5 Awesome Albums Released 45 Years This Month

March 1980 presented an interesting batch of albums to the listening public. Viewing from the perspective of time, we now know we were hearing a few of these artists at their peak, with others just starting out or beginning to drop off from the height of their popularity.

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At the time, they were just the new releases of the day. Here are five albums from 45 years ago this month that have traveled through time for our enjoyment today.

Glass Houses by Billy Joel

Joel famously refused to categorize new music in this album’s huge hit single, “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.” But let’s face it: The new wave of the day seeped into Glass Houses songs like “All for Leyna,” “Sometimes a Fantasy,” and “I Don’t Want To Be Alone Anymore” (the former two hinting at The Cars, the latter Elvis Costello). Which is all fine, because the style fit Joel like a glove. He captures the tug-of-war between hope and despair on the singles scene with those songs and other winners like “Sleeping With the Television On” and “Through the Long Night.” This record boasts one of the deepest rosters of great songs of any Joel release.

Women and Children First by Van Halen

One fair complaint about VH is they never could get through an entire album filler-free, a la other hard rock heroes like Led Zeppelin. Women and Children First comes pretty close, though. It starts out with the masterful one-two punch of “And the Cradle Will Rock…,” so musically furious and full of pointed social commentary, and “Everybody Wants Some,” with David Lee Roth at his mugging best and Alex Van Halen on tom-tom overload. The rest fades from that slightly, but there’s more variety than you would expect from these guys. “Loss of Control” shows they could have done metal quite well if they chose, while “Take Your Whiskey Home” displays Eddie Van Halen’s acoustic touch.

Duke by Genesis

Look up transition album in the dictionary, and you’re likely to find the Far Side-like Duke album cover. On the one hand, the trio still wanted to keep a toe in the prog rock pool. Songs like “Duchess” and “Duke’s Travels” were meant to be part of a bigger story, but the band chose in the end to separate them with standalone pieces. Most of the one-offs get caught up in matters of the heart, with the Mike Rutherford-penned “Alone Tonight” being the best of those. “Misunderstanding” found them segueing to the pop accessibility that would dominate their future releases. It’s a fascinating mix, and the musical ingenuity of tracks like “Turn It on Again” keeps things fresh all the way.

The Psychedelic Furs by The Psychedelic Furs

Like many of their British new wave counterparts, this London sextet started out with a bit more punkish energy than what they would eventually offer. But even on their debut, the Furs were starting to show off the smarts and instrumental dexterity that would help distinguish them from the punk thrashers. The fact they employed a saxophonist (Duncan Kilburn) should tell you they had more up their sleeve. There’s an impressive momentum to be found on songs like “Sister Europe” and “We Love You,” even while Richard Butler’s sour intonations keep things honest. Closing song “Flowers” points the way to some of the more melodic gems to come from this group.

Look Hear? by 10cc

Their brief stint as hitmaking balladeers had ended by the time this British band came to this record. This was also the era after Kevin Godley and Lol Crème had left 10cc, taking some of the more conceptual, comical numbers for which the band were once known with them. That left Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart behind as the chief songwriters, both of whom favored a more traditional pop approach. If that’s your wavelength, you might love this unheralded record that skews toward melancholy (if still a bit wisecracking) and takes on fracturing relationships like “How’m I Ever Gonna Say Goodbye” and “I Hate to Eat Alone.” If you’re looking for a happier ending, Stewart’s “I Took You Home” is a wonderful lighter-waving love song.

Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns