Pick Your Top 15 Albums of 1983

[Dawn]

What were the albums that captured your interest 25 years ago? Here's a list of many of the titles released that year:

1st - Streets
90125 - Yes
A Christmas Album - Amy Grant
A Volar - Menudo
Ageless Medley EP - Amy Grant
Ain't It Good To Be Free - Bo Diddley
Alive She Cried - The Doors
All For One - Raven (band)
All the Best - Stiff Little Fingers
American Made - The Oak Ridge Boys
Another Perfect Day - Motörhead
Assault Attack - Michael Schenker Group
At War With Satan - Venom (band)
Flick of the Switch - AC/DC
Back to Back - Status Quo
Back to the Mystery City - Hanoi Rocks
Balls to the Wall - Accept
Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
Before Hollywood - The Go Between
Behind the Scenes - Reba McEntire
Believer - Chic
Branigan 2 - Laura Branigan
Break Out - The Pointer Sisters
Breaking the Chain - Dokken
Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat - Minutemen (band)
No Parole From Rock & Roll - Alcatrazz
Forged in Fire - Anvil
Lesson Well Learned EP - Armored Saint
Diamond Jack and the Queen of Pain - Kevin Ayers
High Land, Hard Rain - Aztec Camera
Into the Unknown - Bad Religion
Deep Sea Skiving - Bananarama
Live From Earth - Pat Benatar
The Crossing - Big Country
Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
Live Evil - Black Sabbath
The Revolution By Night Blue Oyster Cult
Let's Dance - David Bowie
Johnny 99 - Johnny Cash
Next Position Please - Cheap Trick
You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish - George Clinton
Hello, I Must Be Going! - Phil Collins
Colour by Numbers - Culture Club
Head over Heels - Cocteau Twins
Punch the Clock - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
DaDa - Alice Cooper
Yes Sir, I Will - Crass
Japanese Whispers - The Cure
Privilege - Ivor Cutler
Star People - Miles Davis
Canterbury - Diamond Head
Pyromania - Def Leppard
Construction Time Again - Depeche Mode
Pictures - Atlanta
Holy Diver - Dio
I Put Away My Idols - Dion DiMucci
Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Powerlight - Earth, Wind & Fire
Electric Universe - Earth, Wind & Fire
Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T. (Drawings of Patient O. T.) - Einstürzende Neubauten
Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra
Europe - Europe
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
Touch - Eurythmics
Let's Start A War (Said Maggie One Day) - The Exploited
Fall In a Hole - The Fall
Perverted by Language - The Fall
Fastway - Fastway
Ich halt zu Dir - Die Flippers
Out For Blood - Lita Ford (solo debut)
Genesis - Genesis
What's Funk? - Grand Funk
Samurai - Grand Prix
Heart to Heart - Merle Haggard
Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
That's the Way Love Goes - Merle Haggard
Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
Self-Destruction Blues Hanoi Rocks
The Luxury Gap - Heaven 17
No Rest For The Wicked - Helix
Riding with the King - John Hiatt
Feel My Soul - Jennifer Holliday
Metal Circus - Hüsker Dü
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Fortune 410 - Donnie Iris
Piece of Mind - Iron Maiden
Waylon & Company - Waylon Jennings
Take It to the Limit - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
Too Low for Zero - Elton John
Shine On - George Jones
Frontiers - Journey
Lick It Up - Kiss
Headhunter - Krokus
Standing in the Light - Level 42
Madness - Madness (US only compilation)
Madonna - Madonna
