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

During the past decade, the term "new wave" has come to refer to a new crop of bands obsessed with melody and throwback style almost as much as the notorious, still world-famous Flock of Seagulls hairstyle from the early '80s. This says plenty about the ability of the era's music not only to resist labels such as disposable and unforgettable but also to influence subsequent generations of pop musicians. So feel free to seek out Snow Patrol and the Bravery to your heart's delight, but it never hurts to have a reminder of the artists who first mined the treasures of new wave music and paved the way for many of today's successful alternative/indie pop acts. Check out my list of the Top 10 New Wave Artists of the '80s for a healthy introduction to this rich and still quite relevant pop/rock style.

Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady has never quite become a household name across the Atlantic, but his influence on contemporary pop/rock has been substantial. In fact, I first heard Brady's sparkling composition "Crazy Dreams" through a cover version by folk/Americana singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky. Aside from the fact that she typically demonstrates impeccable taste in covers, this song fully earns the title of pop/rock masterpiece.

Joyous, conflicted and wonderfully human in its examination of the ongoing fight against loneliness, this track - which first appeared in 1981 on Brady's second solo album, Hard Station - accurately communicates Brady's smooth, accessible and completely dignified transition from a purveyor of Irish traditional music to a full-fledged pop/rock chameleon. Many of us probably didn't know it then, but Irish rock harbored more than just U2 among its well-kept early-'80s secrets. Unfortunately, Brady has remained an underrated musical genius while his fellow countrymen have become worldwide superstars. Still, don't let unjust obscurity keep you from experiencing Brady's insightful, eclectic pop.

• Sample or download Brady's 1981 recording of "Crazy Dreams" here.
• Sample or download Lucy Kaplansky's cover version of "Crazy Dreams" here.
• Compare prices on Paul Brady CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Compass Records

Dayton, Ohio's indie rock heroes Guided by Voices - who just happen to sport one of rock music's finest all-time band names - may not garner much mention if any when the conversation turns to '80s music, but that doesn't mean it's excusable to ignore the group's groundbreaking, influential work of its late-'80s formative stage. Bypassing the growing alternative/modern rock movement that would explode in popularity a few short years into the '90s, band mastermind Robert Pollard carved an honorable swath in the developing history of indie rock. Without the benefit of radio airplay or traditional record label support, Guided by Voices simply honed its craft and absorbed well-earned experience years before the so-called "cool kids" had caught wind of the band's lo-fi sound. "The Future Is in Eggs," a mesmerizing track from 1989's Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia probably was heard by only the chosen few during the '80s, a group in which I certainly didn't travel back then. Still, Pollard's genius should be credited for not only its time-capsule, man-out-of-time brilliance but also because it has continued to define what it means to create independent music in a rapidly changing entertainment universe.

• Sample or download "The Future Is in Eggs" here.

• Compare prices on Guided by Voices CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Halo

Though many listeners probably never heard the tune until its inclusion on the 1998 breakthrough Americana release Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, the passionate, melodic "I Lost It" actually dates back to a very early Lucinda Williams album, 1980's Happy Woman Blues. One of the people in the dark on that fact happened to be myself, until a few short moments ago when I realized that this track was nearly 20 years old when I first added it to my collection. The 1980 version features a slightly inflated sense of Louisiana shuffle primitivism than the more rock-flavored recording I know so well, but Williams' songwriting prowess announces itself forcefully years before she drew the acclaim she now receives. Mournful lyrics combined with Williams' raggedly gorgeous vocal delivery prove here that this artist has not merely grown better with age but has always been a rich contributor to American music culture.

• Sample or download "I Lost It" here.

• Official Lucinda Williams Website

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways

During the last two decades, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jon Brion has cemented a reputation for himself as something of a pop music genius. However, back in 1982 a youthful Brion suffered a fate similar to the one that obscured so many other unique power pop outfits of the early '80s (consider the dBs for comparison's sake). His band, the Bats, generated plenty of critical acclaim with its only release that same year, How Pop Can You Get?, but even a hearty plug from Billboard magazine could not get record buyers to take notice in significant numbers.

But never fear, music aficionados, as one of the most favorable ripples created by the Internet age is the increased availability of formerly out-of-print vinyl records. "Not Easy for Me" trades in some of the Bats' more quirky aspects but sacrifices little in the way of pop music songwriting quality. It should have been a hit, at the very least within the sometimes ignored lower half of the Top 40. Alas, such mainstream airplay was not to be for the Bats, but Brion's considerable pop sensibility would ultimately commune with a kindred spirit - Aimee Mann - who was a bit more fortunate when it came to '80s success.

