Retrospective Albums of the Year: 1984

I actually intended to finish this list (and 1994) last year, to mark the 40th anniversary of these albums. But, the post was nearly done, so I'll see it through, albeit a little late. 

1984 is a much weaker year than 1974, in my opinion, although as I've never been a huge fan of the '80s in general, I don't know if you should trust my opinion. It is, however, a year in music that I remember much better than 1974, that is the parts that aren't clouded by alcohol consumption.

10. Bryan Adams - Reckless

I was briefly a fan of Bryan Adams. I even saw him in concert on this tour, I believe. Younger me probably would've been embarrassed to admit this, but I honestly feel like this album and Cuts Like a Knife both hold up pretty well.

9. Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.

The highest selling album in Bruce's career certainly isn't his best, but it has more than a handful of really accessible, and enjoyable, songs.

8. The Smiths - The Smiths

This is one of two albums in this top ten that I didn't listen to in 1984, and is the only one that I listened to for the first time in the process of making this list. That fact probably speaks more to the relative weakness of this list than to the greatness of Morrissey, but this is a really enjoyable listen.

7. R.E.M. - Reckoning

I'm not sure if I'm ready to call R.E.M. the best band of the '80s, but I'm willing to guess if I see this project all the way through, they will make the most appearances in my top ten.

6. Iron Maiden - Powerslave

This album came out at the end of my heavy metal phase, which I've revisited in recent years due to Little Chuck's musical taste. Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind are better, in my opinion, but this is a very solid album. 

5. U2 - The Unforgettable Fire

I was never a huge U2 fan. I own a couple of their albums, but not this one, which is better than I realized back in the day. Perhaps I should've waited about nine days to post this...

4. Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith

I've always been a bigger Iron Maiden fan than a Judas Priest fan. In fact, despite how good Screaming for Vengeance was, I can't remember even purchasing their follow up. Needless to say, I was surprised at how good this one is. 

3. Triumph - Thunder Seven

I'm sure I'm a bigger Triumph fan, and a bigger fan of this album, than most people. Critically speaking, it's no Allied Forces, but sometimes I like it even better. 

2. The Replacements - Let It Be

This is the other album that I didn't actually listen to in 1984, but "Unsatisfied" and "Answering Machine" are perhaps my two favorite Replacements songs, and while this album is not as consistent as Tim, it's easily one of their two best. 

1. Rush - Grace Under Pressure

I was a huge Rush fan back in 1984, and I'm still a pretty huge Rush fan today. I consider this to be perhaps their most under-rated album.