills – Pink Frost
    Bruce Cockburn – Lovers in a Dangerous Time
    Lloyd Cole & the Commotions – Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?
    The dB’s – A Spy in the House of Love
    Thomas Dolby – Hyperactive
    Echo & the Bunnymen – Seven Seas
    The Effigies – Smile!
    Heaven 17 – Sunset Now
    Husker Du – Eight Miles High
    The Jesus & Mary Chain – Upside Down
    Martha & the Muffins – Black Stations/White Stations
    Prince & the Revolution – Purple Rain
    Lou Reed – I Love You, Suzanne
    R.E.M. – (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
    Fred Schneider & the Shake Society – Monster
    Siouxsie & the Banshees – Dazzle
    The Sisters of Mercy – Walk Away
    The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
    Talk Talk – It’s My Life
    U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
    Ultravox – Dancing with Tears in My Eyes

  33. All I want for Christmas…

    … is the results of the 1984 Songs poll!

    Pretty please?

  34. Any word on when the poll results may post?

  35. Billy Casper

    5 months later … does anyone really care anymore?

  36. Is this dead, or not?

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