Top 10 Best Rock Albums Of The 80’s

[@timbaldwin6283]

Great list, Brendon. Good music was hard to find in the 80's but you certainly found a few. Tanks for the video!

[@A-Man79]

1. Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction 2. Def Leppard - Hysteria 3. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet 4. Whitesnake 5. Motley Crue - Dr Feelgood 6. Skid Row 7. David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em And Smile 8. L.A. Guns - Cocked & Loaded 9. Poison - Look What The Cat Dragged In 10. Ratt - Out Of The Cellar

[@atanumukherjee5263]

I am from India. I have purchased all these CDs from USA after watching this.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Excellent! I hope you enjoy each one!

[@dsmith3351]

Cheers Brendon. Love this channel . Best from U.K.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Glad to hear it, thanks so much!!

[@SeanMorrisonRocks]

Great list

[@BrendonSnyder]

Thanks Sean!

[@anti7928]

If only we could go back and do it all again the 80s were the best...

[@jameswilson7084]

My Top 10 rock albums of the '80's: 10 to 1: The Police: Synchronicity Def Leppard: Hysteria Prince: Purple Rain Metallica: Master Of Puppets Def Leppard: Pyromania Rush: Moving Pictures Guns N' Roses: Appetite For Destruction AC/DC: Back In Black U2: The Joshua Tree Bruce Springsteen: Born In The USA Honorable Mention: Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms

[@A-Man79]

Metallica are *metal*, not rock.

[@jameswilson7084]

@@A-Man79 Some would call the Guns N' Roses and AC/DC albums metal as well. Some would say "Purple Rain" isn't really rock, and yet, most would say the early Eagles albums are rock. Which they are. Rock takes on a lot of different forms. I almost included Paul Simon's "Graceland". Some would say that's not quite rock, but my local rock radio station at the time did play it, as well as some Prince, and also Metallica, even in 1986.

[@tendraftsdeep]

Great list. Synchronicity is my favorite album of all time

[@A-Man79]

@@jameswilson7084 fair point. I've put my own list up as well. My top 10 80s metal albums is another list entirely and I hope Brendan decides to put that one up if he hasn't done it already

[@Napalm_God]

Comparing this massive amount of great 80s rock records to the last two decades (2000-2020), you have to start crying.

[@offandrunning8771]

None of those albums would make my top 10, but I enjoyed listening to your list Brendon.

[@Amber_xo_133]

5. U2 - War 4. Van Halen - 1984 3. Motörhead - AOS 2. Warlock - TAS 1. Metallica - RTL

[@BrendonSnyder]

For me I consider Motörhead, Warlock and Metallica Metal so that’s why they don’t appear in my list of Rock albums.

[@Amber_xo_133]

@@BrendonSnyder Metal is a Genre of Rock Music

[@BrendonSnyder]

No it’s not. Metal is its own genre and not a sub-genre. Glam Metal is a sub-genre of Metal. But Glam Rock is a sub-genre under Rock. Just like Alternative Rock which is U2 is a sub-genre under Rock.

[@zakkjagneaux2600]

Great list . Appetite is probably the most important record of the genre . It was a great time to be a kid , great time for music . Some of the ones I still lean to besides the obvious monster sellers : Aerosmith Pump , Faster Pussycat Wake Me Over , LA Guns Cocked , Bon Jovi Jersey , Tesla Mechanical and Great Radio , and the masterpiece Badlands Voodoo Highway .

[@robertwatt4248]

Great decade! My top 10 in no particular order. Wings of Heaven-Magnum Slam-The Dan Reed Network Reckless - Bryan Adams VH-5150 Def Leppard-Hysteria Whitesnake - 1987 Foriegner - 4 Giant-Last of the Runaeays Rush-Moving Pictures YES-90125

[@BrendonSnyder]

Reckless is an absolute classic, solid from start to finish!

[@purpletemple1]

Slayer-Reign in Blood Celtic Frost-Into the Pandemonium Metallica-Master of Puppets Iron Maiden-Killers Deep Purple-Perfect Strangers The Cult-Sonic Temple Rush-Permanent Waves Aerosmith-Permanent Vacation Whitesnake-1987 Peter Gabriel-IV

[@JCStorm76]

Half of those are metal not rock

[@robertwatt4248]

Asia's debut would have to be in my top 10. Looking forward to the upcoming box set 'Asia In Asia'.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I’m excited for the Live At Budokan album from 1983 with Greg Lake on vocals.

[@robertwatt4248]

@@BrendonSnyder Looking forward to your review Brendan if your doing one?

[@jaredl.8465]

I'd have to sub in 'Too Fast For Love' over 'Dr. Feelgood' (although the latter is really good). The 80s was such an amazing decade for music, it'd take me awhile to come up with a similar list. Nice job...

[@CrueLoaf]

Great choices. Eliminator and Appetite sure changed the face of rock music. Hearing them for the first time was amazing. Only change I would make would be to drop Rush off the list and place either Slippery When Wet or Alice Cooper’s Trash in its place. Both game changers imo. Bon Jovi changed the face of rock at the time music imo and Alice’s comeback was huge.

[@SO-ym3zs]

No coincidence that Desmond Child co-wrote most or all of those two albums. He was quite the behind-the-scenes hitmaker in the 80's.

[@nate-ds9tg]

Before I watch, I'll throw down some of my picks. Would be impossible for me to narrow it down to just 10, so here are just the first ones that pop up in my head: Def Leppard - Any of the first 3 albums (OTTN, H&D, Pyromania) Styx - Paradise Theater and the criminally underrated Kilroy Was Here Rush - Grace Under Pressure (2nd favorite album of all time) AC/DC - Back in Black Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil Van Halen - Women and Children First and 5150 Michael Schenker Group - Assault Attack Scorpions - Blackout Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin Kiss - Lick It Up Looking forward to the video!

[@eugenehewitt2917]

I like most of them, but mine would be different: 1. Foreigner 4 2. Survivor- Vital Signs 3. REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity 4. Styx - Paradise Theater 5. Journey - Escape 6. Billy Squier - Don’t Say No 7. Genesis - Genesis 8. Yes - 90125 9. Dokken - Back for the Attack 10. Dio - Holy Diver My favorite band is Survivor. I easily could have filled this list with all of their albums. Honorable mentions are Air Supply - One that You Love, Little River Band - Time Exposure, and Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky

[@BrendonSnyder]

Great list! I left Dio off mine since he is Metal and not Rock. Dokken Back For The Attack is my favorite album by the band.

[@RobNY5150]

Great list! My list would be really similar. I like how you included Dr. Feelgood, a seriously underrated rock album IMO.

[@roberteddy8179]

I’ve got to say I love all the info you add to each cd..really enjoy these videos…👍from the uk

[@BrendonSnyder]

Hi Robert from the UK! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the added commentary. It’s one of the reasons I started my channel was I didn’t feel enough people provided the kinds of info that interested me.

[@krudetube795]

Cool list. Me being an L.A. Guns shill would've put their debut on the list. Hope to you see you at LAG in NYC next week

[@mickfrendo8212]

I really should take a closer look at RUSH. I never see much of their catalogue anywhere. You mentioned a few surprises and left out a very big name band that has encouraged your audience to reflect. Thanks for your insight 😉

[@mikaelbodin9178]

Great picks. Nothing to complain about. Maybe outside the hard rock I would add some Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen, but all in all great picks.

