Growing up, the year 1984 always seemed to be a year of impending doom. In some ways it was, what with the Ayn Rand-driven Reaganomics unfortunately becoming the dominant economic philosophy leading to the undermining of the middle class. But when were still a decade away from much of Orwell’s dystopic vision of society, although this was not coming from the left but the right. Actually, a book that came out around this time entitled The Handmaid’s Tale may actually be closer to reality today than Orwell’s vision. Sorry, but there was not really a new morning in America but more of an impending doom.
And, believe it or not, the underground music scene reflected this queasiness with Reagan’s America. Go back and listen to music of Run-D.M.C., The Replacements, Hüsker Dü or The Smiths, and you can hear this anger building. While, the media was attempting to push a party-hearty music of glam metal to keep the youth diverted from reality.
Yet, through it all, some of the finest music was being released during this pivotal year. 1984, of course, was Prince’s year. At one point during the summer of 1984, the man had the number one album, single and movie in the country. But, other artists were hitting the bullseye with their music. The Cars released a terrific album, Heartbeat City, that was loaded with hits. Van Halen, another band who debuted in 1978 with The Cars, released a great commercial album with 1984. And, one of my personal favorites, The Style Council, was bringing their Motown/Europop vision to the forefront of the music scene.
On a personal level, 1984 was my senior year in college. I was facing adulthood, marriage, a career and an impending parenthood all at once while attempting to figure out how to mature into the vision of myself without too much compromise. At least the music was great that year to help me through this terrifying moment in my life. But, it was a hell of a year to be the soundtrack of that kind of year, which ends my decade of development as Gen X-er coming of age.
So, let’s put a cap on this decade with what I consider to be the finest year of this ten-year run of when I might have actually been somewhat “cool.” Let’s count ’em down!
100. “Roxanne’s Revenge” – Roxanne Shante
99. “Ghostbusters” – Ray Parker Jr.
98. “Rock Box” – Run-D.M.C.
97. “Rock You like a Hurricane” – Scorpions
96. “Footloose” – Kenny Loggins
95. “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” – Deniece Williams
94. “Holiday” – Madonna
93. “Let the Music Play” – Shannon
92. “Cruel Summer” – Bananarama
91. “Jump (For My Love)” – The Pointer Sisters
90. “Talking in Your Sleep” – The Romantics
89. “Legs” – ZZ Top
88. “Eyes Without a Face” – Billy Idol
87. “Dance Hall Days” – Wang Chung
86. “On the Dark Side” – John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
85. “Original Sin” – INXS
84. “Break My Stride” – Matthew Wilder
83. “Nobody Told Me” – John Lennon
82. “Lucky Star” – Madonna
81. “Middle of the Road” – The Pretenders
80. “Automatic” – The Pointer Sisters
79. “Hot for Teacher” – Van Halen
78. “(She’s) Sexy + 17” – Stray Cats
77. “Jungle Love” – The Time
76. “Relax” – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
75. “You Might Think” – The Cars
74. “The Warrior” – Scandal (Featuring Patty Smyth)
73. “99 Luftballoons” – Nena
72. “Valotte” – Julian Lennon
71. “Roxanne Roxanne” – U.T.F.O.
70. “Lovergirl” – Teena Marie
69. “Close (To the Edit)” – The Art of Noise
68. “Magic” – The Cars
67. “Got a Hold on Me” – Christine McVie
66. “Dancing in the Sheets” – Shalamar
65. “That’s All” – Genesis
64. “Head Over Heels” – The Go-Go’s
63. “Adult Education” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
62. “Going Down to Liverpool” – The Bangles
61. “Run Runaway” – Slade
60. “They Don’t Know” – Tracey Ullman
59. “I Want a New Drug” – Huey Lewis & the News
58. “State of Shock” – The Jacksons & Mick Jagger
57. “Sunglasses at Night” – Corey Hart
56. “Who’s That Girl” – Eurythmics
55. “Stuck on You” – Lionel Richie
54. “Time After Time” – Cyndi Lauper
53. “Blue Jean” – David Bowie
52. “Last Christmas” – Wham!
51. “The Boys of Summer” – Don Henley
50. “I Want to Know What Love Is” – Foreigner
49. “Cover Me” – Bruce Springsteen
48. “Purple Rain” – Prince & the Revolution
47. “I Feel for You” – Chaka Khan
46. “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” – Phil Collins
45. “We’re Not Gonna Take It” – Twisted Sister
44. “Born in the U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen
43. “Oh Sherrie” – Steve Perry
42. “Round and Round” – Ratt
41. “Hold Me Now” – Thompson Twins
40. “Rebel Yell” – Billy Idol
39. “Somebody’s Watching Me” – Rockwell
38. “Authority Song” – John Cougar Mellencamp
37. “Jump” – Van Halen
36. “Easy Lover” – Philip Bailey Jr. with Phil Collins
35. “Panama” – Van Halen
34. “I Will Dare” – The Replacements
33. “Wouldn’t It Be Good” – Nik Kershaw
32. “Out of Touch” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
31. “I Can Dream About You” – Dan Hartman
30. “The Reflex” – Duran Duran
29. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” – Band Aid
28. “Give It Up” – KC
27. “The Bird” – The Time
26. “Lights Out” – Peter Wolf
25. “It’s My Life” – Talk Talk
24. “Two Tribes” – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
23. “Drive” – The Cars
22. “Radio Ga Ga” – Queen
21. “Pink Cadillac” – Bruce Springsteen
20. “She Bop” – Cyndi Lauper
19. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” – U2
18. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – Wham!
17. “Pink Houses” – John Cougar Mellencamp
16. “What’s Love Got to Do with It” – Tina Turner
15. “Careless Whisper” – Wham! featuring George Michael
14. “Sister Christian” – Night Ranger
13. “Like a Virgin” – Madonna
12. “Missing You” – John Waite
11. “Borderline” – Madonna
10. “The Glamorous Life” – Sheila E.
9. “You’re the Best Thing” – The Style Council
8. “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” – R.E.M.
7. “How Soon Is Now?” – The Smiths
6. “Erotic City” – Prince & the Revolution
5. “Killing Moon” – Echo & the Bunnymen
4. “Dancing in the Dark” – Bruce Springsteen
3. “My Ever Changing Mood” – The Style Council
2. “Let’s Go Crazy” – Prince & the Revolution
1. “When Doves Cry” – Prince
If My Records Could Talk 