Live Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums From The 1980s

Is there a difference between hard rock and heavy metal?

Yes but I suspect that each of us would draw the dividing line somewhere different.

Wikipedia defines hard rock as:

“Hard rock (or heavy rock) is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock. It is typified by a heavy use of aggressive vocals, distorted electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, and often accompanied with pianos and keyboards.”

Wikipedia defines heavy metal as:

“Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are often associated with masculinity, aggression, and machismo.”

As far as I’m concerned this category ranges from excellent to unbearable with plenty of ordinary rock and metal that’s acceptable but not special. It can be too heavy and too loud and the category includes bands that I think are disgusting. Mind you, I like blues rock and even singer songwriters so what do I know?

Heavy Metal And Hard Rock Live Albums Recorded In The 1980s

Accept Staying A Life 1985
Aerosmith Classics Live II 1984
Aerosmith Rehabilitated 1986
Aerosmith A Brand New Song and Dance 1986
Anthrax Caught in a Mosh BBC Live in Concert 1987
Atomic Rooster Live at the Marquee 1980
Black Sabbath Live At Hammersmith Odeon 1981 & 1982
Black Sabbath Live Evil 1982
Blue Oyster Cult Extraterrestrial Live 1981
Blue Oyster Cult Live in America 1981
Budgie The BBC Recordings 1972 to 1982
Cold Chisel Swingshift 1980
Def Leppard Live LA Forum with Pyromania Deluxe 1983
Destruction Live Without Sense 1988
Dio At Donnington 1983 & 1987
Europe The Final Countdown Tour 1986
Fields Of The Nephilim BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert 1988
Gillan Double Trouble 1981
Gillan Live Triple Trouble 1981 1982
Guns N Roses Live Era 87–93
Hanoi Rocks All Those Wasted Years 1983
Helloween Live in the UK 1988
Iggy Pop Roadkill Rising The Bootleg Collection 1977–2009
Iron Maiden Live After Death 1985
Iron Maiden Maiden England 1988
Judas Priest Priest Live 1986
King Diamond In Concert 1987 Abigail
Kiss Alive 3 1982
Michael Schenker Group One Night At Budokan 1981
Gary Moore Live At The Marquee 1980
Gary Moore Rockin Every Night – Live in Japan 1983
Gary Moore We Want Moore 1984
Motorhead No Sleep Til Hammersmith 1981
Motorhead BBC Live & In-Session 1978 to 1986
Napalm Death Peel Sessions 1987 1988
Nazareth Malice In Wonderland 1980
Nazareth Snaz 1981
Ted Nugent Intensities In 10 Cities 1980
Ozzy Osbourne Tribute 1981
Ozzy Osbourne Ozzy Live 1981
Ozzy Osbourne Speak of the Devil 1982
Quiet Riot Live & Rare Volume 1 1983 1984
Racer X Extreme Volume Live 1988
Rush Exit Stage Left 1980 & 1981
Saxon BBC Sessions / Live at Reading Festival 1986 1980 1982
Saxon The Eagle Has Landed Live 1981
Scorpions World Wide Live 1984
Slayer Live Undead 1984
Soundgarden Louder Than Live 1989
Thin Lizzy Live At The BBC 1971 to 1983
Thin Lizzy Life 1983
Thin Lizzy BBC Radio One Live in Concert 1983
Thin Lizzy Live At The BBC Super Deluxe Box Set 1971 to 1983
Twisted Sister Live at the Marquee Club 1983
Twisted Sister Live at Hammersmith 1984
UFO On Air At The BBC 1974 – 1985
UFO The Official Bootleg Box Set 1975 to 1985
UFO BBC In Concert 4th February 1980
UFO Regenerator Live 1982
UFO Live Throughout the Years 1976 1982 1998
W.A.S.P. Live In the Raw 1987
Frank Zappa Buffalo 1980

You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk

The All Time Best Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Live Albums

I don’t have a readers poll to find the best hard, heavy rock albums from this decade but I do have a poll to find the all time best live albums that is a great guide.

Please vote in the poll to find the best hard rock and heavy metal live albums.

Because there are so many great hard rock and heavy metal live albums I have split the poll into two and you may find some of your favourites in the second division. Albums will be promoted when they get enough votes.

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk
The Live Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums By Decade – 1960s – 1970s – 1980s – 1990s – 2000s – 2010s