10 Best Metal Albums From the '80s

2007 marks the 20th anniversary of Appetite for Destruction. (Let's allow that to sink in for a second....) The Gunners classic holds up well, especially the first 39 seconds of Welcome to the Jungle, which is nothing less than the sound of five men ushering in the end of the world. It's the motherbleepin' apocalypse, kiddies -- let's party.

I play Appetite about five or six times a year, and without fail, I'll air guitar to Slash's licks and wail along to Axl's operatic hellscrapes, reaching as high and throat-bleeding as I possibly can. (The Forever Fiancee LOVES my Axl impression.)

Anyway, because there's great comfort in the '80s -- and especially Sunset Strip-born '80s metal -- here's my TOP 10 METAL ALBUMS OF THE '80s.

This is a potential sh--storm (for instance, I'm leaving off Bon Jovi; I don't think of AC/DC or Van Halen as metal; and I never really liked Metallica), but here goes anyway.

By the way, Steve Spears and I will be doing an upcoming Stuck in the '80s show on the best metal albums, so be sure to give your picks, too.

10. Stay Hungry -- Twisted Sister
9. G N' R Lies -- Guns N' Roses
8. Shout at the Devil -- Motley Crue
7. Night Songs -- Cinderella
6. Out of the Cellar -- RATT
5. Skid Row -- Skid Row
4. Dr. Feelgood -- Motley Crue
3. Blizzard of Ozz -- Ozzy Osbourne
2. Screaming for Vengeance -- Judas Priest
1. Appetite for Destruction -- Guns N' Roses 

Comments

[Al]

Excellent list. Needs some Whitesnake though.

Sean, check out the Richard Cheese version of "Welcome to the Jungle"......hilariously bad, you'll love it.

[chase]

No love for Night Ranger? "Midnight Maddness?" -- Still Rock in America, and Sister Christian??

(we're going to see them Saturday at the park down the street, they're playing the "Taste of Colorado" festival ... oy. No Ribfest, I guess)

And nothin, nuthin, for Def Leppard's Pyromania??? I'd bump Skid Row for DL ... "Glutten gleebin glowpen glopen ... hee hee hee hee heeeee"

Good call on Twisted Sister, you SMF!

[Sean Daly]

You know, it's funny -- when I think metal, I don't think Def Leppard or Night Ranger, although I enjoy both groups and, truth be told, would have a hard time debating them as something OTHER THAN hirsute metal. The same metallic aesthetic is there, for sure.

I saw on Spears' blog someone mentioned Living Colour as a metal band. LOVED THEM. Especially the "Stain" album, which might have been the early 90s. Those guys could rock, especially Vernon Reid, a hellaciously good guitarist. Also rather metallic.

[SoManyJs]

Wow. This is tough. In my list, you have to include "Diary of a Madman", especially if you are ranking "Blizzard" so high. Other albums that make my top 10 (or at least knock on the door):

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
Kix - Blow My Fuse
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
Motley Crue - Too Fast For Love
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Def Leppard - Pyromania
Scorpions - Love at First Sting
Dokken - Under Lock and Key
Badlands - Badlands
Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
Dangerous Toys - Dangerous Toys
Tora Tora - Surprise Attack

I know need to go find a life.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your blog.

[Bassnote]

Here are some I din't put on Steve's blog:

Agree with, Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime, Ratt - Out Of The Cellar, Living Colour - Vivid, Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry. Would add:

Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy & Mechanicl Resonance
Skid Row - Skid Row
Dio - Holy Diver
David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em And Smile (Just for Steve Vai & Billy Sheehan)
Mr. Big - Mr. Big
Warrant - Dirty Rotten Filthy Stnking Rich
Accept - Balls To The Wall
Shooting Star - Hang On For Your Life
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (yes, it's a metal album)

As far as Def Leppard goes - Pyromania is a metal album, Hysteria is a pop album.

[Guy]

Slave to the Grind is a better choice for Skid Row, if only because of the tender ballad Get the F*** Out. Perfect selection for the father-daughter dance at weddings.

Cinderella's Heartbreak Station is also a worthy addition.

White Lion - Mane Attraction.

Poison - Open Up and Say Ahh

Bon Jovi - New Jersey - their last hair metal CD.

[Sean Daly]

There's an interesting discussion in there somewhere -- why, when and how bands such as Def Leppard and Bon Jovi went from metal to rock. More keyboards? Less hairspray?

And why is everyone (including me) agreeing that Van Halen is NOT metal? Is it because of Eddie's prowess? The deep lyrical content of "Hot for Teacher"?

