11 Underrated ’80s Rock Albums Every Music Fan Needs on Vinyl

Here are 11 underrated rock albums from the 1980s that you absolutely need to own on vinyl.

Being underrated rock albums is about the only thing these titles have in common. Many of the selections on this list represent rock acts that took a risk that may not have landed with their entire fan base.

Iggy Pop’s Zombie Birdhouse, for example, was considered to be meandering and a little too experimental for some who were introduced to the rocker through the music of The Stooges when it came out in 1982. Maybe they should get over it and consider giving it a second chance more than 40 years later.

READ MORE 11 Underrated ’90s Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own on Vinyl

Then there are those acts whose early work deserves to be remembered. Los Angeles punk band X is often remembered for their cover of “WIld Thing,” Their 1980 debut demands just as much, if not more attention.

Here is a look at those underrated albums, along with releases from top rock acts from the ’80s, including Depeche Mode, The Cure and the Replacements.

The Cure, Seventeen Seconds (1980)

Key tracks: “A Forest,” “Play for Today,” “M”

Buy it here.

Descendents, Milo Goes to College (1982)

Key tracks: “Hope,” “Suburban Home,” “Myage”

Buy it here.

Depeche Mode, Black Celebration (1986)

Key tracks: “Stripped,” “A Question of Time,” “A Question of Lust”

Buy it here.

KIX, Cool Kids (1983)

Key tracks: “Body Talk,” “Cool Kids, “For Shame”

Buy it here.

 Loverboy, Loverboy (1980)

Key tracks: “Turn Me Loose,” “The Kid is Hot Tonite,” “Always On My Mind”

Buy it here.

Iggy Pop, Zombie Birdhouse (1982)

Key tracks: “Run Like a Villain,” “The Villagers,” “Watching The News”

Buy it here.

Pretenders, Pretenders II (1981)

Key tracks: “I Go To Sleep,” “Message of Love,” “Talk of the Town”

Buy it here.

Replacements, Let It Be (1984)

Key tracks: “Androgynous,” “I Will Dare,” “Unsatisfied”

Buy it here.

Johnny Thunders, Que Sera Sera (1985)

Key tracks: “Short Lives,” “Alone In a Crowd,” “M.I.A.”

Buy it here.

Winger, Winger (1988)

Key tracks: “Seventeen,” “Headed for a Heartbreak,” “Madalaine”

Buy it here.

X, Los Angeles (1980)

Key tracks: “Los Angeles,” “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene,” “Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not”

Buy it here.

More for Record Collectors

There’s more to collecting records than just the records themselves!

Here’s some turntable and speaker options. And some plastic sleeves to protect your LPs!

And speaking of music from the ’80s that deserved more appreciation, here is a look at 25 bands from that decade that should have been bigger.