Like a Virgin: Madonna (1984)
Madonna was just another pop star wannabe until she released
Like a Virgin. Although not much different from her debut album, her sophomore effort defined Madonna and established an image. That image, combined with catchy and career defining pop tunes, catapulted the Michigander into superstardom.
Like a Virgin’s title track and the hit single
Material Girl provided magic which Madonna rode and expanded upon for the next few decades.
Key Tracks:
Like a Virgin
Angel
Material Girl
Dress You Up
Exodus: Bob Marley and the Wailers (1977)
Exodus made Bob Marley a superstar and helped catapult reggae into the mainstream. Marley composed the album while in a sort of exile following an assassination attempt. Reggae allowed Marley to combine his passion for music and justice. The political nature of his music made him a target for assassination. He left Jamaica at the end of 1976 to recover and
Exodus was born.
Key Tracks:
Jamming
Waiting in Vain
One Love/People Get Ready
Kick Out the Jams: The MC5 (1969)
Without
Kick Out the Jams, punk may never have been born. The album celebrated leftist causes and revolution. In fact, the MC5 celebrate the Black Panthers and the 1967 Detroit riots during “Motor City is Burning.” It was recorded live at Detroit’s Grande Ballroom over two nights in 1968.
Key Tracks:
Kick Out the Jams
Motor City is Burning
Starship
Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa
Paul McCartney: Band on the Run (1973)
In the seventies, people joked about whether Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings.
Band on the Run was Wings’ apex. The album came on the heels of McCartney’s successful Bond Theme for
Live and Let Die.
Band on the Run hit #1 on the U.S. charts three times, won the band a Grammy, and sold over three million copies.
Key Tracks:
Band on the Run
Jet
Let Me Roll It
Bluebird
Megadeth: Rust in Peace (1990)
Dave Mustaine compiled an album covering all the relevant topics for the eighties. Subject material included war, religion, nuclear war, and for the young men, aliens. The work brought Megadeth into the mainstream setting up their most commercially successful which they released in 1992. Many consider the album Megadeth’s best and it remains influential. On a side note, it was the first album in which Mustaine did not fire the producer.
Key Tracks:
Hangar 18
Holy Wars….Punishment Due
John Mellencamp: Uh-Huh (1983)
Hard to believe that
Uh-Huh was John Mellencamp’s seventh album. It was also the first time he used his real name. The record label forced him to use the moniker John Cougar for a time. By 1983, he earned enough freedom to use his real name.
Uh-Huh is a greatest hits album and is considered one of the best albums of the 1980s.
Key Tracks:
Crumblin’ Down
Pink Houses
Authority Song
John Mellencamp: Scarecrow (1985)
John Mellencamp was accused of borrowing from Springsteen (who was accused of stealing from Dylan). Despite the silly accusations,
Scarecrow represents Mellencamp’s examination into the decline of the family farm which made America and also a nostalgic celebration of small town America.
Key Tracks:
Rain on the Scarecrow
Lonely Ol’ Night
Small Town
R.O.C.K. in the USA
Master of Puppets: Metallica (1986)
Master of Puppets is one of the most influential albums of all time. The album went gold with no radio play and without any music videos demonstrating the hunger amongst metal fans for something different. While most hard rock acts attempted to go mainstream, Metallica rebelled and went in another direction. The thrash classic was the last album with Cliff Burton. The bassist died in a bus accident while touring with the band.
Key Tracks:
Master of Puppets
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Disposable Heroes
Metallica: Metallica (1991)
Metallica decided to move more to the mainstream while retaining their heavy metal credentials with their eponymous 1991 release. The album took over 1991 and 1992 and catapulted the band to superstadom. It sold over 15 million copies and spawned many hits. The band scrapped their thrash sound in favor of radio friendly metal. It is a major turning point in the band’s history. There’s Metallica before 1991 and after 1991.
Key Tracks:
Enter Sandman
The Unforgiven
Wherever I May Roam
Nothing Else Matters
Sad But True
Jagged Little Pill: Alanis Morrisette (1995)
Alanis Morrisette scrapped her pop sound for her third album. She was not going to be Madonna, so she moved to alt music. The end result is 33 million albums sold. She essentially bared her soul on the record and people responded. “You Oughta Know” led to intense speculation as to whom the song was about. It was reported that Alanis admitted it was about Dave Coulier who confirmed some of the events depicted. However, the artist refuses to confirm the identity of the mystery man. Only Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” has led to more debate.
Key Tracks:
You Oughta Know
Hand in My Pocket
Ironic
Head Over Feet
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (1968)
It took 33 years for
Astral Weeks to be certified gold. The cult classic mixed folk, classical, jazz, and blues and was a critical success. Despite the slow start, the album has frequently appeared on best of lists for critics and fans alike.
Key Tracks:
Astral Weeks
Slim Slow Slider
Madame George
Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)
Van Morrison’s best know album includes one top 40 hit and it wasn’t the title track. He released “Come Running” which peaked at #39. “Moondance” was not released as a single until 1977 and it barely cracked the Hot 100.
Key Tracks:
Moondance
Come Running
Crazy Love
Ace of Spades: Motorhead (1980)
1980 was a good year for metal.
Ace of Spades joined
British Steel and
Back in Black to form an influential triumvirate. Motorhead’s entry was particularly influential to the thrash metal movement of the mid-80s which appeared in opposition to glam metal. The title track is Motorhead’s signature song and sums up the album.
Key Tracks:
Ace of Spades
Love Me Like a Reptile
Jailbait
