Paste magazine's ranking of the 30 best albums of 1985

Paste magazine continues its journey back in time, publishing a new list honoring the 80's, this time focusing on the middle of the decade, 1985, a transitional year that was nonetheless rich in interesting releases. "If 1984 was an exceptional year for Eighties music," Paste recalls in its introduction, "1985 actually managed to top it. Sure, the middle of the decade didn't give us albums like 'Like A Virgin' or 'Purple Rain', but it didn't need to. Hip-hop was gaining momentum and post-punk was morphing into synth-pop; poets and crooners were releasing some of the best work of their careers while bands destined to become essential were still finding their voice. 1985," Paste continues, "gave us a Kate Bush masterpiece and opened the doors to the wild, strange and perfect worlds of Prefab Sprout, Dead Can Dance and Jesus and Mary Chain. After an extraordinary year for American artists in 1984, 1985 shifted perspective, shining a light on new and established talent on the other side of the Atlantic."

So here is Paste's ranking of the 30 best albums of 1985 (full feature here)

30. Grace Jones – “Slave To The Rhythm”

29. Talking Heads – "Little Creatures"

28. Skeeter Davis & NRBQ – "She Sings, They Play"

27. The Smiths – “Meat Is Murder”

26. Strawberry Switchblade – "Strawberry Switchblade"

25. Mantronix – “The Album”

24. Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms

23. Hailu Mergia – "Hailu Mergia & His Classical Instrument"

22. Skinny Puppy – "Bites"

21. Beat Happening – "Beat Happening"

20. The Fall – “This Nation’s Saving Grace”

19. Prince And The Revolution – “Around The World In A Day”

18. Dexys Midnight Runners – "Don't Stand Me Down"

17. Whitney Houston – "Whitney Houston"

16. The Cure – “The Head On The Door”

15. Dead Can Dance – “Spleen And Ideal”

14. Wynton Marsalis – “Black Codes (From The Underground)”

13. New Order – "Low-Life"

12. Schoolly-D – "Schoolly-D"

11. The Waterboys – “This Is The Sea”

10. Hüsker Dü – "New Day Rising"

9. Sade – "Promise"

8. The Pogues – Rum – Sodomy & The Lash

7. Junko – "Communication"

6. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy

5. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

4. The Replacements – Tim

3. Tears For Fears – “Songs From The Big Chair”

2. Prefab Sprout – "Steve McQueen"

1. Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love

1985 was also the focus of another ranking, this time from the magazine Ultimate Classic Rock, listing the 40 best albums released that year. We present it below (full feature here). 

40. Twisted Sister – Come Out And Play

39. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Psychocandy

38. Eurythmics – Be Yourself Tonight

37. Megadeth – Killing Is My Business … And Business Is Good!

36. The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys

35. Dio – Sacred Heart

34. Starship – Knee Deep In The Hoopla

33. Simple Minds – Once Upon A Time

32. Rush – Power Windows

31. Husker Du – Flip Your Wig

30. Anthrax – Spreading The Disease

29. Joni Mitchell – Dog Eat Dog

28. The Firm – The Firm

27. The Cult – Love

26. Husker Du – New Day Rising

25. Mick Jagger – Shes The Boss

24. The Pogues – Rum – Sodomy & The Lash

23. Slayer – Hell Awaits

22. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

21. Motley Crue – Theatre Of Pain

20. The Replacements – Tim

19. Inxs – Listen Like Thieves

18. Bob Dylan – Empire Burlesque

17. Phil Collins – No Jacket Required

16. Ratt – Invasion Of Your Privacy

15. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – Southern Accents

14. The Cure – The Head On The Door

13. New Order – Low-Life

12. R.E.M. – Fables Of The Reconstruction

11. Iron Maiden – Live After Death

10. Kiss – Asylum

9. John Fogerty – Centerfield

8. ZZ Top – Afterburner

7. Kate Bush – Hounds Of Love

6. Prince And The Revolution – Around The World In A Day

5. Talking Heads – Little Creatures

4. Aerosmith – Done With Mirrors

3. John Cougar Mellencamp – Scarecrow

2. Tears For Fears – “Songs From The Big Chair”

1. Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms

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