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	2,124	194,139	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,158	120,263	Moving Pictures (155th)by Rush
1982	2,131	148,282	Thriller (78th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,129	135,341	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,137	171,113	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,138	143,771	Hounds Of Love (57th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,268	170,680	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,470	162,724	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,561	152,168	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,582	197,669	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,698	1,596,149

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.

Twitch

Ministry

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

29 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,734

Average Rating:

72 (41 votes)

Comments:

992.

Kings Of Metal

Manowar

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

27 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

992

Overall Rank:

6,735

Average Rating:

71 (61 votes)

Comments:

993.

Songs To Learn And Sing
Compilation

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,736

Average Rating:

80 (71 votes)

Comments:

994.

Filigree & Shadow

This Mortal Coil

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

62 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

994

Overall Rank:

6,744

Average Rating:

75 (66 votes)

Comments:

995.

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:

996.

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:

996

Overall Rank:

6,758

Average Rating:

73 (50 votes)

Comments:

997.

...Off The Bone
Compilation

The Cramps

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,769

Average Rating:

73 (47 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:

6,779

Average Rating:

69 (31 votes)

Comments:

999.

All Over The Place

The Bangles

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

54 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

1000.

The Pink Opaque
Compilation

Cocteau Twins

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,785

Average Rating:

78 (69 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	122	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
U2	7	1%
The Smiths	7	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	386	39%
	40	4%
	28	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	965	96%
Yes	36	4%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	989	99%
Yes	12	1%

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Best Albums of 1968
1. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
2. Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
3. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
4. Odessey And Oracle by The Zombies
5. The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks
6. White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground
7. Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones
8. Music From Big Pink by The Band
9. Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
10. At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash
11. A Saucerful Of Secrets by Pink Floyd
12. Waiting For The Sun by The Doors
13. We're Only In It For The Money by The Mothers Of Invention
14. Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin
15. Cheap Thrills by Big Brother And The Holding Company
16. The Notorious Byrd Brothers by The Byrds
17. Os Mutantes by Os Mutantes
18. Wheels Of Fire by Cream
19. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo by The Byrds
20. The United States Of America by The United States Of America