Andy Hears the ’70s

We continue our prog rock mini series with the seven '70s albums of Pink Floyd! A legendary run of albums from a legendary band.  Guitar solos, existential crises, eerie reunions, giant pigs, we cover all that and more along with ranking the albums and picking our top 5 songs! Albums Discussed: Atom Heart Mother Meddle Obscured by Clouds The Dark Side of the Moon Wish You Were Here Animals The Wall   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

Happy Father's Day! I talk to my Dad about all things Genesis on this very special episode of the podcast. They were one of his favorite bands growing up, one of the defining bands of the prog rock scene that went on to become one of the surprise hit makers of the '80s.Albums Discussed: Trespass Nursery Cryme Foxtrot Selling England By the Pound The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway A Trick of the Tail Wind and Wuthering ...And Then There Were Three...   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

We thought it would be fun to follow up our Stevie Wonder episode with the albums of one of his closes collaborators, Syreeta Wright.  Their partnership continued on much of her solo work, but she also made some incredible music without him that cannot be overlooked! Albums Discussed: Syreeta (1972) Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta One to One Rich Love, Poor Love (w/ G.C. Cameron)   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

Stevie Wonder had an unparalleled run of albums in the 1970s and we are here to talk about them all! From Motown Wünderkind to Grammy Guarantor, few artist have had the arc Stevie had in this decade.  All that plus our album rankings and top 5 songs! Albums Discussed: Signed, Sealed & Delivered Where I'm Coming From Music of My Mind Talking Book Innervisions Fulfillingness' First Finale Songs in the Key of Life Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

This week we countdown the top 11 best selling albums from the 1970s, highlighting five of them while using the rest to give a sneak preview of some upcoming episodes this season!   Albums Discussed: Tapestry by Carole King Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John Grease: The Original Soundtrack Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 by Eagles Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

It's the season premiere of Andy Hears the '70s!  As we transition into the new (old) decade, we take a listen to the '70s and '80s albums of THE Bruce Springsteen.  We also discuss his autobiography, rank all 8 albums, and give our picks for the top 5 songs. Albums Discussed: Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle Born to Run Darkness on the Edge of Town The River Nebraska Born in the USA Tunnel of Love   Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com Show notes and more at actn.wordpress.com

Aaron got to interview Tommy Stinson of The Replacements!  And not only that, Tommy performed an acoustic set live on WCHL radio in Chapel Hill!  In this special bonus episode, we talk to Aaron about how it came together, as well as take a listen to the interview and some of the performance.   Listen to the full interview here. Listen to the full live performance from both Tommy and Diane Gentile here. Visit TommyStinson.com for everything Tommy Stinson. Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com

On this mini-episode, Andy recaps the entire tournament as it played out on Twitter! Thank you to everyone who voted in the many polls to decide the listeners' pick for Best Album of the '80s! What a season! Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit You can find the original bracket along with the methodology and show notes at actn.wordpress.com Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com

It all comes down to this! Our Final Four albums square off in the thrilling conclusion to this March Madness bracket of Album Absurdity, and the Best Album of the '80s is crowned! Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

After some agonizing Sweet 16 matchups, the Elite 8 breeze on by!  By the time you finish reading this you could have already listened to the episode! Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

After two rounds of place-setting, the toughest decisions of the tournament thus far are made in the Sweet 16!  Plus one or two fairly easy decisions.   Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

The second round of deliberations for the Late '80s Arena and Club divisions get underway including a long overdue defense of Daydream Nation! Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

The round one winners in the Early '80s Arena and Club divisions fight for survival once more! Which of these incredible albums will move on this time? Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

Our final set of round 1 competition features such albums as Surfer Rosa, Daydream Nation, Rhyme Pays, Skylarking, and many more!  Which albums will make it through to round 2?  Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

The beat goes on as the powerhouse competitors in the Late '80s Arena division rock the paint!  Competing albums include The Joshua Tree, Paul's Boutique, Paid in Full, Sign O the Times, Graceland, and many more! Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

The bracket rages on as Andy and Aaron debate the first round match-ups in the Early '80s Club division, with albums such as Nightclubbing, The Message, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, and Zen Arcade all fighting to advance. Vote on your picks on Twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

March Madness has brought about Album Absurdity as we take a field of 64 albums and decide the best album of the '80s!  First up, the Early '80s Arena division with competitors such as Thriller, Purple Rain, Born in the USA, Speaking in Tongues, and Murmur! Vote on your picks on twitter @andyhearsit Full bracket and methodology available at actn.wordpress.com

