Photo: David Haberthür from Bern, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Billy Idol albums ranked list takes a look at the great Billy Idol albums released by a singer who everyone loved. How could you not love Billy Idol if you grew up in the 1980s. With that trademark sneer and lip that all the bad girls and especially the good girls wanted to kiss, Billy Idol became a huge star with the success of his hit singles “White Wedding,” and “Rebel Yell.” Billy Idol’s rock and roll career first began gaining some rock and roll steam when he became the lead singer of the punk band Generation X in the 1970s. With his trademark good looks and perfect physique, the man created a hairstyle that matched the punk persona of the time and blended it all together to become the perfect frontman. With such a perfect look and a powerful voice his image screamed out that it was time for a solo career. Eventually Generation X broke up and Billy Idol would soon be on the way to becoming a big star.
Billy Idol released his first solo EP in 1981 entitled Don’t Stop. The EP became an instant hit as it included including the new wave classic “Dancing WIth Myself.” In 1982 Billy Idol released his first full length album entitled Billy Idol. The album was another instant hit as it spawned three big hit singles including the roaring dark rocker “White Wedding.” Billy Idol would soon prove that he was no one hit album wonder when he released his phenomenal second album entitled Rebel Yell in 1984. The album was a huge commercial success and was one of the high points of Billy Idol’s career.
Billy Idol following up his Rebel Yell album with the release of the Whiplash Smile record in 1986. That album would be followed up four years later with the release of the Charmed Life album in 1990. Three years after that Billy Idol’s Cyberpunk album was released in 1993. Billy Idol fans would not see another Billy Idol album for another twelve years. Just when everyone thought Billy Idol was done in the music business, he returned in 2005 with a great album entitled Devil’s Playground. One year later, Billy Idol released a Christmas album entitled Happy Holidays with a cover that just made us all scratch our heads. Billy Idol’s most recent studio album release was issued seven years ago in October of 2014 entitled Kings and Queens Of The Underground.
Billy Idol has released eight studio albums throughout his career. The man has also released thirty seven singles, twenty eight music videos and five compilation albums. Our Billy Idol albums ranked list takes a closer look at his studio albums and the chart and artistic success each one celebrated. We have omitted the holiday album since it was just a covers album of holiday classics.
# 7 – Kings and Queens Of The Underground
We thought we would open up our Billy Idol’s albums list with his most recent album entitled Kings and Queens Of The Underground. The album was a big hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom where it broke both countries top 40 sections of their national album charts. It was Billy Idol’s highest-charting album since 1993’s Cyberpunk. The album featured long time Billy Idol’s guitarist and legend in his own right Steve Stevens. On keyboards was Geoffrey Downes who was the founding member of the Buggles along with playing keyboards and writing songs in superstar progressive rock groups Yes and Asia. This was a great return by Billy Idol. Standout tracks included the album’s lead single, “Can’t Bring Me Down,” and “Save Me Now.” Kings and Queens Of The Underground was released on October 17th 2014. The album was recorded both in London and Los Angeles.
# 6 – Cyberpunk
Continuing with our top 10 Billy Idol albums list we turn to the album Cyberpunk. The Cyberpunk album was released on June 29th 1993. This was a very different sounding Billy Idol album. The album made heavy use of electronics as Billy Idol was exploring cyberculture. Billy Idol showed great artistic growth on the album although it was not met with the highest praise by many critics and even some fans. Still it’s a Billy Idol album that we enjoy here and still listen too.
# 5 – Devils Playground
The Billy Idol Devil’s Playground album was the singer’s sixth studio album release. The album was released on March 22nd 2005. The record featured long time Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens. This was a rocking Billy Idol album that featured some great intense rocking songs and absolutely stunning playing. The album’s lead single “Scream,” was featured on the MTV show Viva La Bam that starred Bam Magera. Five singles were released from the album with the final one being a cover of a very famous American folk song written by Ed Rush and George Cromarty 1957 entitled “Plastic Jesus.”
# 4 -Whiplash Smile
At number four on our Billy Idol albums list is the great album Whiplash Smile. The album was released in 1986. It stands as Billy Idol’s third studio album. Whiplash Smile was the much eagerly anticipated follow-up album to Billy Idol’s previous album Rebel Yell which had become so far the biggest album of his career. Many people might be surprised at how successful this album was since they were really no big hit singles from the album. Nonetheless, the album peaked at number six on the US Billboard top 200 album charts. The same exact spot that Rebel Yell peaked at. The album was even more successful in the United Kingdom where it hit number eight on the charts compared to Rebel Yell’s peak position of number thirty six. Across the board around the world, Whiplash Smile was much more successful than Rebel Yell as far as sales and chart success went.
# 3 – Charmed Life
At number three on our Billy Idol albums list is his 1990 album entitled Charmed Life. The album stands as Billy Idol’s fourth studio album. Sales of the album were fueled by the great lead single entitled “Cradle Of Love.” The album also featured a great cover version of The Doors “L.A.Woman.” The album hit number 11 on the US Billboard Top 200. It also was a top 10 album in New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Switzerland. Billy Idol was an international Rockstar
# 2 – Billy Idol / Don’t Stop
As we begin to wind down on our Billy Idol albums list we turn to the rock stars’ first album simply entitled Billy Idol. Too many Billy Idol fans, this is their favorite record. Just before Billy Idol released his first full-length studio album he had released an EP in 1981 entitled Don’t Stop. That EP contained five songs including Billy Idol’s first single of his career “Dancing with Myself,” and a great cover of the Tommy James and the Shondells song “Mony Mony.” “Dancing With Myself,” would be later included on the 1983 reissue of Billy Idol’s first album on CD. “Mony Mony,” would become a hit when it was released as a live version single from Billy Idol’s greatest hits package Vidol Idol.
The big hit from Billy Idol’s first album was the great rack “White Wedding.” The song became a top 40 hit in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100. Interestingly, the first single “Hot In The City,” charted even higher at number 23. “White Wedding,” hit number four on the US Rock charts and was placed in constant rotation on MTV and FM album-oriented rock.
# 1 – Rebel Yell
At the number one spot on our Billy Idol albums list is the great album Rebel Yell. The Rebel Yell album was released on November 10th 1983 with Steve Stevens on board as the guitarist and Keith Forsey producing, Billy Idol and his team produced one of the great rock records of the 1980s. The Rebel Yell album spawned four hit singles. The album’s lead single and title track “Rebel Yell,” became a standard on FM album oriented rock and a widely covered song by rock and roll cover bands throughout the decade of the 1980s. For musicians, this one was a real fun one to play.
The album’s second single entitled “Eyes Without a Face,” became the album’s biggest hit. The song hIT number four on the US Billboard top 100 and hit number five on the US mainstream Rock tracks charts. The songs “Flesh For Fantasy,” and “Catch My Fall,” were the follow-up singles on this great album called Rebel Yell.
If you enjoyed this Billy Idol albums list and are a big Billy Idol fan, don’t miss our Top 10 Billy Idol Songs list. It will make you sneer!
Billy Idol Albums Ranked article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business or any organizations is allowed to republish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission.
