Bruce, Madonna, Prince! 1984 was quite a year

updated 2:31 p.m. ET July 20, 2009 Suppose one of the best years in pop music happened and nobody noticed. A quarter of a century ago, in 1984, three of the most significant pop albums ever made came out. The year saw Bruce Springsteen’s landmark “Born in the U.S.A.” released June 4, Prince’s masterwork “Purple Rain” drop June 25 and Madonna’s classic “Like a Virgin” get unveiled Oct. 29. In other words, three of the most important albums ever were released within five months of each other. Strangely enough, 1984 has gone almost unnoticed in pop history because there was no discernable trend that emerged that year, which is always a prerequisite for a “big” year in music (think the British…

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