501 Essential Albums of the '80s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide
May 2025 · Motorbooks International
Ebook
448
Pages
About this ebook
Break out the parachute pants, jelly shoes, and Aqua Net and indulge in this nostalgic illustrated trip through the 1980s’ most influential albums across all genres.
In 501 Essential Albums of the ’80s, Gary Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of one of the most pivotal decades in the history of recorded music…the decade that gave us some of the most monstrous-selling albums ever and introduced more and more listeners to emergent genres like indie rock and hip-hop.
With lively descriptions of the releases and nearly 600 images, this hefty volume curates 501 albums spanning genres and subgenres—pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, metal, country, college and indie rock, and more—and features:
The journalists detail the circumstances of the releases, notable singles from each, their influence on contemporary and later artists…in short, why each is considered one of the best of the decade.
Madonna or Michael, Prince or the Police, Bruce or Black Flag, Men at Work or Mötley Crüe—whatever your tastes, you will relish this ultimate retrospective of the decade’s music.
In 501 Essential Albums of the ’80s, Gary Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of one of the most pivotal decades in the history of recorded music…the decade that gave us some of the most monstrous-selling albums ever and introduced more and more listeners to emergent genres like indie rock and hip-hop.
With lively descriptions of the releases and nearly 600 images, this hefty volume curates 501 albums spanning genres and subgenres—pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, metal, country, college and indie rock, and more—and features:
- Year-by-year organization
- Knowledgeable rundowns of every album featured
- Album art for each selection
- Artist imagery
- Record label, release date, and producer(s) for each
- Soundtracks and compilation releases
The journalists detail the circumstances of the releases, notable singles from each, their influence on contemporary and later artists…in short, why each is considered one of the best of the decade.
Madonna or Michael, Prince or the Police, Bruce or Black Flag, Men at Work or Mötley Crüe—whatever your tastes, you will relish this ultimate retrospective of the decade’s music.
Break out the parachute pants, jelly shoes, and Aqua Net and indulge in this nostalgic illustrated trip through the 1980s’ most influential albums across all genres.
In 501 Essential Albums of the ’80s, Gary Graff leads a cast of fellow music journalists in presenting the music of one of the mos...
About the author
Gary Graff is an award-winning music journalist based in Detroit. He is a regular contributor to Billboard, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Media News Group, Ultimate Classic Rock, Consequence, and other publications, as well as to radio stations in Detroit and Milwaukee. He is the author of Alice Cooper at 75; co-author of Neil Young: Long May You Run, Rock ’n’ Roll Myths: The True Stories Behind the Most Famous Legends, and Travelin’ Man: On the Road and Behind the Scenes with Bob Seger; and the series editor of the MusicHound Essential Album Guides. He is also co-founder and co-producer of the Emmy Award–winning Detroit Music Awards. Graff lives in Beverly Hills, Michigan.
Gary Graff is an award-winning music journalist based in Detroit. He is a regular contributor to Billboard, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Media News Group, Ultimate Classic Rock, Consequence, and other publications, as well as to radio stations in Detroit and Milwaukee. He is the author of Alice Co...
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