My life in albums
by LadyGodiva

My life in albums - a list of albums that had an impact on my life in one form or another the year it was released (or which is very strongly associated with a specific year). These are not favourite albums, more the albums that seemed to be the soundtrack to a specific year.

I have written a why? in the comments for each of the albums. This is probably my most personal (and self-exposing) chart - it has been quite an emotional journey putting this together and writing all the comments. So please be kind if you decide to leave a comment!

Otherwise enjoy! :)

• Chart updated: 08/18/2025 05:15
• (Created: 07/28/2015 23:51).
• Chart size: 55 albums.

• Summary
• Composition
• Ratings
• Favourites
• Comments
• Your feedback

View the complete list of 57,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.

This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from the 1980s. (Remove this filter)

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10. (=)

Kings Of The Wild Frontier 

 Adam And The Ants

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Why? Adam Ant gave me the excuse to live in satorial excess. I could be anything I wanted a highway woman, a swashbuckling native american… and still get to dance about!
Favourite Song: 'Kings of the Wild Frontier' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

152 charts

Rank Score:

704

Rank in 1980:

46

Rank in 1980s:

348

Overall Rank:

2,285

Average Rating:

 70 (204 votes)

Comments:

15

11. (=)

Dare 

 The Human League

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Why? I wanted a keyboard and a fringe and to live the glamourous life of a waitress in a cocktail bar. The Human League (along with Bodie and Doyle) were the epitome of cool for this little 10 year old. I still love this album even though it is now full of hisses and crackles!
Favourite Song: 'Do or Die' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

412 charts

Rank Score:

2,053

Rank in 1981:

8

Rank in 1980s:

129

Overall Rank:

840

Average Rating:

 75 (470 votes)

Comments:

35

12. (=)

Rio 

 Duran Duran

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Why? I had started secondary school and was trying desperately hard to fit in. This was the album to listen to if you didn't want to be completely ostracised from the cool girl gang. At the time I cared about stuff like that. I think I like the album now more than I did at the time funnily enough.
Favourite Song: 'Save A Prayer' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

473 charts

Rank Score:

2,929

Rank in 1982:

8

Rank in 1980s:

90

Overall Rank:

581

Average Rating:

 76 (581 votes)

Comments:

40

13. (=)

The Hurting 

 Tears For Fears

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Why? At this stage I had decided that the cool girl gang was never going to be me and that I was more suited to the (older) miserable spikey haired trench coat weirdos. It was one of these weirdos (who would go on to be a lifelong friend) who took me to the Piccadilly Radio roadshow and we saw tears for Fears. I listened to the album non-stop I think for the rest of the year after that.
Favourite Song: 'Pale Shelter' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

295 charts

Rank Score:

1,725

Rank in 1983:

15

Rank in 1980s:

159

Overall Rank:

1,010

Average Rating:

 78 (347 votes)

Comments:

20

14. (=)

Hatful Of Hollow 

 The Smiths

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Why? This is the album that changed my life. Sometimes it really is that simple! 30 years on this is still my all time favourite album
Favourite Song: 'How Soon Is Now' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

633 charts

Rank Score:

5,981

Rank in 1984:

6

Rank in 1980s:

35

Overall Rank:

278

Average Rating:

 85 (1,047 votes)

Comments:

48

15. (=)

Phantasmagoria 

 The Damned

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Why? This the album that introduced me to Bob Carlos Clarke, so I borrowed my dad's Konika and started taking pictures. I couldn't get people to pose for me like BCC so I took pictures of people going about their business in the streets of Manchester. The series I did on Manchester Market the following year was enough to get me my O'Level in Art & Design! Woohoo! (I was also a bit of a Goth but I am not prepared to talk about that anymore!)
Favourite Song: 'Is It A Dream' [First added to this chart: 07/28/2015]

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

48 charts

Rank Score:

139

Rank in 1985:

114

Rank in 1980s:

1,263

Overall Rank:

8,761

Average Rating:

 72 (46 votes)

Comments:

1

16. (=)

London 0 Hull 4 

 The Housemartins

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Why? Paddy (the latest in a long line of young people my parents deemed a responsible adult) was as politicised as I was. He took me with him on a CND march and to a couple of free 'loony left' festivals in Manchester. He even got me selling the Socialist Worker (a fact that nearly got me expelled from school when I was spotted by a member of the establishment - my grandad couldn't have been prouder though!). Anyway the album... Paddy bought me this and it became my 'social warrior' soundtrack. Still have a lot of love for it now!
Favourite Song: 'Sheep' [First added to this chart: 07/29/2015]

