Why The Most Rock n’ Roll Year of the 80s Era Is 1980

The song that started a decade is just remarkable in some way. People all over the world were holding their breath and waiting for what would happen next when the year 1980 began. The dance haze faded away, and a dizzying array of sounds came in. It was a year when musicians were really trying to figure out what the next great thing would be, and the result was an avalanche of records that defined genres and became classics.

The Sound of Change: Rock, Punk, and Poetry

Think about it: in just one year, hard rock and heavy metal took over with their raw, visceral shockwaves, post-punk took over with its twitchy, intellectual cool, and singer-songwriters made some of the most powerful music of their careers. It seemed like the music business suddenly went in a dozen fun new directions, and the fans won big time.

The albums that were out in 1980 weren’t merely hits on the charts; they were also important works. They set the tone for the next ten years by creating the blueprints for new wave, alternative rock, and the arena-shaking rock anthems we still play today. Picking the 100 best is a big job that requires a lot of thought about the sounds that defined a time of change. This list has everything, from the tightly wound, experimental genius that changed what a pop song might be to the loud, unabashed guitar riffs that became the sound of resistance.

A Masterclass in Genre Diversity

The best thing about this collection is how it changes styles. One album could be a dark, weighty work of art that makes you feel bad, while the next could be a happy, uplifting party record. This diversity is what 1980 was really all about. It was a year when famous musicians cemented their spots and hungry newcomers came in with new, unexpected sounds. This collection isn’t simply a walk down memory lane; it’s a lesson in how current music was made. So turn on your headphones, get ready to bob your head, and let’s look at some of the most important recordings that still sound great today.

Here is the list of the 100 Greatest Albums of 1980:

1. Back In Black – AC/DC
2. Remain In Light – Talking Heads
3. Closer – Joy Division
4. Ace Of Spades – Motörhead
5. The River – Bruce Springsteen
6. Dirty Mind – Prince
7. Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon
8. The Game – Queen
9. Diana – Diana Ross
10. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – Dead Kennedys
11. Blizzard Of Ozz – Ozzy Osbourne
12. Searching For Young Soul Rebels – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
13. Zenyatta Mondatta – The Police
14. Los Angeles – X
15. Peter Gabriel (III) – Peter Gabriel
16. Sandinista! – The Clash
17. Boy – U2
18. Crazy Rhythms – The Feelies
19. Double Fantasy – John Lennon and Yoko Ono
20. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) – David Bowie
21. Sound Affects – The Jam
22. The Wanderer – Donna Summer
23. Crimes Of Passion – Pat Benatar
24. Get Happy!! – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
25. Voices – Daryl Hall & John Oates
26. Empty Glass – Pete Townshend
27. Triumph – The Jacksons
28. Against The Wind – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
29. The Gap Band III – The Gap Band
30. Give Me The Night – George Benson
31. Glass Houses – Billy Joel
32. Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden
33. I Just Can’t Stop It – The (English) Beat
34. Zapp – Zapp
35. Hotter Than July – Stevie Wonder
36. British Steel – Judas Priest
37. Autoamerican – Blondie
38. Permanent Waves – Rush
39. Gaucho – Steely Dan
40. Women And Children First – Van Halen
41. Emotional Rescue – Rolling Stones
42. Love Stinks – J. Geils Band
43. Arc Of A Diver – Steve Winwood
44. Kurtis Blow – Kurtis Blow
45. Uprising – Bob Marley & The Wailers
46. Heaven And Hell – Black Sabbath
47. Argybargy – Squeeze
48. Hold Out – Jackson Browne
49. Kings Of The Wild Frontier – Adam & The Ants
50. Departure – Journey
51. Duke – Genesis
52. The Jazz Singer – Neil Diamond
53. Three For Love – Shalamar
54. Lightning To The Nations – Diamond Head
55. Underwater Moonlight – The Soft Boys
56. Vienna – Ultravox
57. Freedom Of Choice – Devo
58. Making Movies – Dire Straits
59. Wild Planet – The B-52s
60. Light Up The Night – Brothers Johnson
61. Songs The Lord Taught Us – The Cramps
62. End Of The Century – The Ramones
63. Angel Witch – Angel Witch
64. Kilimanjaro – The Teardrop Explodes
65. Seventeen Seconds – The Cure
66. Killing Joke – Killing Joke
67. One-Trick Pony – Paul Simon
68. Colossal Youth – Young Marble Giants
69. In The Flat Field – Bauhaus
70. Celebrate! – Kool & The Gang
71. The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Alan Parsons Project
72. Signing Off – UB40
73. Seconds Of Pleasure – Rockpile
74. TP – Teddy Pendergrass
75. Black Sea – XTC
76. Crocodiles – Echo & The Bunnymen
77. Catholic Boy – Jim Carroll Band
78. Heartattack And Vine – Tom Waits
79. SOS – The SOS Band
80. Clues – Robert Palmer
81. Loverboy – Loverboy
82. True Colours – Split Enz
83. Super Trouper – ABBA
84. Never For Ever – Kate Bush
85. More Specials – The Specials
86. Faces – Earth Wind & Fire
87. The Romantics – The Romantics
88. Eagles Live – Eagles
89. Bass Culture – Linton Kwesi Johnson
90. Joy And Pain – Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
91. Is This Real? – The Wipers
92. The Blues Brothers: Music From The Soundtrack – The Blues Brothers
93. Me Myself I – Joan Armatrading
94. Heroes – The Commodores
95. Strong Arm Of The Law – Saxon
96. The Correct Use Of Soap – Magazine
97. Warm Thoughts – Smokey Robinson
98. Kaleidoscope – Siouxsie & The Banshees
99. One Step Closer – The Doobie Brothers
100. Visage – Visage