2010 is here...or has been for over 2 months. If you were born in 1980, you will be turning "30" sometime this year, if not already. It's scary to think that the "80s" started thirty years ago. Also, it's amazing when you realize that the "Reagan" era started nearly thirty years ago as well.

However, I do not have any interest to write about politics because 1980 was also an incredible year for music. Often looked upon as the year that we lost one of the greatest drummers of all time and one of the most beloved singer/songwriters (John Bonham and John Lennon), as well as the poster boys for American punk (Darby Crash) and English post-punk (Ian Curtis), 1980 had much to offer for young lovers of new music. In fact, it may be my personal favorite year for modern rock. A few of my all time favorite bands released their debut album in 1980; Psychedelic Furs (self titled), Echo & The Bunnymen (Crocodiles), and Bauhaus (In The Flat Field).

1980 was probably the most productive year for The Clash. While their double LP London Calling (released in December 1979) kept The Clash in the forefront of the modern rock world, Joe Strummer and company spent half the year recording the triple-album Sandinista (which saw a December 1980 release date). If the Clash had their way, they would had released stand alone (non-album) singles every month in 1980. They did, however, break out with one -  "Bankrobber" - before CBS Records halted the idea.

While 1980 may have been the highlight year for the post-punk movement as it helped establish "new wave music" as a viable commercial format, many punk rock songs were able to break the airwaves as well. "Los Angeles" by X, "People Who Died" by Jim Carroll, and various songs from The Ramones come to mind. Joan Jett released her debut album in 1980 before recruiting members of Rik L. Rik and The Avengers to form the Blackhearts (the album would later be released to greater ears in 1981). 1980 was a great year for AOR as well when you consider breakout records by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Pat Benatar, and The J. Geils Band.

This is not the first time i have been fixated about the year 1980 and the soundtrack of those 12 months. Whenever my curiosity gets the best of me and I find myself skimming through the playlists/charts of modern rock radio stations today, I often fantasize how these playlists would look had the stations, now controlled by their mega-media conglomerates, operated in 1980. Outside of college stations, there was not much in the way of commercial alternative radio in 1980. If a new wave record with hit potential had enough of a guitar driven sound (think The Cars) it would probably had made it's way to AOR radio. If a song had more of a dance beat to it, it may had found it's way directly on top 40 radio.  Then again, I often question if there was a major new wave radio station in every major media market, how much of their format would be AOR crossover - much like how so much of modern rock radio can be heard on the active rock station a few turns of the dial away.

So here I present my official 1980 playlist...as sort of a what a modern rock station heavy rotation list would look like 30 years ago. 30 songs from 30 artists. Just for fun and to celebrate my favorite year in music.

 

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