Your Favorite Albums Of 1988

I don't know if anyone will agree but I think 1988 was a fantastic year in music. Maybe it's nostalgia because I graduated HS in 88 but I love a lot of albums from this year. As usual, if the album was released between Jan 1 and Dec 31 1988 it qualifies for this thread. Ok, have fun. Enjoy the good memories, ignore the bad.

My picks for 1988 in alphabetical order by artist:
Big Audio Dynamite - Tighten Up Vol 88
Camper Van Beethoven - Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart
The Dead Milkmen - Beelzebubba
Dinosaur Jr - Bug
Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
Eazy-E - Eazy-Duz-It
Erasure - The Innocents
The Georgia Satellites - Open All Night
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Globe Of Frogs
Ice-T - Power
Milli Vanilli - All Or Nothing
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Pet Shop Boys - Introspective
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Primitives - Lovely
The Proclaimers - Sunshine On Leith
R.E.M. - Green
Royal Crescent Mob - Something New, Old, And Borrowed
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick
Patti Smith - Dream Of Life
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol 1
U2 - Rattle And Hum
Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams

 

The Primitives - Lovely
The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
Morrissey - Viva Hate
House of Love - S/T (Creation)
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
Jesus and Mary Chain - Barbed Wire Kisses
My Bloody Valentine - Isn’t Anything
14 Iced Bears - S/T
Happy Mondays - Bummed
Sugarcubes - Life’s Too Good
The Parachute Men - The Innocents
The Fall - I Am Kurious Oranj
The Razorcuts - Storyteller
Galaxie 500 - Today
The Darling Buds - Pop Said
The Would-Be-Goods - The Camera Loves Me

 

The year I was born. I used to think it was a weak year because I'm not a fan of several of the major critical darlings of '88 (Daydream Nation, Surfer Rosa, Straight Outta Compton, It Takes a Nation of Millions, And Justice for All) but the older I got, the more lesser-known "diamonds in the rough" I found. I now consider it a very good year for music and I'm proud to be an '88 baby.

Leonard Cohen I'm Your Man
Morrissey Viva Hate
Cowboy Junkies The Trinity Session
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
U2 Rattle and Hum
Talk Talk Spirit of Eden
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Tender Prey
Keith Richards Talk is Cheap
Sarah McLachlan Touch
Guns N Roses Lies
Tanita Tikaram Ancient Heart

 

Rob Wasserman - Duets
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
Ministry - The Land of Rape and Honey
Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session
The Beatles - BackTrack (Bootleg Album)
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Tracey Chapman - S/T
Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
Graham Parker - The Mona Lisa's Sister
Van Morrison & the Chieftains - Irish Hearbeat
Keith Richards - Talk Is Cheap
The Traveling Wilburys - Vol. 1
The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
Hothouse Flowers - People
The Pouges - If I Fall from Grace with God
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Mudhoney - Superfuzz Bigmuff
Eric Clapton - Crossroads
Operation Ivy - Hectic

 

Yes, it was a good year; surprised to see how much stuff I have from that year, as I was travelling in Australia and didn't buy a lot of records at the time. Most of these will have been acquired in later years. Anyhoo, here's ten I really like…

Different Trains/Electric Counterpoint – Steve Reich
Starfish – The Church
This Note's for You – Neil Young
Vivid – Living Colour
Everything's Different Now – 'Til Tuesday
Land of Dreams – Randy Newman
Green – REM
From Langley Park to Memphis – Prefab Sprout
Provision – Scritti Politti
Education in Reverse – Morrissey (I've got an Australian copy before the title was changed to Viva Hate )

 

Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything
Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff
Dinosaur Jr – Bug
Dead Can Dance – The Serpent’s Egg
Ministry – The Land of Rape and Honey
Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions…
Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking
Voivod – Dimension Hatross
Metallica - …And Justice for All
Eric B. and Rakim - Follow the Leader
Guns ‘n’ Roses – Lies
Talk Talk - The Spirit of Eden
The House of Love – s/t
Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll
Pixies – Surfer Rosa

h/t to Shaday by Ofra Haza - I only like half of it, but I love that half.

