I have been thinking for a while -- seven weeks and three days, to be exact -- that 1980 might be the most important year in heavy metal music. A few years ago, Rolling Stone put out its list of The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All-Time. While I thought the methodology was a little too restrictive and often contradictory -- since bands like AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, Testament, KISS, and Deep Purple were specifically excluded for various arbitrary reasons, but then the list contains quasi-metal selections by bands like Def Leppard, Queensrÿche, Twisted Sister, Faith No More, Alice in Chains, and Living Colour -- it was a well-researched, eclectic list, which included albums in many of metal's subgenres. The list ended up being very '90s-heavy, with 36 of the selections coming from the '90s. While 1992 led the way with 11 selections and 1988 was second with 7, 1980 tied for third with 6 selections, and all of 1980's selections were in the Top 42 -- by far the most top-heavy of any of the years with six or more selections. And all six legitimately belonged on the list:
-Lightning to the Nations by Diamond Head (#42)
-Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath (#37)
-Women and Children First by Van Halen (#36)
-Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden (#13)
-Blizzard of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne (#9)
-British Steel by Judas Priest (#3)
1980 was a watershed year for metal, a bridge between the old guard and the new. AC/DC released its first album with Brian Johnson as its lead singer, following the tragic death of Bon Scott. Back in Black would go on to become the second-best selling of all-time worldwide, behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne released their first albums since their split. The Dio-led Sabbath put out Heaven and Hell, the band's best album in at least five years. Ronnie James Dio introduced the world to the hand gesture that has been thrown up at pretty much every metal show (and most other genres too): the devil horns. And Ozzy released Blizzard of Ozz, which introduced us to Randy Rhoads and saved Ozzy's career.
It was the dawn of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, setting the stage for and influencing thrash metal that would come a few years later, as NWOBHM debut albums came from Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Diamond Head, Girlschool, Angel Witch, and Tygers of Pan Tang, while Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Saxon released their most iconic albums -- British Steel, Ace of Spades, and Wheels of Steel, respectively.
Van Halen released its third album, Women and Children First, that was heavier than their first two albums and just as good.
On top of this, there were other great releases in the world of hard rock and metal, like Scream Dream by Ted Nugent, Permanent Waves by Rush, Head On by Samson (the band's first album with future Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals), Animal Magnetism by Scorpions, Chinatown by Thin Lizzy, and Ready An' Willing by Whitesnake (the band's first album to feature David Coverdale on lead vocals).
1. Back in Black by AC/DC
As mentioned above, this is the second-best-selling album ever -- selling an estimated 50 million copies worldwide -- and with good reason. After Bon Scott's death, the band decided to carry on, getting Brian Johnson on board as Scott's replacement and recording an album for the ages with iconic anthems like the title track, "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Hells Bells," "Shoot to Thrill, and "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution."
Favorite song: "Shoot to Thrill"
2. Angel Witch by Angel Witch
NWOBHM rockers Angel Witch's debut album was exactly what you'd expect from the nascent genre -- fast-paced metal songs played with ferocity of punk, featuring mystic and macabre themes, with titles like "Angel Witch," "White Witch," Devil's Tower," "Sorcerers," "Gorgon," and "Angel of Death." While they didn't end up having the success of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, or some of their other NWOBHM brethren, they had a huge influence on future thrash metal musicians, and their eponymous debut album is recognized as one of the classic NWOBHM albums, along with several others on this list.
Favorite song: "Angel Witch"
3. Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath
Sabbath's first album with Ronnie James Dio replacing Ozzy Osbourne as the lead singer revitalized the band, both on the charts and in the eyes of the metal world. As the rest of the metal world was starting to catch up to Sabbath, this album showed the band could still rock just as hard as ever. For a more detailed review of the album that I wrote back in 2011, click here!
Favorite song: "Neon Knights"
4. On Through the Night by Def Leppard
One who only knows songs like "Photograph" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" may not realize that, when Def Leppard arrived on the scene, they were very much a New Wave of British Heavy Metal band. Their debut album, On Through the Night," was a fantastic taste of NWOBHM, with ripping guitars and wailing vocals.
Favorite song: "It Could Be You"
5. Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden
I also wrote a post about this one back in 2011, but suffice it to say that Iron Maiden's debut album was a huge influence on metal to come. They were the torch bearers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and this excellent album -- the cover of which introduced the world to metal's most enduring mascot, Eddie -- kicked off what has so far been forty years of great music for the band. It is an absolute travesty that they are not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Favorite song: "Iron Maiden"
6. British Steel by Judas Priest
Released the same day as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest's British Steel album is just as influential and important in the world of metal. It's also a travesty that these guys aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Favorite song: "Living After Midnight"
7. Ace of Spades by Motörhead
Ace of Spades was Motörhead's fourth studio album, and the first one released in the U.S., and it was a classic, with breakneck songs spewed out by the inimitable, gravely voiced Lemmy Kilmister, who played the bass like a guitar. Meanwhile, guitarist Fast Eddy Clark played the guitar like a guitar, and pretty damn well at that, and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor banged away to make this arguably the band's most iconic album.
Favorite song: "Love Me Like a Reptile"
8. Blizzard of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne is such a fixture in music and pop culture that it's hard to imagine that there was a time when his status was in jeopardy. After his split with Black Sabbath, he was heavy into booze and drugs, and while his former bandmates had picked up a new lead singer and made a hell of an album (the aforementioned Heaven and Hell), he had to assemble a new band and reintroduce himself to a changing metal scene. He did just that with his debut solo album, Blizzard of Ozz, which I reviewed in detail back in 2010!
Favorite song: "Steal Away (The Night)"
9. Wheels of Steel by Saxon
Saxon is another NWOBHM band that was highly influential, but didn't end up being as commercially successful (at least in the U.S.) as some of their peers. They released two albums in 1980, their sophomore effort Wheels of Steel and then, later in the year, Strong Arm of the Law. Wheels of Steel ended up going to #5 on the UK album charts, and is considered one of the stalwart NWOBHM albums.
Favorite song: "Freeway Mad"
10. Women and Children First by Van Halen
Van Halen's first two albums reenergized hard rock, and with Women and Children First, the band went heavier while maintaining their fun-loving attitude, with hard-hitting songs like "And The Cradle Will Rock . . .," "Everybody Wants Some!!," "Romeo Delight" (which is my favorite Van Halen song), "In a Simply Rhyme," "Fools," and "Loss of Control." They could rip your face off while smiling.
Favorite song: "Romeo Delight"
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment