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101 Best Songs of 1986 vs 1996: #1 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths / A Long December - Counting Crows (1 Viewer)

scorchy

Footballguy
It's been a while since my last countdown, and I realized that if I want to cover all 11 years from high school thru grad school (1986-1997), I better start posting more than one list per year. So I decided to bookend things by taking 101 songs each from 1986 and 1996 and combining them into a single thread. It's weird to see how much popular music and my tastes changed in a decade-plus. Overall, I like 1996 a lot better but it's weak at the top, whereas '86 has a few all-time classics with more crap along the way.

And before @Pip's Invitation point this out, it's really not a "Best of" but just the opinion of a lone middle-aged dummy. So come on in for the Bon Jovi and stay for the Spice Girls.

I'll start counting down tomorrow.

101 Missionary Man - Eurythmics / Sucked Out - Superdrag

100 Love Missile F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik / Scooby Snacks - Fun Lovin' Criminals

99 Turbo Lover - Judas Priest / The Reflecting God - Marilyn Manson

98 Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung / If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow

97 I Wanna Be A Cowboy - Boys Don't Cry / Banditos - The Refreshments

96 Wendy - The Descendents / Here in Your Bedroom - Goldfinger

95 Amanda - Boston / 1,2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New) - Coolio

94 The New Style - Beastie Boys / Fire Water Burn - Bloodhound Gang

93 What's Inside A Girl - The Cramps / Guilty - Gravity Kills

92 Don't Forget Me - Glass Tiger / Da Dip - Freak Nasty

91 (I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew / Counting Blue Cars - Dishwalla

90 Brand New Lover - Dead or Alive / Boy or a Girl? - Imperial Drag

89 You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim WIlde / Dangerous Type - Letters to Cleo

88 World Shut Your Mouth - Julian Cope / Open the Door - Magnapop

87 Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money / Elevators (Me & You) - Outkast

86 Guitar Town - Steve Earle / Forget the Flowers - Wilco

85 Venus - Bananarama / Ladykillers - Lush

84 Go Stetsa I - Stetsasonic / All That I Got Is You - Ghostface Killah

83 Good Guys & Bad Guys - Camper Van Beethoven / Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba - Mr. T. Experience

82 Shot in the Dark - Ozzy Osbourne / I Wanna Come Over - Melissa Etheridge

81 Kundalini Express - Love and Rockets / Claire - Jimmy Eat World

80 True Colors - Cyndi Lauper / Who Will Save Your Soul? - Jewel

79 The Final Countdown - Europe / Lovefool - The Cardigans

78 You Be Illin' - Run DMC / Pony - Ginuwine

77 Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins / Peaches - PotUSA

76 Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen / Lady Picture Show - Stone Temple Pilots

75 I Against I - Bad Brains / Super-fire - Girls Against Boys

74 6 in the Mornin' - Ice T / Ambitionz as a Ridah - 2Pac

73 Kyrie - Mr. Mister / Shadowboxer - Fiona Apple

72 Peace Sells... - Megadeth / Popular - Nada Surf

71 Guitars, Cadillacs - Dwight Yoakam / Goodnight Elisabeth - Counting Crows

70 Swamp Thing - Chameleons / 6 Underground - Sneaker Pimps

69 Nobody's Fool - Cinderella / Blow Up the Outside World - Soundgarden

68 Papa Don't Preach - Madonna / Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey

67 When I Think of You - Janet Jackson / Don't Speak - No Doubt

66 Two of Hearts - Stacey Q / Wannabe - Spice Girls

65 Girl Can't Help It - Journey / All I Really Want - Alanis Morissette

64 Eric B is President - Eric B and Rakim / Can't Knock the Hustle - Jay Z

63 Keep Your Hands to Yourself - Georgia Satellites / Pepper - Butthole Surfers

62 The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones / You're the One - SWV

61 Rumors - Timex Social Club / Tha Crossroads - Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony

60 Rhymin' and Stealin' - Beastie Boys / Naked Eye - Luscious Jackson

59 The Body of an American - The Pogues / Untrustable - Built to Spill

58 Panic - The Smiths / Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins

57 Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely - Husker Du / I Was Wrong - Social Distortion

56 Bonzo Goes to Bitburg - Ramones / I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone - Sleater-Kinney

55 South Bronx - Boogie Down Productions / Hit Em Up - 2Pac

54 Walk Like an Egyptian - Bangles / Standing Outside a Broken Phonebooth - Primitive Radio Gods

53 Stuck With You - Huey Lewis & the News / Stuck on You - Failure

52 Real Wild Child (Wild One) - Iggy Pop / Give It A Day - Pavement

51 Begin the Begin - REM / E-bow the Letter - REM

50 Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - Metallica / Until It Sleeps - Metallica

