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

See all entries in our ‘80s list series.

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

Daniel Tures
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (1988)
The Durutti Column – LC (1981)
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen (1985)
Van Halen – 1984 (1984)
Love Tractor – Themes From Venus (1989)
Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair (1985)
The Outfield – Play Deep (1985)
The Legendary Pink Dots – Basilisk (1983)
The Judys – Warsharma (1981)
Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983)

                            


Morgan Young
Sparks – Angst In My Pants (1982)
Love And Rockets – Express (1987)
Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Hanoi Rocks – Back To Mystery City (1983)
Japan – Gentlemen Take Poloroids (1980)
The Psychedelic Furs - Forever Now (1982)
David Bowie – Scary Monsters (1980)
Pretenders – Pretenders (1980)
Utopia – Utopia (1982)
The Jam – The Gift (1982)

                             


Kim Pryor
Lydia Lunch – 13.13 (1982)
Sonic Youth – Evol (1986)
Bauhaus – The Sky’s Gone Out (1982)
Madonna – Madonna (1983)
David Bowie – Scary Monsters (1980)
X – Under The Big Black Sun (1982)
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – The FirstBorn Is Dead (1985)
Siouxsie & The Banshees – JuJu (1981)
Cocteau Twins – Victorland (1986)

                           


Phil Blankenship
Einsturzende Neubaten – Haus Der Luege (1989)
Skinny Puppy – Vivisectvi (1988)
Blondie – Autoamerican (1980)
Maurizio Bianchi – Symphony For Genocide (1981)
Incapacitants – Repo (1989)
Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (1986)
Throbbing Gristle – 20 Jazz Funk Greats (1983)
Klinik – Face To Face Fever (1989)
Go-Go’s – Vacation (1982)

                             


Chris Garcia
Young Marble Giants – Colossal Youth (1980)
7 Seconds – The Crew (1984)
Minutemen – Double Nickeles On The Dime (1984)
The Chameleons – Script Of The Bridge (1983)
Meat Puppets – Up On The Sun (1985)
Tom Waits – Rain Dogs (1985)
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – From Her to Eternity (1984)
Big Black – Atomizer (1986)
New Order – Technique (1989)
Nirvana – Bleach (1989)

                            


Gustavo Mena
Public Image Ltd. – Second Edition (1980)
Killing Joke – Killing Joke (1980)
Crass – Penis Envy (1981)
Dead Kennedys – Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982)
Misfits – Walk Among Us (1982)
D.O.A. – Hardcore (1981)
Zounds – Curse Of The Zounds (1981)
The Mob – Let The Tribe Increase (1980)
Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Los Violadores – Los Violadores (1983)

                           


Brian Rosser
Joy Division – Closer (1980)
Magazine – The Correct Use Of Soap (1980)
The Gun Club – Fire Of Love (1981)
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Kaleidoscope (1980)
Public Image Ltd. – The Flowers Of Romance (1981)
The Cure – Faith (1981)
Felt – Splendour Of Four (1984)
The Dream Syndicate – The Days Of Wine & Roses (1982)
The Durutti Column – LC (1981)
The Cramps – Psychedelic Jungle (1981)

                            


Kris Byerly
Misfits – Walk Among Us (1982)
Gorilla Biscuits – Start Today (1989)
The Clash – Combat Rock (1982)
The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
The Smiths – The Queen is Dead (1986)
Minor Threat – Out of Step (1984)
Rites Of Spring – Rites Of Spring (1985)
Slayer – Reign In Blood (1986)
Thin Lizzy – Chinatown (1980)
Roky Erickson & The Aliens – The Evil One (1981)

                            


Christy Greenwood
U2 – War (1983)
Van Halen – Van Halen (1984)
T.S.O.L. – Change Today? (1984)
Hall & Oates – H2O (1982)
Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (1986)
The Cars – Heartbeat City (1984)
Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983)
Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime (1988)
Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction (1987)
Tears For Fears – Songs From The Big Chair (1985)

                            


Chris Matthews
Dead Kennedys – Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982)
Slayer – Reign In Blood (1986)
Pretenders –  Pretenders (1980)
Suicidal Tendencies – Suicidal Tendencies (1983)
Van Halen – Fair Warning (1981)
Stiff Little Fingers – Nobody’s Heroes (1980)
Devo – Freedom Of Choice (1980)
Bad Brains – Rock For Light (1983)
Motorhead – Ace of Spades (1980)
Pixies – Doolittle (1989)

                            


Jamie Spidel
The Birthday Party – Junkyard (1982)
The Cramps – Psychedelic Jungle (1981)
Public Image Ltd. – Second Edition (1980)
Joy Division – Closer (1980)
Suicide – The 2nd album (1980)
Butthole Surfers – Rembrandt Pussy Horse (1986)
Black Flag – Damaged (1981)
Mo-Dettes – Story So Far (1980)
Dead Can Dance – The Serpent’s Egg (1988)
New Order – Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)

                           

Well that's it! Eleven parts later, we've reached the end of our '80s lists. See all entries in the '80s List Series. How'd we do?