As the curtain went up on the 1980s, rock music’s sands were shifting.
Punk, dragged down by its limitations, was no longer a force. New wave and post-punk had arrived out of its ashes - both had gained traction but were still seeking an invitation into the mainstream that had not yet been fully granted.
With major ‘legacy’ artists no longer having it all their own way in rock’s increasingly fragmented landscape, Steely Dan, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie are 1980’s rare exceptions, heavy metal was shifting itself into position to become a dominant force. AC/DC are one of those band that musical trends just don’t apply, but bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest were on the precipice of something big.
Here are the 21 greatest albums of 1980, each one with a key track to give you an indication of what the fuss is all about…
The 21 best albums of 1980
21. Devo – Freedom Of Choice
Devo’s second album Duty Now For The Future had been a commercial flop, and the record label, Warner Brothers were not interested in a repeat of the trick. The pressure precipitated a change of direction for the Ohioans with the funny hats.
The stark art-punkiness of old was displaced by a punchy, synth-led pop sound. Much to the delight of the label execs Freedom Of Choice even delivered a hit single, with ‘Whip It’ one of the Devo’s deepest dives into the charts.
Key track: 'Girl U Want'
20. The Clash – Sandinista!
It’s a fine line between ambition and quality control and The Clash went one further than 1979’s double London Calling with triple album Sandinista! Yes, there’s a lack of focus over its 36 tracks and the word ‘sprawling’ is compulsory when describing the album, but there is also no shortage of sonic exuberance.
From funk to punk, from reggae to rap, The Clash have all angles covered. What’s more, the triple album was sold for the price of a single.
Key track: 'Somebody Got Murdered'
19. Rush – Permanent Waves
Rush’s seventh studio album saw the band take a step back from their progressive rock roots and towards a more concise and, certainly, more radio-friendly sound. The 20-minute fantasy epics were put to bed, and, if anything, the adoption of brevity into their song writing process owes a slight nod to new wave (hence the pun in the album title).
The change brought a new level of commercial and even a hit single with a reggae interlude, in the shape of ‘The Spirit Of Radio’.
Key track: 'The Spirit Of Radio'
18. Echo And The Bunnymen – Crocodiles
It took Liverpool a long time to rouse itself after The Beatles, and it was up to Echo And The Bunnymen to shift the dust from the famous city’s eyes. Crocodiles was a post-punk album with a psychedelic edge.
Lead singer Ian McCulloch’s rich vocals and Will Sergeant’s individual guitar sound made the band’s debut one of the defining documents of the early 80s. The pioneering Bunnymen were laying the foundations for the avalanche of alternative rock to come.
Key track: 'Rescue'
17. Soft Boys – Underwater Moonlight
Robyn Hitchcock’s band has always been on the fringe of the scenes developing around them. During the punk years the Soft Boys were spectacularly off-trend, channelling psychedelia and folk rock. Then when post-punk started taking its inspiration from European art, Hitchcock went back to the 60s and The Byrds.
The outlying spirit served the band well, and from this dedicated contrariness the classic Underwater Moonlight was hatched. Perhaps not unsurprisingly, it was a commercial failure. But Hitchcock’s time did come when R.E.M acknowledged the Soft Boys as a direct influence on their early sound.
Key track: 'I Wanna Destroy You'
16. The Feelies – Crazy Rhythms
The Feelies were formed in New Jersey in 1976, and lifted their name from Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. The band shared not only a preppy-style wardrobe with Talking Heads, but also an experimental approach to their music.
With the band’s trademark choppy guitar, shifting time signatures and propulsive drumming, debut album Crazy Rhythms was aptly titled. The Feelies weren’t destined for super stardom, but the band’s legacy as the gatekeepers of US indie remains strong.
Key track: 'The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness'
15. Van Halen – Women And Children First
Van Halen’s third studio album saw the band transition from the club scene to would-be arena contenders. The party vibe was over and the serious business was set to begin, and the throwaway cover versions of the first two albums were dispensed with.
Women And Children First boasted a much heavier studio sound than its predecessors. Opening track ‘And The Cradle Will Rock’ also announced the band’s first foray into the keyboard-driven rock they would later become known for.
Key track: 'Everybody Wants Some!!'
14. Pylon – Gyrate
With punk dead in the water, 1980 was the year that underground bands laid down the foundations for future generations of alternative rock kids. Pylon were one of those bands.
Formed in Athens, Georgia, the art-school quartet pre-dated their more illustrious neighbours, R.E.M. and the B52s. Debut album Gyrate is an underground classic with elements of new wave and post-punk fusing together to create a cohesive and, surprisingly, danceable classic.
Key track: 'Feast On My Heart'
13. Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a UK-based band collective that rebooted hard rock by upping the tempo and adding a rampant splash of punk energy. Iron Maiden were at its spearhead, and the Londoner’s eponymous debut album is one of movement’s defining statements.
The band weren’t happy with the quality of the album’s production, but both fans and critics wholeheartedly disagreed.
Key track: 'Phantom Of The Opera'
12. The Beat – I Just Can't Stop It
The Beat or The English Beat, depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on, were an important part of the ska revival that exploded in the late 70s in the UK. I Just Can’t Stop It grabs hold of the band’s many influences (ska, reggae, punk, dub, Motown and afro-pop) and repackages them into a highly joyful, genre-bending debut.
The band’s dual vocal attack of Dave Wakeling and toaster Rankin’ Roger is an album highlight, as is future Fine Young Cannibal David Steele’s tremendous reggae-infused basslines.
