Top Ten - 1979

Classic rock bands dominated the 67 albums I rated from 1979. But if you look closely, you'll find some New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands not only enter the list, but start off strong right from the beginning.



Top Ten - 1979
92.75 -- Scorpions - Lovedrive
88.62 -- Gamma - Gamma 1
87.72 -- Motörhead - Overkill
87.28 -- Van Halen - Van Halen II
86.50 -- Gillan - Mr. Universe
86.31 -- Triumph - Just A Game
86.00 -- Rainbow - Down to Earth
84.95 -- Blackfoot - Strikes
83.88 -- Quartz - Deleted
83.70 -- Poobah - Steamroller

Other 1979 releases:
83.64 -- Mythra - Death and Destiny
82.98 -- New England - New England
82.80 -- Bad Company - Desolation Angels
82.41 -- Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' with Disaster
82.26 -- ZZ Top - Degüello
82.25 -- Cozy Powell - Over the Top
82.18 -- Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts
82.13 -- AC/DC - Highway to Hell
81.97 -- Cheap Trick - Dream Police
81.04 -- Thin Lizzy - Black Rose: A Rock Legend
80.57 -- Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
79.92 -- Legend - From the Fjords
79.60 -- Accept - Accept
79.45 -- Riot - Narita
79.38 -- Mariner - One
79.26 -- Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
79.07 -- Legs Diamond - Fire Power
77.81 -- Face Dancer - This World
77.28 -- Saxon - Saxon
77.25 -- Jethro Tull - Stormwatch
76.87 -- Motörhead - Bomber
76.60 -- April Wine - Harder ... Faster
75.77 -- Hawkwind - PXR5
75.61 -- Foghat - Boogie Motel
75.32 -- Styx - Cornerstone
75.23 -- Ted Nugent - State of Shock
74.10 -- Whitesnake - Lovehunter
73.99 -- R.E.O. Speedwagon - Nine Lives
71.06 -- Foreigner - Head Games
70.54 -- Winterhawk - Electric Warriors
70.23 -- Pat Travers Band - Heat In the Street
69.93 -- Axe - Axe
68.89 -- Kiss - Dynasty
67.52 -- Golden Earring - No Promises...No Debts
66.62 -- Shooting Star - Shooting Star
66.21 -- Sweet - Cut Above the Rest
65.30 -- Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors
64.74 -- Pink Floyd - The Wall
61.18 -- Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Angel Station
60.76 -- Quiet Riot - Quiet Riot II
55.73 -- Pepper Porter Band - Invasion
43.71 -- Truth And Janey - Just A Little Bit Of Magic
41.67 -- The Godz - Nothing Is Sacred
37.35 -- Max Webster - A Million Vacations
69.54 -- Hawkwind - Choose Your Masques
69.23 -- Budgie - Deliver Us from Evil
68.51 -- Golden Earring - Cut
65.33 -- Krokus - One Vice At A Time
65.00 -- Twisted Sister - Under the Blade
64.06 -- Tygers of Pan Tang - Crazy Nights
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

Top Ten - 1993

The early to mid 90s seemed to be a transitional time for hard rock and metal. Grunge was in full swing while many of today's top metal acts were either in their infancy or not yet formed. As a result, the number of releases (of the style of music I prefer) dropped significantly during this time, culminating in 1993's low of only 30 albums reviewed.

1993 Top Ten:
90.28 -- Rage - The Missing Link
90.18 -- Saviour Machine - Saviour Machine I
87.77 -- Metal Church - Hanging in the Balance
85.64 -- Candlebox - Candlebox
84.59 -- Joe Stump - Guitar Dominance!
82.58 -- W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol
82.51 -- Threshold - Wounded Land
82.00 -- Gamma Ray - Insanity and Genius
81.89 -- Morgana Lefay - Secret Doctrine
81.86 -- Morgana Lefay - Knowing Just as I

Other 1993 releases:
80.89 -- Coverdale•Page - Coverdale•Page
77.98 -- Triumph - Edge of Excess
77.94 -- Aerosmith - Get A Grip
77.91 -- Pink Cream 69 - Games People Play
77.88 -- Blue Murder - Nothin' but Trouble
77.45 -- Savatage - Edge of Thorns
76.92 -- Diamond Head - Death and Progress
76.15 -- Tad Morose - Leaving the Past Behind
76.02 -- Butthole Surfers - Independent Worm Saloon
75.66 -- Deep Purple - The Battle Rages On
74.66 -- Motörhead - Bastards
73.09 -- Scorpions - Face the Heat
72.64 -- Angra - Angels Cry
72.34 -- Masters of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus
71.62 -- Blues Traveler - Save His Soul
70.24 -- Pat Travers Band - Just a Touch
65.85 -- Praying Mantis - A Cry for the New World
65.81 -- Warrior Soul - Chill Pill
63.11 -- Pretty Maids - Stripped
58.23 -- Hawkwind - It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous

Top Ten (+15) - Albums by Canadian Bands

I rated 94 albums by 29 Canadian bands, and other than Anvil taking the top two spots, what was also interesting is that just six bands (Anvil, April Wine, Pat Travers, Rush, Steppenwolf and Triumph) released almost 2/3 of those albums. I still have more albums to rate so the list may change (although I'll be surprised if anything changes among the top seven albums). By the way, if you haven't seen the documentary "Anvil! The Story of Anvil," see it.

Update: Two April Wine albums entered the top 25, forcing Pat Travers and Annihilator off the list. I also re-evaluated Triumph's Never Surrender, and I think the new rating is more accurate.

Top 25 Albums:
90.51 -- Anvil - Metal On Metal (1982)
89.64 -- Anvil - Forged In Fire (1983)
89.57 -- Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony (2008)
89.36 -- Rush - Rush (1974)
89.32 -- Moxy - Moxy (1975)
89.16 -- Jeff Healey Band - Hell to Pay (1990)
88.47 -- Sword - Metalized (1986)
87.33 -- Triumph - Never Surrender (1982)
86.31 -- Triumph - Just A Game (1979)
86.04 -- Rush - Grace Under Pressure (1984)
85.80 -- Pat Travers Band - Lookin' Up (1996)
85.66 -- Pat Travers Band - Blues Magnet (1994)
85.32 -- Anvil - Hard 'n' Heavy (1981)
85.30 -- Triumph - Allied Forces (1981)
85.21 -- Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1973)
84.90 -- Mahogany Rush - World Anthem (1977)
84.83 -- Pat Travers Band - Makin' Magic (1977)
84.61 -- Triumph - Rock & Roll Machine (1977)
84.41 -- Killer Dwarfs - The Killer Dwarfs (1983)
84.27 -- Mahogany Rush - Eye of the Storm (2001)
84.23 -- April Wine - The Nature of the Beast (1981)
84.21 -- Triumph - Progressions of Power (1980)
83.37 -- Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
83.20 -- Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (1973)
83.17 -- April Wine - Harder... Faster (1979)