10 Best Debut Rock Albums Of The 1980s
2. Licensed To Ill - Beastie Boys
Rock was big in the 80s. Hip-hop was big in the 80s. Combine the two and what do you get? Three guys from New York who spent most of their career d**king about and getting paid millions of dollars to do so
The Beastie Boys went from comedy rappers to worldwide sensations thanks to the release of their 1986 debut Licensed to Ill. With producer Rick Rubin at their backs, the band presented a fusion of hard rock and 80s rap whilst still retaining their cheeky charm.
Some of the group's biggest ever songs are on this album, including (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) and No Sleep till Brooklyn. These were accompanied by some of the best music videos of the era, helping turn these three ne'er-do-wells into some of the most popular entertainers on the planet.
Whilst rock and rap go together like bread and butter these days, it was guys like Beastie Boys and Rubin that made it happen. The album might sound of its time today, but there's no denying just how important it was in the evolution of music as a whole.