Kick

How is this album not in the book

Flabbergasted that this wasn't on the original list.

I'm Australian and grew up in the late 80s/early 90s. I've heard this album more times than I've heard my own name. I owned a copy as a kid, and the singles are still played daily - quite literally every day - on most rock radio stations. If you say "pulling a Michael Hutchence" in Australia, everyone will know EXACTLY what you mean. INXS is so popular here that they had a fuckin TV competition to find a new singer... in 2005. They hadn't put out a single for 10 years by that point. Also, a mate of mine is friends with one of the Farriss brothers (forget which one) and by all accounts he's a total loony. Kick is a GREAT album. 5/5.

Chock full of hits that were ubiquitous during the era. Don't understand how this is not on the actual list. Could easily take the place of the Triffids album from 1987 if we want to swap Australian bands.

First of the user-selected albums I was really surprised was not on the official list (though I think the band did feature there, presumably in an album more favored by the critics than the hoi polloi). This isn't all killer but it's all good, and what is killer are some pretty damn iconic rock hits.

Great 80s guitar pop. Arguably a more enjoyable, catchier, easier listen than U2’s 80s albums. One of my favourites and glaring omission from the book. Pleased someone else agrees! I also agree with the person who felt the guitar sound was weak - it does have a lot of treble and a lack of bass and body, which would have given it a more muscular sound.

A romp. But honestly, I don't know what niche it covers that isn't already covered, other than Australian.

This is the soundtrack to my mother-in-law's house. I don't care for it much as a full album but by God does it have some bangers.

When I was in college, probably around the time this album came out, I worked as supplemental security at an outdoor concert venue on our campus. They only hired students as extra security for the "big" acts that came through, so I got called to work the INXS concert. Basically we had to walk around in the woods along the fence line and try to stop people from sneaking in. Once it got dark, it was useless trying to keep people out, so we just took bribes from people wanting to get in. I couldn't hear much of the concert, but the INXS roadies brought us some beer to drink while we were hanging out in the woods, so that was cool. Anyway, onto the music. It's alright, but nothing I find that special or interesting. I like Michael Hutchence's voice, but musically it's sort of boring and simplistic. Some of the guitar riffs (if you can call them that) almost make me laugh - just like two chords repeated duh-duh.. duh-duh. Must have been excruciating to play over and over again from one night to the next. 3 stars.

Underrated masterpiece alert! 'Kick' is another flawless record left behind from the original '1001' list; I could listen to on repeat. All killer, no filler – this is timeless rock at its best and a career-defining moment for one of Australia's greatest bands

Very important 80s record. Should have been on the list. Top tier and era-defining.

One of my favorite albums ever. Period. Brilliant. Every song is perfect. How is the not in the book? I am flabbergasted! 5/5

Brilliant album - start to finish - this is incredible. 5/5

Definitely part of the soundtrack of the late 80s! A really great album had me seeking out more INXS back then.

Oh man, why wasn't this in the project? This defined the late '80s, I think! Why haven't I heard these songs in so long? And all together on one magical album! I wish I'd bought this back then. Horn section! I was so happy to listen to this today!

“certified six times platinum by the RIAA and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.” … I don’t know guys, I guess that statement should give an album a shot to be heard before died. Not saying that is a very very good album (which I think so) just because of that, but come on, this album did make an impact in musical culture based on those numbers; not being listed even once in any edition of the books it is just non sense, do we really need a less-than-3-years-old album in the list instead of Kick by INXS? I don’t think so. Make some room Dimery!!!

A stellar album. Though I wasn't the biggest INXS fan at the time, there's no denying that this tracklist and the variety of hits on this one album is exceptional. Though there is an INXS sound, I do feel that their variety/breadth is greater than most. The non-hit tracks are all pretty solid, so there isn't too much of a dip anywhere on this release. Never Tear Us Apart and Mystify are my favorites. Really enjoyed.

Just some really good songs on this album. It doesn't have all my favorite INXS songs, but still really powerful. The way need you tonight goes straight into mediate is simply, very cool.

How or why Kick is distinct is unclear. It's a run-on sentence of tropes, starting with grunted ad-libs. Hutchence's voice lacks the Australian grit, which is one thing parting the band from country. I got a lot of whiplash, listening to something so totally un-serious, and that persona worked. For Kick really is a persona, loud and too concerned with parties as the one thing, but a fun hang.

