The best albums of 1982

With a resurgence of ’80s styles cropping up in contemporary pop music, here’s a look back at some 1982 albums that defined and inspired the aesthetic of the decade as they turn 40 years old. major influence on late ’80s and ’90s pop and electronic music. The soundscapes and songwriting qualities of “1999” almost feel more at home in the realm of ’90s music than in the early ’80s, which just demonstrates the unique and creative breadth of Prince’s musical abilities.

Lights,” as well as the frustration stemming from the failure of their previous albums. The swaying ballads sung by Linda are racked with powerful metaphors and distinct imagery; the lyrical allusions in “Walking on a Wire” and “Just the Motion” are beautiful in tone but strongly accentuated by the descriptive songwriting of Linda and Richard. In addition to the songwriting, Richard strongly asserts himself as a guitar player. His flexibility between sparkly rhythm chords in the background, contrasted with the roughedged and idiosyncratic solos, displays his ability to be a diverse and creative player able to maneuver in whichever style helps convey the emotion of the song.

Ripping and snapping bass lines underscore brightly colored synth chords harmonizing with the filtered, almost artificial, voice of Simon Le Bon. The archetypal example of the genre, “Rio” captured an aesthetic that was followed by other major acts of the ’80s such as Tears for Fears and Spandau Ballet. The clean-cut, sharp drive of guitars and bouncing computerized synth patterns imbued rock ’n’ roll with stylistic elements of funk and instrumentation usually left for ambient music that morphed into a new style of punk that has been copied, but never matched — the sound of “Rio.”

‘Thriller,’ Michael Jackson

What can be said about “Thriller” that hasn’t already been said? The top-selling album in the United States and internationally, “Thriller” is the pinnacle of pop music as a genre and defined the genre of pop in a way that, 40 years later, echoes into today. The exceptional qualities of “Thriller” extend into every facet of its being: From the production to the instrumentation and the recording, everything about “Thriller” is tuned to perfection. A listener can choose to focus on any individual instrument and find something interesting and critical to making the sound of “Thriller” come to life. The partnership of composer and producer Quincy Jones with Michael Jackson’s perfectionist and showmanlike qualities homogenizes into a 42-minute masterpiece that knows no equal.