Best of the '80s Redux — April 22, 2019 at 6:27 am

Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux: Vote for your favorite songs of 1985

We’ve now hit the halfway mark of our Best of the ’80s Redux series of year-by-year song polls as we move on to the year 1985, 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 last year we kickstarted the series, and relaunched it with polls that ranked the best songs of 19821983 and 1984.

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 1985. That means, for example, that a song that’s released as a single in 1986 will be eligible for the 1985 poll if it first appeared on an album released in 1985. Splitting hairs? Sure, but we have to draw the line somewhere.
  • But wait! There’s an exception. The so-called “Radio Free Europe” rule. Just as we allowed R.E.M.’s twice-released debut single to be voted on in two different years, we’ll let people vote twice for songs that are re-released in re-recorded versions — such as a-ha’s “Take On Me,” the original version of which came in at No. 42 in our 1984 poll. The much more familiar version, the worldwide hit, was released in 1985 and can be voted in this poll.
  • 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 The Head on the Door, 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, May 10, and results will be posted at some point thereafter — after which we’ll launch the 1986 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 1985 poll results, or check out these other resources:

 


 

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

 

101 Comments

  1. Huge year… so many “Just missed…” Looking forward to reviewing other lists before I official submit mine.

    Self-limited to one song per artist/band, and double checked release dates per Wikipedia.

    Top 25 Best of 1985

    25. Yello, “Oh Yeah”

    24. Fine Young Cannibals, “Funny How Love Is”

    23. Lick the Tins, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

    22. Wang Chung, “To Live and Die in L.A.”

    21. The Cure, “In Between Days”

    20. Suzanne Vega, “Small Blue Thing”

    19. Echo and the Bunnymen, “Bring On the Dancing Horses”

    18. Prefab Sprout, “Desire As”

    17. Tears for Fears, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”

    16. New Order, “Love Vigilantes”

    15. ‘Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry”

    14. The Hooters, “And We Danced”

    13. Jesus & Mary Chain, “Just Like Honey”

    12. Kate Bush, “Hounds of Love”

    11. Dream Academy, “The Edge of Forever”

    10. Simple Minds, “Ghost Dancing”

    9. Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary”

    8. Big Audio Dynamite, “Medicine Show”

    7. Pete Townshend, “Give Blood”

    6. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”

    5. Talking Heads, “And She Was”

    4. R.E.M. “Driver 8”

    3. Shriekback, “Nemesis”

    2. The Waterboys, “The Whole of the Moon”

    1. Marillion, “Kayleigh”

    Just misses:

    Lloyd Cole & the Commotions, “Lost Weekend”

    Howard Jones, “No One Is to Blame”

    The Pogues, “Dirty Old Town”

    Oingo Boingo, “Just Another Day”

    Sting, “Consider Me Gone”

    INXS, “What You Need”

    Tom Waits, “Downtown Train”

    ABC, “Be Near Me”

    a-Ha, “Take on Me”

    Thompson Twins, “Lay Your Hands on Me”

    The Smiths, “I Want the One I Can’t Have”

    Simply Red, “Holding Back the Years”

    Husker Du, “I Apologize”

    Suzanne Vega, “Marlene On the Wall”

    Sisters of Mercy, “Black Planet”

    Scritti Politti, “Perfect Way”

    The Replacements, “Left of the Dial”

    The Bangles, “Walk Like an Egyptian”

    Propaganda, “P-Machinery”

    Prince & the Revolution, “Raspberry Beret”

    Phil Collins, “Take Me Home”

    Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls”

    The Alarm, “Spirit of 76”

    Paul Hardcastle, “19”

    OMD, “So In Love”

    Nitzer Ebb, “Isn’t Funny How Your Body Works”

    Nick Lowe, “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)

    Marshall Crenshaw, “Blues is King”

    Love and Rockets, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”

    Level 42, “Something About You”

    Descendants, “Silly Girl”

    David Bowie & Pat Metheny, “This is Not America”

    • Neil Carver

      Ok, based on responses below, looks like I need to make room for “Life’s What You Make It” (I thought it was 86, but nope…) and Faith No More.

      Are we sure we can’t vote for 50? :)

  2. Robert Logie

    I need 50. At least!

  3. Does anything from Katrina and the Waves’ self titled album on Capitol Records qualify under the “Radio Free Europe” rule? Some of those songs were re-recorded and some were just remixes. A few I think may have been the original versions from their indie Canadian label years.

  4. At least. This one’s gonna be the most brutal one yet.

  5. Yup, I think the Waterboys “Whole of the Moon” holds up today as a great song (even with that sax riff at the end).

  6. Joseph Moore

    It was a very good year. -Frank Sinatra

  7. Could easily have just done every song from Fables and Tim! Tough year.

    • Not to mention “Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash,” “Oil & Gold” “This Is The Sea” or a host of other gems.

      Such a great year!

  8. this probably won’t get hard for me until 87-89 when there’s a flood of “best albums” in the mix…so I got to choose more than one song in some instances for a change! Just hoping people don’t forget A View To A Kill, I almost did. Not as bad as when I forgot Just Like Heaven then A Forest edged it out by one vote…

  9. Hello.
    Well, one of the hardest years to choose only 25 songs. Not in preferencial order.
    1 – Yello – Desire
    2 – The Smiths – That joke isn’t funny anymore
    3 – Tears for Fears – Head over heels
    4 – Sisters of Mercy – No time to cry
    5 – Sisters of Mercy – Marian
    6 – New Order – Love vigilantes
    7 – A-ha – The sun always shines on tv
    8 – Icehouse – No promises
    9 – Talking Heads – The lady don’t mind
    10 – OMD – 88 seconds in Greensboro
    11 – OMD – The native daughters of the golden west
    12 – The Cure – In between days
    13 – Kate Bush – Running up that hill
    14 – INXS – This time
    15 – Depeche Mode – Shake the disease
    16 – Duran Duran – A view to a kill
    17 – The Cult – She sells sanctuary
    18 – Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking
    19 – Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
    20 – Oingo Boingo – Just another day
    21 – Propaganda – P-Machinery
    22 – B.A.D. – E=mc2
    23 – Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring on the dancing horses
    24 – Arcadia – Election day
    25 – The Smiths – The boy with the thorn in his side

    —-
    And this was the songs that missed the list:
    Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love
    Simple Minds – Don’t you (forget about me)
    Grace Jones – Slave to the rhythm
    Propaganda – Duel
    Power Station – Some like it hot
    Killing Joke – Love like blood
    New Order – Sunrise
    A-ha – Take on me
    A-ha – Here I stand and face the rain
    The Cult – Revolution
    ABC – Be near me
    Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Brand New Friend
    Indochine – Canary bay

    • haunted when the minutes drag

      That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore always reminds me of my girlfriend from my early twenties. Such a great song. Hope it all turned out good for you Jeni.

