The Best Metal Album + Song of Each Year of the 1980s

Going year by year through metal's most iconic decade — the 1980s — we've not only named the best album from each, but the best song as well!

In some instances, the best metal song of the year also happened to be featured on the best metal album of that same year, even amid competition with other timeless classics.

Of course, the "best" of anything is purely subjective. We understand that, which is why we take several factors into consideration, including sales and charts figures, popularity of the album in live setlists, critical and fan acclaim, how it stacks up against what their peers were doing at a similar time, etc.

READ MORE: The Best Thrash Metal Album of Each Year Since 1983

While there is no universal benchmark for true greatness, some of these album and song selections are purely undeniable. They also tell the story of heavy metal's evolution throughout the '80s (for the sake of this list, hair metal has been resigned to the "hard rock" category, as goofy as that may sound on paper), from setting the standard of traditional metal to offshoots in prog metal, thrash and death metal.

Below, you'll first see The Best Metal Album of Each Year of the 1980s immediately followed by The Best Metal Song of Each Year of the 1980s.

Now, take a look at the very best thrash album of each year since Metallica debuted with 'Kill 'Em All' back in 1983:

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