Radio Shack introduced their first color computer, Martina Navratilova beat Chris Evert at the US Open for her first singles title, and these were the top 10 rock albums on September 8, 1983:

• 10. Metal Health - Quiet Riot

  This was their first album released in the US, as the band’s first two albums (featuring Randy Rhodes on guitar) came out only in Japan. This was their big one, this week at #10.

• 9. Speaking In Tongues - Talking Heads

  After several successful albums with producer Brian Eno, the band decided to DIY their fifth album and it would prove to be their highest-charting and biggest-seller.  This week, Speaking In Tongues is #9.

• 8. Frontiers - Journey

  Following up their monster album Escape, Journey returned with another strong release which, on September 8, 1983, was the #8 rock album in the country, and featured one of the cheesiest videos of the 80s!

• 7. The Principle Of Moments - Robert Plant

  An electronic drum machine, made very popular in early hip hop and rap recordings, is prominently featured in this song, taken from the #7 rock album by Robert Plant called The Principle Of Moments.  The song is “Big Log” and features the Roland TR-808.

• 6. Let's Dance - David Bowie

  Bowie took another dramatic musical shift, this time recruiting legendary producer Nile Rogers to assist him with this, his biggest selling album Let’s Dance.  It’s #56 on the countdown this week, and I LOVE seeing the Spectrum in the video of this song!

   

• 5. Reach The Beach - The Fixx

  When they first signed to MCA Records, The Fixx were asked to change their name, as it was too much of a drug reference. The compromise was to keep the name, but drop the last ‘x’. Their second album was the peak of their success and, on September 8, 1983, Reach the Beach was #5.

• 4. An Innocent Man - Billy Joel

  Billy’s ninth album was a tribute to all of his musical influences, written in their musical style.  This song was all Four Seasons, and it propelled the album up the charts, where it peaked here at #4.

• 3. The Wild Heart - Stevie Nicks

  Stevie Nicks was so inspired after hearing Prince’s “Little red Corvette” on the radio, that she immediately wrote “Stand Back,” the stand OUT track from the Wild Heart, our #3 rock album on the countdown from September 8, 1983.  Prince even played keyboards on the song!

• 2. Pyromania - Def Leppard

  Even though it never hit #1, Def Leppard’s Pyromania stands as their most successful work.  It was so huge that here, seven months after it was first released, it was hanging in at #2.

• 1. Synchronicity - The Police

  Topping the charts this week is the final studio album by one of classic rock’s most popular trios.  It was an album chock full of tense recording sessions, fistfights among the singer and drummer were not uncommon at times, but it became the crown jewel in the band’s recording catalog and the song below is the most played song in the history of radio!

  #1 on September 8, 1983 was Synchronicity by The Police!

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