Best 80s albums list?

Finally the list.

Enjoy (or don't, I won't judge). Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments...

I’m actually pretty relieved; for a second there, I really thought we were looking at some kind of American Democracy situation with that tracklist.

Forget Junkyard. Prayers on Fire is ten times better! 😁

Posted by Paraf 🙏

Posted by Bug above you're Living All Over me staviti Solid Gold 🙏

Posted by Solid Gold, not Entertainment 🙏

Man, this list is solid... It’s just a bummer because I came here specifically to geek out over the eighties, but you guys completely threw me off my game 😢 😛

Kevin Chavez3 said:He put on Solid Gold, not Entertainment 🙏

Man, I would have gone with Entertainment! But since it came out in 1979... 😉

I assume that’s why there isn't even a New York Calling. Sandinista! came out around '80 or '81, I think, and it was undoubtedly one of the most influential albums of the early eighties... 🙄

Kevin Chavez3 said:Sandinista! came out back in '80 (or maybe '81?), but it’s definitely one of those defining albums from the early eighties... 🙄

Well, maybe for you! I guess everyone's entitled to their own top ten... 😉

Absolutely. This was just one of those comments that actually hits the mark. 😉

np Nomeansno - The Tower

I have to admit, I’m genuinely bummed that we don’t have any Sandinista here. But hey, what can you do? There are just so many albums I wish were available—it makes me think that what Frank Howard79 suggested, fifty, is actually a pretty small number. On another note, it looks like that link isn't working for me.

Hey, Frank Howard79, it would be really great if you could add some images for each album—it would make everything look so much better...

Yeah, that would be awesome... plus, everything is super easy to track down on AllMusic anyway...

I’m hoping to post some photos soon, too. But seriously, give me your thoughts on the tracklist—why is everyone suddenly obsessed with just the cover art?

Wait, I noticed something... for entry number 49... the album title and the label aren't in italics...

😁 😁 😉

Finally, a list that actually deserves some serious attention. I’m going to dive deep into this one and give you my full, unvarned thoughts... First off, props where they're due. I’d probably have included a good chunk of what’s on here myself. Huge points to The Replacements, the second Suicide record, and The Commotions (which should really be The Skot, though there's another one missing between Rattlesnakes and Mainstream). And a special shout-out to Any Trouble—is that you, dustyridge12? Now, for the part where we start the inevitable arguing: what's missing? For starters, we definitely need a few more rap classics in the mix, like the debut from de la Soul, Critical Beatdown by Ultramagnetic MCs, and the first Eric B. & Rakim album. On the flip side, I honestly can't wrap my head around seeing The Feelies, TV Personalities, or Minutemen on here—putting Minutemen on this list feels like pure heresy! And instead of Teardrop Explodes, I'd much rather see Echo & the Bunnymen, either their first or fourth record. As for Firehose, I'd go with their first album over the second, and similarly, I'd pick English Settlement over Skylarking any day. I get why Nation Daydream made the cut—that "alternative rock" concept was pushed to its absolute limits—but personally, I think Sister, EVOL, and Bad Moon are way stronger. And let’s be real: this list absolutely should have featured every single Hüsker Dü album from Zen Arcade onwards right at the top five spots! ;))))

Now, I’ve got some more "serious" recommendations for you guys—but just a heads-up, a little caveat here: please, for the love of God, don't come crying to me unless you actually have a collection of at least 50 records! If you're just starting out with a handful of LPs, this might be a bit much, but if you've got a decent stack on your shelf, these are definitely worth your time:

I feel like we’re missing a few key records that really shaped those "no depression" style bands. For instance, we definitely need the debut from Rank and File, the first Jason and the Scorchers album, King of America by Costello, and the Native Sons / Long Ryders stuff. Then there’s the whole precursor vibe to grunge—which was pretty much the dominant rock sound of the 90s—so we should probably include Superfuzz Bigmuff or Buzz Factory by Screaming Trees. I also think we’re light on some gritty American noise rock; maybe a couple of the early Butthole Surfers records, Right Now / Pussy Galore, or Skag Heaven by Squirrel Bait. And honestly, there’s just not enough hardcore punk on this list. Take a look at Out of Step / Minor Threat, Damaged / Black Flag, Back from Samoa / Angry Samoans, the first two Bad Brains albums, or Wrong / Nomeansno. Hardcore is huge here because it basically birthed all these emo bands and those post-metal-speed genres. Plus, you really need those more experimental hardcore records that defined the post-hardcore aesthetic, like the first two Fugazi albums or especially October File / Die Kreuzen. What else are we overlooking? Since there weren't a ton of legitimate rock bands popping up in the early 80s, I see why Birthday Party is there, but personally, I’d lean toward putting the first The Cramps on the list, maybe the second Bad Seeds record, the first Scientists album, Walk Among Us by Misfits, or even Back in Black by AC/DC. Or we could dive into some garage revival stuff, like the first Crawdaddy's album or that absolute essential, The Only Fun in Town / Joseph K by Prisoners.
Then you’ve got that whole lineage of pop-punk precursors. I'm talking about stuff like Don't Wanna Grow Up or Neurotica by Red Cross, which eventually paved the way for that specific "indie" sound we love—think along the lines of The Only Fun in Town / Joseph K or You Can't Hide Your Love Forever / Orange Juice. From there, you transition into those quintessential indie records, like George Best / Wedding Present. And honestly, if you look even further back, there isn't really a direct ancestor for this atmospheric, slow-core, "post-shoegaze" scene we're talking about today. You have to look at things like A Heaven's End / Loop or maybe A Perfect Prescription or Playing with Fire by Spacemen 3 to see where those vibes actually started breathing.
If we're talking post-punk, I’d say you can't go wrong with the second Swell Maps record, or maybe Odyshape / The Raincoats—that one's such a killer blend of world music vibes and feminist agitation. Or honestly, Kleenex over Au Pairs might be the move too. Moving into New Wave territory, I’m thinking New Clear Days / The Vapors or So Far Away / The Chords. Then you've got that power pop side of things, like the Marshall Crenshaw debut or that first Plims record (actually, does anyone remember when the Germs first dropped?). If you're feeling more jangle, maybe the early Flying Color stuff or that first Hoodoo Gurus album. And we definitely shouldn't overlook the essential all-female records—I'll get into that more later when I talk about The Trashwomen, the whole wave of girl bands on Sympathy, all the way through to The Donnas. For starters, though, you've got the first Go-Go's album or that lone Nikki and the Corvettes release.
Honestly, my biggest gripe here is the total lack of any good bands from New Zealand. I really feel like we’re missing out—it would have been killer to see something like Brave Words by Chills, or maybe Daddy's Highway by The Bats, or even some tracks from Verlaines in the mix.