We wrap up season 2 with an episode full of the greatest songs of the '80s!  We look back on all the great music we heard during the show and present our picks for the best tracks in the following categories: Top 5 Opening Tracks Top 5 Cover Songs Top 5 Sax Trax Top 5 Guitar Solos Top 5 Closing Tracks Top 15 Songs of the '80s Show notes for this and every episode available at actn.wordpress.com Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearsit@gmail.com

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!  We've got a special episode all about A Very Special Christmas, the 1987 Christmas compilation benefiting the Special Olympics.  We discuss some of our favorite holiday tunes before going track-by-track on the album. Albums Discussed: A Very Special Christmas (1987) Show notes for this and every episode available at actn.wordpress.com Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

As the end of our time in the '80s draws nearer, we take a listen to some of the biggest and best metal albums of the decade, as well as pay tribute to the late great Eddie Van Halen.   Albums Discussed: Motörhead - Ace of Spades (1980) Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (1982) Manowar - Battle Hymns (1982) Dio - Holy Diver (1983) Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986) Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986) Ministry - The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989) Show notes for this and every episode available at actn.wordpress.com Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

Andy and Aaron track the rise and... well, continued rise of The Cure throughout the 1980s. From charming English pop to gloomy post punk, we hear all that Robert Smith and the boys have to offer! Albums Discussed: Boys Don't Cry (1980) Seventeen Seconds (1980) Faith (1981) Pornography (1982) The Top (1984) The Head on the Door (1985) Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) Disintegration (1989)* *For a more in depth look at Disintegration, check out episode 110 on Pop music, and for a more in depth look at the Robert Smith side project The Glove, check out the listener suggestions episode! Check out my ranking of The Cure's music videos, along with the show notes, at actn.wordpress.com Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

In this episode we unearth a true hidden gem of a band, Game Theory! This power-pop group released five excellent studio albums in the 1980s, all of which have received incredible remastered reissues by Omnivore Recordings starting in 2014. Those reissues were capped off in 2020 with a compilation of the band's final recordings. Come along with us and discover this wonderful catalog of tunes! Albums Discussed: Blaze of Glory (1982) Real Nighttime (1985) The Big Shot Chronicles (1986) Lolita Nation (1987) Two Steps from the Middle Ages (1988) Across the Barrier of Sound: Postscript (2020) Check out a breakdown of some of the best bonus tracks from these releases, along with the show notes, at actn.wordpress.com Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

Andy and Aaron take a listen to the incredible albums of Grace Jones this week, as well as discuss her career as told through her 2015 book, "I'll Never Write My Memoirs." Albums Discussed: Warm Leatherette (1980) Nightclubbing (1981) Living My Life (1982) Slave to the Rhythm (1985) Inside Story (1986) Bulletproof Heart (1989) Show notes, along with reviews of Grace Jones' '80s filmography, can be found at actn.wordpress.com Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

This week, we approach the unapproachable and dissect the entire '80s output of Mark E. Smith's post punk project The Fall!  All nine albums of it! Albums Discussed: Grotesque (After the Gramme) (1980) Hex Enduction Hour (1982) Room to Live (1982) Perverted by Language (1983) The Wonderful and Frightening World of... (1984) This Nation's Saving Grace (1985) Bend Sinister (1986) The Frenz Experiment (1988) I am Kurious Oranj (1988) Show notes, along with my personal ranking for these nine albums, available at actn.wordpress.com Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

This week we submerge ourselves in the all consuming ocean of Prince, one of the most prolific and prodigious artists of all time.  We discuss his many albums of the 1980s as well as the 2019 book, The Beautiful Ones, and the 1986 film, Under the Cherry Moon!   Albums Discussed: Dirty Mind (1980) Controversy (1981) 1999 (1982) Purple Rain (1984)* Around the World in a Day (1985) Parade (1986) Sign o' the Times (1987) Lovesexy (1988) *For a more in depth look at Purple Rain, check out episode 102 on the major releases of the 1980s Show notes, along with a ranking of Prince's first ten albums, available at actn.wordpress.com Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

Andy and Aaron take a trip Through the Fire and hear six albums from the incomparable Chaka Khan! No one can blend disco, funk, jazz, rock, and pop as successfully as she can.  Listen along with us!   Albums Discussed: Naughty (1980) What Cha' Gonna Do For Me (1981) Chaka Khan (1982) I Feel for You (1984) Destiny (1986) ck (1988)   Plus, a ranking of every Chaka Khan cover song from these albums in the show notes at actn.wordpress.com, check it out!   Follow @andyhearsit on twitter   Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com

