LondonIrish1970 said:

I don't know why it's embarrassing to see Hammer on the list. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a huge album, and everyone was listening to it. He was no one-hit wonder, and it's odd that people who danced to "Can't Touch This" or "Pray" now act like it's a William Shatner album.

Huey Lewis was huge for more than a while, and they're popular because they were good at what they did. Sports had hit after hit coming out of Sports; (4 top 10, and a 5th in the top 20). "Heart and Soul", "I Want A New Drug", "Heart of Rock N' Roll", "If This Is It", "Walking On A Thin Line". It ranked #2 by the end of 1984. They rode that success into 1985, and continued it with the two songs from Back To The Future (which you couldn't get away from), and a song on We Are The World "Trouble in Paradise", which made its way right onto radio as well, and stayed there long enough to drive it into people's heads. Somehow through all that they recorded an album, that was better than Sports in my opinion, Fore! and released it in 1986. These guys are so talented, and their harmonies gives any toddler in music today a run for their money, twice over.

But 1984 was the year of Thriller and Purple Rain. Thriller was actually winding down a bit in some ways, despite the troubled Victory tour. Springsteen, Huey, and Footloose (which just wouldn't stop) all charted with #1 albums (Born In The USA was truly Bruce's Thriller), albeit in short segments compared to the monsters of Thriller in the first half of the year, and Purple Rain from July/August onward. I remember there being such a contrast between the year plus of Thriller and the songs and the couple of videos, and the magazines.

Then comes "When Doves Cry", and people were like "Thriller who?'. It was so weird, and different, and bizarre to anything on radio. And this in an age of new wave, new dance music, euro-pop, and any other new quirky thing a band thought up while playing with the new drum machines or keyboards. Simultaneously "When Doves Cry" was the sore thumb in music being the oddest thing out there, and fit right in with every other weird thing in music at the time. Look at the 1984 charts. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club. "Hello" by Lionel Richie. "The Reflex" by Duran Duran. "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger. "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. That's some varied shit. WDC gave all of the notice. I'm not surprised at Purple Rain's success. It's a great album, the staggering of single, album, then movie was genius marketing, and the movie was the first time we got to see a huge ass star in a movie that sent shivers down your spine. The power of rock music on the big screen hadn't been portrayed and filmed in such a way in ever.

Purple Rain was #1 for weeks and weeks on end. And those of us who were teenagers during that time, gladly put on our funkiest clothes and ran outside to get soaking wet in it.

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why it's embarrassing to see Hammer on the list. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a huge album, and everyone was listening to it. He was no one-hit wonder, and it's odd that people who danced to "Can't Touch This" or "Pray" now act like it's a William Shatner album.

Huey Lewis was huge for more than a while, and they're popular because they were good at what they did. Sports had hit after hit coming out of Sports; (4 top 10, and a 5th in the top 20). "Heart and Soul", "I Want A New Drug", "Heart of Rock N' Roll", "If This Is It", "Walking On A Thin Line". It ranked #2 by the end of 1984. They rode that success into 1985, and continued it with the two songs from Back To The Future (which you couldn't get away from), and a song on We Are The World "Trouble in Paradise", which made its way right onto radio as well, and stayed there long enough to drive it into people's heads. Somehow through all that they recorded an album, that was better than Sports in my opinion, Fore! and released it in 1986. These guys are so talented, and their harmonies gives any toddler in music today a run for their money, twice over.

But 1984 was the year of Thriller and Purple Rain. Thriller was actually winding down a bit in some ways, despite the troubled Victory tour. Springsteen, Huey, and Footloose (which just wouldn't stop) all charted with #1 albums (Born In The USA was truly Bruce's Thriller), albeit in short segments compared to the monsters of Thriller in the first half of the year, and Purple Rain from July/August onward. I remember there being such a contrast between the year plus of Thriller and the songs and the couple of videos, and the magazines.

