Lot of Hard Rock and early Metal and interesting "new wave" stuff as well as Classic Rock artists putting out albums.
And the continuation and extension of a lot of Jazz-Fusion, although some good records, none of them being my favorites, but also hardly their worst.
Certainly a good year, and ultimately, better than some years from that era, but at the same time, hardly comparing to some of my favorite years overall.
1. Yes - Drama
2. Rush - Permanent Waves
3. Genesis - Duke
4. Hawkwind - Levitation
5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
6. Al Di Meola - Splendido Hotel
7. Queen - Flash Gordon
8. The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
9. Bruce Springsteen - The River
10. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card
11. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel [3]
12. Yes - Yesshows
13. Van Halen - Women and Children First
14. Weather Report - Night Passage
15, Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day
16. Queen - The Game
17. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
18. U2 - Boy
19. XTC - Black Sea
20. Kerry Livgren - Seeds of Change
21. Steve Hackett - Defector
22. John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
23. Bruford - Gradually Going Tornado

Buggles - Age of Plastic
rel January 10, 1980

Rush - Permanent Waves
rel January 14, 1980

Sparks - Terminal Jive
rel January 28, 1980

Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day
rel February15, 1980

Bruford - Gradually Going Tornado
rel February 1980

Billy Joel - Glass Houses
rel March 10, 1980

Journey - Departure
rel March 23, 1980

Genesis - Duke
rel March 24, 1980

Van Halen - Women and Children First
rel March 26, 1980

Daryl Hall - Sacred Songs
rel March 1980

Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
rel April 14, 1980

Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
rel April 25, 1980

Al Di Meola - Splendido Hotel
rel May 10, 1980

Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel [3]
rel May 23, 1980

Roxy Music - Flesh and Blood
rel May 23, 1980

Blue Oyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus
rel June 14, 1980

Queen - The Game
rel June 30, 1980

Steve Hackett - Defector
rel June 1980

Hall and Oates - Voices
rel July 29, 1980

Black Sabbath - Live at Last
rel July 1980

Kerry Livgren - Seeds of Change
rel July 1980

Yes - Drama
rel August 18, 1980

Electric Light Orchestra / Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu
rel August 1980

David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
rel September 12, 1980

XTC - Black Sea
rel September 12, 1980

Kool and The Gang - Celebrate!
rel September 29, 1980

Stevie Wonder - Hotter than July
rel September 29, 1980

The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta
rel October 3, 1980

Prince - Dirty Mind
rel October 8, 1980

Talking Heads - Remain in Light
rel October 8, 1980

Bruce Springsteen - The River
rel October 17, 1980

Dire Straits - Making Movies
rel October 17, 1980

U2 - Boy
rel October 20, 1980

Hawkwind - Levitation
rel October 27, 1980

Jon Anderson - Song of Seven
rel October 1980

The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card
rel November 1, 1980

Motorhead - Ace of Spades
rel November 8, 1980

John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy
rel November 17, 1980

Steely Dan - Gaucho
rel November 21, 1980

Yes - Yesshows
rel November 24, 1980

Weather Report - Night Passage
rel November 1980

Queen - Flash Gordon
rel December 8, 1980

Dixie Dregs - Dregs of the Earth
rel 1980

Pat Metheny - 80/81
rel 1980

Hermeto Pascoal - Cérebro Magnético
rel 1980

Speedway Blvd - Speedway Blvd
rel 1980

Sussman Lawrence - Hail to the Modern Hero
rel 1980