Albums First Released in 1981
Club music, new wave and synthesiser-led pop became more visible in 1981, while rock and soul continued to change. Key releases from 1981 include Nightclubbing by Grace Jones, Moving Pictures by Rush, Never Too Much by Luther Vandross and Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Browse new vinyl editions alongside second-hand copies.
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Dutch Vinyl's Album of the Year
Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
Nightclubbing placed Grace Jones inside the Compass Point rhythm section's mix of reggae, funk and new wave. Pull Up to the Bumper, Walking in the Rain and I've Seen That Face Before use space as carefully as rhythm. Jones's controlled delivery makes the album feel unified even when the songs come from different writers.
Why 1981 Matters
Grace Jones joined reggae rhythm, funk and new wave at Compass Point; Luther Vandross brought a new polish to soul; Rush condensed progressive rock; and Siouxsie and the Banshees made darker guitar music.
Explore the year before or after
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Nightclubbing – Grace Jones
NewOriginal price $60.00 - Original price $60.00Original price$60.00$60.00 - $60.00Current price $60.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Nightclubbing (1981) is Gra...
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Rush – Moving Pictures
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Rush's eighth studio album, ...
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Luther Vandross – Never Too Much
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist "With this 1981 debut, form...
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Juju – Siouxsie & The Banshees
NewOriginal price $60.00 - Original price $60.00Original price$60.00$60.00 - $60.00Current price $60.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist One of the band’s masterwor...
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Pink Floyd – Pink Floyd At Pompeii MCMLXXII (2xLP)
NewOriginal price $98.00 - Original price $98.00Original price$98.00$98.00 - $98.00Current price $98.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Pink Floyd at Pompeii is a ...
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Stevie Nicks – Bella Donna
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist 1981 multi-platinum album r...
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The Sound – From The Lion's Mouth (Coloured vinyl)
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Formed in 1979 and fronted ...
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Gustav Holst, Sir Simon Rattle, Philharmonia Orchestra, The Ambrosian Singers – The Planets
NewOriginal price $52.00 - Original price $52.00Original price$52.00$52.00 - $52.00Current price $52.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Simon Rattle's original 1980...
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The Gun Club – Fire Of Love
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist The legendary and unmatched...
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Men At Work – Business As Usual
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist "Business As Usual" is the d...
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Journey – Escape
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Classic Journey album reiss...
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Iron Maiden – Killers
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Killers, released in Februa...
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Duran Duran – Duran Duran
NewOriginal price $52.00 - Original price $52.00Original price$52.00$52.00 - $52.00Current price $52.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Duran Duran's 1981 Debut St...
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Foreigner – 4 (2xLP,180g, 45RPM, Analogue Productions Atlantic 75 Series)
NewOriginal price $120.00 - Original price $120.00Original price$120.00$120.00 - $120.00Current price $120.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Analogue Productions (Atlan...
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Japan – Tin Drum
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist The legendary synth-pop ban...
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Vega Alan – Alan Vega (Remastered Magenta Vinyl)
NewOriginal price $50.00 - Original price $50.00Original price$50.00$50.00 - $50.00Current price $50.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Alan Vega's self-titled deb...
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The Cure – Faith
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Faith is the third studio al...
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INXS – Underneath The Colours
NewOriginal price $40.00 - Original price $40.00Original price$40.00$40.00 - $40.00Current price $40.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Underneath the Colours, rele...
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Bill Evans – You Must Believe In Spring (2xLP)
NewOriginal price $78.00 - Original price $78.00Original price$78.00$78.00 - $78.00Current price $78.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Gatefold 180g 45rpm Vinyl 2...
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Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock N' Roll
NewOriginal price $45.00 - Original price $45.00Original price$45.00$45.00 - $45.00Current price $45.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Originally released in 1981...
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Klaus Nomi – Klaus Nomi
NewOriginal price $45.00 - Original price $45.00Original price$45.00$45.00 - $45.00Current price $45.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist His debut album. German cou...
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New Order – Movement
NewOriginal price $60.00 - Original price $60.00Original price$60.00$60.00 - $60.00Current price $60.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Movement is the debut studio...
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AC/DC – For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details The title pretty much sums it up - AC...
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Au Pairs – Playing With A Different Sex
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Playing with a Different Se...
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Go-Go's – Beauty And The Beat
NewOriginal price $50.00 - Original price $50.00Original price$50.00$50.00 - $50.00Current price $50.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Beauty and the Beat is the ...
