10 80s Albums That Changed Rock Music

Beastie Boys were the bridge between white suburbia and the black inner city. Although other acts like Run-D.M.C. contributed to the growing popularity of hip hop in the mainstream - particularly with their collaboration with Aerosmith - Beastie Boys were monumental in bringing hip hop to the masses. The group's debut blended the attitude of punk rock with the alluring rhythms of hip hop. With the help of Rick Rubin, Licensed To Ill was a landmark moment.

Admittedly, anyone born after the year 2000 might stick this record on and think it's some kind or parody. The nasal delivery on tracks like Slow Ride scream, sour-cream loving frat boys, particularly with lines like: "Eating Colonel's chicken - drinkin' Heineken brew". This sentiment is only compounded with Girls, which hears the Boys espouse a yearning for members of the opposite sex, with all the charisma of a pimple sporting Dungeon Master.

Then there's the ultimate party anthem: Fight For Your Right. Chugging rock guitars give the track all the posturing of hair metal, with lyrics that are the most superfluous expression of anti-authoritarianism ever put to a beat. But somehow it's still brilliant. When you recognise the innate humour behind this album, you see it for the masterpiece it is. With this record, rap rock was born.