Retro Albums of the Year 2010's: 2020

[SoundscapeMN]

1985

1985: the Mid 1980's, and the age of Pop/Synth-Pop/Pop-Rock/New Romantic/New Wave among other styles.

Thrash Metal, Blue Eyed Soul, supergroups and songs getting played on MTV of course.

1985, while probably not the best year of the 1980's, still has a lot of depth. The 80's hits were possibly around if not at their peak. My wife may look at the artists from this year that were big as 1 of her favorites. Prince, Robert Palmer, Power Station, Whitney Houston, Sade, Laura Branigan, Corey Hart, Sheila E, Sheena Easton.

As for my favorites, Misplaced Childhood was the 1st Marillion album I ever heard and while maybe among their perfect albums, I put it 3rd or 4th, it still is a lifer record for me. Power Windows, while not my favorite Synth-era Rush album, still holds up and has a bunch great deeper tracks (Middletown Dreams). I will say, a few years back, I found in revisiting it, the synths to be a little dated at points, to the point I probably prefer some of the other synth/80's Rush more for that reason (Hold Your Fire namely, which I at 1 time saw as slightly worse, but now feel the opposite).

And of course Rush and Marillion toured the US right around this time, in 1986? Had I known them and been into the music I am now, back then as a 8-9 y/o, I likely would have ranked them 1 and 2 then like now.

The 1st proggy Fates Warning album The Spectre Within, and 1 that gets overshadowed by the album that followed.

Songs from the Big Chair from Tears for Fears certainly holds up and compares very favorably to many of the best albums of the 1980's, especially in Pop/Pop-Rock and music that was mainstream enough.

1. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
2. Rush - Power Windows
3, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
4. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
5. Various Artists - Back to the Future Soundtrack
6. The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock
7. Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
8. Prince - Around the World in a Day
9. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
10. Annie Haslam - Still Life
11. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
12. INXS - Listen Like Thieves
13. Blue Canoe - Blue Canoe
14. Mike + the Mechanics - Mike + the Mechanics
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to Be Stupid
17. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
18. Peter Gabriel - Birdy
19, The Power Station - The Power Station
20. Savatage - Power of the Night
21. Heart - Heart
22. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required

[Stadler]

We're getting into the age of albums that REALLY impacted me, but also, REALLY didn't age well. 

[ReaperKK]

Not much to say about 1985, not a lot of great material IMO, at least music that I'm very familiar with.

1. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms - 4/5
2. Rush - Power Windows - 3/5
3. Stevie Ray Vaughn And Double Trouble - Soul To Soul - 2.5/5
4. Husker Du - New Day Rising - 1/5
5. Allan Holdsworth - Metal Fatigue - 0.5/5

[King Postwhore]

1985

1985: the Mid 1980's, and the age of Pop/Synth-Pop/Pop-Rock/New Romantic/New Wave among other styles.

Thrash Metal, Blue Eyed Soul, supergroups and songs getting played on MTV of course.

1985, while probably not the best year of the 1980's, still has a lot of depth. The 80's hits were possibly around if not at their peak. My wife may look at the artists from this year that were big as 1 of her favorites. Prince, Robert Palmer, Power Station, Whitney Houston, Sade, Laura Branigan, Corey Hart, Sheila E, Sheena Easton.

As for my favorites, Misplaced Childhood was the 1st Marillion album I ever heard and while maybe among their perfect albums, I put it 3rd or 4th, it still is a lifer record for me. Power Windows, while not my favorite Synth-era Rush album, still holds up and has a bunch great deeper tracks (Middletown Dreams). I will say, a few years back, I found in revisiting it, the synths to be a little dated at points, to the point I probably prefer some of the other synth/80's Rush more for that reason (Hold Your Fire namely, which I at 1 time saw as slightly worse, but now feel the opposite).

And of course Rush and Marillion toured the US right around this time, in 1986? Had I known them and been into the music I am now, back then as a 8-9 y/o, I likely would have ranked them 1 and 2 then like now.

The 1st proggy Fates Warning album The Spectre Within, and 1 that gets overshadowed by the album that followed.

Songs from the Big Chair from Tears for Fears certainly holds up and compares very favorably to many of the best albums of the 1980's, especially in Pop/Pop-Rock and music that was mainstream enough.

1. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
2. Rush - Power Windows
3, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
4. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
5. Various Artists - Back to the Future Soundtrack
6. The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock
7. Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
8. Prince - Around the World in a Day
9. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
10. Annie Haslam - Still Life
11. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
12. INXS - Listen Like Thieves
13. Blue Canoe - Blue Canoe
14. Mike + the Mechanics - Mike + the Mechanics
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to Be Stupid
17. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
18. Peter Gabriel - Birdy
19, The Power Station - The Power Station
20. Savatage - Power of the Night
21. Heart - Heart
22. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required

To think I saw your #1 & #2 at the same show.  It's my brag concert for sure.

[MirrorMask]

Not so many highlights for what I personally follow...


1. HELLOWEEN - Helloween EP + Walls of Jericho (I discovered the Kai Hansen era as a single "album" and I refuse to think of them as two separate releases)

2. VIRGIN STEELE - Noble Savage
3. DIO - Sacred Heart
4. SAVATAGE - Power of the Night

[HOF]

1985 might be my favorite year yet. These first 5 6 are all tremendous.

1. Rush - Power Windows
2. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
3. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
4. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen (Two Wheels Good in US)
5. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
6. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
7. Peter Gabriel - Birdy 
8. Mike + The Mechanics - s/t

Edited to include Songs from the Big Chair. Hate it when reissues don't get categorized chronologically on my computer.

[TAC]

1985


My favorite albums of 1985:

Accept-Metal Heart
Waysted-The Good The Bad The Waysted
UFO-Misdemeanor
Aerosmith-Done With Mirrors
Yngwie-Marching Out
KISS-Asylum
Armored Saint-March Of The Saint
Gary Moore-Run For Cover
Dio-Sacred Heart


Other albums I had in 1985:

AC/DC-Fly On The Wall
WASP-The Last Command
Dokken-Under Lock And Key
Helix-Long Way To Heaven
Y&T-Open Fire
Y&T-Down For The Count
Heavy Pettin'Rock Ain't Dead
Kick Axe-Welcome To The Club
Motley Crue-Theatre Of Pain
Rough Cutt-s/t
Stryper-Soldiers Under Command



1985 albums that I became aware later:

Helloween-Walls Of Jehrico
Anthrax-Spreading The Disease
Megadeth-Killing Is My Business
Fates Warning-The Spectre Within
Malice-In The Beginning
Slayer-Hell Awaits
Slayer-Live Undead




My concerts in 1985:

1985-2/4..Triumph, Molly Hatchet.. Providence Civic Center
1985-3/4..Deep Purple, Girlschool.. Providence Civic Center
1985-6/2..Iron Maiden, Accept.. Providence Civic Center
1985-8/4..Motley Crue, Y&T.. Providence Civic Center
1985-9/6..AC/DC, Yngwie Malmsteen..Worcester Centrum
1985-9/11..Dio, Rough Cutt.. Providence Civic Center
1985..11/22..AC/DC, Yngwie Malmsteen.. Providence Civic Center
1985..12/5..Rush, Steve Morse.. Providence Civic Center
1985..12/22..Kiss, Black n Blue.. Providence Civic Center

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Ah 1985! My birth year! The highs are really high, but the rest of my list falls under the "good" category. My number 1 should come as no surprise to anyone here, even though TAC may moan about it. 

1. Rush - Power Windows
2. Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
3. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
4. Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound
5. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
6. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
7. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
8. ZZ Top - Afterburner
9. Manilla Road - Open the Gates
10. The Cult - Love
11. IQ - The Wake
12. The Cure - The Head on the Door
13. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
14. Helloween - Walls of Jericho
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. Heart - Heart
17. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
18. Loudness - Thunder in the East
19. Megadeth - Killing is My Business... and Business is Good
20. The Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in My Backyard
21. Blitzkrieg - A Time of Changes
22. The Outfield - Play Deep
23. Simple Minds - Once Upon a Time
24. Weird Al Yankovic - Dare to be Stupid
25. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Soul to Soul
26. Yngwie J Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out

1985

I'm surprised Loudness isn't on your list. Or Manilla Road. Or Blitzkrieg.

[TAC]

Ah 1985! My birth year! The highs are really high, but the rest of my list falls under the "good" category. My number 1 should come as no surprise to anyone here, even though TAC may moan about it. 

