Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 1-10)

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Here are Numbers 1-10:

10. U2, The Joshua Tree

U2's The Joshua Tree was actually the band's fifth album, but it's the one that made U2 one of the biggest bands in rock history. It's practically a greatest hits album now because so many of the songs off the album are so key to the U2 catalogue. It's one of the best selling albums of all time, and deservedly so, because even 25 years later it still holds up. Yes, there are some U2 albums that I like more now, but "Joshua Tree" is the cool old guy that you still invite to dinner.--Archphoenix

Top 20 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 11-20)

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Here are Numbers 11-20:

20. Madonna, Like A Prayer

Rolling Stone hails this one "as close to art as pop gets." The range on the this album really is incredibly done by this icon. Even close to twenty years later, everyone understands the power of Madonna. Tracks like "Express Yourself" empower us, while videos for songs like "Like A Prayer" make us think (or riot, depending on what side of the fence you're on). The tour that followed, The Blonde Ambition Tour, is even still hailed as one of the best ever. Madonna can do so much right and wrong and still achieve so much greatness, there's no way an album of hers can be left off of a top list!--J-Hawke

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 21-30)

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Here are Numbers 21-30:

30. Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes

Even though Violent Femmes wasn't a big hit at the time of its release, you cannot deny its place in popular culture. It is partially responsible for the acceptance of "alternative" or "college" music. And I don't care when you attended, you can't tell me Violent Femmes wasn't the official soundtrack to one or two of your favorite college memories.

And how could it not? Pound for pound, Violent Femmes is the most solid disc on this list. There's no filler at all on this album. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to name an album that has a stronger four-track start than the Violent Femmes' "Blister In The Sun," "Kiss Off," "Please Do Not Go," and "Add It Up."--Chris

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (31-40)

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Here are Numbers 31-40:

40. Phish, Junta

Who would have guessed that Phish, of all bands, would turn into the cultural behemoth it has become?  At the time I wouldn't have picked Vermont's greatest export as anything more than a college band with a quirky sound, but the roots of their future greatness are on brilliant display on Junta.  In fact, I'd argue that Junta is actually one of Phish' most accessible albums, owing largely to quirky but relatively digestible tunes like "Esther," "Fluffhead," and "Fee," the latter being one of my favorite songs of all time.  That doesn't preclude them from some of the experimental indulgences that have come to define their career.  "The Divided Sky" clocks in at a cozy 12 minutes and "Union Federal" is over 25 minutes, conjuring images of Spinal Tap's "Jazz Odyssey" phase.  But they never cease to be anything but fun, spinning a party platter that meanders from groove to groove, punctuated by moments that make you say, "Wait, rewind that. I want to hear that part again."  God knows there's a lot of Phish music out there to listen to (cloud-computing was invented to store their bootlegs), but if you're a casual listener who might want to check Phish out, Junta is where I would start.  It's where I did.--CroutonBoy

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 41-50)

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Here are Numbers 41-50:

50. Ramones, End Of The Century

Some point to End Of The Century as the beginning of the downfall, as the End Of The Ramones, but for me it was their last great album. Phil Spector produced the album, which featured songs a minute or so longer than the usual Ramones fare. But you still got classics like "Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio?," "Danny Says," "Chinese Rock," and "Rock 'N' Roll High School."--Chris

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 51-60)

For this week's Ranked!, we've got one of our most epic editions ever: the Top 100 Albums Of The '80s. Did we get it right? Let us know!

Here are Numbers 51-60:

60. Adam Ant, Friend Or Foe

I loved Adam Ant and Friend Or Foe was by far his crowning achievement. With its sexed-up music video, "Goody Two Shoes" (the first of only two US Top 20 singles for Ant) led the way for Friend Or Foe's success. But don't think this album was a one-trick pony. You also had a cover of The Doors' "Hello, I Love You," as well as the excellent "Place In The Country" and "Desperate But Not Serious." But the main standout on the album is my favorite Adam Ant song of all time, "Friend Or Foe," the ultimate bite-me-if-you-don't-like-me track.--Chris

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 61-70)

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Here are Numbers 61-70:

70. The Who, Who's Last

I've written many times about how I discovered many of my favorite classic rock bands through their '80s work and then worked my way back through their catalogs to hear their earlier stuff. In the case of The Who, my task of discovering their classics was pretty easy. After Face Dances (1981) and It's Hard (1982) got me interested, the band decided to break up after doing a farewell tour (the first of many). The result was Who's Last which, for me, served as an excellent live introduction to classic Who, with 17 tracks that spanned pretty much their entire career. Although it's not always the case when I buy a greatest hits-type collection, Who's Last whet my appetite for more classic Who, and started me on a buying spree of Who albums so that I could hear what else they had to offer. If you're a fan of the band and you never got a chance to see them live (which I did, twice), you should really pick up Who's Last. It's the next best thing to being there.--Dave

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 71-80)

For this week's Ranked!, we've got one of our most epic editions ever: the Top 100 Albums Of The '80s. Did we get it right? Let us know!

Here are Numbers 71-80:

80. Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls

Two chicks, two acoustic guitars, and killer blended harmonies. For a girl who was doing a lot of singing at the time, this album was pretty extraordinary. I listened to it the other day and I still wanted to sing along. Fun fact: this album got the Indigo Girls nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy, which they lost to... Milli Vanilli. (You know, the Grammy was later revoked when it came out that they didn't actually sing.)--Archphoenix

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 81-90)

For this week's Ranked!, we've got one of our most epic editions ever: the Top 100 Albums Of The '80s. Did we get it right? Let us know!

Here are Numbers 81-90:

90. ZZ Top, Eliminator

Without question, the hottest car on the road in 1983 was made 50 years earlier. The iconic 1933 Ford Coupe that graced the cover of Eliminator and served as a chariot for hot women on MTV was easily the coolest thing on wheels and no keychain was complete without a shiny "ZZ" hanging from it. You wouldn't think three dude with Rip Van Winkle beards would become music video celebrities, but you cannot discount the awesome hat trick of "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs." Although those are the songs most people remember best, the rest of the album is all killer and no filler, packed to the brim with stunning Texas boogie like "Dirty Dog," "I Got the Six," and my personal favorite, "You Got Me Under Pressure." I'd still hop in that Ford Coupe if it pulled up in front of my house without hesitation. Wherever it's going is someplace I'd want to be.--CroutonBoy

Top 100 Albums Of The '80s (Nos. 91-100)

For this week's Ranked!, we've got one of our most epic editions ever: the Top 100 Albums Of The '80s. Did we get it right? Let us know!

Here are Numbers 91-100:

100. Social Distortion, Mommy's Little Monster

I love a good debut album. It's the music you play when nobody is watching, before the pundits and pigeonholes set in. Mommy's Little Monster announced Social Distortion to the world as a tough-talking punk band with a straightforward attack. Yet there's skill behind that raucous noise; the guitar in "Hour Of Darkness" is proof.

What's really interesting is that the evolution to their signature sound had already begun. It would be another album before they nailed it, but stronger melodies are emerging, along with a little bit of country twang. "Another State Of Mind" is the first sign of the heart of gold that has always lurked beneath Mike Ness's rough edges.

1983 was a weird year for punk. Into The Unknown saw Bad Religion go pretty badly awry, while the Clash were slowly falling apart. Mommy's Little Monster had no such issues. It was loud, obnoxious and all kinds of fun.--Amanda