The Best Albums of 1985

We are back with another Best Albums feature from a year gone by - if you missed 1980, check that out after you're done here. Let's go back 32 years - when I was quarterback for the third year running on my Pop Warner football team, the Melrose Park Gaels. Back in 1985, Ronald Reagan began his second term as President of the United States. The Video Hits One Network (VH-1) premiered on January 1st, while later in the year the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) hit store shelves (and appeared under our Christmas tree). Back to the Future, Rocky IV, Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Color Purple and The Goonies were reeling in huge crowds at the theatre. It was a massive year for uniting people for great causes: Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie collaborated on the 'We Are the World' charity single, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide; Bob Geldof and Midge Ure organized the Live Aid concerts to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief. It was the end of Van Halen (version 1), as original singer David Lee Roth left the band. Pete Rose surpassed Ty Cobb as the all-time hit leader in Major League Baseball. Lily Allen, Lana Del Rey and Bruno Mars were all born in 1985. The world was left a sadder place with the deaths of actors Rock Hudson, Yul Brynner & Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra's bandleader Nelson Riddle and musician Ricky Nelson.

As always, Sarah and I enlisted the help of our regular contributors & friends to select Top 10 albums. In addition, everyone handpicked a track from each album for you to enjoy in our Best Albums of 1985 Spotify playlist at the bottom of the page (unfortunately there are a few albums not available on Spotify - we encourage you to locate those elsewhere). If you'd like to share your own 1985 favorites, please comment below. We will be back later in the week with a list of our Honorable Mentions. Stay tuned to see which year is coming next!

Bret Helm

Life on this Planet | Audra

10. New Model Army - No Rest for the Wicked
09. The Waterboys - This Is the Sea
08. The Church - Heyday
07. The Sound - Heads and Hearts
06. R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
05. The Cult - Love
04. The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically
03. The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
02. The Cure - The Head on the Door

01. Psi Com - s/t

Sarah Quarrie
Life on this Planet

10. Bryan Ferry - Boys and Girls
09. INXS - Listen Like Thieves
08. Clan of Xymox - s/t
07. Dead Can Dance - Spleen and Ideal
06. Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Talk About the Weather
05. The Damned - Phantasmagoria
04. The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically
03. The Cult - Love
02. The Cure - The Head on the Door
01. Love and Rockets - Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven

Rob Clark

Rockford, Illinois

10. New Order - Low-life

09. R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction

08. Talking Heads - Little Creatures

07. Simple Minds - Once Upon a Time

06. Killing Joke - Nighttime

05. The Cure - The Head on the Door

04. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

03. Shriekback - Oil and Gold

02. The Waterboys - This Is the Sea

01. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

Sierra Anna Jones
Okinawa, Japan

10. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Crush

09. a-ha - Hunting High and Low

08. The Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean? Basically

07. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

06. The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always

05. The Cure - The Head on the Door

04. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

03. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

02. New Order - Low-life

01. The Smiths - Meat Is Murder

Jason Jones
Okinawa, Japan

10. The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always

09. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Crush

08. The Cure - The Head on the Door

07. a-ha - Hunting High and Low

06. Prince and the Revolution - Around the World in a Day

05. New Order - Low-life

04. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

03. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

02. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

01. The Smiths - Meat Is Murder

Tim Brown
London, England

10. The Smiths - Meat Is Murder

09. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

08. The Style Council - Our Favourite Shop

07. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash

06. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

05. a-ha - Hunting High and Low

04. B-Movie - Forever Running

03. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Southern Accents

02. Talking Heads - Little Creatures

01. Sade - Promise

John Magness
Uttoxeter, England

10. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

09. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

08. Big Audio Dynamite - This Is Big Audio Dynamite

07. Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles

06. The Waterboys - This Is the Sea

05. The Smiths - Meat Is Murder

04. New Order - Low-life

03. Everything But the Girl - Love Not Money

02. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen

01. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

Jason DeWolfe Barton
Audra

10. Strawberry Switchblade - s/t
09. Stewart Copeland - The Rhythmatist

08. New Order - Low-life

07. China Crisis - Flaunt the Imperfection

06. Chrome - Another World

05.Slayer - Hell Awaits

04. Venom - Possessed

03. Dif Juz - Extractions

02. Death In June - Nada!

01. Cabaret Voltaire - The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord

Ron Marrs

New Orleans, Louisiana

10. Live Skull - Bringing Home the Bait

09. Love and Rockets - Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven

08. R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction

07. Talking Heads - Little Creatures

06. The Cult - Love

05. Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party

04. Christian Death - Ashes

03. The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always

02. Killing Joke - Night Time

01. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

STATS

51 different albums appeared in this feature

Which ones made it onto the most lists?

The Cure (5), Kate Bush (5), New Order (5), The Smiths (5), The Jesus and Mary Chain (4) and Tears for Fears (4)

If you're a vinyl enthusiast, check out our feature on the Spin Clean Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine (click image below)

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