The Top Ten Albums of 1982

1982 was a banner year for everything music, from blockbuster pop smashes to iconic alternative rock staples, soul and funk gems and so much more. So in honor of this magical year celebrating its 40th anniversary, let's send up the albums that made it such a landmark in music history by counting down the ten best LPs from those musical glory days!

Let's get going!

#10: Hello, I Must Be Going! - Phil Collins (45 minutes, Pop/Rock)

Phil Collins’ second solo album doubled down on the strengths of his first, combining the raw power of his drumming with his bright pop smarts to craft some highly rewarding and enjoyable pop-rock. Here he immerses himself in horns to add a level of funk and soul to his sound as well as championing gorgeously gentle adult contemporary ballads and throbbing, angry arena rock songs. Phil was still yet to make his solo masterpiece, but this album has all the elements of his best work. A strong collection of songs from a pop mastermind hard at work.

Key Tracks: "I Cannot Believe It's True" and "I Don't Care Anymore"

#9: The Nylon Curtain - Billy Joel (41 minutes, Pop/Rock)

Billy Joel’s statement record is one of his most impressive outings, taking on countless social issues while still maintaining his knack for ebullient melodies and catchy choruses, creating one of the most enjoyable protest albums of all time. He tackles massive issues such as the treatment of Vietnam War veterans and the economic downturn that broke the spirits of many industrial workers as well as his own personal traumas in beautiful piano driven songs that show more than a little Beatles influence. As he pays homage to what made him who he is, he does it gracefully and with a maturity that makes this a standout in his wonderful catalog.

Key Tracks: "Goodnight Saigon" and "Allentown"

#8: Tug of War - Paul McCartney (41 minutes, Pop/Rock)

Paul McCartney’s comeback album is one of his most well-written and joyful sets in his storied career, laying down classic pop tunes and wondrous melodies with ease and a childlike wonder. The album sparkles with a light melodic grace and a sense of melancholia due to John Lennon’s then recent death, but he responds by making arguably the most Beatle-esque record of his career. He delivers soaring emotional ballads, warm pop songs and zippy energetic rocks with aplomb and even duets with country and funk legends. An overlooked gem from a pop music legend.

Key Tracks: "Take It Away" and "Ballroom Dancing"

#7: The Gift - The Jam (32 minutes, New Wave/Alternative)

The Jam’s final album was a celebration of the kind of music that lead singer Paul Weller fell in love with, blending the zippy mod-rock and punk of the group’s early years with doses of Stax soul and Motown pop to craft one of the bounciest, most joyful albums in new wave history. The effortless fusion of punk and soul makes for some of the most resonant and sharp songs in Weller’s storied career, never wasting a note on these ebullient tracks. The junction between The Jam and The Style Council and it truly is the best of both worlds.

Key Tracks: "Town Called Malice" and "Precious"

#6: Pornography - The Cure (43 minutes, Post-Punk/Alternative)

The Cure’s final true post-punk record is one of the most viscerally devastating and heavy pieces of music from the period, a tour-de-force of raw anger and emotion delivered by Robert Smith’s tortured voice and the band’s pulse pounding instrumentals. Rarely has pure rage and vitriol been so sharply translates into musical expression and have it be so listenable. A cohesive masterpiece of aggression and unpleasantness. This is a record you have to be in the mood for, but if you are then nothing else hits quite like it.

Key Tracks: "The Hanging Garden" and "One Hundred Years"

#5: The Nightfly - Donald Fagen (38 minutes, Jazz-Rock)

Though Steely Dan broke up in 1980, the group’s wildly talented lead singer Donald Fagen didn’t let the sound die, delivering this masterful solo album which continues the band’s brand of pristine, acerbic jazz rock but in a warmer, more personal vein. The grooves are just as funky and complex, but instead of snotty character portraits, Fagen paints a picture of his childhood as a lonesome jazz nerd in painterly details with the music feeling warm and inviting. The songs are jam packed with stellar instrumental work, complex melodies and a charming, sarcastic presence fronting it all. This truly is the lost Steely Dan album in the best possible sense.

