The 25 best Classic Rock albums of 1987

17 May 2024, 06:00

Let's take a look back at the year of The Joshua Tree, Hysteria, Tango In The Night, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and much more...

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. U2 - The Joshua Tree: released 9th March 1987

   The Irish band hit superstar status in '87 with their fifth album, which featured With Or Without You, Where The Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

   

2. Anthrax – Among the Living: release date 16th March 1987

   The third studio album from the New York thrash metallers included the single I Am The Law, which crept into the UK charts at Number 32.

   

3. Whitesnake - Whitesnake (1987): release date 30th March 1987

   The seventh album from David Coverdale's rockers was their biggest seller in the UK and included the hits Here I Go Again, Is This Love, Give Me All Your Love and Still of The Night.

   

4. Bryan Adams - Into the Fire: release date 30th March 1987

   The follow-up to 1984's Reckless included the singles Hearts On Fire, Heat Of The Night, Victom Of Love and Only The Strong Survive.

   

5. The Cult - Electric: released 6th April 1987

   Their third album saw the goth rockers go metal with classic tunes like Love Removal Machine, Lil' Devil and Wild Flower.

   

6. Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night: released 13th April 1987

   This album may have called time on the classic Rumours line-up, but went 8 times platinum in the UK and spawned the singles Big Love, Everywhere, Little Lies, and Seven Wonders.

   

7. Suzanne Vega - Solitude Standing: released 27th April 1987

   The US singer-songwriter had a huge hit with her second album, which included the singles Luka and Tom's Diner.

   

8. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Let Me Up (I've Had Enough): release date 27th April 1987

   The seventh album from Petty included the singles Jammin' Me, All Mixed Up and Think About Me.

   

9. Heart – Bad Animals: release date 15th May 1987

   The ninth studio album from the Seattle rock band fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson included the huge international hit Alone, plus the singles Who Will You Run To, There's The Girl and I Want You So Bad.

   

10. Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls: release date 15th May 1987

    Featuring the glam metal band's most famous track, their fourth album also included Wild Side and You're All I Need.

    

11. Roger Waters - Radio K.A.O.S.: release date 15th June 1987

    With David Gimour and Nick Mason reviving the Pink Floyd name elsewhere, their former colleague issued his second solo album, the follow-up to 1984's The Pros And Cons Of Hitch-Hiking. Another concept album, tracks included Radio Waves and The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid).

    

12. Grateful Dead - In the Dark: release date 6th July 1987

    The only US Top 10 album from the pioneering psychedelic troupe also featured their only American hit single, A Touch Of Grey.

    

13. Guns N'Roses - Appetite For Destruction: released 20th July 1987

    Axl, Slash, Duff and the others released their classic debut LP this year, which spawned the huge hits Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City and Sweet Child O'Mine.

    

14. Midnight Oil - Diesel & Dust: release date 2nd August 1987

    The sixth album from the politically-active Australian band included their biggest worldwide hit, Beds Are Burning, which made Number 6 in the UK in May 1989.

    

15. Def Leppard - Hysteria: released 17th August 1987

    The Sheffield metal band hit their commercial peak with this monster of an album that included the singles Animal, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Rocket and Love Bites.

    

16. Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation: released 24th August 1987

    The ninth studio album from the Boston rockers brought them to a whole new audience after the success of the Run DMC collaboration Walk This Way. Tracks included Rag Doll, Angel and Dude (Looks Like A Lady).

    

17. Rush - Hold Your Fire: release date 8th September 1987

    The twelfth studio album from the Canadian prog rockers included the tracks Time Stand Still and Prime Mover.

    

18. Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason: released 7th September 1987

    After the band's "last" album The Final Cut in 1983, founder member Roger Waters pursued a solo career, but David Gilmour and Nick Mason (together with co-founder Rick Wright, now classed as a session musician) returned with this outing as the new Pink Floyd. Waters attempted legal action, but the album was a commercial success.

    

19. R.E.M. - Document: released 14th September 1987

    The band from Athens, GA bade farewell to their indie roots with their biggest hit in the UK to date. Tracks from the LP included It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love and Finest Worksong. Next up: their major label debut, Green.

    

20. KISS - Crazy Nights: release date 21st September 1987

    The glam rockers had their biggest hit in the UK to date with the title track of their fourteenth album, which also included Reason To Live and Turn On The Night. The band played Monsters Of Rock at Donington the following year, second on the line-up after Iron Maiden.

    

21. Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist and Yell: released October 1987

    The tenth album from the shock rocker included the tracks Freedom and Prince Of Darkness (as featured in the John Carpenter movie of the same name).

    

22. Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love: release date 2nd October 1987

    The Boss's eighth album was influenced by his marriage to Julianne Phillips (which would end in divorce eighteen months after the LP's release) and included the singles Brilliant Disguise, Tougher Than The Rest and the title track.

    

23. Sting – ...Nothing Like the Sun: release date 5th October 1987

    The second solo album from the former Police frontman included the singles Be Still My Beating Heart, We'll Be Together, Fragile and Englishman In New York.

    

24. George Harrison – Cloud Nine: 2nd November 1987

    The Quiet One's big comeback album was his first in five years and included the UK Number 2 hit Got My Mind Set On You, plus the Beatles homage When We Was Fab.

    

25. INXS - Kick: released 16th November 1987

    The Aussie band's fourth album Listen Like Thieves had brought them to the attention of a worldwide audience, but it was the follow-up that made frontman Michael Hutchence into a superstar. Singles included Devil Inside, New Sensation, Never Tear Us Apart, Mystify and the phenomenal Need You Tonight.