With Sympathy - Ministry (Debut)
Into Glory Ride - Manowar
Script for a Jester's Tear - Marillion
Confrontation - Bob Marley and the Wailers
We Are One - Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
Cargo - Men at Work
Kill 'Em All - Metallica (Debut)
Offramp - The Pat Metheny Group
Travels - The Pat Metheny Group
"What Makes a Man Start Fires?" - Minutemen
31 July: Oriental Towers - The Modern Art
Inarticulate Speech of the Heart - Van Morrison
Shout at the Devil - Mötley Crüe
Yokan (Hunch) - Miyuki Nakajima
Sound Elixir - Nazareth
Take it to the River - Willie Nelson
Tougher than Leather - Willie Nelson
Without a Song - Willie Nelson
Dazzle Ships - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Power, Corruption & Lies - New Order
Trouble in Paradise - Randy Newman
Subject: Aldo Nova - Aldo Nova
Dreamgirls - Original Broadway Cast Album
Metal Magic - Pantera (Debut)
The Principle of Moments - Robert Plant
The First Flower - Play Dead
Urban Dance Floor Guerillas - P-Funk All Stars
The Final Cut - Pink Floyd
Works - Pink Floyd
Platinum Blonde - Platinum Blonde (debut EP)
Everywhere at Once - The Plimsouls
Synchronicity - The Police
Dancing For Mental Health - Will Powers (actually Lynn Goldsmith)
Q-Feel - Q-Feel
Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche
Metal Health - Quiet Riot (American debut)
Bent Out of Shape - Rainbow
The Kitchen Tapes - The Raincoats
Subterranean Jungle - The Ramones
Ratt EP - Ratt
Neruda - Red Rider
Imagination - Helen Reddy
Legendary Hearts - Lou Reed
The Politics of Dancing - Re-Flex
Hootenanny - The Replacements
Murmur - R.E.M. (full length debut)
Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie
We've Got Tonight - Kenny Rogers
Eyes That See in the Dark - Kenny Rogers
In Heat - The Romantics
The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect - Todd Rundgren
Built to Destroy - The Michael Schenker Group
Hello Big Man - Carly Simon
Hearts and Bones - Paul Simon
Show No Mercy - Slayer (debut)
Mommy's Little Monster - Social Distortion
Confusion Is Sex - Sonic Youth
Dagger And Guitar - Sort Sol
Southern Death Cult EP - Southern Death Cult (first release by the band to eventually be known as The Cult)
Works - Status Quo
Right or Wrong - George Strait
Steeler - Steeler (Yngwie Malmsteen & Ron Keel's 1st band, This band's only release)
Feline- The Stranglers
Yentl (soundtrack) - Barbra Streisand
Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies (debut)
She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
Speaking in Tongues - Talking Heads
The Hurting - Tears for Fears (debut)
Life - Thin Lizzy
Thunder and Lightning - Thin Lizzy
Hand of Kindness - Richard Thompson
Treeless Plain - The Triffids
Never Surrender - Triumph
Outside Inside - The Tubes
Lost in the Feeling - Conway Twitty
Merry Twistmas - Conway Twitty
Faster Than the Speed of Night - Bonnie Tyler
Labour Of Love - UB40
Under A Blood Red Sky - U2
War - U2
Peace Thru Vandalism - The Vandals
Flashdance (soundtrack) - Various Artists
Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (debut)
Swordfishtrombones - Tom Waits
The Waterboys - The Waterboys
Even the Strong Get Lonely - Tammy Wynette
Good Love & Heartbreak - Tammy Wynette
Mean Streak - Y&T
No Parlez - Paul Young
Eliminator - ZZ Top
Weeds & Water - Riders in the Sky
"Weird Al" Yankovic - "Weird Al" Yankovic
You Can't Stop Rock and Roll - Twisted Sister
Zebra - Zebra

