#oh AND to make it even better the movie has a peter gabriel soundtrack!!!

[nerianasims]

Billboard #1s 1986

Under the cut.

Dionne & Friends -- "That's What Friends Are For" -- January 18, 1986

While listening to this song, I think it's a very squishy ballad with a nice sentiment that's not for me but is tolerable. Until a certain point. That point is when Elton John has his big part. Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight: Great, amazing, I love them, and though their talents are wasted on a song this slight, they make it listenable. Elton John's talents are not wasted on a song this slight. Couldn't they have brought in someone else? There's no way Prince would do something like this, but what about Paul McCartney? Kenny Loggins? Billy Ocean? I guess George Michael was too young for the song's schtick. But I'd take even Lionel Richie over Elton John.

Whitney Houston -- "How Will I Know" -- February 15, 1986

Whitney Houston was an amazing, phenomenally talented singer. And she oversang. Almost all the time. She didn't have to; she knew how to sing with subtlety and grace. But oversinging was (and is) popular, so that's what she did. It means I don't like most of her songs, including this one.

Mr. Mister -- "Kyrie" -- March 1, 1986

I'm not Christian any more, but one can pull inspiration from anywhere. I love the phrase "kyrie eleison." There's something beautiful about that combination of sounds, and there's also something beautiful about the sentiment. The music does not live up to it, unfortunately, though the opening is gorgeous. It also gets super repetitive at the end. It's pretty good, but I want it to be great, and sadly it is not.

Starship -- "Sara" -- March 15, 1986

I'm going to have to listen to "White Rabbit" a dozen times to cleanse this from my brain. A band that used to do stuff like that devolving into making this garbage is extremely depressing. This song starts with music box tinkling which sounds nice. Then saxophone over it which... okay. Just the sax would have been nice, but over the music box it's a little much, but I can keep going with it. Then they add a harmonica layered over it, and it's like I'm listening to a parody of mid-80s easy listening. And then randomly there's a drum crash and the weak voice of this guy comes in along with massive synth, and I start to wonder if I'm being punked. Are we sure this song wasn't a joke?

Heart -- "These Dreams" -- March 22, 1986

I watched the video probably hundreds of times when I was a kid. (On Betamax!) I adore this song. I got to it and went well, this is gonna win 1986, because there's only so much rational distance I can take from what was my favorite pop song when I was 9 years old. This song didn't start my Romantic sensibility, but it spoke to what was already in bloom. "There's something out there I can't resist." We'll see what else is on the list.

Falco -- "Rock Me Amadeus" -- March 29, 1986

I love the movie Amadeus, even though it constitutes a massive slander against poor Salieri. It gets Mozart pretty spot-on though. And I always loved classical music, was surrounded by it from infancy, so I was glad to see its popularity spread by the movie. (Yes, at age nine. I've always been a huge nerd.) This song is really fun and well-made too, though of course I can't understand any of the German lyrics.

Prince -- "Kiss" -- April 19, 1986

Prince sings this almost entirely in falsetto, so one would guess I would hate it, since falsetto usually sends me running in the other direction. One would be wrong. I adore it. Prince was that kind of artist -- he could get away with anything. He was notoriously arrogant, but was it really arrogance when it was just a proper conception of his own abilities? Anyway,

of course "you don't have to be cool to rule my world" deeply spoke to my experiences. I was the most uncool girl in school. Until high school, when somehow my not giving a damn about being cool (as I'd failed at it my whole life) actually helped me.

Also when Prince drops to a low note on the last "kiss," it is incredibly hot.

Robert Palmer -- "Addicted to Love" -- May 3, 1986

I have no idea what I'd think of this song without the video. The video infuriates me. The clone-looking emotionless women aren't "sexualized." No, you have to be treated like a human being on at least some level for that. They are purely objectified, treated literally as blank interchangeable things, with nothing at all inside them. The song is skeevy anyway, though I guess the music's good. But blech.

Pet Shop Boys -- "West End Girls" -- May 10, 1986

I've never liked this song and I've never really understood why. It's the kind of song I felt I should like. But I've always felt (since I noticed it as a teenager) that there was something missing. Now I know why: According to the Stereogum article about it, the band leader doesn't like rock n'roll, and is a pop critic. Oh. Some rock is exactly what this song needs. Without it, it's too cold and removed, and to me sounds smug. Also how can you be a pop critic and not like rock n' roll? That is a wrongness.