      • “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore always reminds me of my girlfriend from my early twenties. Such a great song. Hope it all turned out good for you Jeni.”

        Now that is a proper rock ‘n roll response!

        Every musical memory
        deeply intertwined
        with friends and lovers
        that shared the time.

  10. Top 25 Songs of 1985

    Kate Bush – Hounds of Love
    Dokken – It’s Not Love
    AC/DC – Shake Your Foundations
    The Smiths – That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
    The Replacements – Kiss Me On the Bus
    Madonna – Into the Groove
    Prince + the Revolution – Raspberry Beret
    Mary Jane Girls – In My House
    Oingo Boingo – Just Another Day
    ‘Til Tuesday – No More Crying
    Propaganda – Duel
    Mötley Crüe – Louder Than Hell
    Siouxsie + the Banshees – Cities In Dust
    The Cure – Kyoto Song
    New Order – Love Vigilantes
    Thompson Twins – Lay Your Hands On Me
    Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking
    Cocteau Twins – Kookaburra
    Jesus + Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
    Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
    Echo + the Bunnymen – Bring On the Dancing Horses
    ABC – Be Near Me
    Eric Clapton – Forever Man
    Phil Collins – Take Me Home
    Sisters of Mercy – Black Planet

    Bonus Five

    Depeche Mode – Shake The Disease
    Huey Lewis + the News – The Power of Love
    Adam Ant – Vive le Rock
    Aretha Franklin – Freeway of Love
    Tina Turner – We Don’t Need Another Hero

  11. My list:
    1: “Running Up That Hill” Kate Bush
    2. “Voices Carry” ‘Til Tuesday
    3. “Don’t You Forget About Me” Simple Minds
    4. “This Time” INXS
    5. “The Perfect Kiss” New Order
    6. “Shout” Tears For Fears
    7. “Cities in Dust” Siouxsie & The Banshees
    8. “Push” The Cure
    9. “The Edge of Forever” The Dream Academy
    10. “Alive and Kicking” Simple Minds
    11. “Bring on the Dancing Horses” Echo & the Bunnymen
    12. “The Unforgettable Fire” U2
    13. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” Tears For Fears
    14. “A Night Like This” The Cure
    15. “Kiss The Dirt” INXS
    16. “Elegia” New Order
    17. “Lay Your Hands On Me” Thompson Twins
    18. “How Soon Is Now” The Smiths
    19.  “So In Love” O.M.D
    20. “Things Can Only Get Better” Howard Jones
    21. “She Sells Sanctuary” The Cult
    22. “Anything Anything” Dramarama
    23. “Just Like Honey” The Jesus and Mary Chain
    24. “Into The Groove” Madonna
    25. “Election Day” Arcadia

    • Neil Carver

      Just fyi… Shout, Unforgettable Fire and How Soon is Now are all 1984, and made that list. Opens up three more slots if you need them.

    • Just fyi… Shout, Unforgettable Fire and How Soon is Now were all 1984… so that opens three slots on your list if you want ’em!

  12. And She Was – Talking Heads
    Ball of Confusion – Love & Rockets
    Bitchin Camaro – The Dead Milkmen
    Cities in Dust – Siouxsie and the Banshees
    Deadman’s Party – Oingo Boingo
    Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
    Driver 8 – REM
    E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
    Everyday is Halloween – Ministry
    Holding Back The Years – Simply Red
    How Soon Is Now? The Smiths
    In Between Days – The Cure
    Life In A Northern Town – The Dream Academy
    Marlene On The Wall – Suzanne Vega
    Oh Yeah – Yello
    Perfect Way – Scritti Politti
    Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
    Shout – Tears for Fears
    Slave To Love – Bryan Ferry
    Spin Me Around – Dead or Alive
    The Sweetest Taboo – Sade
    The Whole of the Moon – Waterboys
    Voices Carry – Til Tuesday
    West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
    When Love Breaks down – Prefab Sprout

    • Paul Carpenter

      A few on your list Julie were 84’
      When love breaks down, How Soon is now and Shout

      • And “Everday is Halloween” and “You Spin me Around” as well, also 1984.

        • Dazflash

          When love breaks down was re-released in 1985. Does that make it eligible?

          • Re-release is the same version, IIRC. That doesn’t count. If it was a new recording of the song (i.e. West End Girls, or Radio Free Europe, etc.) that is clearly different than the original, that counts. AFAIK, When Love Breaks Down was the same song/same recording, so the first time it was released is the correct year, 1984.

    • Bitchin’ Camaro SO reminds me of my cousin and his punk/hardcore punk obsession. We used to do the intro together. Fun times…

  13. Husker Du’s “New Day Rising” came out that year, along with so many other great albums. Jesus and Mary Chain was hugely influential, Meat is Murder, two of the Cure’s biggest singles ever came out that year, “Perfect Kiss” by New Order, and then you have The Cult, The Pogues, The Replacements (Tim), Black Flag…jeez what a loaded year that was. Oh, and a sentimental favorite of 1985, “Take the Skinheads Bowling” by Camper van Beethoven.

  14. My picks in reverse order for no good reason. :P

    Tears for Fears, “Head Over Heels”
    Tears for Fears, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
    Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
    The Smiths, “How Soon Is Now”
    The Smiths, “Barbarism Begins at Home”
    Simply Red, “Holding Back the Years”
    Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
    The Replacements, “Bastards of Young”
    The Replacements, “Left of the Dial”
    Red Hot Chili Peppers, “If You Want me to Stay”
    R.E.M., “Can’t Get There from Here”
    Prince, “Rasberry Beret”
    OMD, “So In Love”
    New Order, “Love Vigilantes”
    Minor Threat, “Salad Days”
    Killing Joke, “Love Like Blood”
    Julian Cope, “Sunspots”
    The Jesus & Mary Chain, “Just Like Honey”
    INXS, “What You Need”
    Dream Academy, “Life in a Northern Town”
    Dramarama, “Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)”
    The Cure, “Close To Me”
    The Cure, “In Between Days”
    The Cult, “She Sell Sanctuary”
    A-Ha, “Take On Me”

    Honorable Mentions:
    Ratt-Lay It Down
    Dokken-In My Dreams
    Outfield-Your Love
    Tom Waits-Downtown Train
    UTFO-Roxanne, Roxanne
    Yello-Oh Yeah
    Sting-Fortress Around Your Heart
    Sade-Sweetest Taboo
    Camper Van Beethoven-Take the Skinheads Bowling
    Motley Crue-Home Sweet Home
    LL Cool J-I Can’t Live Without My Radio
    John Fogerty-The Old Man Down the Road
    Howard Jones-No One is to Blame
    George Thorogood-I Drink Alone
    The Firm-Radioactive
    Corey Hart-Never Surrender