49 Dreams - Van Halen / Woo Hah!! (Got You All In Check) - Busta Rhymes

48 Levi Stubbs' Tears - Billy Bragg / All I Know - Screaming Trees

47 They Might Be Giants / Machinehead - Bush

46 Suburbia - Pet Shop Boys / Teenage Angst - Placebo

45 Invisible Touch - Genesis / Big Me - Foo Fighters

44 Hounds of Love - Kate Bush / Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band

43 Rise - Public Image Ltd. / King of New Orleans - Better Than Ezra

42 Yankee Rose - David Lee Roth / Thirty Three - Smashing Pumpkins

41 Black Celebration - Depeche Mode / Setting Sun - Chemical Brothers

40 Shellshock - New Order / The Bends - Radiohead

39 You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi / Where It's At - Beck

38 I Know It's Over - The Smiths / How Soon Is Now? - Love Spit Love

37 Rock Me Amadeus - Falco / Brain Stew - Green Day

36 Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo / Bound for the Floor - Local H

35 Higher Love - Steve Winwood / Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart - Stone Temple Pilots

34 Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle / If Your Girl Only Knew - Aaliyah

33 Don't Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders / Capri Pants - Bikini Kill

32 Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer / In the Meantime - Spacehog

31 Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads / Dramamine - Modest Mouse

30 Word Up - Cameo / Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing

29 Stripped - Depeche Mode / Born Slippy (Nuxx) - Underworld

28 The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3 / Novocaine for the Soul - Eels

27 The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby & The Range / Down Rodeo - Rage Against the Machine

26 Control - Janet Jackson / #1 Crush - Garbage

25 Blood and Roses - The Smithereens / Ruby Soho - Rancid

24 Cities in Dust - Siouxsie & the Banshees / Zero - Smashing Pumpkins

23 Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel / Swallowed - Bush

22 Walk This Way - Run DMC / Champagne Supernova - Oasis

21 If You Leave - OMD / The Distance - Cake

20 Dear God - XTC / Heaven Beside You - Alice in Chains

19 Notorious - Duran Duran / 6th Avenue Heartache - The Wallflowers

18 Bring on the Dancing Horses - Echo & the Bunnymen / Desperately Wanting - Better Than Ezra

17 Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths / Song Against Sex - Neutral Milk Hotel

16 Your Love - The Outfield / Burden In My Hand - Soundgarden

15 Opportunities - Pet Shop Boys / Devil's Haircut - Beck

14 Manic Monday - The Bangles / Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine

13 Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House / El Scorcho - Weezer

12 Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs / Stupid Girl - Garbage

11 Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi / Radiation Vibe - Fountains of Wayne

10 Wasted Years - Iron Maiden / Stinkfist - Tool

9 Paul Revere - Beastie Boys / What I Got - Sublime

8 My Adidas - Run DMC / Firestarter - The Prodigy

7 Live to Tell - Madonna / Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Radiohead

6 Fall on Me - REM / Don't Look Back in Anger - Oasis

5. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel / If I Ruled the World - Nas feat Lauren Hill

4. Master of Puppets - Metallica / 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins

3. Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order / Killing Me Softly With His Song - The Fugees

2. Kiss - Prince / No Diggity - Blackstreet

1. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths / A Long December - Counting Crows
 
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In to be totally insufferable about my favorite MTX album

The pop-punk was right up my alley in '96 and the lyrics and wordplay therein are truly top notch. I hope it cracks the list. Will be looking forward to commentary about it should that happen. It's one of those albums that sort of bridges the gap between my youth and adulthood and, even given the musical limitations of pop-punk, it represents a bridge for me from purely pop or punk into more meaningful stuff. I loved it then, more than any other pop-punk record I could have chosen. It's a reminder of things that were good in youth.
 
Let's get this thing going. Write-ups are gonna be short for a while b/c I'm swamped.

MIssionary Man - Eurythmics

The last of a long run of hits from the Eurythmics. Missionary Man reached #14 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Sucked Out - Superdrag

Superdrag (not to be confused with Supergrass or Superchunk) are the only thing that came out of Knoxville in the ‘90s that I could stomach [UF grad here]. Pretty damn good power-pop single
 
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Let's get this thing going. Write-ups are gonna be short for a while b/c I'm swamped.

