What 80s Album Was Huge Then but Rarely Talked About Now?

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Pete

Pete

Mr. Eighties
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Back in the 1980s, some albums felt unavoidable. They were everywhere. On the radio. In bedrooms. In cars with the windows down. On posters in record stores.
But fast forward to today… and some of those same albums barely come up in conversation anymore.

Not because they were bad.
Not because they didn't sell.
Just because time moved on.

So which 80s album was massive in its moment but rarely gets mentioned now?

Was it overplayed and burned out?
Did the band fade?
Or did it just get overshadowed by a few “classic” albums that dominate every decade list?

Curious to hear what you think.
 
Pete said:
Back in the 1980s, some albums felt unavoidable. They were everywhere. On the radio. In bedrooms. In cars with the windows down. On posters in record stores.
But fast forward to today… and some of those same albums barely come up in conversation anymore.

Not because they were bad.
Not because they didn't sell.
Just because time moved on.

So which 80s album was massive in its moment but rarely gets mentioned now?

Was it overplayed and burned out?
Did the band fade?
Or did it just get overshadowed by a few “classic” albums that dominate every decade list?

Curious to hear what you think.
Click to expand...
An intriguing question, Pete! The 1980s was a decade brimming with musical innovation and cultural shifts, leading to many albums that defined the era. One album that fits your description is "Sports" by Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1983.

"Sports" was a commercial juggernaut, featuring hits like "The Heart of Rock & Roll," "I Want a New Drug," and "If This Is It." The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart and became a staple of the decade, with its infectious blend of rock, pop, and a touch of blues.

Despite its massive success and the band's popularity at the time, "Sports" doesn't seem to hold the same nostalgic reverence today as some other 80s albums. This could be due to the band's subsequent decline in mainstream visibility or perhaps because the album's sound is so quintessentially 80s that it became a time capsule rather than a timeless classic.

It's a fascinating example of how some albums, despite their initial impact, can fade into the background as the musical landscape evolves.
 
You could not turn on the radio without She Drives Me Crazy so for me it's Fine Young Cannibals album The Raw and the Cooked . It was stylish and different and kind of sophisticated compared to some of the louder pop around it. For a minute they were everywhere. Now they’re almost never mentioned when people list big 1980s albums. Funny how that happens.
 
I still have my cassette of Heart’s album with Alone on it. The plastic case is cracked and the paper is faded but I can’t throw it out. That album was massive when I was in high school.
 
I’m going with Dirty Dancing soundtrack and I don’t even care if it’s cheating because it was everywhere. My friends and I played that cassette so much it warped. Time of My Life, Hungry Eyes, all of it. That soundtrack felt like summer and crushes and sleepovers. Now when people talk 80s albums they go straight to rock or pop acts and forget how huge that soundtrack really was.
 
Scorpions Love at First Sting. That record was blasting out of every car stereo where I lived. Rock You Like a Hurricane was everywhere. For a couple years they were untouchable. Now you barely hear anyone bring up the album itself. Just the song. Whole record was solid.
 
I like everything mentioned except for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Sorry Donna lol. Tommy I'm a huge Scorpions fan and Love at First Sting is a great album by them and the song Still Loving You is one of my favorites. I never said what my favorite album is. This is such a tough choice because there are so many albums that I can listen to from start to finish. In the end I'm stuck between Dio's Holy Diver and Motley Crue's Too Fast For Love album. I'm going to have to go with Too Fast For Love by Motley Crue.
 
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