  15. 1. Siouxsie and the Banshees Cities in Dust
    2. Prefab Sprout, Appetite
    3. Tears for Fears, The Working Hour
    4. Oingo Boingo, Dead Man’s Party
    5. Rhythm & Noise, Schismatic
    6. Mary Jane Girls, In My House
    7. Simply Red, Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)
    8. Love and Rockets, Ball of Confusion
    9. The Cure, A Night Like This
    10. Prefab Sprout When Love Breaks Down
    11. Kate Bush, Mother Stands for Comfort
    12. Cocteau Twins, Quisquose
    13. Paul Hardcastle, 19
    14. ‘Til Tuesday, Voices Carry
    15. Kate Bush, Waking the Witch
    16. Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Endicott
    17. The Smiths, How Soon is Now?
    18. The Fall, L.A.
    19. Wall Of Voodoo, Big City
    20. Rhythm & Noise, Bent Metal Forest
    21. Tears for Fears, Head Over Heels
    22. Scritti Politti, Perfect Way
    23. The Cure, Kyoto Song
    24. The Smiths, Barbarism Begins At Home
    25. Wall Of Voodoo, Far Side of Crazy

    For those unaware of Rhythm & Noise, I implore you to seek out their 2 albums on Ralph Records. The songs I chose (#s 5 and 20) come from R&N’s second LP, Chasms Accord. Despite their American roots (San Francisco, to be exact), R&N sound more European with their combination of dark ambient and nightmarish industrial. Imagine Tangerine Dream, Throbbing Gristle, Tuxedomoon, Cluster, Einsturzende Neubauten, and Popol Vuh having an orgy, and you might have a picture of what to expect. I’ve posted links to both LPs for others to investigate. I can’t praise this group highly enough. They deserve a mass rediscovery.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViYU2hMiAbo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnBjH0fRfpY

  16. Paul Carpenter

    My Favourite 25 from 85’ in no particular order

    Kate Bush – Cloudbusting
    Kate Bush – Running up that Kill
    The Cure – Close to Me
    Prince – Raspberry Beret
    The Cure – In Between Days
    The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon
    Talk Talk – Life’s What You Make it
    Camper Van Beethoven – Take the Skinheads Bowling
    Echo and the Bunnymen – Bring on the Dancing Horses
    The Pogues – Dirty Old Town
    Fine Young Cannibals – Johnny Come Home
    Suzanne Vega – Marlena on the Wall
    The Style Council – Walls Come Tumbling Down
    Prefab Sprout – Faron Young
    The Smiths – The Boy with a Thorn in his Side
    Prefab Sprout- Goodbye Lucille #1
    Propaganda – Duel
    Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Brand New Friend
    Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Lost Weekend
    R.E.M. – Driver 8
    Talking Heads – Road to Nowhere
    The Housemartins – Flag Day
    The Waterboys – Don’t Bang the Drum
    Tom Waits – Jockey Full Of Bourbon
    Fine Young Cannibals – Blue

    With Talk Talk’s ,Life’s What you Make It, Wikipedia says the following on its release
    Released
    * 1985 (Australia, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa)
    * 1986 (UK and other countries)

    This track could suffer in its position if it’s 85 and most will vote for it for 86’
    What we going with this one?

    • How the ‘eff did I miss Faith No More for my list? This is why I wait to view other’s lists before I vote. Need to find a spot for that.

      And I had no idea Housemartins had released in ’85, though they were going to be Top 10 in 1986. Nice one.

      And good question about “Life’s What You Make It” because I had that at #2 on my 1986 list. So I want to vote for it in the correct year.

      Anyone want to make a ruling on this?

      • As far as I can tell The Housemartin’s “Flag Day” single was their very first release and was indeed released in 1985. The “London 0 Hull 4” album was not released until well into 1986. Thus it seems “Flag Day” is eligible, but the rest of the album will be eligible in the 1986 poll.

        Keep in mind that I am not the one who makes this final call, but that is what I got from the research I did.

        • That was what I figured… so I can vote for Flag Day now, and Happy Hour later!

          I guess I’m going to put “Life’s What You Make It” on 85s list, just because I don’t want to miss the opportunity to vote for it. Then if it gets kicked off, put it on 86. Too great a song to miss getting the vote.

  17. The Chills: Never Never Go
    Fishbone: ? (Modern Industry)
    The Jazz Butcher: Big Saturday
    Robyn Hitchcock: My Wife and My Dead Wife
    The Three Johns: Death Of The European
    Cleaners From Venus: Julie Profumo
    Midnight Oil: Hercules
    999: Vicious Circle
    Faith No More: We Care A Lot
    Jason and the Scorchers: Shop It Around
    Big Audio Dynamite: Medicine Show
    The Cult: The Phoenix
    Love and Rockets: If There’s A Heaven Above
    The Chameleons: Singing Rule Britannia
    Hoodoo Gurus: Bittersweet
    REM: Can’t Get There From Here
    Replacements: Left Of The Dial
    Lime Spiders: Out Of Control
    Stan Ridgway: Drive She Said
    Dramarama: Scenario
    Lloyd Cole and the Commotions: Cut Me Down
    Wall Of Voodoo: Far Side Of Crazy
    Screaming Blue Messiahs: Twin Cadillac Valentine
    Mad Daddys: Ain’t Hit Me Yet
    Dancing Hoods: Pleasure

    • Oh man, Robyn Hitchcock’s “Fegmania” album in 1985? Damn, this is getting to be even tougher that I was expecting!

  18. Crud…left off CVB Club Med Sucks

  19. Two I missed that others may not!:

    Front 242, Don’t Crash

    Echo & the Bunnymen, the original version of Bedbugs & Ballyhoo

  20. Mine, in no particular order:

    1 Ian Hunter – Good Man In A Bad Time
    2 The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
    3 Mr. Mister – Kyrie
    4 Jane Wiedlin – Blue Kiss
    5 Eurythmics – Would I Lie To You
    6 China Crisis – King In Catholic Style
    7 Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
    8 Wang Chung – To Live And Die In L.A.
    9 Shriekback – Nemesis
    10 Sting – Fortress Around Your Heart
    11 The Alarm – Strength
    12 level 42 – Something about you
    13 David Bowie & Pat Metheny – This is not america
    14 Arcadia – The Promise
    15 Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party
    16 Big Audio Dynmite – E=MC2
    17 Dream Academy – Life in A northern town
    18 Bryan Ferry – Sensation
    19 Dramarama – Anything Anything
    20 A-Ha – Take On Me
    21 The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
    22 Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels
    23 ’Til Tuesday – Voices Carry
    24 Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
    25 Susanne Vega – Marlene on The Wall

