WorkTape continues its anniversary series by staying in 1985, highlighting another wave of year-defining records now 40 years in the rearview! This was the year of Heart’s self-titled LP, which brought Bernie Taupin into the fold, and Whitney Houston’s unstoppable debut that immediately placed her among the greats. Meanwhile, Phil Collins delivered one of his defining solo works, No Jacket Required, while Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love pushed art-pop into new territory. From one of alternative’s greatest transitional periods to the peak of pop ballads, we revisit the albums that still shine four decades later. Take a listen!

🎧 Episode Highlights:

• Did Heart’s 1985 comeback rely more on reinvention than legacy?
• Are power ballads the purest form of ‘80s excess or their most lasting contribution?
• Did Whitney Houston’s vocal power make her early rise feel inevitable?
• Does No Jacket Required still stand as Phil Collins’ best solo record?
• Is Hounds of Love actually peak Kate Bush, or simply the most hyped of her albums?
• Did Talking Heads’ Little Creatures mark the end of their golden era?