Another classic album for which it is a shame it's not included in the books. With 4 successfull hitsongs it would deserve its place. They sure love the reverb in the vocals. And the guitar riffs are very funky.

Awesome! Start to finish a great album. It might appear to be 'just a pop record' but there's a lot more going on here (at least I think so ☺️)

7/10. Pretty good, nothing drive me crazy though.

A late 80s New Wave release. I really like the lush atmospheric production, cool mood, funky groove, pop accessibility, high energy and danceability, and diverse styles. "Need You Tonight" is by far my favorite, and although I'm not in love with the other tracks as much, they are amazing pop songs. Most cuts aren't that strong, but they contribute their worth with personality and creativity to make this 39 minute record worth it.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: New sensation, Devil inside, Mediate, Need you tonight, The loved one, Mystify, Calling all nations

Oh, thank you for suggesting this one. Australia was done dirty on the official list with very little representation, and INXS was one of those bands I was just waiting for that never showed up. Although I find that the band's best songs are scattered over several albums, Kick is certainly the one that best belongs on the list because it was so hugely successful. It was everywhere in 1987 and many of these songs have deservedly become classic rock staples. These are great songs, catchy and confident and beat forward. The album also skillfully toes the line between straight rock and post punk in a way that made it massively appealing in its time. Michael Hutchence is a compelling front man who balances bravado and smoldering moodiness in a way that's rare this side of Jim Morrison. If you have the benefit of having experienced this album during its MTV heyday, you know of which I speak. Some of that is lost without the visuals, but Hutchence still has a way of reaching through your speakers with a charisma that few front men have. That little whisper at the beginning of "Need You Tonight" still gets me [*blushes*]. For all the heat of Kick's best songs, beyond the singles the album is filled out with bouncy rockers that were more than serviceable in 1987, but maybe aren't particularly notable all these years later. But where the band gets it right, they're pretty fantastic. Even in its least exciting moments, this is incredibly fun and one of the great guitar pop/rock albums of the late 80s. Fave Songs: Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight/Mediate, Mystify, New Sensation, Devil Inside

New wave, pop rock, funk rock, hard rock. Dos megahits. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

INXS's *Kick* isn't just an album; it's an electrifying masterclass in polished pop rock. This is the record where Michael Hutchence finally locks into that rare charisma most frontmen dream of. INXS perfected their formula here: blending sensual swagger, tight funk rhythms, and enough new wave gloss to make the synth-driven hooks sparkle. Hutchence commands the spotlight with a voice that straddles soul and rock, while the band—slick but never soulless—provides a danceable, propulsive backbone. "Kiss the Dirt" and "Listen Like Thieves" might have hinted at what was coming, but *Kick* is where everything clicked. The sax-laden grooves of "New Sensation," the anthemic highs of "Need You Tonight," and the slow burn of "Never Tear Us Apart" are nearly untouchable in their efficiency at creating atmosphere and emotion. These tracks seep into the bloodstream, drawing on 80s decadence but without the overindulgence that dragged many contemporaries down. The genius of *Kick* is its accessibility. Every song feels like a single, from the infectious "Devil Inside" to the optimistic "Mystify," yet it doesn't feel calculated or overly manufactured. The band manages to flirt with commercial success while still retaining a gritty edge—something bands of their ilk often sacrificed at the altar of radio-friendly unit shifters. The album’s glossiness might not win over every rock purist—too poppy, too smooth for some—but the blend of pop instincts and rock 'n' roll swagger was a winning combination. It's the quintessential soundtrack to the late 80s, a moment when INXS became more than just another band—they became *the* band.

Again, surprised this wasn't on the list. Nostalgia out the yang!

A clear and obvious omission from the book, not a masterpiece but a great album up there with the best of 80’s rock, it just has so many stand out hits on it.

Very nice! An '80s staple that I'm honestly surprised wasn't on the list to begin with. "Need You Tonight" and "Never Tear Us Apart" are both big time classics, to have two of those on one album is no small feat. Some other great cuts as well, great album. Favorite tracks: Never Tear Us Apart, Need You Tonight, New Sensation, Mystify. Album art: Couple hoodlum-looking guys at various distances from the camera. Plus someone ollieing over the title on a skateboard? It's definitely iconic, seen this one hundreds of times. Very bold, very memorable. 4/5

I could have sworn we got this on the list but we didn’t so this was is another great addition. All the classics are on here, Devil Inside, Need You Tonight, and Never Tear Us Apart. I also really enjoyed New Sensation.

