The Best Rock Album of Every Year of the 1980s

'Back in Black' - AC/DC (1980)

AC/DC was one of the biggest bands of the 1970s, but they entered a new decade in a very dark place. On February 16, 1980, their lead singer, Bon Scott, died suddenly at the age of 33. For almost every band, such a loss would be the end. Somehow, AC/DC only got stronger. Five months later, they returned with a new frontman, Brian Johnson, for Back in Black, an album that was part tribute and a celebration of what was to come. It ended up becoming one of the greatest rock albums in history.

Back in Black begins with bells playing for the dead before kicking off with "Hell's Bells." Johnson's distorted scream was similar to Scott's, but with its own kind of bizarre energy. His voice quickly became iconic on timeless hits such as "Shoot to Thrill," "Back in Black," and "You Shook Me All Night Long." AC/DC, however, will always belong to brothers Angus and Malcom Young. They, along with Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd, kept the enthusiasm of a new party going. They made it okay to continue the journey with a legendary new chapter.

'Moving Pictures' - Rush (1981)

For our money, there is no better Canadian band than Rush. For decades, they deftly combined 1970s heavy metal with prog rock, creating their own unique sound. In 1981, they released Moving Pictures, their eighth album in as many years. Such a prolific schedule should have started to mean diminished returns in quality, but the genius of Rush revealed a band which only kept getting better.

Rush was a three-piece with a much bigger sound. Geddy Lee's unusual vocals are hypnotic, Alex Lifeson's jack-of-all-trades approach so underrated, and Neal Peart is regarded as the best drummer of all-time. On Moving Pictures, the band pops with commercial availability without selling out. Their hypnotic sound and unusual lyrics pulled the listener in for several instant classics. None were better than the perfection of "Tom Sawyer," the song that defines them best to this day.

'1999' - Prince (1982)

1982 had some classic rock albums from the likes of Iron Maiden, Rush, and Bruce Springsteen. Our choice is a little controversial perhaps, not because Prince wasn't a genius, but because some may debate whether he was truly rock 'n roll. We dare you to watch him move and sing and tell us he's not a rock star. In the third year of the 80s, Prince Rogers Nelson hit the stratosphere as one of the most loved musicians on the planet thanks to the culture-changing album 1999.

Many see Prince as a pop artist, but with 1999, he melded pop with new wave, funk, and the simple guitar and drum sound of straight-up rock 'n roll. He became an instant legend on MTV with videos for the title track, "1999," and "Little Red Corvette." 1999 is a party album for uncertain times, one which refuses to stay in the lines and do what it's told. Here, Prince challenged the conventions of rock as we knew it.

'Synchronicity' - The Police (1983)

The Police began in London in the late 1970s. In 1983, they released their fifth and final album as a group, Synchronicity, before their leader, Sting, set off on a massive solo career. The winner of three Grammys', their swan song is the perfect goodbye, a last act which will be remembered forever.

The Police were another trio that sounded much bigger. Sting not only sang but played bass, while Andy Summers rode the guitar and Stewart Copeland pounded the drums. They broke up at their absolute peak of stardom with an 11-song masterpiece of big ideas and an accessible sound. "Synchonicity 1" is a bopper of an opener and "King of Pain" is a heartbreaking pop ballad. Their biggest ever hit, "Every Breath You Take", has been misunderstood for decades as a brilliant story of obsession wrapped up in a love song.

'1984' - Van Halen (1984)

Van Halen went through three different iterations, but sorry to Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone, there's no competing with the band when David Lee Roth was the lead singer. In the first days of January 1984, the group released 1984, their last album with Roth on the mic. It's also, arguably, their best, and a perfect collection of magic that they chased to recreate for the rest of their careers. At just 33 minutes long, 1984 is a blitzkrieg of fun times rock 'n roll.

Before this, Van Halen was commercially popular yet not celebrated by critics. 1984 forced those who judged to take notice and admit they were wrong. Here, the group takes the hard rock of the past and layers it with 80s pop on monster hits such as "Jump," "Panama," and "Hot for Teacher." Roth may have sung the songs, but it's Eddie Van Halen's jaw-dropping command of the guitar that truly sings in ways which should be impossible.

