Top 20 Albums Of 1984 (Nos. 1-5)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled our twenty favorite albums released in 1984. Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments!

Here are numbers 1-5:

5. Wham!, Make It Big

It seems that Wham! titled their album as this in order to create a self-fulfilling prophecy. They had already tested the waters with their lukewarm first album, and they came out, pop-music guns-a-blazin' with Make It Big. I don't even need to describe this album because almost every song is burned into the mind of anyone who lived through the eighties: "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Everything She Wants," "Freedom" (which, in my opinion is pop perfection), and "Careless Whisper" with the saxophone solo heard 'round the world. Despite being pure pop, George Michael's fantastic, smooth singing voice is one of the best of this era. My only question is: what's Andrew Ridgely up to these days?--Robin

Top 20 Albums Of 1984 (Nos. 6-10)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled our twenty favorite albums released in 1984. Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments!

Here are numbers 6-10:

10. Twisted Sister, Stay Hungry

From the moment I first saw the video for "We're Not Gonna Take It," I was hooked. But how could I not be? The video had huge hulking guys dressed in drag, cartoon violence, Animal House references, cowbell, and featured a song about questioning authority. It was crack for a fourteen year old. Truth be told, I probably played this album more than any other on the list, save our #1. I still know the lyrics to every song, from opener "Stay Hungry" to closer "S.M.F.," and every song in between. In fact, I'm going to dig the CD out right now and give it another spin.--Chris

Top 20 Albums Of 1984 (Nos. 11-15)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled our twenty favorite albums released in 1984. Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments!

Here are numbers 11-15:

15. Don Henley, Building The Perfect Beast

Aside from "Good Vibrations," I consider the "The Boys Of Summer" the greatest summer song of all time. Maybe it's because I heard it all the time the summer of '85 (when it and the video were everywhere) with my cheap Walkman knock-off with the orange-foam covered headphones. But frankly, I think it's a glorious song, an ode to love and loss that masks its poignancy with its sun-drenched production, only catching up to you when you pause to consider what's being sung. Henley was obviously the most talented ex-Eagle, and he eschewed the Miami Vice bullshit of his bandmates for catchy, observant ruminations within his music. Building The Perfect Beast is his strongest set, and it's not limited to just "The Boys Of Summer." The other hits, "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" and "Sunset Grill," are both excellent, and although the rest of the album suffers from a few too many mid-'80s synthesizers, the songs themselves are great explorations of the southern California lifestyle and its sometimes unseemly underbelly. And it's a million times better than anything Glen Frey ever did, so there.--CroutonBoy

Top 20 Albums Of 1984 (Nos. 16-20)

For this week's Ranked!, we compiled our twenty favorite albums released in 1984. Did we get it right? Let us know in the comments!

Here are numbers 16-20:

20. Various Artists, Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack

Beverly Hills Cop was a monster hit in 1984, and its soundtrack is also pretty damn good. Harold Faltermeyer, king of the '80s action movie score, wrote the instant classic "Axel F" for the film. The soundtrack also had "The Heat Is On" written by Faltermeyer and performed by Glenn Frey. It's a song that came to define the summer jam. Follow that up with "Neutron Dance" and "Stir It Up," and you've got an instantly awesome soundtrack.--Archphoenix