Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1981 year summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cure, The Human League, Black Flag and This Heat.

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11.

Youth Of America

Wipers

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

247 charts

Rank Score:

1,898

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

145

Overall Rank:

951

Average Rating:

81 (227 votes)

Comments:

12.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

256 charts

Rank Score:

1,881

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

146

Overall Rank:

956

Average Rating:

77 (296 votes)

Comments:

13.

Tattoo You

The Rolling Stones

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

342 charts

Rank Score:

1,799

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

153

Overall Rank:

997

Average Rating:

75 (573 votes)

Comments:

14.

Ghost In The Machine

The Police

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

381 charts

Rank Score:

1,678

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

165

Overall Rank:

1,056

Average Rating:

75 (514 votes)

Comments:

15.

The Ascension

Glenn Branca

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

204 charts

Rank Score:

1,647

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

169

Overall Rank:

1,072

Average Rating:

78 (202 votes)

Comments:

16.

Heaven Up Here

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

262 charts

Rank Score:

1,495

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

190

Overall Rank:

1,188

Average Rating:

77 (319 votes)

Comments:

17.

Face Value

Phil Collins

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

243 charts

Rank Score:

1,349

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

208

Overall Rank:

1,303

Average Rating:

72 (303 votes)

Comments:

18.

Killers

Iron Maiden

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

253 charts

Rank Score:

1,264

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

219

Overall Rank:

1,376

Average Rating:

77 (448 votes)

Comments:

19.

Movement

New Order

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

221 charts

Rank Score:

1,169

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

231

Overall Rank:

1,487

Average Rating:

75 (289 votes)

Comments:

20.

Architecture & Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

197 charts

Rank Score:

1,122

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

239

Overall Rank:

1,547

Average Rating:

76 (213 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 2 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	15	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Scientist	3	0%
Kitarō	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
Simple Minds	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	305	31%
	284	28%
	58	6%
	39	4%
	36	4%
	30	3%
	27	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	939	94%
Yes	61	6%

Live?	Albums	%
No	969	97%
Yes	31	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	10	1%

« View best albums of 1980View best albums of 1982 »

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Best Artists of the 1960s
1. The Beatles
2. The Velvet Underground
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Bob Dylan
5. The Beach Boys
6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
7. The Velvet Underground & Nico
8. Led Zeppelin
9. The Doors
10. The Rolling Stones
11. King Crimson
12. John Coltrane
13. Frank Zappa
14. The Kinks
15. Love
16. Van Morrison
17. Neil Young
18. Charles Mingus
19. Miles Davis
20. The Zombies