10 Best Alt-Rock Albums Of The 80's

Of all the bands to be described as alt-rock in the 80's, R.E.M. is the one group that is the most accurate definition of an alternative act. With their jangly guitars, ethereal harmonies, and incredible gift for melody, the band was irresistible to listeners while not sounding like anyone else.

Coming out of Athens, Georgia, the band had started making waves on the local scene with a few EPs before this album set the world on fire. The melodies coming from Peter Buck's guitar were completely unique for the time while Michael Stipe's mysterious voice took fans to another place in their minds. Although on Murmur it is hard to discern what the actual lyrics are, it makes each track more open to interpretation so that any listener can put their own spin on what the melody means to them.

Almost out of the blue, the record that was coming out of an unknown sect of the country was suddenly being talked about all around the world. Even Rolling Stone magazine ranked this album as the best album of the year, beating out heavyweights like U2's War and Michael Jackson's Thriller. Little did we know that one of the most outlandish success stories of the 80's would become the alt-rock rallying cry for the next decade.