The 25 best indie albums of 1981

11 April 2025, 18:00

Take a musical trip back in time to the year of Architecture & Morality, Heaven Up Here, Movement and Speak & Spell.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. The Cure - Faith: released 18th April 1981

   The British alternative rock trio's third album was their gloomiest yet: tracks included the single Primary, The Holy Hour and All Cats Are Grey.

   

2. The Undertones – Positive Touch: released 5th May 1981

   The third album from the Northern Irish band featuring Feargal Sharkey included the hit single It's Gonna Happen.

   

3. The Beat - Wha'ppen? Released 8th May 1981

   The second album from the Birmingham ska revivalists included the singles Drowning and Doors Of Your Heart.

   

4. Kraftwerk - Computer World: released 11th May 1981

   The eighth album from the German techno pioneers was their most dance-orientated yet: tracks included Pocket Calculator, Numbers and Computer Love.

   

5. Squeeze – East Side Story: release date 15th May

   The fourth album from the Deptford new wave band included the excellent singles Is That Love, Labelled With Love and Tempted, sung by Paul Carrack who'd later have a huge hit with Mike & The Mechanics and The Living Years.

   

6. Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here: released 29th May 1981

   The second album from Ian McCulloch and the Liverpool-based post-punk band featured the singles A Promise and Over The Wall.

   

7. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Juju: released 19th June 1981

   The Banshees' fourth album was essentially the launch pad for dozens of Goth bands with its dark rock. Singles included Spellbound and Arabian Knights.

   

8. Mission Of Burma - Signals, Calls & Marches: released August 1981

   Technically an EP but running to a respectable 20 minutes, this was the follow-up to the Boston post-punk band's seminal single Academy Fight Song. The EP includes the tracks That's When I Reach For My Revolver, This Is Not A Photograph and All World Cowboy Romance. Fans of the group include everyone from Foo Fighters to R.E.M.

   

9. Pretenders - Pretenders II: released 7th August 1981

   The second album from Chrissie Hyne and co included the songs Talk Of The Town, Message Of Love and I Go To Sleep and was the final LP to feature the original line-up of the band, which included the late James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon.

   

10. Section 25 - Always Now: released 27th August 1981

    Ian Curtis of Joy Division had produced the Blackpool post-punk band's Girls Don't Count single in 1980 and this was their first full length album, with JD's producer Martin Hannett at the the helm. It's claimed that the luxurious envelope-style sleeve (with an inner pattern that's more elaborate than the outer) was one of the most expensive to be issued by Factory Records - and that's saying something.

    

11. Altered Images - Happy Birthday: released September 1981

    The debut album from the Glaswegian indie band featurinG Clare Grogan spawned a Number 2 hit in the hugely popular title track.

    

12. Heaven 17 - Penthouse & Pavement: released 18th September 1981

    Fresh from leaving The Human League, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh teamed up with singer Glenn Gregory to release this debut album under the Heaven 17 moniker, which spawned the controversial single (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang.

    

13. The Police - Ghost In The Machine: released 2nd October 1981

    The new wave trio's fourth album includes the singles Invisible Sun, Spirits In The Material World and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.

    

14. Madness - 7: released 2nd October 1981

    The third album from the Nutty Boys included the fine singles Grey Day, Cardiac Arrest and Shut Up.

    

15. Depeche Mode - Speak And Spell: released 5th October 1981

    The Basildon synth-pop group issued their debut album - and the only one to feature songwriter and founding member Vince Clarke. Singles included New Life and the evergreen Just Can't Get Enough.

    

16. Joy Division - Still: released 9th October 1981

    Frontman Ian Curtis had died in May 1980 of course, but this compilation of outtakes had been augmented by the surviving members of the band during the making of New Order's Movement album in early '81. The studio side of this double set included gems such as Glass and Dead Souls, while the second disc was a recording of JD's final show at Birmingham University.

    

17. U2 - October: released 12th October 1981

    The second album from the Dublin post-punk quartet included the chart hits Fire and Gloria.

    

18. The Human League - Dare: released 16th October 1981

    The third album from the Sheffield synth-pop collective saw members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh leave to form Heaven 17, while Phillip Oakey and Phillip Adrian Wright continued with a new line-up. Dare was a massive hit and spawned the singles The Sound Of The Crowd, Open Your Heart, Love Action (I Believe In Love) and the No 1 hit Don't You Want Me.

    

19. Black Flag - Damaged: released November 1981

    Pioneering debut from the hardcore DC punks fronted by Henry Rollins. 15 tracks are tightly packed into 35 minutes, including the eternal favourites Six Pack and TV Party.

    

20. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Architecture & Morality: released 6th November 1981

    The third album from the synth duo of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys includes Souvenir, Joan Of Arc and Maid Of Orleans.

    

21. The Stranglers - La Folie: released 9th November 1981

    The ninth album from the Guildford punks was the follow-up to the concept offering The Gospel According To The Meninblack, released earlier in 1981. For La Folie, the band embraced a more commercial sound, resulting in their biggest hit, Golden Brown.

    

22. New Order - Movement: released 13th November 1981

    The first album released by the band formerly known as Joy Division to be released after the death of singer Ian Curtis included the tracks Dreams Never End, Truth and Chosen Time.

    

23. Japan - Tin Drum: released 13th November 1981

    The British art pop band called time on their career after this, their fifth album. Singles included the hit Ghosts, Cantonese Boy and Visions of China; frontman David Sylvian went on to a successful solo career.

    

24. The Teardrop Explodes - Wilder: released 23rd November 1981

    The second album from the Liverpool post-punk group that featured Julian Cope as frontman. Singles included Passionate Friend and Colours Fly Away. Keyboard player Dave Balfe was to found the Zoo record label and much later was the man behind Blur's home, Food.

    

25. Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret: released 27th November 1981

    The debut album from Marc Almond and Dave Ball included the No 1 Tainted Love, plus Bedsitter and Say Hello Wave Goodbye.