The 50 Greatest Albums of the 80s

The decade of the 80s was not just about Cabbage Patch Dolls and Ronald Reagan. It was a time when anybody, and I mean anybody could make it to number one if they had a good enough song. Ask Falco, or Tracy Chapman or De La Soul what they thought their chances were? Same as everybody else.

• 1~ synchronicity ~ the Police ('83)
• 2~ thriller ~ Michael Jackson ('82)
• 3~ legend ~ Bob Marley & the Wailers ('84)
• 4~ paul's boutique ~ Beastie Boys ('89)
• 5~ purple rain ~ Prince & the Revolution ('84)
• 6~ appetite for destruction ~ Guns N' Roses ('87)
• 7~ the joshua tree ~ U2 ('87)
• 8~ london calling ~ The Clash ('80)
• 9~ the wall ~ Pink Floyd ('80)
• 10~ 3 feet high and rising ~ De La Soul ('89)

• 11~ something to believe in ~ APB ('85)

• 12~ kick - INXS ('87)

• 13~ mother's milk ~ Red Hot Chili Peppers ('89)

• 14~ it takes a nation of millions to hold us back ~ Public Enemy ('88)

• 15~ pyromania ~ Def Leppard ('83)

• 16~ sign o the times ~ Prince ('87)

• 17~ licensed to ill ~ Beastie Boys ('85)

• 18~ nothing's shocking ~ Jane's Addiction ('88)

• 19~ glass houses ~ Billy Joel ('80)

• 20~ born in the u.s.a. ~ Bruce Springsteen ('84)

• 21~ singles 45 and under ~ Squeeze ('82)

• 22~ paid in full ~ Eric B. & Rakim ('87)

• 23~ let love rule ~ Lenny Kravitz ('89)

• 24~ shout at the devil ~ Motley Crue ('83)

• 25~ graceland ~ Paul Simon ('86)

• 26~ songs from the big chair ~ Tears for Fears ('85)

• 27~ full moon fever ~ Tom Petty ('89)

• 28~ back in black ~ AC/DC ('80)

• 29~ catching up with ~ Depeche Mode ('85)

• 30~ master of puppets ~ Metallica ('86)

• 31~ straight outta compton ~ N.W.A. ('88)

• 32~ the dream of the blue turtles ~ Sting ('85)

• 33~ 1984 ~ Van Halen ('84)

• 34~ 1999 ~ Prince ('82)

• 35~ tracy chapman ~ Tracy Chapman ('88)

• 36~ building the perfect beast ~ Don Henley ('84)

• 37~ critical beatdown - Ultramagnetic MC's ('88)

• 38~ disintegration ~ the Cure ('89)

• 39~ raising hell ~ Run DMC ('86)

• 40~ scarecrow ~ john cougar mellencamp ('85)

• 41~ diamond life ~ Sade ('84)

• 42~ ghost in the machine ~ The Police ('81)

• 43~ criminal minded ~ Boogie Down Productions ('87)

• 44~ so ~ Peter Gabriel ('86)

• 45~ don't say no ~ Billy Squier ('81)

• 46~ little creatures ~ Talking Heads ('85)

• 47~ listen like theives ~ INXS ('85)

• 48~ combat rock ~ The Clash ('83)

• 49~ the pretenders ~ the Pretenders ('80)

• 50~ tattoo you ~ the Rolling Stones ('81)

Okay, you're filled nostalgia and emotion, now write. Tell me my friends. Tell about about the albums you broke out your weed on and shook it til the seeds all fell