Key Takeaways

• Essential Albums: This list includes 11 must-have ’80s metal albums for vinyl collectors.
• Genre Evolution: The ’80s saw the emergence of various metal styles, including traditional heavy metal and thrash.
• Key Tracks: Each album features three significant tracks that highlight its impact.
• Availability: All albums listed are available for purchase through Loudwire’s online store.

If you’re looking to add to your record collection, here are 11 essential ’80s metal albums everyone needs on vinyl.

The 1980s were an especially interesting time in metal as the genre had only been established about a decade prior by none other than Black Sabbath. Except this time, they no longer had Ozzy Osbourne with them — he was ousted from the group in ’79 and replaced by Ronnie James Dio.

Metal really started to branch out in a few different directions in the ’80s. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest were among those leading the traditional heavy metal style as thrash slowly made its way from the Bay Area underground to the rest of the world.

Some of the more extreme styles of metal starting take shape too, such as death metal and black metal.

For metalheads, ’80s enthusiasts and vinyl collectors, we gathered a list of some of the essential records from the time that need to be in your collection, if they aren’t already. It’s not a definitive list, but they are all available in Loudwire’s own online merch store.

We tried to go with some different styles so we weren’t just giving you a list of thrash albums.

Underneath each album cover we cited three key tracks from the album and a link to purchase them.

Check out our essential picks below.

Black Sabbath, ‘Heaven and Hell’ (1980)

Key Tracks: “Neon Knights,” “Children of the Sea,” “Heaven and Hell”

Buy it here.

Ozzy Osbourne, ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980)

Key Tracks: “Crazy Train,” “Suicide Solution,” “Mr. Crowley”

Buy it here.

Scorpions, 'Animal Magnetism' (1980)

Key Tracks: “Make It Real,” “Lady Starlight,” “The Zoo”

Buy it here.

Iron Maiden, 'The Number of the Beast' (1982)

Key Tracks: “The Number of the Beast,” “Run to the Hills,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name”

Buy it here.

Judas Priest, ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ (1982)

Key Tracks: “The Hellion/Electric Eye,” “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”

Buy it here.

READ MORE: Most Collected Albums by 11 Big ’80s Metal Bands

Dio, ‘Holy Diver’ (1983)

Key Tracks: “Holy Diver,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “Rainbow in the Dark”

Buy it here.

Metallica, 'Ride the Lightning' (1984)

Key Tracks: “Ride the Lightning,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Fade to Black”

Buy it here.

Exodus, ‘Bonded by Blood’ (1985)

Key Tracks: “Bonded by Blood,” “A Lesson in Violence,” “Strike of the Beast”

Buy it here.

Death, ‘Leprosy’ (1988)

Key Tracks: “Leprosy,” “Left to Die,” “Pull the Plug”

Buy it here.

Slayer, ‘South of Heaven’ (1988)