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Pete Shelley – Homosapien (2xLP)
NewOriginal price $65.00 - Original price $65.00Original price$65.00$65.00 - $65.00Current price $65.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Pete Shelley’s Homosapien m...
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Dick Gaughan – Handful Of Earth
NewOriginal price $55.00 - Original price $55.00Original price$55.00$55.00 - $55.00Current price $55.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Widely hailed as one of the...
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Motörhead – No Sleep 'til Hammersmith
NewOriginal price $52.00 - Original price $52.00Original price$52.00$52.00 - $52.00Current price $52.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist "No Sleep Till Hammersmith"...
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Agent Orange – Living In Darkness
NewOriginal price $45.00 - Original price $45.00Original price$45.00$45.00 - $45.00Current price $45.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Were they punk, power pop, ...
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Depeche Mode – Speak & Spell
NewOriginal price $55.00 - Original price $55.00Original price$55.00$55.00 - $55.00Current price $55.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist "Speak & Spell" is the ...
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Fela Kuti, Africa 70 – Coffin For Head Of State
NewOriginal price $55.00 - Original price $55.00Original price$55.00$55.00 - $55.00Current price $55.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Fela Kuti's Coffin for Head...
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Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Hard Promises
NewOriginal price $55.00 - Original price $55.00Original price$55.00$55.00 - $55.00Current price $55.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Hard Promises is the fourth...
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The Grateful Dead – Reckoning (2xLP)
NewOriginal price $75.00 - Original price $75.00Original price$75.00$75.00 - $75.00Current price $75.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist The Dead's sixth live album...
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Triumph – Allied Forces
NewOriginal price $45.00 - Original price $45.00Original price$45.00$45.00 - $45.00Current price $45.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Allied Forces, released in ...
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The Upsetters – Blackboard Jungle Dub
NewOriginal price $42.00 - Original price $42.00Original price$42.00$42.00 - $42.00Current price $42.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Re-release of this dub clas...
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Igor Stravinsky, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado – Pétrouchka
NewOriginal price $78.00 - Original price $78.00Original price$78.00$78.00 - $78.00Current price $78.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Petrushka is one of three i...
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Black Uhuru – Red
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Released in 1981, Red is a ...
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The Human League – Dare (Translucent Blue)
NewOriginal price $68.00 - Original price $68.00Original price$68.00$68.00 - $68.00Current price $68.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Dare (released as Dare! in ...
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Van Halen – Fair Warning
NewOriginal price $55.00 - Original price $55.00Original price$55.00$55.00 - $55.00Current price $55.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Mastering engineer Chris Be...
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The Church – Of Skins And Heart (White vinyl)
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist The Church’s debut already ...
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Alan Vega – Collision Drive (Remastered)
NewOriginal price $48.00 - Original price $48.00Original price$48.00$48.00 - $48.00Current price $48.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Collision Drive is Alan Veg...
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The Raincoats – Odyshape (Marble vinyl)
NewOriginal price $50.00 - Original price $50.00Original price$50.00$50.00 - $50.00Current price $50.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist We Three is the Raincoats' ...
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Echo & The Bunnymen – Heaven Up Here
NewOriginal price $45.00 - Original price $45.00Original price$45.00$45.00 - $45.00Current price $45.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Echo & the Bunnymen may...
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The Cars – Shake It Up (MOFI)
NewOriginal price $82.00 - Original price $82.00Original price$82.00$82.00 - $82.00Current price $82.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist A return to form after the ...
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The dB's – Stands For Decibels
NewOriginal price $62.00 - Original price $62.00Original price$62.00$62.00 - $62.00Current price $62.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist First ever U.S. pressing! ...
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Funkadelic – The Electric Spanking Of War Babies
NewOriginal price $52.00 - Original price $52.00Original price$52.00$52.00 - $52.00Current price $52.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Masterminded by the larger-...
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Loverboy – Get Lucky (40th Anniversary edition)
NewOriginal price $52.00 - Original price $52.00Original price$52.00$52.00 - $52.00Current price $52.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Limited 40th Anniversary vi...
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Conrad Schnitzler – Control
NewOriginal price $58.00 - Original price $58.00Original price$58.00$58.00 - $58.00Current price $58.00Condition: Brand New Ships from: Melbourne Description Release details Tracklist Control" documents a phase ...
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