4 of the Most Iconic Debut Albums of the 1980s That No One Can Forget

The 80s represented a sea change in music, as artists who had been standing firm felt the foundation shifting beneath them. For all those acts that faltered, however, there were new ones ready to step in and fill the void. These four acts came right out of the gate with outstanding debut albums in the 1980s. And they established themselves as serious players on the decade’s music scene.

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‘Beauty And The Beat’ by The Go-Go’s (1981)

These four California girls went through a major lineup change as the 80s dawned. They also struggled to attract labels despite a pretty loud buzz. By the time they recorded Beauty And The Beat, they had sanded off most of the punk edges save for the ever-forward momentum. Producers Richard Gottehrer and Rob Freeman knew how to add the right touches, such as grabby intros, to invite mass radio consumption. Beyond that, the album comes down to a batch of extremely strong songs played with energy and guilelessness. The big hits “Our Lips Are Sealed” and “We Got The Beat” still sound as lively and unstoppable today. And the entire album is filled with gems like “This Town” and “Lust For Love” that display plenty of depth behind the hooks.

‘She’s So Unusual’ by Cyndi Lauper (1983)

Lauper already had an album as lead singer with Blue Angel under her belt. Once she went solo, she was free to go in whatever direction she wanted with the music, resulting in an album of striking variety. As an interpreter, she put an undeniable stamp on everything she touched, even when tackling acclaimed songwriters like Prince (“When U Were Mine”) and Jules Shear (“All Through The Night)”. She also flexed her songwriting muscles on songs like the tender “Time After Time” and the fierce “She Bop”. And we haven’t mentioned the era-defining “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”. The song formed a symbolic conga line of free-spirited females who followed along to every one of Lauper’s herky-jerky moves.

‘Crowded House’ by Crowded House (1986)

Of all the albums on this list, this one came the closest to being a flop. Crowded House formed when two former members of Split Enz (singer/guitarist Neil Finn and bassist Nick Seymour) joined up with drummer Paul Hester. They relocated to a cramped LA abode (hence the band name) to write songs for their debut. Single after single emerged, with none of them doing any business. As a last-ditch effort, the label released the melancholic “Don’t Dream It’s Over”, which took off. That took fans back into the album, where they discovered a band built on songwriting, a somewhat antiquated notion in 1986. Finn kept coming with the catchiness, song after song. And, as their career progressed, album after album.

‘Vivid’ by Living Colour (1988)

It’s kind of sad that it took Mick Jagger speaking up for this explosive quartet before record labels would come calling. Nonetheless, once they had their opportunity, Living Colour didn’t fumble it. Sizzling guitarist Vernon Reid assembled several different lineups before he found the limber rhythm section of Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun and volcanic lead vocalist Corey Glover. They blended hard rock, soul, funk, and pop into a heady stew that always threatened to veer off the rails but somehow cohered. And they came out of the box with a politically charged single in “Cult Of Personality” that proved they were willing to challenge their listeners and the musical powers that be. A winning formula, for sure, and a thrilling album.

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