[@riverrat55]

Aaah! My favorite era of Head Banging and Concert Tours except of the Joe Satriani. As was into albums and cassettes mostly through record stores and Columbia House Music(Wish still existed) 1)Judas Priest-Screaming for Vengence 2)Quiet Riot- Metal Health 3)Ozzy Osbourne-Bark at the Moon 4)Ozzy Osbourne-Diary of a Madman 5)Scorpions-Black Out 6)Krokus-Head Hunter 7)Joe Satriani-Surfing with the Aliens 8)Joe Satriani-Flying in a Blue Dream 9)Heart-Bad Animals 10)Ace Frehley- Trouble Walking

[@the80slivehere]

Hi Brendon: Talk about impossible for me. 😊. Excellent job! 👍. In your last two top 10 lists, I adore your Honorable Mentions. I have 8 of 11. I just ordered one and one is on my current wish list. Not bad! The one that I omit doesn't need me. 😎. Rock Always! - Heather

[@Travel_n_TourFan]

Hmm I gotta have DON’T SAY NO from Billy Squier. No filler ALL KILLERRRR🎸This LP ruled FM radio all summer 1981 YEAHHH😎

[@BrendonSnyder]

Billy was on the list but got bumped. You’re right Don’t Say No is amazing.

[@cristianosorio2517]

Hi Brendon!!! The 80's another awesome decade for music.... i would rank in my list Living Colour's debut, The Cult's Sonic Temple, Ratt's Out of the Cellar, Def Leppard "High n Dry". cheers and be well

[@BrendonSnyder]

I so wanted to include Ratt on my list too. Just not enough spots! I might need to do a countdown for just Top 10 Best Glam Metal Albums Of All Time. Ratt, Cinderella, Poison would surely be included.

[@domielakrabi3276]

Lot of classic 80's (hard)rock albums on your cool list! So many good albums came out during that decade. I'll try a top 3 - Def Leppard - Hysteria (no brainer for me), Aerosmith - Pump, Whitesnake - Slide it in (I prefer this one to the 1987 album). Ask me tomorrow and no. 2 or 3 may change. ;)

[@Cjzdrums]

Great job as always Brendon!

[@BrendonSnyder]

Thank you Chris!

[@Досика]

1. Prince & The Revolution- Purple Rain (1984) 2. ZZ Top- Eliminator (1983) 3. AC/DC- Back In Black (1980) 4. Queen- A Kind Of Magic (1986) 5. Van Halen- 1984 (1984) 6. Def Leppard- Pyromania (1983) 7. Van Halen- 5150 (1986) 8. ZZ Top- Afterburner (1985) 9. Dire Straits- Brothers In Arms (1985) 10. Def Leppard- Hysteria (1987)

[@Bertilfly]

Love the list….I might’ve found a spot for Blizzard Of Ozz, but I have no qualms about any of your choices. That’s my era. Now, if I could just go back and relive it.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I didn’t consider Ozzy since he is Metal and not Rock. Maybe I’ll have to make a Top 10 Best Metal Albums Of The 80’s now.

[@jimmycampbell78]

Brendon, I was convinced you would have Bon Jovi somewhere on your list. This is how I would rank your picks. I want to put Europe- The Final Countdown in there as I think it belongs with these and I will put Bon Jovi in for you. I don’t like Motley Crue at all and Journey I never got into so can’t include Escape. 1. Rush- Moving Pictures 2. Guns n Roses- Appetite for Destruction 3. AC/DC - Back in Black 4. Whitesnake- 1987 5. Def Leppard- Hysteria 6. Europe- The Final Countdown 7. Van Halen- 1984 8. ZZ Top- Eliminator 9. Foreigner-4 10. Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet

[@BrendonSnyder]

Interesting approach! That should be a challenge…I select 10 albums then have you the viewers rank them and see how many different ordered there can be of the same 10. Yeah it was a struggle not to put a Bon Jovi, Ratt, Poison, or Cinderella into the Top 10.

[@joet6434]

Nice list Brendan. Heaven and Hell by Sabbath, Don't Say No by Billy Squier, Diary of a Madman by Ozzy, Holy Diver by Dio, Piece of Mind by Maiden, Texas Flood by SRV, Ride the Lightning by Metallica, Reckless by Bryan Adams, Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits, Electric by The Cult, Surfing with the Alien by Satch & Full Moon Fever byTom Petty are some others i would add in to the mix.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Being a “Rock” list I left all the “Metal” bands off like Sabbath, Dio, Ozzy, Iron Maiden, and Metallica. But they’re all excellent albums that you mentioned.

