Some old and some very old friends make an appearance in this installment.
30. Patterson Hood - Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams
29. Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On
28. Mumford & Sons - Rushmere
27. Willie Nelson - Oh What a Beautiful World
Some years ago, I started a bit of a Christmas tradition where I gifted my dad a CD that most closely represented the intersection of our musical tastes. Dad passed away this year, but this is the album that would have fit the bill.
26. Sun Kil Moon - All the Artists
25. Jakko M. Jakszyk - Son of Glen
Somewhat fitting that the album written by the current King Crimson lead singer about his father makes an appearance in this round of ten.
24. Brown Horse - All the Right Weaknesses
23. Kathleen Edwards - Billionaire
Continuing with the somber theme, it wasn't until I saw her live this year that I realized this album's title track is about a friend she lost recently.
22. Alan Sparhawk - With Trampled By Turtles
21. James McMurtry - The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy
2025 wasn't quite as strong for new albums as 2024 in my opinion, but I still managed to compile a top 40.
2025 was also a great year for live music, particularly for LC, as it was the year he upgraded from almost exclusively seeing tribute acts to seeing the real deal on a few occasions.
As they were his first favorite band, AC/DC in May was a long time coming for us, although he broke his leg two months prior so it was a bit of a challenge. His personal highlight, though, was Judas Priest and Alice Cooper in September. We also saw Zakk Sabbathtwice, and of course, we watched Back to the Beginning on simulcast in July. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Birmingham for that one, which I kind of regret now.
40. Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override
39. Califone - The Villager's Companion
38. Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts - Talkin' to the Trees
37. Explosions in the Sky - American Primeval (Soundtrack)
36. The Reds, Pinks and Purples - The Past is a Garden I Never Fed
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.
2024 was a year I attended more live shows than I have in any year in recent memory; and with tickets to four upcoming 2025 events in hand already, it looks like next year will continue that trend.
Three of the upcoming shows will involve LC, so his interest in music is definitely part of the reason for the upsurge in seeing live music. It has also revived my interest in some of the music I listened to in my youth, so that's a huge plus.
I'd have to say that overall 2024 was a pretty good year, with one major exception that I won't discuss here. I hope it was a good one for you too, and that 2025 is even better. Thanks again to the two or three of you who have paid attention this far, and I hope you continue to remain interested.
5. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
A good portion of my youth took place in the '80s, but I never was a fan of The Cure or pretty much anything new wave related, so this album's ranking should be quite the surprise.
4. Zach Bryan - The Great American Bar Scene
This one was quite a surprise as well, but for different reasons. When I heard Jason Isbell was opening for him on tour, I assumed Zach Bryan was just another mainstream country artist...perhaps I pictured a cross between Zac Brown and Luke Bryan. But, the guest appearances on this album -- namely Bruce Springsteen and John Moreland --- prompted me to give it a chance. I'm glad I did.
3. Phosphorescent - Revelator
My top two albums are both by artists who have one prior top ten appearance each, so this is the highest ranking newcomer to my top ten.
2. Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future
This is not meant as a knock on Big Thief, but I'm a much bigger fan of her solo work than I am her main gig.
1. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood
I can't remember the last time I've been this certain of an album of the year, not to mention that Waxahatchee's concert at the Orpheum in April was my show of the year, and this amazing duet with MJ Lenderman is my song of the year.
Jon Anderson turned 80 this year. I'm quite certain this makes him the oldest artist to land in my top ten, although there is one artist in my top five whose heyday was also in the 20th century.
9. Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
8. Cloud Cult - Alchemy Creek
7. Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
6. John Moreland - Visitor
While a few of the albums rounding out this top ten are not their bands' best albums, the top six are all my absolute favorites by the artists in question.
"Since baseball time is measured only in outs, all you have to do is succeed utterly; keep hitting, keep the rally alive, and you have defeated time. You remain forever young." - Roger Angell
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