Whitney Houston -- "Greatest Love of All" -- May 17, 1986

Whitney Houston doesn't oversing on this song as much as usual, so that's good. Though she still oversings. What's not good are the music and lyrics. The music is bland as can be. Lyrically, it starts with "I believe the children are our future" and there's a verse about "the beauty they possess inside." Blargh.

Then after the first verse there's a total change in theme, going into how the narrator never found anyone to look up to. And that the "greatest love" is loving yourself and only depending on yourself and no one else. I despise this sentiment deep in my bones. Not of loving yourself -- though the song claims that's "easy to achieve," which is bollocks of the first order. Rather that you should only depend on yourself. That's literally inhuman. We are social creatures; without depending on each other, we are adrift in nothingness. So yeah. I hate this song.

Madonna -- "Live to Tell" -- June 7, 1986

This song gives me chills. The music is gorgeous and perfectly suited to the lyrics. I listened to the "True Blue" tape many, many times from about age 10 until, um. Well, I listened to the album on Spotify the other night. This song is the standout for me on it. I always thought that Madonna was singing about having been emotionally abused as a child herself. That is apparently not it at all; it's a song for a movie soundtrack. But to me it's about familial abuse. And always has been. It felt like she was singing for me. "The light that you could never see/ It shines inside, you can't take that from me."

Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald -- "On My Own" -- June 14, 1986

Not the Les Miz song, sadly. It's about how the narrators are breaking up. Patti LaBelle is great, but I am so bored. Michael McDonald isn't bad, but he can't match Patti LaBelle, and even she can't stop this song from being deadly dull. It took me like 5 tries to be able to listen to the whole thing.

Billy Ocean -- "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" -- July 5, 1986

What makes someone decide to put a parenthetical in a song title? Is there a formula? Anyway, he's singing (in his head) to someone he wants to be with. The "sad songs" are not actually supposed to be sad songs, it seems, but love songs that make him think of her. I guess. I don't know. Something about this song is turning my brain to mush. The tinkly parts and the violins are nice I guess. But I'm going to fall asleep at my desk if I try to listen to this song any more.

Simply Red -- "Holding Back the Years" -- July 12, 1986

Just looking at the lyrics, this song should be deeply depressing. He feels that so far his life has been a waste, but somehow he'll "keep holding on." There's a beautiful saxophone part. The song is not depressing -- it's Blues. It's terribly sad and cathartic at the same time. I'm not thrilled with Mick Hucknall's voice though.

Genesis -- "Invisible Touch" -- July 19, 1986

I did not pay attention to any of the lyrics of this song except the chorus until just now. I thought it was about a woman with an "invisible touch" whom people fall for left and right, and that's true. What I did not know was that she was supposed to be doing it on purpose. Which, okay, sort of like "Maneater"? Except no, because "Well I don't really know her, I only know her name." Then how do you know this about her?! He sounds like a stalker. Or this sounds like a first draft. The music is good enough, and the chorus could make for a good song around it lyrically, if they had bothered with that.

Peter Gabriel -- "Sledgehammer" -- July 26, 1986

I used to think this song was meant to be about a guy who was going to basically tank for you (and also have sex with you.) Well, apparently he wants to solve only one of your problems in particular: namely, that of your lacking orgasms. The "sledgehammer" is supposed to be a metaphor for his dick. Ow? Whatever, I'm going with my own interpretation of it. I like the beginning flute part, which is actually from a keyboard demo. It's a fun song, but it gets pretty repetitive.

Peter Cetera -- "Glory of Love" -- August 2, 1986

"We did it all for the glory of love" is a sentiment I usually adore. But this song is a limp dishrag. Did what for the glory of love? Why does she seem to be thinking of leaving him? And Peter Cetera being "the man who will fight for your honor" is a hilarious idea. His voice is nasally and he sounds like a faker. He comes off as someone who only vaguely understands the small-r romance of flowers and chocolates, and not at all as someone who understands the Romance of a castle far away. Bryan Adams did much better with this kind of thing in the 90s.

Madonna -- "Papa Don't Preach" -- August 16, 1986

The article I'm reading about this says there was a controversy over this song regarding abortion somehow, with left-wingers being upset that the narrator didn't consider it and right-wingers praising her for keeping the baby. Maybe in California. That is not what I remember in Michigan, and I do clearly remember a controversy. What I remember is right-wingers being absolutely incensed that Madonna was singing about the pregnancy of an unmarried young woman (or teenager, though I always felt the narrator was college-age) at all. I also remember one on the radio being angry that this working class girl was keeping her baby rather than giving it up to a rich family.

