40th Anniversary

African Pop 

Gumboots: Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ Turns 40

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 Dave Steinfeld 0 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Ashley Kahn, Graceland, Hearts and Bones, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Paul Simon, Roy Halee, Under African Skies, You Can Call Me Al

New book shines light on a pop masterpiece

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Alternative Rock Rock 

Lifes Rich Pageant Turns 40

July 28, 2026July 29, 2026 Ron Hart 0 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Bill Berry, I.R.S. Records, Lifes Rich Pageant, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, R.E.M.

A quick salute to an R.E.M. classic

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Pop Progressive Rock Rock 

Is ‘Invisible Touch’ the Best Worst or Worst Best ’80s Pop Album?

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 Jim Allen 0 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Genesis, In Too Deep, Invisible Touch, Land of Confusion, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, Throwing It All Away, Tony Banks

At 40, how has the polarizing Genesis blockbuster aged?

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Rock Ska 

Tony Kanal’s 40-Year Road to Rocking the Sphere in Las Vegas

June 4, 2026June 4, 2026 Leena Tailor 0 Comments 2026, 40th Anniversary, Adrian Young, Gwen Stefani, Las Vegas, Nevada, No Doubt, The Sphere, Tom Dumont, Tony Kanal

No Doubt bassist on how his parents supported his culturally unorthodox career choice

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Punk 

Apeman Hop: The Ramones’ ‘Animal Boy’ Turns 40

May 19, 2026May 19, 2026 Lee Zimmerman 2 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Animal Boy, Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Richie Ramone, Ronald Reagan, The Ramones

Looking back at one of their most underrated albums

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Hip Hop 

Talk This Way: Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Raising Hell’ Turns 40

May 17, 2026May 17, 2026 Dan Weiss 0 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Adidas, Aerosmith, DMC, It's Tricky, Jam Master Jay, My Adidas, Profile Records, Raising Hell, Rev Run, Run-D.M.C., Walk This Way

Looking back on the Queens trio’s breakthrough 3rd LP

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Pop Rock 

The Bangles’ Different Light Turns 40

January 13, 2026January 14, 2026 Lee Zimmerman 0 Comments 1986, 40th Anniversary, Apollonia, Christopher, Columbia Records, Debbi Peterson, Different Light, Jules Shear, Manic Monday, Michael Steele, Prince, Susanna Hoffs, The Bangles, Vicki Peterson, Walk Like An Egyptian

Basking in the glow of their smash 2nd LP

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Art Pop Rock 

Such a Crumbling Beauty: Tom Waits’ Rain Dogs Turns 40

September 30, 2025October 1, 2025 Dan Weiss 0 Comments 1985, 40th Anniversary, Clap Hands, Downtown Train, Hal Willner, Island Records, Kathleen Brennan, Kurt Weill, Rain Dogs, Rod Stewart, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits, Trevor Horn

Looking back on a vagabond masterpiece

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Alternative Rock Folk Irish Pub Rock Punk Rock 

One More Drop of Poison: The Pogues’ Rum Sodomy & the Lash at 40

August 5, 2025August 5, 2025 Dan Weiss 0 Comments 1985, 40th Anniversary, Cait O'Riordan, Ireland, MCA Records, Rhino, Rum Sodomy and The Lash, Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy, Stiff Records, The Pogues

Celebrating one of rock’s most realized albums

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Pop Soul Synth 

How Scritti Politti Went From Communism to Commercialism

July 1, 2025July 1, 2025 Melody Esme 3 Comments 40th Anniversary, A.G. Cook, Cupid & Psyche 85, David Gamson, Green Gartside, Marcus Miller, Scritti Politti

Looking back on 40 years of the pop group’s studio masterpiece Cupid & Psyche 85

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Rock 

Your Latest Trick: Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms at 40

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 Dave Steinfeld 0 Comments 1985, 40th Anniversary, Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits, Guy Fletcher, Mark Knopfler, Money for Nothing, So Far Away, Walk of Life

Reflections on the band’s blockbuster fifth LP

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New Wave Pop 

Face Up: New Order’s Low-Life Turns 40

May 13, 2025May 13, 2025 Dan Weiss 1 Comment 1985, 40th Anniversary, Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Low-Life, New Order, Peter Hook, Sub-Culture, The Perfect Kiss

Looking back at the group’s transitional third LP

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Rock 

Ain’t It Peculiar?: 40 Years of The Velvet Underground’s VU

February 28, 2025February 28, 2025 Melody Esme 1 Comment 1985, 40th Anniversary, Doug Yule, John Cale, Lou Reed, Maureen Tucker, Squeeze, Sterling Morrison, The Velvet Underground, Verve Records, VU

Looking back on the New York City icons’ ‘lost’ LP

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Films New Wave Rock 

Found a Job: Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense at 40

September 11, 2024September 12, 2024 Lee Zimmerman 0 Comments 1984, 40th Anniversary, Bernie Worrell, Chris Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads, Tina Weymouth

Looking back on the band’s groundbreaking concert film and soundtrack

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Hard Rock Heavy Metal Metal! Rock 

Fight Fire With Fire: Metallica’s Ride the Lightning Turns 40

July 26, 2024July 26, 2024 Todd Manning 0 Comments 1984, 40th Anniversary, Cliff Burton, Creeping Death, Fade to Black, Fight Fire With Fire, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Metallica, Ride The Lightning, The Call of Ktulu, Trapped Under Ice

Looking back on the band’s revolutionary second album

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