Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s

by Robert Christgau

The definitive guide to the rock albums of the '80s by rock critic Robert Christgau. Arranged alphabetically by performer for easy reference, these 2,800 capsule reviews concisely recall the musical highlights--and low points--of the last ten years of rock 'n' roll.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Reference

514 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Robert Thomas Christgau (born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. He began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became an early proponent of musical movements such as hip hop, riot grrrl, and the import of African popular music in the West.

Christgau spent 37 years as the chief music critic and senior editor for The Village Voice, during which time he created and oversaw the annual Pazz & Jop critics poll. He has also covered popular music for Esquire, Creem, Newsday, Playboy, Rolling Stone, Billboard, NPR, Blender, and MSN Music, and was a visiting arts teacher at New York University.

Reviews

[Scott Butki]

This was a lot of fun to read - brought me back to the 80s as I listened to many of the artists whose albums he reviewed. He also reminded me of artists whose albums I've been meaning to check out and so I started a list while reading the book. Now I have a list of 50 albums to seek out at the library,

I will read more of his stuff, in books and online.

[Andrew]

Pithy little reviews of 80's era records. I don't agree with a lot of his reviews, but find Christgau to be a highly entertaining writer.

[Bob Breckwoldt]

Still, as perceptive as his reviews of the 80s are, it is not as essential as the review of the 70s. Though still worth it for the range of the works reviewed and the quality of the opinions expressed.Just don't expect to agree with them all.

[Jason]

The most concise 2 paragraph record reviews of an entire decade. Funny and dense. An amazing random read from where ever you open it.

[Kiof]

the poet of the cosmic putdown enters the 80s.

[David Quattrocchi]

A place where your vocab, media libraries, and pop competency undergo untold growth.

[Duffy]

I really like reference books, which this basically is for Rock (and some other ) Music of the 80's. This is the type of book that's great to leaf through for a few minutes when you're bored to find some new bands and albums to check out, I think I made a list of about 20 + bands to look into, plus I was reminded of a few groups that I used to enjoy but haven't heard anything from in a while. Christagu can get very opinionated in his reviews, several of my favorite artists came in for some harsh treatment, but that is also part of his appeal, I would definitely check out his guides for the 70's and 90's as well.

[Eric Hines]

Very opinionated, very palate-oriented, very political and surprisingly unpredictable. How useful this is as a guide to recordings I haven't heard still to be seen . . .

[agnostic]

Really 4½ stars. My single favorite work of cultural criticism.

[Ted Gurley]

Essential Guide to the 1980's

[Lapsed Reader]

I am not entirely certain that I read this cover to cover, but there's a high probability that I did.