Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s
by Rhyner

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1. (=)
Daydream Nation 
United States Sonic Youth
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2017]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
1,595 charts
Rank Score:
14,753
Rank in 1988:
1
Rank in 1980s:
10
Overall Rank:
75
Average Rating:
 84 (1,889 votes)
Comments:
View 147
2. (=)
From Gardens Where We Feel Secure 
United Kingdom Virginia Astley
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 05/03/2024]
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
74 charts
Rank Score:
468
Rank in 1983:
44
Rank in 1980s:
481
Overall Rank:
3,247
Average Rating:
 76 (55 votes)
Comments:
View 4
3. (=)
Doolittle 
United States Pixies
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 07/24/2017]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
2,568 charts
Rank Score:
29,897
Rank in 1989:
1
Rank in 1980s:
2
Overall Rank:
17
Average Rating:
Top rated album (88/100 - 2987 votes)  88 (2,987 votes)
Comments:
View 293
4. (=)
The Queen Is Dead 
United Kingdom The Smiths
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 07/24/2017]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
2,504 charts
Rank Score:
31,326
Rank in 1986:
1
Rank in 1980s:
1
Overall Rank:
16
Average Rating:
Top rated album (88/100 - 2955 votes)  88 (2,955 votes)
Comments:
View 265
5. (=)
Treasure 
United Kingdom Cocteau Twins
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 12/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
577 charts
Rank Score:
4,022
Rank in 1984:
10
Rank in 1980s:
56
Overall Rank:
406
Average Rating:
 82 (665 votes)
Comments:
View 39
6. (=)
Steve McQueen 
United Kingdom Prefab Sprout
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 03/03/2020]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
408 charts
Rank Score:
3,664
Rank in 1985:
9
Rank in 1980s:
66
Overall Rank:
459
Average Rating:
 79 (383 votes)
Comments:
View 31
7. (=)
Remain In Light 
United States Talking Heads
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 07/24/2017]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
2,059 charts
Rank Score:
26,460
Rank in 1980:
1
Rank in 1980s:
3
Overall Rank:
25
Average Rating:
Top rated album (87/100 - 2321 votes)  87 (2,321 votes)
Comments:
View 197
8. (=)
The Colour Of Spring 
United Kingdom Talk Talk
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 12/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
485 charts
Rank Score:
3,980
Rank in 1986:
6
Rank in 1980s:
57
Overall Rank:
410
Average Rating:
 80 (585 votes)
Comments:
View 29
9. (=)
Skylarking 
United Kingdom XTC
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 12/15/2018]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
601 charts
Rank Score:
4,435
Rank in 1986:
5
Rank in 1980s:
52
Overall Rank:
373
Average Rating:
 80 (647 votes)
Comments:
View 38
10. (=)
Disintegration 
United Kingdom The Cure
Available from United States
[First added to this chart: 12/13/2017]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
1,866 charts
Rank Score:
25,445
Rank in 1989:
2
Rank in 1980s:
4
Overall Rank:
28
Average Rating:
Top rated album (86/100 - 2093 votes)  86 (2,093 votes)
Comments:
View 153
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s composition

Artist Albums %


The Smiths 6 6% Filter chart to just show these albums
R.E.M. 5 5% Filter chart to just show these albums
The Cure 5 5% Filter chart to just show these albums
Kate Bush 4 4% Filter chart to just show these albums
Cocteau Twins 4 4% Filter chart to just show these albums
New Order 3 3% Filter chart to just show these albums
Talk Talk 3 3% Filter chart to just show these albums
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 55 55% Filter chart to just show these albums
United States 30 30% Filter chart to just show these albums
Mixed Nationality 4 4% Filter chart to just show these albums
Australia 3 3% Filter chart to just show these albums
Germany 3 3% Filter chart to just show these albums
Canada 2 2% Filter chart to just show these albums
Ireland 1 1% Filter chart to just show these albums
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 1 from 100th to 99th
Born In The U.S.A.
by Bruce Springsteen
Climber Up 1 from 99th to 98th
Head Over Heels
by Cocteau Twins
Climber Up 1 from 98th to 97th
Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
by The Cure
New entries
New entry
Klaus Nomi
by Klaus Nomi
Leavers
Leaver
Swordfishtrombones
by Tom Waits
TitleSourceTypePublishedCountry
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s JR1980s decade chart2024
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980sAshmark1980s decade chart2018Unknown
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s Onater1980s decade chart2019
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980schriskarman1980s decade chart2022Unknown
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980sWilliamFrayer1980s decade chart2022Unknown
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s Mattdup2791980s decade chart2020
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980sTidus19971980s decade chart2019
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s StefanR101980s decade chart2020
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980sDanielU1980s decade chart2020Unknown
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s flyingcitrus1980s decade chart2018Unknown

