Top 10 for 1983

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Pink Floyd
The Final Cut (A Requiem For The Post War Dream)

Classic Rock | Album | 21 March 1983

Def Leppard
Pyromania

Hard Rock | Album | 20 January 1983

'Pyromania' is the third studio album by Def Leppard. The first album to feature guitarist Phil Collen who replaced founding member Pete Willis, it was produced by Robert John 'Mutt' Lange. The album was a shift away from the band's traditional heavy metal roots toward a more radio-friendly sound, finding massive mainstream success. It charted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Canadian RPM Album chart and No. 18 on the U.K. Albums Chart. Selling over ten million copies in the U.S., it has been certified diamond by the RIAA.

Bob Dylan
Infidels

Classic Rock | Album | 1 November 1983

U2
War

Rock | Album | 28 February 1983

ZZ Top
Eliminator

Rock | Album | 23 March 1983

'Eliminator' is the eighth studio album by ZZ Top. It is their most commercially successful release, with sales of 11 million and diamond certification in the U.S.

Album #8 for ZZ Top was the one that finally made them a household name. They had been around for close to 15 years at this point, but their southern soaked whiskey blues had never been much more than a slight blip on the radar of the mainstream charts. The band took some chances with the album, most noticeably with the synthesised guitar tones and the lack of the usual boogie blues. It paid off, producing four hit singles. Although some of the production choices are a little dated today, the crisp punchy mix means it still sounds great. 'Gimmie All Your Lovin'' opens with a bang, and although many great rock albums start with a recognisable and legendary guitar riff, very few can say the same about a drum beat. Moving through now-rock classics like 'Got Me Under Pressure' and 'Sharp Dressed Man', the album still demonstrates the ZZ style well, even if it is a little more. 'new wave' than previous albums. Most songs are also quite obviously faster in tempo than their older works, probably yet another move to get radio play. Although the second side still had some great tunes, the album definitely suffers from front-loading, with all its best (and most modern sounding) tracks up front. This is not say the second half isn't worth listening to, but the tracks certainly feel more like a throwback to the band's earlier sound. The Top continued down the synthesised trail for a couple more albums until they had done all they could with the sound, returning to their more traditional blues style in the early 1990s.

Motley Crue
Shout At The Devil

Hard Rock | Album | 26 September 1983

'Shout At The Devil' is the second studio album by Motley Crue. It was the band's breakthrough album, establishing them as one of the top selling heavy metal acts of the 1980s.

AC/DC
Flick Of The Switch

Hard Rock | Album | 15 August 1983

'Flick Of The Switch' is the ninth studio album by AC/DC. The album was deemed a commercial disappointment after it failed to match the sales figures of the band's two previous releases, and its release represented the beginning of the band's commercial decline. The third AC/DC album to feature lead vocalist Brian Johnson, the album is also the last to feature drummer Phil Rudd before his return on 'Ballbreaker' (1995).

Twisted Sister
You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll

Hard Rock | Album | 27 July 1983

'You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll' is the second studio album by Twisted Sister. The album was certified as a Gold Album by RIAA in November 1995, for selling over 500,000 copies in the U.S.

By album number two Twister Sister were still an underground band. They had signed to Atlantic by this point, so with some major label money and push, this would be the album that would truly introduce them to the rock world. It certainly wasn't a smash hit, but did position the band to break into the mainstream on follow up Stay Hungry (1984). 'The Kids Are Back' opens the album at a mid-pace, but with a real feeling of muscle, and the Dee Snider snarl cuts through the atmosphere like a knife. 'Like A Knife In The Back' follows with the same intensity. This is a band that writes more than songs - they write anthems that insist you sing along, and these songs are proof of that. 'Ride To Live, Live To Ride' is an ode to the open road, and it really feels like the wind is blowing through your hair as you barrel down the highway. The leads of Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda are perfectly crafted throughout, and take the songs to the next level, especially on this track. Snider sounds like Alice Cooper at times when he snarls the lyrics, and this is possibly heard more on this album that any other, but his raspy voice soars when he sings the big melody choruses. 'I Am (I'm Me)' unfortunately drags the album back to its time, and this suitable 1983 pop-rock song reminds the listener that the band were just as capable as being a pop band as a hard rock band when necessary. Songs like these are sprinkled across all their albums, and without them the band would have had no radio airplay exposure, so it needs to be seen as a necessary evil. 'We're Gonna Make It' opens side two with a punch to the gut, sounding like a lost song from W.A.S.P., but it is a fairly forgettable paint-by-numbers affair. In fact. The entirety of the second half of the album slumps in comparison to the first, with 'I've Had Enough' and 'I'll Take You Alive' being largely vapid songs. 'You're Not Alone (Suzette's Song)' is the obligatory big ballad of the album, and Snider's ode to his new wife. It is exactly the sort of tear-jerker you'd expect from an early 80s hard rock band. Luckily the album does end on high note, with 'You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll' - one last fist-pumper before it's all over. Twisted Sister certainly had better albums than this one (the follow up 'Stay Hungry' is considered a masterpiece by many), but the charm here is the intensity. This feels like an animal in a cage waiting to break free. The band knew they were close to fame, and played like they would stop at nothing to get there.

