Top 20 Songs (1989)

Telso
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Top 20 Songs (1989) Sept 30, 2020 4:07:44 GMT 10

Post by Telso on Sept 30, 2020 4:07:44 GMT 10

Yeah, 1989 was a pretty mediocre year for music. When people think of the "80s", I highly doubt they think of 1989 and its myriad of echoing power ballads rather than the banging synth music of 1985. But unlike the previous three years, I can sort of excuse this one at least since it was such an important year for house music. And I also like how you can already hear the premises of 90s music in this year's charting music, like the aformentioned house beats seaping into pop, more subdued instrumentations and alternative rock slowly making it on the charts.

1. The B-52's - "Love Shack" (The best song of the year is a 60s throwback from a early 80s new wave band, yeah...)
2. Madonna - "Like a Prayer"
3. Tears for Fears - "Sowing the Seeds Of Love" (Why did no one think about reviving psychedelic rock with a modern pop twist before?)
4. The Cure - "Lovesong"
5. Janet Jackson - "Rhythm Nation"

6. Neneh Cherry - "Buffalo Stance"
7. R.E.M. - "Stand"
8. Soul II Soul ft. Caron Wheeler - "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)"
9. Martika - "Toy Soldiers"
10. Fine Young Cannibals - "Good Thing"

11. Young MC - "Bust a Move"
12. Donna Summer - "This Time I Know It's for Real"
13. Paula Abdul - "Cold Hearted" (Yes I like this over the overrated "Straight Up")
14. Alice Cooper - "Poison"
15. Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus"

16. Madonna - "Express Yourself"
17. Technotronic ft. Felly - "Pump Up the Jam"
18. Guns N' Roses - "Patience" (For all the crappy glam metal ballads that made it big this year, this was a gem)
19. Roxette - "Listen to Your Heart"
20. New Kids on the Block - "You Got It (The Right Stuff)"

Tone-Lōc's "Funky Cold Medina" almost made it on here since I geniunely love its absurd storytelling, but the random transphobia is a huge downer. "This is the eighties" or not.

SharksFan99 likes this

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Last Edit: Sept 30, 2020 4:09:06 GMT 10 by Telso

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SharksFan99
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Top 20 Songs (1989) Sept 30, 2020 20:29:41 GMT 10

Post by SharksFan99 on Sept 30, 2020 20:29:41 GMT 10

Really? That's interesting to hear. To be honest with you, I have the exact opposite opinion, 1989 would actually have to be my favourite year for music out of the entire decade. Not only was it a more diverse and innovative time for Top-40 mainstream music for the reasons you gave, but it was also a particularly good year for album and single releases IMO. I personally enjoy all of the songs I have listed below, none of the songs are filler:

1. "About a Girl" - Nirvana - (Unpopular opinion, but the Bleach version is better than the "MTV Unplugged" rendition).
2. "Orange Crush" - R.E.M
3. "Poison" - Alice Cooper
4. "The Look" - Roxette
5. "Stand" - R.E.M
6. "Free Fallin'" - Tom Petty
7. "Baby I Don't Care" - Transvision Vamp
8. "She Drives Me Crazy" - Fine Young Cannibals
9. "Love in an Elevator" - Aeromsith
10. "The Best Thing" - Boom Crash Opera

11. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" - The Proclaimers
12. "Higher Ground" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
13. "You Got It" - Roy Orbison
14. "One Summer" - Daryl Braithwaite
15. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" - Poison
16. "I'm On My Way" - The Proclaimers
17. "Kickstart My Heart" - Motley Crue
18. "I Want It All" - Queen
19. "I Won't Back Down" - Tom Petty
20. "Dr. Feelgood" - Motley Crue

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Last Edit: Sept 30, 2020 20:33:04 GMT 10 by SharksFan99

Telso
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RoboSapien (2004), aka the peak of toys

Top 20 Songs (1989) Sept 30, 2020 22:08:51 GMT 10

Post by Telso on Sept 30, 2020 22:08:51 GMT 10

Sept 30, 2020 20:29:41 GMT 10 SharksFan99 said:

Really? That's interesting to hear. To be honest with you, I have the exact opposite opinion, 1989 would actually have to be my favourite year for music out of the entire decade. Not only was it a more diverse and innovative time for Top-40 mainstream music for the reasons you gave, but it was also a particularly good year for album and single releases IMO. I personally enjoy all of the songs I have listed below, none of the songs are filler:

Well, by exploring the charts of 1989 I had to suffer through plenty of washed-out dance-pop/pop rock hits by artists like Milli Vanilli, Jason Donovan, Richard Marx, early Kylie Minogue and New Kids on the Block (as good as "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" is, the rest of their catalogus is super shoddy), as well as the thousands of by-the-numbers ballads by pop artists and glam metal bands, which colored my view on this year. It's also sad to see artists I previously really enjoyed like Billy Joel and Phil Collins turn into generic charts' fodder this year.
House and alternative rock hits, as refreshing as they are, are still a minority at this point unfortunately. I do however agree that the heights of 1989 are some of the best of the post-1985 80s era, so I don't hate 1989 as much as I do 1986 for instance.

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Last Edit: Sept 30, 2020 22:12:17 GMT 10 by Telso

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