Best Albums of 1981

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
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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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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,909
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,883
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,796
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,670
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,653
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,490
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,324
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,271
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • eBay
  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,173
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,122
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 2 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist Albums %


Various Artists 16 2%
Frank Zappa 5 1%
Simple Minds 3 0%
Gary Numan 3 0%
Kitarō 3 0%
David Bowie 3 0%
Scientist 3 0%
Show all
Country Albums %


United States 305 31%
United Kingdom 285 29%
Germany 58 6%
Mixed Nationality 40 4%
Australia 36 4%
France 29 3%
Japan 27 3%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 938 94%
Yes 62 6%
Live? Albums %
No 970 97%
Yes 30 3%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 990 99%
Yes 10 1%
Best Albums of 1957
1. Blue Train by John Coltrane
2. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
3. Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
4. Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
5. The "Chirping" Crickets by The Crickets
6. Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
7. 'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis
8. Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar by Johnny Cash
9. After School Session by Chuck Berry
10. Ray Charles by Ray Charles
11. Cookin' With The Miles Davis Quintet by Miles Davis Quintet
12. Miles Ahead by Miles Davis + 19
13. The Best Of Muddy Waters by Muddy Waters
14. Monk's Music by Thelonious Monk Septet
15. The Clown by Charles Mingus
16. Dance Album by Carl Perkins
17. After Midnight by Nat King Cole
18. Singin' The Blues by B.B. King
19. Way Out West by Sonny Rollins
20. Singin' To My Baby by Eddie Cochran
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