It is a really good song. Actually it is kinda Romantic. The narrator's in a dramatic life-changing situation, she has to choose whether or not to marry a guy before she's sure she's ready, and there are intense violins. Her father disapproves of her boyfriend, but she needs her father's advice. She's also not ashamed. She's in a difficult situation, but there's no guilt. Good. And this is what made so many people so angry with Madonna, and what was so deeply important about Madonna. She refused to even pretend to be guilty about sex in her music, ever.

Steve Winwood -- "Higher Love" -- August 30, 1986

I think this is about wanting to believe in a god. But then there's "I could make the sun shine from pure desire." Maybe it's about Aphrodite. Chaka Khan sings on this song, and she's obviously the best thing about it. It's not great, but it's enjoyable enough.

Bananarama -- "Venus" -- September 6, 1986

Speaking of higher loves. Bananarama are obviously having a wonderful time singing this 80s dance version of this song, and who wouldn't? The "she's got it" of the song of course also means "I've got it", hence "I'm your Venus." And Bananarama leans into that in a really fun way. It's a great version of a great song.

Berlin -- "Take My Breath Away" -- September 13, 1986

This is the big love ballad from Top Gun. I have managed to escape ever seeing Top Gun, though I've picked up some ideas about it. Mainly that it's a commercial for the U.S. air force, that Tom Cruise looks blank in it a lot, and that there's some kind of volleyball scene. Before I knew it was a commercial for the U.S. air force and therefore avoided it, I avoided it because of Tom Cruise. He has always been a total cold shower to me. As I've said since I started noticing these things (which was right around 1986), he reminds me of a Ken doll.

So the song. It sounds more like it belongs with a fantasy movie than in a modern military movie. Though I guess Top Gun is a fantasy too. But not the kind in which people usually look through hourglasses. It's a big, emotional ballad. I like it but I don't love it. If it weren't associated with Top Gun possibly I'd like it more.

Huey Lewis and the News -- "Stuck With You" -- September 20, 1986

This is a middle-aged man singing to his middle-aged wife about how he's "happy to be stuck with you." It's like if dad jokes became sentient and got married. It's cute and bouncy, and honestly pretty true-to-life. You can't be all higher love all the time.

Janet Jackson -- "When I Think of You" -- October 11, 1986

If "Nasty" had gotten to #1, it would have taken my "best of the year" spot. Sadly, it didn't, and this was Janet Jackson's first #1. "When I Think of You" is a really good song though. Janet Jackson is the best of the Jacksons and always was in every way. I think she was even a better dancer than Michael. (I don't know about "is", considering her age, but she's still a better artist.) "When I Think of You" is a very simple love song lyrically. When her "world gets crazy," she thinks of you to calm down. If this were easy listening, it would be unbearable. But it's a dance song, and a fun one. There's some great bass and interesting syncopation.

Cyndi Lauper -- "True Colors" -- October 25, 1986

This is such a beautiful song. It's helped me through some rough times ever since it came out -- the tape it's on was one of my first. It's straightforward in both lyrics and music, so there's not much to say about it besides that it's a great song.

Boston -- "Amanda" -- November 8, 1986

I am listening to this song now, and I don't recognize it. When they get to the chorus near the end it sounds kinda familiar, but I'm not sure that's because I recognize this song in particular, or because it sounds like every song like this in existence was put in a blender and this is the resulting slurry. Either this wasn't played on the radio much where I lived, or I changed the channel as soon as it was. It wants to be a power ballad, but it's an absolute nothing.

The Human League -- "Human" -- November 22, 1986

I guess it's an apology song, but "I'm only human" doesn't sit right with me as a real apology for something truly bad. He cheated on her. Which I do consider forgivable, depending on the circumstances and apology, but his is that she wasn't around so he was driven to cheat on her. And he should forgive her because he's "only human." Then the woman comes in and says she cheated on him too when they were apart, because she's human too. That makes the song tolerable. Maybe they need an open relationship. They still both sound whiny. And I don't like the music. It's boring and repetitive.

