Pop album that has stood the test of time

WRECKING BALL by Emmylou Harris

Nothing to complain about here.  

@howardlee

You’re welcome to post.. instead of complaining.

Sade- Diamond Life,  Dire Straits- Brothers in Arms, 

Moon Martin "Rolene"

The Replacements - "Tim"

The The (Best band name ever?) - "Soul Mining"

I went back and can see most of you folks apparently stop at the 80's. Makes me laugh.  

Many of those old, especially pre-digital, albums are infinitely better recorded than what is usually available today, and this trend goes back into the 50's, as most of you would know from the latest high-priced re-releases.  Don't, however, forgo original pressings, usually well-graded and much less expensive, available on Discogs and other sources.  You need a vinyl cleaning machine anyway, should you not have one.  That's for those who know what they want.  If you don't, used record sales are lots of fun!

I was just listening to a French DJ version of the debut A Flock of Seagulls last night. Gotta be top 3 80s albums all-time for me. 

A lot of great albums. Lately I’ve been playing The Cure. Probably because they finally came out with a new album after 18 years. They must of been following the Guns and Roses strategy. Anyway, I think Disintegration has held up very well. Fascination Street is a great way to start my day.

I’m inspired now...a few

Timbuk 3 "Eden Alley"

Paula Cole "This Fire"

Shawn Colvin "Steady On"

Neko Case "Middle Cyclone"

Toad the Wet Sprocket "Dulcinea"

Tanita Tikaram "Closer to the People"

Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians "Shooting Rubber bands @ the Stars"

Fountains of Wayne "Welcome Interstate Managers"

Joan Osborne "Relish"

+1 for YAZ  .. Upstairs at Eric’s

Make sure to check out the track “In My Room”

@slaw + 1

I'd add the following LPS as well:

New Order - Power, Corruption and Lies, Technique, Brotherhood 

Echoes and the Bunnymen - self titled, Porcupine 

The The's - Mind Bomb and Dusk

Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour, Please, 

The Cars - Heartbreak City

Blondie - Autoamerican

The Clash - Combat Rock

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration and Music for the Masses 

The Cure - Disintegration, Seventeen Seconds

Richard Barone - "Cool Blue Halo"

Billy Bragg - "Workers Playtime"

Lloyd Cole & Commotions - "Rattlesnakes"

Concrete Blonde - "Concrete Blonde"

Elvis Costello - "Get Happy"

Go - Betweens - "16 Lovers Lane"

Hoodoo Gurus - "Stoneage Romeos"

House of Freaks - "Tantilla"

Housemartins - "London 0, Hull 4"

Hunters & Collectors - "Human Frailty"

Joe Jackson - "Beat Crazy"

Robin Lane & Chartbusters - "Imitation Life"

Prefab Sprout - "Steve McQueen" (AKA - Two Wheels Good)

I'm not sure how you can pick just one Smiths album; so, I didn't.

You are asking about "Pop" records.  In that category I would say Rockpile's  Seconds of Pleasure is one I continue to enjoy.  

@audioisnobiggie , 

This could've been an enjoyable thread without your remarks.

Great music is timeless.

I'm out.

+ 1 @tooblue - big EC fan... love Joe Jackson, Talk Talk, XTC, The Cure so much great 80s music. Wasn't all Madonna & Duran Duran. I found Alt County at this time too, Lone Justice, The Jayhawks, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, etc. Really a ton of great music in the 80s lots of genres that got started in the 70s flourished (Rap & Hip Hop, New Jack) and got deep traction in the 80s

Thriller.....of course

These are great lists, thanks all.  Some I have not heard and intend to check out.

kn

Peter Gabriel - So

The first 6 or 7 REM albums

Most of the Joe Jackson stuff.

The Clash - London Calling

 The Specials first two albums

Dire Straits first album

Great topic and way too many to name for me. But here are the ones that I have that come to mind:

The Smiths - (any of them) but The Queen is Dead

Pet Shop Boys - Please

New Order - Technique

Madonna - Erotica

FGTH - Welcome to the Pleasuredome

Yaz - Upstairs at Erics

Brian Ferry - Boys and Girls

ABC - The Lexicon of Love

Grace Jones - Nightclubbing

I could go on and on.

Although maybe a loose interpretation of pop music, I would have to say the inaugural offerings from Joe Jackson/Look Sharp and Elvis Costello/My Aim is True, are as good today as they were when first introduced. Enjoy the music

Here's a few from 80s/90s everyone should have.
Pulp - Different Class
Prefab Sprout – From Langley Park to Memphis
The Bathers – Unusual Places to Die
R.E.M. – Green
Paul Simon - Graceland
It's Immaterial – Life's Hard and Then You Die
Fairground Attraction – The First Of A Million Kisses
The The – Mind Bomb
Talk Talk – The Colour of Spring
XTC – Oranges & Lemons

@slaw thats funny cause the first name that popped into my head was Suzanne Vega.  I got on a kick a while ago listening to several of her early albums.  Very good.

Tracy Chapman is another one.  

"Held up well" is of course very subjective, but I was blown away ~15 years ago when I bought an OG vinyl copy of A-Ha’s "Hunting High and Low" JUST for the huge hit "Take on Me". That’s the only song I knew, at that time - but the whole album, from start to finish, is incredibly emotional and powerful. Beautifully done. One of my top favorites to this day. Also check out their "Unplugged - Summer Solstice" LP; it’s amazing. It has a stunning rendition of "The Sun Always Shines on TV" from that OG album - among other stunning tracks. Almost every time I’ve demoed that Unplugged for a local audiophile, they’ve gone out and bought a copy.

Also agree The Smiths material has held up well - timeless alt rock / indie.

99.9° is great!

@slaw I was just getting ready to mention Suzanne Vega - Solitude Standing.  I've been playing it all morning. 

Early Susanne Vega albums

I despised 80's/90's pop/"modern rock"at the time, but Sinead's debut "The Lion and the Cobra" is now equally listenabale.

Her LP's are now found in the 3 for $10 bins in great condition.

Add any of the 4 Smith's.

Stray Cats debut.