In 1984, rock artists, both established and on the rise, provided an epic soundtrack for the year that has been cherished in the decades since their release.

Scroll through our gallery and check out our selection of the best rock albums of 1984.

• Van Halen – ‘1984’

  Share

  Van Halen’s ‘1984’ may have turned off some fans with their use of synthesizers, but the album still rocks and gave fans hits like “Jump,” “I’ll Wait,” “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.”

• Metallica – ‘Ride The Lightning’

  Share

  Few bands showed as much progression from debut to sophomore album quite like Metallica did on ‘Ride the Lightning.’ They foreshadowed the brilliance yet to come from their remarkable catalog.

• U2 – ‘The Unforgettable Fire’

  Share

  U2 took a big step forward on ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ with moving radio hits like “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “Bad.”
• The Cars – ‘Heartbeat City’

  Share

  The Cars’ fifth studio album was loaded with hits, including “Drive” their highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100.

• Scorpions – ‘Love At First Sting’

  Share

  Scorpions’ ‘Love at First Sting’ remains the German band’s most successful album in the United States thanks to successful singles like “Rock You Like a Hurrican”, “Still Loving You” and “Big City Nights.”

• Rush – ‘Grace Under Pressure’

  Share

  Rush continued to evolve their sound on their tenth studio album ‘Grace Under Pressure,’ which features an increase of synthesizers.
• R.E.M. – ‘Reckoning’

  Share

  Despite the lack of mainstream rock radio support, REM’s ‘Reckoning’ still managed to reach number 27 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart thanks in large part to the support of college radio.

• Queen – ‘The Works’

  Share

  After taking a year off after touring in support of their previous album Hot Space, Queen came back with ‘The Works,’ which featured fan favorites “Radio Ga Ga,” “I Want to Break Free” and “Hammer to Fall.”

• Bruce Springsteen – ‘Born in the U.S.A.’

  Share

  ‘Born in the USA’ remains The Boss’ highest-selling album in the United States selling 15 million copies. With hits like “Dancing in the Dark,” the title track and “Cover Me,” it pretty understandable why the album was so successful. Plus, that album artwork, though.
• Bon Jovi – ‘Bon Jovi’

  Share

  Bon Jovi’s self-titled debut set the stage for what was to come from some of New Jersey’s favorite sons just three years later when they’d become the biggest band in the world with ‘Slippery When Wet.’

Sign me up for the 101 WRIF Cybercrew email newsletter!

Join the 101 WRIF Cybercrew to get everything that rocks sent right to your inbox from The Riff! You’ll get updates on concerts and your favorite bands, along with exclusive chances to win. Plus news and stories from all around metro Detroit!

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.