With the holidays fast approaching you might be wondering what to give to that special 80s Music Lover in your life. While this list is not definitive, it is a collection of some of the best collections of music from a decade where music took a decidely different turn. In the aftermath of the Punk and Feminist revoltions of the 70s, in the face of the Cold War, and new music technology (keyboards, drum machines, sequencers, etc.) finally becoming accessible and affordable, music in the 80s became fragmented into many genres and subgenres, music styles and tastes that defined the decade. A decade of decadence? Debatable, but not likely, with cars, salaries, houses all becoming collasol in the mid and latter 90s.
In this list of collections you will find ones that are more obscure and less popular from companies that tend to focus on remixes, alternate versions or the just plain unusual alongside of major record label releases that will satify anyone who is intrigued, indebted or simply "stuck" in the 80s. To your right you will find a collection of links that will bring you to reviews and track listings of these compilations. Below, you will find a brief run-down of the musical collections and what to expect from the style of the compilation. I hope this guide helps you find the perfect present for the ones you love (or even yourself).
Punk / Post Punk
These collections tend to focus on music from the period of time either just preceding the 80s, or into the early 80s. The bands represented here are rarely commerically successful in the pop markets, but often had notoriety or cult followings. Don't miss the 1-2-3-4 Punk & New Wave Collection. It is an Import, and comes at a hefty price of 84 shells, but it includes 100 tracks from artists like The Ramones, DEVO, Richard Hell, P.I.L. and many more, plus it includes a 92 page color booklet. Zowie.
New Wave
Extending throughout the 80s, these collections feature some songs which were released in the late 70s. From hits to obscure, dance mixes to rarities, these are some of the best compilations out there. Note: One of the best New Wave collections, Richard Blade's Flashback Favorites is now out of print, but you might still be able to get some from Oglio Records.
Essentials
This is where you will most likely find the most popular hits of the era, from the Pop and Rock genres. Selections that are really cool are the Rock She Said series, which features a majority of 80s ladies, but also some from the 60s & 70s. Also, the Poptopia collection of 80s Power Pop Hits is a definite for fans of The Romantics, The La's, The Plimsouls and others.
Country
In the 80s, country music began to take on a pop music flair and many, many hits became pop chart crossovers. Hits from Dolly Parton, Juice Newton, Conway Twitty, Boxcar Willie and Merle Haggard. A good choice is I Love Country, Hits of the 80's, which features 20 tracks in all from legends and stars like Dottie West, Alabama, Jim Reeves and Janie Fricke.
About Today's Guest Writer:
Samet Bilir a freelance writer who writes about practical technology and online shopping products. He owns the website www.azframes.com, where visitors can find some of the most highly rated digital photo frames available today.
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