Best Albums of the 1980s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1980s decade summary

Year	Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts.	Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year)	Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
1980	2,118	193,864	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,157	119,996	Moving Pictures (154th)by Rush
1982	2,130	148,105	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,128	135,418	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,134	170,894	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,137	143,816	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,263	170,329	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,464	162,517	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,561	152,021	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,574	197,247	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,666	1,594,206

The best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Prince, Pixies, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.

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991.

Songs To Learn And Sing
Compilation

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

192

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,712

Average Rating:

80 (71 votes)

Comments:

992.

Kings Of Metal

Manowar

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

27 charts

Rank Score:

192

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

992

Overall Rank:

6,716

Average Rating:

71 (61 votes)

Comments:

993.

Filigree & Shadow

This Mortal Coil

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

62 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,720

Average Rating:

75 (66 votes)

Comments:

994.

Vun Drinne Noh Drusse

BAP

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

17 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Squirrel And G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)

Happy Mondays

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

44 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

995

Overall Rank:

6,737

Average Rating:

73 (50 votes)

Comments:

996.

...Off The Bone
Compilation

The Cramps

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

996

Overall Rank:

6,741

Average Rating:

73 (47 votes)

Comments:

997.

The Pink Opaque
Compilation

Cocteau Twins

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,755

Average Rating:

78 (69 votes)

Comments:

998.

Famous Blue Raincoat

Jennifer Warnes

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

25 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,756

Average Rating:

69 (31 votes)

Comments:

999.

Back To Basics
Compilation

Billy Bragg

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

16 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

999

Overall Rank:

6,762

Average Rating:

72 (37 votes)

Comments:

1000.

Death Church

Rudimentary Peni

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,763

Average Rating:

75 (30 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	116	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	88	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
The Fall	7	1%
The Smiths	7	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	418	42%
	385	39%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	964	96%
Yes	36	4%

Live?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

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