We’ve now crossed the halfway mark of our Best of the ’80s Redux series of year-by-year song polls as we move on to the year 1986, 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 in 2018 we kickstarted the series, and relaunched it with polls over the last two years that ranked the best songs of 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
VOTING: For the album polls (and our subsequent 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 1986. That means, for example, that a song that’s released as a single in 1987 will be eligible for the 1986 poll if it first appeared on an album released in 1986. 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” and Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls,” which made the 1984 and 1985 lists. That, however, does not mean The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry” will be eligible in this poll. Why not? The single re-release in 1986 wasn’t a new recording, simply a remixed version of the original with new vocals.
- 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 Black Celebration, 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, Jan. 17, and results will be posted at some point thereafter — after which we’ll launch the 1987 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 1986 poll results, or check out these other resources:
- Wikipedia: 1986 singles
- Songfacts: Songs released in 1986
- Billboard’s Top 100 songs of 1986
- NME’s albums and tracks of the year: 1986
- WLIR & WDRE 92.7 FM Screamer & Shrieks of the Week
- KROQ’s Top 106.7 songs of 1986
- 91X’s Top 91 of 1986
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Top 100 Songs of 1985: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 6
- Top 100 Songs of 1984: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 5
- Top 100 Songs of 1983: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 4
- Top 100 Songs of 1982: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 3
- Top 100 Songs of 1981: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 2
- Top 100 Songs of 1980: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 1
- Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the 1980s: The Top 100 albums from 1980-1989
1. XTC, “Dear God”
2. Elvis Costello, “Suit of Lights”
3. Throwing Muses, “Rabbit’s Dying”
4. R.E.M., “Hyaena”
5. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Candy Man”
6. The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
7. XTC,”The Meeting Place”
8. The Pastels, “Truck Train Tractor”
9. The Smiths, “The Queen Is Dead”
10. R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
11. Throwing Muses, “Vicky’s Box”
12. Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
13. United States of Existence, “Scandal in Bohemia”
14. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
15. Suzanne Vega, “Left of Centre”
16. Julee Cruise, “Mysteries of Love”
17. Guided by Voices,”The Other Place”
18. Concrete Blonde, “Still in Hollywood”
19. The Flatmates “I Could Be in Heaven”
20. Love & Rockets,”Kundalini Express”
21. Screaming Trees, “The Turning”
22. Prince and the Revolution,”Mountains”
23. Talking Heads, “Wild Wild Life”
24. OMD, “If You Leave”
25. The Damned, “Gigolo”
Love the call out to Julee Cruise.
Also, the Pretty in Pink soundtrack had so many original singles… not to mention re-recorded versions. Can we vote for the soundtrack version of the Psych Furs’ “Pretty In Pink” as it is a significantly different version than the original?
This question will come up in ’87 with the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack, which seems to have re-recorded versions of songs as well as some songs that don’t appear to have separate releases.
1986 is not quite as hard to narrow down as 1985 (1987 will be insane).
My first pass, self-limited one song per artist. Vetted all songs to the release date on Wikipedia (either as single or on album, whichever was first).
25. Sigue Sigue Sputnik, “Love Missile F1-11″
24. The Chameleons, “Swamp Thing”
23. The Call, “I Still Believe”
22. Shriekback, “Running on the Rocks”
21. Husker Du, “Don’t Want to Know If You are Lonely”
20. New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
19. Big Audio Dynamite, “C’mon Every Beatbox”
18. Crowded House, “World Where You Live”
17. XTC, “Dear God”
16. Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”
15. Love and Rockets, “Kundalini Express”
14. Beastie Boys, “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn”
13. UB40, “Rat in Mi Kitchen”
12. They Might Be Giants, “Don’t Let’s Start”
11. The Housemartins, “Happy Hour”
10. Mighty Lemon Drops, “Happy Head”
9. David & David, “Heroes”
8. Hipsway, “The Honeythief”
7. World Party, “Ship of Fools”
6. Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
5. Elvis Costello, “Tokyo Storm Warning”
4. R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
3. The The, “Slow Train to Dawn”
2. Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”
1. Furniture, “Brilliant Mind”
Here are the “Just Missed”
Wang Chung, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”
The Feelies, “The Last Roundup”
Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms”
The Bible, “Graceland”
Timbuk3, “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”
Human League, “Human”
The Servants, “Transparent”
Joan Armatrading, “Kind Words (And a Real Good Heart)”
Cindy Lauper, “True Colors”
Billy Bragg, “There is Power in a Union”
The Pretenders, “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
The Smiths, “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”
Chris Isaak, “Heart Full of Soul”
Kraftwerk, “Technopop”
China Crisis, “Hampton Beach”
Guadalcanal Diary, “Cattle Prod”
Eurythmics, “Missionary Man”
Erasure, “Oh L’Amour”
Steve Winwood, “Back in the High Life”
Martini Ranch, “How Can the Labouring Man Find Time for Self-Culture?”
Pet Shop Boys, “Love Comes Quickly”
Primal Scream, “Velocity Girl”
Chalk Circle, “April Fool”
Depeche Mode, “Question of Lust”
Pete Townshend, “After the Fire (Live at Deep End)”
Genesis, “Land of Confusion”
The Mission, “Wasteland”
Kate Bush, “Wuthering Heights” (New vocal)
Public Image Ltd., “Rise”
That Petrol Emotion, “Mouth Crazy”
Hunters & Collectors, “Throw Your Arms Around Me” (‘86 version, the actual popular version)
Talking Heads, “Dream Operator”
Dead or Alive, “Brand New Lover”
Gene Loves Jezebel, “Heartache”
‘Til Tuesday, “Coming Up Close”
And songs that were cut because I already had one from that artist:
Husker Du, “Sorry Somehow”
Love and Rockets, “Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)”
They Might Be Giants, “Youth Culture Killed My Dog”
New Order, “Shell-Shock (Pretty In Pink Soundtrack)”
Just noticed that World Party, “Ship of Fools” is actually ’87… so I’ll probably replace that with Suzanne Vega, “Left of Center” which was a big miss on my part.
Always wait for other’s lists before I submit mine.
Discogs shows several U.S. pressings of “Ship of Fools” in 86, so we’ll count it as an 86 release
Sweet!
Thanks!
25. Elvis Costello and the Attractions “I Want You”
24. The Housemartins “Caravan Of Love”
23. Public Image Ltd. “Rise”
22. The Human League “Human”
21. Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
20. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “If You Leave”
19. Madonna “Live To Tell”
18. Peter Gabriel w/ Kate Bush “Don’t Give Up”
17. Depeche Mode “But Not Tonight”
16. Level 42 “Lessons In Love”
15. The Pursuit of Happiness “I’m An Adult Now”
14. R.E.M. “Begin The Begin”
13. The Jesus and Mary Chain “Some Candy Talking”
12. Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes”
11. The Smiths “Panic”
10. Janet Jackson “What Have You Done For Me Lately?”
09. The The “Infected”
08. Talk Talk “Life’s What You Make It”
07. Prince and the Revolution “Kiss”
06. The Smiths “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”
05. R.E.M. “Cuyahoga”
04. New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle”
03. David Bowie “Absolute Beginners”
02. Depeche Mode “Stripped”
01. XTC “Dear God”
Just FYI, “Life’s What You Make It” was actually released in ’85. It is #70 on the ’85 list. (I had it as my #1 for ’86 until it was pointed out that The Colour of Spring was actually released in ’85 in Australia and Germany and such. Otherwise, I had it as ’86 myself.
Or I should say that “Life’s What You Make It” was released as a single in ’85.
Damn, I’m normally careful to double-check these things too. Looking at UK statistics, it appears it didn’t enter the charts there until early January ’86, so I wonder if this is one of those instances where some copies of the artwork/liner notes were simply printed/dated in late ’85 (possibly the single release was even pushed back a couple weeks, as happens on occasion), or if the single really did get released/chart in mainland Europe a few months earlier? Regardless, thanks for the info. For whatever it’s worth (which is pretty much nil), #26 on my list was Eurythmics’ Thorn In My Side.
another tough selection!!! I felt the need to keep it to one song per artist, or else this would be 5 artists.
My list (in no particular order):
THE SMITHS “BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN”
BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE “C’MON EVERY BEATBOX”
CROWDED HOUSE “DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER”
ELVIS COSTELLO “KING OF AMERICA”
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS “DON’T LET’S START”
R.E.M. “FALL ON ME”
THE CALL “I STILL BELIEVE”
THE BANGLES “MANIC MONDAY”
EURYTHMICS “MISSIONARY MAN”
DURAN DURAN “NOTORIOUS”
DEPECHE MODE “BLACK CELEBRATION”
E-I-E-I-O “THIS TIME”
PETER GABRIEL “SLEDGEHAMMER”
THE SMITHEREENS “BLOOD AND ROSES”
JOE JACKSON “HOMETOWN”
DAVID + DAVID “WELCOME TO THE BOOMTOWN”
JOAN ARMATRADING “KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART)”
‘TIL TUESDAY “COMING UP CLOSE”
WALK THE WEST “TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING”
ART OF NOISE “PARANOIMIA”
THE PRETENDERS “DON’T GET ME WRONG”
JULIAN COPE “WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH”
PRINCE “KISS”
THE BLOW MONKEYS “DIGGING YOUR SCENE”
Nice to see more David + David votes. “Boomtown” is one of my favorite albums of all time.
