A Fallen Idol, Bad Meat Loaf, Live Computers: Back Into 1993’s Hell

More negative words may have been written about Billy Idol’s “Cyberpunk” album than copies of it were sold.

So it should be no shock that the collection, which only made it to No. 48 before rapidly falling off the charts last summer, was voted the worst release of ’93 in Pop Eye’s annual survey to nominate the year’s most annoying or simply bad works. To obtain a cross-section of industry opinion, Pop Eye turned to nearly two dozen managers, record company employees and critics from Los Angeles to New York.

For all that was written about the usually good-natured rocker during 1993, Idol himself said it best in an interview:

“(David) Bowie said he’s always battling with his mediocrity. Christ, if he’s battling with it, what do you think I’m doing?”

Idol, though, was just a step ahead of Meat Loaf, whose “Bat Out of Hell II” shot him back from oblivion, but also earned him a special place in our own pop Hades.

Third place in the survey went to English doomsters Depeche Mode, who are currently selling a “live” album whose song list is the same as its last studio album.

Given that the band’s music is mostly computer-driven, that means its devoted fans are essentially paying $15 to hear crowd noise--the only real difference between the “live” and studio versions.

Some voter comments on other, um, winners:

* Frank Sinatra et al.’s “Duets”: “That’s a joke . ‘Duets’? You have to be in the same room to duet.”

* Billy Ray Cyrus’ “This Won’t Be the Last,” which almost didn’t make the list because many voters seemed to have forgotten completely about it: “Wow! People forgot about him already. That’s almost a point in his favor.”

Incidentally, this marks the last appearance on this list of perennial favorites Michael Bolton and Mariah Carey, who will now be “retired” to the Easy Targets Hall of Fame.

The Worst of ‘93:

1--Billy Idol, “Cyperpunk.”

2--Meat Loaf, “Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell.”

3--Depeche Mode, “Songs of Faith and Devotion--Live.”

(tie) Carnie & Wendy Wilson, “Hey, Santa!”

5--Michael Bolton, “The One Thing.”

(tie) Mariah Carey, “Music Box.”

7--Frank Sinatra, “Duets.”

8--Lenny Kravitz, “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”

(tie) Paul McCartney, “Off the Ground.”

(tie) Billy Ray Cyrus, “This Won’t Be the Last.”