Then comes "When Doves Cry", and people were like "Thriller who?'. It was so weird, and different, and bizarre to anything on radio. And this in an age of new wave, new dance music, euro-pop, and any other new quirky thing a band thought up while playing with the new drum machines or keyboards. Simultaneously "When Doves Cry" was the sore thumb in music being the oddest thing out there, and fit right in with every other weird thing in music at the time. Look at the 1984 charts. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club. "Hello" by Lionel Richie. "The Reflex" by Duran Duran. "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger. "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. That's some varied shit. WDC gave all of the notice. I'm not surprised at Purple Rain's success. It's a great album, the staggering of single, album, then movie was genius marketing, and the movie was the first time we got to see a huge ass star in a movie that sent shivers down your spine. The power of rock music on the big screen hadn't been portrayed and filmed in such a way in ever.

Purple Rain was #1 for weeks and weeks on end. And those of us who were teenagers during that time, gladly put on our funkiest clothes and ran outside to get soaking wet in it.

Great post, thanks

rogifan said:

rogifan said:

The other 4 were:
Thriller
Footlose (soundtrack)
Sports (Huey Lewis) - this was #1 for only 1 week
Born in the USA

Looking back at Billboard charts going back to 1970 (and even earlier) no other year has had only 5 or fewer albums hit #1 in that year. The closest is 1983 where 6 hit #1 (Thriller top selling) and 1978 where 8 hit #1 (Saturday Night Fever soundtrack top selling). In contrast, in 2013 44 albums hit #1. That's nearly a different album every week of the year.

I still contend 1984 was the best year of that decade (and in general) musically. You had Thriller and Purple Rain as bookends for the year. Van Halen's 1984 was huge (and would have been #1 if not for Thriller's massive success) as was Springsteen and his Born in the USA anthem. These days you regularly have over 30 albums hit #1 in a year (last year there were 39). Just shows what a dearth of great albums we have and how awful music really is these days. I mean seriously how many albums get released these days that are like a Rumors or Purple Rain where every song on the album is amazing and there is no filler. It just doesn't happen anymore which is really sad.

TrivialPursuit said:

sonshine said:

rogifan said:

The other 4 were: Thriller Footlose (soundtrack) Sports (Huey Lewis) - this was #1 for only 1 week Born in the USA Looking back at Billboard charts going back to 1970 (and even earlier) no other year has had only 5 or fewer albums hit #1 in that year. The closest is 1983 where 6 hit #1 (Thriller top selling) and 1978 where 8 hit #1 (Saturday Night Fever soundtrack top selling). In contrast, in 2013 44 albums hit #1. That's nearly a different album every week of the year. I still contend 1984 was the best year of that decade (and in general) musically. You had Thriller and Purple Rain as bookends for the year. Van Halen's 1984 was huge (and would have been #1 if not for Thriller's massive success) as was Springsteen and his Born in the USA anthem. These days you regularly have over 30 albums hit #1 in a year (last year there were 39). Just shows what a dearth of great albums we have and how awful music really is these days. I mean seriously how many albums get released these days that are like a Rumors or Purple Rain where every song on the album is amazing and there is no filler. It just doesn't happen anymore which is really sad.

I owned them all except the Footloose soundtrack. Never caught the Footloose fever lol I still have them too except for Huey. I think my ex took it in the divorce ha!

Good concession on your part

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why it's embarrassing to see Hammer on the list. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a huge album, and everyone was listening to it. He was no one-hit wonder, and it's odd that people who danced to "Can't Touch This" or "Pray" now act like it's a William Shatner album.

Huey Lewis was huge for more than a while, and they're popular because they were good at what they did. Sports had hit after hit coming out of Sports; (4 top 10, and a 5th in the top 20). "Heart and Soul", "I Want A New Drug", "Heart of Rock N' Roll", "If This Is It", "Walking On A Thin Line". It ranked #2 by the end of 1984. They rode that success into 1985, and continued it with the two songs from Back To The Future (which you couldn't get away from), and a song on We Are The World "Trouble in Paradise", which made its way right onto radio as well, and stayed there long enough to drive it into people's heads. Somehow through all that they recorded an album, that was better than Sports in my opinion, Fore! and released it in 1986. These guys are so talented, and their harmonies gives any toddler in music today a run for their money, twice over.

