The Best Funk & Disco Albums of the 1980s
Our pick of the essential funk & disco records released in the 1980s, ranked.
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1Street SongsRick James
Street Songs
A blockbuster funk peak, home to 'Super Freak' and 'Give It to Me Baby'. Slick and huge. His finest.
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2ZappZapp
Zapp
Roger Troutman's talk-box funk debut, home to 'More Bounce to the Ounce'. Influential and beloved. An electro-funk cornerstone.
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3Gap Band IVThe Gap Band
Gap Band IV
A peak of bouncy, synth-driven funk, home to 'You Dropped a Bomb on Me' and 'Early in the Morning'. Fun and huge. A genre high point.
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4Word Up!Cameo
Word Up!
A sleek, synth-funk peak built around its irresistible title hit. Sharp and beloved. A commercial high.
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5Straight from the HeartPatrice Rushen
Straight from the Heart
A polished funk-soul peak, home to the much-sampled 'Forget Me Nots'. Smooth and beloved. A genre highlight.
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6DianaDiana Ross
Diana
A sleek Chic-produced peak, home to 'Upside Down' and 'I'm Coming Out'. Polished and huge. Her commercial high.
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7NightclubbingGrace Jones
Nightclubbing
A cool, reggae-and-new-wave-tinged art-disco peak, home to 'Pull Up to the Bumper'. Striking and acclaimed. Her finest.