'Brothers in Arms' - Dire Straits (1985)

First taking life in London in 1977, Dire Straits made six albums over 13 years. Their second to last, Brothers in Arms, is the ideal mid-80s gateway to the latter half of the decade. It dominated the charts, with five singles coming out over a calendar year. Like other bands on this list, their achievement made history by taking the established sound they were known for and adding a pop sensibility which made them more commercially viable.

Lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mark Knopfler led the way on a collection of songs which mixed the fun and upbeat with much sadder, serious work. Brothers in Arms surrounds the listener. "So Far Away" gets your foot tapping, and it's impossible not to smile with "Walk of Life." Their forever quintessential masterpiece is "Money for Nothing", with an ear-blasting guitar riff and a message which mocks the MTV generation of musicians.

Every 1980s Metallica album could top the list in the year it came out. Master of Puppets might not even be their best album, but it speaks to how great they were and still are that this was better than anything else in 1986. It's also the end of an era. James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Lars Ulrich have been there since the beginning. Also there from the very first album was bassist Cliff Burton. Tragically, Burton passed away six months after the release of Master of Puppets, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest players of his generation.

Master of Puppets is another aggressive explosion that kicks your teeth in. Hetfield screams over a machine gun tempo in "Battery," and "Master of Puppets" is such a jolt that Stranger Things honored it decades later. "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" is pure hard rock power, while "Orion" is an eight-minute celebration of lyric free music. Don't dismiss Metallica's lyrics either. This band isn't here just for fun. In Master of Puppets, they touch on everything from the ills of drug addiction to the pain of mental illness.

'Appetite for Destruction' - Guns N' Roses (1987)

Few bands have ever had such a huge debut as Guns N' Roses. In the late 80s, rock was changing, as safe hairbands took over the sound in America. Enter GNR, who had the big hair of those acts, with a sound that harkened back to the past combined with a new evolution. Internal chaos led to the band not lasting long, but in 1987 they were a refreshing change to a genre which had begun to lose its hold. Appetite for Destruction grabbed you by the throat and refused to let go.

While there are several members of Guns N' Roses, it's Axl Rose and Slash who understandably get all the attention. On songs like "Sweet Child o' Mine," Slash's guitar sings, as if it's attached to his soul. For Rose, his voice twisted, going from a gravely growl to a more nasally driven tone. He carries hits like the thumping "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City." Appetite for Destruction took over rock radio so completely that the album was still pumping out singles two years after its release.

'Daydream Nation' - Sonic Youth (1988)

Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation wasn't a huge, multi-platinum selling album like others on this list. That doesn't take away its importance for the evolution of alternative and indie rock, a sound which would dominate soon enough through other bands in just a few short years. Sonic Youth, comprised of Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Steve Shelley, and Lee Ranaldo, wrote and collaborated as a unit, with no one taking a back seat. For Daydream Nation, they crafted a double album that proved their collective worth forever.

At almost 70 minutes long, Daydream Nation is a mesmerizing showcase of melodies and songs that experimented with new things. Moore and Ranaldo's guitars sing together, with them and Kim Gordon passing the microphone back and forth on songs such as "Teen Age Riot" and "The Sprawl." During the peak of Reaganism, Daydream Nation took on commercialism and refused to compromise.

'Full Moon Fever' - Tom Petty (1989)

This Nirvana-obsessed writer really wanted to put their SubPop debut, Bleach, in this spot, but to do so would be to deny the importance of Tom Petty on his first solo album, Full Moon Fever. Petty had already become a household name as a member of the Heartbreakers, but in 1989 he took a big risk by setting out on his own. What he came up with were some of the biggest songs of his entire career.

Full Moon Fever became a mainstay on rock and Top 40 radio with three hits in a row in the form of "I Won't Back Down," "Runnin' Down a Dream," and "Free Fallin'." It's a laid back album, one for easy listening on a quiet night or a long road trip, without being safe and bare. Full Moon Fever is a commercial juggernaut of vibrant, vivid lyrics laid down over simplistic and lively guitars. Listening to it now still makes you feel as alive as the first time you heard it.