The 1980s were an unforgettable and transformative time for popular music. The top of the decade began with MTV, allowing many artists to find mainstream appeal while experimenting with never-before-seen visuals and methods of storytelling.
Following the 1970s, many new musical subgenres, such as new wave and the budding grunge movement, began to take form and resulted in a number of the most famous names in music history.
When one thinks of the '80s, there are many albums and artists that come to mind immediately. Madonna's Like A Virgin (1984), Duran Duran's Rio (1982), and Guns N' Roses' Appetite For Destruction (1987), to name a few.
These 8 albums from the 1980s are ridiculously underrated
However, many albums, despite their lasting impact, are not often mentioned when discussing the '80s' most iconic releases. Even though the artists who released these records are some of the most influential acts, whose impact can still be seen in musical artists today, these artists still don't seem to get the recognition they deserve for both their role in the '80s music scene and their legacy in popular music as a whole.
Here are the most underrated albums from the '80s that you need to listen to if you're a lover of music or a lover of one of modern music's most exciting time periods.
Grace Jones - Nightclubbing (1981)
While many know the legendary Grace Jones for her striking androgynous looks, her work with Jean-Paul Goude, or even her acting roles in films like Conan the Destroyer (1984), Vamp (1986), and A View to a Kill (1985), few know the impact that Jones had on popular music as we know it.
After making a name for herself as a model and Studio 54 regular early in her career, Jones began to release music in the late '70s. In 1981, she released her fifth studio album Nightclubbing, which set the precedent for the major pop and rock music that followed.
At the time, Nightclubbing made serious headway for the way it expertly blended rock, funk, and pop music together -- something largely unheard of in mainstream music at the time. While you don't often see Jones mentioned when it comes to iconic '80s pop icons, she truly set the precedent for the remainder of the decade.
Other major artists, such as Annie Lennox, adopted Jones' signature androgynous appeal, and many modern artists like Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga have taken serious inspiration from Jones' sonic and visual identities.
Known for her striking aura, whether it was through her music, her fashion, or her fearless personality, one might argue Jones still has not earned the proper recognition she deserves, particularly for her music.
Exuding themes such as genre-blending, gender-bending, and Afrocentrism, Jones is one of pop music's most influential figures, and her status as this label was truly cemented with the release of Nightclubbing.
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