No one writes a love song better than Luther Vandross, so in this episode Andy and Aaron hear the first six studio albums from his incredible catalog. A house is not a home until you play some Luther Vandross in it! Albums Discussed:  Never Too Much (1981) Forever, For Always, For Love (1982) Busy Body (1983) The Night I Fell In Love (1985) Give Me the Reason (1986) Any Love (1988) Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This episode of Andy Hears the '80s is all about the L.A. punk band, X.  Hear it all along with us, the good, the bad, and the ugly.  We also take a listen to their surprising new release, Alphabetland! Albums Discussed: Los Angeles (1980) Wild Gift (1981) Under the Big Black Sun (1982) More Fun in the New World (1983) Ain't Love Grand! (1985) See How We Are (1987) Alphabetland (2020) Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This week on the show, we dig into the '80s discography of XTC!  Listen along with us as we follow the English alternative act from beleaguered tour dogs to studio melody makers.  We also ask the age old question (twice): did this need to be a double album? Albums Discussed: Black Sea (1980) English Settlement (1982) Mummer (1983) The Big Express (1984) Skylarking (1986) Oranges & Lemons (1989) Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Andy and Aaron track the rise and fall of The Replacements, a tenure which falls neatly within the decade of the 1980s!  They also go in depth on the 2019 Dead Man's Pop box set, which contains a complete remix of Don't Tell a Soul. Albums Discussed: Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash (1981) Hootenanny (1983) Let it Be (1984)* Tim (1985) Pleased to Meet Me (1987) Don't Tell a Soul (1989) / Dead Man's Pop (2019) *For an even more in depth look at Let it Be, check out episode 106 on Alternative Rock. Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Season 2 begins in earnest with a deep dive on the first four albums by Madonna! Listen along with us as we examine the rapid ascent of one of the biggest pop stars of all time. Albums Discussed: Madonna (1983) Like a Virgin (1984) True Blue (1986) Like a Prayer (1989)   Follow @andyhearsit on twitter Email us at andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

On a special mini-episode, Andy reveals the champion of the twitter bracket!  Plus, some of what you've all been craving: BONUS STATS! Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the initial information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets. Follow us on twitter @andyhearsit

A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies! Or is it? Find out along with us as we discuss the Final Four matchups and crown a champion of the MAR.E.M. Madness bracket! You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every matchup on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

We're down to just 8 songs in our bracket of MAR.E.M Madness, and the winner from each division will be declared herein. We also take a moment to pay tribute to the great Bill Rieflin. You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every matchup on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

The madness continues! Andy and Aaron search for answers from the Great Beyond as they try to pick the winners from these tough matchups.  You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every matchup on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

What will the Aftermath of these matchups look like?  I'm just hoping we aren't heading straight towards The End of the World as We Know it! Round 2 concludes this week with the 16 previous winners from the Ballad and Wild Card divisions! You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every matchup on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

When it comes to R.E.M., you know we love to Talk About The Passion, but when two great songs go head to head, it can be tough to decide exactly which is The One I Love. Round 2 of our bracket begins this week with eight matchups from the Pop and Rock Divisions!   You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every matchup on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

I have a Suspicion we're going to be talking about these match-ups right up Until The Day Is Done! Oh My Heart, it's Round 1 of the Wild Card division! You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every match up on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

Leaving New York is never easy, and neither is deciding which of these 16 singles are the best!  Now playing: Round 1 of the Ballad Division! You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every match up on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

We simply can't sit still as we hear 16 more of R.E.M.'s singles in the round of 64 in our MAR.E.M. Madness bracket.  It's Round 1 of the Rock Division! You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every match up on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

Welcome to the very special kick-off event for Season 2 of Andy Hears the '80s!  We've contracted a raging case of March Madness which has caused us to reach outside of just the '80s and discuss the entire career of R.E.M.!  We put all of their singles into a bracket and will be debating the match-ups all month long.   First up, the Pop Division!   You can vote on YOUR favorites in each and every match up on our twitter page @andyhearsit Visit actn.wordpress.com for all the information about the tournament including printable PDF brackets.

