For noen er musikken på 80-tallet ensbetydende med spjåkete metal eller dyster synthpop. For meg var 80-tallet først og fremst synonymt med en musikalsk oppvåkning, der første halvdel stort sett handlet om barndommens tilfeldigheter, men som i siste halvdel fant en form som har vært et fundament siden: Amerikansk undergrunnsrock, både i ulike punka varianter og i mer roots-orientert form.

Denne lista preges ikke uventet av nettopp låter fra denne opplysningstiden: Fra undergrunns-pionerer som The Feelies og Sonic Youth og punk fra Descendents og The Dead Kennedys, via janglerock (R.E.M) og ørkenrock (Giant Sand). Men i denne – for mange sikkert ensartede – miksen er det også funnet rom for mer enkeltlåtfavoritter fra artister som Jona Lewie og David + David. Kun én låt pr. artist, likevel er det altfor mange som ikke har fått plass, for mange til å nevnes, men dette summerer i det store og hele opp mitt 80-tall på låtsiden.

Sonic Youth: Teen Age Riot (1989)
Dinosaur Jr.: Freak Scene (1988)
Fugazi: Waiting Room (1988)
Pixies: Debaser (1989)
Violent Femmes: Blister in the Sun (1983)
Nirvana: School (1989)
The Feelies: The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness (1980)
Mudhoney: Touch Me I’m Sick (1988)
Wipers: Youth of America (1981)
R.E.M: So. Central Rain (1984)

Tad: Loser (1989)
The Dead Kennedys: Holiday in Cambodia (1980)
Giant Sand: Thin Line Man (1986)
The Replacements: I Will Dare (1984)
The Dream Syndicate: Halloween (1982)
Butthole Surfers: Hey (1983)
The Gun Club: Carry Home (1982)
Julee Cruise: Falling (1989)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Mercy Seat (1988)
Brian Eno: Weightless (1983)

Thin White Rope: Red Sun (1988)
Hüsker Dü: She Floated Away (1987)
deLillos: Sveve over byen (1989)
The Church: Under the Milky Way (1988)
World Party: Ship of Fools (1986)
Echo & the Bunnymen: The Killing Moon (1984)
Jokke & Valentinerne: Tida er inne (1987)
Slayer: Angel of Death (1986)
John Cooper Clark: Beasley Street (1980)
Minutemen: This Ain’t No Picnic (1984)

Raga Rockers: Når knoklene blir til gele (1983)
The Cramps: Sunglasses After Dark (1980)
Meat Puppets: Plateau (1984)
The Smiths: Bigmouth Strikes Again (1986)
Black Flag: Rise Above (1981)
Alice Donut: Lisa’s Father (Waka Baby) (1988)
The Dicks: The Dicks Hate the Police (1980)
Nomeansno: It’s Catching Up (1989)
Lard: The Power of Lard (1989)
Green on Red: Sea of Cortez (1985)

Cosmic Psychos: Quarter to Three (1988)
Kjøtt: Jeg vil bli som Jesus (1980)
NWA: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Jane’s Addiction: Mountain Song (1988)
The Cure: Just Like Heaven (1985)
Suicidal Tendencies: Institutionalized (1983)
Lillebjørn Nilsen: Aleksander Kiellands Plass (1985)
Laibach: Across the Universe (1988)
Public Enemy: Bring the Noise (1988)
Lounge Lizards: Incident on South Street (1981)

Pylon: Crazy (1983)
American Music Club: Highway 5 (1988)
The Pogues: Thousands Are Sailing (1988)
David + David: Welcome to the Boomtown (1986)
Rod Stewart: Young Turks (1981)
dePress: Bo Jo Cie Kochom (1981)
Tears For Fears: Head Over Heels (1985)
Imperiet: Märk hur vår skugga (1987)
Swans: New Mind (1987)
Killdozer: Man of Meat (1984)

Young Marble Giants: Searching for Mr. Right (1980)
Big Black: L Dopa (1987)
Bad Religion: I Want to Conquer the World (1989)
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: Just About Seventeen (1986)
Agent Orange: Bloodstains (1981)
Naked Prey: What Price for Freedom (1986)
The Jesus Lizard: Blockbuster (1989)
Died Pretty: Blue Sky Day (1986)
Flipper: Sex Bomb (1982)
Bad Brains: Pay to Cum (1980)

Tom Waits: Cold Cold Ground (1987)
Dire Straits: Tunnel of Love (1980)
Helmet: Born Annoying (1989)
Scratch Acid: Mary Had a Little Drug Problem (1986)
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: Against the Wind (1980)
L7: Bite the Wax Tadpole (1988)
Prince: Sign O the Times (1987)
Green River: Swallow My Pride (1988)
Bitch Magnet: Americruiser (1989)
The La’s: There She Goes (1988)

The Waterboys: Church Not Made With Hands (1984)
Wall of Voodoo Mexican Radio (1982)
Faith No More: Epic (1989)
Zero Boys: Livin in the 80’s (1980)
The Bangles: Manic Monday (1986)
Descendents: Suburban Home (1982)
Motor Boys Motor: Drive Friendly (1982)
Massacre: Killing Time (1981)
Stan Ridgeway: Camouflage (1986)
XTC: Dear God (1986)

Soundgarden: Ugly Truth (1989)
Arthur Russell: Treehouse (1986)
The Stone Roses: Fools Gold (1989)
Madonna: Like a Prayer (1989)
The Rain Parade: Look At Merri (1983)
Yo La Tengo: The Evil That Men Do (1989)
Jason & The Scorchers: Broken Whiskey Glass (1985)
The Boomtown Rats: Banana Republic (1981)
Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City (1982)
Metallica: Master of Puppets (1983)

Bjørn Hammershaug

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…the longlist….
Cowboy Junkies: Misguided Angel (1988)
Eldkvarn: Kungarna Från Broadway (1988)
Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime (1980)
Buffalo Tom: Sunflower Suit (1989)
Go-Betweens: Was There Anything I Could Do (1988)
Mission Of Burma: That’s When I Reach For My Revolver (1981)
Neneh Cherry: Buffalo Stance (1988)
Opal: Happy Nightmare Baby (1987)
The New Christs: No Way on Earth (1989)
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust (1986)
Lee Clayton: 10 000 Years/Sexual Moon (1983)
The Triffids: Wide Open Road (1986)
INXS: Never Tear Us Apart (1987)
Dinosaur L: GoBang! (1982)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: The Waiting (1980)
Naked City: The Sicilian Clan (1989)
Chris Isaak: Blue Hotel (1987)
E.S.G: Dance (1983)
Sunnyboys: Happy Man (1981)
John Mellencamp: Rain On The Scarecrow (1985)
Glenn Branca: Lesson No. 2 (1981)
Beastie Boys: High Plains Drifter (1989)
Electric Light Orchestra: From the End of the World (1981)
Steve Earle: Guitar Town (1986)
Joy Division: Islolation (1980)
The db’s: Bad Reputation (1981)