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
Hotter than July is the nineteenth album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on Motown’s Tamla label on September 29, 1980. Despite the wide critical acclaim for Wonder’s previous works such as Songs in the Key of Life and Innervisions, Hotter than July was his first album eligible for platinum status, as Motown sales records before … Read more
Iron Maiden, released on 14 April 1980, is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released by EMI in the UK, and a few months later in the U.S., originally on Harvest/Capitol Records and subsequently Sanctuary Records/Columbia Records. The U.S. release also included the song “Sanctuary”, only released in … Read more
Panorama is the third studio album by American new wave band The Cars, released in 1980. It marked a change from the upbeat poprock and hard rock of their previous albums, representing a more aggressive and experimental sound. It was not as commercially successful as their previous or subsequent albums (until 1987’s Door to Door), … Read more
Crocodiles is the debut album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 18 July 1980 in the United Kingdom and on 17 December 1980 in the United States. The album reached number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. “Pictures on My Wall” and “Rescue” had previously been released as … Read more
Duke is the tenth studio album by British rock group, Genesis. Recorded in 1979 during the months of October, November, and December, the album was released in March 1980 where it became the band’s first record to reach #1 in the United Kingdom. In the US, the album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard … Read more
Back in Black is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. Produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, the album was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. By the late 1970s, AC/DC began to achieve significant popularity outside their native Australia, with high-energy live performances and a string of … Read more
Crimes of Passion is the second album by Pat Benatar, released in 1980. It peaked at No. 2 for five weeks on the Billboard 200 and produced the hits “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” (US No. 9), “You Better Run” (US No. 42), “Treat Me Right” (US No. 18), plus a cover of Kate … Read more
With Freedom of Choice, Devo completed their transition into a full-fledged synth-pop group, producing arguably their most musically cohesive effort in the process. Synthesizers are now fully integrated into the band’s sound, frequently dominating the arrangements and at least sharing equal time with the guitars. Everything is played with a cool, polished precision that mirrors … Read more