Top 10 for 1980

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Double Fantasy

Classic Rock | Album | 17 October 1980

Jimi Hendrix
Nine To The Universe

Classic Rock | Compilation Album | ?? March 1980

Bob Dylan
Saved

Classic Rock | Album | 20 June 1980

Cold Chisel
East

Rock | Album | 2 June 1980

Dead Kennedys
Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

Punk | Album | 1 September 1980

The Angels
Dark Room

Hard Rock | Album | 16 June 1980

Motorhead
Ace Of Spades

Hard Rock | Album | 8 November 1980

AC/DC
Back In Black

Hard Rock | Album | 25 July 1980

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Samson
Head On

Heavy Metal | Album | 27 June 1980

Saxon
Wheels Of Steel

Heavy Metal | Album | 3 May 1980

Accept
I'm A Rebel

Heavy Metal | Album | 2 June 1980

Judas Priest
British Steel

Heavy Metal | Album | 14 April 1980

Angel Witch
Angel Witch

Heavy Metal | Album | 12 March 1980

Diamond Head
Lightning To The Nations

Heavy Metal | Album | 3 October 1980

Motorhead
Ace Of Spades

Hard Rock | Album | 8 November 1980

Ozzy Osbourne
Blizzard Of Ozz

Heavy Metal | Album | 20 September 1980

Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden

Heavy Metal | Album | 14 April 1980

Black Sabbath
Heaven And Hell

Heavy Metal | Album | 1 April 1980

To say the least, 'Heaven And Hell' is a masterpiece. Generally classic heavy metal albums use verbs like 'brutal' or 'fast' or 'angry' to describe them, but none of those words ring true here. The album is a thing of beauty, full of winding harmonies and stellar musicianship - a work of art that will stand for all time as a reflection of the pinnacle of heavy music of the period. With Ozzy Osbourne and his drink and drug fuelled unpredictability jettisoned for the final time, the band knew that survival would rely on them rebuilding from the ground up into something far more streamlined and modern. They had stretched their wings on the previous two albums (reasonably unsuccessfully), and now was the time to find the Black Sabbath for a new decade. A key part of this renewal would be finding the right vocalist, and Ronnie James Dio - having recently exited Richie Blackmore's Rainbow - was the perfect choice. For many fans, the voice of Osbourne was a defining piece of the band's identity, so by replacing that voice with someone infinitely more talented and professional required music that matched. The songs are sleek and full of melodies never heard before on a Sabbath album, and the production is smooth as silk - really allowing the songs to shine. Dio's vocals are sublime throughout, and he launches songs like 'Children Of The Sea' and 'Die Young' toward places Osbourne, with his limited range, would not have even dreamt of. The vocals on the title track are transcendent, not to mention the incredible solo by Tony Iommi - one of the greatest ever committed to tape. This was more than just a new album, it was an announcement of what the 1980s had in store for heavy music. The band would never make an album as good as this again, and some would say it even bettered anything they had released preceding it.

TheBigBlack's Metal Honourable Mentions

Def Leppard
On Through The Night

Hard Rock | Album | 14 March 1980

TheBigBlack's Metal Dishonourable Mentions

Black Sabbath
'Live At Last'

Heavy Metal | Album | 1 July 1980