4 Underrated 80s Rock Albums That You Need To Hear

The 80s delivered a lot of unforgettable music. Some of the most monumental, hit-laden albums of all time came from the decade. Those mega-hits occasionally made it difficult for even brilliant records to make a mark.

Casual fans might not know these four 80s rock albums. But if you take a listen, you’ll find out that this quartet of LPs should take a back seat to nothing.

‘Learning to Crawl’ by The Pretenders

Most pop fans can spot the individual tracks on Learning To Crawl as some of the most popular in the Pretenders catalog. There’s the touching ode to lost friends “Back On The Chain Gang” and the scorching diatribe about urban blight “My City Was Gone”. The glistening holiday song “2000 Miles” is here, as well as the thunderous power pop of “Middle Of The Road”. But because they all arrived somewhat in advance of the album, many people overlook the entire collection. The LP is a testament to the persistence and talent of frontwoman Chrissie Hynde. She basically willed the band back to the elite after terrible hardship and tragedy invaded.

‘This Is The Sea’ by The Waterboys

Many UK-based bands in the 80s went the synth-pop route, infusing their songs with austere beats and mechanical melodies. But The Waterboys, spurred on by leader Mike Scott, took things in the opposite direction, especially on This Is The Sea. The Irish band embraced a sweeping, anthemic sound that kept things relatively organic with violins and horns. Songs like “The Whole Of The Moon”, “Be My Enemy”, and “This Is The Sea” wear their sprawl proudly on their sleeve, and it’s exhilarating stuff. This album would be the last for Karl Wallinger in The Waterboys. He’d go on to form World Party, another band that deserved more attention than they received.

‘Boomtown’ by David + David

David Ricketts and David Baerwald had been a part of enough sessions as musicians in LA that they knew what they didn’t like about the music scene. They decided to team up and release a record that met their imposing standards. The two men shared the duties on Boomtown, which put the songwriting front and center and spurned any artifice. David + David announced themselves to the world with the opening single “Welcome To The Boomtown”, a musically dynamic, lyrically rich take on the duo’s home city and its doomed denizens. Ricketts and Baerwald called it a day with this project after this lone album. They left behind an unforgettable one-off.

‘Waking Hours’ by Del Amitri

Most American fans know Del Amitri from their 1995 Top 10 smash “Roll To Me”. In actuality, the band’s music wasn’t usually that sprightly and simple. Driven by the songwriting of Justin Currie, these Scotsmen generally went with a jangly rock sound rich with penetrating melodies. Their 1985 debut album was a bit of a false start. But when they returned in 1989 with Waking Hours, they had solidified the formula that’s carried them through their career. Standout tracks include the loosely swinging “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” and the dramatic closer “Nothing Ever Happens”. But you won’t find an uninspired moment within this entire wonderful album.

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