Bon Jovi -- "You Give Love a Bad Name" -- November 29, 1986

SHOT THROUGH THE HEART! AND YOU'RE TO BLAME! I love this song. Also I thought Jon Bon Jovi was hot at the time, though nowadays that 80s perm is hilarious. His voice is still hot though (so is he nowadays, grey hair and all, with his more contemporary haircut.) This song got plenty of radio play. Still does. And deserves it. It's technically a heartbreak song I suppose, but the video gets it right: It's Bon Jovi goofing around on stage in front of a joyous crowd. I love the bass, I love the guitars, and I did mention Jon Bon Jovi's voice is hot, right? Voices over looks every time for me, though both together is obviously welcome.

Peter Cetera and Amy Grant -- "The Next Time I Fall" -- December 6, 1986

Christian fundies had a deep and abiding hatred for Peter Cetera. Maybe they still do. I encountered this multiple times online over the years, and finally looked it up -- it's because of this song. Amy Grant used to be a singer of Christian music only. Then she had a pop hit with this dweeb, and certain usual suspects decided she was being corrupted by him.

The only way this song could corrupt anyone is if they started smashing things because they were so bored. The narrators have been heartbroken but are gonna try it again with each other, and it's as passionless as possible. Amy Grant's a better singer than Cetera by a ways, as she does not sing through her nose, but it's not like anyone could elevate this sludge.

Bruce Hornsby and the Range -- "The Way It Is" -- December 13, 1986

People are racist and treat poor people like shit. And people say that's just the way it is, but don't you believe them. This is true. We have come incredibly far, and things change. It's a good sermon, but as a song it's too simplistic for me, both musically and lyrically. I agree with the sentiment, but it's not a song I really want to listen to either.

The Bangles -- "Walk Like an Egyptian" -- December 20, 1986

Of course I loved this song when I was a kid, all the kids did. But I was already a Bangles fan. I had their first tape, which is their best and has the least pop sheen. I would prefer "Hero Takes a Fall" had been a big hit, but oh well. "Walk Like an Egyptian" is still fun.

BEST OF 1986 -- "These Dreams" by Heart  WORST OF 1986 -- "Sara" by Starship

#billboard number ones

[allons-y-to-hogwarts-713]

All the numbers for the music ask

Thank you so much! Anon, I love you. ❤️❤️❤️

1. three songs that come up when you put your phone on shuffle—“Still Into You” by Paramore—“Low Day” by Capra (wow it’s been a while)—“All I Ask of You” from The Phantom of the Opera

2. three last songs you listened to—“Finish What You Started” by Every Avenue—“I Forgive You” by Every Avenue—“The Story Left Untold” by Every Avenue(If you couldn’t tell, I’m listening to a playlist of Every Avenue rn because I like them but don’t know much of their music very well, so it keeps me awake while I’m working on a paper without taking my focus by making me sing along)

3. three songs you were recently obsessed with—“This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman—“Phantom” by NateWantsToBattle—“Santa Fe” from Newsies (OBC lately)

4. three songs that you know thanks to your parents—“Rock of Life” by Rick Springfield—“A Little Too Late” by Toby Keith—“Pass It On Down” by Alabama

5. three songs you wish you could forget (because listening to them hurts)—“Into the West” from Lord of the Rings (we sang it in chorus in high school and I looove Peter Hollens’s version, but I heard it with bad timing once and now I can’t listen to the song without crying)—“Home” by Daughtry—“Why Should I Worry” by Billy Joel (again, love it but bad timing has forever tainted it)

6. three songs you wish you could erase from history (because they’re terrible)—“Gangnam Style”by Psy—“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel—“Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj

7. three songs you didn’t expect to like but eventually loved—“What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction—“Monster” by Skillet (the first song I ever heard by them)—“Living in Oz” by Rick Springfield

8. three songs that remind you most of summer and vacation—“Summer Breeze” by The Isley Brothers—“Mayberry” by Rascal Flatts—“Little Bitty” Alan Jackson

9. three songs that get you in the Christmas Mood—“This Christmas” by Elliot Yamin—“That Christmas Feeling” from the Phineas and Ferb holiday episode/album—“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” pretty much any version

10. three favourite Halloween/spooky songs—“Lost in the Shadows” by Lou Gramm (from The Lost Boys)—“Thriller” by Michael Jackson—“The Oogie Boogie Song” from The Nightmare Before Christmas (love the song, but still can’t watch him)

