4 Standout 1989 Albums That Prove Rock Veterans Still Had a Lot To Say

The year 1989 was one of those years when music seemed to be changing by the week. Hip-hop, R&B, glam metal, and heavy metal were all surging all at once. Such a wave of novel sounds easily could have swept away veteran rockers trying to make a stand. But quality will win out regardless of what else is happening. These four albums from rock stalwarts didn’t just hold their own in 1989. They shone.

‘Steel Wheels’ by The Rolling Stones

Considering how rough the relations between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had grown in the years leading up to 1989, many people wondered if The Rolling Stones would be able to pull it together again. Steel Wheels answered all those critics. The Glimmer Twins buried the hatchet and made an album that sounded timeless and timely all at once. Blasts of rock and roll energy like “Sad Sad Sad”, “Mixed Emotions”, and “Rock And A Hard Place” included poignant messages in the lyrics amidst the thunder. The band stepped out for some cool changes of pace as well, including the baroque pop of “Blinded By Love” and Richards’ soulful, world-weary closer “Slipping Away”.

‘The End Of The Innocence’ by Don Henley

Don Henley certainly took his time when making records, but the end result was always worth the wait. After he shrugged off the shadow of Eagles and Building The Perfect Beast turned him into a pop superstar in 1984, Henley took five years until returning with The End Of The Innocence. The timing couldn’t have been better, as the material seemed just right for a decade about to shut down. Henley proved he could handle politically tinged material, a la “If Dirt Were Dollars”. We already knew there was nobody better at the wistful stuff, as “The Heart Of The Matter” demonstrated. On the gorgeous title track, he incorporates both of those approaches over Bruce Hornsby’s plaintive piano chords.

‘Full Moon Fever’ by Tom Petty

Full Moon Fever easily could have arrived much earlier than 1989. It was partly held back by the momentum of The Traveling Wilburys project, which was actually recorded after Petty’s first solo album was mostly in the can. But believe it or not, the holdup also had to do with the record company not hearing any hits on Petty’s LP. How wrong they would be proven once songs like the title track, “I Won’t Back Down”, and “Runnin’ Down A Dream” started dominating the airwaves. Producer Jeff Lynne helped Petty to a laid-back, rootsy feel that doesn’t in any way diminish the profound emotions that shine forth on album cuts like “A Face In The Crowd”. An airtight, perfect album in Petty’s first try without The Heartbreakers.

‘Oh Mercy’ by Bob Dylan

Although each of his 80s albums has its defenders, the consensus among critics and fans was that Bob Dylan was struggling to consistently summon his usual artistic brilliance in the decade. Oh Mercy put an end to that dry spell in a decisive way. Some credit has to go to producer Daniel Lanois, who helped to focus Dylan’s sound a bit, adding a swampy vibe to tales like “Man In The Long Black Coat” that were already on the mysterious side. Aside from that, the album soars thanks to Dylan’s engagement and the level of his songwriting. Best of all are the somewhat bittersweet songs of lost love, such as “Shooting Star” and “Most Of The Time”, that are as swoonworthy as anything in Bob’s catalog.

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