Excluding any greatest hits and moving into the 80's post, I always thought The Cult's Sonic Temple and U2's Achtung Baby were both perfect albums.

Great choice. Every song has something to offer.

I'm a prog fan first and foremost, so with that gene in mind I go with

Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
Marillion - Marbles
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Blackfield 2
The Moody Blues - To our Children's Children's Children
Rush - Grace Under Pressure
Queen - Innuendo

double post

triple post

Real Thing is a great album, but I would rate Angle Dust a bit higher.

Queenryche's Operation Mindcrime was the perfect rock album of the late 80's, even despite how strong Empire was.

Good call. It's heresy to think US is better than Melt/Security/ or even SO, but I think it's true. When US was released, I dove into that album head first and couldn't leave it for a year or so. Then Secret World Live came out and it got even more intense.

I come back to it once in a while, but our relationship will never be as intense as it was in the mid 90's.

Thriller and Purple Rain also come to mind. When they were released in 82 and 84, nothing else came close. Every song on PR is incredible, and while Thriller has 1 or 2 mediocre songs, the 4 anchors are in a league all of their own.

Gotta get some 80's hair metal in here...

RATT - Out of the Cellar
Whitesnake 87 (with Coverdale and Sykes)
Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Blue Murder - self titled
King's X - Out of the Silent Planet
WASP - self titled
Extreme - Pornagrafitti - awesome guitar and songwriting
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare

and my dark horse that nobody in the world ever heard of...

MacAlpine - Eyes of the World

Their first album was incredible as well. Just saw them in Chicago - they sure didn't play like 25 years had passed.

I love Porcupine Tree, love all of it. From Voyage 34 to the last one, The Incident. Obviously Wilson drove it 95%, but the variety, complexity, and quality of the songwriting and musical ability of the band is second to none in this modern age. Deadwing is a masterpiece, as are Stupid Dream and Lightblub Sun. Starting to get them all on vinyl and they sound every better. Can't find Deadwing on vinyl though....bummer.

However, we have to consider them as no longer a current band as Wilson has moved on. If you haven't already, check out Blackfield's first three albums where Wilson also was involved. The songs are shorter, but they have the same style. Blackfield II is a perfect album.

http://www.amazon.com/Blackfield-II-BLACKFIELD/dp/B000MR9ESA/ref=sr_1_2

Every household should have a copy of The Wall in it.