VA 80's Love (2014

The 80s was the decade of the 12 inch. In the UK, all previous instalments of this series sold extremely well and received widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian called the series a "genuine act of music archaeology". From the pop dance genius of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax and Donna Summer's I Feel Love through to the more alternative Lullaby by The Cure, and onto classics such as Teardrops by Womack & Womack… This 3CD compilation has it all, in its full 12" glory.

Review by Timothy Monger
As the '70s came to a close, an emerging crew of female rock artists and bandleaders began to populate the airwaves. From the punk attitude of the Patti Smith Group and Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders to all-female guitar bands like the Go-Go's and the Bangles, these bold artists set out to ensure that women would no longer be marginalized or under-represented in the rock industry. She Rocks: The '80s Wave of Women Rockers collects 15 cuts from some of the '80s most inspiring women. Trailblazing singers with a unique style like Cyndi Lauper and Kirsty MacColl are featured here alongside bands led by strong frontwomen like the B-52s and 'Til Tuesday. These women set the stage for both equality and the high quality of women rockers who would follow their example in the coming decades.

Jackie DeShannon’s status as a singer is assured. Her vocal range, diversity and skill, as exemplified by her original and stunning performances of ‘Needles And Pins’, ‘When You Walk In The Room’, Bacharach and David’s ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’ and the generational anthem ‘Put A Little Love In Your Heart’, will be well known to readers of this article. But her status as a songwriter also deserves to be celebrated – something that Ace have done for us with this 27-track cracker, “Break-A-Way”.

2014 five CD set. 100 Hits brings you the best classic acoustic tracks from the last six decades featuring artists such as the Coral, the Byrds, Albert Hammond and Johnny Cash.

Dark Side of the 80s is a stunning double-disc set spanning the mingling sounds of goth rock, indie rock, and alternative rock. Standout cuts from Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Cure, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Cult round out some of the collection's more blackish desire while tunes from the Pixies, Talk Talk, and Killing Joke highlight the frigid shifts within new wave and college rock.

2011 three CD set. 38 tracks. Compilation includes: Simple Minds, The Bangles, Talking Heads, Talk Talk, Robert Palmer, Kim Wilde, Maxi Priest, UB40, Rick Astley, Thomas Dolby, Dead or Alive, The Human League, Duran Duran, Ultravox, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Erasure, Yazoo and more and more.

Back to the 80's: The Long Versions is a compilation album released by Sony Music in 2002. The album features extended versions of some of the most popular hits of the 1980s. The album includes classics such as Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever", Falco's "Jeanny (Part 1)", Meat Loaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light", Prince and The Revolution's "Purple Rain", Simple Minds' "Belfast Child", Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart", Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)", Europe's "The Final Countdown" and Yes' "Owner of a Lonely Heart".