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100 Greatest Albums of 1981

Criteria: These 1981 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.
Top 100 Albums by Year: (in progress)
Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'.
Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.
  1. Beauty And The Beat - The Go-Go's
  2. Dare! - The Human League
  3. Ghost In The Machine - The Police
  4. Moving Pictures - Rush
  5. Tattoo You - Rolling Stones
  6. Damaged - Black Flag
  7. My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts - Brian Eno & David Byrne
  8. Escape - Journey
  9. 4 - Foreigner
10. Private Eyes - Hall & Oates
11. Wild Gift - X
12. Face Value - Phil Collins
13. Bella Donna - Stevie Nicks
14. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret - Soft Cell
15. No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith - Motorhead
16. Street Songs - Rick James
17. Computer World - Kraftwerk
18. Don't Say No - Billy Squier
19. Freeze-Frame - J. Geils Band
20. I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
21. Abacab - Genesis
22. Face Dances - The Who
23. Discipline - King Crimson
24. Paradise Theater - Styx
25. For Those About To Rock We Salute You - AC/DC
26. Get Lucky - Loverboy
27. Long Distance Voyager - Moody Blues
28. The Stray Cats - The Stray Cats
29. Working Class Dog - Rick Springfield
30. Precious Time - Pat Benatar
31. Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
32. Penthouse And Pavement - Heaven 17
33. Wild-Eyed Southern Boys - .38 Special
34. Tonight I'm Yours - Rod Stewart
35. Nightclubbing - Grace Jones
36. Breakin' Away - Al Jarreau
37. The Dude - Quincy Jones
38. Duran Duran - Duran Duran
39. Welcome To Hell - Venom
40. Mistaken Identity - Kim Carnes
41. Raise! - Earth Wind & Fire
42. Tin Drum - Japan
43. Diary Of A Madman - Ozzy Osbourne
44. Hard Promises - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
45. The Many Facets Of Roger - Roger
46. The Innocent Age - Dan Fogelberg
47. East Side Story - Squeeze
48. Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club
49. New Traditionalists - Devo
50. Fire Of Love - The Gun Club
51. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Diana Ross
52. Trust - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
53. Killers - Iron Maiden
54. Talk Talk Talk - The Psychedelic Furs
55. Fiyo On The Bayou - The Neville Brothers
56. Exit...Stage Left - Rush
57. Heaven Up Here - Echo & The Bunnymen
58. High 'n' Dry - Def Leppard
59. Being With You - Smokey Robinson
60. Give The People What They Want - The Kinks
61. Fair Warning - Van Halen
62. Solid Gold - Gang Of Four
63. In The Pocket - The Commodores
64. Shake It Up - The Cars
65. Pirates - Rickie Lee Jones
66. Something Special - Kool & The Gang
67. The Blasters - The Blasters
68. Stands For Decibels - The dBs
69. Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive - Joe Jackson
70. October - U2
71. Shot Of Love - Bob Dylan
72. Songs In The Attic - Billy Joel
73. Quarterflash - Quarterflash
74. Worlds Apart - Saga
75. The Time - The Time
76. Time - Electric Light Orchestra
77. Youth Of America - The Wipers
78. Standing Hampton - Sammy Hagar
79. Dad Loves His Work - James Taylor
80. Live In New Orleans - Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
81. Prayers On Fire - The Birthday Party
82. Allied Forces - Triumph
83. Skyy Line - Skyy
84. Zebop! - Santana
85. Live - The Jacksons
86. The Visitors - ABBA
87. Fire Of Unknown Origin - Blue Öyster Cult
88. Law And Order - Lindsey Buckingham
89. Love Is Where You Find It - The Whispers
90. Take My Time/Sheena Easton - Sheena Easton
91. Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde
92. Too Fast For Love - Mötley Crüe
93. Nine Tonight - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
94. Black & White - The Pointer Sisters
95. The Nature Of The Beast - April Wine
96. El Loco - ZZ Top
97. What Cha' Gonna Do For Me - Chaka Khan
98. Modern Times - Jefferson Starship
99. The Completion Backward Principle - The Tubes
100. Mob Rules - Black Sabbath
Beauty And The Beat Go-Go's album cover
Dare! The Human League album cover
Ghost In The Machine The Police album cover
Moving Pictures Rush album cover
Tattoo You Rolling Stones album cover
Damaged Black Flag album cover
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts Brian Eno and David Byrne album cover
 DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1981
  Brett's choice - An unheralded great album from 1981
 •  The Keys Album - The Keys
  Bruce's choice:
 •  Polecats Are Go! - The Polecats
  Brian's choice:
 •  Wha'ppen? - The (English) Beat
  Ryan's choice:
 •  The Only Fun In Town - Josef K.




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