1981: Metal
by 
Repo 
- Chart updated: 08/01/2024 03:15
- (Created: 08/21/2021 14:48).
- Chart size: 44 albums.
There is 1 comment for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and 1981: Metal 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 chart is currently filtered to only show albums from Germany. (Remove this filter)
The (Teutonic) Metal Gods
If you were trying to pick one band that encapsulated the sound of metal, it would have to be British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance - era Judas Priest. That’s a given. But Accept’s early 80s output would be a close second! In fact, no other metal band dominated the early 80s metal scene quite like Accept besides Iron Maiden (whose run of FIVE utterly essential albums over FIVE years is downright mind boggling.) But Accept (sorta) had (nearly) FOUR classic albums over that same span with Breaker, Restless & Wild, Balls To The Wall, and Metal Heart.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. It took two albums for Accept to find themselves. Their first two albums (self-titled and I'm A Rebel) are competent but entirely generic late 70s hard rock. But then BAM! Accept arrive fully formed on Breaker in 1981. People will tell you that Breaker’s a transitional album. That's utter bullshit. Especially the first side which is an unqualified masterpiece of 1981 heavy metal and completely on the forefront of where metal was going. Especially the title track “Breaker” itself which just may be the very first speed metal song. Check it out here and see what every future metal band was about to mainline.
Completely metallic, mechanical, fast, dirty and brutal. Taking their key twin influences of, let’s say, 80% Priest and 20% Bon Scott-era AC/DC and running with it. That's right. AC/DC. People forget, perhaps because the Brian Johnson second-rate era far outlived the Bon Scott one, that AC/DC were one of the rawest, dirtiest and heaviest bands on the planet back in the late 70s. If you don’t know this, do yourself a favor and spin “Go Down” or “Dog Eat Dog” from Let There Be Rock. That shit is nasty!
tldr: There are THREE albums by Accept that I feel are ESSENTIAL for the metal canon.
THE THREE U NEED
1. Breaker (1981)
2. Restless & Wild (1982)
3. Balls To The Wall (1983)
And for those three years, they were one of the biggest, most important bands in metal. And the metal axis shifted ever so slightly Eastward. To Germany. And the Continent. [First added to this chart: 11/14/2021]
If you were trying to pick one band that encapsulated the sound of metal, it would have to be British Steel/Screaming For Vengeance - era Judas Priest. That’s a given. But Accept’s early 80s output would be a close second! In fact, no other metal band dominated the early 80s metal scene quite like Accept besides Iron Maiden (whose run of FIVE utterly essential albums over FIVE years is downright mind boggling.) But Accept (sorta) had (nearly) FOUR classic albums over that same span with Breaker, Restless & Wild, Balls To The Wall, and Metal Heart.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. It took two albums for Accept to find themselves. Their first two albums (self-titled and I'm A Rebel) are competent but entirely generic late 70s hard rock. But then BAM! Accept arrive fully formed on Breaker in 1981. People will tell you that Breaker’s a transitional album. That's utter bullshit. Especially the first side which is an unqualified masterpiece of 1981 heavy metal and completely on the forefront of where metal was going. Especially the title track “Breaker” itself which just may be the very first speed metal song. Check it out here and see what every future metal band was about to mainline.
Completely metallic, mechanical, fast, dirty and brutal. Taking their key twin influences of, let’s say, 80% Priest and 20% Bon Scott-era AC/DC and running with it. That's right. AC/DC. People forget, perhaps because the Brian Johnson second-rate era far outlived the Bon Scott one, that AC/DC were one of the rawest, dirtiest and heaviest bands on the planet back in the late 70s. If you don’t know this, do yourself a favor and spin “Go Down” or “Dog Eat Dog” from Let There Be Rock. That shit is nasty!
tldr: There are THREE albums by Accept that I feel are ESSENTIAL for the metal canon.
THE THREE U NEED
1. Breaker (1981)
2. Restless & Wild (1982)
3. Balls To The Wall (1983)
And for those three years, they were one of the biggest, most important bands in metal. And the metal axis shifted ever so slightly Eastward. To Germany. And the Continent. [First added to this chart: 11/14/2021]
[First added to this chart: 11/23/2021]
Total albums: 2. Page 1 of 1
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1981: Metal composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Tygers Of Pan Tang | 2 | 5% | |
| Gillan | 2 | 5% | |
| Samson | 1 | 2% | |
| Venom | 1 | 2% | |
| Molly Hatchet | 1 | 2% | |
| Girlschool | 1 | 2% | |
| April Wine | 1 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
23 | 52% | |
| |
9 | 20% | |
 |
5 | 11% | |
 |
2 | 5% | |
 |
2 | 5% | |
 |
1 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
1981: Metal chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 33rd to 34thFor Those About To Rock (We Salute You) by AC/DC |
| Down 1 from 34th to 35thThe Power Of Rock And Roll by Frank Marino |
| Down 1 from 35th to 36thCrazy Nights by Tygers Of Pan Tang |
| New entries |
|---|
| Worlds Apart by Saga (CA) |
1981: Metal similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 40 Music Albums of 1981 |  mrblond | 1981 year chart | 2021 |  |
| Top 33 Music Albums of 1981 |  ~SMiLE~ | 1981 year chart | 2013 | |
| Top 27 Music Albums of 1981 |  UofTBlues | 1981 year chart | 2020 | |
| Top 20 Music Albums of 1981 |  IlMala | 1981 year chart | 2022 |  |
| Top 20 Music Albums of 1981 |  DanielNunes93 | 1981 year chart | 2017 |  |
| Top 33 Music Albums of 1981 | Garyf1972 | 1981 year chart | 2019 | |
| Top 40 Music Albums of 1981 |  badseed | 1981 year chart | 2015 | |
| Top 20 Music Albums of 1981 |  WrathchildIX | 1981 year chart | 2017 |  |
| Repo Recs: 80's Metal | Repo | Custom chart | 2021 | |
| Top 42 Music Albums of 1981 | mlgprounicorn | 1981 year chart | 2020 | |
1981: Metal similarity to your chart(s)
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Other custom charts by Repo
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991: Even More Gems | Repo | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| 1992: Even More Gems | Repo | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Pitchfork Music Fest 2018 | Repo | Custom chart | 2018 | |
1981: Metal ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 1 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/16/2024 22:23 | mrmcrook | 812 | 92/100 |
1981: Metal comments
Showing all 1 comments |
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From mrmcrook 03/16/2024 22:24 | #302559
Love the notes. Informative of the albums I don't know. Your lists like these are fantastic discovery grounds
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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