MIssionary Man - Eurythmics

The last of a long run of hits from the Eurythmics. Missionary Man reached #14 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Sucked Out - Superdrag

Superdrag (not to be confused with Supergrass or Superchunk) are the only thing that came out of Knoxville in the ‘90s that I could stomach [UF grad here]. Pretty damn good power-pop single
Both your links are to the Eurythmics song.

I either didn't know (or most likely forgot) that "Missionary Man" is the title of that song. I thought it was "Original Sinner". Anyway, good song and Annie in a righteous mood is a sight to behold (be-hear?).

I had no recollection of a band named Superdrag when reading your post. I looked up the song on youtube and was surprised I knew it! Pretty sure WRNR out of Annapolis used to play it a lot, as I don't know where else I would have heard it in the mid-90s.

Those are two good records to start with. I have a feeling Superdrag's will finish pretty high for me out of your '96 choices.
 
Missionary Man was my 1986 selection in the jukebox draft we did a couple of years ago. It’s pretty fire. Will have to check out the Superdrag song. It doesn’t ring a bell.
 
Let's get this thing going. Write-ups are gonna be short for a while b/c I'm swamped.

MIssionary Man - Eurythmics

The last of a long run of hits from the Eurythmics. Missionary Man reached #14 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Sucked Out - Superdrag

Superdrag (not to be confused with Supergrass or Superchunk) are the only thing that came out of Knoxville in the ‘90s that I could stomach [UF grad here]. Pretty damn good power-pop single
Both your links are to the Eurythmics song.

I either didn't know (or most likely forgot) that "Missionary Man" is the title of that song. I thought it was "Original Sinner". Anyway, good song and Annie in a righteous mood is a sight to behold (be-hear?).

I had no recollection of a band named Superdrag when reading your post. I looked up the song on youtube and was surprised I knew it! Pretty sure WRNR out of Annapolis used to play it a lot, as I don't know where else I would have heard it in the mid-90s.

Those are two good records to start with. I have a feeling Superdrag's will finish pretty high for me out of your '96 choices.
Thanks. Linked fix.

I'm not sure if OCMD's short-lived modern rock station (X107) had the same management as WRNR, but they played Superdrag to death in the summer of '96.
 
I'm not sure if OCMD's short-lived modern rock station (X107) had the same management as WRNR, but they played Superdrag to death in the summer of '96.
RNR was owned by Jake Einstein (who had the original HFS back in the free-form days). In the 90s, they were more like the old HFS than a modern rock channel: they had a bunch of old hippie DJs like Damien Einstein, John Hall, Cerph, Weasel, etc... and were pretty eclectic. Once Jake sold it, the playlists tightened and it became a more commercial modern rock station. That was probably 20 years ago.
 
John Hall used to get in all kinds of trouble at RNR. He was on during afternoon rush hour and would have listeners call in telling him where the police had speed traps set up. Now, RNR's listenership was relatively small (& their signal didn't carry much more than 30 miles or so), but I knew some folks connected with the channel and they would get complaints from both local and state police. He'd also curse like a drunken sailor on the air, talk about getting inebriated on things other than alcohol, and abrasively tell listeners who called in requests that there was no way in hell he was playing another Beatles song then turn around and play the whole White Album (or try to - sometimes he'd get cut off). As best as I can remember, he disappeared from their airwaves sometime before Jake sold the channel.
 
John Hall used to get in all kinds of trouble at RNR. He was on during afternoon rush hour and would have listeners call in telling him where the police had speed traps set up. Now, RNR's listenership was relatively small (& their signal didn't carry much more than 30 miles or so), but I knew some folks connected with the channel and they would get complaints from both local and state police. He'd also curse like a drunken sailor on the air, talk about getting inebriated on things other than alcohol, and abrasively tell listeners who called in requests that there was no way in hell he was playing another Beatles song then turn around and play the whole White Album (or try to - sometimes he'd get cut off). As best as I can remember, he disappeared from their airwaves sometime before Jake sold the channel.
Sorry I missed this. I only listened to HFS when I was on your side of the bridge. Didn't know about RNR.
 
Inspired by JML and Krista, I'll intersperse a few stats here and there:

Only two acts appear in both countdowns. A third made the initial expanded lists, but he/she/they were closer to being cut entirely than getting their 1996 in the final product.
 
#100

A couple of tracks to lure some OG’s to this thread.

Love Missile F1-11 - Sigue Sigue Sputnik

@Smoo is the only person I’ve ever met who unabashedly expresses love for Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Love Missile F1-11 didn’t chart in the U.S. (or Smoo’s native Canada) but hit #3 in the UK.


Scooby Snacks - Fun Lovin’ Criminals

I’m sure Scoobygang/ @Ramsay Hunt Experience doesn’t have any love for the Fun Lovin’ Criminals b/c rap-rock kind of sucks. But hey, at least the song samples Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.
 
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#100




Scooby Snacks - Fun Lovin’ Criminals

I’m sure Scoobygang/ @Ramsay Hunt Experience doesn’t have any love for the Fun Lovin’ Criminals b/c rap-rock kind of sucks. But hey, at least the song samples Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.
This is new to me, but I note that they appear to be performing in a swing club revival cocktail bar, which dates this to a pretty specific 8 months or so. The video is like a Chris Farley Show skit about the 90s. Remember X? That was cool.
 
I owned that Superdrag CD. The record stores all wanted me to get into Supergrass, but the 'Drag was where it was at. A really, really good power pop song that would probably be a lot higher in my own personal '96 countdown.
 
#99

Turbo Lover - Judas Priest

Hard to believe that Judas Priest was once considered dangerous or that people actually believed that imagined subliminal messages played backwards made teens kill themselves. More innocent times.

Is being a Turbo Lover a good thing?


The Reflecting God - Marilyn Manson

I could write almost the same sentence for MM: Hard to believe that Marilyn Manson was once considered dangerous [by anyone other than the poor women who dated/married him] or that people believed he was to blame for Columbine.

I wore this CD out when it was released - so much harder than his schlocky debut. The chalk choice would have been The Beautiful People but I’m partial to this or Irresponsible Hate Anthem.
 
I wore this CD out when it was released - so much harder than his schlocky debut. The chalk choice would have been The Beautiful People but I’m partial to this or Irresponsible Hate Anthem.
Trent Reznor did an amazing job with this album, but Portrait of an American Family is very underrated, imo (I assume that's what you're referring to). Nowadays, if I'm in a Manson mood, I'm going for PoaAF.

"White trash, get down on your knees. Time for cake and sodomy!"
 
I wore this CD out when it was released - so much harder than his schlocky debut. The chalk choice would have been The Beautiful People but I’m partial to this or Irresponsible Hate Anthem.
Trent Reznor did an amazing job with this album, but Portrait of an American Family is very underrated, imo (I assume that's what you're referring to). Nowadays, if I'm in a Manson mood, I'm going for PoaAF.
I know what you mean - being in Florida, MM was a fixture in the goth scene even before Portrait broke out. But as much as I liked it at the time, it hasn't aged well for me. It feels fake threatening instead of actual threatening, if that makes any sense. My fave of his, all things considered is actually Mechanical Animals.
 
I wore this CD out when it was released - so much harder than his schlocky debut. The chalk choice would have been The Beautiful People but I’m partial to this or Irresponsible Hate Anthem.
Trent Reznor did an amazing job with this album, but Portrait of an American Family is very underrated, imo (I assume that's what you're referring to). Nowadays, if I'm in a Manson mood, I'm going for PoaAF.
I know what you mean - being in Florida, MM was a fixture in the goth scene even before Portrait broke out. But as much as I liked it at the time, it hasn't aged well for me. It feels fake threatening instead of actual threatening, if that makes any sense. My fave of his, all things considered is actually Mechanical Animals.
I was a big fan of MM as soon as I heard Portrait. Those first few albums contain a lot of good rock tunes. Similar to Mr Cranks, I listen to Portrait most these days but I tend to lean towards the early albums of mist artists. The albums are usually more raw and have an energy that isn’t matched again. Live MM was always a great time.
 
I was a big fan of MM as soon as I heard Portrait. Those first few albums contain a lot of good rock tunes. Similar to Mr Cranks, I listen to Portrait most these days but I tend to lean towards the early albums of mist artists. The albums are usually more raw and have an energy that isn’t matched again. Live MM was always a great time.
For years, one of my go-to "one truth and one lie" statements for those silly ice-breakers at work conferences was "enjoyed a 3 am Moons over My-hammy with Marilyn Manson at an Orlando Denny's." Can't really go that route any more.
 
#98

Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung

Even in 1986, I didn’t really understand why people loved Wang Chung in general or this song in particular. It was their biggest hit, stalling at #2 behind a slightly less annoying song that’s coming up soon. As far as I know, there's never been a night where I've seen anyone wang chung.

If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow

It can’t be that bad. Nothing else really to say on this one.
 
