Influential English post-punk band The Sisters of Mercy laid the foundation on this song for the pulsations that would ultimately become quite popular as industrial music. However, the sound of this 1988 track combines mechanical drum effects and beats with a fierce rock guitar attack often missing from the work of the genre's most well-known practitioners. A bit more melodically inclined than much contemporary experimental music, "Lucretia My Reflection" mostly showcases the breathy growl of lead vocalist Andrew Eldritch, who by this latter portion of the group's career had become the band's only remaining full-time member. Though often given the sometimes misunderstood label of goth rock, The Sisters of Mercy ultimately presents an eclectic fusion that can't be isolated quite so easily. Darkness in fashion notwithstanding.

• Sample or download "Lucretia My Reflection" here.
• Compare prices on Sisters of Mercy CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Rhino

Genesis mainstay and founding member Mike Rutherford may have intended for Mike + the Mechanics to be a mere side project for him during his primary band's off times, but the latter group eventually became a sturdy and successful pop act. Much of this probably has to do with the strength of the band's twin Pauls as lead vocalists, namely soulful legend Paul Carrack and the late Paul Young, a fine rock singer who just happened to have a namesake active as a solo artist at the same time. While Rutherford provided the group with some gripping personal songwriting, these two singers interpreted his material with an enormous amount of feeling and aplomb.

"Taken In" is a great example of one of those soft rock ballads you know well once you hear it again but that unfortunately slipped through the cracks upon initial release. Sliding only into the lower half of Billboard's Top 40 in 1986 may have kept the tune from becoming a bona fide '80s classic, but its melodies stand the test of time beautifully. This track is a wonderful find for '80s music fans in general and especially listeners fond of tuneful, Foreigner-style ballads.

• Compare prices on Mike + the Mechanics CDs here.
• Top 10 Soft Rock Songs of the '80s
• Top Genesis Songs of the '80s

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Atlantic/WEA

It's probably just another level of crazy holiday wishing, but it would make one fine occasion if the upcoming induction of Genesis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would involve a Peter Gabriel-Phil Collins collaboration of some sort. I suppose it's asking a lot for the stars to align in such a way, but when a band with a distinctly dual history like this receives a deserved honor, it would only be right to celebrate its entire 35-year history. And while Genesis mainstays Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford have left open the possibility for the participation of Gabriel and even original guitarist Steve Hackett at the March induction ceremony, it's not clear yet if or to what extent the members might perform.

Still, since the holiday season tends to get us all thinking about the ways we wish things were rather than the often drab sting of cold reality, allow me to indulge myself a bit as an ordinary but fervent fan of rock music. Wouldn't it be great to see Gabriel and Collins take a stab at singing one another's Genesis classics from each respective era of the band, not to mention the pair's bevy of solo hits? Obviously, Collins would do a fine job with "In Your Eyes" or "Red Rain," but it would be a particularly surreal pleasure to hear Gabriel's take on "Taking It All Too Hard," "Follow You Follow Me" or even something a bit underplayed like "Man on the Corner." A Rock Hall induction may mean increasingly less to some observers upset with the institution's penchant for genre inclusiveness, but there may not be a more appropriate occasion for these two hugely successful solo artists to pay tribute to each other's work. Let's hope for the best.

• Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs of the '80s
• Top 8 Phil Collins Songs of the '80s
• Top 10 '80s Solo Careers

If you haven't yet heard, '70s Swedish pop group ABBA has indeed been approved for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I must admit that at first I scoffed at the news, as many out there may also have done, but then I just took some time to think about it. I don't know if any music observer or even the band's most hardcore detractors can deny the pop culture significance of ABBA, nor the group's sparkling songcraft. What has surely infuriated more than a few rock music fans, however, is the fact that there exists very few if any elements of the band's sound that fit the description "rock and roll."

