80's Hits

Disco may have been a dirty word as the 70's came to a close but during the 80's its influence on much of this selection helped create some of the greatest dance music recorded. As a poet and philsopher once said, 'Lets Groove Tonight'…..

The most iconic band of the U.K. glam rock scene of the '70s, T. Rex were the creation of Marc Bolan, who started out as a cheerfully addled acolyte of psychedelia and folk-rock until he turned to swaggering rock & roll with boogie rhythm and a tricked-up fashion sense. For a couple years, T. Rex were the biggest band in England and a potent cult item in the United States. If their stardom didn't last, their influence did, and T. Rex's dirty but playful attitude and Bolan's sense of style and rock star moves would show their influence in metal, punk, new wave, and alternative rock; it's all but impossible to imagine the '80s new romantic scene existing without Bolan's influence. In 1977, Bolan was killed in a car accident, and the band disbanded. "Great Hits" is a compilation album, initially released in 1972 on EMI label.

Former ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog's That's Me: Greatest Hits compiles highlights and rarities from the second phase of her solo career, which lasted from ABBA's breakup in 1982 to the late ‘80s, and comprised three albums, Wrap Your Arms Around Me (1983), Eyes of a Woman (1985), and I Stand Alone (1987). Three tracks each have been selected from these albums, songs that were released as singles in various territories and enjoyed some commercial success. For example, "The Heat Is On" (not to be confused with the Glenn Frey song of the same title that came a couple of years later) was released as the first single from Wrap Your Arms Around Me in the U.K. and made the Top 40, while in the U.S., "Can't Shake Loose" was chosen instead and made the Top 30.

No less than 144 lesser known tracks from throughout the 1980s. OK, there are a few big hits on here such as Spandau Ballet's True, Ultravox's Vienna, Blondie's Atomic, Duran Duran's Girls On Film to name a few, but my love of this mega 80s multi CD box set are all the tunes that you won't find on every other 80s compilation album around.

In 2003, Mötley Crüe as we know it were done and like all bands that are over the hill they regaled us with the release of several compilations to showcase their glory days to a new audience. During this time, there were also grumbles of a second reunion tour. With the advancement in technology and the development in the field of DVDs, "Greatest Video Hits" was a perfect opportunity to reach out to the generation of today with the help of some great videos…

This particular Kenny Rogers collection focuses on the singer's EMI America chart entries from the late '70s and early '80s. The 12-track sampling includes "Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer," "She Believes in Me," "Coward of the County," "Lady," and "The Gambler." "Reuben James" and "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" are re-recordings by Rogers, not the versions he made popular in the late '60s with his group the First Edition. Still, this is a good set for those who only want the hits.

George Thorogood is an American blues rock musician from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the Bone" and "I Drink Alone". He has also helped popularize older songs by American icons, such as "Move It on Over," "Who Do You Love?" and "House Rent Boogie/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", which became staples of classic rock radio. With his band, the Delaware Destroyers, Thorogood has released over 20 albums, of which two have been certified Platinum and six have been certified Gold. He has sold 15 million albums worldwide. Thorogood and band continue to tour extensively and in 2014 celebrated their 40th anniversary performing…