Every year, Classic Rewind counts down the 40 biggest cassettes turning 40 according to listeners’ votes. This time, it’s 1983 — a year of groundbreaking albums from bands like Def Leppard, The Police, ZZ Top, and many more.
There was no shortage of great album drops in 1983. While Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, KISS, Styx, Yes, David Bowie, and Genesis were already in double-digit album numbers, R.E.M., Ratt, Dio, and Stevie Ray Vaughan released their debut studio albums, and Steve Miller Band, Pat Benatar, and U2 all put out live albums that year.
Check out the 40 best albums of 1983, as chosen by Classic Rewind listeners.
40. R.E.M – “Murmur”
R.E.M.’s debut studio album, featuring the single “Radio Free Europe.”
39. Jackson Browne – “Lawyers in Love”
Jackson Browne’s seventh studio album, including the title track “Lawyers in Love.”
38. Joan Jett – “Album”
Joan Jett’s third studio album, known for the single “Fake Friends.”
37. Robert Plant – “The Principle of Moments”
Robert Plant’s second solo album, featuring the hit “Big Log.”
36. John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band – “Eddie & The Cruisers”
Includes the hit “On the Dark Side.”
35. Pink Floyd – “The Final Cut”
Pink Floyd’s 12th studio album, featuring the single “Not Now John.”
34. The Fixx – “Reach the Beach”
The Fixx’s second studio album, featuring the hit single “One Thing Leads to Another.”
33. Steve Miller Band – “Steve Miller Band Live!”
A live album featuring recordings from the band’s 1982 tour.
32. Triumph – “Never Surrender”
Triumph’s sixth studio album, featuring the title track “Never Surrender.”
31. Pat Benatar – “Live From Earth”
Pat Benatar’s first live album, including the studio track “Love Is a Battlefield.”
30. Rolling Stones – “Undercover”
The Rolling Stones’ 17th British and 19th American studio album, featuring the single “Undercover of the Night.”
29. AC/DC – “Flick of the Switch”
AC/DC’s ninth studio album, featuring the title track “Flick of the Switch.”
28. Duran Duran – “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”
Duran Duran’s third studio album, including the hit “The Reflex.”
27. Ratt – “Ratt”
The American glam metal band’s debut EP features the track “You Think You’re Tough.”
26. Dio – “Holy Diver”
Dio’s debut studio album, featuring the iconic title track “Holy Diver.”
25. Talking Heads – “Speaking in Tongues”
Talking Heads’ fifth studio album, including the hit “Burning Down the House.”
24. Stevie Nicks – “The Wild Heart”
Stevie Nicks’ second solo studio album, featuring the hit single “Stand Back.”
23. KISS – “Lick It Up”
KISS’s 11th studio album, known for the title track “Lick It Up.”
22. U2 – “Under a Blood Red Sky”
A live album by U2, capturing their performance of “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
21. Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Texas Flood”
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s debut studio album, featuring the blues classic “Pride and Joy.”
20. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – “The Distance”
Includes the hit singles “Shame on the Moon” and “Even Now.”
19. Loverboy – “Keep It Up”
Loverboy’s third studio album, featuring the hit “Hot Girls in Love.”
18. Eurythmics – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
Eurythmics’ second studio album, featuring the iconic title track “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”
17. Night Ranger – “Midnight Madness”
Night Ranger’s second studio album, including the hit “Sister Christian.”
16. Styx – “Kilroy Was Here”
Styx’s 11th studio album, featuring the hit “Mr. Roboto.”
15. Quiet Riot – “Metal Health”
Quiet Riot’s third studio album and includes the hit single “Cum On Feel the Noize.”
14. U2 – “War”
U2’s third studio album, featuring the iconic single “New Year’s Day.”
13. Ozzy Osbourne – “Bark at the Moon”
Ozzy Osbourne’s third studio album, featuring the title track “Bark at the Moon.”
12. Yes – “90125”
Yes’s 11th studio album, including the hit “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”
11. Mötley Crüe – “Shout at the Devil”
Mötley Crüe’s second studio album, featuring the title track “Shout at the Devil.”
10. John Cougar Mellencamp – “Uh-Huh”
John Cougar Mellencamp’s seventh studio album, including the singles “Crumblin’ Down” and “Pink Houses.”
9. Billy Joel – “An Innocent Man”
Billy Joel’s ninth studio album, featuring the hit singles “Uptown Girl” and “Tell Her About It.”
8. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
David Bowie’s 15th studio album, including the hit title track “Let’s Dance.”
7. Genesis – “Genesis”
The band’s 12th studio album, featuring the hit “That’s All.”
6. Billy Idol – “Rebel Yell”
Billy Idol’s second studio album, including the title track “Rebel Yell.”
5. Bryan Adams – “Cuts Like a Knife”
Bryan Adams’s third studio album, featuring the hit single “Cuts Like a Knife.”
4. Journey – “Frontiers”
Journey’s eighth studio album, including the hits “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Faithfully.”
3. ZZ Top – “Eliminator”
ZZ Top’s eighth studio album, featuring the hit singles “Gimme All Your Lovin'” and “Sharp Dressed Man.”
2. The Police – “Synchronicity”
The Police’s fifth and final studio album, including the hit “Every Breath You Take.”
1. Def Leppard – “Pyromania”
Def Leppard’s third studio album, featuring the hit singles “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages.”
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