12 '80s Hard Rock Albums All Fans Should Own

The '80s were a golden age for fans of rock and metal. Many of the bands who'd already been active in the '70s released their best work in the '80s, plus the decade also saw the emergence and growth of a number of strands of the genre, from the song and image orientated hair metal bands, through the new wave of British heavy metal acts, thrash metal and its dark cousin, death metal.

Something every hard rock band has to have is a killer guitarist, and every entry on this list features a guitar hero whose influence has extended way beyond the success of their '80s output. The longevity of the rock and roll life is also noteworthy, as the majority of the bands on the list are still touring and releasing vital new music - indeed often with their original line-ups - the grim reaper allowing.

The '80s was the dawn of the MTV-led video age, where you could actually see what the band looked like in action without having to leave the safety of your own home, and as such, given the highly visual medium that rock operates in, it was a godsend to any band with half an image and a decent song under their belt. Fortunately, every act on this list has a ton of great anthems and the visual nous to capitalise on the essence of what made them great.

The first of two acts to feature in this list with an umlaut in their name, for many Motörhead are the quintessential metal band - indeed none were ever more metal than Lemmy himself. The title track alone is enough to gain entry into the eternal rock 'n' roll hall of fame. The band's most famous song, it has been covered hundreds of times in numerous diverse styles, including country à la Johnny Cash, by Union Avenue - check that one out if you can.

There was more to Motörhead than one iconic song and one iconic frontman. Motörhead were a fearsome three-piece powerhouse, and the lineup at the time of 'Ace Of Spades' is considered to be the classic combo of Lemmy, Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor and 'Fast' Eddie Clarke. The sound they made was primal, driving, hard and rocking.

'Ace' might be the best song on the record, but also worthy of investigation are 'The Chase Is Better Than The Catch', 'Love Me Like A Reptile' and 'Bite the Bullet'. Motörhead might be no more since Lemmy's demise, but latter-day guitarist Phil Campbell has released some great Lemmy-worthy albums in his own right - go check'em out.