Think my favorites were probably
Rush Hemispheres
Kiss Alive
Iron Maiden (1st album)
Judas Priest Sad Wings of Destiny
Black Sabbath Master of Reality
I hadn't been forced to look at a lot of the 60s and 70s stuff I had previously panned because the bands I really liked (at the time) were still putting out good music and the general feeling was it was only going to get better.
Boy, the 80's sure knocked that dream into the dirt.