 

Some excellent releases in 1988. I was 14, had a part time job and was able to buy about two albums a week most weeks. The following were on high rotation in my house. I hadn’t really thought about the amount of debuts by young women singer songwriters- 88 was definitely the start of something new!
In no particular order, my favourites are:

Pat Benatar - Wide Awake In Dreamland
Do Re Mi - Happiest Place In Town
Divinyls - Temperamental
The Church - Starfish
Pet Shop Boys - Introspective
Toni Childs- Union
Melissa Etheridge - Melissa Etheridge
Morrissey - Viva Hate
Tracy Chapman- Tracy Chapman
U2 - Rattle & Hum
Joni Mitchell - Chalkmark In A Rainstorm
Sam Brown - Stop!
Sade - Stronger Than Pride
Steve Winwood- Roll With It
Travelling Wilburys- Vol.1
Kim Wilde - Close
SugarCubes - Life’s Too Good
Prince- Lovesexy
Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart
Tanita Tikaram - Ancient Heart
L7 - L7
Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits
Eurogliders - Groove
R.E.M - Green
Crowded House- Temple Of Low Men
Michelle Shocked - Short, Sharp, Shocked
Enya- Watermark

 

1. Metallica - …and Justice for All
2. Travelling Wilburys – Vol 1
3. Brian Wilson – s/t
4. Megadeth – So Far So Good So What
5. CSNY – American Dream
6. Slayer – South of Heaven
7. Johnny Cash – Water from Wells of Home
8. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of Seventh Son
9. Eazy E – Eazy Duz It

 

Frehley’s Comet - Second Sighting
Jane’s Addiction - Nothing’s Shocking
Guns n’ Roses - G N’ R Lies
Dokken - Beast From The East
Metallica - ..And Justice For All
Ratt - Reach For The Sky
Van Halen - OU812
Ozzy Osbourne -No Rest For The Wicked
Anthrax - State of Euphoria
AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video
Cinderella - Long Cold Winter
The Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1

 

Paul McCartney - Choba B CCCP
Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé - Barcelona

 

The Beatles - Past Masters Volume 1 & 2

 

I think 1988 was the year that popular music jumped the shark for me.
The next albums from artists whose previous release I loved were solid but not better.
There was not much new. Even less has stood the test of time.

Tracey Chapman - Tracey Chapman
Van Halen - OU812
The Go Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
The Proclaimers - Sunshine On Leith
Hothouse Flowers - People
R.E.M. - Green
The Church - Starfish
Melissa Etheridge - Melissa Etheridge
Steve Winwood- Roll With It
Crowded House- Temple Of Low Men
Bruce Hornsby and the Range - Scenes From The Southside
See The Light - Jeff Healey Band
Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

 

1988 - the year of...well something I'm sure

• John Hiatt - Slow Turning
• Keith Richards - Talk Is Cheap
• Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams
• Patti Smith - Dream Of Life
• Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
• Steve Earle - Copperhead Road

 

The Traveling Wilburys: Vol. 1
Brian Wilson: Brian Wilson
U2: Rattle & Hum
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation
Eric Clapton: Crossroads
Keith Richards: Talk Is Cheap
Guns N Roses: Lies
Robert Plant: Now And Zen
Rod Stewart: Out of Order

 

Live: The Road - The Kinks
Lefty - Art Garfunkel
Reg Strikes Back - Elton John
Brian Wilson - Brian Wilson
Soul Searchin' - Glenn Frey
Hangin' Tough - New Kids on the Block
Big Thing - Duran Duran
Negotiations and Love Songs - Paul Simon
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 - Traveling Wilburys
The Chess Box - huck Berry
Ooh Yeah! - Hall and Oates
The Rumour - Olivia Newton-John
Special - The Temptations
Barcelona - Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé

Darryl

 

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Metallica - And Justice for All
NWA - Straight Outta Compton

 

fave 3:

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Tender Prey
R.E.M. - Green
Travelling Wilburys - Vol. 1

 

Wilburys

 

Don't Close Your Eyes - Keith Whitley
Old 8x10 - Randy Travis
Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room - Dwight Yoakam
In a Foreign Town - Peter Hammill
The Live Album - Robert Earl Keen

 

nick cave and the bad seeds tender prey
pogues if i should fall fro grace with God
prince lovesexy
rem green
iron maiden seventh son of a seventh son
living colour vivid
crowded house temple of low men
tracy chapman
metallica justice for all
go betweens 16 lovers lane
the church starfish
sugarcubes life's too good
beatles past masters 1 and 2
david lee roth skyscraper
steve earle copperhead road
edie brickell and the new bohemians shooting rubber bands at the stars
tom waits big time
jeff healey see the light
black sorrows hold on to me
zappa ycdtosa vol 2 helsinki
neil young this notes for you
hothouse flowers people
zappa broadway the hardway
jason becker perpetual burn
iggy pop instinct
tism great truckin' song of the renaissance
graham parker mona lisas sister
wedding parties anything roaring days
sam brown stop
yngwie malmsteen odyssey
pat benatar wide awake in dreamland
b.a.d. tighten up 88

