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Pitchfork's Top 200 songs of the 1980s

Seeing how the Library of Congress chose to preserve Daydream Nation in the National Recording Registry, I think it's safe to say the album is at least "memorable."

Hey - Pixies
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
I Am The Resurrection - The Stone Roses
Snowstorm - Galaxie 500
The Boy in the Bubble or Crazy Love, Vol. II - Paul Simon
 
Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

Killing Moon
Just Like Heaven
Where Is My Mind
Welcome to the Jungle
Straight Outta Compton

Favorite MTV Era new wave song - The Metro

Also, there were several legendary hard rock songs from the early 80s- namely Crazy Train and You Shook Me All Night Long.
 
These personal lists are so arbitrary, but my top 20 would be

1. When Doves Cry
2. In the Air Tonight
3. Billie Jean / Beat It / Thriller
4. Redemption Song
5. Push It
6. Blue Monday
7. Back in Black
8. He Stopped Loving Her Today
9. Sweet Child of Mine
10. Killing Moon
11. Love Will Tear us Apart
12. Don't start me Up
13. Take on Me
14. Atlantic City
15. Fight the Power
16. The KKK took my baby away
17. Always on my mind
18. Paid in Full
19. Shout
20. Jump
 
It looks like Pretty Hate Machine was released right at the end of 1989, so I would throw Head Like a Hole out there, though it looks like the song/single was released in early 90. Not sure what decade it counts for.
 
I saw Sonic Youth one time, in 1992 opening for Neil Young at the Dean Dome. My most enduring memory of that set was some guy behind me yelling at the top of his lungs "YOU GUYS SUCK!!!! GET THE #$%% OFF THE STAGE!!!!!" during their entire set.
 
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Trying to think like Pitchfork is a pointless endeavor.

A lot of great songs have been mentioned on this thread though. Here are a few more that might crack the top 20:

Sweet Child of Mine
With or Without You
Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For
Eye of the Tiger (maybe not top 20 material)
Whip It (Devo)
Rapture (Blondie)
Livin' on a Prayer
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
 
ChrisL68 said:
I saw Sonic Youth one time, in 1992 opening for Neil Young at the Dean Dome. My most enduring memory of that sat was some guy behind me yelling at the top of his lungs "YOU GUYS SUCK!!!! GET THE #$%% OFF THE STAGE!!!!!" during their entire set.
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I was there too. It was not an impressive set.
 
Bubble Boy said:
It looks like Pretty Hate Machine was released right at the end of 1989, so I would throw Head Like a Hole out there, though it looks like the song/single was released in early 90. Not sure what decade it counts for.
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Thats why I didn't include Epic by Faith No More.
 
vadimivich said:
Palma not having heard Sonic Youth, and not liking it, is probably the most predictable thing in the entire history of this board.

As for "nothing memorable about any of the instrumental work" - Sonic Youth basically redefined how to play guitars. The entire genre of "indie / alternative rock" effectively started with them. Spin Magazine named Moore and Ranaldo as their co-#1 guitarists of all time. That might be a bit high, but Moore is pretty much in everyone's top 25.

They were a transformative band that helped define the sound of the next generation.
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So they were the pioneers of the shittiest era of music in the 20th century?
 
Whoa - Holiday in Cambodia (assumed 70s) and Waiting Room (assumed mid/late 90s) are both 80s? I would stick both of those high up the list.
 
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Waiting room was late 80s from an ep and re-released on an lp later I believe. Could be high up on their list.
 
BiffTannen said:
I was there too. It was not an impressive set.
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I was there also. They were great. Expressway To Your Skull was the closer and it rocked my world.

They are obviously not for everybody, and they really weren't for all the old farts sitting in the audience waiting for Neil Young.

As for Ph's earlier question, 100% was probably their most visible song on MTV. I hate that song and skip it when I play that album.

Teenage Riot is a great song. Those who criticize it haven't a clue. I've probably seen SY 4-5 times over the years since that first show opening for NY and they always deliver. Even when they toured on NYC Ghosts & Flowers, which was a horrendous album, it was a magnificent show. The only other band to do that for me was Radiohead with all their bleepity bloopity Kid A/Amnesiac shit.

They're about due for a new album. All of their albums since Evol have been pretty good except for Experimental Jet Set and NYC Ghosts. Washing Machine may have been their best.
 
I like Sonic Youth alright, just wasn't feeling the set at the Dean Dome.
 
Also, I think that show was in 1990 or 1991, not 1992.
 
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