ELVIS COSTELLO “KING OF AMERICA”, Is an album, not a song.
sorry…I meant “Brilliant Mistake”
The 25:
The Chills: I Love My Leather Jacket
Love and Rockets: Kundalini Express
The Jazz Butcher: Hungarian Love Song
Stan Ridgway: Drive She Said
Jason and the Scorchers: Golden Ball and Chain
Big Audio Dynamite: Hollywood Boulevard
Julian Cope: World Shit Your Mouth
Motorhead: Orgasmatron
The Nails: Darkness Grows Uncivilized
The Call: I Still Believe
Midnight Oil: The Dead Heart
The Three Johns: King Car
Camper Van Beethoven: The History Of Utah
They Might Be Giants: Don’t Let’s Start
Mojo Nixon: Burn Down The Malls
Public Image Ltd: Rise
Georgia Satellites: Battleship Chains
The New Christs: No Next Time
Iggy Pop: Winners and Losers
Peter Murphy: Canvas Beauty
The Cleaners From Venus: Living With Victoria Grey
Chameleons UK: Tears
New Model Army: 51st State
The Godfathers: I Want Everything
Robyn Hitchcock: Never Stop Bleeding
That particular version of Julian Cope’s single always left a bad taste in my mouth.
:) :) :)
1. The Smiths “The Queen is Dead”
2. REM- “Fall on Me”
3. Suzanne Vega “Left of Center”
4. The Smiths- Big Mouth Strikes Again”
5. Concrete Blonde- “Still in Hollywood”
6. The Smiths- “ There is light that Never Goes out”
7. Siouxsie and the Banshees “ Candy Man”
8. The Chameleons- “ Swamp Thing”
9. The Housemartins- “Happy Hour”
10. The Mission- “Wasteland “
11. Genesis- “ Land of Confusion “
12. New Order- “Blue Monday “
13. Erasure- “ Who needs love” (like that)
14. Oingo Boingo – “Dead mans Party “
15. Talking Heads – “ Love for sale”
16. Siouxsie & The Banshees “ Cities In Dust”
17. Sting- “ Russians”
18. stranglers – “ Allways The Sun”
19. The Damned- “ Alone Again or”
20. Talk Talk- “Life is what you make it”
21. The Alarm- “Strength “
22. Pet Shop Boys- “ West End Girls”
23. The Smiths- “ I know it’s over”
24. New Order- “True Faith”
25. B52s – “Wig”
Just fyi… if you haven’t voted yet…
“Cities in Dust”
“Life’s What You Make It”
“West End Girls”
All from earlier years. (Already on the lists for 84 and 85.) You can replace those with other votes if you want.
“17. Sting- “ Russians”
That is from 1985. It was on “The Dream of the Blue Turtles” album.
“Strength” was ’85, but I’ve voted for The Alarm every year since ’81 and haven’t seen them in one of these polls yet. Here’s hoping for ’87.
“Rain in the Summertime” is in my top 25 for ’87… ready to go.
Deadman’s Party was released in ’85 too.
I’m lobbying for The Cure “Boys Don’t Cry (New Voice Club Mix)” eligibility because it essentially is a new recording.
You mean the one they called iut specifically as not qualifying?
haha – exactly that one.
There is a Boys Don’t Cry that will be eligible.
But it’s a band.
Yes, “I Wanna Be a Cowboy” is going to be on my list.
Top 25 Songs of 1986
1. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
2. Madonna – Open Your Heart
3. Siouxsie + the Banshees – The Sweetest Chill
4. Kraftwerk – Musique Non-Stop
5. The Call – I Still Believe
6. Judas Priest – Turbo Lover
7. Chameleons – Swamp Thing
8. AC/DC – Who Made Who
9. Depeche Mode – A Question of Time
10. Public Image Ltd. – Home
11. Poison – I Want Action
12. Debbie Harry – French Kissin’ In the U.S.A.
13. Prince – Kiss
14. Erasure – Sometimes
15. Cinderella – Nobody’s Fool
16. The Bangles – Manic Monday
17. Ozzy Osbourne – The Ultimate Sin
18. Anita Baker – Caught Up In the Rapture
19. Belinda Carlisle – Mad About You
20. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over
21. Mötörhead – Orgasmatron
22. Berlin – Like Flames
23. Peter Gabriel – Red Rain
24. Ric Ocasek – Emotion In Emotion
25. Cocteau Twins – Throughout the Dark Months of April and May
Bonus 10
1. Throwing Muses – America (She Can’t Say No)
2. The Stranglers – Always the Sun
3. Benjamin Orr – Stay the Night
4. XTC – Dear God
5. David Lee Roth – Going Crazy
6. Clan of Xymox – Medusa
7. Killing Joke – Adorations
8. Modern English – Ink On Paper
9. Eric Clapton – It’s In the Way That You Use It
10. The B-52’s – She Breaks For Rainbows
Your votes for everything from straight pop to hard rock/hair bands is a breath of fresh air in these lists. Good stuff!
Here’s my 25 for 1986
The Smiths, “There is a light that Never Goes Out”
The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
Paul Simon, “Graceland”
PIL, “Rise”
Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush, “Don’t Give Up”
David Bowie, “Absolute Beginners”
Black, “Wonderful Life”
The The, “Heartland”
The Housemartins, “Happy Hour”
Furniture, “Brilliant Mind”
The Blow Monkeys, “Diggin’ Your Scene”
The The, “Sweet Bird of Truth”
Talk Talk, “Living in Another World”
World Party, “Ship of Fools”
Talk Talk, “Give it Up”
R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
Prince, “Kiss”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
Billy Bragg, “Levi Stubbs Tears”
The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Some Candy Talking”
Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
Depeche Mode, “Stripped”
Paul Simon, “The Boy in the Bubble”
Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
Bon Jovi, “Wanted Dead or Alive”
I’d just like to point out for your voting consideration that 1986 was a great year for Cocteau Twins, yielding Victorialand, Love’s Easy Tears, and Moon and the Melodies…an embarrassment of riches! :)
It was indeed an amazing year for the Cocteaus!
Exactly! I could fill my 25 with Cocteau songs from 1986.
1 XTC – Dear God
2 XTC – The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul
3 The Jazz Butcher – Still in the Kitchen
4 The Jazz Butcher – Who Loves You Now?
5 Robyn Hitchcock – Ted, Woody And Junior
6 Elvis Costello – Brilliant Mistake
7 Elvis Costello – Battered Old Bird
8 That Petrol Emotion – Lifeblood
9 The Woodentops – Love Train
10 The Stranglers – Always the Sun
11 Julian Cope – World Shut Your Mouth
12 Talking Heads – Wild Wild Life
13 PRINCE – KISS
14 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS -(She Was A) Hotel Detective
15 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS – Youth Culture Killed My Dog
16 Camper Van Beethoven – The History Of Utah
17 The Chills – I Love My Leather Jacket
18 The Housemartins – Happy Hour
19 The Cleaners From Venus – Living With Victoria Grey
20 The Cleaners From Venus – Mercury Girl
21 The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
22 The Smiths – There is a Light That Never Goes Out
23 The Bangles – Manic Monday
24 Cocteau Twins – Throughout the Dark Months of April and May
25 Sonic Youth – Shadow of a Doubt
Mercury Girl
1 XTC – Dear God
2 XTC – The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul
3 The Jazz Butcher – Still in the Kitchen
4 The Jazz Butcher – Who Loves You Now?
5 Robyn Hitchcock – Ted, Woody And Junior
6 Elvis Costello – Brilliant Mistake
7 Elvis Costello – Battered Old Bird
8 That Petrol Emotion – Lifeblood
9 The Woodentops – Love Train
10 The Stranglers – Always the Sun
11 Julian Cope – World Shut Your Mouth
12 Talking Heads – Wild Wild Life
13 PRINCE – KISS
14 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS -(She Was A) Hotel Detective
15 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS – Youth Culture Killed My Dog
16 Camper Van Beethoven – The History Of Utah
17 The Chills – I Love My Leather Jacket
18 The Housemartins – Happy Hour
19 The Cleaners From Venus – Living With Victoria Grey
20 The Cleaners From Venus – Mercury Girl
21 The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
22 The Smiths – There is a Light That Never Goes Out
23 The Bangles – Manic Monday
24 Cocteau Twins – Throughout the Dark Months of April and May
25 Sonic Youth – Shadow of a Doubt
Dangit, missed the Woodentops. Great catch.