But 1984 was the year of Thriller and Purple Rain. Thriller was actually winding down a bit in some ways, despite the troubled Victory tour. Springsteen, Huey, and Footloose (which just wouldn't stop) all charted with #1 albums (Born In The USA was truly Bruce's Thriller), albeit in short segments compared to the monsters of Thriller in the first half of the year, and Purple Rain from July/August onward. I remember there being such a contrast between the year plus of Thriller and the songs and the couple of videos, and the magazines.

Then comes "When Doves Cry", and people were like "Thriller who?'. It was so weird, and different, and bizarre to anything on radio. And this in an age of new wave, new dance music, euro-pop, and any other new quirky thing a band thought up while playing with the new drum machines or keyboards. Simultaneously "When Doves Cry" was the sore thumb in music being the oddest thing out there, and fit right in with every other weird thing in music at the time. Look at the 1984 charts. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club. "Hello" by Lionel Richie. "The Reflex" by Duran Duran. "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger. "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. That's some varied shit. WDC gave all of the notice. I'm not surprised at Purple Rain's success. It's a great album, the staggering of single, album, then movie was genius marketing, and the movie was the first time we got to see a huge ass star in a movie that sent shivers down your spine. The power of rock music on the big screen hadn't been portrayed and filmed in such a way in ever.

Purple Rain was #1 for weeks and weeks on end. And those of us who were teenagers during that time, gladly put on our funkiest clothes and ran outside to get soaking wet in it.

I miss the musical variety and age range back then...

Probably for the same reasons that they liked this dude..

rogifan said:

LondonIrish1970 said:

I read somewhere that Purple Rain was the no.3 album of 1984 overall in the USA behind Thriller and Sports, is that true?

Not sure. Never understood why people liked Huey Lewis but he was huge there for a while.

rogifan said:

It still amazes me that 5 albums hit #1 in 1984 and 44 did in 2013. Just shows that great albums don't get made anymore and the ones that do don't get airplay and don't sell very well. I wonder if we'll ever see a resurgence in great albums again?

Nailed it.

MD431Madcat said:

Probably for the same reasons that they liked this dude..

Because it was hot as fuck, that's why.

TrivialPursuit said:

MD431Madcat said:

Probably for the same reasons that they liked this dude..

Because it was hot as fuck, that's why.

Sure was.

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why it's embarrassing to see Hammer on the list. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a huge album, and everyone was listening to it. He was no one-hit wonder, and it's odd that people who danced to "Can't Touch This" or "Pray" now act like it's a William Shatner album.

Huey Lewis was huge for more than a while, and they're popular because they were good at what they did. Sports had hit after hit coming out of Sports; (4 top 10, and a 5th in the top 20). "Heart and Soul", "I Want A New Drug", "Heart of Rock N' Roll", "If This Is It", "Walking On A Thin Line". It ranked #2 by the end of 1984. They rode that success into 1985, and continued it with the two songs from Back To The Future (which you couldn't get away from), and a song on We Are The World "Trouble in Paradise", which made its way right onto radio as well, and stayed there long enough to drive it into people's heads. Somehow through all that they recorded an album, that was better than Sports in my opinion, Fore! and released it in 1986. These guys are so talented, and their harmonies gives any toddler in music today a run for their money, twice over.

But 1984 was the year of Thriller and Purple Rain. Thriller was actually winding down a bit in some ways, despite the troubled Victory tour. Springsteen, Huey, and Footloose (which just wouldn't stop) all charted with #1 albums (Born In The USA was truly Bruce's Thriller), albeit in short segments compared to the monsters of Thriller in the first half of the year, and Purple Rain from July/August onward. I remember there being such a contrast between the year plus of Thriller and the songs and the couple of videos, and the magazines.

