The Kinks’ scattershot U.S. career never fully flourished like that of their British Invasion peers. The most quintessentially British of British bands — especially in the increasingly nostalgic songs of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Ray Davies — The Kinks enjoyed a spike in popularity in America in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The gold-selling 1980 double-live … Read more
Animal Magnetism is the seventh studio album by the German heavy metal band Scorpions, released in 1980. The RIAA certified Animal Magnetism as Gold on 8 March 1984, and Platinum on 28 October 1991.
Closer is the second and final studio album by the English post-punk band Joy Division, released on 18 July 1980, following the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis two months earlier. When Closer came out, Sounds’ Dave McCullough remarked that there were “dark strokes of gothic rock”. The record was released on the Factory Records … Read more
All Shook Up is a 1980 album by Cheap Trick. It was their fifth studio album and sixth release overall. It was produced by former Beatles producer George Martin. As such, this was the first album since their debut to be produced by someone other than Tom Werman. All Shook Up was even quirkier than … Read more
End of the Century is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It was released on February 4, 1980, and was produced by Phil Spector. After Spector became interested in the band, he offered to produce their next record. Vocalist Joey Ramone was an avid fan of Spector’s early work, … Read more
Huey Lewis and the News is the debut album by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1980.
INXS is Australian rock group INXS’s first album. It was released on Deluxe Records in Australia on 13 October 1980. INXS recorded the album in midnight to dawn sessions during 1979 to 1980 after performing, on average, two gigs a day at local pubs around Sydney. All tracks were credited to band members, Garry Gary … Read more
British Steel is the sixth album by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 14 April 1980.
Making Movies is the third album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the single “Romeo and Juliet”, which reached the number 8 position on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the number one … Read more