In this very special bonus episode, Andy and Aaron hear five great albums that YOU recommended! Well, not _you_, but certainly ~you~.  Aaron also crafts a terrific metaphor involving a Dodge Stratus and we tease out the first details of season two! Albums Discussed: Killing Joke by Killing Joke Pirates by Rickie Lee Jones Blue Sunshine by The Glove Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses Rhyme Pays by Ice-T   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

On the finale of season one, Andy and Aaron hear five albums from 1985.  Somehow, after ten episodes and over 50 albums, we managed to not hear a single one from that year until just now! Albums Discussed: Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston  Songs From The Big Chair by Tears for Fears We Are The World by USA For Africa Hounds of Love by Kate Bush Rain Dogs by Tom Waits   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Andy and Aaron take a trip around the wide world of pop music this week. '80s pop gets a bad name, but not because of any of these albums! Albums Discussed: Sports by Huey Lewis and The News Private Dancer by Tina Turner Control by Janet Jackson Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman Disintegration by The Cure   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show Notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This week, Andy and Aaron hear five albums by some of the all time greats of rock and roll! How did those artists fare in the 1980s when compared to their legendary work from the '60s and '70s?  Some better than others! Albums Discussed: Double Fantasy by John Lennon and Yoko Ono Tattoo You by The Rolling Stones The Blue Mask by Lou Reed Tug of War by Paul McCartney Let's Dance by David Bowie   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

If you were Unsatisfied with the state of rock radio in the '80s, there was an alternative!  These bands tapped into the Newest Industry of college radio and found an Ocean Size audience ready to begin Shaking Through their piggy banks to support them! Andy and Aaron hear them this week and decide once and for all What Difference Does It Make? Albums Discussed: Murmur by R.E.M. Zen Arcade by Hüsker Dü Let it Be by The Replacements The Smiths by The Smiths Nothing's Shocking by Jane's Addiction   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Looking to hear basically all there is to know about hardcore punk from the 1980s? You've basically come to the right place!  This week, Andy and Aaron hear five of basically the most essential hardcore albums from the forefathers of the genre (basically). Albums Discussed: Damaged by Black Flag Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys Bad Brains by Bad Brains Double Nickels on the Dime by Minutemen Complete Discography by Minor Threat   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Of the many genres that would rise from the ashes of the late '70s punk explosion, post punk is truly one of them! This week, Andy and Aaron hear a pentad of passionate post punk pioneers, primarily from the UK. Albums Discussed: Closer by Joy Division Solid Gold by Gang of Four Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees Vs. by Mission of Burma Ocean Rain by Echo & the Bunnymen   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Whether it's from the English Channel or Lake Erie, a new wave is cresting on Andy Hears the '80s! Andy and Aaron ride the tides of five new wave albums this week and hear from artists that truly set the high water mark for the genre. Albums Discussed: Pretenders by The Pretenders Freedom of Choice by Devo Remain in Light by Talking Heads Rio by Duran Duran Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Join Andy and Aaron as they graduate from the old school and matriculate to the new school!  Five albums from hip hop's golden age get highlighted this week, all showcasing the wide variety in the genre. Albums Discussed: Run-D.M.C. by Run-D.M.C. Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul Paul's Boutique by Beastie Boys   andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

This week, Andy and Aaron listen to five old school hip-hop albums.  Drum machines, rhyme schemes, sampling without samplers, rap beefs; hear some of the old school classics that put the cardboard on the pavement! Albums Discussed: Sugarhill Gang by The Sugarhill Gang Kurtis Blow by Kurtis Blow The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Planet Rock: The Album by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force How Ya Like Me Now by Kool Moe Dee andyhearsit.podbean.com @andyhearsit on Twitter andyhearstheeighties@gmail.com Show Notes for every episode at actn.wordpress.com

Andy and Aaron listen to five of the biggest albums of the 1980s, nearly doubling Andy's collection of '80s albums!  Aaron talks trash about Katy Perry throughout.   Albums Discussed: Thriller by Michael Jackson Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen Purple Rain by Prince Graceland by Paul Simon The Joshua Tree by U2 andyhearsit.podbean.com@andyhearsit on Twitterandyhearstheeighties@gmail.comShow notes at actn.wordpress.com

Welcome to Andy Hears the '80s!  On the innaugural episode, Andy and Aaron listen to the only albums from the 1980s that Andy has managed to collect so far in his brief 30+ years on this Earth.   Albums Discussed: Combat Rock by The ClashViolent Femmes by Violent FemmesA Momentary Lapse of Reason by Pink FloydIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public EnemyDaydream Nation by Sonic YouthSurfer Rosa by The PixiesDoolittle by The Pixies   andyhearsit.podbean.com@andyhearsit on Twitterandyhearstheeighties@gmail.comShow notes at actn.wordpress.com