Top Ten - 1980

1980 was an important year in rock and metal. Looking through the 60 albums below, you'll find many bands' first albums, including Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, MSG, and others. Also notable is Ian Gillan's two-year stint not just in the top spot, but at #1 here, and #1 and #2 the following year.



Top Ten - 1980
91.11 -- Gillan - Glory Road
90.22 -- Def Leppard - On Through the Night
89.96 -- Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
89.62 -- Manilla Road - Invasion
89.07 -- Warrior - Let Battle Commence
88.74 -- Saxon - Strong Arm of the Law
87.83 -- Tygers of Pan Tang - Wild Cat
86.21 -- Robin Trower - Victims of the Fury
86.04 -- Krokus - Metal Rendez-vous
85.23 -- AC/DC - Back In Black

Other 1980 releases:
85.05 -- Budgie - Power Supply
84.83 -- Michael Schenker Group - The Michael Schenker Group
84.55 -- Quartz - Stand Up and Fight
84.47 -- Samson - Head On
84.38 -- Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
84.25 -- Ted Nugent - Scream Dream
84.21 -- Triumph - Progressions of Power
83.48 -- Motörhead - Ace of Spades
82.95 -- The Rods - Rock Hard
82.84 -- Killer - Ready for Hell
82.23 -- White Spirit - White Spirit
82.23 -- Chevy - The Taker
82.17 -- Samson - Survivors
81.84 -- Fist - Turn the Hell On
81.53 -- Saxon - Wheels of Steel
81.02 -- Molly Hatchet - Beatin' the Odds
80.60 -- Rush - Permanent Waves
80.57 -- Gamma - Gamma 2
80.50 -- Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
80.14 -- Girlschool - Demolition
80.04 -- Angel Witch - Angel Witch
79.93 -- Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
78.82 -- Queen - The Game
78.49 -- Judas Priest - British Steel
75.42 -- Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster
75.36 -- Thin Lizzy - Chinatown
74.94 -- Whitesnake - Ready an' Willing
74.62 -- Van Halen - Women and Children First
74.57 -- UFO - No Place to Run
73.52 -- Max Webster - Universal Juveniles
72.74 -- 707 - 707
72.46 -- Heart - Bebe le Strange
72.27 -- Witchfynde - Stagefright
72.05 -- Blackfoot - Tomcattin'
71.58 -- Uriah Heep - Conquest
71.39 -- Crack the Sky - White Music
71.05 -- Hawkwind - Levitation
70.68 -- Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
70.58 -- Blue Öyster Cult - Cultosaurus Erectus
70.09 -- Winterhawk - Dog Soldier
68.79 -- Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Chance
68.04 -- Pat Travers Band - Crash and Burn
65.44 -- Foghat - Tight Shoes
65.15 -- Bow Wow - Glorious Road
61.53 -- Sweet - Waters Edge
60.17 -- Jethro Tull - A
59.17 -- Alice Cooper - Flush the Fashion
58.93 -- Queen - Flash Gordon
51.41 -- Touch - Touch
46.24 -- Kiss - Unmasked
62.80 -- Hawkwind - Church Of Hawkwind
62.50 -- Van Halen - Diver Down
61.10 -- Venom - Black Metal
59.50 -- Pete Townshend - All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
55.66 -- Alice Cooper - Zipper Catches Skin
52.96 -- Foghat - In the Mood for Something Rude
50.14 -- Queen - Hot Space

To Cry You A Song - Colors

A goofy list to be sure, but what the hell. What makes this work (for me, at least) is that every song is rated 4 or higher*. And even better, three songs (Rat Bat Blue, Running, White Face, City Boy and Golden Country) are Desert Island songs.

There's a little more thought to song order here. I start with black and white, then list the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV, with a substitution of purple for indigo), then other colors, and finally the metallic colors.

*That is, every song except Why Is a Carrot More Orange than an Orange. But it was the only one I had that used the word "orange" in the title, so I didn't have much choice.

