1982

Where the hell does the time go?  I should be much further along than 1982 by now.  I just started the 1993 playlist this week.  My time management skills seem to be at an all time low state right now.  I've got to work on that.

Anyway, today I'm looking back at the music of 1982 and what I took away from it and where it brought me back to when I was listening to it again.

This was the year that music really, really, really came alive for me.  MTV couldn't have been bigger.  That 80s British Invasion was in full force.  New Wave and synths were the sounds that made me smile the most.  Even the traditional Top 40 crap that I adored was catching on and adding the cold electronic sounds.  Look at songs like "Gloria" by Laura Branigan.  Definite synth pop influences, but thoroughly Top 40 pop music.

ABC was big that year with "Poison Arrow" and "The Look Of Love."  Both those songs still sound as new and fresh to me today as they did back in the day.  Culture Club hit it big.  It still kind of boggles my mind that someone looking like Boy George did back in 1982 was able to become a superstar.  Dexy's Midnight Runners were another unlikely hit.  Duran Duran took full advantage of the platform MTV gave them.  Eurythmics.  Spandau Ballet. The Motels.  Men At Work.  The Waitresses.  All these huge names made a big splash in 1982.

As I was getting into the 1980s playlists, I was really getting excited for 1983 and 1984 to come up.  I just remember them being such great years.  But 1982 really surprised me.  I don't remember it being as amazing a year for music as it was.  

Again, it wasn't a big LP buying year for me.  I'm surprised that the only albums I owned were Fleetwood Mac's Mirage, Pat Benatar's Get Nervous, Asia's Asia and Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits Volume 2.  I'm surprised I didn't get beaten up more in high school looking at these selections.