100 Greatest Albums of 1983

Criteria: These 2983 albums were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Murmur
R.E.M.
2. Synchronicity
The Police
3. War
U2
4. She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
5. Can't Slow Down
Lionel Richie
6. Break Out
The Pointer Sisters
7. Swordfishtrombones
Tom Waits
8. Eliminator
ZZ Top
9. Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
10. Pyromania
Def Leppard
11. Piece Of Mind
Iron Maiden
12. Speaking In Tounges
Talking Heads
13. Texas Flood
Stevie Ray Vaughan
14. Madonna
Madonna
15. Touch
Eurythmics
16. Let's Dance
David Bowie
17. An Innocent Man
Billy Joel
18. Kill 'Em All
Metallica
19. Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
20. Frontiers
Journey
21. Sports
Huey Lewis & The News
22. Holy Diver
Dio
23. Uh-huh
John Cougar Mellencamp
24. 90125
Yes
25. Labour Of Love
UB40
26. Infidels
Bob Dylan
27. Metal Health
Quiet Riot
28. Flashdance
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
29. Genesis
Genesis
30. Power, Corruption & Lies
New Order
31. Cuts Like A Knife
Bryan Adams
32. Future Shock
Herbie Hancock
33. No Parking On The Dance Floor
Midnight Star
34. Script For A Jester's Tear
Marillion
35. Under A Blood Red Sky
U2
36. Rebel Yell
Billy Idol
37. Between The Sheets
The Isley Brothers
38. The Hurting
Tears For Fears
39. Soul Mining
The The
40. Seven And The Ragged Tiger
Duran Duran
41. Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
42. Show No Mercy
Slayer
43. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
44. The Crossing
Big Country
45. Shout At The Devil
Mötley Crüe
46. The Wild Heart
Stevie Nicks
47. Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
48. Bark At The Moon
Ozzy Osbourne
49. Whodini
Whodini
50. The Principle Of Moments
Robert Plant
51. High Land, Hard Rain
Aztec Camera
52. The Distance
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
53. Hearts And Bones
Paul Simon
54. Hootenanny
The Replacements
55. Reach The Beach
The Fixx
56. Eddie & The Cruisers
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
57. Lick It Up
Kiss
58. Whammy!
The B-52s
59. Jarreau
Al Jarreau
60. Kilroy Was Here
Styx
61. Melissa
Mercyful Fate
62. More Fun In The New World
X
63. She Works Hard For The Money
Donna Summer
64. Midnight Madness
Night Ranger
65. State Of Confusion
The Kinks
66. Lawyers In Love
Jackson Browne
67. Busy Body
Luther Vandross
68. Cargo
Men At Work
69. True
Spandau Ballet
70. Too Low For Zero
Elton John
71. Porcupine
Echo & The Bunnymen
72. Rant 'N' Rave With The Stray Cats
The Stray Cats
73. Fantastic
Wham!
74. Love Wars
Womack & Womack
75. Faster Than The Speed Of Night
Bonnie Tyler
76. Undercover
The Rolling Stones
77. Living In Oz
Rick Springfield
78. No Parlez
Paul Young
79. Field Day
Marshall Crenshaw
80. Out Of Step
Minor Threat
81. The Final Cut
Pink Floyd
82. Flick Of The Switch
AC/DC
83. The Luxury Gap
Heaven 17
84. Keep It Up
Loverboy
85. Candy Girl
New Edition
86. Before Hollywood
The Go-Betweens
87. We Are One
Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
88. Script Of The Bridge
The Chameleons
89. First Offense
Corey Hart
90. It's Your Night
James Ingram
91. Stay With Me Tonight
Jeffrey Osbourne
92. Bad Influence
Robert Cray Band
93. Punch The Clock
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
94. The Everly Brothers Reunion Concert
The Everly Brothers
95. The Gap Band V: Jammin'
The Gap Band
96. Zeichnungen des Patienten O. T.
Einstürzende Neubauten
97. Alpha
Asia
98. Pipes Of Peace
Paul McCartney
99. Live From Earth
Pat Benatar
100. Over The Edge
The Wipers
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1983
An unheralded great album from 1983
Brett's choice:
* Cookin' On The Roof
Roman Holliday
Bruce's choice:
* Whatever Happened To The Band Of '59
Big Daddy
Ryan's choice:
* Dazzle Ships
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Brian's choice:
* Hand Of Kindness
Richard Thompson
Lew's choice:
* One Night with A Stranger
Martin Briley
⇐ 1982   |   1984 ⇒