Best Album Of 1981?

Not as strong as the years that preceded it, but there's still plenty of good stuff out there:

King Crimson - Discipline
Echo & the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
This Heat - Deceit
Squeeze - East Side Story
Siouxsie & the Banshees - Juju

I've been real big on The Fall lately and though they didn't have a new studio album in 1981, they did put out the excellent EP, Slates, and the live release, A Part of America Therein, which are released on the same disc now.

 

So many good ones. Tattoo You is tough to beat.

Bobby Womack returned to form with The Poet.

Abba made arguably their best with The Visitors.

 

Tin Drum by Japan is definitely one of them!

 

I just remembered another that would be a strong contender for me - Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive. That was massive with me as an 11 year old and remains so... although it sounds about as far removed from '81 as you can get and people seem either to love or hate it. I'd rate his first two as the best I've heard by him (and easily the most played) but JJ's JJ is one I've always returned to.

 

Another one:

Psychedelic Furs--Talk Talk Talk

 

My favorite.

 

It's a tie!

Bunny Wailer - Rock And Groove
Cramps - Psychedelic Jungle
Earth Wind & Fire - Raise
Chic - Take It Off
Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is
Frank Zappa - Shut Up And Play yer Guitar
Stones - Tattoo You

 

Yep. JUMPIN' JIVE's another great record.
BTW, Joe's new album, FAST FORWARD, is a really nice return to form.

 

Van Halen - Fair Warning

Honorable mentions for Foreigner - 4 and Rush - Exit...Stage Left.

 

Don't Say No - Billy Squier
Time - ELO

 

Kiss- The Elder
Iron Maiden - Killers
Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

 

and

 

What a HOT year for music, RIGHT??
I'm gonna pick a record from a band I'm not a 'super-fan' of... but, I love the ENTIRE record, and I'll listen to it 'till I die!

 

I Love Rock N Roll
Tattoo You
Bella Donna
Hard Promises
Hi Infidelity

 

Another vote for Rush's Moving Pictures. It's just a perfect album. It even sounds like 1981 to me.

 

1981 is probably my favorite year of music. So many of my favorite albums came out that year and I saw some of the best concerts of my life that year as well.


My Top 2

 

Since it's the first one to pop into my head and I'd rank it very high amongst my favorite albums of all time, it must be...

Television Personalities - And Don't The Kids Just Love It

 

Those not mentioned that should be in with a shout...

Fela Kuti - Original Sufferhead
Material - Memory Serves
Pauline Murray - & Invisible Girls
Was (Not Was) - s/t
Kid Creole & Coconuts - Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places

Some decent jazz albums

Stan Tracey - The Crompton Suite
Lester Bowie - The Great Pretender
John Surman - The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon
Jack DeJohnette - Tin Can Alley

But my favourite of the year..

 

I'll add to the votes for East Side Story, and add my opinion that the best way to hear it is the MFSL CD. The first press Porky cut is also excellent, if you want to go the vinyl route.