[essexpete]

I'd have to say one of 3 from '80-'82,tough choice

[lil lexie]

'89 usually gets slated but on the whole I thought it was pretty good.

[2shy2007]

'80-'81.

[Tryon]

1988 was the best year in 80's

[VoodooChic]

1986..

[elasticlove]

1986 and 1989

[Hound of Love]

Plenty going on in 1984

[MiresiaVerteta]

1984 - ironically my birth year

[shackfan]

1981.......The Associates, Soft Cell, Human League, Heaven 17, Japan, Duran Duran, B-Movie, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, The Cure, Icehouse, The Waterboys, Modern Eon, OMD, Yazoo, The Wild Swans, UB40, etc . No contest

[JohnnyForget]

Probably 1981.

1980 and 1982 were excellent years too.

1983 and 1984 not so good.

1985 to 1989 dire.

[Adamsk]

I get sick about hearing about the 80's.

Thatcher and it's okay and fun to be a racist at football.

[musically eclec]

probably i think 1981 so many amazing songs and such diversity although 1984 isnt too bad either

[Rich Tea.]

Originally Posted by shackfan

1981.......The Associates, Soft Cell, Human League, Heaven 17, Japan, Duran Duran, B-Movie, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, The Cure, Icehouse, The Waterboys, Modern Eon, OMD, Yazoo, The Wild Swans, UB40, etc . No contest

Just about bang on the money with this. No year after 1985 should remotely even face consideration for a split second.

An earlier poster put 1988 well forgive me why I die laughing! It would not only count as the worst year of the 80's, but likely a good contender for worst year ever, such was the slide after 1985-6.

[mushymanrob]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

Just about bang on the money with this. No year after 1985 should remotely even face consideration for a split second.

An earlier poster put 1988 well forgive me why I die laughing! It would not only count as the worst year of the 80's, but likely a good contender for worst year ever, such was the slide after 1985-6.

1986 was a fantastic year..... (my second fav)

i agree that 88, 89 were dire, but others have a different perspective, after all there was alot of indie about, and rave.

but my fav was 1981.

[Domestiques]

The 80's really were a ghastly decade for music, but 84 holds some good memories.

[Ms Katt]

Another vote for 1981, although 1980 was pretty good too IMHO for electronic music.

[Coen]

I wouldn't even try to choose a favourite year (can't see the point of trying tbh) but I completely disagree that years after 1985 shouldn't face consideration, as those are the years that gave us releases by people like Husker Du, Pixies, Sisters of Mercy, New Order, Big Black, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths, Public Enemy, My Bloody Valentine, Beastie Boys, NWA, The Cure, Sonic Youth, Stone Roses, Tracy Chapman & Sinéad O'Connor to name a few which might well lead to some people seeing those years as producing the best music of the decade. Plus there was the C86 "movement" which went on to influence British indie music for years afterwards.

But each to their own and all that.

[Midiboy]

Originally Posted by shackfan

1981.......The Associates, Soft Cell, Human League, Heaven 17, Japan, Duran Duran, B-Movie, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, The Cure, Icehouse, The Waterboys, Modern Eon, OMD, Yazoo, The Wild Swans, UB40, etc . No contest

Pretty much this although 1985/6 produced some fantastic albums (Propaganda's A Secret Wish, Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls, Aha's Hunting High and Low, Grace Jones' Slave To The Rhythm, Scritti Politti's Cupid and Psyche, Pet Shop Boys' Please, Depeche Mode's Black Celebration, Talk Talk's Colour Of Spring etc.).

[Hav_mor91]

1985 Madonna hit the big time and Kate Bush released Hounds Of Love

[Rich Tea.]

It has to be a year 1980 to 1984 to me, likely 1981 or 1982. The first song I ever bought to put on my first iPod came from 1981, and was a fabulous track by a group called The Passions that was a minor hit early that year, called I'm In Love With A German Film Star.

Another from 1982, which made the top ten, is The Mobiles with Drowning In Berlin, and yet so much for iTunes because I cannot even get hold of this track to buy, despite it's hit status from that year. Incredible.

[essexpete]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

It has to be a year 1980 to 1984 to me, likely 1981 or 1982. The first song I ever bought to put on my first iPod came from 1981, and was a fabulous track by a group called The Passions that was a minor hit early that year, called I'm In Love With A German Film Star.

Another from 1982, which made the top ten, is The Mobiles with Drowning In Berlin, and yet so much for iTunes because I cannot even get hold of this track to buy, despite it's hit status from that year. Incredible.

can't say I know it.With a title like that sounds like a Numan-type moody synh song

[MrMeatAndPotato]

87-88... U2 ran riot.

[abibble]

1989 - the year I was born and the year Rhythm Nation came out

[Ella Nut]

1980. The ska revival still in full swing, most notably for me The Specials Too Much Too Young EP, The Police, The Jam. Bowie's Ashes to Ashes,

Still a few nice disco inspired hits floating around too. Diana Ross Upside Down, Odyssey Use It Up And Wear It Out.

UB40's Signing Off, one of my favourite albums.

The beginnigs of new romance with Duran Duran, Spandau, Visage, Ultravox.

[shackfan]

Originally Posted by Rich Tea.

It has to be a year 1980 to 1984 to me, likely 1981 or 1982. The first song I ever bought to put on my first iPod came from 1981, and was a fabulous track by a group called The Passions that was a minor hit early that year, called I'm In Love With A German Film Star.

Another from 1982, which made the top ten, is The Mobiles with Drowning In Berlin, and yet so much for iTunes because I cannot even get hold of this track to buy, despite it's hit status from that year. Incredible.

Great one hit wonder from a group from round here (Eastbourne). I have it on an 80's compilation The Edge Of The Eighties, a brilliant 3 disc cd compilation.