10 Perfect Rock Albums Of The 1980s

10. Permanent Waves - Rush

Once the era of MTV kicked into high gear, the world of prog rock was dealt a significant blow. Though bands like Yes and Genesis did manage to transition into the music video era pretty well, the age of mile long solos and Emerson Lake and Palmer had long since faded from view. Even when people were pairing things down and making everything simpler, Rush kept their complexity and managed to hit the charts anyway.

Coming at the very start of the '80s, Permanent Waves is the sound of this Canadian three piece finally finding out what works best for the Rush mold, incorporating everything from reggae music to multi part songs without batting an eye. Though some of these tracks are a bit on the long side for rock radio standards, it would take a strong listener to hear the opening lick of Spirit of Radio and decide to turn the dial.

When breaking down the lyrics, this is also one of the more emotional albums that Rush would ever make, with Neil Peart dealing with the idea of freedom of choice on Freewill and the harsh realities that come with trying to find human connection on Entre Nous. The subject matter might seem dour as all hell on the first listen, but the actual music is some of the most fun that you will have while listening to prog rock.