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32 Albums That Turn 40 in 2021

These 32 albums that turn 40 in 2021 show how diverse the rock genre was in 1981. The influence of punk was strong with titles from The Clash and The…

Albums That Turn 40 In 2021
Mercury/Warner Bros/Columbia/A&M

These 32 albums that turn 40 in 2021 show how diverse the rock genre was in 1981.

The influence of punk was strong with titles from The Clash and The Go-Go's...

Metal was a force thanks to LPs from Iron Maiden and Motorhead...

And hard rock utterly ruled with new albums from Van Halen, AC/DC and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

See which albums from the above artists and more turn 40 in 2021 by scrolling through the gallery below.

Rush - ‘Moving Pictures’

rush_Mercury.jpgMercury

Released February 12, 1981.


Ozzy Osbourne - ‘Diary of a Madman’

Ozzy_Jet-Records.jpgJet Records

Released November 7, 1981.


The Rolling Stones - ‘Tattoo You’

rolling-stones_UMe.jpgUMe

Released August 24, 1981.


Genesis - ‘Abacab’

genesis_Atlantic.jpgAtlantic

Released September 18, 1981.


Iron Maiden - ‘Killers’

maiden_Sanctuary-Records.jpgSanctuary Records

Released February 2, 1981.


Van Halen - ‘Fair Warning’

van-halen_Warner-Bros.jpgWarner Bros

Released April 29, 1981.


Journey - ‘Escape’

journey_Columbia.jpgColumbia

Released July 17, 1981.


The Police - ‘Ghost in the Machine’

police_AM.jpgA&M

Released October 2, 1981.


Def Leppard - ‘High ‘n’ Dry’

def-leppard_Mercury-1.jpgMercury

Released July 11, 1981.


Black Sabbath - ‘Mob Rules’

sabbath_BMG.jpgBMG

Released November 4, 1981.


Stevie Nicks - ‘Bella Donna’

stevie-nicks_WMG.jpgWMG

Released July 27, 1981.


Phil Collins - ‘Face Value’

phil-collins_Atlantic.jpgAtlantic

Released February 13, 1981.


AC/DC - ‘For Those About To Rock’

acdc_Epic-1.jpgEpic

Released November 23, 1981.


Billy Squier - ‘Don’t Say No’

Billy-Squire_Capitol.jpgCapitol

Released April 13, 1981.


Motley Crue - ‘Too Fast For Love’

motley_Motley-Records.jpgMotley Records

Released November 10, 1981.


Motorhead - ‘No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith’

motorhead_Sanctuary-Records.jpgSanctuary Records

Released June 27, 1981.


The Cars - ‘Shake It Up’

cars_Elektra.jpgElektra

Released June 27, 1981.


Styx - ‘Paradise Theatre’

styx_AM.jpgA&M

Released January 19, 1981.


The Go-Go’s - ‘Beauty and the Beat’

go-gos_UMG.jpgUMG

Released July 8, 1981.


The Who - ‘Face Dances’

who_MCA.jpgMCA

Released March 16, 1981.


Foreigner - ‘4’

foreigner_Atlantic.jpgAtlantic

Released July 2, 1981.


Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’

joan_Boardwalk-Records.jpgBoardwalk Records

Released November 18, 1981.


Rainbow - ‘Difficult To Cure’

Rainbow_Polydor.jpgPolydor

Released February 3, 1981.


Pretenders - ‘Pretenders II’

pretenders_Warner-Records.jpgWarner Records

Released August 15, 1981.


ZZ Top - ‘El Loco’

zz_Warner-Bros.jpgWarner Bros

Released July 20, 1981.


Rod Stewart - ‘Tonight I’m Yours’

rod_Warner-Bros.jpgWarner Bros

Released November 6, 1981.


Judas Priest - ‘Point of Entry’

judas-priest_Columbia.jpgColumbia

Released February 26, 1981.


J. Geils Band - ‘Freeze Frame’

j-geils_Capitol.jpgCapitol

Released October 26, 1981.


Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - ‘Hard Promises’

Petty_Geffen.jpgGeffen

Released May 5, 1981.


The Clash - ‘Sandinista’

clash_CBS-Epic.jpgCBS/Epic

Released May 5, 1981


U2 - ‘October’

U2_Island.jpgIsland

Released October 12, 1981.


Daryl Hall & John Oates - ‘Private Eyes’

hall-oates_RCA.jpgRCA

Released September 1, 1981.

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights