Remember when being a music fan was all about buying albums? You would head down to your local shop and see what was new, who was hot, and what album art caught your eye. Today, though, it’s all about singles and streaming. With that, we’ve all lost something. Here below, we wanted to take a trip down memory lane and dive into three classic rock albums that were perfect from start to finish. Indeed, this is no skips: three classic rock albums from the 1980s you’ll never have to fast-forward.
‘Purple Rain’ by Prince (1984)
Prince’s 1984 album has garnered a lot of praise over the years, and rightly so. Not only did the LP include the iconic song of the same name, but it was also part of a film by the same name that still holds up (and then some). But when diving into Purple Rain, we see a great deal more than just the title track. Songs like “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Take Me With U”, “Darling Nikki”, and “When Doves Cry” are all iconic. They could all be put in the Grammy Museum right now.
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‘Appetite For Destruction’ by Guns N’ Roses (1987)
When you open a 1980s rock record with a song like “Welcome To The Jungle”, you’re automatically entered into the pool of potentially great LPs. But when listening through the rest of the 1987 record, Appetite For Destruction, by Guns N’ Roses, you find a number of other amazing songs, including “Paradise City”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, and “It’s So Easy”. If you like bombastic rock, if you like earth-shattering songs, if you like high energy, this is your album.
‘Tracy Chapman’ by Tracy Chapman (1988)
The great Tracy Chapman has enjoyed a resurgence of late thanks to country star Luke Combs covering her timeless track “Fast Car”. But the 1988 LP that originally featured that song includes many more tunes worth your time. The 11-track record opens with the spirited “Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revolution” and continues with songs like “Baby Can I Hold You”, “She’s Got Her Ticket”, and “If Not Now…” If you want to hear a songwriter at the top of her game, check it out now.
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More The List
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CIRCA 1963: Rock and roll singer Elvis Presley strums his guitar in a movie still in circa 1963. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Steely Dan, 1976. Walter Becker en Donald Fagan. Albums Aja, Pretzel Logic, Royal Scam. Singers, songwriters, composers. -
Beatle John Lennon (1940 – 1980) and his Japanese girlfriend Yoko Ono with Beatle Paul McCartney (right), at the premiere of the new Beatles film 'Yellow Submarine' at the London Pavilion, 18th July 1968. John and Paul hold apples, the symbol of their newly formed company, Apple Corps. Thousands of Beatle fans brought traffic to a standstill in Piccadilly Circus as they waited to see the group arrive at the premiere. (Photo by Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) -
Carly Simon (MANDATORY CREDIT Michael Uhll/Redferns) Carly Simon performing at Billy Joel's 'Back to the Ranch' music festival at the Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk, New York on August 9, 1991. The concert was a benefit for the Nature Conservancy. (Photo by Michael Uhll/Redferns) -
UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 29: DOMINION THEATRE Photo of Dolly PARTON (Photo by Pete Still/Redferns) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Group shot of English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones posed in 1968. Clockwise from top left: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones (1942-1969), Mick jagger and Keith Richards. (Photo by Mark Hayward Archive/Redferns)