[@briankessler3501]

Another great decade of music but methinks Iron Maiden-Piece of Mind would top my list. However like comment left on your '70's post, hard to pin down one hundred let alone ten. Thanks Brendon.

[@RodneyAllanPoe]

Good ranking!

[@BrendonSnyder]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jettloaf]

A great list!! The 80s was an awesome decade for music no doubt. I'd like to add 2 honorable mentions. 1. 'Up Your Alley' (1988) by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, "I Hate Myself for Loving You", "Little Liar" & their cover of Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog". 2 . 'Don't Say No' (1981) by Billy Squire, "The Stroke", "My Kinda Lover" & "Lonely Is the Night". 👍🎸🤘

[@BrendonSnyder]

The Billy Squire was in the running and I hated to have to cut it. I also really wanted Queen’s The Game included too.

[@tendraftsdeep]

Great video! Agreed that Van Halen 1984 and Def Leppard Hysteria definitely belong in top 10.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Two utter classics despite what the naysayers…say! 😂

[@makaveli9876]

I would add Bon Jovi - New Jersey, Aerosmith - Pump

[@mickfrendo8212]

PUMP. !! You have reminded to re- purchase this album !!

[@mjp8648]

More unusual top 10 favourites of mine: # Kings X - Out of the silent plant (1988) # Dare - Out of the silence (1988) # Godz - I'll get you rockin (1985) # Thin Lizzy - Chinatown (1980)

[@scottking3287]

Excellent list. I personally would swap Van Halen 1984 for Fair Warning. But that’s just personal taste. The rest is spot on

[@BrendonSnyder]

1984 was my introduction to the band so it holds special fond memories. But then that’s how most of these are selected.

[@luckyjones1358]

hey Brendon - I have a massive CD collection...arguably the best metal CD collection known to man. Chocked full of ultra rare titles numbering in the thousands. After all my years of collecting, I am ready to part with my collection. I don't have time to sell myself online, nor do I want to take to a used CD store and sell for pennies per title. You're a hardcore collector - do you have any suggestions?

[@j.j.guerrieri8121]

Very hard list, I just put in the album from that era that I listened to the most that where rock. 1 Cult - Sonic Temple 2 Van Halen - 5150 3 Van Halen - 1984 (that usually sets off a firestorm but it’s not a contest, I love Van-Roth and Van Hagar) 4 Satriani - Surfing With The Alien 5. Def Leppard - Hysteria 6 Guns & Roses - Appetite 7 SRV - Texas Flood 8 Kiss - Creatures of the Night 9 Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil (tough pick with them) 10 Rush - Hold Your Fire

[@BrendonSnyder]

I love both 5150 and 1984 as well. I just like to keep my lists with only one album from each artist. Plus it frees up a spot since there are so few.

[@j.j.guerrieri8121]

@@BrendonSnyder true, in that case I’d have to insert Fastway - Trick or Treat but I’m not sure what Van Halen to take out

[@tmc1054]

1. Back in Black 2. Reign in blood 3. Master of Puppets 4. Operation Mindcrime 5. Hysteria 6. Piece of Mind 7. Appetite for Destruction 8. Number of the Beast 9. Heaven and hell 10. Whitesnake '87

[@ronnievox1]

1. The Joshua Tree -U2 2. Sparkle in the Rain- Simple Minds 3. Ocean Rain- Echo and the Bunnymen 4. Fair Warning - Van Halen 5. Back in Black-AC/DC 6. Tattoo You The Rolling Stones 7. The Pretenders !st 8. The Clash - Sandinista! 9. The Replacements_ Let it Be 10. Diary of a Madman-Ozzy Osbourne

[@BrendonSnyder]

Great selection of albums. I left bands like U2 and Simple Minds off the list because they’re Alternative, and Ozzy off because he’s Metal. There may be future lists hitting these other genres.

