Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Paste disagrees with me about 1982


Yada yada yada.  I'm looking at another "Best Album's of the '80s" list in hopes of finding some publication/website that will agree with me that 1982 is the best year ever for pop music.  To date, I've examined lists at Rolling Stone, Best Ever Albums, Dave's Music Database, Popjustice, Slant, and, most recently, Pitchfork.  Today, I look at the list put together over at Paste, which lists only 80 albums as opposed to the customary 100.  This was a close race, with only 37 points separating the top 5 spots.  However, my beloved 1982 finished in the 9 spot.  It is becoming increasingly clear that the recognition of the superiority of the music released in 1982 is an opinion only held by elite members of the pop music cognoscenti (present company included).


Using a simple formula (album #1 received 80 points, album #2 received 79 points, and so on through #80 receiving 1 point, 3240 total points available), here are the results:



1986
Number of albums: 9
Points: 444

1989
Number of albums: 10
Points: 442

1980
Number of albums: 12
Points: 431

1984
Number of albums: 8
Points: 423

1987
Number of albums: 13
Points: 407

1988
Number of albums: 8
Points: 267

1985
Number of albums: 7
Points: 266

1983
Number of albums: 4
Points: 234

1982
Number of albums: 5
Points: 200

1981
Number of albums: 4
Points: 126


The five albums selected for the list which were released in 1982 are:

 3ThrillerMichael Jackson
 24Shoot Out the LightsRichard & Linda Thompson
 42Marshall CrenshawMarshall Crenshaw
 59Hex Induction PowerThe Fall
 77The Blue MaskLou Reed



That's seven lists so far.  I'm going to stop after ten album charts and switch to examining the singles charts.


RSBEADMDBPMSlantPFPaste
1980198419861987198919871986
1984198719891984198719811989
1982198919871983198619891980
1987198619841982198319881984
1983198019851988198419801987
1986198819831986198819851988
1988198319801989198219831985
1985198219881985198019861983
1981198519821980198119841982
1989198119811981198519821981

RS = Rolling Stone, BEA = Best Ever Albums, DMDB = Dave's Music Database, PM = Popmatters, PF = Pitchfork


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