  21. Exploding Boy

    Wasn’t even planning on doing this, but got to thinking…

    1. The Cure – The Exploding Boy
    2. The Cure – A Few Hours After This
    3. The Smiths – Well I Wonder
    4. The Smiths – Barbarism Begins At Home
    5. Sisters of Mercy – Marian
    6. The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
    7. The Damned – Is It a Dream
    8. Sisters of Mercy – No Time to Cry
    9. The Cult – Revolution
    10. Depeche Mode – Shake the Disease
    11. The Damned – Shadow of Love
    12. Gene Loves Jezebel – Shame
    13. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring on the Dancing Horses
    14. Siouxsie + the Banshees – Cities In Dust
    15. The Clash – Three Card Trick
    16. Big Audio Dynamite – The Bottom Line
    17. Big Audio Dynamite – E = mc^2
    18. Gene Loves Jezebel – Cow
    21. Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking
    19. Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love
    20. ABC – Ocean Blue
    22. Icehouse – No Promises
    23. Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
    24. INXS – This time
    25. ABC – Be Near Me

  22. Diego Flores

    1. Death In June “The Calling”
    2. The Misfits “Comeback”
    3. Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party”
    4. Skeletal Family “Hands Of The Clock”
    5. Clan Of Xymox “No Words”
    6. Book Of Love “Boy”
    7. Book Of Love “Lost Souls”
    8. The Cure “The Exploding Boy”
    9. Cocteau Twins “Pink Orange Red”
    10. Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill”
    11. Marc Almond “Trauma’s Trauma’s Trauma’s”
    12. Marc Almond “Stories Of Johnny”
    13. The Misfit’s “Some Kinda Hate”
    14. Thomas Newman “New York Day”
    15. New Order “Sub Culture”
    16. Pat Benatar “Invincible”
    17. The Style Council “Shout To The Top”
    18. Depeche Mode “Shake The Disease”
    19. A-Ha “The Sun Always Shines On TV”
    20. B.A.D. “E=MC2”
    21. The Sisters Of Mercy “Marian”
    22. New Order “The Perfect Kiss”
    23. The Cure “Close To Me”
    24. Jesse Johnson’s Revue “Free World”
    25. Dramarama “Anything, Anything”
    The only reason “Cities in dust” or “the sweetest chill” is not on my list is because I bought “Tinderbox” in 1986. I can be too technical sometimes. Otherwise those songs would be “1 and #2. I still have the promo poster of Tinderbox framed on my wall.

  23. Two of my favorite b-sides ever were released in 1985, both on the back of singles from albums that were released in 1984:

    Big Country – Winter Sky; one of Stuart’s most evocative, lovely compositions.
    U2 – Love Comes Tumbling; a brilliant, understated song; my favorite ever by them.

  24. Charles Conner

    What a year! This was the sweet spot for my college years programming our campus radio station. There was SO MUCH great music I had to limit each artist to just one song each…and there was many songs that did not make my list! here is what I submitted:

    1. FEARGAL SHARKEY “A GOOD HEART”
    2. LONE JUSTICE “WAYS TO BE WICKED”
    3. AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB “ROOM ABOVE THE CLUB”
    4. SQUEEZE “LAST TIME FOREVER”
    5. SIMPLE MINDS “ALIVE AND KICKING”
    6. TALKING HEADS “AND SHE WAS”
    7. ABC “BE NEAR ME”
    8. JANE WIEDLIN “BLUE KISS”
    9. DEPECHE MODE “PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE”
    10. ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN “BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES”
    11. R.E.M. “DRIVER 8”
    12. SIOUXIE & THE BANSHEES “CITIES IN DUST”
    13. OINGO BOINGO “DEAD MAN’S PARTY”
    14. FISHBONE “PARTY AT GROUND ZERO”
    15. BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE “THE BOTTOM LINE”
    16. ARCADIA “ELECTION DAY”
    17. TEARS FOR FEARS “HEAD OVER HEELS”
    18. KATE BUSH “RUNNING UP THAT HILL”
    19. THE SMITHS “HOW SOON IS NOW?”
    20. INXS “WHAT YOU NEED”
    21. THE CULT “RAIN”
    22. ARTISTS UNITED AGAINST APARTHEID “SUN CITY”
    23. THE WATERBOYS “THE WHOLE OF THE MOON”
    24. TIL TUESDAY “VOICES CARRY”
    25. THE BLASTERS “COLORED LIGHTS”

  25. The “Reply” function doesn’t deem to be working, but there was an early version of Bedbugs ad one of the b-sides of the Dancing Horses 12” single. No Ray Manzerak, I dig it as an Echo relic, but it’s not *that* great which makes it a decent b-side; song definitely benefited from better production teo years later.

    • Thanks! Yeah… I’m always “meh” on voting for the early releases of classic songs. If they were so great, they wouldn’t have been rerecorded and released to fanfare later. Interesting from a fan/musicology POV, but probably not for a Best Of list.

      Cool. Thanks again for the info.

  26. I discovered a few songs I thought were released in ’85 don’t qualify, some on technicalities. “How Soon Is Now?” is one. It was originally released in 1984 as the B-side to “William, It was Really Nothing.” Some of the lists linked here also include songs that were not 1985 releases. Hate to burst anyone’s bubble. It ranked third on the 1984 list, btw. That’s also another way to check if you can include a song.

  27. I’m glad someone mentioned Camper Van Beethoven’s “Take the Skinheads Bowling.” But no love for “Sally MacLennane,” my favorite Pogues song?

  28. OK. Here is my tentative list. If anyone could be so kind as to let me know if any of these are not from 1985 before I formally submit it I would be very appreciative.

    25. Elegia – New Order
    24. Marlene On The Wall – Suzanne Vega
    23. Pass It On – Lone Justice
    22. This World – The Dream Academy
    21. In Between Days – The Cure
    20. We Work The Black Seam – Sting
    19. If I Was – Midge Ure
    18. Would I Lie To You – Eurythmics
    17. Knight Moves – Suzanne Vega
    16. Don’t Bang The Drum – The Waterboys
    15. Close To Me – The Cure
    14. The Lady Don’t Mind – Talking Heads
    13. Walking On Sunshine — Katrina & The Waves
    12. Faded Flowers – Shriekback
    11. It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) – Eurythmics
    10. The Old Main Drag – The Pogues
    9. Love Vigilantes – New Order
    8. Wendell Gee – R.E.M.
    7. Cloudbusting – Kate Bush
    6. Sally MacLennane – The Pogues
    5. The Whole Of The Moon – The Waterboys
    4. Nemesis – Shriekback
    3. Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
    2. Sun City – Artists United Against Apartheid
    1. Driver 8 – R.E.M.