Top songs of 1986 (No special order)
1. Billy idol “Soul standing by”
2. Rose Of Avalanche “Always there (the mainline mix)”
3. Icehouse “Cross the border”
4. The Lucy Show “Shame”
5. Blue In Heaven “Just another day”
6. Cactus World News “Years later”
7. Cocteau Twins “Love´s easy tears”
8. Fricción “A veces llamo”
9. Hurrah! “Around and around”
10. Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians “Never stop bleeding”
11. Killing Joke “Goodbye to the village”
12. The Jack Rubies “Book of love”
13. Boom Crash Opera “Caught between two towns”
14. A Certain Ratio “Naked & White”
15. After This “Fields”
16. And Also The Trees “Gone… like the swallows”
17. Furniture “Brilliant mind”
18. C.S.Angels “Under the influence”
19. The Bible “Mahalia”
20. The Stranglers “Nice in Nice”
21. The Three Johns “Death of the europeans”
22. X-Mal Deutschland “Sickle moon”
23. (Clan Of) Xymox “After the call”
24. The Fixx “Read between the lines”
25. Easterhouse “To live like this”
Daniel from Llao Llao, Argentina!
1. The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
2. New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
3. The Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”
4. General Public, “Come Again!”
5. Madonna, “Papa Don’t Preach”
6. Billy Bragg, “Greetings to the New Brunette”
7. Slayer, “Piece by Piece”
8. XTC, “Earn Enough for Us”
9. The Smiths, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
10. Timex Social Club, “Rumors”
11. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities In Dust”
12. XTC, “Dear God”
13. Iron Maiden, “Wasted Years”
14. Modern English, “Ink & Paper”
15. Bob Dylan, “Got My Mind Made Up”
16. Run-D.M.C., “It’s Tricky”
17. Slayer, “Raining Blood”
18. Prince, “Kiss”
19. Husker Dü, “Sorry Somehow”
20. Sonic Youth, “Green Light”
21. Love and Rockets, “All In My Mind”
22. Husker Dü, “Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely”
23. Beastie Boys, “No Sleep till Brooklyn”
24. Jackson Browne, “Lawless Avenues”
25. Metallica, “Master of Puppets”
1. Depeche Mode, “Black Celebration”
2. Public Image Ltd, “Rise”
3. Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”
4. The Smiths, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”
5. Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
6. Cyndi Lauper, “True Colors”
7. The Damned, “Alone Again Or”
8. Killing Joke, “Twilight of the Mortal”
9. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “If You Leave”
10. Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms”
11. Prince, “Kiss”
12. R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
13. The Mission, “Wasteland”
14. David Sylvian, “Before the Bullfight”
15. Clan of Xymox, “Masquerade”
16. David Bowie, “As the World Falls Down”
17. Talk Talk, “Living in Another World”
18. Erasure, “Who Needs Love Like That”
19. Genesis, “Land of Confusion”
20. The Stranglers, “Always the Sun”
21. New Model Army, “51st State”
22. Cocteau Twins, “Love’s Easy Tears”
23. The Chameleons, “Swamp Thing”
24. Furniture, “Brilliant Mind”
25. New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
Great year for music, ’87 will be even better!
Huxton Creepers “I Will Persuade You”
Eleven Pond “Watching Trees”
Comsat Angels “The Cutting Edge”
The Chameleons “Soul in Isolation”
New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle”
The Smiths “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
P.I.L. “Rise”
B.A.D. “Limbo the Law”
Peter Gabriel “Red Rain”
Dramarama “Anything, Anything”
Gene Loves Jezebel “Desire (Come And Get It)”
Siouxsie & the Banshees “Cities in Dust”
Aha “I’ve Been Losing You”
Cactus World News “The Bridge”
Depeche Mode “Stripped”
R.E.M. “Fall on Me”
Depeche Mode ” A Question of Time”
The Bolshoi “Away”
Husker Du “I Don’t Want to Know if You Are Lonely”
Chalk Circle “April Fool”
Sad Lovers & Giants “Things We Never Did”
The Ramones “My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)”
Icehouse “No Promises”
The Smiths “There is a Light that Never Goes Out”
B. A. D. “C’mon Every Beatbox”
Dramarma “Anything Anything” is #55 on the ’85 list.
Yes, thanks and so was “Cities in Dust”
I think we might need a ruling on The Ramones “My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)”
Technically it was released in UK in 1985 as Bonzo Goes To Bitburg, then renamed to My Brain is Hanging Upside Down and released in the U.S. in 1986.
I’m thinking that makes it a 1985 song, but not sure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonzo_Goes_to_Bitburg
Hello. This is my list, not in a preferential order:
1 – The Beloved – A Hundred Words
2 – Depeche Mode – Stripped
3 – Depeche Mode – Black Celebration
4 – Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia
5 – PIL – Rise
6 – Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11
7 – The Smiths – There is a Light That Never Goes Out
8 – New Order – All Day Long
9 – Peter Gabriel – Don’t Give Up
10 – The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
11 – Laurie Anderson – Smoke Rings
12 – Run DMC – Walk This Way
13 – Sapndau Ballet – Through the Barricades
14 – UB40 – Sing Our Own Song
15 – The B-52’s – Detour Thru Your Mind
16 – OMD – The Pacific Age
17 – A-ha – Scoundrel Days
18 – Housemartins – Happy Hour
19 – Duran Duran – American Science
20 – Kraftwerk – Musique Non-Stop
21 – B.A.D – C’mon Every Beatbox
22 – The Bolshoi – Sunday Morning
23 – Big Country – The Seer
24 – The Mission – Wasteland
25 – Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire
Miss the list:
The Mission – Let Sleeping Dogs Die
The Bolshoi – Away / Books on the Bonfire
OMD – If You Leave
Talking Heads – Wild Wild Life
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Eurythmics – When Tomorrow Comes
Laurie Anderson – Language is a Virus
Peter Gabriel – Mercy Street
The Smiths – I Know It’s Over
PIL – Ease
Pet Shop Boys – Tonight Is Forever
The Bangles – Walk Like An Egyptian
Respect for The Bolshoi. Criminally under appreciated.
In no particular order, I submit.
Desire -GLJ
Dear God – XTC
Man inside my mouth – The Cure
Light that never goes out – The Smiths
Hardly Getting Over It – Husker Du
Swamp Thing – The Cameleons
Wasteland – The Mission
Stripped – Depeche Mode
Driving away from home – Its Immaterial
51st state – New Model Army
Wonderful Life – Black
Greetings to the new brunette – Billy Bragg
Some Candy Talking – Jesis and Marchain
Kiss – Prince
Paul Revere- Beastie Boys
Over the Shoulder – Ministry
I know its over – The Smiths
Mercy Street – Peter Gabriel
Cities in Dust – Siouxsie and the Banshees
Ying and Yang – Live and Rockets
V. Thirteen – Big Audio Dynamite
Levi Stubb Tears- Billy Bragg
Ship of Fools – World Party
I want you – Elvis Costello
Black Celebration – Depeche Mode
21. The Three Johns “Death of the europeans”
Great tune, but released as a single in ‘85. Jon Langford still does this one live if you ever see him or him with the Waco’s.
Nineteen Eighty-Six okay, all across the U.S.A. Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper “Stuffin’ Martha’s Muffin”
Damn, forgot Leaving Trains, “She’s Looking At You”
Here is my tentative list, countdown style.
If anybody can alert me to songs that might not be eligible because they are not from 1986, please let me know before I formally submit the list for tally.
Thanks!
25. Battered Old Bird – Elvis Costello
24. Ship of Fools – World Party
23. Brilliant Mistake – Elvis Costello
22. Black Light Trap – Shriekback
21. World Party – World Party
20. Bigmouth Strikes Again – The Smiths
19. Graceland – Paul Simon
18. Left of Center – Suzanne Vega
17. Cuyahoga – R.E.M.
16. World Where You Live – Crowded House
15. Coming Up Close ’til Tuesday
14. Missionary Man – Eurythmics
13. Higher Love – Steve Winwood
12. Happy Hour – The Housemartins
11. In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
10. Swallowed By The Cracks – David + David
9. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes – Paul Simon
8. Wonderful Life – Black
7. Bizarre Love Triangle – New Order
6. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
5. The Dead Heart – Midnight Oil
4. The Sailor – Big Country
3. Fall On Me – R.E.M.
2. Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House
1. Mercy Street – Peter Gabriel
I saw someone else list “The Dead Heart” by Midnight Oil. I would have thought it was 1987, but a check does indicate that it was released in Australia as a single in 1986, while the rest of the Diesel and Dust album was from 1987.
Great list, and looks like all songs are eligible. Impressed you found room for Steve Winwood… I love that album, but just couldn’t squeeze him on to my list.
There was no way I could leave “Higher Love” off the list. Chaka Khan’s vocal on that alone would make the cut!
“The Sailor” and “World Where You Live”! Love those picks, Nortley. And “Don’t Dream It’s Over” at #2, just where it peaked on the US charts. If only more folks hadn’t known it as the “Hey Now” song (cue deer-in-headlights Warehouse Records clerk :/), history might have been a little different. p.s. Fantastic that Neil has the band up ‘n’ rollin’ in 2020!
I predict “Don’t Dream It’s Over” will place super high — maybe Top 10. Who DOESN’T like that song???
Tough one.
In no particular order:
1. Love & Rockets,”Kundalini Express”
2. Paul Simon “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.”
3. New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle.”
4.Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”
5. Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes.”
