Mixes By Year: Best of 1980- Most Recommended Albums

These are my twenty most recommended albums of 1980 (in no specific order).

1980 was a great year- a year dominated by great heavy metal bands- especially the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead & Diamond Head.  Punk music morphed into the more eclectic radio-ready New Wave & Post-punk which would help set the tone for the alternative music movement of the late 80’s-early 90’s.

U2 & The Pretenders released their first full length albums- both New Wave/Post-Punk masterpieces. Xdefined L.A. Hardcore with their brilliant debut “Los Angeles”.  Rap music was still bubbling underground while black music was dominated by the Funk by groups like the Gap Band & The Brothers Johnson.  Prince released his first fully great album with “Dirty Mind” which combined Funk with New Wave and would set the course for his many great albums to come later in the decade.  The Talking Heads released perhaps their best album and Joy Division sadly their last before becoming the more Techno group New Order after the very unfortunate suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis.

In my opinion an amazing year and one of the best, if not THE best, music years of the 80’s.



AC/DC/Back in Black

Buy Amazon Back in Black










Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band/the River

Buy Bruce Springsteen - The River Buy AmazonThe River










David Bowie/Scary Monsters

Buy David Bowie - Scary Monsters Buy Amazon Scary Monsters










Dexys Midnight Runners/Searching for the Young Soul Rebels

Buy Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels Buy Amazon Searching for the Young Soul Rebels










Elvis Costello & the Attractions/Get Happy!!

Buy Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Get Happy!! Buy Amazon Get Happy!!










Iron Maiden/Iron Maiden

Buy  Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden










Joy Division/Closer

Buy   Joy Division - Closer (Collector's Edition) Buy Amazon Closer










Motorhead/Ace of Spades

Buy Motörhead - Ace of Spades Buy Amazon Ace of Spades










Prince/Dirty Mind

Buy  Prince - Dirty Mind Buy Amazon Dirty Mind










The Talking Heads/Remain in Light

Buy Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Remastered) Buy Amazon Remain in Light










The English Beat/I Just Can’t Stop It

Buy  The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It Buy Amazon I Just Can’t Stop It










The Feelies/Crazy Rhythms

Buy  The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms Buy Amazon Crazy Rhythms










The Jam/Sound Affects

Buy The Jam - Sound Affects (Remastered) Buy Amazon Sound Affects










The Police/Zenyatta Mondatta

Buy The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta Buy Amazon Zenyatta Mondatta [Digipak]










The Pretenders/The Pretenders

Buy  Pretenders - Pretenders (Remastered) Buy Amazon Pretenders











The Raincoats/The Raincoats

Buy Amazon The Raincoats











The Soft Boys/Underwater Moonlight

Buy Amazon Underwater Moonlight . . . And How It Got There











U2/Boy

Buy  U2 - Boy (Remastered) Buy Amazon Boy











Young Marble Giants/Colossal Youth

Buy  Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth Buy Amazon Colossal Youth











X/Los Angeles

Buy X - Los Angeles Buy Amazon Los Angeles

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