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s similarity to your chart(s)


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Rhyner has shared 6 more decade charts with the community. Browse them all here.
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Top 23 Music Albums of the 2020s Rhyner2020s decade chart2026
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s ratings

Average Rating: 
90/100 (from 20 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 3 ratings for this chart.  | Show all 20 ratings for this chart.

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RatingDate updatedMemberChart ratingsAvg. chart rating
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
90/100
 !		01/06/2024 16:53 Goliath  Ratings distribution  35286/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
85/100
 !		04/12/2023 07:02 Johnnyo  Ratings distribution  2,68980/100
The chart has been updated since this rating was assigned   
90/100
 !		04/11/2023 20:26 MadhattanJack  Ratings distribution  35686/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart is rated in the top 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 90.3/100, a mean average of 92.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.5/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 5.6.


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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s favourites

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Purplepash

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s forum mentions

This chart has been referenced 8 times on the forums, Explore the wider forum discussion to see what members have said about it.
From BestEverAlbums 02/13/2026 09:00 in Chart of the day (#5222): By Rhyner
“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s by ) 1. Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth (1988) 2. From Gardens Where We Feel Secure by Virginia Astley (1983) 3. Doolittle by Pixies (1989) 4. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths (1986) 5. Treasure by Cocteau Twins (1984) 6. Steve McQueen by…”
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From BestEverAlbums 07/24/2025 08:00 in Chart of the day (#5019): By Rhyner
“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s by Rhyner () 1. Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth (1988) 2. From Gardens Where We Feel Secure by Virginia Astley (1983) 3. Doolittle by Pixies (1989) 4. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths (1986) 5. Treasure by Cocteau Twins (1984) 6. Steve…”
View forum post →

From BestEverAlbums 07/31/2024 08:00 in Chart of the day (#4662): By Rhyner
“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s by Rhyner () 1. Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth (1988) 2. From Gardens Where We Feel Secure by Virginia Astley (1983) 3. Doolittle by Pixies (1989) 4. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths (1986) 5. Treasure by Cocteau Twins (1984) 6. Steve…”
View forum post →

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s comments

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[Rating ignored]Help The person who submitted this rating does not have a public chart of their own which allows member feedback, and therefore their rating does not contribute towards the average.  
From 04/12/2023 07:02 | #295964
Nice chart
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[Rating ignored]Help The person who submitted this rating does not have a public chart of their own which allows member feedback, and therefore their rating does not contribute towards the average.  
From 04/11/2023 09:00 | #295934
Solid 80's chart.
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[Rating ignored]Help The person who submitted this rating does not have a public chart of their own which allows member feedback, and therefore their rating does not contribute towards the average.  
From 08/15/2022 13:36 | #288502
Love the Wilburys in the Top 10. Any list with a TMBG album gets a thumbs up from me!!
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[Rating ignored]Help The person who submitted this rating does not have a public chart of their own which allows member feedback, and therefore their rating does not contribute towards the average.  
From 12/08/2020 02:29 | #262246
Basically anyone who holds R.E.M. in high regard on their chart has high marks from me for sure.
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[Rating ignored]Help The person who submitted this rating does not have a public chart of their own which allows member feedback, and therefore their rating does not contribute towards the average.  
From 09/08/2020 22:51 | #257926
While I respect your caveat that this chart is a work in progress, I congratulate you on your work so far. There are a ton of great albums on here, most notably the likes of Doolittle and Remain in Light. I look forward to using this chart to undercover some more greats from the eighties. Thanks for sharing!
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