Classic Rock Bottom

In this post I will be offering some stats and a couple of brief thoughts regarding 30 albums from 1985. This is not meant to be a Top 25 list of that year, it is just thirty albums from 1985 that I pulled out to listen to.  I will offer my personal ranking of the 30 albums as well and I encourage you to follow along and do the same...if you want.  I will be ranking as I go and shuffling as needed.  I will start here and add each successive album in the comments.  As a disclaimer, all of the Billboard charting and RIAA type info is pulled from Wikipedia so I don’t even know if it’s accurate but it is based on the Billboard Hot 100 or Billboard 200 albums chart.


Album Title: Centerfield

Artist: John Fogerty

Release Date: 1/14/85

Billboard: 1

RIAA Certification: 2 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

The Old Man Down The Road #10
Rock And Roll Girls #20
Centerfield #44

Notable Deep Cuts:

Mr. Greed
Searchlight

Vanz Kant Danz

Brief Thoughts: I wonder if John Fogerty had any idea how iconic the title track would turn out and that we would still be hearing it at minor league and major league ballparks to this day? Regardless, this is a good, fun little album that really calls back to CCR. The Old Man Down The Road and Searchlight could have easily been Creedence songs.

Ranking:

1. Centerfield

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Album Title: The Firm

Artist: The Firm

Release Date: 2/11/85

Billboard: 17

RIAA Certification: Gold

Billboard Charting Singles:

Radioactive #28
Satisfaction Guaranteed #73

Notable Deep Cuts:

Make Or Break
Money Can’t Buy
Midnight Moonlight

Brief Thoughts: Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page together is a can’t miss proposition. Well, it performed fairly and they managed two albums. The debut is pretty good but short of a masterpiece. I’m not buying the cover of You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, but other than that this is a good listen.

Ranking:

1. The Firm
2. Centerfield

Album Title: Southern Accents

Artist: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Release Date: 3/26/85

Billboard: 7

RIAA Certification: Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Don’t Come Around Here No More #13
Make It Better (Forget About Me) #54
Rebels #74

Notable Deep Cuts:

Mary’s New Car
The Best Of Everything

Brief Thoughts: I will be straight up and say that Southern Accents is not one of my favorite Petty albums. The hits are good and Don’t Come Around Here No More is still played all the time on Classic Rock radio. I do really like the two songs that close out the album which are listed as notable deep cuts. And of course, I love the single Rebels.

Ranking:

1. The Firm
2. Centerfield
3. Southern Accents

Album Title: The Power Station

Artist: The Power Station

Release Date: 3/25/85

Billboard: 6

RIAA Certification: ?

Billboard Charting Singles:

Some Like It Hot #6
Get It On (Bang A Gong) #9
Communication #34

Notable Deep Cuts:

Harvest For The World

Brief Thoughts: I remember this album being a pretty big deal when it came out. A true supergroup. Palmer sounds awesome as usual and I am a fan of Andy Taylor’s work. This has a huge R&R influence and for me is an okay listen.

Ranking:

1. The Firm
2. Centerfield
3. Southern Accents
4. The Power Station

Album Title: 7800° Fahrenheit

Artist: Bon Jovi

Release Date: 3/27/85

Billboard: 37

RIAA Certification: Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Only Lonely #54
In And Out Of Love #69

Notable Deep Cuts:

Price Of Love
Tokyo Road
Always Run To You
Secret Dreams

Brief Thoughts: I was pretty much all about Bon Jovi when this was released. To me, it had a harder edge to it than the debut. Still does. I always thought Only Lonely should have been a much bigger hit. I saw them open for Ratt on this tour and they were much better at that time than the headliner. I don’t listen to them much anymore, but this album is really good.

Ranking:

1. 7800° Fahrenheit
2. The Firm
3. Centerfield
4. Southern Accents
5. The Power Station

Album Title: Songs From The Big Chair

Artist: Tears For Fears

Release Date: 2/25/85

Billboard: 1

RIAA Certification: 5 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Shout #1
Everybody Wants To Rule The World #1
Head Over Heels #3

Notable Deep Cuts:

The Working Hour
Listen

Brief Thoughts: This is another album that I did not own back then. I was really a fan of the hits only. But listening to this album today was cools. It went really well with the cool, damp weather we are having here. It’s not one that will likely be spun often by me, but the occasional listen is enjoyable.

Ranking:

1. 7800° Fahrenheit
2. The Firm
3. Centerfield
4. Southern Accents
5. The Power Station
6. Songs From The Big Chair

Album Title: Heart

Artist: Heart

Release Date: 7/6/85

Billboard: 1

RIAA Certification: 5 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

What About Love #10
Never #4
These Dreams #1
Nothin’ At All #10
If Looks Could Kill #54

Notable Deep Cuts:

The Wolf

Brief Thoughts: As a disclaimer, I am ranking these albums based on a fresh listen, not how I felt about it back then. I remember really liking this album from start to finish when it was released. I thought it was a great comeback and reinvention. I still think side one is really strong, with my favorite track being Never. The second side fills more like filler these days. But overall it was still a good listen.