Quite a list of albums! It's hard to narrow it to even 15, but for me the choices would be:

90125 - Yes
Hello, I Must Be Going! - Phil Collins
Pyromania - Def Leppard
Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Powerlight - Earth, Wind & Fire
Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra
Genesis - Genesis
Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Frontiers - Journey
Madonna - Madonna
Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
Synchronicity - The Police
Eliminator - ZZ Top

And Living in Oz - Rick Springfield

Again, if there's a favorite album from 1983 that's not among those on the list, please feel free to include it in your votes.

[Ken]

My top 15 albums of 1983:
1.Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
2.90125 - Yes
3.Next Position Please - Cheap Trick (I've never heard the whole album, just what was included on the box set. I've been trying to find a copy on vinyl, but have had no luck).
4.Alive She Cried - The Doors ( I remember a buddy of mine bringing a cassette copy to school and the teacher allowed him to play it during metalwork class (!!)
5.Pyromania - Def Leppard (among the very popular albums in my high school at the time).
6.Outside Inside - The Tubes
7.Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
8.Eliminator - ZZ Top
9.In Heat - The Romantics
10.Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra
11.Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
12.Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
13.Frontiers - Journey
14.Genesis - Genesis
15.Synchronicity - The Police

[55dodger]

My top 15, in no particular order

1. Genesis - Gensis
2. Synchronicity - Police
3. Pyromania - Def Leppard
4. Eliminator - ZZ Top
5. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
6. Sports - Huey Lewis & the News
7. Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
8. 90125 - Yes
9. Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson
10. Metal Health - Quiet Riot
11. Faster Than the Speed of Night - Bonnie Tyler
12. Branigen 2 - Laura Branigen
13. Frontiers - Journey
14. Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
15. Live From Earth - Pat Benatar

[m c dornan]

Wasn't listening to Lps by this time. But i did like:

Crossing- Big Country
Seven & Ragged Tiger- Duran Duran
pancho & Lefty
Principle of Moments
Synchronicity (probably my fave of these)
Speaking in Tongues (not my fave Heads album tho)
Under Blood Red Sky- U2 (saw them live once in the 80s)
War- U2

Have heard some of Kevin Ayers 70s work. Didn't know he had albums in the 80s.

The Status Quo listed here- is this the group who did "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in the 60s?

[Dawn]

mcdornan1 said:

The Status Quo listed here- is this the group who did "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in the 60s?

Yep, same group. I haven't heard much from them apart from Pictures of Matchstick Men, but apparently they've remained very popular in the UK and Europe and are still recording.

[Jughead]

I guess I liked Madonna's debut (although one can argue that it came out in 1982).

"Sports" by Huey Lewis and The News is another one I HAVE to add to the list.

U2's "War" is another one of my favourites.

I'll try to come up with twelve more...I was only 2 years old in 1983, where back then I was only listening to Sharon, Lois, and Bram. LOL!

[jbd]

Another Perfect Day - Motörhead
Back to the Mystery City - Hanoi Rocks
Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
What's Funk? - Grand Funk
Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
Eliminator - ZZ Top
Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Speaking in Tongues - Talking Heads
Lick It Up - Kiss
Everywhere at Once - The Plimsouls
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Living in Oz - Rick Springfield
Play Dirty-Girlschool
Flick of the Switch-AC/DC
Subterranean Jungle - The Ramones

[Pete70s]

Well, I can't cut a final one, so here's 16..

Breaking the Chains - Dokken
The Crossing - Big Country
Next Position Please - Cheap Trick
Pyromania - Def Leppard
Holy Diver - Dio
Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Genesis - Genesis
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Piece of Mind - Iron Maiden
Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
Shout at the Devil - Mötley Crüe
The Principle of Moments - Robert Plant
Synchronicity - The Police
Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche
Mean Streak - Y&T
Zebra - Zebra

There's a lot of metal bands on the list that I'm familiar with, and own OTHER albums by (Raven, Armored Saint, Steeler, Manowar, Motorhead, Diamond Head, Helix), but don't own the albums listed.

Ministry's debut is pretty good, NOTHING like the heavy stuff they would later be known for. "With Sympathy" was a New Wave album in the vein of Depeche Mode and New Order.

The AC/DC, Kiss, Ozzy and Metallica albums are good, but FAR from their best work.

I only know "Say What You Will" from the Fastway album, but it's on my CD wish list. I do have (and LOVE!) the "Trick Or Treat" soundtrack, which Fastway did.

I had the Accept tape in high school, but other than the KILLER title track, the album hasn't aged well for me.

The Duran Duran album pales in comparison to "Rio", but it's far better than "Big Thing" or "Liberty", so I left it in.

These days, when it comes to 80's music, I only really listen to the metal stuff. I'm not denying I like a lot of the other stuff, but a lot of 80's pop music just hasn't aged well with me.

[Dawn]

Apr 9, 2008 23:01:19 GMT -5 Ken said:

My top 15 albums of 1983:
1.Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
2.90125 - Yes
3.Next Position Please - Cheap Trick (I've never heard the whole album, just what was included on the box set. I've been trying to find a copy on vinyl, but have had no luck).
4.Alive She Cried - The Doors ( I remember a buddy of mine bringing a cassette copy to school and the teacher allowed him to play it during metalwork class (!!)
5.Pyromania - Def Leppard (among the very popular albums in my high school at the time).
6.Outside Inside - The Tubes
7.Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
8.Eliminator - ZZ Top
9.In Heat - The Romantics
10.Secret Messages - Electric Light Orchestra
11.Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
12.Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
13.Frontiers - Journey
14.Genesis - Genesis
15.Synchronicity - The Police

We have quite a few favorites in common, Ken.

That's pretty cool about the teacher and the Doors cassette!

I remember Pyromania was huge at my high school at the time as well. There was a girl who used to bring a boom box on the bus, and every day, to and from school, she'd be blasting Rock of Ages and Photograph.