    The following fell victim to the no more than two songs per artist rule:

    Virtually every song on The Pogues’ “Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash” album

    Feeling Gravity’s Pull – R.E.M.
    Maps and Legends – R.E.M.
    Can’t Get There From Here – R.E.M.
    Green Grow The Rushes – R.E.M.
    Under The Ivy – Kate Bush
    Mother Stands For Comfort – Kate Bush
    The Big Hush – Shriekback
    Everything That Rises Must Converge – Shriekback
    This Is The Sea – The Waterboys
    Old England – The Waterboys
    The Pan Within – The Waterboys

    Honorable mentions:

    And She Was – Talking Heads
    The Road To Nowhere – Talking Heads
    Mexico – Katrina & The Waves
    Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fears
    Mother’s Talk – Tears For Fears
    Shout – Tears For Fears
    Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
    Alive & Kicking – Simple Minds
    My Wife And My Dead Wife – Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
    After The Flood – Lone Justice
    Ways To Be Wicked – Lone Justice
    East of Eden – Lone Justice
    Life In A Northern Town – The Dream Academy
    The Love Parade – The Dream Academy
    The Perfect Kiss – New Order

    • Great list. Is there a digital version of Sun City anywhere? I’ve never been able to find it, though I had a 12″ of it back in 85 that I somehow don’t have any longer. Been wanting to find that track again, but I tend to only buy physical music, not downloads… but in this case I may have to break down… if it is out there. (To pay for… I refuse to listen to music I didn’t pay for.)

      • To my knowledge, no. And it’s sad.

        Sure, the topical nature of the project puts it out of date but it was still such a milestone in 80’s music (and a real lifeline for those of us in the day who were NOT drinking the Reagan
        Kool-Aid.) I had the 45 RPM and album. The album was made available on CD in the early 90’s but used copies fetch a pretty penny (a quick look online suggests that such copies start at about 50 bucks.)

        The video is up at You Tube.

  29. Just wanted to throw this out there for an idea, though I know space is tight with only 25:

    Aztec Camera “Jump”

  30. And another one for your consideration:

    Blancmange “Lose Your Love”

  31. 01. The Replacements, “Left of the Dial”
    02. Hüsker Dü, Celebrated Summer”
    03. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Something’s Wrong”
    04. 28th Day, “25 Pills”
    05. Big Audio Dynamite, “E=MC2”
    06. The Smiths, “How Soon Is Now?”
    07. R.E.M, “Life and How To Live It”
    08. Blow Monkeys, “Forbidden Fruit”
    09. Pop Art, “The Party”
    10. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “My Little Underground”
    11. The Chant, “For You”
    12. Died Pretty, “Out of the Unknown”
    13. Hoodoo Gurus, “Bittersweet”
    14. Hüsker Dü, Keep Hanging On”

    15. U2, “The Three Sunrises”

    16. Katrina & The Waves, “Red Wine & Whisky”

    17. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, “Perfect Skin”

    18. Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry”

    19. Pale Fountains, “Jean’s Not Happening”

    20. Prince, “Raspberry Beret”

    21. R.E.M, “Driver 8”

    22. Replacements, “Here Comes a Regular”

    23. Danny & Dusty, “The King of the Losers”

    24. Lone Justice, “East of Eden”

    25. Beastie Boys, “She’s On It”

    • 28th Day — excellent! Glad someone else remembers (although my vote will be for “Pages Turn”….)

  32. Kathy Soulia

    Agree with everyone that said this was a tough year to narrow down to 25. As I look at all your lists, I’m like – whoa yes! Here’s mine.
    1. Tears for Fears, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World
    2. New Order, “Perfect Kiss”
    3. Chaka Khan, “I Feel For You”
    4. The Cure, ”Close to Me”
    5. Eurythmics, “Would I Lie to You?”
    6. Sade, “Smooth Operator”
    7. General Public, “Tenderness”
    8. Echo and the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
    9. ABC, “Be Near Me”
    10. Kate Bush, “Running Up the Hill”
    11. Book of Love, “Boy”
    12. Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy”
    13. Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls – 1985 remix”
    14. Tears for Fears, “Shout”
    15. The Cure, “In Between Days”
    16. Howard Jones, “Things Can Only Get Better”
    17. Simple Minds, “Don’t You Forget About Me”
    18. Scritti Politti, “Perfect Way”
    19. Bryan Ferry, “Don’t Stop the Dance”
    20. Phil Collins, “Sussudio”
    21. Mary Jane Girls, “In My House”
    22. Aha, “Take On Me”
    23. Talking Heads, “And She Was”
    24. Sheila E, “A Love Bizarre”
    25. Dead or Alive, “Spin me Around”

    • Neil Carver

      If you haven’t voted yet, several of yours were 84 and on that list.
      “Spin Me Around”
      “Shout”
      “Smalltown Boy”
      “Tenderness”

      So that opens up some spots in the crunch of so many good songs.

  33. 25-Flesh for Lulu, “Vaguely Human”
    24-The Replacements, “Hold My Life”
    23-Suzanne Vega, “Marlene on the Wall”
    22-Killing Joke, “Night Time”
    21-Throwing Muses, “Fish”
    20-Killing Joke, “Kings and Queens”
    19-Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
    18-Tears for Fears,”Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
    17-Dire Straits, “The Man’s Too Strong”
    16-Prince and the Revolution, “Pop Life”
    15-R.E.M., “Maps and Legends”
    14-Sting, “Fortress Around Your Heart”
    13-The Cure, “Close to Me”
    12-Dire Straits, “So Far Away”
    11-Prince and the Revolution, “Raspberry Beret”
    10-R.E.M., “Life and How to Live It”
    9-Dream Academy, “Life in a Northern Town”
    8-The Dentists,”Strawberries Are Growing in My Garden (and It’s Winterttime)”
    7-Dukes of Stratosphear, “Bike Ride to the Moon”
    6-Tears for Fears, “Head over Heels”
    5-The Smiths, “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”
    4-The Damned, “Grimly Fiendish (The Bad Trip Mix)”
    3-Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”
    2-Kate Bush, “Jig of Life”
    1-Kate Bush, “The Big Sky”

  34. Oh man, I totally nerfed on The Dukes Of Stratosphear rekkid…”My Love Explodes” should be on my list.

  35. Bedbugs & Ballyhoo original version is the 2nd b-side on the 12″ for BOTDH, 1985.

  36. 1. KATE BUSH – Hounds of Love
    2. PRINCE – Raspberry Beret
    3. R. E. M. – Life and How to Live It
    4. THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN – Just Like Honey
    5. KATE BUSH – Running Up That Hill
    6. THE CURE – Push
    7. THE POGUES – Dirty Ol’ Town
    8.TALKING HEADS – Road to Nowhere
    9. R. E. M. – Feeling Gravity’s Pull
    10. TOM PETTY – Don’t Come Around Here No More
    11. CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN – Take the Skinheads Bowlung
    12. TOM WAITS – Singapore
    13. THE SMITHS – That Joke Isn’t Funny Amymote
    14. THE REPLACEMENTS – Left of the Dial
    15. THE FALL – Cruisers Creek
    16. THE CURE – In between Days
    17. NEW ORDER – Love Vigilantes
    18. NICK CAVE & THE Bad SEEDS – Tupelo
    19. GRACE JONES – Slave to the Rythym
    20. KILLING JOKE – Eighties
    21. DEPECHE MODE – Shake This Disease
    22. TALKING HEADS – The Lady Don’t Mind
    23. EINSTRUZENDE NEUBAUTEN – Yu Gung
    24. COCTEAU TWINS – Aikea-Guinea
    25. HUSKER DU – Celebrated Summer

