Once made in the 80s, or ones made on CD after the 80s were over ... what are your favourite Compilation Albums of 80s hits?


One of my all-time favourites is 'Night Flight' (1982, K-tel Canada).  It's a perfect mix of AOR hits from 1981 ...

http://www.geocities.com/whistlejdog/-night-flight-.jpg

A Little in Love ... Cliff Richard
A Woman Needs Love ... Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
Hearts ... Marty Balin
Sukiyaki ... A Taste of Honey
The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore ... Nielsen and Pearson
Blessed Are the Believers ... Anne Murray
Thirsty Ears ... Powder Blues Band
Angel of the Morning ... Juice Newton

Jessie's Girl ... Rick Springfield
You Make My Dreams ... Hall and Oates
Burnin' For You ... Blue Oyster Cult
I Believe in You ... Gary O'
You're My Girl ... Franke and the Knockouts
Alien ... Atlanta Rhythm Section
Hard to Say ... Dan Fogelberg
Living Inside Myself ... Gino Vannelli

Once made in the 80s, or ones made on CD after the 80s were over ... what are your favourite Compilation Albums of 80s hits?


One of my all-time favourites is 'Night Flight' (1982, K-tel Canada).  It's a perfect mix of AOR hits from 1981 ...

http://www.geocities.com/whistlejdog/-night-flight-.jpg

A Little in Love ... Cliff Richard
A Woman Needs Love ... Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
Hearts ... Marty Balin
Sukiyaki ... A Taste of Honey
The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore ... Nielsen and Pearson
Blessed Are the Believers ... Anne Murray
Thirsty Ears ... Powder Blues Band
Angel of the Morning ... Juice Newton

Jessie's Girl ... Rick Springfield
You Make My Dreams ... Hall and Oates
Burnin' For You ... Blue Oyster Cult
I Believe in You ... Gary O'
You're My Girl ... Franke and the Knockouts
Alien ... Atlanta Rhythm Section
Hard to Say ... Dan Fogelberg
Living Inside Myself ... Gino Vannelli



A Flock of Seagulls was on one of those K-Tels.  I think it was the next volume after this one.
I remember the TV commercial, the AFOS clip, you know, with the hair!


I gotta go with:

http://www.pfarrugia.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/jpg/some.jpg
The SOME BIZZARE album
Featuring early recordings of Soft Cell, Blancmange, The The, and a little electronic pop band you might remember called
Depeche Mode!

Illustration: Tidal Flow
Depeche Mode: Photographic
The The: untitled
B Move: Moles
Jell: I Dare Say it Will Hurt Us a Little
Blah Blah Blah: Central Park
Blancmange: Sad Day
Soft Cell: The Girl with the Patent Leather Face
Neu Electrikk: Lust of Berlin
The Fast Set: King of the Rumbling Spires
The Loved One: Observation

1981 Some Bizzare Records

I've always been partial to the WEA series: Just Say No, Just Say Yes, Just Say Da compilations.
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c473/c473762125m.jpg

These were a mix of pop, (what was then called) "alternative"/new wave and a bit or everything else.
They were not always consistent from one album to another, but you could definitely get a good sampling of what music was out there at the time, and these were part of WEA's loss leader sets, so they were cheap at only $7.99 for a cassette or $9.99 for a CD. Good deal. 8)

Where else were you going to find Morrissey, Ice-t/Body Count, Ministry, Depeche Mode, Primal Scream and Debbie Harry all on the same album?

You're My Girl ... Franke and the Knockouts



  Wow...

  This has to be the only other song by Franke and the Knockouts I've ever seen mentioned besides "Sweetheart"...

  I own eight of the fifteen, or so, CDs from Rhino's 'Just Can't Get Enough - New Wave Hits of the 80s' series which I've enjoyed since the mid 90s.  They really don't include any ultra rare tracks.  You could find pretty much everything on any given new wave compilation; the Plimsouls, Strawberry Switchblade, Aztec Camera, etc...

"Classic MTV: Class of 1983"

   This has to be the only other song by Franke and the Knockouts I've ever seen mentioned besides "Sweetheart"...


Not many people really remember anything other than 'Sweetheart'.  They also had 'Not Another Lonely Night (Without You)' which was (I believe) their last ever Top 40 hit

After they called it quits, Franke Previte worked as a songwriter.  He co-wrote the hits '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' and 'Hungry Eyes' for the fiilm 'Dirty Dancing'

"Classic MTV: Class of 1983"


"Classic MTV: Class of 1983"


Now that's a great one!

For a brief time, I liked MTV and Top 40 music.  1983 was my favorite year for both.  Back when Rhino sent my station our promo copy, I called the rep and told him it was like they'd read my mind.  He told me LOTS of people had the same idea!
8)

It might have been the first retro comp to feature Planet P: Why Me (which was on MTV, but didn't make the Top 40)

Here's a great one that came out a few years ago in Canada.  So far the only time I've ever seen 'Tears on Your Anorak' on a compilation ...