• Sample or download "Not Easy for Me" here.
• Top '80s U.S. Music Scenes

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Gustav Records

In its earlier, more well-known '70s stage, soft rock had a tendency to showcase acoustic music with at least a touch of rootsy folk and rock influences. However, the early-'80s shift toward synthesizers and progressively busier orchestration began to transform this sound, and by the mid-'80s that once highly marketable style had essentially merged with the staid, more pop-based adult contemporary genre, which made its greatest impact of the era during the second half of the decade. Perhaps for that reason, many of the biggest stars of the '80s fit into these categories for much of their peak periods, in some cases splitting the era between accessible forms of both styles. Whether or not you want to call it commercial savvy or artistic versatility remains firmly a matter of perspective, but it's impossible to ignore the distinct contributions of the artists that make my list of the Top 10 Soft Rock/Adult Contemporary Artists of the '80s. Bow your head in shame if you must, but I doubt you'll be able to keep your list of favorite songs by these artists as brief as you'd expect.

• Top 10 Soft Rock Songs of the '80s
• Soft Rock Genre Profile

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Atlantic

One of England's original synth pop New Romantic outfits, Spandau Ballet enjoyed limited American success during the mid '80s, notching only one Top 10 pop hit in the popular but also quite worthy "True." However, the group dominated the decade in its native U.K., producing some of the most memorable electronic tunes and smoky, melodic bits of neo-soul of the era. With its first tour in 20 years set to begin in Europe later this fall, Spandau Ballet has arrived late to the retro reunion party, but the band has re-emerged on its own terms.

Specifically, the original lineup will release a single, "Once More," in November, and then a full album of original material with the same title will follow early next year. So what better occasion could we have than now to celebrate a lesser-known Spandau Ballet classic? The lovely, acoustic guitar-driven "Through the Barricades" became the band's final Top 10 U.K. single in 1986, and although it deviates somewhat from the typically danceable Spandau Ballet sound, the song offers yet another rich and romantic vocal performance from frontman Tony Hadley.

• Sample or download "Through the Barricades" here.
• Compare prices on Spandau Ballet CDs here.
• Spandau Ballet Official Website

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Capitol

After enjoying 2008's '80s coming-of-age period film Adventureland this weekend, I was pleased to discover just how many of the soundtrack's many choice tunes from the era I already have on my iPod. But the self-congratulation didn't last too long as I realized just how ignorant I've been over the years concerning the long, fruitful solo career of legendary singer-songwriter Lou Reed. The film's few non-'80s selections showcase two fine tracks from Reed's former band the Velvet Underground and one from the '70s leg of his solo career, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to explore what the film leaves out in terms of Reed's significant '80s output.

"Heavenly Arms," one of Reed's numerous love songs of the period written for then-wife Sylvia, features a raw and passionate vocal performance that meshes well with the spare but jagged guitar-based arrangement. Maybe it doesn't sound much like a typical tune from 1982, but unfortunately that's not the only reason wide audiences frequently were denied the opportunity to hear this music. After all, the rather trend-oblivious Reed was not likely to don a headband and join the synthesizer rage of the age even if by some miracle that would have guaranteed him MTV attention. Luckily, it takes only a small amount of digging to unearth this worthy track, and I'm more than happy to extend thanks to the engaging Adventureland for pushing me in the right direction.

• Sample or download "Heavenly Arms" here.
• Compare prices on Lou Reed CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of RCA

The Bee Gees may not have released a tremendous amount of music during the '80s - and certainly not of the distinctive high quality they were known for in the two previous decades - but the trio did provide some top-notch material to a number of pop artists of that latter era. Here is one such example, a tune that effortlessly brings a smile of recognition in a way of which only the brothers Gibb have been consistently capable. In fact, I would not have been able to tell you that "Heartbreaker" was written especially for and performed by Dionne Warwick had I not thoroughly researched the matter first. The rousing pop nirvana that the song brings, especially in its bridge and chorus, is pure vintage Bee Gees through and through, not to take anything away from the plenty successful Warwick.

The presence of the trio's typically signature backing vocals may have something to do with my memory of this track being slightly askew, but I think that mainly the group's tremendous songwriting skill contains an aura that can overpower even the most assertive vocal interpretations. Still, regardless of whose name is attached to this Top 10 pop hit from early 1983, the genius of the Bee Gees, as always, stands the test of time. Music fans certainly have the right to harbor lukewarm feelings occasionally toward the nature of a successful pop song, but I don't see how anyone can question the Gibbs' ability to attain excellence in the form release after release.

• Sample or download Dionne Warwick's original version of "Heartbreaker" here.

• Sample or download the Bee Gees' later version of "Heartbreaker" here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Arista/BMG Heritage