Top 10 for 1981

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Midnight Oil
Place Without A Postcard

Rock | Album | 1 November 1981

'Place Without A Postcard' is the third studio album by Midnight Oil. It peaked at No. 12 on the Kent Music Report albums chart.

Bob Dylan
Shot Of Love

Classic Rock | Album | 12 August 1981

Motley Crue
Too Fast For Love

Hard Rock | Album | 10 November 1981

'Too Fast For Love' is the debut studio album by Motley Crue. The first edition of 900 copies was released on November 10, 1981, on the band's original label Leathur Records. Elektra Records signed the band the following year, at which point the album was remixed and partially re-recorded. This re-release, with a different track listing and slightly different artwork, has become the standard version from which all later reissues derive. While the album only reached number 77 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States, it would ultimately reach platinum status.

The Angels
Night Attack

Hard Rock | Album | 30 November 1981

AC/DC
For Those About To Rock

Hard Rock | Album | 23 November 1981

'For Those About To Rock' is the eighth studio album by AC/DC. The album is a follow-up to their highly successful album 'Back In Black', and it has sold over four million copies in the U.S. The album, recorded in Paris, was the third and final AC/DC collaboration with producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange.

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Samson
Shock Tactics

Heavy Metal | Album | 15 May 1981

'Shock Tactics' is the third studio album by Samson. It was vocalist Bruce Dickinson's final album with the band before joining Iron Maiden (who were coincidentally recording 'Killers', their last album with Paul Di'Anno, in the same studio at the same time as Samson).

Tygers Of Pan Tang
Spellbound

Heavy Metal | Album | 10 April 1981

'Spellbound' is the second album by Tygers Of Pan Tang. It is the first of two Tygers of Pan Tang albums to feature John Sykes as second guitarist, who later joined Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake. It is also the first album with vocalist Jon Deverill.

Anvil
Hard 'n' Heavy

Heavy Metal | Album | 25 May 1981

'Hard 'n' Heavy' is the debut studio album by Anvil. It was originally released independently under the band name "Lips".

Judas Priest
Point Of Entry

Heavy Metal | Album | 26 February 1981

'Point Of Entry' is the seventh studio album by Judas Priest. Following the commercial success of their previous album 'British Steel' (1980), the band pursued a more radio-friendly direction. The album's name reflects its intended purpose as an accessible introduction to the band's music and the heavy metal genre in general.

Saxon
Denim And Leather

Heavy Metal | Album | 25 September 1981

'Denim And Leather' is the fourth studio album by Saxon. This was the last album with the classic line-up, as drummer Pete Gill would leave the band due to a hand injury, later joining Motorhead; this was also seen as the last of their trilogy of classic albums (the previous two being 'Wheels Of Steel' and 'Strong Arm Of The Law'). The album was certified Gold status in the U.K.

Black Sabbath
Mob Rules

Heavy Metal | Album | 4 November 1981

'Mob Rules' is the eleventh album by Black Sabbath. It was the second album to feature lead singer Ronnie James Dio and the first with drummer Vinny Appice. Neither musician would appear on a Black Sabbath studio album again until the 1992 album 'Dehumanizer'.

Venom
Welcome To Hell

Black Metal | Album | ?? December 1981

'Welcome To Hell' is the debut studio album by Venom. It was released at the culmination of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement. Due to its unpolished sound as a result of it being recorded in only three days, the relatively low-fidelity of the band inspired numerous Norwegian metal bands, who considered it the first black metal. In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked it as 74th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time.'

Ozzy Osbourne
Diary Of A Madman

Heavy Metal | Album | 7 November 1981

'Diary Of A Madman' is the second studio album by Ozzy Osbourne. This is the last Osbourne studio album to feature guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake. On 19 March 1982, during the North American leg of the album's tour, Rhoads died in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida. The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

Iron Maiden
Killers

Heavy Metal | Album | 20 February 1981

'Killers' is the second studio album by Iron Maiden. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith, and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was fired after problems with his stage performances arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use.

'The Ides Of March' announces out the gate that Iron Maiden is no longer just a pub band, but a major contender in the race. As brilliant as the first album had been, the production was somewhat primitive (and founder Steve Harris to this day still complains about it). As luck would have it, the band landed Martin Birch to produce the second album - and with a history of band credits behind him such as Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash, Fleetwood Mac, and Black Sabbath, he had nothing to prove in credentials. It was a match made in Heaven, so much so Birch would work pretty much exclusively with Maiden from here on for the next decade. In fact, the production is what carries a lot of the album, as it is lacking in consistency in places. There are obvious stand-outs (many still fan favourites today) like 'Wrathchild' and the masterpiece that is the title track, but other tracks like 'Another Life' and 'Prodigal Son' feel like they are lacking in some of this punch that a great sophomore album requires. At least half the album was made up of older songs the band had played for many years on the pub circuit when they were still finding their identity, with only a few newer compositions. The instrumental 'Genghis Khan' feels like an attempt to match the grandeur of the debut album's 'Phantom Of The Opera', but it falls flat without a lyrical narrative to carry it. It isn't all bad though, as barnstormers like 'Purgatory' and somewhat grand 'Drifter' wrap the album nicely in a bow. All in all, it is a great addition to the Maiden catalogue (and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno), but over the years it would usually not be remembered as one of their best albums, especially considering the quality that many of their future 1980s albums would exhibit.