6. Big Audio Dynamite, “C’Mon Every Beatbox.”
7. The Damned “Alone Again Or” (album track 1986)
8.Sigue Sigue Sputnik, ” Love Missile F1-11″
9. Duran Duran, “Notorious.”
10. David + David, “Welcome to the Boomtown.”
11. The Call, “I Still Believe”
12. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “If You Leave”
13. Level 42, “Something About You.” (Album 85, Single 86)
14. David Bowie, “Underground.”
15. The Art of Noise, feat. Max Headroom, “Paranoimia.”
16. Queen, “Princes of the Universe.”
17. Style Council, “My Ever-Changing Moods.”
18. Bananarama, “Venus.”
19. Nu Shooz, “I Can’t Wait.”
20. Europe, “The Final Countdown.”
21. Genesis, “The Brazilian.”
22. Emerson, Lake & Powell, “Touch & Go.”
23. R.E.M., “Fall On Me.”
24. The B-52s, “Wig.”
25. The Mission, “Wasteland.”
17. Style Council, “My Ever-Changing Moods.”
FYI: This song is from 1984.
Here’s mine:
-Chameleons “Swamp Thing”
-Stranglers “Always the Sun”
-Smithereens “Blood & Roses”
-Siouxsie and the Banshees “Land’s End”
-The The “Out of the Blue”
-Peter Gabriel “Red Rain”
-Suzanne Vega “Left of Center”
-Talk Talk “I Don’t Believe in You”
-Missing Persons “Color in Your Life”
-David and David “Welcome to the Boomtown”
-Clan of Xymox “Medusa”
-O.M.D “If You Leave”
-The Call “I Still Believe
-Public Image Ltd. “Rise”
-The Smiths “Big Mouth Strikes Again”
-Book of Love “Modigliani”
-Killing Joke “Adorations”
-The Bolshoi “Sunday Morning”
-New Order “Bizzare Love Triangle”
-Cocteau Twins “Love’s Easy Tears”
-The Beloved “A Hundred Words”
-Kate Bush “Experiment IV”
-Depeche Mode “But Not Tonight”
-XTC “Dear God”
-Concrete Blonde “Still in Hollywood”
BONUS FIVE
-Talking Heads “Wild Wild Life”
-Berlin “You Don’t Know”
-Psychedelic Furs “Heartbreak Beat”
-Debbie Harry “French Kissin’ in the USA”
-Iggy Pop “Winners & Losers”
Oh crap… Heartbreak Beat was ’86? I had that on my ’87 list.
But now I look it up on Wikipedia, and yep, single released in Oct. 86.
Now I have to change my ballot. That song is a must.
Smithereens “Blood & Roses”
Kate Bush “Experiment IV”
Ack! These were 1986! Glad I haven’t offically voted yet. May need to see if I should makes some room for one or both of these.
Blood & Roses is one of the greatest songs ever written. Also, maybe greatest opening bass ever — except, perhaps, I Wanna Be Adored.
Presented for year vetting (particularly the re-recording of NOITB, which is so significantly different from the Dream Into Action version that I figure it has to count, yeah?)
A-Ha, “Scoundrel Days”
The Bolshoi, “A Way”
The Chameleons, “Soul In Isolation”
The Chameleons, “Swamp Thing”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
Cutting Crew, “(I Just) Died In Your Arms”
Depeche Mode, “Black Celebration”
Depeche Mode, “But Not Tonight”
Erasure, “Oh L’Amour”
Erasure, “Sometimes”
Peter Gabriel, “Big Time”
Gene Loves Jezebel, “Desire”
Howard Jones, “No One Is To Blame (new recording)”
Icehouse, “No Promises”
Killing Joke, “Sanity”
Killing Joke, “Adorations”
Cyndi Lauper, “True Colors”
The Mission, “Wasteland”
The Mission, “Severina”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “If You Leave”
Pretenders, “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
Prince and the Revolution, “Kiss”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Candyman”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “The Sweetest Chill”
World Party, “Ship Of Fools”
Only my opinion, but I’d totally agree with you on “No One Is To Blame” as it is called out as a re-recording with new producers on it and everything.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_One_Is_to_Blame
This and the ’86 soundtrack version of Pretty In Pink I’d say fit the “Radio Free Europe” rule.
It makes me wondering about my #1, “Brilliant Mind” as the soundtrack version for Some Kind of Wonderful that is issued in ’87 is noticeably different as well, but I can’t find any documentation backing up that it is re-recorded.
Was not PIL “Rise” released in 1985 on Album, and the single version in January 86, thus disqualified?
According to wikipedia, it was released as a single in January of 86, and it has “Album” as being released in Jan 86 as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_(Public_Image_Ltd_song)
But according to Discogs, “Album” was released in 85… so conflicting information.
Since Matt ruled that Discogs puts “Ship of Fools” into 1986, then it would make sense that “Rise” was actually 1985… though that is clearly a bummer, since the song deserves the votes and wasn’t on the 85 list.
Hmmmm. Given that we included “Album” in the 1986 albums poll, and PiL’s own website and the promotional material for the recent “Album” reissue say it was released in February 1986, I’m inclined to let “Rise” be included in this poll
Thumbs up!
;) Thanks
You could be wrong …. but you could be right 8-)
PERFECT!!! :D
Thank you to everyone for sharing their lists!
CFNY 102.1 out of Toronto published the best albums of the year at this link (sorry it’s a scan and I couldn’t attach it):
CFNY 102.1 Best of 1986: http://spiritofradio.ca/charts/1986.gif
Great list… and clearly reflected here. What is interesting is that everything on that list is an album (I think), except for “Heartbreak Beat” which was a single. Interesting choice, but probably reflected the listeners votes.
The Smiths, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
The Smiths, “Ask”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
New Order, “Every Second Counts”
Depeche Mode, “A Question of Time”
Depeche Mode, “Black Celebration”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “The Sweetest Chill”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Candyman”
Ministry, “All Day Remix”
Ministry, “The Angel”
Skinny Puppy, “Dig It”
Bad Brains, “I Against I”
Bad Brains, “Sacred Love”
Jesus and Mary Chain, “Some Candy Talking”
XTC, “Dear God”
Billy Bragg, “Levi Stubb’s Tears”
Billy Bragg, “Help Save the Youth of America”
Bruce Hornsby and the Range, “The Way It Is”
Big Country, “Look Away”
Orchestral Manuevers in the Dark, “If You Leave”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream it’s Over”
Psychedelic Furs, “Heartbreak Beat”
Berlin, “Take My Breathe Away”
Andy Taylor, “Take it Easy”
John Taylor, “I Do What I Do To Have You”
Blow Monkeys, “Diggin Your Scene” (hated it in ’86 but such an earworm for me now)
Good call on Bad Brains!
Absolutely “Experiment IV” is one of Kate’s most overlooked songs & music videos..definitely makes my top 25
Reminder that ’86 was the last year for two new wave greats (Missing Persons & Berlin) I encourage you to check both “color in your life” & “count three pray” out. There are some great tracks on both
Missing Persons was on my initial long list, so I pulled the record (yes, vinyl) out, and it really hasn’t aged well.
Dale in the video for “I Can’t Think…”, now that’s another story entirely.
In no particular order…
The Smiths, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”
XTC, “Dear God”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
R.E.M., “Fall On Me”
Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”
Spacemen 3, “Losing Touch With My Mind”
Prince, “Kiss”
Smithereens, “Blood And Roses”
Smithereens, “Behind The Wall Of Sleep”
Husker Du, “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely”
Skinny Puppy, ‘Dig It”
The Church, “Tantalized”
Beastie Boys, “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
Talking Heads, “Wild Wild Life”
Butthole Surfers, “Creep In The Cellar”
Sonic Youth, “Shadow Of A Doubt”
They Might Be Giants, “Don’t Let’s Start”
Public Image Limited, “Rise”
Metallica, “Master Of Puppets”
Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”
Depeche Mode, “Stripped”
The Mission, “Wasteland”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
Jesus & Mary Chain, “Some Candy Talking”
This is simple. Just the whole C-86 compilation:
Primal Scream – Velocity Girl
The Mighty Lemon Drops – Happy Head
The Soup Dragons – Pleasantly Surprised
The Wolfhounds – Feeling So Strange Again
The Bodines – Therese
Mighty Mighty – Law
Stump – Buffalo
Bogshed – Run To The Temple
A Witness – Sharpened Sticks
The Pastels – Breaking Lines
The Age of Chance – From Now On, This Will Be Your God
Seite B
The Shop Assistants – It’s Up To You
Close Lobsters – Firestation Towers
Miaow – Sport Most Royal
Half Man Half Biscuit – I Hate Nerys Hughes (From The Heart)
The Servants – Transparent
The MacKenzies – Big Jim (There’s no pubs in Heaven)
bIG fLAME – New Way (Quick Wash And Brush Up With Liberation Theology)
Fuzzbox – Console Me
McCarthy – Celestial City
The Shrubs – Bullfighter’s Bones
The Wedding Present – This Boy Can Wait
I was waiting for someone to do this. Such an influential selection of music, but it barely registered at the time at least in the states where i was. Happy Head… and retrospectively, Transparent, are faves of mine.