[@lewiscarty5517]

If my Top 10 albums of the 80’s, we’re here, my choices will be: 1. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (1986) 2. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988) 3. Guns N Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987) 4. Metallica - Master Of Puppets (1986) 5. Megadeth - Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying (1986) 6. Bryan Adams - Reckless (1984) 7. Queen - The Works (1984) 8. Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell (1980) 9. AC/DC - Back In Black (1980) 10. Slayer - Hell Awaits (1985)

[@camwatters8803]

1) ozzy - diary of a madman 2)def leopard- pyromania 3)marillion- misplaced childhood 4)police- synchronicity 5)pink Floyd- the wall 6) deep purple- perfect stranger 7) rush- moving pictures 8)journey- escape 9) van Halen-1984 10) men at work- cargo Honourable mention- blue oyster cult club ninja

[@BrendonSnyder]

I left artists like Ozzy off since he is Metal and not Rock. Otherwise, great list especially for Men At Work!

[@camwatters8803]

Cool. Fair enough

[@timbaldwin6283]

The Wall actually came out in 79. But still a great album.

[@VanHalenStarWars]

Great list!! I would put 1984 a lil bit higher up on the list..still some tough competition up at the top. Nice job!!

[@henryvanniekerk8248]

I believe bon jovi and U2 should have been in the top 10. Joshua tree was ground breaking

[@BrendonSnyder]

Bon Jovi yes but I consider U2 Alternative and not Rock so I left them off.

[@raymondyacco3734]

I ordered deep purple 10 cd box set today

[@BrendonSnyder]

👍

[@sarahjohnson5448]

Great list, although G N' R should have been 1. Def Leppard 2. Both of those albums reach is still stronger today than Back in Black. Question for you; when you buy used CD's how do you handle scratches? Do you ignore them if they play fine or are they ever an issue for you? When I buy used CD's, they almost always have been mishandled. :). Thanks for the great video.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Believe it or not Back In Black is the biggest selling rock/metal album of all time and is the #2 best selling album of all time. It has way outsold both Hysteria and Appetite. That’s not to say one has more impact than another but AC/DC’s back in black still has a huge reach today and IMO based on its sells is more impactful than any other. Regarding CD scratches, if they are minor and light in nature I ignore them as long as the disc plays fine. But heavily scratched discs I can’t do even if they play fine.

[@sarahjohnson5448]

@@BrendonSnyder Oh, I get it. Back in Black is a great album, I just think I hear Def Leppard and G N R way more. But, no doubt Back in Black is massive.

[@phrankzinatra]

Another tough list to put together, and possibly more difficult than the 70's list, but this one is much more on the mark. At the risk of repeating the same group within the list, Def Leppard's "Pyromania" also belongs here somewhere, and I'd also give a nod to Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet."

[@darlenegoodwin]

Junior Walker did the saxophone part in Urgent.

[@stephen-truthseeker]

Dire Straits

[@BrendonSnyder]

Great band!

[@carltwidle9046]

Hi Foreigners 1970s music is what i only like. Same with ZZ Top, I like their 1975 song Tush. I think bands lost their MOJO when they entered the 1980s. What about the Pixies ? Their 80s albums were great. Especially their 1989 album Doolittle. One of the best bands of all time. Guns and Roses are good.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I consider Pixies Alternative and therefore wouldn’t classify under Rock.

[@carltwidle9046]

@@BrendonSnyder I see. They are still a rock band playing rock music.

[@joshuabennett3059]

Why did you go the safe route with the number one?

[@victorsvorinich1595]

You forgot Master of Puppets, or anything from Maiden.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Both Metallica and Iron Maiden are Metal and not Rock. So I left them off.

[@christophergordon7433]

Where the hell was Pyromania?!

[@BrendonSnyder]

I didn’t like to duplicate artists on a list and IMO Hysteria is far superior.

[@camwatters8803]

I respect your opinion but pyromania is one of my favourite albums of all time. I liked hysteria and gods of war but found the rest of hysteria over played and weak