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

159 charts

Rank Score:

781

Rank in 1986:

27

Rank in 1980s:

317

Overall Rank:

2,102

Average Rating:

 76 (130 votes)

Comments:

6

17. (=)

Secrets Of The Beehive 

 David Sylvian

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Why? My 6 year crush on David Sylvian was still going strong. I bought this album with my babysitting money (yep I was now musically influencing young minds - poor sods!) and listened to it on my own, lying on my bedroom floor contemplating the world. I was convinced back then that all it would take for my life to be perfect was to meet Mr Sylvian. Alas... It never happened!
Favourite Song: 'Let the happiness in' [First added to this chart: 07/29/2015]

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

180 charts

Rank Score:

1,280

Rank in 1987:

25

Rank in 1980s:

216

Overall Rank:

1,337

Average Rating:

 79 (186 votes)

Comments:

9

18. (=)

You Made Me Realise 

 My Bloody Valentine

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Why? At this stage in my life, my idea of a fun night out was going to a gig. I had a couple of awesome gig buddies (RIP MSB x) and we travelled the length and breadth of Northern England going to whatever gigs were on that we thought looked interesting. I had bought this EP and kind of liked it, so we went to see MBV at Ricky's in Leeds... And it was so loud it actually made my ears bleed. You'd have thought that would be the end of it right? Well no, that made this EP pretty much a constant staple for the next 25 years!
Favourite Song: 'Slow' [First added to this chart: 07/29/2015]

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

148 charts

Rank Score:

894

Rank in 1988:

31

Rank in 1980s:

291

Overall Rank:

1,866

Average Rating:

 83 (279 votes)

Comments:

28

19. (=)

Bleach 

 Nirvana

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Why? This is probably the most valuable album I own, well it is for me anyway! I saw Nirvana on their Bleach tour of the UK and loved the noise, the attitude and the atmosphere (although the venues were pretty deserted for the most part). I bought the album and got it signed by the band, never imagining for one second that Nirvana would in a few short years go on to be the biggest band in the world. One of those rare 'I was there' moments that are usually the preserve of the baby boomers! :)
Favourite Song: 'About A Girl' [First added to this chart: 07/29/2015]

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

640 charts

Rank Score:

3,478

Rank in 1989:

7

Rank in 1980s:

76

Overall Rank:

500

Average Rating:

 76 (1,313 votes)

Comments:

61

Total albums: 10. Page 1 of 1

My life in albums composition

Country	Albums	%
	32	58%
	8	15%
	3	5%
	3	5%
	2	4%
	2	4%
	2	4%
Show all

My life in albums chart changes

My life in albums similar charts

Title	Source	Type	Published	Country
Thank you for the music!	LadyGodiva	Custom chart	2015
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Best Debut Albums	TheSmiths82-87	Custom chart	2019
Top 48 Music Albums of the 1970s	Dayved00	1970s decade chart	2014
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Top 40 Greatest Music Albums	movida85	Overall chart	2011
Top 50 Greatest Music Albums	FMT	Overall chart	2015
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Top 50 Greatest Music Albums	andy399	Overall chart	2020

My life in albums similarity to your chart(s)

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So Much To Answer For!	LadyGodiva	Custom chart	2015

My life in albums ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 8 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
100/100  !	03/23/2025 02:41	mikepen	58	93/100
95/100  !	03/07/2024 19:39	sssvnnn	2,865	83/100
100/100  !	01/11/2024 20:40	Moondance	476	85/100
100/100  !	02/21/2023 05:35	AlvaroIesus	74	77/100
100/100  !	04/30/2017 20:47	Repo	562	100/100

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My life in albums favourites

Showing all 2 members who have added this chart as a favourite

mikepen

AlvaroIesus

My life in albums comments

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Rating:  

100/100

From Moondance 01/11/2024 20:44 | #301089

Great concept for a chart - and excellent commentary to reveal how music is intertwined with the ebb & flow of living on planet Earth. I hope you are doing well.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From AlvaroIesus 02/21/2023 05:35 | #294275

I would have never imagined that Juanes - Mi Sangre was big in Germany. I would like to know more about it.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Repo 04/30/2017 20:48 | #190081

Love your backstory. Lots of babysitters. lol. Very entertaining & funny comments.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Jimmy Dread 09/13/2016 18:39 | #174921

You're a lovely egg x

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Graeme2 08/12/2016 22:31 | #172818

:-)

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Rating:  

80/100

From exileonthehell 04/03/2016 00:51 | #163191

Pretty interesting life

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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