Then comes "When Doves Cry", and people were like "Thriller who?'. It was so weird, and different, and bizarre to anything on radio. And this in an age of new wave, new dance music, euro-pop, and any other new quirky thing a band thought up while playing with the new drum machines or keyboards. Simultaneously "When Doves Cry" was the sore thumb in music being the oddest thing out there, and fit right in with every other weird thing in music at the time. Look at the 1984 charts. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club. "Hello" by Lionel Richie. "The Reflex" by Duran Duran. "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger. "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. That's some varied shit. WDC gave all of the notice. I'm not surprised at Purple Rain's success. It's a great album, the staggering of single, album, then movie was genius marketing, and the movie was the first time we got to see a huge ass star in a movie that sent shivers down your spine. The power of rock music on the big screen hadn't been portrayed and filmed in such a way in ever.

Purple Rain was #1 for weeks and weeks on end. And those of us who were teenagers during that time, gladly put on our funkiest clothes and ran outside to get soaking wet in it.

*

Your post captures the great variety of the 80s.

Well, Purple Rain was #1 for 24 weeks . . . that is just insane. Almost half the year was owned by this album!

From trivia, I know Born In The USA is the album that replaced Purple Rain as #1.

Se7en said:

rogifan said:

Something else interesting....amongst the big 3 (Michael, Prince, Madonna) Prince is the only one to have a best selling single for the year which was When Doves Cry in 1984. Whitney Houston had one in 1993 with the cover I Will Always Love You.

It was tough competition back then for sure. Madonna's year was more 1985. Like A Virgin (single and album) came out at the end of 1984, so it ended up becoming the #2 overall single for 1985, beat by some group called Wham!. She had two songs in the top 10 for the top 100 songs of 1985, the other being #9 "Crazy For You", which was on a soundtrack, not an album. (She apparently had three more in the top 100 for the year end, too.)

Those three acts were kind of staggered, which is why they took over the 80s. 82-83 into early 84 was MJ's time. 84-85 was Prince, and 85-86 was Madonna. Those times were their biggest albums for the decade; Thriller, Purple Rain, Like A Virgin. Despite their past success, it was those records that put them on the map in bigger ways. Interestingly, Thriller came out in November 1982, and the lead single was "The Girl is Mine", whereas most folks think it was "Billie Jean". "Thriller" was out in January 1984. By the time the video had been played to death, "When Doves Cry" showed up in May and put that shit to the side. MJ had to feel that a bit, even with the hysteria of Thriller in 1983. Then Like A Virgin comes out at the end of 1984, just as the Purple Rain tour is hitting it's final leg. 1985 was all Madonna, and somewhere in there "Raspberry Beret" and ATWIAD enter like a fart. That virgin hysteria would last well into early 1986, when "Kiss" showed up and went to #1.

Whether purposeful timing, or just good luck, the staggering of those albums and subsequent singles and tours, is what really made MJ, Prince, & Madonna the "big 3" of the 80s. It lasts through the end of the decade with stuff like Bad, Like A Prayer, & Batman.

TrivialPursuit said:

rogifan said:

I would throw Whitney in there too. And I'll have to look up Janet Jackson...I just remember playing songs like When I think of You and Nasty all the time. She was really good there for a while before she got weird.

It's not to say Whitney & Janet weren't viable in the 80s. They were, but Control came out in Feb 1986, and certainly took off for a year or so. (No tour w/ that album.) Whitney's album was out in 1985, and had a string of singles, but stuff like "Saving All My Love" and "Greatest Love of All" were later in the singles releases, so that momentum played into 1986 (the latter of those two songs coming out at the end of 1985). They were getting their upstart in the game, albeit a big one. MJ, Prince, & Madonna had already established themselves. Like A Virgin was M's second record. Her first was full of hits: "Borderline", "Lucky Star", "Holiday", "Everybody", "Burning Up" in the summer of 1983. 18 months later - everyone was a virgin again. hahahaha Prince had hits before WDC, and MJ had certainly been around for a minute.

