Best Album of the '80s - And the winner is ... on page 14

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

If you think Lucky Town and Wrecking Ball are better than Born in the USA, I blame familiarity. "No Surrender," "Bobby Jean," "Downbound Train" and "My Hometown" are incredible songs, and there are about five other very good songs on the album. Even the lowlights are clearly better than the worst tracks on Lucky Town and Wrecking Ball, with "I'm Goin' Down" as the exception.

With that said, I do think that Born in the USA is straightforward. The solos seem so rehearsed. It's not a very loose album, even on its best tracks. The songs are tightly written, which gives the band less time to flex its muscles. That was intentional, but I love when the E Street Band flexes its muscles.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

I agree that Born in the USA is far from Bruce's best album, but it's still great and it holds up.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

Versatile's Bruce Springsteen studio album rankings:

All-time classics
1. Born to Run (1975)
2. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
3. The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle (1973)

Great albums
4. Nebraska (1982)
5. Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
6. The River (1980)
7. Born in the USA (1984)

Fine efforts
8. Wrecking Ball (2012)
9. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
10. Tunnel of Love (1987)
11. The Rising (2002)
12. Magic (2007)

I kept it, but I rarely listen to it
13. Lucky Town (1992)
14. The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
15. Devils & Dust (2005)

You're better than that, Bruce
16. Working on a Dream (2009)
17. Human Touch (1992)

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

I would be interested to see your ranking of Michael Jackson' albums.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

1. Thriller
2. Off the Wall
3. Bad

A mess of albums I have no interest in: the rest.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

You didn't like Dangerous? I think it's better than Off the Wall.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

Off the Wall is one of my three or four favorite pop albums. You're probably right that I shouldn't have lumped Dangerous in with his later stuff, but I'd say it's a clear No. 4. The best songs don't measure up, and the worst songs are horrible. "Heal the World" is unlistenable, particularly in the context of his life.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

Darkness on the Edge of Town is my favorite Springsteen album by about a thousand miles... Born to Run would be second.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

I can go back and forth on Darkness and Born to Run on any given day. I probably put Born to Run first because it's the one I've listened to most recently.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

I'd never date someone who thinks The Joshua Tree is better than Murmur.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

Don't know that Lucky Town is better, but I give a slight edge to Tunnel of Love, and would hear arguments in favor of Magic.

 

Re: Best Album of the '80s - A Tournament (Sweet 16 results, Elite Eight on page 8)

I think Off the Wall is better and holds up better than Thriller.