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What were the best hard rock albums of the 1980s<\/a>? In this feature, we’re going to take you through the decade year by year and you’ll be able to see how the trajectory of the rock landscape changed over just a 10 year period.<\/p>\n Though other forms of rock found their moments in the spotlight, it truly was a decade where straight on, guitar-fueled, hard rocking music seemed to dominate. Whether it be the glam-inspired rock of Def Leppard<\/a>, the lightning infused guitar wizardry of Van Halen<\/a>\u00a0or the no holds barred raucousness of Guns N’ Roses<\/a>, it was a time where it was good to have amps that go to 11.<\/p>\n As stated, the ’80s also gave us some standouts from the punk world, an industrial gem and an album that seemed to portend the fascination with alt-rock in the decade to come. We also had some classic rock carry-over from the ’70s, showing that there was still some appreciation for what had worked in rock for years prior.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> The Best New Rock + Metal Act for Each Year of the 1980s<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Which albums were the best for each year of the 1980s? We’ll take a deeper dive into the records that were essential in defining the ’80s rock sound. Check out the gallery in full below.<\/p>\n The ’80s brought us a lot of innovation and you can see the rock world shifting through each year of the decade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n These 1980s rock songs have secured themselves god-tier status based on their legacy, their stats and just being iconic in nature.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Best Hard Rock Album for Each Year of the 1980s<\/h2>\n
10 Best God-Tier Rock Songs of the ’80s<\/h2>\n