Burning Blue Soul is the debut album released by Matt Johnson in 1981. The album is commonly regarded as an accomplished debut, with a mix of guitar riffs, tape loops, experimental electronics and heavily filtered vocals. The album was re-released in 1993 under Johnson’s band’s name, The The.
Pleasant Dreams is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It was released on July 20, 1981 through Sire Records. Pleasant Dreams reached #58 on the US Billboard album charts. It was frowned upon by guitarist Johnny Ramone because to him it sounded “too slick” and is generally viewed as … Read more
Killers is the second album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 2 February 1981 in the UK, and 6 June 1981 in the U.S. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith and their last with vocalist Paul Di’Anno, who was sacked after problems with his stage performance arose due to … Read more
4, also known as Foreigner 4, is the fourth studio album by British-American rock band Foreigner, released in 1981 on Atlantic Records. Several singles from the album were successful, including “Urgent”, “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Juke Box Hero”. They propelled the album to being Foreigner’s only #1 in the US.
Face Value is the debut solo album by Genesis front man Phil Collins, released in February 1981 on the Virgin label internationally and Atlantic Records in North America. It was released in the UK 11 days after his 30th birthday. The album includes the hit single, “In the Air Tonight”, whose dark mood was inspired … Read more
Escape (Stylized as E5C4P3 on the front of the album) is Journey’s seventh studio album (and eighth overall), released on July 31, 1981. The album features four hit Billboard Hot 100 singles – “Don’t Stop Believin’” (#9), “Who’s Crying Now” (#4), “Still They Ride” (#19) and “Open Arms” (#2) – plus rock radio staples like … Read more
Duran Duran is the debut album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released worldwide in 1981. The album reached #3 on the United Kingdom charts and remained in the UK Top 100 for 117 weeks, achieving platinum status by December 1982. The initial United States release was unsuccessful, but the album was reissued … Read more
Movement is the debut album by New Order, released in November 1981 on Factory Records. At the time of its release, the album was not particularly well received by critics or consumers, only peaking at #30 on the UK albums chart. (By contrast, Closer, an album the band had released just over a year before … Read more
Business as Usual is the debut album of Australian band Men at Work, released in November 1981 in Australia and April 1982 in the US. The Australian release of the album included a black and white cover design; overseas releases had the same design but in a yellow and black color scheme.
Too Fast for Love is the debut album from American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, initially released on November 10, 1981 on the small independent Leathür Records label. Major label Elektra Records signed the band the following year, at which point the album was remixed and partially re-recorded. This re-release, with a different track listing … Read more