The Best Metal Albums of the 1980s
Our pick of the essential metal records released in the 1980s, ranked.
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1Master of PuppetsMetallica
Master of Puppets
Thrash metal's high-water mark, complex and crushing across eight tightly written epics. Widely held to be the best metal album ever made. Relentless and precise.
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2The Number of the BeastIron Maiden
The Number of the Beast
The arrival of Bruce Dickinson and the band's classic era, galloping, melodic and theatrical. Anthemic from start to finish. A heavy-metal landmark.
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3Kill 'Em AllMetallica
Kill 'Em All
A blistering thrash debut of speed and aggression. Raw and influential. The genre's opening shot.
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4Ride the LightningMetallica
Ride the Lightning
The leap from speed to genuine sophistication, balancing ferocity with melody and ambition. A thrash cornerstone. The sound of a band finding greatness.
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5...And Justice for AllMetallica
...And Justice for All
A dense, complex thrash peak of long, intricate songs. Ambitious and dry-sounding. A divisive favourite.
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6PowerslaveIron Maiden
Powerslave
Epic, intricate and confident, home to the towering 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. The peak of their golden run. Grand metal done right.
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7Reign in BloodSlayer
Reign in Blood
Twenty-nine minutes of pure, brutal velocity that redefined extreme thrash, bookended by 'Angel of Death' and 'Raining Blood'. Ferocious and flawless. A genre touchstone.
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8British SteelJudas Priest
British Steel
The album that streamlined heavy metal into anthems, from 'Breaking the Law' to 'Living After Midnight'. Tight and iconic. A genre cornerstone.
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9Ace of SpadesMotörhead
Ace of Spades
Fast, loud and gloriously dirty, the album that defined Motörhead and bridged punk and metal. The title track is immortal. Pure adrenaline.
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10Holy DiverDio
Holy Diver
A landmark of melodic heavy metal, home to its iconic title track. Powerful and beloved. Dio's solo peak.
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11Blizzard of OzzOzzy Osbourne
Blizzard of Ozz
A solo debut powered by Randy Rhoads's virtuoso guitar, home to 'Crazy Train'. Sharp and influential. A metal classic.
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12Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?Megadeth
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
A sharp, technical thrash peak of political bite. Tight and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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13South of HeavenSlayer
South of Heaven
A slower, darker follow-up to Reign in Blood. Heavy and acclaimed. A strong peak.
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14Among the LivingAnthrax
Among the Living
A fast, fun thrash classic of mosh-pit anthems. Tight and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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15Iron MaidenIron Maiden
Iron Maiden
A raw, punky debut of galloping NWOBHM energy. Vital and influential. The start of a legend.
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16Piece of MindIron Maiden
Piece of Mind
A polished peak of intricate, melodic metal, home to 'The Trooper'. Tight and beloved. A classic.
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17Seventh Son of a Seventh SonIron Maiden
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
A lush, keyboard-tinged concept peak. Ambitious and beloved. A high point of their run.
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18Screaming for VengeanceJudas Priest
Screaming for Vengeance
A sharp, commercial peak, home to 'You've Got Another Thing Comin''. Tight and huge. Their best-selling record.
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19Beneath the RemainsSepultura
Beneath the Remains
A ferocious, precise thrash peak that put Brazilian metal on the map. Relentless and acclaimed. A genre classic.
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20Altars of MadnessMorbid Angel
Altars of Madness
A foundational death-metal landmark of speed and technicality. Brutal and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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21Pretty Hate MachineNine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine
A catchy, industrial-pop debut, home to 'Head Like a Hole'. Bold and influential. A breakthrough.
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22Heaven and HellBlack Sabbath
Heaven and Hell
A triumphant Dio-fronted reinvention of melodic metal. Powerful and beloved. A late peak.
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23Somewhere in TimeIron Maiden
Somewhere in Time
A polished, synth-tinged peak of melodic metal. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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24Hell AwaitsSlayer
Hell Awaits
A dark, fast early peak of proto-death thrash. Brutal and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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25Spreading the DiseaseAnthrax
Spreading the Disease
A sharp, tuneful thrash peak. Tight and beloved. A high point.
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26Practice What You PreachTestament
Practice What You Preach
A polished, melodic Bay Area thrash peak. Tight and acclaimed. A high point.
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27Bonded by BloodExodus
Bonded by Blood
A ferocious Bay Area thrash landmark. Fast and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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28Pleasure to KillKreator
Pleasure to Kill
A blistering German thrash landmark of relentless speed. Brutal and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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29Scream Bloody GoreDeath
Scream Bloody Gore
A foundational death-metal landmark, raw and pioneering. Brutal and historic. The genre's debut statement.
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30LeprosyDeath
Leprosy
A foundational death-metal peak of brutal precision. Heavy and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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31ScumNapalm Death
Scum
A foundational grindcore landmark of extreme brevity and speed. Brutal and influential. A genre origin point.
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32Black MetalVenom
Black Metal
The crude, foundational album that named a genre. Raw and influential. A genre origin point.
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33MelissaMercyful Fate
Melissa
A theatrical, twin-guitar landmark of early metal drama. Sharp and influential. A cult classic.
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34Don't Break the OathMercyful Fate
Don't Break the Oath
A theatrical, twin-guitar metal peak. Sharp and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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35AbigailKing Diamond
Abigail
A theatrical, narrative heavy-metal concept landmark. Bold and beloved. A cult classic.
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36Seven ChurchesPossessed
Seven Churches
A proto-death-metal landmark of extreme speed. Brutal and influential. A genre origin point.
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37Morbid TalesCeltic Frost
Morbid Tales
An influential, avant-garde extreme-metal landmark. Bold and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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38To Mega TherionCeltic Frost
To Mega Therion
An adventurous, avant-metal landmark of crushing invention. Bold and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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39Epicus Doomicus MetallicusCandlemass
Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
A foundational epic-doom landmark of slow, majestic heaviness. Grand and influential. A genre cornerstone.
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40NightfallCandlemass
Nightfall
An epic-doom peak of operatic vocals and crushing riffs. Grand and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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41Born Too LateSaint Vitus
Born Too Late
A foundational doom-metal landmark of slow, heavy alienation. Heavy and influential. A genre cornerstone.