[Axe Slinger]

Since when was GNR considered 'Metal'? Hard rock - yes, but metal is quite a stretch. Metallica was a defining band in the 80's where metal is concerned. I'm quite shocked not to see them anywhere on the top 10 list as well as Queensrÿche.

[Jennifer]

Here's my heavy metal list:

Metallica- Ride The Lightning
Motley Crue-Shout at the Devil
Ozzy Ozbourne- Blizzard of Ozz
Judas Priest- Defenders of the Faith Quiet Riot-Metal Health
Ratt- Out of the Cellar
W.A.S.P- F*** Like A beast
Iron Maiden- ( Can't remember the name of the album, yes I said ALBUM)
Dokken- Under Lock & Key
DIO- (Again name escapes , I smoked too much back then)
Black Sabbath- ???
White Lion, White Snake all copy cats they sucked big time. These are the bans that have their own sound!!! Rock On man!!!

[Pete Bogs]

AC/DC - Back In Black

actually, a lot of their albums qualify...

[michael]

Every album mentioned here is absolutely awful.

[Jennifer]

Oh my Gosh Pete, I forgot AC/DC!! Such bad form...hehehe. Michael you are obviously not an old school head banger.

[SoManyJs]

Slave to the Grind was a great record...much better than their debut...but it was released in the 90s, so it can't make the list.

F*** The Who....put on the Skids!

AC/DC didn't make my list because I was using Sean's rationale of them not being metal. Using Sean's rationale is, most often, a mistake so I'm not sure why I did that. Therefore, add "Back in Black" to the mix...

[Mike]

Yeah, AC/DC's Back in Black did come out in 1980, so that deserves to be at the top. Every one of the songs on that album are good songs. No filler.

Also,

Motorhead - Ace of Spades (1980)
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell (1980)

[bsit10]

Whether you ever really liked Metallica or not, I think you have to include "Master Of Puppets" if you're compiling a list like this. Likewise Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast."

[Sean Daly]

I have nothing against Iron Maiden -- sure, let's put them up for consideration. On The Eddie Factor alone. But Metallica? Not feeling it.

As for AC/DC, they've become one of my favorite rock bands, but they still ain't making the metal list. Totally different aesthetic. "Back in Black" is a rock album, nothing glammy, hairy, metallic about it. Music is not metal from sheer volume or grandeur alone.

[Dianna]

Gee Michael...and what bands WOULD make the list?

[sparky]

I think you have to include Night Ranger, but before Big Life. Dawn Patrol was screaming guitars all the time. And I don't think there is a bad track on it.

[Guy]

1991 might as well be included in the 80s for hair metal purposes. Hence the inclusion of my Skid Row and White Lion selections.

[powerage]

I agree with AC/DC not being metal. I hate it when they are referred to as metal, I consider them blues based hard rock.

Here are a few other great metal albums not mentioned...

Slayer-Reign in Blood
Metallica-Ride the Lightning
Megadeth-Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
Testament-Practice What You Preach
Iron Maiden-Piece of Mind

[Al]

80's Metal......and yet Master of Puppets is not included? Wow. I'm not even a big Metallica fan.

VH was considered metal back in the day......check out Women and Children 1st, or VH II. They're always mentioned in history of metal books and TV shows. Certainly not heavy metal though.

The album Powerslave has to be on there, esp. if the glam metal is.

"Run toooo the hiiiiiills, run for your liiiives!"

[bsit10]

I never considered Living Colour metal -- "Funny Vibe" off "Vivid" certainly doesn't remind me of Motorhead. I never knew how to classify them, which is a big reason why I liked them so much.
The interesting part of this discussion is that everyone has a different idea of what classifies as "metal."

[Napoleon]

.MILLI-VANILLI
..ELTON JOHN
...BARRY MANILOW
....MITCH MILLER
.....TONY BENNET
......BARBARA STREISAND

[Bob]

"Ace of Spades" by Motorhead. The first band to cut the line between punk and metal.

"Master of Puppets" by Metallica. The slow mid-section of the title cut is a truly beautiful piece of music.

"Mob Rules" Black Sabbath. For sheer sonic assault.

That's for starters--I couldn't stand most metal in the 80s except for the above-I always thought of Def Lep as a great glam/pop band and Slayer as a hilarious cartoon.

[Speed and thrash]

No mention of Anthrax, Metal Church, Danzig, Helloween, Overkill.....

[Al]

Just for Napoleon:

"People......People whooooo neeeed......People"

You're welcome.

[brad]

Slave to the grind isn't an "80's" album...First of all, it was from 1991, and was the first heavy metal album to debut at #1 on billboard. Secondly, heartbreak station is from 1992.