My Favourite 5: 80s CanCon CDs!

Think of them as latter-day K-tel collections, The Super Hits of CanCon, if you will. (Remember, you can’t spell “old school” without “old’s cool”.) Sadly, such collections are rare these days, especially on physical media, but these picks are worth searching for.

Here are my five favourite Compact Discs collecting great Canadian songs of the 1980s. All are “various artists” compilations and, admittedly, two are possibly cheating. When it comes to the Eighties, however, is too much even enough?

Oh What a Feeling

The first possible cheat is actually a threefer, so to speak, issued in 1996, 2001, and 2006. Respectively, these “Vital Collection[s] of Canadian Music] celebrate the 25th, 30th, and 35th anniversaries of the Juno (Canadian Music) Awards.

In addition — cheat upon cheat — each release contains a further four discs! But, if we’re going to allow the cheat, then why do these collections not place higher? They’re not exclusively dedicated to the 1980s; they do, however, contain a lot of Eighties goodness. If you were to make your mixtape distilling these twelve discs down, you’d have a gnarly time, no doubt about it.

The Best of Ready

The next also-possible cheat is a set of two volumes, sold separately. Canada’s now-defunct Ready Records is represented by a relatively limited number of artists. Each disc contains just twelve tracks, and some artists appear multiple times on each disc.

Then again, how can you limit the greatness of artists like Blue Peter, the Extras, and Spoons? It’s a terrific survey with a broad range of styles, even edging into comedy at times. (And it won’t be the last time you find comedy in these collections.) Part of Universal’s 20th Century Masters & Millennium Collection series, I’m frankly surprised — but also very grateful — these samplers were released at all.

Queen Street West / The Rebel Zone

What an incredible collection. It would place even higher on this list, except that it spans 1975-1985, rather than the Eighties exclusively.

Specific? Yes.

Insular? Maybe.

Exclusionary? Not a bit.

With a selection focusing on a specific neighbourhood of Toronto, one traditionally associated with diverse alternative arts, this disc includes songs by (likely) at least as many artists you’ve yet to discover as those you already appreciate. Some of the mainstream’s most recognizable names include Boys Brigade, the Diodes, Martha and the Muffins (AKA M+M), Parachute Club, Rough Trade, and Jane Siberry. Packed with 21 tracks on a single disc, it’s both a primer and exhaustive, all in one.

ICON: Best of Canada the 1980’s

Of all the CDs on this list, this one may be the most mainstream of them all. It was certainly the easiest to find. (I should know, having bought multiple copies of it accidentally!)

This collection was a staple of all of those self-service music displays, found in souvenir stores and Shopper’s Drug Marts.

At 23 tracks, it’s not the most efficient use of the two discs in its jewel case, but the selection is both specific (in time and place) and varied (in genres). It includes selections of mainstream pop, rock, folk, new wave, and even comedy, with the latter represented by SCTV’s Bob and Doug McKenzie. This is probably the single best purchase if you’re looking for a streamlined sampler.

Retro 80’s Volume 6: Pure Canadian

The creme de la creme of these compilations. Exclusively Canadian artists, exclusively Eighties songs. It does one genre — New Wave — and it does it exceptionally well.

Liner notes from the renowned Alan Cross add icing to the cake… or gravy to the poutine? (We’re the true north strong and free, so you take your pick.)

This single disc collects everything I love most about the runner-up CD, then adds even more, making it dense and comprehensive. Even some more rarely-compiled, though no less deserving, artists appear on here. Its entire series is excellent, but this volume is the best of the best.

Many of the songs on these five collections appear in the Operation CanCon gamebook, as well as the OCC 80s playlist on YouTube. Check them out for more Eighties goodness!