Top Christian Albums of the 1980's -- #6

THE IMPERIALS SING THE CLASSICS – The Imperials (1985)

Not, as some might think, a greatest hits album, although it comes closer to that than anything else on this list. Rather than performing their classics, the greatest vocal band in Christian music history performs ten songs made famous by other performers, but heard here in their own classic style.

The Imperials struggled for an identity in this decade, trying to establish themselves in a market that was getting younger and adopting a harder musical edge. Nonetheless, they produced some great work. Heed the Call is a near-miss on this list, featuring the incomparable Oh Buddha, and Stand by the Power follows closely as an excellent compilation in its own right. Other efforts were solid but reflected their identity crisis. However, when they returned to their roots in 1985, they gave us their best work of the decade, and an album for the ages, re-introducing ten great songs and a great band to a new generation of fans.