Ranking:

1. 7800° Fahrenheit
2. The Firm
3. Heart
4. Centerfield
5. Southern Accents
6. The Power Station
7. Songs From The Big Chair

So far, this is the only album that I own from the ones you've posted so far.

1. Heart

Album Title: Theatre Of Pain

Artist: Motley Crue

Release Date: 6/21/85

Billboard: 6

RIAA Certification: 4 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Smoking’ In The Boys Room #16
Home Sweet Home #89

Notable Deep Cuts:

City Boy Blues
Louder Than Hell
Keep Your Eye On The Money
Tonight (We Need A Lover)

Brief Thoughts: I really liked this when it came out, then I went through a period of thinking it was too polished compared to the previous two albums. The polish is definitely there, but I very much enjoyed this spin. The deep cuts listed above are outstanding. The Brownsville Station cover and Home Sweet Home do not hold up quite as well, but they are still worth listening to.

Ranking:

1. 7800° Fahrenheit
2. Theatre Of Pain
3. The Firm
4. Heart
5. Centerfield
6. Southern Accents
7. The Power Station
8. Songs From The Big Chair

Album Title: Invasion Of Your Privacy

Artist: Ratt

Release Date: 6/13/85

Billboard: 7

RIAA Certification: 2 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Lay It Down #40
You’re In Love #89

Notable Deep Cuts:

Never Use Love
Closer To My Heart
What You Give Is What You Get
You Should Know By Now
Dangerous But Worth The Risk

Brief Thoughts: I’ve always considered Out Of The Cellar my favorite Ratt album, but I really enjoyed spinning this today. It really took me back. Lay It Down has possibly my favorite 80’s riff and You’re In Love gets the album off to a great start. And they close well with You Should Know By Now and the sensational Dangerous But Worth The Risk. This is just a terrific album. And I haven’t even mentioned the album cover yet.

Ranking:

1. Invasion Of Your Privacy
2. 7800° Fahrenheit
3. Theatre Of Pain
4. The Firm
5. Heart
5. Centerfield
7. Southern Accents
8. The Power Station
9. Songs From The Big Chair

Album Title: Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!

Artist: Megadeth

Release Date: 6/12/85

Billboard: 169

RIAA Certification: N/A

Billboard Charting Singles:

N/A

Notable Deep Cuts:

Chosen Ones

Brief Thoughts: Countdown To Extinction is the album that got me into Megadeth. Their debut doesn’t move me other than the song Chosen Ones, which sounds to me like it would fit quite well on Countdown. Dave Mustain, who doesn’t really sing well to begin with, seems like he was still searching for his voice. I will say I totally dig the drumming. It is aggressive and powerful without pelting you constantly with double bass drumming. This band would improve.

Ranking:

1. Invasion Of Your Privacy
2. 7800° Fahrenheit
3. Theatre Of Pain
4. The Firm
5. Heart
5. Centerfield
7. Southern Accents
8. The Power Station
9. Songs From The Big Chair
10. Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!

Album Title: 7 Wishes

Artist: Night Ranger

Release Date: 5/20/85

Billboard: 10

RIAA Certification: Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

Sentimental Street #8
Four In a the Morning #19
Goodbye #17

Notable Deep Cuts:

Seven Wishes
Faces
This Boy Needs To Rock
Interstate Love Affair
Night Machine


Brief Thoughts: Man, I really like this album. It had been a while since I had heard it. I really don’t think there is a bad track here. Goodbye is one of my favorite 80’s ballads and Four In The Morning reminds me of When You a close Your Eyes from this album’s predecessor.

Ranking:

1. 7 Wishes
2. Invasion Of Your Privacy
3. 7800° Fahrenheit
4. Theatre Of Pain
5. The Firm
6. Heart
7. Centerfield
8. Southern Accents
9. The Power Station
10. Songs From The Big Chair
11. Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!

Album Title: Brothers In Arms

Artist: Dire Straits

Release Date: 5/13/85

Billboard: 1

RIAA Certification: 9 X Platinum

Billboard Charting Singles:

So Far Away #19
Money For Nothing #1
Walk Of Life #7

Notable Deep Cuts:

Your Latest Trick
Why Worry
Ride Across The River
The Man’s Too Strong
Brothers In Arms

Brief Thoughts: I certainly knew of Dire straits thanks to Sultans Of Swing. But other than that, they had evaded my world. This album was huge and for good reason. Money For Nothing was massive but is now played out. That being said it really is a good song. Everything else here is completely fantastic.

Ranking:

1. 7 Wishes
2. Invasion Of Your Privacy
3. 7800° Fahrenheit
4. Theatre Of Pain
5. Brothers In Arms
6. The Firm
7. Heart
8. Centerfield
9. Southern Accents
10. The Power Station
11. Songs From The Big Chair
12. Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!

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