Key Tracks: "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)", "New Frontier" and "The Nightfly"

#4: Rio - Duran Duran (42 minutes, New Wave/Pop-Rock)

Duran Duran were the cream of the crop when it came to MTV new wave crossover fare and on this album they were at the top of their game, laying down a set of absolutely brilliant and stylish pop-rock songs that scream early 80s in the best ay possible. Every single songs packs in countless propulsive, energetic hooks weaving together with the sharp guitar work, funky bass work and snarling, charismatic vocals making them a definitional band of their era for good reason. The album soars between spritely new wave rockers and darkly romantic ballads. They were the poster boys for the MTV generation and this was their masterpiece. A blockbuster pop record.

Key Tracks: "Rio", "Hungry Like a Wolf" and "Save a Prayer"

#3: 1999 -- Prince & The Revolution (1 hour and 10 minutes, Funk/Dance)

Prince was an absolute legend of funk music and nowhere is that more apparent than this killer double album, where with the newly minted Revolution, he pioneers the classic Minneapolis Sound, a crackling electronic funk sound all his own over four irresistible sides of vinyl. Every track on display here is insanely danceable boasting show stopping vocal work and nasty synth-funk grooves spilling out for an hour that feels so jam packed with hooks and energy. He delivers countless pop classics and sensual R&B ballads built for the bedroom too, but this record lives and dies on the funk in a way he never had or would again. If you’re looking for the best dance music of this or any decade, here it is.

Key Tracks: "1999", "Little Red Corvette", "Delirious" and "International Lover"

#2: Imperial Bedroom - Elvis Costello & The Attractions (50 minutes, New Wave/Singer-Songwriter)

Elvis Costello is a songwriter’s songwriter and on no other album does he exemplify that quite like this one, where every single track is a melodic marvel, moving away from the punk and new wave sounds that defined his early work and moving towards a more heavily orchestrated, Beatles influenced sound with tasteful, plush arrangements as detailed as his lyrics which drip with wit, emotion and a sense of storytelling grace. His writing has never been more developed and The Attractions deliver nuanced, graceful performances that imbue each song with energy and class. He’s never been funnier or more impactful lyrically and his hooks are astounding. This is Elvis Costello at the peak of his artistry, jumping from the best of new wave to one of the world’s greatest songwriters and performers.

Key Tracks: "Town Cryer", "Almost Blue", "Man Out of Time" and "The Long Honeymoon"

#1: Thriller - Michael Jackson (42 minutes, Pop/R&B/Funk)

Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the album that comes to mind when you think the best that pop music has to offer for good reason. It is nine tracks of pop perfection, produced immaculately, sung with effortless grace and skill and written to be razor sharp showcases for untouchable hook craft. The record truly has something for everyone from supremely danceable funk to plushly romantic ballads, hard edged rock and roll to bright frizzy pop hooks. This single album has more remarkable hooks than most artists manage in their entire career. Jackson’s vocals were never more assured and electric and Quincy Jones’ production was spotless. This is one of the most ambitious and electric sets in all of pop history and it goes off without a hitch. A well earned success.

Key Tracks: "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Human Nature" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"

Thanks for going on this musical journey through 1982 with me to celebrate 40 years of these amazing albums! Look out for the Top Ten Albums of 1992 very soon! A big thank you to every artist who made the list and many more who could have (honorable mentions below)! Happy 40th anniversary to all these truly classic records that have impacted my life for the better!

Honorable Mentions:

Peter Gabriel/Security - Peter Gabriel (46 minutes, New Wave/Art Rock)

H2O - Hall & Oates (46 minutes, Pop/Rock)

Midnight Love - Marvin Gaye (39 minutes, R&B/Soul)

What Time Is It? - The Time (38 minutes, Funk/Dance)

Combat Rock - The Clash (46 minutes, Punk/New Wave)

Lionel Richie - Lionel Richie (38 minutes, R&B/Soul/Pop)

Diver Down - Van Halen (31 minutes, Rock)