The disc isn't completely full, running "only" 62:15, but this is somewhat intentional because I didn't want to repeat any colors. If you know of any other "color" songs that I missed (tan, for example), let me know and maybe I'll add them here.

Color Tracks:
1. AC/DC - Back in Black (4:15)
2. Gillan - Running, White Face, City Boy (3:13)
3. Great White - Lady Red Light (4:54)
4. Amboy Dukes - Why Is a Carrot More Orange than an Orange (2:25)
5. Scorpions - Yellow Butterfly (5:44)
6. Judas Priest - Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) (3:21)
7. Deep Purple - Rat Bat Blue (5:23)
8. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (2:50)
9. Blackmore's Night - Under a Violet Moon (4:23)
10. Aerosmith - Pink (3:55)
11. Testament - As the Seasons Grey (6:16)
12. Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (3:49)
13. April Wine - Silver Dollar (5:14)
14. R.E.O. Speedwagon - Golden Country (6:33)
Disc length - 62:15

Albums:
AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)
Gillan - Glory Road (1980)
Great White - Once Bitten… (1987)
Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Center of the Mind (1968)
Scorpions - Eye II Eye (1999)
Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather (1979)
Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are (1973)
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? (U.S.) (1967)
Blackmore's Night - Under a Violet Moon (1999)
Aerosmith - Nine Lives (1997)
Testament - The Ritual (1992)
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers (1971)
April Wine - First Glance (1978)
R.E.O. Speedwagon - T.W.O. (1972)

Top Ten - 2000

Euro-metal ruled the releases in 2000, including the top eight albums. Perhaps many U.S. bands were taking a break or on tour, but seeing as I only rated 41 albums, I have a feeling the numbers will increase, if not change, as I review other releases from 2000. (Update: Anthem took over the top spot with their excellent re-recording of older material featuring Graham Bonnett on vocals.)

2000 Top Ten:
91.67 -- Anthem - Heavy Metal Anthem
91.28 -- Domine - Stormbringer Ruler
89.80 -- Ayreon - Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
89.72 -- Bow Wow - Beyond
88.64 -- Helloween - The Dark Ride
86.68 -- Iron Maiden - Brave New World
86.39 -- Tad Morose - Undead
86.15 -- Motörhead - We are Motörhead
85.92 -- UFO - Covenant
85.68 -- Mob Rules - Temple of Two Suns

Other 2000 releases:
85.65 -- Persuader - The Hunter
84.83 -- Seven Witches - City of Lost Souls
84.78 -- Symphony X - V: The New Mythology Suite
84.25 -- Stratovarius - Infinite
84.22 -- Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
84.01 -- Fates Warning - Disconnected
83.90 -- Lefay - . . . _ _ _ . . . (S.O.S.)
83.39 -- Alice Cooper - Brutal Planet
83.39 -- Therion - Deggial
83.05 -- Mägo de Oz - Finisterra
82.89 -- Running Wild - Victory
82.32 -- Silent Force - The Empire of Future
81.13 -- Nightwish - Wishmaster
79.47 -- Hammerfall - Renegade
78.77 -- Axel Rudi Pell - The Masquerade Ball
78.03 -- Molly Hatchet - Kingdom of XII
77.01 -- Brainstorm - Ambiguity
76.93 -- Nostradameus - Words of Nostradameus
75.09 -- Gov't Mule - Life Before Insanity
74.77 -- Dark Moor - The Hall of the Olden Dreams
74.00 -- Dio - Magica
71.97 -- Angel Dust - Enlighten the Darkness
69.19 -- Pretty Maids - Carpe Diem
69.10 -- AC/DC - Stiff Upper Lip
69.00 -- Thy Majestie - The Lasting Power
68.23 -- Chinchilla - Madness
64.09 -- Heavenly - Coming from the Sky
63.03 -- Shadow Keep - Corruption Within
61.96 -- Mötley Crüe - New Tattoo
60.94 -- Praying Mantis - Nowhere to Hide
50.09 -- Cornerstone - Arrival