One day at Amoeba Hollywood I proclaimed that Aztec Camera's 1983 release High Land, Hard Rain was one of the best records of the '80s. This single statement eventually led to over 200 Amoebites ranking their top 10 favorite albums from the ‘80s.

From the beginning we realized that it was impossible for most of us to condense our favorites from all genres into a tiny top ten list. So, we limited our lists to Rock/Pop and its sub-genres like punk, metal, goth, and new wave. Even so, it was a difficult selection process because not only are there hundreds of amazing records to consider, there is also the added dynamic of time.

The '80s were a long time ago and the music has had many years to gestate. We have a deep sense of nostalgia and sentiment with these albums as our fondest memories are associated with them. These are albums we LOVE.

- Henry Polk

P.S. We'll be posting new additions to the '80s list project from Amoeba staff members on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. See all entries in our ‘80s list series.

P.P.S. The '80s List Book is available for sale at Amoeba Hollywood.


Heather Long
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
Husker Du – Zen Arcade (1984)
Judas Priest – British Steel (1980)
X – Los Angeles (1980)
Pretenders – Pretenders (1980)
The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
The Clash – London Calling (1980)
Duran Duran – Rio (1982)
Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Adam And The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier (1980)

                            


Sean Evans
The Soft Boys – Underwater Moonlight (1980)
Crass – Penis Envy (1981)
The Cramps – Songs The Lord Taught Us (1980)
Dinosaur Jr. – You're Living All Over Me (1987)
The Replacements – Let It Be (1984)
Galaxie 500 – On Fire (1989)
The Gun Club – Fire of Love (1981)
X – Los Angeles (1980)
The Fall – The Frenz Experiment (1988)
New Order – Low-Life (1985)

                      


Jon Liu
Bad Brains – I Against I (1986)
Saccharine Trust – Surviving You, Always (1984)
Husker Du – Zen Arcade (1984)
Minutemen – Double Nickeles On The Dime (1984)
Meat Puppets – Meat Puppets II (1983)
Black Flag – My War (1984)
Sonic Youth – Evol (1986)
Dinosaur Jr. – Bug (1988)
Saint Vitus – Saint Vitus (1984)
Opal – Happy Nightmare Baby (1987)

                             


Zack Bouvion
Black Flag – Damaged (1981)
This Heat – Deceit (1981)
Dinosaur Jr. – You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
Flipper – Generic (1982)
Saccharine Trust – Pagan Icons (1981)
Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff (1988)
Mission Of Burma – Signals Calls & Marches (1981)
Einstuerzende Neubauten – Kollaps (1981)
Sonic Youth – Sister (1987)
Redd Kross – Born Innocent (1982)

                             


Pia Alvendia
The Go-Betweens – 16 Lovers Lane (1988)
Crass – Penis Envy (1981)
The Wake – Harmony (1982)
The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace (1985)
Bauhaus – Mask (1981)
Kraftwerk – Computer World (1981)
Zounds – Curse Of The Zounds (1981)
Modern English – Mesh & Lace (1981)
The Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy (1985)
Queen – The Game (1980)

                             


Kevin Fitzgerald
Code Blue – Code Blue (1981)
Iron Maiden – Killers (1981)
Misfits – Walk Among Us (1982)
Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier (1980)
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986)
The Replacements – Let It Be (1983)
XTC – English Settlement (1982)
Squeeze – Argybargy (1980)
Motley Crue – Too Fast For Love (1981)
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1988)

                          


Thom Petrizzo
Beat Happening – Black Candy (1989)
The Cure – Faith (1981)
The Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy (1985)
My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything (1988)
Sonic Youth – Sister (1987)
Dinosaur Jr. – You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
R.E.M. – Reckoning (1984)
Galaxie 500 – Today (1989)
Echo & The Bunnymen – Ocean Rain (1984)
The Go-Betweens – Before Hollywood (1983)

                             


Marcus Kagler
New Order – Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
The Smiths – The Smiths (1984)
R.E.M. – Murmur (1983)
Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (1988)
Cocteau Twins – Head Over Heels (1983)
My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything (1988)
INXS – Kick (1987)

                            


Renondo Hahn
Fishbone – Truth & Sou l  (1988)
U2 - Boy (1980)
Talking Heads - Remain In Light (1980)
Metallica – Kill ‘Em All (1983)
Stevie Ray Vaughn – Couldn’t Stand The Weather (1984)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers – Freaky Styley (1985)
24-7 Spyz – Harder Than You (1988)
The English Beat – I Just Can’t Stop It (1980)
The Selecter – Too Much Pressure (1980)
Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking (1988)

                            


Scott Hurst
Devo – New Traditionalists (1981)
The Jesus & Mary Chain – Psychocandy (1985)
Shoes – Tongue Twister (1981)
The Wipers – Over The Edge (1983)
The Cars – Panorama (1980)
The Cure – Pornography (1982)
Kraftwerk – Computer World (1981)
Ramones – End Of The Century (1980)
Gary Numan – Telekon (1980)
The Only Ones – Baby’s Got a Gun (1980)

                             


Next up is Part 11 of the '80s list project. We'll be posting new lists every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. See Part 9.