Top 20 Greatest Rock and Metal Albums of the 1980s
By Deb Jones, from Loaded
Rock music went in all kinds of crazy directions back in the 1980s, with popular trends such as glam metal, thrash, British heavy metal, and pop-rock. Hair metal was the leading form of rock music, which attained a high level of success at different points throughout that decade.
Although perhaps not to everyone's taste now, looking back, it's easy to see why rock and metal fans were blessed in the '80s --- it was a fun, happy, and colourful decade. Heck, some would even argue that the '80s was only second to the golden rock period of the '70s.
So, to celebrate a crazy decade for rock music, we've put together a list of the 20 greatest rock and metal albums of the 1980s (only one album per artist)...
20. Def Leppard, 'Hysteria'
Hysteria is the fourth studio album by English hard rock band Def Leppard, released on 3 August 1987 through Mercury Records and reissued on 1 January 2000. It is Def Leppard's best-selling album to date, selling over 25 million copies worldwide, including 12 million in the US, and spawning seven hit singles. It was the album that shot the band to new commercial heights, and is still regarded as one of the greatest hard rock albums ever made.
19. Dio, 'Holy Diver'
Holy Diver is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Dio, released in 1983. Vocalist Ronnie James Dio had just finished his first tenure in Black Sabbath, whose drummer, Vinny Appice, he took with him to put together his own band. Holy Diver is considered to be Dio's best work, and one of the more popular albums of the decade.
18. Scorpions, 'Blackout'
Blackout is the eighth studio album by German rock band Scorpions, released in 1982 on EMI Records Germany and Mercury Records. After losing his voice during the writing of the album, lead singer Klaus Meine had to undergo surgery on his vocal cords and it was uncertain whether he would be able to record it. It turns out the band produced the greatest album in their catalog, and one of the classics of '80s rock.
17. Ozzy Osbourne, 'Blizzard Of Ozz'
Blizzard of Ozz is the debut studio album by British heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, released on 20 September 1980 in the UK and on 27 March 1981 in the US. The album was Osbourne's first release following his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979, and would prove to be the catalyst for a successful run of albums as a solo artist.
16. Aerosmith, 'Permanent Vacation'
Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on August 25, 1987 by Geffen Records. The album marked a turning point in the band's career. It was their first to employ songwriters outside the band, instead of featuring songs solely composed by them.
15. Black Sabbath, 'Heaven and Hell'
Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released on 25 April 1980. It is the first Black Sabbath album to feature vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who replaced original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne in 1979. It is widely regarded as the best Black Sabbath album since the gold period of the early 1970s.
14. Alice Cooper, 'Trash'
Trash is the eleventh studio album released by Alice Cooper in 1989. The album features the single "Poison", Cooper's first top ten hit since his single "You And Me" in 1977 and marked a great success in Cooper's musical career, reaching the Top 20 of various album charts and selling more than two million copies.
13. Motley Crue, 'Shout At The Devil'
Shout at the Devil is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. It was the band's breakthrough album, establishing Mötley Crüe as one of the top selling heavy metal acts of the 1980s.
12. Whitesnake, 'Whitesnake'
Whitesnake is the self-titled seventh studio album by British rock band of the same name, released in 1987. It produced a major power ballad hit, "Is This Love", along with the number one hit "Here I Go Again". The album was a major crossover hit eventually selling over eight million copies in the US.
11. Motorhead, 'Ace Of Spades'
Ace of Spades is the fourth studio album by the band Motörhead, released 8 November 1980, on Bronze Records. It reached Gold status in the UK by March 1981. It was preceded by the release of the title track as a single on 27 October, which peaked in the UK Singles Chart at No. 15 in early November.
10. Judas Priest, 'British Steel'
British Steel is the sixth studio album by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 14 April 1980. It is also the band's first album with Dave Holland on drums. It is regarded as Priest's best ever album, and one of the greatest heavy metal records ever recorded.
9. Bon Jovi, 'Slippery When Wet'
Released in the years of their ultimate peak, Slippery When Wet is the third studio album by American pop rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on August 18, 1986 by Mercury Records in North America and Vertigo Records internationally. The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn, and is still the band's most significant record to date. "Living On A Prayer" became one of rock music's most iconic songs.
8. Bruce Springsteen, 'Born In The USA'
Born in the U.S.A. is the seventh studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1984. This is an album that remains iconic, all these years later, and helped cement Bruce's place at the top of the rock charts.
7. Slayer, 'Reign In Blood'
Reign in Blood is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on October 7, 1986 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's first collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, whose input helped the band's sound evolve. It is widely regarded as one of the leading thrash metal albums ever made.
6. Megadeth, 'Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?'
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 19, 1986 by Capitol Records. The project was originally handled by Combat Records, resulting in the original mix of the album being co-produced by Randy Burns. This is an album regarded by fans as critics as one of the greatest in thrash metal history. It is also the band's most relevant record, along with Rust In Peace.
5. Rush, 'Moving Pictures'
Moving Pictures is the eighth studio album by the Canadian rock trio Rush. After touring to support their previous album, Permanent Waves, the band started to write and record new material in August 1980 with co-producer Terry Brown. It is still regarded by many fans and critics as one of the greatest and most influential prog rock albums ever made.
4. Iron Maiden, 'The Number Of The Beast'
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 22 March 1982 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Harvest and Capitol Records. The album was their first to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and their last with drummer Clive Burr. It is still regarded by many hardcore Maiden fans as their best album, and certainly their most significant to date.
3. Metallica, 'Master Of Puppets'
There are thrash metal classics, and then there's Master Of Puppets.Widely considered to be the greatest thrash metal album of them all, this 1986 beast of a record took metal music to a new level, with absolute blockbuster tracks like "Battery," "Welcome Home," "Orion," and the magnificent title track. This was Metallica at their very best, and many would argue at their ultimate peak. You'd still be hard pushed to find a better heavy metal album.
2. Guns N' Roses, 'Appetite For Destruction'
With an flux of hairspray, makeup, and meaningless songs, the rock scene needed a serious shake-up, and that's exactly what it got when Guns N' Roses crashed onto the scene with their debut album Appetite For Destruction, in 1987. Rock classics "Welcome To The Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "Paradise City," cemented the band's legacy as one of the best hard rock groups on the '80s.
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