And I've got just one more sentimental favorite for you guys—The Specials.

When you look at the whole electronic scene, I totally get why certain stuff needs to be on the list, but honestly, there’s so much wilder, more original material that predates the Front era. I mean, you’ve got things like Hole by Foetus, or even those two DAF albums from back in '81 that were just ahead of their time. Then there's Red Mecca by Cabaret Voltaire, or even those bands that managed to take that specific sound and make it accessible for the masses without losing an ounce of style—think about Dare by The Human League or that first Soft Cell record. There's just so much depth there if you dig a little deeper.

Man, when you really sit back and look at how much the post-hardcore scene exploded into all those different directions—you know, like that whole mess of trash metal, speed, crust, and death styles that started bleeding into everything once they crossed paths with metal—it’s pretty wild. If we're talking about the real pioneers who were pushing those boundaries alongside Die Kreuzen, I feel like we've gotta give some serious credit to the early stuff from Napalm Death or even Sepultura. And honestly, you can't skip over records like Slip It In by Black Flag or Speak English or Die by SOD if you want the full picture of how that crossover energy actually shaped things.

Alright, look, this list absolutely needs to hit the 100-entry mark. Please just follow the order I laid out!

Douglas Robinson12 said:Let's throw in another two or three classic rap records (like the debut from de la Soul, Critical Beatdown by Ultramagnetic MCs, or the first Eric B. & Rakim album).

I'd definitely toss this one onto the list too.

My grandma doesn't even listen to The Cure or The Smiths 😁

P.S. Do you guys seriously think you can convince kids today that Metallica is irrelevant? 😉

I actually suggested to Cody that we should just strip The Smiths entirely from the list—we came incredibly close to doing just that. Looking at what Douglas Robinson12 mentioned, there are definitely several records missing; for instance, Rank and File, Jason and the Scorchers, Long Ryders (though maybe State of the Union fits better), and Costello (specifically Trust). I’m also feeling a bit regretful about the lack of early Screaming Trees, though I had previously advocated for Leaving Trains. As for Black Flag and Bad Brains, Cody and I have actually discussed those omissions privately outside of this forum—it's a significant oversight, I agree. I believe The Cramps were mentioned in one of the earlier drafts, too. It’s a shame the Misfits didn't make the cut; they would have been a fantastic addition, and honestly, even Ramones' Too Tough to Die is far too good to leave out.

Regarding the hip-hop selections, I’m on the same page—if we're talking rap, Eric B. & Rakim really ought to be in there, and I’d personally throw in The Message by Grandmaster Flash. I’ve never been particularly fond of de la Soul, though. Prince was part of one of the iterations as well... perhaps Around the World in a Day...

I would certainly include more Hüsker Dü albums myself, but at the end of the day, the choice is Cody's. Though, goodness, please don't go removing Minutemen 😉—I barely managed to squeeze them into the fifth spot. Just kidding.

We could have gone a different route with Marshal, but personally, I feel Let's Active is missing; everyone seems to be skipping over them, which I think is a mistake.

I’m actually quite glad Spacemen 3 isn't on there.

When it comes to the female artists, I’d much rather see The Bangles, Phranc, or Sister Williams.

As for "world music"—which, let's face it, can be a bit much—the only acts I’d truly accept would be Camper Van Beethoven or 3 Mustaphas 3.

From our local scene, I find myself missing Disciplina, Luna, La Stradati, and that first Miladojkin album. Honestly, we might have been better off bypassing the local stuff altogether, but Cody seems to have picked Paraf out of a sense of local patriotism.

Bats before Chills.

The Specials—now that could work!

I think we should let someone else handle the post-core and metal picks. For example, we could toss in South of Heaven.

Is anyone else missing Swans?

I wonder if Cody is still holding onto any of the other albums that were being considered...

Any Trouble is actually dustyridge12... or rather, Cody—though he actually got both the album and the recommendation from me.

Cody, you already know where my list is (I won't drop the link here, don't want to be that guy), but I just have to say: Solid Gold is hands down better than Entertainment. Also, I’m with Zhabotinsky on this one—50 is way too low. 100 feels more like the right ballpark.