The Angels
Watch The Red

Hard Rock | Album | 2 May 1983

'Watch The Red' is the sixth studio album by The Angels. The album charted at number 6 in Australia and number 43 in New Zealand.

Motorhead
Another Perfect Day

Hard Rock | Album | 4 June 1983

'Another Perfect Day' is the sixth studio album by Motorhead. It is the band's only studio album to feature lead guitarist Brian 'Robbo' Robertson, better known for his work with Thin Lizzy. Robertson was not a good fit for the band, and was gone within a few months of the album's release.

Motorhead are a band that are often accused of making the same album over and over. Released in 1983, Another Perfect Day didn't deviate much from the formula, but it was different enough that many fans rejected it - and it wasn't just about the music. Brian 'Robbo' Robertson of Thin Lizzy had joined the ranks, and replacing 'Fast' Eddie Clarke was never going to be an easy gig. His guitar lines were often filled with flourishes Clarke would have instead bulldozed through, adding a level of delicacy to the music many took umbrage to, and Lemmy himself tired of the man very quickly himself. Robertson gradually began refusing to play older Motorhead classics, and add to this his odd fashion sense (such as ballet shoes and leg warmers - on stage) meant that his tenure was short. Regardless of all that the album has stood the test of time well, and has a number of bright moments. The opening track 'Back At The Funny Farm' along with the singles 'I Got Mine' and 'Shine' opened the door to allow the band to add more melody into future music, with or without Robertson on board. It stands up and keeps its own against any of the earlier 'classic' albums, but certainly does have its own unique personality.

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

Misfits
Earth A.D. / Wolfs Blood

Punk | Album | 1 December 1983

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Saxon
Power & The Glory

Heavy Metal | Album | ?? March 1983

'Power & The Glory' is the fifth studio album by Saxon. This is the first Saxon studio album with new drummer Nigel Glockler and was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia in the fall of 1982.

Quiet Riot
Metal Health

Hard Rock | Album | 11 March 1983

Accept
Balls To The Wall

Heavy Metal | Album | 5 December 1983

'Balls To The Wall' is the fifth studio album by Accept. It is Accept's only record to attain Gold certification in the U.S. The album's title track became Accept's signature song and remains a metal anthem and trademark in the genre.

