880. Billy Idol, Don’t Stop (1981) The bloke born William Michael Albert Broad was exceedingly comfortable returning to promising material until it finally turned into a hit. Taking the stage name Billy Idol because his school teachers routinely derided his … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #880 to #877
884. Del Fuegos, Stand Up (1987) Time was running out for the Del Fuegos. Signed by the Warner Bros. subsidiary Slash Records, the Boston band were fully expected to inspire the same fervor from a national audience as they generated … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #884 to #881
888. She’s Having a Baby soundtrack (1988) The nineteen-eighties was the era of soundtracks, and John Hughes was one of the great impresarios of the form. Despite the accuracy of that statement, Hughes didn’t actually preside over all that many … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #888 to #885
892. Spandau Ballet, Journeys to Glory (1981) Determining the quality of Spandau Ballet’s music is a matter of taste, but the band’s adeptness with stealth publicity is worthy of reverential study. Growing out of a group formed by Islington high … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #892 to #889
896. Bananarama, Bananarama (1984) The compromises of “Robert De Niro’s Waiting” exemplify the dilemma Bananarama faced during the creative process. In initial conception, the track from the trio’s second album — when was self-titled at the insistence of their label … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #896 to #893
900. The Waterboys, A Pagan Place (1984) When Mike Scott got underway on A Pagan Place, the sophomore album by his band the Waterboys, the preceding material hadn’t yet seen release. Instead of responding to any feedback from the public, … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #900 to #897
904. The Cure, Japanese Whispers (1983) Somewhat unexpectedly, 1983 ushered in an era in which the Cure could accurately be described as hitmakers, at least on their side of the Atlantic. The transformation began with the 1982 single “Let’s Go … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #904 to #901
908. The Bears, Rise and Shine (1988) Rise and Shine was the second album from the Bears, a group guitarist Adrian Belew assembled when King Crimson went on hiatus. At the time, Belew had a reasonably healthy solo career and … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #908 to #905
912. Robert Palmer, Clues (1980) Emerging as a solo performer in the midst of the nineteen-seventies, Robert Palmer was one of the British singers touted for his soulful vocalizations. Arguably, there was no better path to U.S. commercial success for … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #912 to #909
916. Babys, Union Jacks (1980) Union Jacks, the fourth album by the U.K. rock band the Babys, was the first one they recorded fully without founding member Michael Corby. The guitarist/keyboard player was ousted during the recording process for the … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #916 to #913
Coffee for Two 