The 1980s were a huge decade for music with new sub-genres of pop and rock moving to the forefront. It’s hard to talk about a decade that was dominated by so many artists. But, there are still some albums that stand out above the rest. Before we start the article, honorable mentions go to Faith by George Michael, Like A Virgin by Madonna, Bella Donna by Stevie Nicks, Born In the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen, and Music For the Masses by Depeche Mode. Here are the top 10 albums of the 1980s.
10- Like A Prayer (1989) by Madonna 
Like A Prayer is the perfect combination of Madonna’s pop personality and incredible musical talent. While songs such as the title track aroused an uproar from religious groups, the entire album shows how there was nothing inauthentic about Madonna’s controversial persona. Madonna has never shied away from the jeers of critics and listeners, instead letting it mold her music to be something greater than it ever was before.
Sonically, it’s one of the singer’s most cohesive albums. Unlike other albums from the same period, Like A Prayer feels like a complete thought instead of a collection of planned singles. Madonna shows off her prowess as a songwriter, weaving tales of love and heartbreak, confidence and desperation, joy and depression throughout the album.
There is something to say about the level of controversy caused by Like A Prayer. The title track’s video, which depicts Ku Klux Klan members burning crosses, Madonna kissing a black saint, and other religious imagery, was heavily protested by religious groups across the globe (including being condemned by the Vatican). Like A Prayer is avant-garde musical art at its finest. It stands the test of time not only as an interesting piece of music but something so different and unique to cause worldwide condemnation. Stand-out tracks include “Like A Prayer”, “Express Yourself”, “Love Song”, and “Promise to Try”.
9- Pretty Hate Machine (1989) by Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine, the first album Trent Reznor made under the Nine Inch Nails moniker, is an eclectic mix of industrial rock and electronic music. The album pulls you in with a sound that is reminiscent of Depeche Mode or New Order but then weaves in licks of rock that sound as if Rage Against the Machine experimented with synths.
But, to reduce the art of Reznor to the artists that inspired him is doing a disservice to his work. Pretty Hate Machine is enriched with soul-shaking beats, heavy instrumentation pulls from all categories of rock, and painful lyrics. It’s unfortunately true that many artists created incredible pieces of art at their worst mental state. Pretty Hate Machine is depressing; through the lyrics, the instrumentation, and the production, it tells the story of an artist full of sorrow and fury. The album’s message continues to resonate with every generation brought into a world that is complicated, dark, and not easy to understand.
Instead of being held back by the electro-industrial genre that it was inspired by, Pretty Hate Machine breaks the mold by creating a sound that is uniquely Nine Inch Nails. It is the perfect transition between the electro-rock music of the 1980s and the grunge music of the 1990s. Pretty Hate Machine set a new standard in heavy industrial rock and it exemplifies the growing anger that seeped into the music of the ‘90s. Stand-out tracks include “Head Like A Hole”, “Down In It”, “Sanctified”, and “Sin”.
8- 1999 (1982) by Prince 
1999 marked a breakthrough in Prince’s career, commercially and artistically, as he further explored the dance-funk sound that one day would be distinctly Prince. This album marked the first time Prince worked with his band The Revolution which would become a significant part of his music on later albums. 1999 was Prince’s big success, only to be topped by Purple Rain two years later, but that doesn’t mean the singer sacrificed any of his artistic integrity.
Prince elevated the sound he introduced on his past albums, such as Dirty Mind (1980) and Controversy (1981), and crafted something incredibly fresh and new. A flawless mix of R&B, synth pop, and dance music, 1999 stands as an example of how you can make an album of massive hits while still creating inventive, distinctive instrumentation and production. Prince shows off his prowess as a composer and producer as he weaves fresh melodies and engineers exciting beats on every track.
While the singer dealt with a difficult record label and a music industry that didn’t seem ready for his innovative style, he still was able to make 1999 uniquely him, spearheading the way for his future projects. Audiences don’t always want what’s boring and repetitive; they want music that is original and creative but still good, and Prince gave it to them. You just have to examine the title track “1999”, a song that was so cool and fun that it got people dancing to lyrics about a nuclear holocaust.
1999 is perfect as a fun dance record and as an examination of the changes in pop music during the 1980s. Stand-out tracks include “1999”, “Little Red Corvette”, “Delirious”, and “Automatic”.
7- Appetite For Destruction (1987) by Guns N’ Roses
As the electric guitar ripples through your body on the opening track of Appetite For Destruction, and the intro to the entire album, you know you’re in for a wild ride. The energy that is emitted during “Welcome To the Jungle” is sustained throughout the album and creates a sound that transitions past hard rock into a category that is all its own. There is a reason Appetite For Destruction is the best-selling debut album of all time; it’s perfect rock.
While Appetite For Destruction wasn’t received well by critics when it was first released – it took a couple of decades for critics to appreciate the album’s magnitude – it’s clear how Guns N’ Roses contributed to the changing hard rock scene, even if that’s not where critics wanted music to go. The band drew inspiration from the L.A. club scene, which they toured while recording the album, and the influence reverberates throughout the album. Appetite For Destruction is faster and flashier than its rock contemporaries, cultivating attention from more than just die-hard rock enthusiasts.
Few other rock bands have hit it as hard as Guns N’ Roses and they proved their place in hard rock history with Appetite For Destruction. Stand-out tracks include “Welcome To the Jungle”, “Nightrain”, “Paradise City”, and “Sweet Child O’ Mine”.
6- Back In Black (1980) by AC/DC 
Back In Black is the work of a band so experienced that they put other hard rock records to shame. Despite losing their lead singer, Bon Scott, with whom the band created their previous six albums, they soldiered on with Brian Johnson to create an incredible album. Normally, losing a lead singer would mean the death of the band; instead, AC/DC created one of the best-selling albums of all time.
From the moment you hear the bell chimes of the opening track “Hells Bells”, you know you’re in for an AC/DC record that is more professional, more artistic, and more intriguing than anything the band had created before. Back In Black takes AC/DC, as well as all hard rock music, to another level. Rolling Stone writer David Fricke put it best in his review of the album, “the apex of heavy-metal art…[it] captures all the blood, sweat and arrogance of the genre.”
Back In Black is a perfect mix of the anti-establishment seeping in from the 1970s and the hard-headed, macho-man attitude of the 1980s. This album set a new standard for rock artists and its influence can still be heard throughout the genre. Stand-out tracks include “Hells Bells”, “Shoot to Thrill”, “Givin the Dog a Bone”, and “Back In Black”.
5- Combat Rock (1982) by The Clash
The last album made by The Clash that would feature the original band line-up, Combat Rock is a brilliant album; still reminiscent of the sound that The Clash became famous for, it incorporates the increasingly popular new wave style of music. While still containing the punk energy that The Clash was known for, Combat Rock adapted to the new sounds of the 1980s. This album shows that The Clash was moving ahead of the evolving music industry instead of falling behind.
Forefathers of the punk genre, The Clash are a part of many artists that sparked rebellion and activism through their music. Combat Rock shows how the band shaped their anti-establishment themes to fit into a decade that was also about having fun again. Polished but still political, the album is just as defiant as London Calling or Sandinista! but benefits from a band that is more experienced and therefore more experimental.
Just as Combat Rock has songs that will get you dancing, it has songs that cut deep. The more accessible sound of the album does not take away from its overall message. While Combat Rock would produce The Clash’s biggest hits, its lyrical content addressed the Vietnam War, disenfranchisement, the decline of American society, and imperialism. It’s a perfect time capsule of the political discourse that was occurring worldwide during the ‘80s. Stand-out tracks include “Know Your Rights”, “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”, “Rock the Casbah”, and “Straight to Hell”.
4- Thriller (1982) by Michael Jackson 
It takes a lot of talent to create the best-selling album of all time, and it’s no surprise that Thriller garnered such a massive audience. This is an insanely stacked album with back-to-back hits. While Off the Wall proved the singer could be a success without the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson proved his prowess as a singer, songwriter, and producer on this album. The collaborators that MJ worked with to make Thriller are also stacked; from Quincy Jones producing, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo on “Beat It”, Jackson’s duet with Paul McCartney, and Vincent Price as a surprise guest on the title track, it is insane to see what names worked on the record.
Jackson was meticulous when it came to making Thriller and it shows on every track. While the album still contained Jackson’s signature R&B style, the singer also embraced pop, rock, and disco sounds; the result is an album exploding with incredible production, beats, and instrumentation. This is an album that never gets old. From Vincent Price’s cackling on “Thriller” to that first lick of electric guitar on “Beat It”, you can feel the music reverberate throughout your body.
