TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE 80's

The 1980s, while arguably not as good as the two decades that preceded it – Top Ten Albums of the 1960s and Top Ten Albums of the 1970s – still produced some excellent music. According to online music shop Amazon, these are the top ten best-selling albums that were released during the decade. Only Bruce Springsteen has two albums in this chart and one of those was a live album. There is also a rich mix of pop and rock among those listed.

Thriller – Michael Jackson
Released in 1982, Thriller was Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album. Part of its success can be attributed to the music video of the title track, which was more of a short film than a traditional music video.

Back in Black – AC/DC
Australian rock band AC/DC released this their sixth studio album right at the beginning of the decade and it was their first album without former lead singer Bon Scott, who died earlier in 1980.

Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
This 1984 release was the seventh studio album by Bruce Springsteen and its cover became a rock icon. As well as the title track, it included the singles “Dancing in the Dark” and “My Hometown”.

Appetite for Destruction – Guns ‘N’ Roses
This was Guns ‘n’ Roses debut studio album and was released in 1987. It included the hit single “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and the slightly less successful “Paradise City” and “Welcome to the Jungle”.

Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston
R&B singer Whitney Houston released this her debut album in 1985 but it didn’t top the charts till the following year helped by three number one singles – “Saving All My Love For You”, “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All”.

No Jacket Required – Phil Collins
Former Genesis star Phil Collins released this his third solo studio album in 1985. It included two number one singles – “One More Night” and “Sussudio”.

Music From Purple Rain – Prince
Well before changing his name to an unpronounceable squiggle, Prince released this soundtrack to the film Purple Rain in 1984. Prince also starred in the film. The singles “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” topped the USA singles charts.

Live: 1975-85 – Bruce Springsteen
This live album was released both as a five-LP boxset and a three-CD collection. There are 40 tracks recorded, as the title suggests, at various gigs from 1975 to 1985.

Brothers in Arms – Dire Straits
Released in 1985, Brothers in Arms was the fifth studio album from British band Dire Straits. Three of the tracks refer to the guerrilla wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua. The biggest hit though from the album was “Money for Nothing”.

Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi
In 1986 Bon Jovi released this their third studio album. The four singles released from the album were “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Livin’ On a Prayer”, “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Never Say Goodbye”.

Top Ten Albums and Bubbling Under
What is perhaps sad about this top ten is the next forty, which contains many albums that are arguably much better than these best sellers. Hysteria by Def Leppard just missed out a number eleven, Like a Virgin by Madonna is 16th and Paul Simon’s Graceland is a poor 43rd.

The decade split many music fans with some still claiming it as the best decade of all time whereas others bemoaned the decline from the true musical innovations of the 1970s and 1960s.