10 Perfect Soft Rock Music Albums Of The '80s

Just three months after its initial July 1981 release, Stevie Nicks' debut solo effort hit platinum on the sales front. It was a clearcut sign that Nicks' days operating exclusively as a Fleetwood Mac band member had come to pass.

After two years of on-and-off recording sessions, 'Bella Donna' finally reached completion, with Nicks, who'd enjoyed record-breaking success with Fleetwood Mac by this point, officially ready to branch out on her own. The LP was one of several notable solo efforts from members of the much-loved folk rock group as the '80s wore on.

Now a bonafide superstar in her own right, Nicks' debut LP wowed audiences and critics alike with her powerful vocals, intriguing lyrics, and on-point melodies. Her best-known single, 'Edge of Seventeen' was born here, serving as the album's third, and ultimately most successful, single. Additional top-charting tracks included 'Leather and Lace', a duet with ex-boyfriend Don Henley, and 'After the Glitter Fades', a meditative look at the peaks and troughs of reaching music superstardom.

While follow-up albums 'The Wild Heart' and 'Rock a Little' met favorable receptions, Nicks never quite managed to recapture the magic of 'Bella Donna'. A perfect showcase of her distinctive energy and style, the album is one of the strongest and most important contributions to the soft rock genre ever recorded.