For many elder Millennials and Gen-Xers, thinking of the 1990s conjures up a time that was only a decade ago. However, that’s not the case. No, my fellow longtime adults, that golden era was three decades ago. Unfortunately, that means the ’80s were four decades ago. These rock albums dropped in 1985 and turn 40 years old this year.
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Grab an NSAID for your back pain, put on your comfortable shoes, and get ready to take a trip back in time. These rock albums were huge in 1985 and were seemingly destined to be considered classics. Now, though, you’ll find them under the banner of “classic rock.”
[RELATED: 4 Addictive 1980s Rock Albums That Were Ahead of Their Time]
1. Southern Accents by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (March 26)
Tom Petty wanted to create a double-disc concept album about the struggles faced by those living in the American South. He set to work in his home studio to do so. Then, he met Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. They started working together, and the concept all but went out the window, as did the idea of making a double album. Instead, Petty and the Heartbreakers released this fondly remembered rock album in March 1985.
The title track, “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” “Rebels,” and “Dogs on the Run” are standouts that have stood the test of time.
2. Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits (May 13)
British rock band Dire Straits had a massive hit on their hands with their 1985 album, Brothers in Arms. It topped the UK Albums Chart for 14 weeks, spent nine weeks atop the Billboard 200, and a whopping 34 weeks at No. 1 in Australia. It was also the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc. It has since become one of the best-selling albums of all time with more than 30 million in circulation.
None of that mattered to those listening to this absolute monster of an album for the first time 40 years ago. What mattered then were the killer tracks “Money for Nothing,” “Walk of Life,” “Why Worry,” and the title track.
3. Killing Is My Business… And Business is Good by Megadeth (June 12)
Dave Mustaine was ousted from Metallica before they released their debut album, Kill ‘Em All, in 1983. Two years after that album helped to popularize thrash metal, Mustaine’s band, Megadeth, expanded on the sound with their debut album. While Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good is much more metal than rock, it was still a landmark album from 1985.
Megadeth’s debut wasn’t a huge chart success in the United States. However, it did receive positive reviews from both metal-oriented and mainstream press outlets. Fans immediately latched on to the title track, “The Skull Beneath the Skin,” “Looking Down the Cross,” and several others that are now considered classics. Also, the album includes a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”
4. Heart by Heart (June 21)
Heart was already a well-established favorite among rock fans when they released their self-titled album in 1985. The album saw the band taking another step toward a mainstream sound, which brought them commercial success. It was their eighth studio album, but their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The record’s third single, “These Dreams,” also brought the band their first No. 1 on the Hot 100.
“We didn’t write a lot of songs on there, so that aspect of closeness with the work was gone, and it was much harder to come up with a title that was real,” Ann Wilson explained in an interview. “So at the last minute, we were being pressured and pressured and they said, ‘What’s it going to be?’ We said, ‘Just call it Heart,’” she added.
With tracks like “The Wolf,” “All Eyes,” “Nobody Home,” and “What He Don’t Know,” fans didn’t much care that the band took on outside tracks to fill out their self-titled album.
Featured Image by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
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