Nonetheless, I justify ABBA's inclusion in the Hall's select if swiftly broadening membership roll for two primary reasons: the group's general worthiness when it comes to pop music songwriting and performance as well as the fact that currently no distinction exists better capable of recognizing the best music of the second half of the 20th century than membership in the Rock Hall. So until there's a revered Pop Music Hall of Fame with something resembling equal footing, I'm afraid rock music fans will have to learn with the inductions of the likes of Madonna, Run-DMC and ABBA in place of far more rock-oriented but still potentially worthy bands like Rush, Deep Purple or KISS (which failed to receive enough votes after finally getting a nomination this year).

In celebration of ABBA's overall musical merit, I submit 1982's "When All Is Said and Done," an emotionally wrenching ballad detailing the break-up of one of the band's pair of married couples, in this case Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida) and Benny Andersson. This is a powerful track from ABBA's final studio release, 1981's The Visitors, that showcases yet again the sterling songwriting partnership between Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Despite reaching only No. 27 on Billboard's Hot 100 and barely cracking the adult contemporary Top 10, this tune stands firmly as music deserving of the label "classic" whether or not it's technically "rock and roll" in any way, shape or form.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Hip-O

Folk rock duo Aztec Two-Step must have really seemed like a band out of time back in 1986, during the rising MTV age and amidst the early rumblings of the behemoth known as hair metal. I wish I could say I remembered the pair of Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman for their work at the time or even from their early-'70s emergence. I mean, I could say so, but such a statement would be much less than truthful. Even so, it's heartening to realize even at this late date that '80s music had room for the literate social commentary displayed in this song about the often crass treatment America tends to give its arts and entertainment icons. If one knew where to look and listen, quirky songs like this that featured a cunning blend of tongue-in-cheek bemusement and a serious critical eye were not impossible to find during the '80s. This time, at least, I'm happy to do the legwork for you.

• Sample or download "Velvet Elvis" here.
• Compare prices on Aztec Two-Step CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of It's About Music

If you're only familiar with the music of the Goo Goo Dolls from the past 15 years or so, chances are you might pop a forehead vein if you stumbled upon this 1989 track from the band's sophomore album, Jed. For one thing, bassist Robby Takac still handled most of the group's vocal duties at that early point, and it hardly suffices to say that his vocal style lacks resemblance to the now-familiar, pop-oriented approach of long-time frontman and guitarist Johnny Rzeznik. Beyond that obvious difference, the Dolls' early sound stands out as a pleasantly disorienting blend of hardcore punk, power pop and pulverizing hard rock. In fact, for the first relatively unheralded years of the band's career, the music industry had no idea how to market or categorize the music.

In fact, I remember once seeing a video for one of the group's tracks from 1991's Hold Me Up played on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, which is really strange when one considers how directly that album draws from the mid-'80s work of alternative pioneers the Replacements. As for "Sex Maggot" in particular, the song's title recalls one of the group's earliest work-in-progress names, but more importantly it works wonders as a riffy romp through the immature yet spirited mind of an adolescent. The tune may ultimately be quite meaningless, but it's the kind of nonsense that resonates nonetheless, like the rock and roll version of an Edward Lear poem. "I hear you screaming, but you can't come in," Takac delivers in his distinctive yowl, "because I know that you're just a sex maggot!" If Rzeznik's raw but mighty riffing doesn't take you away from there, then I guess it's safe to say that you may lean toward the nearly adult contemporary, "Iris" camp of Goo Goo Dolls fans.

• Sample or download "Sex Maggot" here.
• Compare prices on Goo Goo Dolls CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Metal Blade

I have a reader to thank this Thanksgiving holiday for helping me take an important step toward further balancing coverage on this site. The truth is that I've avoided writing much about the expanse of '80s R&B because I feared my limited knowledge about the genre would render the task terribly difficult and time-consuming. I knew that to do justice to a list like the Top 10 R&B Artists of the '80s, I would have to research extensively in order to feel confident rating the music of this vast genre. After all, I'm a suburban Caucasian who grew up on Casey Kasem, classic rock, heavy metal, hair metal and early alternative rock. How would I know the key aspects of and differences between Evelyn "Champagne" King and Stephanie Mills?