This was definitely a transitional year for music outside the mainstream. Last gasps from new wave bands and the early stages of what would come to be called “Alternative”. Nothing major from The Cure or Echo and the Bunnymen which feels weird considering how much they loomed in my life at this time. Here are my choices in no particular order:
crowded house – don’t dream its over
beastie boys – brass monkey
big audio dynamite – c’mon every beatbox
cameo – word up
depeche mode – a question of time
erasure – o’lamour
world party – ship of fools
janet jackson – what have you done for me lately
julian cope – world shut your mouth
Love and rockets – all in my mind
new order – bizarre love triangle
omd – if you leave
peter gabriel – big time
peter gabriel – in your eyes
prince – kiss
rem – fall on me
rem – superman
run dmc – walk this way
smithereens – behind the wall of sleep
smithereens – blood and roses
smiths – ask
smiths – there is a light that never goes out
the blow monkeys – digging your scene
the housemartins – happy hour
xtc – dear god
Okay, at least two votes now for “Word Up”!
I’d like to remind everyone that songs from the Church’s HEYDAY album are eligible. The album placed No. 22 on the Best of ’86 album poll previously.
Top 26 — still need to pick one to discard before voting 8-/
– New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle — because, of course
– The Church – Tantalized — can’t believe people are forgetting this record! C’mon people, we all loved these songs
– The Church – Already Yesterday
– Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls — this album just fell out of the sky with hit after hit. you could just pick any two songs and not go wrong
– Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities
– The Smiths – Cemetery Gates — an English Lit major’s daydream, peak Moz
– Husker Du – Sorry Somehow — so abrasive, yet so melodic
– Husker Du – Don’t Want to Know if You are Lonely
– REM – Fall On Me — their best record from the IRS years
– REM – Begin the Begin
– Cocteau Twins – Love’s Easy Tears — as noted, what a golden year for these guys, with two album releases and this amazing EP. And their EPs were as good as their albums.
– Cocteau Twins – Those Eyes, That Mouth
– Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over — who doesn’t love this song?
– Duran Duran – Skin Trade — the album’s overlooked gem
– The Fall – Mr. Pharmacist — i’ll be back-ah! MES RIP
– Let’s Active – In Little Ways — Mr. Easter’s opus
– Let’s Active – Talking To Myself
– Game Theory – Erica’s Word — Scott Miller was a songwriting genius, and this record was dripping with hooks from end to end. RIP “Our Scott”
– Game Theory – Regenisraen
– Depeche Mode – Black Celebration — an overrated album, but a signature song
– Skinny Puppy – Dig It — “industrial dance” defined
– Love and Rockets – All In My Mind — probably their last great song
– This Mortal Coil – Tarantula — originally a Colourbox song, but the TMC arrangement was so good that Beck just copied it verbatim
– Siouxsie – Cities In Dust — why not
– Throwing Muses – Hate My Way — introducing Kristen Hersh and the voices in her head
– PIL – Rise — weird as fuck, but irresistible
Right there with you on Game Theory – high on my list
I’ll make your decision easy. Siouxsie & the Banshees Cities in Dust was released in October, 1985 as a single. It’s number 5 on the 1985 poll.
Oh, good catch! I shouldn’t do these things so late at night.
West End Girls was ’84 original, and ’85 re-recording, so drop that one as well.
And then add “Heartbreak Beat” and you’ve got an absolutely ace 25! ;)
I am still formulating my list. I have 19 songs so far. I am bound and determined to get a Sonic Youth song on a list before 1988. I have voted for a Sonic Youth song every year since 1982, but they have never made it. I though Death Valley ’69 would have made at least the lower reaches of th 1985 list, but nope.
Heyday is my least-listened-to Chirch album.
As many others have commented, I easily could have created a Top 50 (or more) list of songs from 1986. In fact some of my favourite songs of all time were released in this year. It was a struggled to narrow it down to 25, but I did it and submit to all for vetting before I officially cast my votes.
Cheers!
“Baby Ran” — 54-40
“Brass Monkey” — Beastie Boys
“No Sleep Till Brooklyn” – Beastie Boys
“C’Mon Every Beat box” – Big Audio Dynamite
“Levi Stubbs Tears” — Billy Bragg
“April Fool” — Chalk Circle
“Swamp Thing” — Chameleons
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” — Crowded House
“Stripped” — Depeche Mode
“Brilliant Mind” — Furniture
“Happy Hour” — House Martins
“Driving Away From Home” — It’s immaterial
“Love Kills” — Joe Strummer (Sid and Nancy Soundtrack)
“Yin and Yang” — Love and Rockets
“Bizarre Love Triangle” — New Order
“Shell Shock” — New Order
“Fall On Me” — R.E.M
“Superman” — R.E.M
“Always the Sun” — Stranglers
“Wild Wild Life” — Talking Heads
“Wasteland” — The Mission
“Big Mouth Strikes Again” — The Smiths
“Panic” — The Smiths
“Ship of Fools” — World Party
“Dear God” — XTC
I get what you’re saying about MP Color in Your Life not aging well. No Secrets & the title track are still great IMO though. Certainly better than some of the pop songs I’ve seen on others lists
1986
R.E.M., “I Believe”
XTC, “Dear God”
The Smiths, “Panic”
Public Image Limited, “Rise”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
Housemartins, “Happy Hour”
Smithereens, “Blood and Roses”
New Order, “State of the Nation”
Pretenders, “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
Depeche Mode, “A Question of Lust”
Depeche Mode, “Stripped”
The Psychedelic Furs, “Heartbreak Beat”
Madonna, “Papa Don’t Preach”
Metallica, “Master of Puppets”
Duran Duran, “Notorious”
The Call, “I Still Believe”
Prince, “Mountains”
Paul Simon, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
The Pogues, “The Body of an American”
Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
Erasure, “Sometimes”
Prince, “Kiss”
Level 42, “Lessons In Love”
25. The Soup Dragons – Hang-Ten!
24. Billy Bragg – Levi Stubbs’ Tears
23. The Flatmates – I Could Be in Heaven
22. The Chesterfields – Completely & Utterly
21. Prince and The Revolution – Kiss
20. The Housemartins – Happy Hour
19. Depeche Mode – Black Celebration
18. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Carny
17. The Primitives – Thru the Flowers
16. Shop Assistants – Safety Net
15. The Wedding Present – You Should Always Keep in Touch With Your Friends
14. Public Image Ltd – Rise
13. Big Black – Kerosene
12. The Primitives – Really Stupid
11. The Wedding Present – Once More
10. The Bodines – Therese
9. The Fall – Realm of Dusk
8. New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
7. R.E.M. – Begin the Begin
6. The Fall – Living Too Late
5. Half Man Half Biscuit – Dickie Davies Eyes
4. The Jesus & Mary Chain – Some Candy Talking
3. R.E.M. – Fall on Me
2. The Smiths – There is a Light That Never Goes Out
1. The Smiths – The Queen is Dead
Discogs shows The Wedding Present – Once More as being a 1985 release.
https://www.discogs.com/The-Wedding-Present-Once-More/release/627873
But Wikipedia shows it as 1986.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wedding_Present_discography
Man, so tough to whittle these down. And some might even be different come tomorrow. But here we go for now, at least!
Big Country, “Look Away”
Book of Love, “Boy”
David Bowie, “Absolute Beginners”
The Church, “Already Yesterday”
The Church, “Myrrh”
Concrete Blonde, “Cold Part of Town”
Concrete Blonde, “Still in Hollywood”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
Crowded House, “World Where You Live”
David & David, “Welcome to the Boomtown”
Depeche Mode, “Stripped”
Gene Loves Jezebel, “Heartache”
Human League, “Human”
Billy Idol, “All Summer Single”
INXS, “Do Wot You Do”
Joe Jackson, “Right and Wrong”
Pet Shop Boys, “Love Comes Quickly”
Iggy Pop, “Cry for Love”
Psychedelic Furs, “Heartbreak Beat”
R.E.M., “Begin the Begin”
R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
The Smiths, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
They Might Be Giants, “Don’t Let’s Start”
Wang Chung, “Hypnotize Me”
World Party, “It’s All Mine”
More proof of the impeccable taste of Mr. AndyP. Although I’m chagrined at your pointing out by inference that I overlooked the Psychedelic Furs 8-O
Cheers, man. And right back at you. You can DJ our parties anytime!
Book of Love’s “Boy” was a 1985 12″ release, fyi. ;)
Sorry to be a downer, but “Boy” is from ’85.
Right you and zippyphonic are–and I actually have that 12″! :O Thanks, guys! And “I Touch Roses” also came out in ’85, soooo…let’s make it “Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes).” I gotta have something from that ’86 debut. Such a gem of an album!
I think both of your Church songs are 1985.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heyday_(The_Church_album)
Actually, UE405 above says it’s apparently eligible for 1986 because it was counted as such for the Slicing Up Eyeballs 1986 album poll. I guess that’s authoritative, I don’t know.
Dammit, how’d I miss “Love Kills”? Saw S&N the same day as Iggy Pop at the Ritz in NYC.
That must have been awesome!
Excellent! Another vote for Big Black! I will be voting fir them, too!
