Charts Wise the 70s were better than the 80s by a Long Way

Cardiffdaffs

Cardiffdaffs

Well-known member
Prompted me thinking how bad the charts was in the 80s compared to the 70s. Listening to Gambaccinni’s pick of the pops at the weekend and he played the top 20s for November 1975 and then November 1989. Just comparing them you see the difference. 70s had classics that have endured time, the 80s forgettable synthesised rot.

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November 1975
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Having lived through both I would agree. Can’t think many wouldn’t.

The 80s dance music scene was heavily influenced by the electronic drum machine and synthesised pop was a huge production line that dominated the commercial charts. Fortunately the 80s saw the rise of Stone Roses, Arena Rock with Prince, AcDC etc, and post punk.
 
That comparative month is probably about the worst one you could pick for the 80s as late 70s was flying and late 80s was petering off . I bet there’d be an overwhelming month for 80s if you went any early 80s time
 
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Got to go with punk to around Band Aid time for me....so spans both decades.....love punk, new wave, electronic, new romantic and indie
music around rough trade and early scottish indie.....Charts lost appeal for me when Stock Aitken and Waterman took over and mainstream went corporate. Had a little dabble back with Manchester and brit pop scences.....never really got on with 70s prog, but Bowie, Ferry, Bolam etc are awesome to me!
 
Good grief how just listening to this hauls me back to Sunday nights and our mams transistor radio. "put the records on" she'd say (meaning the top 20).
Bang...that initial stab (CCS I think it was by) and I'm 10 again.

 
Lemmy_kilmister said:
Pretty much stopped listening to chart stuff about 86/87 time. Anything post then doesn't take my interest.
77-83 were my musical golden years.
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Spot on & who cares about chart music? It's not an indicator of quality but of taste.

The Sun outsold every other newspaper back then so did that make it the best newspaper?
 
Cardiffdaffs said:
Prompted me thinking how bad the charts was in the 80s compared to the 70s. Listening to Gambaccinni’s pick of the pops at the weekend and he played the top 20s for November 1975 and then November 1989. Just comparing them you see the difference. 70s had classics that have endured time, the 80s forgettable synthesised rot.
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The first chart of 1980 had The Pretenders, The Tourists, The Beat, The Sugarhill Gang, David Bowie, Madness, The Clash, The Skids, Chic, Blondie - hardly synthesised rot.
 
The best era for me was late 60's, the 70's and the early 80's. There was a spell in the mid 70's that was poor, not as bad as the late 80's but pretty desperate, rescued by the arrival of punk.

The era coincides with my teens to my 30's, I wonder why?
 
DCI_Gene_Hunt said:
The first chart of 1980 had The Pretenders, The Tourists, The Beat, The Sugarhill Gang, David Bowie, Madness, The Clash, The Skids, Chic, Blondie - hardly synthesised rot.
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No obviously not all 80s songs were particularly those that spilled out of the late 70s as you have listed. As the decade advanced so the commercial chart music scene started to decay in quality overall With Stock Aitken and Waterman started their factory jumping on the bandwagon.

Its all about musical taste and how old you are and it’s a debate for fun really.
 
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