The answer to this question, of course, is simple time and effort, and although I would never claim to be an expert on quiet storm, old-school R&B, I feel thoroughly enriched by the knowledge and listening experience my recent study has produced. So please, consider the source as you check out my list, remembering always that I seek to explore the true giants of the R&B world of the '80s rather than merely offer repetitive glimpses into the well-worn histories of the era's biggest pop stars. Imperfections aside, I'm hoping that in this case success lies in the effort put forth.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Island Def Jam

Although this track falls far more into the straight adult contemporary category than any kind of authentic R&B or soul, it does stand as a memorable example of elegant pop songcraft and presentation. Bryson happens to hail from upstate South Carolina, a portion of the Southeast within spitting distance of my old stomping grounds of western North Carolina (not that I stomped all that often or all that memorably). However, I don't think I'm allowing a geographical bias to creep into this feature. Rather, Bryson's smooth vocal delivery and the interesting melodic progression of this song remain some of my most vivid musical memories of the early '80s.

Part of this can probably be attributed to the fact that "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" was a major crossover hit in 1983, hitting the Top 10 on Billboard's pop, R&B and adult contemporary charts. Even so, this track doesn't seem to come up too often in a discussion of '80s music or on flashback playlists. Depending on one's perspective, overlooking Bryson's biggest hit not performed in a duet with a female singer may stem from the music's core blandness or its timeless pop appeal that keeps it from being clearly tied to an era. If for no other reason than to save a little face, I'll go with the latter explanation.

• Sample or download "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" here.
• Compare prices on Peabo Bryson CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Rhino/Elektra

One of the few bands to come close to the pure molten majesty of AC/DC, England's the Cult went through a number of transformations before settling on its arguably most successful sound. Starting off as a post-punk band with Goth trappings in terms of both image and sound, the group gradually adapted according to what seemed like a genuine pursuit of artistic distinction. Rather than attempting to fit into a popular format for the sole sake of popularity, band leaders Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy combined a throwback psychedelic fascination with driving, punishing rock and roll. Contemporary styles such as hair metal and early alternative rock rarely allowed for as much stylistic meandering as the Cult favored, and the group's 1987 release Electric may well be the gold standard for music capable of resisting classification in the most organic of ways. Perhaps nothing beats "Love Removal Machine" for grab-you-by-the-throat intensity, but "Wild Flower" proves that simplicity - when done well - provides an immediate advantage for bands unconcerned with genre labels.

• Sample or download "Wild Flower" here.

• Compare prices on the Cult CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Beggars Banquet Records

A keen spirituality has always flowed through the impeccable songwriting and vocals of Sam Phillips, even two decades after the end of her impressive early-'80s career as a Christian pop artist. However, in many ways this tune - written and originally recorded in 1986 by future husband and long-time collaborator T-Bone Burnett - represents her clear transition from niche artist to world-class original.

So why do I choose Phillips' version rather than Burnett's to spotlight here? Easy answer: Phillips was and is one of the finest female singers alive. This is mesmerizing, guitar-based folk-pop of which Phillips would produce plenty more during the next two decades, but the best thing about her as an artist is that she never repeats herself. "River of Love" sounds like it's been a roots rock standard for the past 50 years if not longer, and such staying power stems directly from the impact of the unique Phillips-Burnett artistry. If the Christian music industry had not tried so hard to pigeonhole Phillips by engineering her image, perhaps the world would have been able to enjoy her genius for far longer. Then again, she's far from the first artist (or the last) to be unjustly ignored by pop radio.

• Sample or download Phillips' version of "River of Love" here.
• Sample or download Burnett's original version of "River of Love" here.
• Compare prices on Sam Phillips CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Word Records