1. Rush - Power Windows
2. Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
3. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
4. Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound
5. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
6. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
7. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
8. ZZ Top - Afterburner
9. Manilla Road - Open the Gates
10. The Cult - Love
11. IQ - The Wake
12. The Cure - The Head on the Door
13. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
14. Helloween - Walls of Jericho
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. Heart - Heart
17. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
18. Loudness - Thunder in the East
19. Megadeth - Killing is My Business... and Business is Good
20. The Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in My Backyard
21. Blitzkrieg - A Time of Changes
22. The Outfield - Play Deep
23. Simple Minds - Once Upon a Time
24. Weird Al Yankovic - Dare to be Stupid
25. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Soul to Soul
26. Yngwie J Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out

Oh, I see you formatted your list worst to first!

1985

I'm surprised Loudness isn't on your list. Or Manilla Road. Or Blitzkrieg.

So I am not familiar with Blitzkreig or Manilla Road. In 1985, even though I owned the Live Loud Alive live album (a TAC Top 5 All Time Live Album BTW), I never really followed them through the 80's. I was aware of Thunder IN The East, but I just never bothered to get it.

[HOF]

Ah 1985! My birth year! The highs are really high, but the rest of my list falls under the "good" category. My number 1 should come as no surprise to anyone here, even though TAC may moan about it. 

1. Rush - Power Windows
2. Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
3. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
4. Supertramp - Brother Where You Bound
5. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
6. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
7. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
8. ZZ Top - Afterburner
9. Manilla Road - Open the Gates
10. The Cult - Love
11. IQ - The Wake
12. The Cure - The Head on the Door
13. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
14. Helloween - Walls of Jericho
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. Heart - Heart
17. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
18. Loudness - Thunder in the East
19. Megadeth - Killing is My Business... and Business is Good
20. The Dead Milkmen - Big Lizard in My Backyard
21. Blitzkrieg - A Time of Changes
22. The Outfield - Play Deep
23. Simple Minds - Once Upon a Time
24. Weird Al Yankovic - Dare to be Stupid
25. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Soul to Soul
26. Yngwie J Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out

1985

I'm surprised Loudness isn't on your list. Or Manilla Road. Or Blitzkrieg.

Man, I thought Big Chair was 86. Gonna have to revise my list.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Oh, I see you formatted your list worst to first!

So I am not familiar with Blitzkreig or Manilla Road. In 1985, even though I owned the Live Loud Alive live album (a TAC Top 5 All Time Live Album BTW), I never really followed them through the 80's. I was aware of Thunder IN The East, but I just never bothered to get it.

Definitely check out Blitzkrieg and Manilla Road. I think they'd both be right up your alley. Thunder in the East is also a really good album.

[KevShmev]

1985:

01 Rush - Power Windows
02 Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
03 The Dukes of Stratosphear(XTC in disguise) - 25 O'Clock
04 Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Soul to Soul
05 INXS - Listen Like Thieves
06 Rocky IV Soundtrack
07 Heart - Heart

Seems like 1985 had, for me, a lot of albums with some great songs, but also a bunch I can do without.

And a few albums where I have never dug into the deep cuts, like Reckless by Bryan Adams. Run to You and Summer of '69 are killer tunes, and the other hits are good, but I have never checked out the rest of the album.

[SoundscapeMN]

1985

1985: the Mid 1980's, and the age of Pop/Synth-Pop/Pop-Rock/New Romantic/New Wave among other styles.

Thrash Metal, Blue Eyed Soul, supergroups and songs getting played on MTV of course.

1985, while probably not the best year of the 1980's, still has a lot of depth. The 80's hits were possibly around if not at their peak. My wife may look at the artists from this year that were big as 1 of her favorites. Prince, Robert Palmer, Power Station, Whitney Houston, Sade, Laura Branigan, Corey Hart, Sheila E, Sheena Easton.

As for my favorites, Misplaced Childhood was the 1st Marillion album I ever heard and while maybe among their perfect albums, I put it 3rd or 4th, it still is a lifer record for me. Power Windows, while not my favorite Synth-era Rush album, still holds up and has a bunch great deeper tracks (Middletown Dreams). I will say, a few years back, I found in revisiting it, the synths to be a little dated at points, to the point I probably prefer some of the other synth/80's Rush more for that reason (Hold Your Fire namely, which I at 1 time saw as slightly worse, but now feel the opposite).

