1. Joy Division- Closer

Listen: “Heart and Soul”

2. Talking Heads- Remain in Light

Listen: “Once in a Lifetime”

3. Elvis Costello- Get Happy!!

Listen: “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down”

4. Ramones- End of the Century

Listen: “Baby, I Love You”

5. AC/DC- Back in Black

Listen: “Hells Bells”

6. Dead Kennedys- Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Listen: “Holiday in Cambodia”

7. X- Los Angeles

Listen: “Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not”

8. Prince- Dirty Mind

Listen: “When You Were Mine”

9. Pretenders- Pretenders

Listen: “Kid”

10. Bruce Springsteen- The River

Listen: “The Ties That Bind” [Non-Album Live Version]

Honorable Mention: David Bowie’s Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), Captain Beefheart’s Doc at the Radar Station, Bruce Cockburn’s Humans, The Jam’s Sound Affects, Motorhead’s Ace of Spades

Updated: January 3, 2012

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

1. The Clash- London Calling

Listen: “Clampdown”

2. Neil Young- Rust Never Sleeps

Listen: “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” [Non-Album Live Version]

3. Michael Jackson- Off the Wall

Listen: “Rock With You”

4. Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures

Listen: “Disorder”

5. The Specials- Specials

Listen: “A Message to You Rudy”

6. Gang of Four- Entertainment!

Listen: “Ether”

7. Elvis Costello- Armed Forces

Listen: “Oliver’s Army”

8. The Cure- Three Imaginary Boys / Boys Don’t Cry

Listen: “Boys Don’t Cry”

9. Funkadelic- Uncle Jam Wants You

Listen: “(Not Just) Knee Deep”

10. Pink Floyd- The Wall

Listen: “Comfortably Numb”

Honorable Mention: Cheap Trick’s At Budokan, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ Damn the Torpedoes, Public Image Ltd.’s Second Edition, Patti Smith’s Wave, Neil Young’s Live Rust

Updated: December 31, 2011

See Also: Top 10 Tracks of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965