 

Rudolph'favorites from 1988:

01. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
02. Bad Religion - Suffer
03. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
04. Dead Can Dance - The Serpent's Egg
05. The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God
06. My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
07. Current 93 - Earth Covers Earth
08. Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden
09. Mary Margaret O' Hara - Miss America
10. Cardiacs - A Little Man And A House And The Whole World Window
11. Ultramagnetic MC's - Critical Beatdown
12. Diamanda Galás - You Must Be Certain Of The Devil
13. Various Artists - Techno: The New Dance Sound Of Detroit
14. Voi Vod - Dimension Hatröss
15. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
16. Vujicsics - Vujicsics
17. Various Artists - The House Sound Of London
18. EPMD -Strictly Business
19. Wynton Marsalis - The Majesty Of The Blues
20. Ministry - The Land Of Rape And Honey
21. Stetsasonic - In Full Gear
22. The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues
23. Bathory - Blood Fire Death
24. Pixies - Surfer Rosa
25. The Bevis Frond - Triptych
26. Derek B. - Bullet From A Gun
27. Suicide - A Way Of Life
28. The Wedding Present - Tommy
29. Nuclear Assault - Survive
30. Morrissey - Viva Hate
31. World Of Skin - Shame, Humility, Revenge
32. Screaming Trees - Invisible Lantern
33. The Wonder Stuff - The Eight Legged Groove Machine
34. DJ Fast Eddie - Jack To The Sound
35. Living Colour - Vivid
36. Giant Sand - The Love Songs
37. Various Artists - House Hallucinates: Pump Up London
38. Dinosaur Jr. - Bug
39. Death - Leprosy
40. Chaba Zahouania - Nights Without Sleeping
41. The House Of Love - The House Of Love
42. Front 242 - Front By Front
43. The Primitives - Lovely
44. Lakim Shabazz - Pure Righteousness
45. The Church - Starfish
46. 808 State - Newbuild
47. Beasts Of Bourbon - Sour Mash
48. Sadus - Illusions
49. Eric B. & Rakim - Follow The Leader
50. Tav Falco's Panther Burns - Red Devil
51. Big Dipper - Craps
52. Galaxie 500 - Today
53. The Ex - Aural Guerilla
54. Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane
55. Dead Moon - In The Graveyard
56. They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
57. Swamptrash - Bone
58. Ali Farka Toure - Ali Farka Toure (green album)
59. Half Japanese - Charmed Life
60. Jan Garbarek - Legend Of The Seven Dreams
61. Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
62. Fingers Inc. - Amnesia
63. Mekong Delta - The Music Of Erich Zann
64. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
65. Goran Bregovic - Dom Za Vešanje
66. Fishbone - Truth And Soul
67. Liz Torres & Master C&J - Can't Get Enough
68. R.E.M. - Green
69. The Beatnigs - The Beatnigs
70. Various Artists - Acid Jazz And Other Illicit Grooves
71. Prince - Lovesexy
72. The Wolfgang Press - Bird Wood Cage
73. Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session
74. Loop - Fade Out
75. Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary

 

Soul Asylum - Hang Time
Talking Heads - Naked
Graham Parker - The Mona Lisa's Sister
Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
Social Distortion - Prison Bound
Thomas Dolby - Aliens Ate My Buick
The Lemonheads - Creator
LA Guns - LA Guns
Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
Circus of Power - Circus of Power

 

Camper Van Beethoven-Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart
Tracy Chapman-Tracy Chapman
Leonard Cohen-I'm Your Man
The Feelies-Only Life
John Hiatt-Slow Turning
Graham Parker-The Mona Lisa's Sister
The Pixies-Surfer Rosa
Keith Richards-Talk Is Cheap
Talking Heads-Naked
Traveling Wilburys-Volume 1
The Waterboys-Fisherman's Blues
Lucinda Williams-Lucinda Williams

 

Deep Purple - Nobody's Perfect
Gillan & Glover - Accidentally On Purpose
Neil Young - This Note's For You
The Travelling Wilburys - Vol. 1

 

Metallica.......And Justice For All
Iron Maiden 7th Son
Guns N Roses Lies
U2 Rattle & Hum
Suicidal Tendencies How will I Laugh Tommorow
REM Green
Slayer South Of Heaven