10 Albums That Defined The 80s
2. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Pop was the dominating force in the '80s, but this posse from Compton truly showed how to make a musical statement on Straight Outta Compton. This album all but invented what we now know as gangsta rap, with Ice Cube, Eazy E, and Mc Ren dropping some of the best tracks the genre has to offer.
Holding it all together is Dr. Dre, who used his sampling techniques to create some of the greatest hip hop beats of all time. From the hard hitting title track to the almost lighthearted "Express Yourself," you can tell that Dre was just getting warmed up for his future projects that would dominate the '90s.
This album took a dramatic look at what life was like in the rough streets of Compton, which earned N.W.A. the title of the most dangerous group, along with a slew of complaints from the PMRC. Ice Cube declares that the listener is about to learn "the strength of street knowledge." Pick up this record now and get to learning.