Top Ten (or so) of Top 25 —
REM, “Begin the Begin”
REM, “I Believe”
Steve Earle, “Guitar Town” (Tie: Best Song of ’86)
Husker Du, “Eiffel Tower High”
Husker Du, “Don’t Want to Know if You Are Lonely”
Billy Bragg, “There Is Power in a Union”
Billy Bragg, “Help Save the Youth of America”(Tie: Best Song of ’86)
Talking Heads, “Wild Wild Life”
Smithereens, “Strangers When We Meet”
Smithereens, “Behind the wall of sleep”
Bangles, “Different Light”
—-
If voting were 3-per-artist:
REM, “Fall On Me”
Husker Du, “Sorry Somehow”
Billy Bragg, “Levi Stubbs Tears”
My list in alphabetical order by artist:
The B-52’s – Wig
Big Black – Kerosene
Butthole Surfers – Creep in My Cellar
Camper Van Beethoven – The History of Utah
Ciccone Youth – Into the Groove(y)
Elvis Costello – Uncomplicated
Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush – Don’t Give Up
The Housemartins – Happy Hour
Husker Du – Sorry Somehow
The Jesus & Mary Chain – Some Candy Talking
Kraftwerk – Electric Cafe
Ministry – Just Like You
The Pretenders – Don’t Get Me Wrong
Public Image LTD. – Rise
R.E.M. – Superman
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Candyman
The Sisterhood – Giving Ground
Skinny Puppy – Dig It
The Smithereens – Behind the Wall of Sleep
The Smiths – Panic
Sonic Youth – Expressway To Yr Skull
Talking Heads – Love For Sale
They Might Be Giants – Don’t Let’s Start
Suzanne Vega – Left of Center
World Party – Ship of Fools
I think this is my final list. If the year is incorrect on any, someone please call out my error. Thanks!
The Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”
David Bowie, “Absolute beginners”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream it’s Over”
Cutting Crew, “I’ve Been in Love Before”
David & David, “Welcome to the Boomtown”
Bryan Ferry, “Is Your Love Strong Enough”
Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”
The Human League, “Human”
Level 42, “Lessons in Love”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
New Order, “Shellshock”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “(Forever) Live and Die”
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, “If YOu Leave”
Pet Shop Boys, “Love Comes Quickly”
Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
Prince and the Revolution, “Kiss”
Pschedelic Furs, “Heartbreak Beat”
Psychedelic Furs, “Pretty in Pink”
Public Image Ltd., “Rise”
Queen, “A Kind of Magic”
The Smithereerns, “Blood and Roses”
The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
Swing Out Sister, “Breakout”
John Taylor, “I Do What I Do”
Suzanne Vega, “Left of Center”
1 New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
2 China Crisis, “Arizona Sky”
3 XTC, “Dear God”
4 Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
5 Talk Talk, “Life’s What You Make It”
6 The Housemartins, “Happy Hour”
7 Ric Ocasek, “Emotion in Motion”
8 Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
9 Swing Out Sister, “Breakout”
10 Black, “Wonderful Life”
11 The Primitives, “Crash”
12 New Order, “All Day Long”
13 It’s Immaterial, “Driving Away Frome Home”
14 Pet Shop Boys, “Love Comes Quickly”
15 Red Box, “For America”
16 Furniture, “Brilliant Mind”
17 The Housemartins,”Think For A Minute”
18 UB40, “Rat In Mi Kitchen”
19 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, “(Forever) Live and Die”
20 China Crisis, “Best Kept Secret”
21 The Go-Betweens, “Spring Rain”
22 Big Country, “Look Away”
23 Suzanne Vega, “Left Of Center”
24 UB40, “Sing Our Own Song”
25 The Railway Children, “A Gentle Sound”
YAY! Someone else voted for Sonic Youth besides me!
Submitted for inspection before posting…
Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”
Crowded House, “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
David Bowie, “Absolute Beginners”
Deborah Harry, “French Kissing in the USA”
Elvis Costello & The Attractions, “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
Eurythmics, “Missionary Man”
Feargal Sharkey, “A Good Heart”
Human League, “Human”
Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
Laurie Anderson, “Talk Normal (Home of the Brave)”
New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
OMD, “If You Leave”
Peter Gabriel, “In Your Eyes”
Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”
Public Image Ltd, “Rise”
R.E.M., “Fall On Me”
R.E.M., “Superman”
Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”
Suzanne Vega, “Left Of Center”
The Call, “Everywhere I Go”
The Pretenders, “Don’t Get Me Wrong”
The Smiths, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”
Til Tuesday, “Coming Up Close”
Wang Chung, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”
XTC, “Dear God”
…and these didn’t make the final cut:
Bananarama, “Venus”
Beastie Boys, “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)”
Belinda Carlisle, “Mad About You”
Berlin, “Take My Breath Away”
Billy Bragg, “Greetings To The New Brunette”
Bon Jovi, “Wanted Dead or Alive”
Crowded House, “World Where You Live”
Cyndi Lauper, “Change of Heart”
Cyndi Lauper, “True Colors”
David Bowie, “Underground”
Eddie Money, “Take Me Home Tonight”
Elvis Costello (The Costello Show), “Brilliant Mistake”
Erasure, “Oh, L’Amour”
Joe Jackson, “Home Town”
Laurie Anderson, “Language Is A Virus (Home of the Brave)”
Lone Justice, “Shelter”
Madonna, “Papa Don’t Preach”
New Order, “Shell-Shock”
OMD, “(Forever) Live and Die”
Paul Simon, “Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes”
Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
Pete Townsend, “Save it For Later (Deep End Live)”
Peter Gabriel, ”Big Time”
Pretenders, “My Baby”
Prince, “Kiss”
R.E.M., “Cuyahoga”
Robert Palmer, “Addicted to Love”
Robert Palmer, “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On”
Steve Winwood, “Back in the High Life”
Steve Winwood, “The Finer Things”
The Bangles, “Manic Monday”
The Bangles, “Walk Like an Egyptian”
The Smiths, “Ask”
The Smiths, “Frankly, Mr. Shankly”
Another great vote for a song off of “Blood & Chocolate” but it looks like everyone picked a different song… which mean likely none of them will make the list. Too bad… such a good album.
Also nice to see someone else calling out Pete Townshend, especially Deep End Live. Just a great recording of an eclectic set.
Man, everyone is going for Heartbreak Beat…the gem on that album is “All Of The Law”, great that it’s still in their live setlist.
“All of the Law” was not released until ’87 with the full album, so isn’t elgible for voting in this poll. “Heartbreak Beat” was released as a single in ’86, so is elegible. Next poll, however…
Pretty in pink was originally released in ’81 so does not qualify
Pretty in Pink was rerecorded by Psychedelic Furs for the Pretty in Pink soundtrack in 1986. New version, so it does count for 1986.
Yes but somehow neither boy or I touch roses made the best of ’85 list. Blasphemy!
This is the great tragedy of this and last year’s poll – these two classic songs from Book of Love are going to slip through the cracks. I would have loved to have included them this year.
Actually it does. The version of Pretty in Pink released in 86 was a re-recoding for the film of the same name. ThecRadio Free Europe ruling applies, so it is eligible.
Berlin – Take My Breath Away
Big Black – Kerosene
Chameleons – Swamp Thing
Duran Duran – Notorious
Erasure – Oh L’Amour
Hula – Poison
Madonna – Open Your Heart
Ministry – We Believe
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
OMD – If You Leave
OMD – (Forever) Live and Die
Pet Shop Boys – Two Divided by Zero
Pet Shop Boys – Love Comes Quickly
Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer
Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes
REM – Fall On Me
Ramones – Bonzo Goes to Bitburg
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Walking on Your Hands
Revolting Cocks – We Shall Cleanse the World
Revolting Cocks – Attack Ships on Fire
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Candyman
Skinny Puppy – Dig It
The Smiths – There’s a Light that Never Goes Out
Sonic Youth – Star Power
Spacemen 3 – Losing Touch with my Mind
Wikipedia shows Attack Ships being released as a single in 1985 –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolting_Cocks
Damn, I really thought I checked that! That’s a tricky one, though, since neither of the mixes on that 12″ single (“Attack Ships…” and “…On Fire”) are the same as the album version, which was definitely released in ’86.
(Also, I wish I had noticed the comments above about “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg” before I submitted by list…)
Beastie Boys – Hold It Now Hit It
Berlin – Take My Breath Away
CCCP – American Soviets
Chameleons – Soul in Isolation
Chameleons – Swamp Thing
The Church – Roman
Concrete Blonde – Still in Hollywood
The Damned – Alone Again Or
The Damned – In Dulce Decorum
Depeche Mode – Black Celebration
Erasure – Sometimes
Europe – The Final Countdown
The Fall – Riddler!
Janet Jackson – What Have You Done For Me Lately
Level 42 – Something About You
Love and Rockets – Holiday on the Moon
Love and Rockets – It Could Be Sunshine
Motorhead – Built For Speed
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
Peter Gabriel – Red Red Rain
Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Cities in Dust
Slayer – Raining Blood
The Smiths – The Queen is Dead
Talking Heads – Wild Wild Life
Cities in Dust finished at #5 in the 1985 poll. Not eligible for 1986.
