100 Greatest Albums of 1980

Criteria: These 1980 albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Back In Black
AC/DC
2. Remain In Light
Talking Heads
3. Closer
Joy Division
4. Ace Of Spades
Motorhead
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
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1980
An unheralded great album from 1980
Brett's choice:
* Promise
Promise
Bruce's choice:
* More George Thorogood And The Destroyers
George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Ryan's choice:
* Snap Crackle & Bop
John Cooper Clarke
Lew's choice:
* Cognac & Bologna
Doug and the Slugs
⇐ 1979   |   1981 ⇒