Key track: 'Mirror In The Bathroom'
11. Dexys Midnight Runners – Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Dexys’ landmark album fuses punk’s aggressive energy with Northern Soul’s rhythmic drive to produce a spectacularly singular debut. Band leader Kevin Rowland’s impassioned vocal delivery ramps up the intensity, while the outstanding brass section adds a thrilling extra layer. Dexys were to undergo a number of sonic transformations during a long career, many believe they peaked in 1980.
Key track: 'There, There My Dear'
10. Judas Priest – British Steel
1980 was an important year for metal and Judas Priest’s sixth album, British Steel was set to establish a winning template that would be adopted for years to come. The tracks became more anthemic with the emphasis placed on hooky, singalong choruses.
Any residual fat was stripped away from songs until they were lean and mean enough to be played on rock radio. British Steel also saw the band alter their visual aesthetic leaning into the leather biker jacket and studs look. The album’s iconic cover deserves a mention.
Key track: 'Breaking The Law'
9. Steely Dan – Gaucho
Never a band to follow trends, Gaucho is one of the few albums on this list that can’t be accused of adding a layer of punk energy. The follow-up to 1977’s Aja, Steely Dan’s seventh studio album was the latest, tortuous chapter of the band’s eternal quest for studio perfectionism.
Stories abound that one track (‘Babylon Sisters’) was mixed no less than 274 times before approval. As ever with Walter Becker and Donald Fagan the hellish process the put themselves through paid dividends for the listener, and Gaucho is a worthy addition to their peerless catalogue.
Key track: 'Hey Nineteen'
8. David Bowie – Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
While David Bowie was one of the defining artists of the 1970s, the 80s were to prove not so kind. Saying that, the great man kicked off the decade in fine form with Scary Monsters, cementing his position as the envelope-pushing superstar who also had the power to take experimental art rock to the top of the charts.
The album spawned a couple of classic hits (‘Ashes To Ashes’ and ‘Fashion’), as well as some abrasive guitar wizardry from King Crimson’s Robert Fripp.
Key track: 'Teenage Wildlife'
7. X – Los Angeles
With the unlikely combination of superior musicianship, wit and a poetic sensibility, LA’s X elevated themselves above the basic assault of the Hollywood punk rock scene that they helped to establish. The band’s first album, Los Angeles was produced by The Doors’ keyboardist Ray Manzarek, and even features a cover of his old band’s standard ‘Soul Kitchen’.
The album’s themes explore LA’s seedy underbelly, and is notable for guitarist Billy Zoom’s retro rockabilly riffs. It remains one of US punk’s greatest albums.
Key track: 'Your Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not'
6. Motörhead – Ace Of Spades
Despite the existence of tribal lines, Lemmy was one of the old rockers that the punks on both sides of the Atlantic could agree to like. It helped that the former Hawkwind bassist played his crazed brand of heavy metal with a fuller throttle than most of the punk bands out on the circuit.
Ace Of Spades was Motörhead’s fourth studio album, and remains their most definitive statement of intent. The iconic title track and album opener remains as thrillingly vital now as it has ever done.
Key track: 'Ace Of Spades'
5. Bruce Springsteen – The River
The River is Bruce Springsteen’s fifth studio album, released as a double LP in October 1980. Less focused than his previous albums, it is a sprawling and confessional collection of 20 tracks that vary wildly from up-tempo rockers to moody blue-collar ballads.
Lead single ‘Hungry Heart’ was originally written for The Ramones, but Bruce’s management wisely persuaded him to keep it for himself.
Key track: 'The River'
4. Joy Division – Closer
Joy Division’s second and final studio album was released two month’s after the tragic suicide of the band’s frontman, Ian Curtis. Much more than simply a collection of songs, Closer is a lesson in how atmospherics can shape an album into a serious work of art.
It remains a touchstone album of the UK’s post-punk scene, and an important influence on the goth rock movement to follow. Following Curtis’s death the remaining members of the band formed New Order.
Key track: 'Heart And Soul'
3. The Pretenders – Pretenders
The Pretenders’ eponymous debut was released on 27 December 1979 in the UK and 11 January 1980 in the US, so splitting the difference is able to qualify for our list. Chrissie Hynde had been hanging out with London’s punk rock elite before forming her own band, but what she delivered was far removed from a basic three chord thrash.
The self-titled album impressed with its classic pop-rock sound. Hynde’s seductive vocal delivery and intelligent song writing chops were a standout highlight, as was James Honeyman-Scott’s jangle guitar. The album went to number one in the UK, and top 10 in the US.
Key track: 'Mystery Achievement'
2. Talking Heads – Remain In Light
With three critically acclaimed albums already under their belt, the NYC art-rock quartet took a huge left turn with their fourth. With rock’s nutty professor Eno on knob-twiddling duties in the studio, the band dispensed their trademark angular artiness and went all in on rhythm.
The propulsive combination of African drum sounds and funky post-punk was genuinely genre busting. Despite persistent inter-band squabbling, the Heads had created a fully formed masterpiece.
Key track: 'The Great Curve'
1. AC/DC – Back In Black
AC/DC’s seventh album was released a mere five months after Bon Scott, their lead singer, had tragically drunk himself to death. Instead of calling it a day, the Aussie band drafted in a new frontman and duly delivered one of rock’s greatest albums.
Over its 10 defiant tracks, the flawlessly produced Back In Black is a celebration of life and a fitting tribute to a fallen comrade. The album sold in its millions and is the third best-selling album ever in the US, behind Hotel California and Thriller.
Key track: 'Hells Bells'
All album sleeves Discogs
Top image Brian Johnson, lead singer of AC/DC, at his North Shields home, Tyne and Wear, England, 14th October 1980
