A breakdown of my favorite albums from my favorite year in pop music
 | Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet Rick Springfield Peak on Billboard 200: 2 Peak in Cashbox: 4 Top 40 pop singles: "Don't Talk to Strangers," "I Get Excited," "What Kind of Fool am I" Top track: "Don't Talk to Strangers" |
Lots of good, hard drivin' power pop on this one. Springfield might have been taken more seriously as a musician if he hadn't been a good looking, charming soap opera star.
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 | The Dollar Album Dollar Peak on Billboard 200: Did not chart Peak in Cashbox: Did not chart Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour)" |
Thanks to producer Trevor Horn, this overlooked collection of songs is a catchy mess of harmless sugar-coated disco-pop. I wish I had found discovered it back in '82, but better late than never.
 | The Other Woman Ray Parker, Jr. Peak on Billboard 200: 11 Peak in Cashbox: 14 Top 40 pop singles: "The Other Woman," "Let Me Go" Top track: "The Other Woman" |
I'm not very familiar with this R&B release, but the title track was playing on the radio when I lost my virginity, so that memory earns the album a spot on this list.
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 | Pleasure Victim Berlin Peak on Billboard 200: 30 Peak in Cashbox: 28 Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Sex (I'm A...)" |
Everything about this synthpop album oozes sexuality - just what every 16 year old boy needs.
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 | English Settlement XTC Peak on Billboard 200: 48 Peak in Cashbox: 62 Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Senses Working Overtime" |
A transitional album for the band; the quirky but engaging songwriting of Andy Partridge shines through. The Hugh Padgham production is apparent and that's a good thing.
 | All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes Pete Townshend Peak on Billboard 200: 26 Peak in Cashbox: 21 Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Face Dances Part Two" |
Beneath the ill-advised album title and the pompous lyrics, there's some good rock music here.
 | Imperial Bedroom Elvis Costello and the Attractions Peak on Billboard 200: 30 Peak in Cashbox: 33 Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Beyond Belief" |
I've never liked Elvis as much as I think I should, probably because his singles are so much better than his albums. Still, "Beyond Belief" is my favorite Costello song and it really elevates this album in my estimation.
 | The Love that Whirls (Diary of a Thinking Heart) Bill Nelson Peak on Billboard 200: Did not chart Peak in Cashbox: Did not chart Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Flaming Desire" |
Wall of sound meets not-quite-New Romantic synthrock. There's a lot going on in these pieces, but definitely worth the effort to investigate. When I first heard the bonus disc La Belle et la Bete, it made me seriously consider movie score composition as a career.
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 | Offramp Pat Metheny Group Peak on Billboard 200: 50 Peak in Cashbox: 45 Top 40 pop singles: None Top track: "Are You Going With Me?" |
I wasn't quite ready for Metheny's atmospheric noodlings when I got this LP in 1983 from Columbia House as part of those 11 for a penny "negative option billing" scams, but I eventually came to appreciate Metheny's work. An acquired taste worth acquiring.
These are my personal top 82 albums released in 1982. The following criteria was used on a very slippery sliding scale:
- How often I enjoyed the album at the time of release
- How often I've enjoyed the album over the past 30+ years
- Overall quality of the album
While he wouldn't have made my Top 150, I had totally forgotten about Bill Nleson so thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteSurpised that you ranked Rick Springfield and Berlin so much lower than I did. I still listen to a lot of Rick regularly but Berlin, not so much.
No clue about Dollar album - must have missed that day in Trevor Horn class.