11. three favourite songs from movie or TV series soundtrackOkay so I’m not counting musicals (including Disney movie musicals) because it would be all of them; also I’m just going with what first comes to mind because…there’s a lot—“Ain’t Got Rhythm” from Phineas and Ferb—“Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (but Frank Sinatra’s version)—“A Single Man Tear” from Supernatural

12. three favourite songs from video games(not counting songs from Guitar Hero)—Animal Crossing theme—Sonic Heroes theme song (shut up) (I’m not in the fandom, and the song was the only part of that particular game that I really liked)—The Nintendogs Naptime record

13. three songs you want at your funeral—“Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by the Backstreet Boys (or any BSB song)—“Home Sweet Home” by Mötley Crüe—and I guess I should have a hymn so “I’ll Fly Away” by Keith Urban or even better is Tim Lovelace’s “Away Fly I’ll” (I swear if my family plays a really old blah staticky country quartet version of a hymn that sounds like it would be on a possessed record, I will sit back up and change it myself)

14. three songs you want at your wedding—“Just Fishin’” by Trace Adkins would be my father-daughter dance—“Fine By Me” by Andy Grammer—“Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis

15. three songs you want to dance with your love to—“I Promise You” by the Backstreet Boys—“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran—“This I Swear” by Nick Lachey

16. three favourite songs for sexOkay so I haven’t had/don’t have this and I’m not encouraging it, buuuut a lot of songs are about it sooooo I’ll still answer, but if any of these are actually really awkward…oops—“Tonight I’m [Lovin’] You” by Enrique Iglesias—“Lay Your Hands on Me” by Bon Jovi—“Bésame Mucho” I like the version by Thalía and Michael Bublé

17. three songs that remind you of your crush—“Accidentally in Love” by Counting Crows—“I Won’t Say I’m in Love” from Disney’s Hercules—“If Only” from Disney’s Descendants

18. three songs that remind you of your best friendAnswering with three different friends in mind, and none of these are lyric-based but just because they like the song/band/etc.—“Dream On” by Aerosmith—“Footloose” by Kenny Loggins—“What Is This Feeling?” from Wicked

19. three songs that are your guilty pleasure—“Year 3000” by the Jonas Brothers—“Take Me or Leave Me” from RENT—“Pour Some Sugar on Me” by Def Leppard (it’s totally horrible but it’s so gosh darn catchy)

20. three songs that remind you of the person who sends this oneThough I have a guess about who sent this, you’re on anon so—“Who Can It Be Now?” by Men at Work—“Who Are You” by The Who—“As Long As You Love Me” by the Backstreet Boys

21. three songs of your childhood—“Oh Where Is My Hairbrush?” from VeggieTales—“I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King—“I’ll Be Your Everything” by Youngstown

22. three songs you listen to when you’re sad—“Alone Together” by Fall Out Boy—“Renegade” by Daughtry—“Broken” by Seether feat. Amy Lee

23. three songs that never fail to get you pumped up—“Feel Invincible” by Skillet—“Eye On It” by tobyMac—“Determinate” from Lemonade Mouth

24. three favourite old songsHow old are we talking here?—“Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra—“Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters—“Chattanooga Choo-Choo” I like the Andrews Sisters’ version

25. three favourite songs of 2017—“What Do I Know?” by Ed Sheeran—“Believer” by Imagine Dragons—“…Ready for It?” By Taylor Swift

26. three favourite non-English songs—“Bashana Haba’a” which we recently sang in choir—“Uh Oh” by Chloe Wang (aka Chloe Bennet aka Daisy Johnson/Quake)—“Dímelo” by Marc Antony

27. three songs that you sing while drunkI’ve never been drunk so I don’t know what I would sing but probably—something Broadway really off-key—something Disney—something I don’t even like

28. three best songs to get drunk or high toI’ve never done either so my guesses are—“Drink With Me” from Les Misérables—“Glad You Came” by The Wanted—“Take It Easy” by the Eagles

29. three songs that influenced you most (some songs change or save lives)—“Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Misérables (one of the first songs that really got me interested musicals/musical theatre I think)—“Arise” by Newsong—“Here I Am” from Camp Rock

30. three songs you really want your followers to know (for reasons other than all those above)—“C'est La Vie” by B*Witched—“In a World Like This” by the Backstreet Boys—“Love Is Here” by Tenth Avenue North

#anon #anonymous #music #Kayla answers #@anyone else if you want to send some feel free bc I have plenty of answers