The 25 best Classic Rock albums of 1981
5 May 2024, 18:00
Take a musical trip back in time to the year of Ghosts In The Machine, Tattoo You, Killers, 4, Dead Ringer and For Those About To Rock.
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Styx - Paradise Theatre: release date 16th January 1981
The Chicago band's tenth studio album included The Best of Times, Too Much Time On My Hands and Nothing Ever Goes As Planned.
Styx - Paradise Theatre album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Rush - Moving Pictures: release date 12th February 1981
The eighth album from the Canadian prog rockers included their hit Tom Sawyer, plus Vital Signs and Limelight.
Rush - Moving Pictures album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Phil Collins - Face Value: released 13th February 1981
Taking time out from Genesis, Phil's debut solo album included the epic single In The Air Tonight and If Leaving Me Is Easy.
Phil Collins - Face Value album cover. Picture: Press -
Iron Maiden - Killers: released 16th February 1981
The second album from the British metallers was the last to feature original singer Paul Di'Anno. Singles includes Purgatory and Twilight Zone.
Iron Maiden - Killers album cover. Picture: Press -
The Who - Face Dances: release date 16th March 1981
The ninth album from the British rock legends was their first without drummer Keith Moon, who had died in 1978. His place was taken by Kenney Jones. Tracks included You Better You Bet and Don't Let Go The Coat.
The Who - Face Dances album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Van Halen - Fair Warning : release date 29th April 1981
The US rock band's fourth album included So This Is Love?, Unchained, Mean Street and Hear About It Later.
Van Halen - Fair Warning album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
George Harrison - Somewhere In England: release date 1st June 1981
Initially rejected by his record company, Harrison's ninth album was issued in the summer of 1981 after he added a tribute to his late colleague John Lennon called All Those Years Ago.
George Harrison - Somewhere In England album artwork. Picture: Press -
ZZ Top - El Loco: release date 26th June 1981
The trio's final album before they became MTV stars included the tracks Leila, Tube Snake Boogie and the live favourite Pearl Necklace.
ZZ Top - El Loco album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Foreigner – 4: released 3rd July 1981
The British-American rock band's fourth album (obvs) included the hit single Waiting For A Girl Like You.
Foreigner – 4: album cover. Picture: Press -
Journey - Escape: release date 17th July 1981
The seventh studio album from the Californian rock band included their all time great Don't Stop Believin', Who's Crying Now, Open Arms and Still They Ride.
Journey - Escape album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna: release date 27th July 1981
The Fleetwood Mac star's debut solo album included the singles Edge Of Seventeen and Leather And Lace.
Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
ELO - Time: released 31st July 1981
The Royal Wedding week saw Jeff Lynne's symphonic rockers issue their ninth album, which included Here Is The News, Hold On Tight and Ticket To The Moon.
ELO - Time. Picture: Press -
Pretenders - Pretenders II: release date 7th August 1981
The second and final album to be issued by the original Pretenders line-up of Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon and Martin Chambers included the hits I Go To Sleep, Message Of Love and Talk Of The Town.
Pretenders II album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You: released 24th August 1981
A ragbag of studio outtakes and unfinished tracks was concocted so the Stones had a new album to tour, but still spawned some genuine hits, including Start Me Up, Waiting On A Friend and Hang Fire.
The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You album cover. Picture: Press -
Daryl Hall & John Oates – Private Eyes: released 1st September 1981
The duo's tenth studio album includes the singles Private Eyes and I Can't Go For That (No Can Do).
Daryl Hall & John Oates – Private Eyes album cover. Picture: Press -
Meat Loaf - Dead Ringer: released 4th September 1981
It was only Meat's second solo album after the mammoth Bat Out Of Hell and included Read 'Em And Weep and the Cher collaboration Dead Ringer For Love.
Meat Loaf - Dead Ringer album cover. Picture: Press -
Genesis - Abacab: release date 18th September 1981
The British prog band's eleventh album saw them head further into pop territory with the hit titles track and No Reply At All.
Genesis - Abacab album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman: released October 1981
The second studio album from the former Black Sabbath singer was the last to feature guitarist Randy Rhoads, who died in a plane crash while touring in March 1982. The album included Over The Mountain, Tonight and Flying High Again.
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
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.
The Police - Ghost In The Machine album cover. Picture: Press -
U2 - October: released 12th October 1981
The second album from the Dublin post-punk quartet included the chart hits Fire and Gloria.
U2 - October album cover. Picture: Press -
The J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame: release date 26th October 1981
Despite being their tenth album, this was the Massachusetts rockers' first album to chart in the UK, and a Billboard No 1 thanks to the hit title track and the classic Centrefold. The band also opened for the Rolling Stones on their European tour the following year.
The J. Geils Band - Freeze Frame album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Rod Stewart - Tonight I'm Yours: release date 6th November 1981
Rod's eleventh album included the hits Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me), Young Turks and a cover of Ace's How Long.
Rod Stewart - Tonight I'm Yours album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Mötley Crüe - Too Fast For Love: release date 10th November 1981
The debut album from the Hollywood glam rockers included Stick To Your Guns and Live Wire.
Mötley Crüe - Too Fast For Love album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'N' Roll: release date 18th November 1981
The former Runaways guitarist had her biggest hit with the title track - a cover of British band the Arrows' 1976 single. The album also included Love Is Pain and Crimson And Clover.
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'N' Roll album artwork. Picture: Alamy -
AC/DC - For Those About To Rock (We Salute You): released 20th November 1981
Acca Dacca's first and only US No 1 album included the epic title track, plus the single Let's Get It Up.
AC/DC - For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) album cover. Picture: Press