  37. Hot damn, 1985 was chockablock with fantastic music. So many favorites had to be relegated to “also ran”s.

    The (most likely) final list:

    a-ha, “Take on Me”
    Big Audio Dynamite, “The Bottom Line”
    Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”
    The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary”
    The Cure, “Close to Me”
    The Cure, “In Between Days”
    Echo and the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
    Killing Joke, “Love Like Blood”
    Level 42, “Something About You”
    Pet Shop Boys, “West End Girls”
    New Order, “Elegia”
    New Order, “The Perfect Kiss”
    Oingo Boingo, “Dead Man’s Party”
    Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “So in Love”
    Prince & the Revolution, “Pop Life”
    R.E.M., “Can’t Get There From Here”
    R.E.M., “Driver 8”
    The Replacements, “Bastards of Young”
    Scritti Politti, “Perfect Way”
    Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
    Simply Red, “Holding Back the Years”
    Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”
    The Sisters of Mercy, “Marian”
    Tears For Fears,”Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
    The Waterboys, “The Whole of the Moon”

    Also Ran…
    Book of Love, “I Touch Roses”
    The Cure, “Six Different Ways”
    The Dream Academy, “Life in a Northern Town”
    Howard Jones, “Life in One Day”
    New Order, “Sub-culture”
    The Pogues, “A Pair of Brown Eyes”
    Prefab Sprout, “Desire As”
    Prince & the Revolution, “Raspberry Beret”
    Scritti Politti, “Wood Beez”
    Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
    Tears For Fears, “Head Over Heels”
    Tom Waits, “Rain Dogs”

    Be so kind as to let me know if you notice a 1984 goof. TIA xoxo

  38. Perfect skin was 1984..

  39. I am dedicating most of my Top 25 picks to bands/songs that might not be getting as much love as they should.

    Happy Boy – The Bolshoi
    Dare To Be Stupid – Weird Al Yankovic
    Pleasure And Pain – Divinyls
    Praying Mantis – Don Dixon
    Fire In The Twilight – Wang Chung
    Bitchin’ Camaro – The Dead Milkmen
    Marlene On The Wall – Suzanne Vega
    Take The Skinheads Bowling – Camper Van Beethoven
    Number One – Chaz Jankel
    Lost Weekend – Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
    Eighties – Killing Joke
    Rock Me Amadeus – Falco
    When Love Breaks Down – Prefab Sprout
    Positively Lost Me – The Rave-Ups
    My Wife And My Dead Wife – Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
    King In A Catholic Style – China Crisis
    Flag Day – The Housemartins
    Nemesis – Shriekback
    Perfect Way – Scritti Politti
    The Whole Of The Moon – The Waterboys
    Alive And Kicking – Simple Minds
    Bike Ride To The Moon – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
    Johnny Come Home – Fine Young Cannibals
    Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday
    Life In A Northern Town – The Dream Academy

  40. Would Heyday count as 1985 or 1986?
    I surprisingly have the Australian cd
    from 1985.

  41. John Thomas

    abc-be near me
    AHA-Take on Me
    Depeche Mode-Fly on the windscreen
    Don Henley-Boys of Summer
    echo & the bunnymen-bring on the dancing horses
    Fishbone-Party at Ground Zero
    INXS-What you need
    Jazz Butcher-The Human Jungle
    jesus and mary chain-just like honey
    Katrina and the Waves-Walking on Sunhine
    Level 42-Something About You
    Makes no sense at all-Husker Du
    New Order-The Perfect Kiss
    OMD-So In Love
    Pet Shop Boys-West End Girls
    Prince-Raspberry Beret
    REM-Can’t get there from here
    replacements-bastards of young
    siouxsie and the banshees-cities in the dust
    tears for fears-Head over Heels
    The Cult-She Sell Sanctuary
    the cure-in between days
    the smiths-How soon is now
    thompson twins-Lay your hands on me
    U2-Bad (live)

    I know a couple of these are on albums that were released in ’84 but the singles came out in ’85 so I went with that.

  42. My Picks for Best of ’85:
    The Cure, “In Between Days”
    The Cure, “Close to Me”
    The Jesus & Mary Chain, “Just Like Honey”
    New Order, “Sub-culture”
    New Order, “Face Up”
    The Smiths, “Stretch Out and Wait”
    Siouxsie & the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”
    Love & Rockets, “Haunted When the Minutes Drag”
    Echo & the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
    A-Ha, “Take on Me”
    Kate Bush, “Running Up that Hill”
    7 Seconds, “Walk Together, Rock Together”
    Ministry, “Over the Shoulder”
    Til Tuesday, “Voices Carry”
    Thompson Twins, “Lay Your Hands on Me”
    The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary”
    Billy Bragg, “It Says Here”
    Billy Bragg, “Between the Wars”
    The Waterboys, “The Whole of the Moon”
    Simple Minds, “Don’t You Forget About Me”
    Simple Minds, “Alive and Kicking”
    Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
    Talking Heads, “And She Was”
    Camper Van Beethoven, “Take the Skinheads Bowling”
    The Dead Milkmen, “Bithchin’ Camaro”

  43. Definitely a great year in music across multiple genres which made it hard to narrow down especially with the 2 songs per artist rule. I tried to select songs that still hold up and also influenced other music. Here is my list:

    1. Prince – Raspberry Beret
    2. U2- Bad (live) from the “Wide Awake in America EP”
    3. The Cult- She Sells Sanctuary
    4. New Order – The Perfect Kiss (Extended 12″ Mix)
    5. Tears for Fears – Head Over Heals
    6. Prince – Paisley Park
    7. INXS – What You Need
    8. Duran Duran – View to A Kill
    9. Simple Minds – All the Things She Said
    10. Sheila E – A Love Bizarre
    11. Arcadia – Election Day
    12. Eurythmics – Would I lie to You?
    13. The Cure – Close to Me
    14. UTFO – Roxanne, Roxanne
    15. Til Tuesday – Voices Carry
    16. Depeche Mode – Shake the Disease
    17. Kate Bush – Running up that Hill
    18. Power Station – Some like it Hot
    19. Simple Minds – Ghost Dancing
    20. New Order – Love Vigalantes
    21. David Bowie/Pat Methany – This is Not America
    22. INXS – This Time
    23. Howard Jones – Things Can Only Get Better
    24. The Family – Nothing Compares 2 U
    25. The Jesus & Mary Chain – Just Like Honey