For me, Whitney & Janet, while big in the 80s, certainly feel more like 90s stars overall. Rhythm Nation 1814 came out in 1989, but the subsequent singles & tour was 1991. Then janet. took over the world in 1993. Around that time - The Bodyguard gave Whitney a whole new "Greatest Love Of All" moment with "I Will Always Love You" (ironically both cover songs).

TrivialPursuit said:

1725topp said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't know why it's embarrassing to see Hammer on the list. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em was a huge album, and everyone was listening to it. He was no one-hit wonder, and it's odd that people who danced to "Can't Touch This" or "Pray" now act like it's a William Shatner album.

Exactly, Hammer had 4 major albums, 1988's Lets get it started which had "Put me in the mix" which was a minor hit on the R and B charts and Rap charts. 1990s. Please Hammer don't hurt him" was a huge hit and a great album with him covering Soft and Wet and sampling When Doves Cry in Pray. The first huge rap album to have samples. It was good and despite "U can't touch this" stalling at #8 in the USA, it was a massive hit in the rest of world including 10 weeks at #1 in New Zealand. The album was packed with hits, Soft and Wet, Pray, Yo Sweetness and Here comes the Hammer. Also hammer was on the 1990 anti gang song "We're all in the same gang".

At the end of 1990, Hammer was at his peak and even the arrival of Novelty rapper Vanilla Ice did not dull his appeal. Please don't hurt em and the singles sold well into 1991. However change wouild come. First of all in late 1991 he dropped the MC and just became Hammer. Cheesiness went further with a cartoon called Hammerman.

.

Hammers problem was his bloated ego with 2 legit to quit, in which he said he was better than MJ and James brown and the video produced cost $millions and the song flopped at #5, Addams groove was the only other hit and this was cheesy and hit because of the movie tie in. (Movies can pick up a flagging career - Vanilla Ice did it with that other early 90s fad Teenage Ninja Turtle). Hammer then spent money like water and had a huge world tour in 1991/92 in which the novelty wore off an dthe entourage got larger and more expensive. The third album 2 legit to quit was slipshod next to Please Hammer don't hurt them and 1991 was dominated by pap rap, Bryan Adams and two excellent albums by Prince and Michael Jackson at the end.

.

By 1993 Hammer was a spent force, but pulled together for 1994s Funky Headhunter a good return to form with hits "Its all good" which is now a catchphrase, few young heads who know this. And of course 2 pumps and a bump. The glut of gangsta rap in the charts by now, meant it had modest success and for 1995 Hammer tried to go gangsta which blew up in his face. Already in his late 20s by the 90s, he was now a veteran by rap standards. Hammer made a few more albums up to 2010, but now is pretty much a has been. By the late 2000s he had to sell off his assets and was shilling for a ghetto gold buying company.

.

Still you need to look at the man's legacy, he really bought rap into the mainstream, his 1990 album was the first mega selling rap album going multi platinum. Others had before like Run DMC, but even their success was less mainstream that MC Hammer, I mean this was a cat with a Staurday morning cartoon and a lunchbox deal. I never saw no Jam Master J lunchboxes.

Plus Hammer was one of the few guys who never resorted to swearing, degrading women or being a coon in his music which was funky, yet positive and uplifting.

Well here's an interesting tidbit for you.

Purple Rain spent 24 weeks at #1 during 1984 and on the Billboard Year End Chart for that year, Purple Rain isn't even in the Top 10! Thriller, was the #1 album of 1984 according to Billboard.

I remember I used to watch Casey Kasem Top 10 on TV and they were counting it down...getting to #1... I was positive it was Purple Rain and it was freaking Michael Jackson!

Billboard has changed its methodology since then....

sro100 said:

Well here's an interesting tidbit for you.

