VIDEO: 10 Best Rock Albums of 1979
When the 1970s came to a close, these ten albums helped the decade go out with a bang.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of these albums, and four decades later, they still sound as fresh as the day they were released.
In the video below, we count down the ten best albums from 1979. Did your favorite album make the list? Click play and find out! Scroll past the video to see which albums just missed the top ten.
15. Motorhead – ‘Overkill’
The iconic metal band’s second studio album, Motorhead’s ‘Overkill’ features the killer title track, “No Class” and “Stay Clean.”
14. Talking Heads – ‘Fear of Music’
A critical favorite, Talking Heads’ third studio album gave fans “Life During Wartime”, “I Zimbra” and “Cities.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVHNwBbkSj4
13. David Bowie – ‘Lodger’
‘Lodger’ was the last of Bowie’s “Berlin Trilogy” and gave fans plenty of gems including “Boys Keep Swinging.”
12. Blondie – ‘Eat to the Beat’
Following an album like ‘Parallel Lines’ would be hard for most bands, but Blondie proved more than up for the challenge with ‘Eat to the Beat’ which included hits like “Dreaming” and “Atomic.”
11. Pat Benatar – ‘In the Heat of the Night’
‘In the Heat of the Night’ was Benatar’s debut, and it set the bar for incredible career thanks to the breakout hit single “Heartbreaker.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIosHNpGjTE
10. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – ‘Rust Never Sleeps’
Recorded live, ‘Rust Never Sleeps’ was overdubbed in a studio and remains one of Young’s most beloved albums in his catalog.
9. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – ‘Damn The Torpedos’
The first album from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers to crack the top 10 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, ‘Damn The Torpedos’ yielded three of the band’s biggest songs: “Don’t Do Me Like That,” “Refugee” and “Here Comes My Girl.”
8. The Clash – ‘London Calling’
One of punk’s most iconic albums, ‘London Calling’ remains one of the best albums of all time thanks to the power of the classic title track, “The Guns of Brixton” and “Death of Glory.”
7. AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’
AC/DC would finally breakthrough in the United States in a big way thanks to ‘Highway to Hell,’ and it serves an epic farewell to the late Bon Scott.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l482T0yNkeo/
6. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Tusk’
‘Tusk’ had the unreal task of following ‘Rumours,’ which is still one of the highest-selling albums of all time. While it wasn’t super well-received upon its release, ‘Tusk’ has become respected over time.
5. The Police – ‘Regatta de Blanc’
‘Regatta de Blanc’ gave The Police their first number one album in their native U.K. and foreshadowed their pop-rock excellence.
4. Van Halen – ‘Van Halen II’
Van Halen’s second studio album was recorded in one week and gave fans “Dance the Night Away,” “Beautiful Girls” and the underrated cover “You’re No Good.”
3. The Eagles – ‘The Long Run’
‘The Long Run’ would serve as The Eagles’ final studio album for nearly three decades and gave fans classics like the title track and “Heartache Tonight.”
2. Led Zeppelin – ‘In Through the Out Door’
The final studio from Led Zeppelin, ‘In Through the Out Door’ served as a moving farewell from one of the biggest bands in music history.
1. Pink Floyd – ‘The Wall’
Certified 23-times Platinum by the RIAA, Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ has remained one of the greatest rock operas of all time and seems to only get better and more poignant with age.
Click HERE to check out our gallery of album covers for the 10 best albums of 1979!
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