My 25 (in alphabetical order):
A-Ha – I’ve Been Losing You
The Arch – Babsi Ist Tot
The B-52’s – Ain’t It a Shame
Black – Wonderful Life
The Bolshoi – A Way
Clan of Xymox – Louise
Chalk Circle – April Fool
The Chameleons – Swamp Thing
Cocteau Twins – Lazy Calm
Cocteau Twins – Orange Appled
Depeche Mode – But Not Tonight
Erasure – Oh L’Amour
Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Some Candy Talking
Love and Rockets – Kundalini Express
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
The Neon Judgement – Tomorrow in the Papers
OMD – If You Leave
Pet Shop Boys – Suburbia
PIL – Rise
Prince and The Revolution – Kiss
Les Rita Mitsouko – C’est Comme Ça
REM – Fall on Me
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Candyman
The Sisterhood – Giving Ground
The Smiths – Big Mouth Strikes Again
Trisomie 21 – The Last Song
Oh man! How could I forget “This Time” by E-I-E-I-O and “Souvenir” by Rubber Rodeo!
Here’s my list and those that just missed. Really tough to narrow it down to 25. I could have listed 2 or more songs for New Order, Depeche Mode, The Comsat Angels, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, Dead or Alive, etc. Such a great year and solid releases by so many.
No shade to anyone, but I just couldn’t bring myself to vote for Prince, Madonna, Steve Winwood or any of those hair bands that started to take over the Top 40 radio. 1986 is when I really “switched the dial!”
Best Songs of 1986
Slicing Up Eyeballs
Voting List
1 Shriekback, “Black Light Trap”
2 The Mission UK, “Severina”
3 Level 42, “Lessons In Love”
4 The Call, “Everywhere I Go”
5 New Order, “Shellshock”
6 Love & Rockets, “Kundalini Express”
7 Black, “Wonderful Life”
8 Black, “Everythings Coming Up Roses”
9 The Housemartings, “Happy Hour”
10 It’s Immaterial, “Driving Away From Home”
11 Chalk Circle, “April Fool”
12 The The, “Infected”
13 The Damned, “Alone Again Or”
14 The Blow Monkeys, “Diggin’ Your Scene”
15 Oingo Boingo, “Dead Mans Party”
16 Hipsway, “The Honeythief”
17 Dead Or Alive, “Something In My House”
18 The Comsat Angels, “The Cutting Edge”
19 Pet Shop Boys, “Suburbia”
20 Erasure, “Who Needs Love Like That”
21 Furniture, “Brilliant Mind”
22 Eurythmics, “Missionary Man”
23 Til’ Tuesday, “Coming Up Close”
24 Suzanne Vega, “Left of Center”
25 Depeche Mode, “Black Celebration”
Bubbling Under:
1 Concrete Blonde – Still In Hollywood
2 Prince and the Revolution – Mountains
3 Swing Out Sister- Breakout
4 The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again/There is a Light That Never Goes Out
5 Shriekback – Gunning For The Budda
6 The Mission UK – Wasteland
7 Level 42 – Something About You
8 The Call – I Still Believe
9 New Order – Bizzare Love Triangle
10 Love & Rockets – Ying & Yang and the Flowerpot Man/All In My Mind
11 The Comsat Angels – Under The Influence
12 Pet Shop Boys – Love Comes Quickly
13 Erasure – Sometimes/Oh L’Amour
14 Eurythmics – When Tomorrow Comes
Yes! Another vote for Hipsway!
Dead Man’s Party was 1985. It was released as a single in 1986, but it came off the album (of the same name) that was released in 1985. So from my understanding that would mean the song too was released in 1985.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Man's_Party_(album)
Yes, “Dead Man’s Party” was No. 59 on the 1985 poll
My Top 25 is mostly bands that are less well known or neglected songs from popular bands.
In no particular order:
A-Ha, “Cry Wolf”
The Beat Farmers, “Riverside”
The Flowerpot Men, “Beat City”
Grace Jones, “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect for You)”
Iggy Pop, “Real Wild Child”
Laurie Anderson, “Language is a Virus”
Lone Justice, “Shelter”
Not Shakespeare, “Turnaround”
The Nails, “Things You Left Behind”
Prince, “Sometimes It Snows In April”
The Rainmakers, “Let My People Go-Go”
Rob Jungklas, “Make It Mean Something”
The Wallets, “Totally Nude”
The Woodentops, “Good Thing”
The Art Of Noise, “Paranoimia”
The Bolshoi, “Away”
The Other Ones, “Holiday”
Shriekback, “Gunning For The Buddha”
The Stranglers, “Always The Sun”
‘Til Tuesday, “Coming Up Close”
Pet Shop Boys, “Love Comes Quickly”
The Call, “Everywhere I Go”
R.E.M., “Cuyahoga”
Billy Bragg, “Greetings To The New Brunette”
David & David, “Welcome To The Boomtown”
FWIW – The Wallets released that song as a single in 1984 according to Discogs and then later put it on their 1986 album Take It.
https://www.discogs.com/The-Wallets-Totally-Nude-How-To-Keep-Time-To-Music/release/4486087
Good eye! The 1986 version of Totally Nude is a completely new recording, so it is allowed under the Radio Free Europe rule.
Top 25 – 1986
1. Chameleons – Tears
2. Chameleons – Swamp Thing
3. The Damned – Alone Again Or
4. The Feelies – Slipping Into Something
5. The Feelies – The High Road
6. Cactus World News – Years Later
7. Concrete Blonde – Still in Hollywood
8. Fuzzbox – Love Is The Slug
9. Hunters & Collectors – Is There Anybody In There
10. Love and Rockets – Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)
11. Midnight Oil – The Dead Heart
12. Ministry – All Day Remix
13. Ministry – Over the Shoulder
14. New Model Army – 51st State
15. The Call – Everywhere I Go
16. The Call – I Still Believe
17. The Church – Tantalized
18. The Damned – Anything
19. The Fall – Shoulder Pads #1
20. The Godfathers – This Damn Nation
21. The Housemartins – Anxious
22. The Lucy Show – A Million Things
23. The Mighty Lemon Drops – My Biggest Thrill
24. The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
25. World Party – All Come True
Honorable Mentions
Chameleons – Ever After / In Answer / Seriocity
The Feelies – On The Roof / Two Rooms
Chalk Circle – April Fool
China Crisis – Arizona Sky
It’s Immaterial – Driving Away From Home
R.E.M. – These Days
XTC – Summer’s Cauldron
The Pastels – Truck Train Tractor
The Chills – I Love My Leather Jacket
Huxton Creepers – I Will Persuade You
Joe Strummer – Love Kills
Public Image Ltd – Home / F.F.F.
Ramones – My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)
Gang Green – Alcohol
The Mission – Wasteland
The Damned – In Dulce Decorum
The Fall – Terry Waite Sez / Hey Luciani / Mr. Pharmacist / R.O.D.
The Stranglers – Nice in Nice
The Wedding Present – This Boy Can Wait
Easterhouse – Whistling In The Dark
Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire
The Bolshoi – A Way
The Pogues “London Girl” — HOW could I also forget this song???
*TOP 25 SONGS OF 1986*
1. Pet Shop Boys – West Wnd Girls
2. Bananarama – Venus
3. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
4. The Blow Monkeys – Digging Your Scene
5. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missle F1-11
6. Dead Or Alive – Something In My House
7. Simple Minds – All The Things She Said
8. A-Ha – The Sun Always Shines On TV
9. The Dream Academy – The Love Parade
10. Ministry – Over The Shoulder
11. Siouxsie & The Banshees – Cities In Dust
12. The Smiths – Panic
13. Bananarama – More Than Physical
14. Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities
15. Prince & The Revolution – Mountains
16. Ministry – Just Like You
17. Revolting Cocks – We Shall Cleanse The World
18. Skinny Puppy – God’s Gift (Maggot)
19. The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
20. Skinny Puppy – Dig It
21. The Housemartins – Happy Hour
22. Duran Duran – Notorious
23. INXS – What You Need
24. Double – The Captain Of Her Heart
25. Boys Don’t Cry – I Wanna Be A Cowboy
Several from your list were on ’85
“Rock Me Amadeus”
“What You Need”
“The Love Parade”
“Cities In Dust”
“All the Things She Said” (great song, but not this year)
If you haven’t voted yet, that frees up a lot of spots.
whether it’s West End Girls or West Wnd Girls, it was in the ’84 and ’85 polls, don’t think it’s an ’86 song too
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_Girls
West End Girls – a typo for my #1? #shame
Here it is!
B-52’s – Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland
David Bowie – Absolute Beginners
The Call – Everywhere I Go
Ciccone Youth – Into the Groove(y)
Eurythmics – Thorn in My Side
Fields of the Nephilim – Power
Front 242 – Quite Unusual
Peter Gabriel – Red Rain
Husker Du – Don’t Want to Know if You Are Lonely
Iggy Pop – Cry For Love
Lene Lovich & Nina Hagen – Don’t Kill the Animals
The Mission – Garden of Delight
The Other Ones – Holiday
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Walking on Your Hands
R.E.M. – Cuyahoga
Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11
Paul Simon – Graceland
Siouxsie & the Banshees – The Sweetest Chill
The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
Sonic Youth – Star Power
Talking Heads – Puzzlin’ Evidence
The The – Infected
They Might Be Giants – (She Was A) Hotel Detective
Timbuk 3 – Future’s So Bright, Gotta Wear Shades
UB40 – Rat in Mi Kitchen
I think we need a ruling on Quite Unusual.