Although in recent years Accept have been thought about as a legacy act, regardless of them releasing a stream of consistent albums for decades, it is important to remember they were at the forefront of acts leading heavy metal in the early 1980s. The vocals of Udo Dirkschneider are often cited as an influence, and guitarist Wolf Hoffman was amongst the first to bring neo-classical influences into heavy metal. By the band's fifth album Balls To The Wall they were a well-oiled metal machine, and it is often the album still talked about today as their most important. Oddly enough, it has also often been discussed due to its album cover and song lyrics, both seen as being linked to homosexuality in some way. The band themselves have indeed confirmed they deliberately added some subtle references, as heavy metal was all about challenging social taboos. Whilst more open-minded European audiences saw the connection and made sense of it, American audiences just didn't get it resulting in censorship plaguing the initial U.S. release. To the censors singing about violence and Satan was regarded as OK, but gay references crossed some sort of line. Obvious hypocrisy aside, the title track opens the album nicely, and the crispness of the modern production is immediately noticeable. Dirkschneider's gravel-mouthed vocals cut the chorus to shreds, and a metal classic is born. The song has been covered more times over the decades than anyone could count. 'London Leatherboys', one of the tracks often mistaken to be about gay men (it is actually an ode to motorcycle clubs), is a similar tempo and again kicks in a big sing-along chorus. Fans by this point would notice a clear change in song writing on the album, moving from the more in-your-face metal songs from previous album Restless And Wild (1982), to an easily digestible version of the band. This was clearly an album that was written to appeal to a wider audience than just metal fans. Having said that, 'Fight It Back' makes a good play at older fans as a throwback to their earlier work. The slick production and mid-tempo songs continue throughout the album, with songs like 'Head Over Heels' and 'Losing More Than You've Ever Had' fading into each other without much to distinguish them. 'Love Child' stands out as a perfect example of 1983 heavy metal track and could be at home on any album by any band from the era. 'Losers And Winners' carries Side B best, with another punchy guitar-line typical of the era. 'Winter Dreams' wraps the album with the obligatory ballad, and is largely forgettable except for the soulful soloing. Listening to the album today brings a feeling of nostalgia, but also the realisation that most of it isn't really anything above average. It is an album that has to be heard with the history of the era in mind, and only then can it be understood why it holds a special place in metal history. It was launch-pad cited by various younger bands to leap from to evolve the genre, and that is what still makes it important - regardless of the content.

Black Sabbath
Born Again

Heavy Metal | Album | 7 August 1983

'Born Again' is the thirteenth album by Black Sabbath. It is the only album the group recorded with lead vocalist Ian Gillan, best known for his work with Deep Purple. It was also the last Black Sabbath album for nine years to feature original bassist Geezer Butler and the last to feature original drummer Bill Ward. The album has received mixed reviews from critics, but was a commercial success upon its 1983 release, reaching No. 4 in the U.K. charts.

Dio
Holy Diver

Heavy Metal | Album | 23 May 1983

'Holy Diver' is the debut studio album by Dio. The album was acclaimed by the music press and was the band's most successful effort.

Ozzy Osbourne
Bark At The Moon

Heavy Metal | Album | 10 December 1983

'Bark At The Moon' is the third studio album by Ozzy Osbourne. This is Osbourne's first album to feature guitarist Jake E. Lee and only studio album to feature drummer Tommy Aldridge. It marks Ozzy's change to a synth infused pop-metal sound, with both its sonic production, and in Ozzy's imaging. A commercial success, the album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard album chart and within several weeks of release was certified gold for over 500,000 sales in the United States. To date, it has sold over 3,000,000 copies in the United States. In the U.K., it was the third of four Osbourne albums to attain silver certification (60,000 units sold) by the British Phonographic Industry, achieving this in January 1984.

Mercyful Fate
Melissa

Heavy Metal | Album | 30 October 1983

'Melissa' is the debut studio album by Mercyful Fate. It has been identified as one of the earliest examples of extreme metal, and is often considered to be a major influence on the then-developing thrash metal, black metal and death metal genres.

Slayer
Show No Mercy

Thrash Metal | Album | 3 December 1983

'Show No Mercy' is the debut studio album by Slayer. The band self-financed their full-length debut, combining the savings of vocalist Tom Araya, who was employed as a respiratory therapist, and money borrowed from guitarist Kerry King's father. Touring extensively promoting the album, the band brought close friends and family members along the trip, who helped backstage with lighting and sound. Although the album was criticized for its poor production quality, it became Metal Blade's highest-selling release.

Iron Maiden
Piece Of Mind

Heavy Metal | Album | 16 May 1983

'Piece Of Mind' is the fourth studio album by Iron Maiden. It was the first album to feature drummer Nicko McBrain, who had recently left the band Trust. The album was mostly a critical and commercial success, reaching number three on the U.K. Albums Chart and achieving platinum certification in the U.K. and North America.

Metallica
Kill 'Em All

Thrash Metal | Album | 25 July 1983

'Kill 'Em All' is the debut studio album by Metallica, released by the independent label Megaforce Records. It is regarded as a groundbreaking album for thrash metal, fusing New Wave of British Heavy Metal riffs with hardcore punk tempos. The album did not enter the Billboard 200 until 1986, when it peaked at number 155, following Metallica's commercial success with its third studio album 'Master Of Puppets'.