Top 19 Music Albums of 1981
by Junomoogmello 
This chart is under construction. Albums will only be added as I re-listen to them so that commentary is spontaneous. Only music which I own on vinyl, CD or tape will be included.
- Chart updated: 03/18/2025 11:45
- (Created: 07/23/2020 09:44).
- Chart size: 19 albums.
There is 1 comment for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 19 Music Albums of 1981 has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 1 vote). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This comment will now outdate my comments about Heaven and Hell and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath whereby I stated that they were my top Sabbath albums. Without a doubt, this for me is top of the tree. The vocal delivery by RJD coupled with the overall musicianship which includes the best guitar work and drumming I have heard on any of the other Black Sabbath albums seals my decision. Every track is class, some with a real sinister atmosphere like 'Sign of the Southern Cross' and 'Falling off the Edge of the World'. There are equally, the really heavy workouts like the title track and 'Voodoo'. The sleeve art lets the album down a bit, had that been more scarey it may have encouraged more people to buy it when it was first released. It has taken me ages to track down a decent copy on vinyl but was most definitely well worth the wait!
[First added to this chart: 03/21/2021]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
790
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I don't really know why, but I really love this album cover. It is as intriguing as the story behind the concept album itself. It tells the story of Hiroo Onada, an Intelligence Officer in the Japanese Imperial Army who held out for circa 30 years in the Philippines, not realising World War II ended in 1944. He was actually relieved of his duties in 1974 by his Commanding Officer! I know this album isn't regarded with the same respect as Mirage, Snow Goose et al but because of my love of the cover design, I happily forked out £15.00 for a near mint copy on vinyl last week. Despite a lot of fairly scathing reviews, I have to say that I wasn't at all disappointed, excellent album in my opinion.
[First added to this chart: 05/09/2023]
There is a lot of drum machine on this album giving quite a unique sound to most of his other work. The album does have quite an eighties instrumentation feel about which I do like. Air Conditioned Nightmare is a personal favourite.
[First added to this chart: 03/20/2022]
Come and Get It' was one of the first singles I ever bought, from memory it had the same cover, I think I may have it somewhere. Quite a bluesy feel to this album with some great tracks, 'Don't Break My Heart Again' being a personal favourite. Not that heavy compared to some of their later work.
[First added to this chart: 08/02/2020]
A real mixed bag of reviews on this album. This is clearly a Marmite album, loved by many, hated by others. Generally I like it. 'Worried About You' and 'Tops' are personal favourites. I see a lot of comparisons to Some Girls. Bit like comparing a good curry to a roast, I like both for different reasons.
[First added to this chart: 08/05/2022]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,812
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I used to have a single off this album, it had similar artwork to the cover of the album and I did like the single although lost, sold or gave it away at some point. I don't recall the name of the single, years later I bought the CD version of the album but it isn't the same as owning a vinyl copy. I will continue to keep my eye out and live in the hope that it may be re-issued. I think the album has a toe or two in the progressive pool which I like.
[First added to this chart: 03/26/2022]
Classic NWOBHM album, just picked up the re-release on spatter vinyl. I would love to have seen these guys in their heyday, the closest I got was the single version of Wheels of Steel (which I seem to have lost or sold over time) and salivating over the patch on my best mates, older brothers, denim jacket. Yes, bloody sad really! But a cracking metal album this be.
[First added to this chart: 07/03/2022]
I am one of those rare individuals who can enjoy Foxtrot and Abacab in equal measure, probably because a huge part of my vinyl collection is prog and an equally sizeable measure is eighties electro pop. This is a good album and it is progressive in that it is not hanging on to the seventies but embracing the new decade.
[First added to this chart: 02/24/2024]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
766
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An interesting early eighties electro pop concept album which was more ahead of its time than many may think. 'Play to Win' and 'Soul Warfare' are personal favourites. Personally, I would put 'The Luxury Gap' in first place and 'How Men Are' in second place, mainly because I find the tracks on those two albums more melodic.
[First added to this chart: 08/07/2021]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
305
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I prefer the first volume to this one but having said that, this is still a reasonable compilation culled from their early albums. This album has a much harder and less progressive edge than the original 'Best Of' which, once two and three were releseased became volume one I suppose. BJH seem to get overlooked in progressive artist reviews and are more associated with 'orchestral rock' yet they could get some pretty decent textures from the Mellotron which certainly fitted with the orchestral approach.
[First added to this chart: 03/26/2022]
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1
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Total albums: 10. Page 1 of 1
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Top 19 Music Albums of 1981 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Saxon | 1 | 5% | |
| Rush | 1 | 5% | |
| Spirit | 1 | 5% | |
| Black Sabbath | 1 | 5% | |
| Genesis | 1 | 5% | |
| Men At Work | 1 | 5% | |
| The Monkees | 1 | 5% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 19 Music Albums of 1981 chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 20th to 19thShut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar by Frank Zappa |
| Up 1 from 19th to 18thThe Best Of Volume 3 by Barclay James Harvest |
| Up 1 from 18th to 17thPenthouse And Pavement by Heaven 17 |
| Leavers |
|---|
| Best Of The Monkees by The Monkees |
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Top 19 Music Albums of 1981 ratings
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| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/06/2024 23:32 | mrmcrook | 808 | 92/100 |
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Top 19 Music Albums of 1981 comments
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From mrmcrook 06/06/2024 23:34 | #303892
Informative notes with a personal touch are always appreciated. Can give good insight to albums I'm yet to discover
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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