I thought it was 1987. But I see on Discogs that it was released on a 7” in Belgium late in 1986. I think it’s more commonly seen as 1987 but not sure how it’d be viewed for these polls.
Wikipedia lists “Quite Unusual” as a 1986 single, too. With both Discogs and Wiki giving it an ’86 release, it’s definitely eligible for the ’86 poll
Cities in Dust is noted in above comments as 1985.
Cities in Dust is 1985.
1 The Smiths The Queen Is Dead
2 The Smiths There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
3 The Wedding Present You Should Always Keep in Touch With Your Friends
4 The Jesus and Mary Chain Some Candy Talking
5 The Wedding Present Once More
6 Psychedelic Furs Pretty In Pink (1986 version)
7 XTC Dear God
8 The Chameleons Mad Jack
9 REM Begin the Begin
10 OMD If You Leave
11 New Order All Day Long
12 Love and Rockets All In My Mind
13 The The Out of the Blue
14 The Church Already Yesterday
15 REM Hyena
16 Psychedelic Furs Heartbreak Beat
17 OMD The Pacific Age
18 The Chameleons Swamp Thing
19 New Order Every Little Counts
20 Public Image Ltd Rise
21 Julian Cope World Shut Your Mouth
22 Felt Ballad of the Band
23 The The Infected
24 Slayer Raining Blood
25 The Weather Prophets Almost Prayed
XTC, “Earn Enough For Us”
Big Audio Dynamite, “Sightsee M.C!”
Elvis Costello,”American Without Tears”
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds,”All Tomorrow’s Parties”
The Smiths,”Panic”
Depeche Mode,”A Question of Time”
Talk Talk,”Life’s What You Make It”
The Housemartins,”Freedom”
Neil Young,”Weight Of The World”
Talking Heads,”Love for Sale”
Billy Bragg,”Levi Stubbs’ Tears”
New Order,”Bizarre Love Triangle”
Robyn Hitchcock,”If You Were a Priest”
Butthole Surfers,”Pepper”
It’s Immaterial,”Driving Away from Home (Jim’s Tune)”
Iggy Pop,”Blah-Blah-Blah”
Sparks,”Music That You Can Dance To”
Laurie Anderson,”Language Is a Virus”
R.E.M.,”Fall on Me”
The Mission,”Wasteland”
Camper Van Beethoven,”Cowboys From Hollywood”
Kraftwerk,”Musique Non Stop”
Dead Kennedys,”Anarchy For Sale”
The Triffids,”Wide Open Road”
Felt,”Rain Of Crystal Spires”
Just fyi…
“Life’s What You Make It” was on the 1985 list (was released as a single before the album in ’86)
yes! to The Triffids
Pepper is 1996
Life’s What You Make It was released in late 1985, and made #70 on the 1985 poll.
Unles the Butthole Surfers have another song called Pepper, that didn’t come out until 1996!
All this cross-referencing sources against others’ lists, and I turn mine in –
and still I completely whiffed on The Mighty Lemon Drops. This sucks.
As someone else mentioned, ’86 was a wild transitional year in popular music. So much of what was on FM radio was good, and much of that quite good.
What I settled on:
1. Give it Time – The Woodentops
2. Mountains – Prince
3. Erica’s Word – Game Theory
4. It’s Tricky – Run-D.M.C
5. Slipping (Into Something) – The Feelies
6. Wide Open Road – The Triffids
7. Fall On Me – R.E.M.
8. There is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
9. Bizarre Love Triangle – New Order
10. Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely – Husker Du
11. World Where You Live – Crowded House
12. Still in Hollywood – Concrete Blonde
13. Good Guys and Bad Guys – Camper Van Beethoven
14. I Touch Roses – Book of Love
15. Always the Sun – The Stranglers
16. Word Up – Cameo
17. C’est comma ca – Les Rita Mitsouko
18. Fly on the Windscreen – Depeche Mode
19. Mad About You – Belinda Carlisle
20. Rain on the Scarecrow – John Mellencamp
21. Talking to Myself – Lets Active
22. You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi
23. Twenty Deadly Diseases – Severed Heads
24. Sweet Bird of Youth – The The
25. I Wanna Be a Cowboy – Boys Don’t Cry
You mean “Sweet Bird of Truth” by The The? Assuming so, and I was so torn between that and “Slow Train to Dawn” which was my ultimate vote.
Ouch! Guaranteed that I misspelled it on the actual poll, too.
I Touch Roses was released in 1985, ahead of the album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Love_(album)
Yeaaaahh.
And the album was ’86. I habitually tend to focus on the album release.
I’ll accept whatever verdict is rendered.
And I think Fly on the Windscreen was 1985 as well.
Isn’t Pepper 1996?
Totally just a suggestion, and maybe too much effort/confusion for Matt…
For the 1987 poll… what about a “Pre-Vote” post/article. Something like, “Next week, you’ll get to vote on 1987 best songs. Here are the rules. Start posting your Top 27 lists below, lobby for your favorites, crowd source your choices to make sure the songs you are listing are eligible!”
Something that could bring attention to the poll… get people talking and sharing lists… get people to point out the “Hey… don’t vote for Cities In Dust!!” type of thing, before people can actually vote.
Have the poll with big red letter, “COMING SOON! Vote Staringn XX date!”
Anyway… just a thought, as it would be a way to generate interest, get people talking… even limit the time that the poll is open to one week if you want… but at the same time, help people clean up their votes.
(Or, I could just be taking this song voting thing way too seriously…
… naaaaaaah!)
correction…
… Top 25…” not 27
and
“Vote Starting XX date…” not staringn
Hi Neil – Not to speak for Matt, but isn’t that the process that already exists? That’s basically what this web page is and what the comments are.
Matt posted notice of the survey and the rules well in advance here and 3 times on Facebook, so the heads up is already being done.
And as far as making sure songs are eligible via crowd-sourcing, it’s pretty simple – all people need to do is post their anticipated picks here (which a lot of people do) and then hold off on submitting their final survey until they’ve received feedback (which I’m guessing most people aren’t doing). If people are concerned about making picks that don’t count, they should just use this 2-step approach.
So just my opinion – I’m not sure any process change on Matt’s part is needed.
Yeah… the only difference is not opening the poll for voting right away. Give people time to post and discuss before the poll opens.
Only suggesting it as it is probably a big headache to have clean the data of all the ineligible votes before calculating the results.
Wouldn’t get rid of all of the ineligible votes, but it might help. That was all.
that’s a decent suggestion! It would certainly help to jog the memory banks besides weeding out songs from the wrong year. Sometimes these years get kinda mixed up!
After paring down from a shortlist of around 100 here is what I finally went with:
The Art Of Noise Featuring Duane Eddy, “Peter Gunn”
The Call, “Everywhere I Go”
Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
Dumptruck, “Back Where I Belong”
Duran Duran, “Notorious”
Electric Light Orchestra, “So Serious”
Eurythmics, “Thorn In My Side”
Eurythmics, “When Tomorrow Comes”
The Fixx, “Built For The Future”
John Fogerty, “Change In The Weather”
Georgia Satellites, “Keep Your Hands To Yourself”
Jason And The Scorchers, “Golden Ball And Chain”
Let’s Active, “In Little Ways”
Love and Rockets, “All in My Mind”
Madness, “(Waiting For) The Ghost Train”
Modern English, “Ink And Paper”
Orchestral Manoeuvers In The Dark, “(Forever) Live And Die”
Screaming Blue Messiahs, “Wild Blue Yonder”
Brian Setzer, “The Knife Feels Like Justice”
Shriekback, “Gunning For The Buddha ”
The Smiths, “Ask”
The Stranglers, “Always The Sun”
The Stranglers, “Ghost Train”
The The, “Heartland”
World Party, “Ship Of Fools”
Georgia Satellites! hah. I’m pretty sure I haven’t heard that song since 1986… now the echo “… and keep your hands to yourself” is now echoing around my head. Not sure if that is a good thing.
Dumptruck!
Reminded me though that I totally spaced and missed another Boston band from that year, The Neighborhoods!
https://www.discogs.com/The-Neighborhoods-The-High-Hard-One/master/613359
oh no – Robert – how did I forget THE HIGH HARD ONE? Think It Over? She’s So Good? W.U.S.A? Uniforms & Insignias?
I’ve complained that the record (like any of theirs save the new record from last year) can’t be find streaming. But I’m also fairly sure it was never even issued on CD.
Ward – So many good songs on that album, you didn’t even mention 2 of my favorites (Arrogance, Right as Rain). You’re right, was never issued on CD and it’s not on streaming, at least not yet.
When are the results going to be posted?
With the lack of live music options the ’86 results would be a fantastic surprise before The Light That Never Goes Out goes out…
In these strange times a playlist of 1986 would be a welcome relief