    Just Missed:
    Prince – America & Pop Life
    Talking Heads – And She Was
    ABC – Be Near Me
    Simple Minds – Alive & Kicking
    New Order – Sunrise
    Love & Rockets – Ball of Confusion
    Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities (single version)
    Fishbone – Modern Industry
    OMD – So in Love

  44. My Top 25 list in alphabetical by artist”

    Clan of Xymox, “Muscoviet Mosquito”
    Dead Can Dance, “The Cardinal Sin”
    Depeche Mode, “Master and Servant”
    Echo and the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
    Eurythmics, “Would I Lie to You?”
    Faith No More, “We Care a Lot”
    Husker Du, “Makes No Sense At All”
    Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill”
    Killing Joke, “Love Like Blood”
    Killing Joke, “Eighties”
    New Order, “The Perfect Kiss”
    Oingo Boingo, “Dead Man’s Party”
    Simple Minds, “Don’t You Forget About Me”
    R.E.M., “Driver 8”
    Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”
    Tears For Fears, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
    The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary”
    The Cure, “In Between Days”
    The Cure, “Push”
    The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Just Like Honey”
    Sonic Youth, “I’m Insane”
    The Replacements, “Left of the Dial”
    The Sisters of Mercy, “Marian”
    The Smiths, “Barbarism Begins At Home”
    The Smiths, “How Soon Is Now?”

    Darn, I feel bad I missed putting Cocteau Twins in there…

    • As has been noted previously…

      “How Soon is Now?”
      “Eighties”
      “Master and Servant”

      … all ’84 songs… so that should free up space for Cocteau Twins.

  45. Charles Conner

    ACK! HOW could I forget the Chris Isaak debut album and it’s stellar single “Dancin'”

    • Charles Conner

      and DON FREAKIN’ DIXON! Most of the girls like to dance but only some of the boys do! “Praying Mantis”…what a song! Damn, 1985 was an awesome year!

  46. Would Castles In Spain count as 1984 or 1985?

    From Wikipedia:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Armoury_Show

    Their debut single, “Castles in Spain”, was released in 1984, followed later that year by “We Can Be Brave Again”. Given the green light to record an album, the band spent four weeks at Manor Studios in rural Oxfordshire, with producer Nick Launay at the controls. The resultant album, Waiting for the Floods, and accompanying singles “The Glory of Love” and a re-release of “Castles in Spain” came out in 1985.

  47. Bill Grogan

    Fishbone “Party at Ground Zero”
    Dramarama “Anything, Anything”
    New Order “The Perfect Kiss”

    Forgot about those 3.

  48. So, I came here to lobby for Nemesis, thinking no one would remember. And it’s in the first comment. And several others. I can see 1985 is in good hands. Carry on…..

  49. We are no monsters
    We’re moral people
    And yet we have the strength to do this

    Culling this ’85 list takes a LOT of strength. heh.

  50. I submitted this before realizing I completely whiffed on The Head On Door entirely. It’s unlikely that I listened to anything more than that record between ‘85 and ‘86 (maybe Songs From The Big Chair – maybe).

    I’m sure everyone else will cover my flagrant omission, right?

    Meat Puppet – Up On The Sun
    Husker Du – The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
    Prince – Pop Life
    R.E.M. – Life And How To Live It
    Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
    Depeche Mode – Shake The Disease
    Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians – My Wife and My Dead Wife
    The Church – Already Yesterday
    Camper Van Beethoven – Take The Skinheads Bowling
    The Chameleons – In Shreds
    The Smiths – How Soon Is It Now
    The Power Station – Some Like It Hot
    New Order – Love Vigilantes
    The Dream Academy – Life in a Northern Town
    Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)
    Game Theory – 24
    Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels
    Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Don’t Come Around Here No More
    Grandmaster Flash – Sign of the Times
    Scritti Politti – Hypnotize
    Talking Heads – Road to Nowhere
    Translator – Come With Me
    Modern Industry – Fishbone
    Prefab Sprout – When Love Breaks Down
    Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)

  51. BillyMac

    Big Audion Dynamite-E=MC2
    Dramarama – Anything, Anything (I’ll Give You)
    The Cult -Rain
    The Cult- She Sells Sanctuary
    The Smiths- That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
    Echo &the Bunnymen- Bring on the Dancing Horses
    Dream Academy – Life in a Northern Town
    Siouxsie & the Banshees – Cities in Dusta
    The Cure- A Night Like This
    The Cure – In Between Days
    Propaganda- P-Machinery
    Killing Joke – Love Like Blood
    UB40 With Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe
    U2 – Love Comes Tumbling
    Chameleons – In Shreds
    Sisters of Mercy- Marian
    Sisters of Mercy – First and Last and Always
    Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking
    Simple Minds – Don’t You “Forget About Me”
    Bryan Ferry – Slave to Love
    Talking Heads – The Lady Don’t Mind
    Talk Talk – Living in Another World
    Tears For Fears – Shout
    Bryan Ferry – Don’t Stop the Dance
    The Replacements – Bastards of Young

  52. in alphabetical order by band name

    1. Abecedarians – Smiling Monarchs
    2. Armory Show – Castles In Spain
    3. Big Audio Dynamite – The Bottom Line
    4. Chameleons – Home Is Where the Heart Is
    5. Chameleons – P.S. Goodbye
    6. China Crisis – King In A Catholic Style
    7. Dramarama – Anything, Anything
    8. Felt – Primitive Painters
    9. Hoodoo Gurus – Bittersweet
    10. Hoodoo Gurus – Like Wow, Wipeout
    11. Hüsker Dü – Divide and Conquer
    12. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Brand New Friend
    13. Long Ryders – Looking For Lewis & Clark
    14. Love & Rockets – Haunted When the Minutes Drag
    15. Ministry – Over the Shoulder
    16. New Order – Face Up
    17. O.M.D. – 88 seconds in Greensboro
    18. Prefab Sprout – Appetite
    19. Propaganda – Duel
    20. Propaganda – P-Machinery
    21. R.E.M. – Driver 8
    22. The Connells – Hats Off
    23. The Rave-Ups – Positively Lost Me
    24. The Replacements – Hold My Life
    25. The Smiths – Headmaster Ritual

  53. Carrie Dobmeier

    Egads this was difficult. I needed like 100.

    1. Tears For Fears, “Everybody wants to Rule The World”
    2. Eurythmics, “Sisters are Doin’ It For Themselves”
    3. Eurythmics, “Would I Lie to You”
    4. Tears For Fears, “Head Over Heels”
    5. Howard Jones, “Things Can Only Get Better”
    6. Big Audio Dynamite, “E=MC2”
    7. Big Audio Dynamite, “The Bottom Line”
    8. OMD, “So In Love”
    9. Howard Jones, “No One Is To Blame”
    10. A-ha, “Take On Me”
    11. Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
    12. Sting, “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”
    13. Dead or Alive, “You Spin Me Round”
    14. Prince, “Raspberry Beret”
    15. Wham! “Careless Whisper”
    16. New Order, “The Perfect Kiss”
    17. Oingo Boingo, “Just Another Day”
    18. Bruce Springsteen, “I’m On Fire”
    19. Simple Minds, “Alive and Kicking”
    20. Echo and the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
    21. Dream Academy, “Life in a Northern Town”
    22. A-ha, “The Sun Always Shines on TV”
    23. Murray Head, “One Night in Bangkok”
    24. Animotion, “Obsession”
    25. Baltimora, “Tarzan Boy”

  54. Jim Turoczy

    25 songs the hard way. No room or reason for honorable mentions, but it was difficult to pull only 25 songs from about 45. I expect 1986 will be even harder.

    ABC, “How to be a Millionaire”
    A-Ha, “The Sun Always Shines On TV”
    Blancmange “Lose Your Love”
    Communards, “Never Can Say Goodbye”
    Depeche Mode, “It’s Called a Heart”
    Depeche Mode, “Shake The Disease”
    Falco, “Vienna Calling”
    Fishbone, “Party At Ground Zero”
    Grace Jones, “Slave To The Rythym”
    Kate Bush, “Cloudbusting”
    Kid Creole and the Coconuts, “Endicott
    New Order “The Perfect Kiss”
    Oingo Boingo, “Stay”
    Propaganda, “Duel”
    R.E.M., “Driver 8”
    Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians, “Brenda’s Iron Sledge”
    Shriekback, “Everything That Rises Must Converge”
    Shriekback, “Nemesis
    Talking Heads, “Road To Nowhere”
    The Cure, “In Between Days”
    The Housemartins, “Flag Day
    The Smiths, “Headmaster Ritual”
    The The, “Flesh And Bones”
    The Waterboys, “The Whole Of The Moon”
    Yello, “Vicious Games”

  55. INXS What You Need
    The Jesus And Mary Chain Just Like Honey
    Kate Bush Running Up That Hill
    Dream Academy The Edge Of Forever
    Rave-ups Positively lost me
    The Smiths Barbarism Begins at Home
    The Smiths The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
    Pet Shop Boys West End Girls
    Hoodoo Gurus Bittersweet
    Pet Shop Boys Love Comes Quickly
    Level 42 Something About You
    The Cult She Sells Sanctuary
    Killing Joke Love Like Blood
    INXS Shine Like It Does
    Dramarama Anything, Anything
    U2 Bad (live version from their 1985 EP )
    Love and Rockets If There’s A Heaven Above
    Love and Rockets Haunted When The Minutes Drag
    The Hooters Where Do The Children Go
    New Order Subculture
    Oingo Boingo Just Another Day
    The Power Station Bang A Gong
    The Hooters Day by Day
    Camper Van Beethoven Take The Skinheads Bowling
    Simply Red Money’s Too Tight (to mention)

  56. Wow, this was rough. Not going to even try to explain the algorithm that helped me calculate the order. Admittedly I left off a few that are already well covered. As well as a few that I probably should have added (“Praying Mantis”!)
    1986 will be a lot easier… 1987s going to be the killer.

    1. Shake the Disease—Depeche Mode
    2. Close to Me—The Cure
    3. Be Near Me – ABC
    4. What You Need—INXS
    5. Secret—OMD
    6. A Night Like This—The Cure
    7. A View to a Kill—Duran Duran
    8. Some Like It Hot—The Power Station
    9. Stay—Oingo Boingo
    10. It’s Called a Heart—Depeche Mode
    11. Just Another Day—Oingo Boingo
    12. Slave to Love—Bryan Ferry
    13. The Whole of the Moon—Waterboys
    14. Perfect Way—Scritti Politti
    15. Easy Lover—Phil Collins and Philip Bailey
    16. Just Like Honey—Jesus and Mary Chain
    17. Stay Up Late—Talking Heads
    18. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free—Sting
    19. The Wild Boys—Duran Duran
    20. Don’t You (Forget About Me)—Simple Minds
    21. And She Was—Talking Heads
    22. Endicott—Kid Creole and the Coconuts
    23. Things Can Only Get Better—Howard Jones
    24. Election Day—Arcadia
    25. The Perfect Kiss—New Order

  57. 1 The Cult She Sells Sanctuary
    2 Echo and the Bunnymen Bring On the Dancing Horses
    3 The Cure A Few Hours After This…
    4 The Smiths The Boy with a Thorn in His Side
    5 The Jesus and Mary Chain Just Like Honey
    6 The Cult Rain
    7 The Chameleons Looking Inwardly
    8 The Replacements Bastards of Young
    9 The Smiths That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
    10 INXS This Time
    11 Adam Ant Apollo 9
    12 Rave-Ups Positively Lost Me
    13 REM Life and How to Live It
    14 The Replacements Hold My Life
    15 The Church Already Yesterdy
    16 The Cult Brother Wolf and Sister Moon
    17 The Cure In Between Days
    18 Simple Minds Don’t You Forget About Me
    19 The Clash This is England
    20 The Jesus and Mary Chain Never Understand
    21 The Chameleons P.S. Goodbye
    22 Husker Du I Apologize

  58. Billy Casper

    25. The Cult – Rain
    24. The Housemartins – Flag Day
    23. Talking Heads – Road to Nowhere
    22. The Pogues – A Pair of Brown Eyes
    21. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Tupelo
    20. Echo and the Bunnymen – Bring on the Dancing Horses
    19. Killing Joke – Love Like Blood
    18. New Order – The Perfect Kiss
    17. Talk Talk – Life’s What You Make It
    16. The Cure – Close to Me
    15. Tom Waits – Clap Hands
    14. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Cities in Dust
    13. The Fall – My New House
    12. Tom Waits – Jockey Full of Bourbon
    11. Kate Bush – Cloudbusting
    10. R.E.M. – Driver 8
    9. Tears For Fears – Head Over Heels
    8. The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
    7. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
    6. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Never Understand
    5. The Cure – In Between Days
    4. The Fall – Paint Work
    3. The Smiths – The Boy With the Thorn in His Side
    2. The Smiths – Well I Wonder
    1. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey

  59. When will the results be posted?

  60. Michael Kendall

    Great Stuff! When’s the results going up?
    Thank you. Hope all is well.

  61. Addictedtonoise

    Any update about when the results might get posted???

  62. All I want for Christmas is…

    … the results of the Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux: 1985!

    PLEEEEAAASEEE!

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