5 Huge Late 80s Comeback Albums From Pop-Rock Veterans

The first half of the 80s found many classic rockers scuffling to find their footing. Dealing with MTV, trying to work with the synthesized sounds, and just attempting to make an impact on a younger audience in general. It tripped many of them up. In the second half of the decade, however, several vets stepped up with some of the best albums of their careers. And they were rewarded with massive hits as well.

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‘So’ by Peter Gabriel (1986)

Did anyone see Peter Gabriel turning into one of the biggest pop stars of 1986? Prior to that point, he was known for experimental, challenging, moody music, although he occasionally snuck one onto the radio now and then. So found him aligning with producer Daniel Lanois, who helped him focus on a more accessible sound. Underneath some of the technological frippery, hits like “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time” had solid R&B foundations. They cleared the way for exotic ballads like “In Your Eyes” and “Don’t Give Up” to make an impact as well.

‘Graceland’ by Paul Simon (1986)

Paul Simon quietly released one of his most powerful sets of songs in 1983 on the album Hearts And Bones. We say quietly because not too many people heard much of it amidst the clatter of the MTV boom. When he came back three years later, Simon focused on a world music approach that was inspired by a visit to South Africa. Ingeniously, he managed to combine striking singer-songwriter narratives with these evocative arrangements on stellar songs like the title track and “The Boy In The Bubble”. He even won MTV over on “You Can Call Me Al”.

‘Back In The High Life’ by Steve Winwood (1986)

For most of his solo career up to 1986, Steve Winwood had taken a DIY approach, often playing the majority of the instruments on his records. He was advised to leave some of the heavy lifting to studio pros on Back In The High Life. That decision allowed him to take the kind of star turn he’d never really attempted before. And it suited him well. It helped that he delivered ebullient, effervescent hits like “Higher Love” and the title track. Give credit as well to lyricist Will Jennings. He offered age-appropriate observations that spoke to the audience that had been following Winwood since the 60s.

‘Cloud Nine’ by George Harrison (1987)

George Harrison and the word “hermit” were inextricably linked in the mid-80s. To much of the world, it seemed like the Quiet Beatle no longer wanted to play the pop music game. Little did we know that he was revving up once again with the help of a fellow veteran rocker in Jeff Lynne. Lynne’s bright, rootsy production style energized Harrison, who dusted off a forgotten early 60s track in “Got My Mind Set On You” and turned it into the only No. 1 by an ex-Beatle in the 80s. Cloud Nine is rife with sharp humor, as Harrison riffs on the absurdities of the present (“Devil’s Radio”) and the sweetness of the past (“When We Was Fab”).

‘Full Moon Fever’ by Tom Petty (1989)

It might seem like a stretch to call Full Moon Fever a comeback album. After all, Tom Petty never really strayed too far from radio ubiquity in the 80s. Still, his preceding album with the Heartbreakers, Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough), lacked the fire of earlier efforts. Petty jettisoned his backing band (save Mike Campbell) and connected with Jeff Lynne (there’s that guy again) for his first solo album. Never in his career had Petty sounded so at ease, even when he was daring his enemies (“I Won’t Back Down”), racing down the highway (“Running Down A Dream”), or crashing back to Earth (“Free Fallin’”).

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