And of course Rush and Marillion toured the US right around this time, in 1986? Had I known them and been into the music I am now, back then as a 8-9 y/o, I likely would have ranked them 1 and 2 then like now.

The 1st proggy Fates Warning album The Spectre Within, and 1 that gets overshadowed by the album that followed.

Songs from the Big Chair from Tears for Fears certainly holds up and compares very favorably to many of the best albums of the 1980's, especially in Pop/Pop-Rock and music that was mainstream enough.

1. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
2. Rush - Power Windows
3, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
4. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
5. Various Artists - Back to the Future Soundtrack
6. The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock
7. Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
8. Prince - Around the World in a Day
9. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
10. Annie Haslam - Still Life
11. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
12. INXS - Listen Like Thieves
13. Blue Canoe - Blue Canoe
14. Mike + the Mechanics - Mike + the Mechanics
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to Be Stupid
17. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
18. Peter Gabriel - Birdy
19, The Power Station - The Power Station
20. Savatage - Power of the Night
21. Heart - Heart
22. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required

To think I saw your #1 & #2 at the same show.  It's my brag concert for sure.

I've always felt if there was a double bill I wish I could go back in time to see, that was among if not my #1 choice. Although i know a lot of the Rush fans didn't care for Marillion, I would still have loved to have seen it.

[TAC]

In 1985 the Iron Maiden/Accept show was amazing. Specifically, Accept turned in the best opening set that I'd ever seen, until I saw Dream Theater open for Iron Maiden 7 years (almost to the day) later.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

In 1985 the Iron Maiden/Accept show was amazing. Specifically, Accept turned in the best opening set that I'd ever seen, until I saw Dream Theater open for Iron Maiden 7 years (almost to the day) later.

Yeah, not many bands could compare to Dream Theater in the early 90's.

[WildRanger]

My top 10 albums of 1985:

1. Kate Bush - Hound of Love
2. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
3. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
4. Overkill - Feel the Fire
5. Helloween - Walls of Jericho ​
6. The Cult - Love
7. The Cure - The Head on the Door
8. Accept - Metal Heart
9. Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising
10. Rush - Power Windows

[Zoom E]

1985

Metal Church - Metal Church
Magnum - On A Storyteller’s Night
Accept - Metal Heart
Stryper - Soldiers Under Command
Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
TNT - Knights of the New Thunder
Kick Axe - Welcome to the Club
The Cult - Love
Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
Warrior - Fighting for the Earth
Loudness - Thunder in the East
Malice - In The Beginning
Rush - Power Windows
Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out
Dokken - Under Lock and Key
Aerosmith - Done With Mirrors

*the Metal Church and TNT albums were released in 1984 but I didn’t get them until 1985 when they were released in Canada, so I included them here.

[Stadler]

1985

1985: the Mid 1980's, and the age of Pop/Synth-Pop/Pop-Rock/New Romantic/New Wave among other styles.

Thrash Metal, Blue Eyed Soul, supergroups and songs getting played on MTV of course.

1985, while probably not the best year of the 1980's, still has a lot of depth. The 80's hits were possibly around if not at their peak. My wife may look at the artists from this year that were big as 1 of her favorites. Prince, Robert Palmer, Power Station, Whitney Houston, Sade, Laura Branigan, Corey Hart, Sheila E, Sheena Easton.

As for my favorites, Misplaced Childhood was the 1st Marillion album I ever heard and while maybe among their perfect albums, I put it 3rd or 4th, it still is a lifer record for me. Power Windows, while not my favorite Synth-era Rush album, still holds up and has a bunch great deeper tracks (Middletown Dreams). I will say, a few years back, I found in revisiting it, the synths to be a little dated at points, to the point I probably prefer some of the other synth/80's Rush more for that reason (Hold Your Fire namely, which I at 1 time saw as slightly worse, but now feel the opposite).

And of course Rush and Marillion toured the US right around this time, in 1986? Had I known them and been into the music I am now, back then as a 8-9 y/o, I likely would have ranked them 1 and 2 then like now.

The 1st proggy Fates Warning album The Spectre Within, and 1 that gets overshadowed by the album that followed.

Songs from the Big Chair from Tears for Fears certainly holds up and compares very favorably to many of the best albums of the 1980's, especially in Pop/Pop-Rock and music that was mainstream enough.

1. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
2. Rush - Power Windows
3, Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
4. Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair
5. Various Artists - Back to the Future Soundtrack
6. The Dukes of Stratosphear - 25 O'Clock
7. Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles
8. Prince - Around the World in a Day
9. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
10. Annie Haslam - Still Life
11. a-ha - Hunting High and Low
12. INXS - Listen Like Thieves
13. Blue Canoe - Blue Canoe
14. Mike + the Mechanics - Mike + the Mechanics
15. Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
16. "Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to Be Stupid
17. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston
18. Peter Gabriel - Birdy
19, The Power Station - The Power Station
20. Savatage - Power of the Night
21. Heart - Heart
22. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required

To think I saw your #1 & #2 at the same show.  It's my brag concert for sure.

I've always felt if there was a double bill I wish I could go back in time to see, that was among if not my #1 choice. Although i know a lot of the Rush fans didn't care for Marillion, I would still have loved to have seen it.

Me too; and doubly because I had the chance!   A dude I didn't really know all that well at Uconn offered me a ticket, and I wasn't as up for anything as I am now.  I thought it a little weird then, and wanted to drink with my hall mates.  BAD CALL in hindsight.

[SoundscapeMN]

1986

1986 was a one of those years in the 80's that I look at with a lot of albums that seemed either to be a transition for some artists, or the start of their career, which in some cases, the peak, at least commercially.

As it seems, it wasn't actually both all that deep, and even at the top, my favorites aren't all-time favorites exactly.

I mean sure, Awaken the Guardian is often considered the best John Arch Fates Warning album, but it's actually not my favorite. I still do enjoy it a lot though, per why it's my #1. Skylarking I would still probably rank as my favorite XTC album, but it is a bit of splitting hairs I suppose. Tones, So, Master of Puppets, 5150, all quality LPs, but not ones I think of as among my favorites from the 80's. Although Master of Puppets is hugely influential and probably still my go-to Metallca record, but I also can't claim to be that huge a fan of course.

Anyway, another year with a lot of pop and metal and jazz. Some prog, but I guess overall, this is 1 of the lesser years from the 80's, but like basically every year, there's still some good work that is worth noting and when it was released.

Of course I was 10 years old in 1986, and while I recall some of these albums and songs from them, the majority I didn't know until long after the actual year.

1. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
2. XTC - Skylarking
3. Eric Johnson - Tones
4. Peter Gabriel - So
5. Metallica - Master of Puppets
6. Van Halen - 5150
7. Marillion - Brief Encounter
8. Queensryche - Rage for Order
9. Queen - A Kind of Magic
10. Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists - The League of Crafty Guitarists Live
11. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
12. Huey Lewis and the News - Fore!
13. Megadeth - Peace Sells...but Who's Buying?
14. Genesis - Invisible Touch
15. Janet Jackson - Control
16. Paul Simon - Graceland
17. The Beastie Boys - License to Ill
18. Prince - Parade: Music From the Motion Picture "Under the Cherry Moon"
19. Duran Duran - Notorious
20. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live/1975-85
21. Billy Joel - The Bridge
22. Various Artists - Top Gun Soundtrack
23. Boston - Third Stage
24. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
25. The Police - Every Breathe You Take: The Singles
26. Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman - Song X

[ReaperKK]

1986, the year of my birth!:

1. Metallica - Master Of Puppets - 3.5/5
2. Joe Satriani - Not Of This Earth - 2/5
3. Steve Earle - Guitar Town - 2/5

[WildRanger]

Top 10 albums from 1986:

1. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
2. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
3. Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
4. Metallica - Master of Puppets
5. Queensryche - Rage for Order
6. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
7. Motorhead - Orgasmatron
8. Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
9. Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
10. Saint Vitus - Born Too Late

[HOF]

1986 was another tremendous year. Hard to put these in any definitive order really:

1a. Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
1b. Peter Gabriel - So
2. Eric Johnson - Tones
3. XTC - Skylarking
4. Crowded House - Crowded House
5. Genesis - Invisible Touch
6. Van Halen - 5150
7. Bruce Hornsby & The Range - The Way It Is
8. Steve Winwood - Back in the High Life
9. Journey - Raised on Radio
10. Andreas Vollenweider - Down to the Moon

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

1986, possible better than 1985. Buckle up there's a lot of albums to get through....

1. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
2. Metallica - Master of Puppets
3. Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
4. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
5. Peter Gabriel - So
6. Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
7. Van Halen - 5150
8. Univers Zero - Heatwave
9. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
10. a-ha - Scoundrel Days
11. Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
12. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
13. Queensr˙che - Rage for Order
14. Genesis - Invisible Touch
15. Loudness - Lightning Strikes
16. Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
17. Journey - Raised on Radio
18. Swans - Public Castration is a Good Idea
19. Steve Winwood - Back in the High Life
20. Eric Johnson - Tones
21. Europe - The Final Countdown
22. Sonic Youth - EVOL
23. Bad Brains - I Against I
24. Emerson, Lake, & Powell - Emerson, Lake, & Powell
25. Boston - Third Stage

[wolfking]

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
Judas Priest - Turbo
Kind Diamond - Fatal Portrait
Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
Tony Macalpine - Edge of Insanity
Yngwie Malmsteen - Trilogy
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Vinnie Moore - Mind's Eye
Queensryche - Rage For Order
David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
Joe Satriani - Not of This Earth
Savatage - Fight For the Rock
W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Eric Johnson - Tones
Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory

[MirrorMask]

My 1986:

1. METALLICA - Master of Puppets

No contest here, come on. It's not even my favorite 'tallica album, but this is the stuff of legend.

Then come a bunch of albums that I consider inferior to what would come in 1988 for many of these bands, but since there isn't anything terribly better, they get a mention:

2. IRON MAIDEN - Somewhere in Time (way inferior to their 1988)
3. QUEENSRYCHE - Rage for Order (quite good, but their 1988 is way better)

4. MANOWAR - Fighting the World (inferior to their 1988)
5. BON JOVI - Slippery When Wet (good fight with their 1988)
6. JUDAS PRIEST - Turbo (inferior a lot to their 19....84, but also the '88 is slightly better)

[jingle.boy]

I lost track of this thread.  Missed from 1985:

Gowan - Strange Animal (shame on you, Kev)
Mr. Mister - Welcome to the Real World (double shame on you, King)

From 1986 not mentioned:
Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged in
Tony Macalpine - Edge of Insanity (shame on you, Kade)
Triumph - Sport of Kings
Waysted - Save Your Prayers

[wolfking]

I lost track of this thread.  Missed from 1985:

Gowan - Strange Animal (shame on you, Kev)
Mr. Mister - Welcome to the Real World (double shame on you, King)

From 1986 not mentioned:
Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged in
Tony Macalpine - Edge of Insanity (shame on you, Kade)
Triumph - Sport of Kings
Waysted - Save Your Prayers

Errrrr...........

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
Judas Priest - Turbo
Kind Diamond - Fatal Portrait
Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
Tony Macalpine - Edge of Insanity
Yngwie Malmsteen - Trilogy
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Vinnie Moore - Mind's Eye
Queensryche - Rage For Order
David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
Joe Satriani - Not of This Earth
Savatage - Fight For the Rock
W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Eric Johnson - Tones
Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory

[King Postwhore]

I lost track of this thread.  Missed from 1985:

Gowan - Strange Animal (shame on you, Kev)
Mr. Mister - Welcome to the Real World (double shame on you, King)

From 1986 not mentioned:
Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged in
Tony Macalpine - Edge of Insanity (shame on you, Kade)
Triumph - Sport of Kings
Waysted - Save Your Prayers

I should be posting in this post but I haven't. And yes. Shame on me.

[T-ski]

I’m going off the board to add….

Daryl Hall “Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine”

The track Dreamtime is worth it alone.

[twosuitsluke]

We're on 1986, and only one mention of Reign in Blood?!   

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

We're on 1986, and only one mention of Reign in Blood?!   

I can't stand Slayer....

[WildRanger]

We're on 1986, and only one mention of Reign in Blood?!   

I can't stand Slayer....

Me too.  It seems that the majority of people on DTF either don't care or don't like them.
When it comes to more brutal thrash metal I'd much rather listen Schizophrenia-Arise era Sepultura.

[WildRanger]

From 1986 not mentioned:
Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged in

Poison?   

[twosuitsluke]

We're on 1986, and only one mention of Reign in Blood?!   

I can't stand Slayer....

[wolfking]

We're on 1986, and only one mention of Reign in Blood?!   

Was a little surprised myself.