#99

Turbo Lover - Judas Priest

Hard to believe that Judas Priest was once considered dangerous or that people actually believed that imagined subliminal messages played backwards made teens kill themselves. More innocent times.

Is being a Turbo Lover a good thing?
I remember when Rob finally came out and he somewhat self-congratulatorily said, "I imagine all of you are quite surprised." And I was like, "I've seen the Turbo Lover video, man." I saw Priest on the tour supporting Turbo and I have to admit that the thing I remember most about the show is that because Dokkenr opened it was the first of an inexplicable to me now THREE times that I saw Dokken live.
 
I must admit that I do have a soft spot for Cheryl Crow's throaty ballad-y stuff. Strong Enough is the clear apex of the form, but I like If It Makes You Happy as well.
 
#98

Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung

Even in 1986, I didn’t really understand why people loved Wang Chung in general or this song in particular. It was their biggest hit, stalling at #2 behind a slightly less annoying song that’s coming up soon. As far as I know, there's never been a night where I've seen anyone wang chung.
Why did you rank it at all if that’s the way you feel about it?
 
#98

Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung

Even in 1986, I didn’t really understand why people loved Wang Chung in general or this song in particular. It was their biggest hit, stalling at #2 behind a slightly less annoying song that’s coming up soon. As far as I know, there's never been a night where I've seen anyone wang chung.
Why did you rank it at all if that’s the way you feel about it?
I like Wang Chung, and even I think this song is embarrassingly bad. I think we need a redo here @scorchy. You're better than this.
 
I like Wang Chung, and even I think this song is embarrassingly bad. I think we need a redo here @scorchy. You're better than this.
I see your point, and without diving too deep into my admittedly biased methodology, I do try to weigh long-term popularity/cultural impact a bit. If I absolutely hate the song, I won't include it, which is why Dancing on the Ceiling won't be here. But Everybody Have Fun Tonight was referenced on Cheers and still has a bit of cultural relevance today. It felt wrong to omit it. There'll be a few songs where this is the case.
 
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Marilyn Manson actually has a few songs I still like and will probably like forever, including one or two on A-S

This makes my ears bleed a little bit though.

TURBO was not loved by Priest fans at the time but the Iron Priest wins, by virtue of being the best cut on the album

(did you see the "Teenage Dirtbag" Halloween costume?)
 
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#97

Dueling one hit wonders with songs about Cowboys and Bandits, 11 years apart.

I Wanna Be a Cowboy - Boys Don’t Cry

For some reason, the lyrics of I Wanna Be a Cowboy still run through my head all the time. Mainly the "My name is Ted… and one day I’ll be dead yo yo yo" part. Check out Lemmy in the video.

Banditos - The Refreshments

Everybody knows
That the world is full of stupid people


Tempe’s The Refreshments are probably more famous for performing the theme song to King of the HIll. I promise this is the only song in the thread to mention Jean Luc Picard.
 
Marilyn Manson actually has a few songs I still like and will probably like forever, including one or two on A-S

This makes my ears bleed a little but though.

TURBO was not loved by Priest fans at the time but the Iron Priest wins, by virtue of being the best cut on the album

(did you see the "Teenage Dirtbag" Halloween costume?)
I did not.

Given that you're the authority on whether lyrics are literal or metaphorical, what exactly does "Turbo Lover" mean?
 
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I see your point, and without diving too deep into my admittedly biased methodology, I do try to weigh long-term popularity/cultural impact a bit. If I absolutely hate the song, I won't include it, which is why Dancing on the Ceiling won't be here. But Everybody Have Fun Tonight was referenced on Cheers and still has a bit of cultural relevance today. It felt wrong to omit it. There'll be a few songs where this is the case.
Wang Chung was fortunate that when this song was released the phrase 'this is so cringe' had not yet been invented.

However, the song To Live and Die in LA, and association with said movie keeps them from the cheese/cringe/lame file.
 
Wang Chung were still making some dope stuff in the 90s



I'm going with Boys Don't Cry over Banditos not because it's better per se, but there are a million Banditos, and only two Boys Don't Crys, the other one was called Wall of Voodoo
 
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Marilyn Manson actually has a few songs I still like and will probably like forever, including one or two on A-S

This makes my ears bleed a little but though.

TURBO was not loved by Priest fans at the time but the Iron Priest wins, by virtue of being the best cut on the album

(did you see the "Teenage Dirtbag" Halloween costume?)
I did not.

Given that your the authority on whether lyrics are literal or metaphorical, what exactly does "Turbo Lover" mean?
I'd bring your wife into this but I'm genuinely curious so I'm going to look
 

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