I recently wrote about a top 20 list ranking the best live albums ever. The list had some science, logic, and data behind it. That made it somewhat controversial in terms of which albums were included and for several, you might have expected to see but were missing.
The mix of a best of all time ranking of live albums combined with a data-backed rationale made the list particularly interesting. It also broadened the content much wider than the usual rock-based records that feature. With that in mind let's dig a bit deeper and look at a specific decade, the 1980s, on the same data-based basis.
The data is again provided by BestEverAlbums.com. They have aggregated over 60,000 greatest album charts together with over nine million member ratings and produced a series of best-ever album lists. That's where the original top 20 best live albums ever came from. It’s also the source for this top 20 ranking of the best live albums from the 1980s.
The best live albums of the 1980s
Once again it’s likely to be contentious and controversial. There are certainly albums on here that I didn't expect to see ranked so highly. Also, I would have expected to see more of these top 1980 live albums also featuring in that previous best live albums ever list. Look out below to see how many make it onto both lists.
20 - Whitesnake - Live In The Heart Of The City
This Whitesnake album from 1980 covers their first four albums. And then more. With three core Deep Purple members in the band Jon Lord, David Coverdale, and Ian Paice, there are also plenty of songs from that band included too. That combination of back catalogs works extremely well on this powerful live album.
19 - Depeche Mode - 101
Late in the decade comes Depeche Mode with their 1989 live record from their 1988 gig at the LA Rose Bowl. It was recorded on the last night of their tour, gig no. 101. A sell-out crowd joined in throughout which adds to the live effect of the album. It's a great album; I didn’t think it would be rated quite so highly as the top 20, but well worth hearing.
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