[Dawn]

Apr 10, 2008 0:45:43 GMT -5 55dodger said:

My top 15, in no particular order

1. Genesis - Gensis
2. Synchronicity - Police
3. Pyromania - Def Leppard
4. Eliminator - ZZ Top
5. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
6. Sports - Huey Lewis & the News
7. Rock 'n' Soul, Part 1 - Hall & Oates
8. 90125 - Yes
9. Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson
10. Metal Health - Quiet Riot
11. Faster Than the Speed of Night - Bonnie Tyler
12. Branigen 2 - Laura Branigen
13. Frontiers - Journey
14. Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
15. Live From Earth - Pat Benatar

That Genesis album is so great, one of my absolute favorites.

I'd like to check out the Branigan 2 album. I've always liked Laura's voice a lot, but really haven't heard much of her music beyond the hit singles.

[Dawn]

Apr 10, 2008 20:25:04 GMT -5 Jughead said:

I guess I liked Madonna's debut (although one can argue that it came out in 1982).

"Sports" by Huey Lewis and The News is another one I HAVE to add to the list.

U2's "War" is another one of my favourites.

I'll try to come up with twelve more...I was only 2 years old in 1983, where back then I was only listening to Sharon, Lois, and Bram. LOL!

That's a good point, Juggie, as some of those songs date back to early-mid 1982. It's kind of strange in retrospect that Madonna took as long as she did to break out of the dance circuit and into the mainstream, given that her sound was very popular at the time.

Sports is a great album, probably my favorite of Huey's catalog.

[Dawn]

Apr 12, 2008 7:24:36 GMT -5 @jbd said:

Another Perfect Day - Motörhead
Back to the Mystery City - Hanoi Rocks
Cuts Like a Knife - Bryan Adams
What's Funk? - Grand Funk
Pancho & Lefty - Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson
Eliminator - ZZ Top
Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Speaking in Tongues - Talking Heads
Lick It Up - Kiss
Everywhere at Once - The Plimsouls
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Living in Oz - Rick Springfield
Play Dirty-Girlschool
Flick of the Switch-AC/DC
Subterranean Jungle - The Ramones

Another Rick Springfield fan! I'd have to say Living in Oz is probably his best album, and I virtually wore out the cassette back then from playing it so much.

What is the Hanoi Rocks album like? I'm not familiar with their music.

[Dawn]

Apr 12, 2008 18:25:36 GMT -5 Pete70s said:

Well, I can't cut a final one, so here's 16..

Breaking the Chains - Dokken
The Crossing - Big Country
Next Position Please - Cheap Trick
Pyromania - Def Leppard
Holy Diver - Dio
Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Genesis - Genesis
Sports - Huey Lewis and The News
Piece of Mind - Iron Maiden
Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
Shout at the Devil - Mötley Crüe
The Principle of Moments - Robert Plant
Synchronicity - The Police
Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche
Mean Streak - Y&T
Zebra - Zebra

There's a lot of metal bands on the list that I'm familiar with, and own OTHER albums by (Raven, Armored Saint, Steeler, Manowar, Motorhead, Diamond Head, Helix), but don't own the albums listed.

Ministry's debut is pretty good, NOTHING like the heavy stuff they would later be known for. "With Sympathy" was a New Wave album in the vein of Depeche Mode and New Order.

The AC/DC, Kiss, Ozzy and Metallica albums are good, but FAR from their best work.

I only know "Say What You Will" from the Fastway album, but it's on my CD wish list. I do have (and LOVE!) the "Trick Or Treat" soundtrack, which Fastway did.

I had the Accept tape in high school, but other than the KILLER title track, the album hasn't aged well for me.

The Duran Duran album pales in comparison to "Rio", but it's far better than "Big Thing" or "Liberty", so I left it in.

These days, when it comes to 80's music, I only really listen to the metal stuff. I'm not denying I like a lot of the other stuff, but a lot of 80's pop music just hasn't aged well with me.

Pete, you and Mark have very, very similar tastes in music. If he were to answer this post, I'm guessing his list of top albums would be very close to yours.

That's interesting about the Ministry album being so different from the rest of their catalog. With both of those music styles being very popular in the early-mid '80s, they could have been successful in either genre, but it's interesting that they went the heavier route.

I agree that Rio is a tough album to top, and Seven... doesn't quite make it, but there's some great material on it.