Purple Rain spent 24 weeks at #1 during 1984 and on the Billboard Year End Chart for that year, Purple Rain isn't even in the Top 10! Thriller, was the #1 album of 1984 according to Billboard.

I remember I used to watch Casey Kasem Top 10 on TV and they were counting it down...getting to #1... I was positive it was Purple Rain and it was freaking Michael Jackson!

Billboard has changed its methodology since then....

I saw that two when I searched to see if it was the top selling album of the year. It was unclear if this was their top 10 favorites or what. I do believe that PR was at least the 3rd best selling album of the year. The flaw in Billboard's methodology is that it heavily penalizes an album or song coming out later in the year. So, all those weeks in the calandar year that PR wasn't release but another release was somewhere on the charts, the earlier release was racking up chart points. Still surprised that an album can be number one for that long and not make it in the top 10. They may have had an early deadline too (like the Grammys). I remember those year end charts were released before the end of the year. Any way, it is a fluke.

gandorb said:

Adorecream said:

1725topp said:

Exactly, Hammer had 4 major albums, 1988's Lets get it started which had "Put me in the mix" which was a minor hit on the R and B charts and Rap charts. 1990s. Please Hammer don't hurt him" was a huge hit and a great album with him covering Soft and Wet and sampling When Doves Cry in Pray. The first huge rap album to have samples. It was good and despite "U can't touch this" stalling at #8 in the USA, it was a massive hit in the rest of world including 10 weeks at #1 in New Zealand. The album was packed with hits, Soft and Wet, Pray, Yo Sweetness and Here comes the Hammer. Also hammer was on the 1990 anti gang song "We're all in the same gang".

At the end of 1990, Hammer was at his peak and even the arrival of Novelty rapper Vanilla Ice did not dull his appeal. Please don't hurt em and the singles sold well into 1991. However change wouild come. First of all in late 1991 he dropped the MC and just became Hammer. Cheesiness went further with a cartoon called Hammerman.

.

Hammers problem was his bloated ego with 2 legit to quit, in which he said he was better than MJ and James brown and the video produced cost $millions and the song flopped at #5, Addams groove was the only other hit and this was cheesy and hit because of the movie tie in. (Movies can pick up a flagging career - Vanilla Ice did it with that other early 90s fad Teenage Ninja Turtle). Hammer then spent money like water and had a huge world tour in 1991/92 in which the novelty wore off an dthe entourage got larger and more expensive. The third album 2 legit to quit was slipshod next to Please Hammer don't hurt them and 1991 was dominated by pap rap, Bryan Adams and two excellent albums by Prince and Michael Jackson at the end.

.

By 1993 Hammer was a spent force, but pulled together for 1994s Funky Headhunter a good return to form with hits "Its all good" which is now a catchphrase, few young heads who know this. And of course 2 pumps and a bump. The glut of gangsta rap in the charts by now, meant it had modest success and for 1995 Hammer tried to go gangsta which blew up in his face. Already in his late 20s by the 90s, he was now a veteran by rap standards. Hammer made a few more albums up to 2010, but now is pretty much a has been. By the late 2000s he had to sell off his assets and was shilling for a ghetto gold buying company.

.

Still you need to look at the man's legacy, he really bought rap into the mainstream, his 1990 album was the first mega selling rap album going multi platinum. Others had before like Run DMC, but even their success was less mainstream that MC Hammer, I mean this was a cat with a Staurday morning cartoon and a lunchbox deal. I never saw no Jam Master J lunchboxes.

Plus Hammer was one of the few guys who never resorted to swearing, degrading women or being a coon in his music which was funky, yet positive and uplifting.

damn you just broke it down about Hammer! You know a lot. I grew up not too far from Oakland. He has always had such a great reputation locally. Very charitable, a family man and just a good guy. I was happy to see him blow up like he did but man that 2 Legit 2 Quit stuff was garbage. It's cool that these days he's able to make fun of all that (especially those pants!) with that commercial for those Command strips. lol