19801 record I included that I'd never heard of 6 months ago, Ultravox's Vienna, thanks to DJ Jake Rudh and Transmission every week on Twitch. Steven Wilson just remixed it in fact, and I'm seeking out that (on Record Store Day July 17th), and a 1st pressing on Vinyl now.
from Allmediareviews
1980, sort of a transitional year for music and progressive rock. I see the Yes and Genesis records as sort of their last of a classic era, and even better than their previous records.
Lot of Hard Rock and early Metal and interesting "new wave" stuff as well as Classic Rock artists putting out albums.
And the continuation and extension of a lot of Jazz-Fusion, although some good records, none of them being my favorites, but also hardly their worst.
Certainly a good year, and ultimately, better than some years from that era, but at the same time, hardly comparing to some of my favorite years overall.
1. Yes - Drama
2. Rush - Permanent Waves
3. Genesis - Duke
4. Hawkwind - Levitation
5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
6. Al Di Meola - Splendido Hotel
7. Queen - Flash Gordon
8. The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
9. Bruce Springsteen - The River
10. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card
11. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel [3]
12. Ultravox - Vienna
13. Yes - Yesshows
14. Van Halen - Women and Children First
15. Weather Report - Night Passage
16, Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day
17. Queen - The Game
18. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
19. U2 - Boy
20. XTC - Black Sea
21. Kerry Livgren - Seeds of Change
22. Steve Hackett - Defector
23. John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
24. Bruford - Gradually Going Tornado