Beyond just the music, Thriller is a master class in visual albums. The music videos for songs such as “Thriller” and “Billie Jean” were not only fan-favorite videos but set a new standard when it comes to music videos. Thriller is exciting not only because of the great music but also because of the videos and visuals that were so intriguing to fans. Stand-out tracks include “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, “Thriller”, “Beat It”, and “Billie Jean”.
3- Straight Outta Compton (1988) by N.W.A.
“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.” These are the words that start the album that Rolling Stone named the most controversial rap album of all time. Credited with popularizing gangsta rap, Straight Outta Compton is the epitome of hard-core rap. While critics would initially react to the album with an air of contempt, this was more indicative of their unpreparedness for where rap was heading.
There’s no doubt over the album’s influence in the world of hip-hop. It transformed the Los Angeles rap scene and resulted in edgier rap, as well as the entire genre of gangsta rap becoming mainstream. Compton, and the rest of the West Coast, became a true competitor against East Coast rap. The amount of talent that worked on this album is astounding. With the expert production of Dr. Dre and incredible songwriting and rapping from Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy-E, Straight Outta Compton could do nothing but dominate the world of rap.
Straight Outta Compton encompassed many topics that were ever-present in the lives of African Americans; police brutality, civil unrest, racism, drug use, street life, and Compton pride are the album’s biggest themes. Its anti-law enforcement messages were so daring that they earned the group a warning letter from the F.B.I. Just because it’s gangsta rap doesn’t mean it’s not a well-made album. Every rapper on the record sounds their best and the creativity and attitude behind every song makes Straight Outta Compton stand out above all of the other rap albums that would try to copy it. Stand-out tracks include “Straight Outta Compton”, “F*** tha Police”, “Gangsta Gangsta”, and “Express Yourself”.
2- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) by Public Enemy 
Public Enemy, the hip-hop group consisting of founding members Chuck D and Flavor Flav, mixes fast beats and high-energy production with biting social commentary on their second album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The title alone should let you know that this is an album packed with social and political messaging. Chuck D had a lofty goal for the group’s sophomore record; to create a rap album with the same caliber of messaging and political commentary as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. It’s a goal that this album achieves perfectly.
The infusion of other musical genres meaningful to the black community, including jazz, funk, and R&B, bolsters the album’s unique production. Public Enemy’s willingness to explore different musical techniques and genres resulted in a sound that is revolutionary instead of repetitive. With the recording of a live show woven throughout the tracks, Nation of Millions brings all of the energy and attitude of Public Enemy right to the listener. Flavor Flav’s hype and Chuck D’s exceptional flow are the constants that connect an album full of fun, experimental production, and instrumentation.
The fast-paced nature of the album’s production does not take away from the rappers’ fantastic lyricism. The themes of Nations of Millions are as important today as they were in 1988. Messages about black pride and white supremacy are centered on the album. The rap group wanted to create a political album and they did it. Chuck D uses all of the elements of rap to craft lyrics that express the many struggles of the black community during the 1980s. Almost forty years after its release, it continues to be an incredibly influential and artistic rap album. Stand-out tracks include “Bring the Noise”, “Don’t Believe the Hype”, “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos”, and “Rebel Without a Pause”.
1- Purple Rain (1984) by Prince
Purple Rain is the fully formed vision of an artist fighting against the mold of the music industry. While 1999 may have been the first draft of Prince and the Revolution, Purple Rain represents the complete thought. Prince is at his best on this record. Accompanied by a film based on Prince’s personal life, this record is an extraordinary feat of creativity and imagination. Every track fits together to create a perfect album.
Purple Rain exemplifies all of the musical elements that made the 1980s such an incredible decade of music. From the heavy use of synths to the incredible guitar solos, Prince fully embraced ‘80s pop while still applying his brand of rock and psychedelic-electronic. Every component of this album is on point, from the visuals to the vocals to the instrumentation to the production to the promotion. Purple Rain is an eccentric masterpiece. Just as Da Vinci has the Mona Lisa, Prince has Purple Rain. The pop-rock sound that the singer crafted on this album would inspire many artists from different genres for decades to come.
The influence of Prince’s Purple Rain will never be forgotten. The album is peak ‘80s music and is easily the best record of the 1980s. Purple Rain was Prince’s most personal and popular project, from the lyrics and themes to the accompanying film, and that ability to explore so much of his psyche is what makes the album such an extraordinary piece of music. Stand-out tracks include “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Darling Nikki”, “I Would Die 4 U”, “Baby I’m a Star”, and “Purple Rain”.
