Modern Rock: My 200 Favorite ’80s College Rock Songs, #26-60

As of this writing, I am sitting in a quiet house, much like the proverbial quiet before the storm. I am back in my music room, surrounded by my modest collection of albums & CDs, along with some memorabilia dotting the room while listening to my favorite album thus far in 2017, Paul Weller’s A Kind Revolution. Weller has been a constant artist in my life from his days as the leader of the punk/mod band The Jam in the late-70s/early-80s, of the sophisticated Europop band The Style Council throughout the 80s and as a solo artist since the early-90s. I would say since 2008, Weller has been on a creative roll, with music that ranks with the best of his illustrious career.

My problem is that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame seems to be ignoring artists who were big in the UK & Europe, like The Jam, and focusing more on classic rock artists who were popular in the US. Of the genres that have a beef with the RRHOF, like heavy metal, rap, soul and prog rock, alternative music, especially that of the Eighties, has been ignored. How can artists such as The Smiths (would have Britpop happened without these guys?), Pixies (Nirvana ripped them off quite a bit), The Cure and Depeche Mode (what music would we have moped around the house to?) and New Order/Joy Division (two bands that are interlocked forever and may have had the greatest influence on today’s music if you think about it). I know the people involving with nominating and electing artists is a thankless job, but come on! The public would love it if they would simply inducted 10 artists a year, instead of the small classes of five to seven.

The Hall of Fame is a great visit, though I have not been there since 2002. I am looking forward to visiting again, especially since my beloved Prince, Cheap Trick and Daryl Hall and John Oates have all been subsequently inducted in the intervening years. Son #2’s fiance’s parents were just there for a short visit and want us to road trip with them up to Cleveland for a better and longer visit. Hopefully, we will be able to make it happen soon.

Well, in my effort to keep the college rock artists alive in the collective memories of my readers, let’s continue with my favorite song countdown. Today, let’s cover numbers 26 through 60. Let’s get it started! (My apologies to the Black Eyed Peas!)

26. XTC – “Dear God” (1986). Who knew an atheist song could become so popular?

27. R.E.M. – “The One I Love” (1987). Another great stalker song.

28. The Housemartins – “Happy Hour” (1986). This was a great band in the shadow of The Smiths. Here is their best song.

29. The B-52’s – “Love Shack” (1989). Before this song was worn out by every wedding DJ since the song’s release, this was the major reason for the breathtaking comeback of the Eighties favorite party band.

30. The Stone Roses – “I Wanna Be Adored” (1989). For one album, The Stone Roses were causing a commotion over in Great Britain with a near-Beatlemania reaction toward the band. Unfortunately, the band’s innovative dance/rock hybrid fell on deaf ears in the States. However, the band was the second biggest influence on the Britpop phenomenon in the Nineties.

31. U2 – “Where the Streets Have No Name” (1987)

32. Jane’s Addiction – “Jane Says” (1988)

33. Talking Heads – “Once in a Lifetime” (1980)

34. Kate Bush – “Running Up That Hill” (1985)

35. Peter Gabriel – “Games Without Frontier” (1980)

36. Nine Inch Nails – “Head Like a Hole” (1989)

37. Peter Murphy – “Cuts You Up” (1989)

38. Suzanne Vega – “Luka” (1987)

39. Wire – “Eardrum Buzz” (1988)

40. The Style Council – “How She Threw It All Away” (1988)

41. Living Colour – “Glamour Boys” (1988)

42. Talking Heads – “Burning Down the House” (1983)

43. Love & Rockets – “So Alive” (1989)

44. Husker Du – “Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely” (1986)

45. Pixies – “Monkey Gone to Heaven” (1989)

46. Patti Smith – “People Have the Power” (1988)

47. Pet Shop Boys – “West End Girls” (1986)

48. Yazoo – “Don’t Go” (1982)

49. Sonic Youth – “Teen Age Riot” (1988)

50. The Psychedelic Furs – “The Ghost in You” (1984)

51. Cowboy Junkies – “Sweet Jane” (1988)

52. The Sicilian Vespers – “Baccala” (1988)

53. The Stone Roses – “I Am the Resurrection” (1989)

54. The Smiths – “Stop Me If You Think You Heard This Before” (1987)

55. Echo & the Bunnymen – “Lips Like Sugar” (1987)

56. The Cure – “Close to Me” (1985)

57. Sting – “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” (1985)

58. Camper van Beethoven – “Take the Skinheads Bowling” (1985)

59.Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians – “Balloon Man” (1988)

60. Eurythmics – “Who’s That Girl” (1984)

There you go. Next week, we will be all over my Top 25. Have a great weekend.