Greatest Albums of the 80's

 In the eighties many new genres of music were taking shape. From early hip-hop pioneers, big hair metal, heavy metal and to pop music, the eighties introduced many of music's best and guiltiest pleasures. The eighties really paved the road for music's evolution. Some of the artists were great and are still listened to. Some artists did not have what it took in the eighties to be a successful artist. Many top chart albums were born and introduced to audiences world wide. Many albums that people still have playing in their CD, tape or mp3 players. Sure, we can refer to it as classic music, but these albums deserve some recognition. So I decided to make a list of what I think are the ten greatest albums to ever hit the music industry.

10. Pretty Hate Machine, 1989: Industrial rock, in the eighties was more upbeat and had a happy feel to it. One group decided to take keyboards and synthesizers and create a sound that was heavy, dark and full of distortion. That band was Nine Inch Nails. With the music scene evolving, it was no better time of Nine Inch Nails to make their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. “Head Like a Hole” and “Down In It” were just a few of the famous songs that began to be played mainstream. With a raw and thunderous force lead by front man Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails was ready to strike the music industry with a sound that they have never heard before.

9. Permanent Vacation, 1987: Though rising on the rock music scene in the seventies, Aerosmith seemed to become more and more popular with each album released. With hits like “Angel,” “Dude (Looks Like A Lady),” and “Rag Doll” makes this one of the eighties best rock albums. Aerosmith went on to produce more albums in the eighties, but to me this is by far their most popular one and deserves a spot on the list for best albums from the eighties.

8. Raising Hell, 1986: Pioneers of Hip-Hop and Rap emerged on the music scene in the eighties thanks to this famous rap group, Run D.M.C. Collaborating with Aerosmith with the song “Walk This Way” was a new idea of mixing rock and rap together. “It's Tricky” was another single that has been covered by a few bands bringing back it's popularity and making the song a Hip-Hop/Rap classic. Though Raising Hell was not their first album, it is one of their more mainstream successes and has become a classic in the Hip-Hop community.

7. Slippery When Wet, 1986: Bon Jovi's third album release Slippery When Wet launched Bon Jovi's career to the top fairly quickly. From beginning to end, the albums success has much to do with the numerous of big hits that were produced for this album. “You Give Love A Bad Name,” “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” “Never Say Goodbye” and “Livin' On A Prayer” are some of the more popular songs that this album contains. Over time, other songs on this album became just as popular but not so much as mainstream. This was a great rock album that is featured on many greatest lists and deserve a spot on this one as well.

6. 1984, 1983: Not so much a creative title, but Van Halen's 1984 was a rock sensation. Their sixth album became one of their more successful selling albums. This was also the last album before front man David Lee Roth decided to part ways from Van Halen. Much of the album's mainstream success was because of hits like, “Hot For Teacher,” “Jump,” and “Panama.” With the release of this album, Van Halen's radio play increased tremendously making 1984 one of the best albums to be released in the eighties.

5. Licensed To Ill, 1986: Mixing rap with rock, the debut album from the Beasties Boys influenced and created a revolution to music. Giving birth to rock/rap music and paving the way for many bands who became popular in later years. Three M.C.'s and one D.J., The Beasties Boys became a musical sensation. “Brass Monkey” was a huge hit that many disc jokey spins today taking you back to one of the eighties most brilliant groups. “Paul Revere,” “Fight For Your Right,” and “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” were other mega hits that put Beasties Boys on the music scene and paved the road for a successful career decades after the release of this debut album.

4. Back In Black, 1980: The eighties music got kicked off in the best way possible. AC/DC released the rock and roll album Back In Black which was a way to enter a new decade of rock music. The album gets rolling with the hit “Hells Bells” and then continues to satisfy music fans all over the world with other enormous hits like “Back In Black,” “Shoot to Thrill,” “Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution,” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.”This also was the album that introduced their new lead singer Brian Johnson after the sudden death of Bon Scott. This was AC/DC's biggest selling album of the bands career.

3. Appetite Of Destruction, 1987: Rock with attitude is the perfect characteristic to describe this next band. Long before they were famous, Guns N' Roses were already rock stars, or at least they lived like it. Guns N' Roses emerged to become a hard rock band with great success. “Welcome to the Jungle” starts the album off with a bang. Many stadiums still use the intro to this song to get the crowd pumped and ready to go. “Sweet Child of Mine” proved that you don't have to write cheesy lyrics to have a great love song. With front man and lose cannon Axl Rose, and guitar sensation Slash, Guns N' Roses was the perfect trend setter for how hard rock should be played and lived.

2. Master Of Puppets, 1986: Metallica was on the rise in the eighties and becoming more popular with the previous release of their last two albums, but in 1986, their greatest album of the eighties was released. Metallica had a way of writing and producing music that was more than just loud metal. It was some what deep and poetic that many fans at that time could relate too. Without any radio or video play at that time, Metallica's success merely was due to the true fans that believed in their music. “Battery,” “Master of Puppets” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” would become metal hits and classics for Metallica. This album also was the last album that featured one of heavy metal's greatest bassist Cliff Burton. Through much tragedy and media attacks, Metallica is still going strong and creating metal like metal should be made.

1. Thriller, 1982: Though not with us anymore, the late Michael Jackson was the “King of Pop” and deserved that title more than any one. Though I am not the biggest fan of his music, Thriller was by far the greatest album from the eighties and is still a huge success today. The mainstream success of this album is legendary. From those hits “Thriller,” “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” Michael Jackson was the complete package for any musical artist. He could sing, dance and create musical hits that put him above the rest. Michael Jackson's Thriller made him a pop icon. World wide success and still topping many lists at number one or close to it, this album success was like no other, and will probably never be forgotten.

The eighties reminds us just how popular many types of music can be. A great decade of music was born, created and evolved in the eighties. Our ears had the privilege of listening to some of the most influential and well respected music that was produced at that time.