Here's my problem with this album, it's definitely my problem and not a problem of the album, per se: it's not that the other songs are bad--though they are kind of mediocre--but nothing can compare to the brilliant run of tracks A2 through A5. This is due to the vagaries of exposure, since I was a kid in the 80s and was raised on MTV (and thus these hits).

Rock. Pop

This is all fine but I really, really struggle to conceptualize the person whose #1 album OF ALL TIME this is. It's like an album of theme songs to early1990s TV shows on MTV or something. I don't want to be mean. It's enjoyable for what it is! But this is a user submitted album which means someone was like "here's my shot to submit my #1 album of all time! Let me submit Kick by INXS", and I want to meet that person and ask them 15-20 questions.

Nothing wrong here just never pulled me in

A name I've heard of, but never listened to and I can sort of see why. Oh I've definitely heard "Need You Tonight". Completely not my thing. I'm sure it's a fun show and they are all having fun, but I find it completely vapid. All the things I don't like about 80s pop/rock. However from how many people love this album and the accolades it has I can see an argument on why it should have been on the list.

I’ve never really listened to INXS so I didn’t know what to expect. This was a good blend of pop, rock, with a touch of funk. It’s very of its time, but was a fun listen.

Glam rock done right – each song comes in with a groovy, chorus-drenched main riff, says its piece, and leaves without taxing the listener. Definitely gets a nostalgia bump since I jammed out to this one with my Dad on longer drives, but it still holds up as a solid listen today.

This is my first time listening to this album (outside of the singles, which I've heard thousands of times throughout my life). That being said, Beck had a project called Record Club in which he would assemble a group of musicians and friends and they would take one day to learn and cover an album from front to back. Record Club recorded five albums. Of those five albums, their version of Kick is an absolute masterpiece that I've listened to dozens of times. I can't say I'm super impressed with the original versions of these songs that much. The singles never did anything for me in the four decades I've heard them. I do have to acknowledge that since I love Beck's deconstructions of these songs, that there have to be the bones of some great pop songs here. I don't much care for the production, arrangements, or vocals, but considering what Beck was able to do with them, they should probably be respected.

Pretty solid 80s album by one of the biggest bands at the time. The user list is basically just everyone’s favorite albums from the times they grew up listening to a lot of music. This 80s pop album was probably immense when it came out. I don’t hear much of it now but overall it’s pretty good nothing really bad about it but not sure how much I’d revisit it. 6.5/10

fun rock 2.9

It was ok

This album was all around me back in the day, and of course I was familiar with the hits. While I like INXS, something always held me back a little and I think that’s still true today. But I can see why someone might put this on here.

Very 80s. Flits between sensual and occasionally recklessly happy (especially the vibe on closer "Tiny Daggers"). Nothing incredible lyrically though nothing terrible, except maybe "Calling All Nations". The early attempt at white-boy-rapping is fun but more of a time capsule ("Mediate"). Not my thing, unfortunately, though I didn't outright hate it when it was on. Favorite tracks: "Devil Inside", "Need You Tonight"

Yeah whatever

This probably should've been included in the book as it has so many hits. I personally think it's just an okay album but I understand why others would like it more.

So many of these songs start hard, like these songs rule... But then run two minutes too long. Can't be too mad, it's got three classics on there.

1987. Prince's Sign o' the Times; George Michael's Faith; The Cure"s Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me; the Smiths Strangeways Here We Come. Amid this musical feast INXS were just plain white bread, and yet they seemed so pleased with themselves. Omitting them from the original list was clearly a deliberate snub, and one that I can relate to. But then again, the original list included the appalling Hysteria by Def Leppard, also from 1987, and even I'd have to say INXS have suffered an injustice

This is also a band that a lot of people walk away with. Though I like the voice I think the music makes it too pop for me. Now that I listened to the entire album, I still think it is not for me.

80s rock. It hasn't aged well. Not much in the way of memorable hooks or melodies, and the guitar tone sounds really thin. Rating: 2 Playlist track: Need You Tonight Date listened: 10/10/24