1984 was an excellent year for popular music, as a lot of what got released was in some way revolutionary and forward-looking. Artists of that year wanted to put the “new” in “new wave,” so boundaries were pushed in the name of artistic freedom.
Of course, that was all 40 years ago, and now much of the music released that year sounds dated. Be that as it may, the albums we’re listing here have held up and still get regular listens from those who were around then, including us. Here are eleven albums from 1984 that sound as good today as they did 40 years ago.
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1. ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince and the Revolution (Released June 25, 1984)
Yes, “Purple Rain” is really 40 years old. Everyone in the year of our lord 1984 went universally nuts for this record, and it crossed boundaries between rock, soul, R&B, and even a dash of heavy metal. The guitar solo at the end of “Let’s Go Crazy” was particularly revelatory, since many people were simply unaware that Prince could play guitar at that level.
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2. ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ by Bruce Springsteen (Released June 4, 1984)
If you ever needed evidence that most people only listen to a song’s chorus, the title track of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” album was the perfect example. The overall message of the song was entirely ignored by listeners who just wanted to thrust their fists in the air while repeating “Born in the U.S.A.” over and over again. It’s been 40 years since it came out, and we’re still not sure everyone gets it.
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3. ‘Like a Virgin’ by Madonna (Released November 12, 1984)
If you were alive and had working ears in 1984, you heard Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” album multiple times a day, either in its entirety or song by song. The album featured such tunes as the title track, “Material Girl,” and “Dress You Up,” and history has more than vindicated this album – even if you hated every second of it, you had to concede that for whatever reason, it resonated, and it just keeps on gaining new fans to this day.
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4. ‘Private Dancer’ by Tina Turner (Released May 29, 1984)
We may have lost the incredible Tina Turner in the cursed year 2023, but our collective affection for her never faded and seems unlikely ever to do that, considering how much great music she released in her lifetime. 1984’s “Private Dancer” album introduced Turner to the public as a star in her own right after her split with husband Ike Turner, and in 2020, it was entered into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
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5. ‘1984’ by Van Halen (Released January 9, 1984)
When Van Halen released their “1984” album, guitar fans were enraged at the wash of synthesizers that appeared on it. This was supposed to be a VAN HALEN album, with GUITARS, and none of this new wave keyboard stuff! What was this, the Human League? All those fans bought it anyway and still listen to it today, even if they deny it to your face.
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6. ‘Reckoning’ by R.E.M. (Released April 9, 1984)
The fact that R.E.M. eventually became a stadium-filling band is still shocking to their earliest fans, and if you listen to “Reckoning,” you’ll see why. It’s one of their first few records, and there’s nothing on it to indicate that the band was poised for significant commercial success. Those first few albums are worth checking out, though, especially if you’ve only heard stuff like “Losing My Religion.”
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7. ‘Ride the Lightning’ by Metallica (Released July 27, 1984)
Metallica is one of the most successful bands of all time, but like R.E.M., that’s still a shock to fans of their early music. That includes their second album, “Ride the Lightning.” A lot of heavier music has come out since then, but in 1984, there was absolutely nothing else like it, and if you listened to them back then, polite society would have nothing to do with you, which in some ways was a bonus.
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8. ‘Love at First Sting’ by Scorpions (Released March 27, 1984)
While this album is best known for the very goofy song “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” it’s one of the greatest goofy songs ever written, and the entire album is chock full of great stuff that falls firmly into the “guilty pleasure” category. If none of this rings a bell for you, watch the video for “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and get up to speed on this classic example of Reagan-era Teutonic metal.
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9. ‘Building the Perfect Beast’ by Don Henley (Released November 19, 1984)
When former Eagles drummer Don Henley released his solo album, “Building the Perfect Beast,” it was so full of 1980s production and songwriting that people could be forgiven for thinking Henley was a new artist. Featuring “All She Wants to Do Is Dance” and “The Boys of Summer,” there is not a note of music on this album that would indicate it was by the same guy who sang “Witchy Woman.”
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10. ‘Stay Hungry’ by Twisted Sister (Released May 10, 1984)
For a little while there, Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider was the face of heavy metal, thanks to their 1984 album “Stay Hungry.” That featured “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” In the latter song’s case, the music video’s cartoonish violence led many upstanding citizens to condemn the band and their music. Their outrage and condemnation worked so well that the band sold three million copies of the album.
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11. ‘The Smiths’ by the Smiths (Released February 20, 1984)
If you’re a Gen Xer and enjoy feeling old and irrelevant, look no further than the fact that the Smiths’ self-titled debut album is now old enough at 40 to have its own midlife crisis. The album didn’t contain any hits, but for that kid with the jet-black porcupine hair who never spoke to anybody when you were in high school, it meant everything. The goodwill that the Smiths generated among their fans at that time has stayed in place to this day, no matter how much Morrissey tries to alienate everyone. And he’s trying really hard!
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