The Best 80s Pop Album ... Ever!
http://images.emidigitalmedia.com/cover/thumb/094633345621.jpg

DISC 1
1.  David Bowie (w/ Mick Jagger) – Dancing In The Street 
2.  Van Halen – Jump 
3.  Survivor - Eye of The Tiger 
4.  Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistible 
5.  Duran Duran - The Reflex (Single Version) 
6.  Wang Chung – Everybody Have Fun Tonight 
7.  Level 42 – Something About You 
8.  Cameo – Word Up 
9.  Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun 
10.  Paula Abdul - Straight Up (Single Version) 
11.  Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance 
12.  Terence Trent D’Arby – Wishing Well 
13.  Irene Cara – Flashdance..What A Feeling 
14.  Kenny Loggins – Footloose 
15.  Tina Turner - We don't need another hero (Thunderdome) 
16.  Pat Benatar - Love Is A Battlefield (Edit) 

DISC 2
1.  AHA – Take On Me 
2.  The Drivers – Tears On Your Anorak 
3.  Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World 
4.  Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame 
5.  Glass Tiger - Someday (Single Version) 
6.  Huey Lewis And The News – The Heart Of Rock And Roll 
7.  Billy Idol – To Be A Lover 
8.  David Bowie – Modern Love (Single Version) 
9.  The Power Station - Some Like It Hot   
10.  The Style Council – My Ever Changing Moods 
11.  Colin James - Five Long Years 
12.  Heart – What About Love 
13.  R.E.M. - The One I Love 
14.  Roy Orbison (duet with K.D. Lang) – Crying 
15.  The Human League – Human 
16.  The Monks - Drugs In My Pocket

The soundtrack to Times Square...


does that count?

The Singer And the Song CDaand DVD-accoustic versions of Air Supply '80s hits including a song from their '70s Aussie albums, Love And Other Bruises.

The Very Best Of Air Supply-The Ones That You Love

Number One On The Streets (JCI Records)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/djmidas96/Records/Number1onthestreets.jpg

Over 90 minutes of extended dance mixes

I bought this cassette not long after it came out.  Chock full o' 80's extended goodness. :)

Track listing:

1.  White Wedding (Parts 1 & 2)- Billy Idol
2.  The Politics Of Dancing (12" Version) - Re-Flex
3.  Lies (12" Version) - Thompson Twins
4.  Rockit (Long Version) - Herbie Hancock
5.  The Look Of Love (US Remix/Dub Version) - ABC
6.  Electric Avenue (12" Version) - Eddy Grant
7.  Let The Music Play (12" Remix) - Shannon
8.  Maniac (Extended Version) - Michael Sembello
9.  (She's) Sexy + 17 (LP Version) - Stray Cats
10. Maneater  (LP Version) - Hall & Oates
11. Jeopardy (12" Version) - Greg Kihn Band
12. Too Tough (12" Version) - Angela Bofill
13. Talking In Your Sleep (12" Version) - The Romantics
14. Safety Dance (LP Version/Extended) - Men Without Hats
15. She Blinded Me With Science (Remix/Long Version) - Thomas Dolby
16. Let Me Go (Extended Version) - Heaven 17

^ I have that same one on cassette (which has different sleeve art).  It is indeed awesome 8) 

There was another similar one that came out around the same time called "Heat: Extended Hot Mixes".  The cassette version (which I also have) has different sleeve art from the LP shown below

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p168/ucbigun/ebay/100_3894.jpg

A1 Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together
A2 Herbie Hancock - Megamix
A3 Ollie And Jerry - Breakin' (There's No Stopping Us)
A4 Shannon - Give Me Tonight
A5 Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor!

B1 Laid Back - White Horse
B2 Talk Talk - It's My Life
B3 Joe Jackson - You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)
B4 Berlin - No More Words
B5 Eddy Grant - Romancing The Stone
B6 Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself

If you can find the Hit Mix 86 and 87 double LP's released by Stylus they're well worth having. They all feature megamixes by Les Adams and Dakeyne. Both the big hits and more obscure cuts are blended masterfully together in true 80s style

http://www.discogs.com/image/R-150-992479-1181690635.jpeg

http://www.discogs.com/release/258952

If you can find the Hit Mix 86 and 87 double LP's released by Stylus they're well worth having. They all feature megamixes by Les Adams and Dakeyne. Both the big hits and more obscure cuts are blended masterfully together in true 80s style

http://www.discogs.com/image/R-150-992479-1181690635.jpeg

http://www.discogs.com/release/258952


I've got Hit Mix 86, but the used copy I found was missing one of the records LOL

The soundtrack to Times Square...


does that count?


Did you just say "the soundtrack to Times Square"!?
You are definitely cool.  Waaaay cool!  Karma +!
But does it "count"?
Some would say it's more '70s, but I say it is proto '80s.  New Wave.
Gary Numan, XTC, Talking Heads, The Cure, Joe Jackson, The Pretenders...definitely '80s prime movers.
Roxy Music's "Same Old Scene" is one of my favorites, and while it does have some New Romantic allusions, it's more of a '70s song.
Lou Reed and Patti Smith, of course, are two of the most influential artists in all of pop music. 
Ramones?  Classic.  Untouchable.  Forever imitated, never duplicated!

Why did a punk/new wave/hipster soundtrack include Robin Gibb?

"Times Square" was on RSO Records.  The "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack and the Bee Gees made RSO.  It might not have been a literal contractual obligation to include at least one Bee Gee, but it certainly was a worthwhile tribute to the RSO money machine!
8)