Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s by
Repo 
- Chart updated: 03/24/2025 23:45
- (Created: 04/22/2017 02:03).
- Chart size: 55 albums.
There are 0 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 1 vote). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 56,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from United States. (Remove this filter)
aka Play that Funky Music White Boys & Girl
The Setting: After More Songs... and Fear of Music, The Talking Heads were the leaders of the Art Punk school in the States (sorry, Pere Ubu). Questioned by know one. Respected by everyone. Perhaps most surprising was how funky and groovy this bunch of seemingly over-caffeinated, over-educated nice white kids could be. So good that they won the highly prized Eno treatment regimen a third time running.
The Listen: It’s just hard not to be floored. It’s tight. Funky. A fine metal being coiled and compressed. Tightened. Tension rising as you dance at the building’s edge. So close you feel you’re going fall. But, everything is measured just so. You know you’re safe. They went to architecture school after all. They know a thing or two about crafting their buildings from songs. And Eno was never one to completely lose control. He loved bolting down a cracking fail safe.
Verdict: Even better than my beloved Seventeen Seconds, Remains In Light deserves what it got - the highly coveted Critic’s Pet Award of 1980. Fresh and vibrant and meticulous and funky. Fripp’s guitar exploding in Fripponacci loops of color. Eno melting everything in the deep fryer he calls a production board. A Masterpiece.
Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/10/2021]
Aka Transitions
So after Michael and Erica left, I’d take off the Joni Mitchell and put on Uriah Heap and Deep Purple, ya know, just anything loud and abrasive. Gregg actually didn’t have any choice because I was the guy behind the counter– but I liked Greg. I liked talking to him. You know, it was cool hanging out with him … so that’s how we came together. That’s where the seeds of Black Flag were planted, in that record store in Hermosa Beach. - Keith Morris on forming Black Flag
The Setting: Hermosa Beach 1978. Greg Ginn waiting for his sister to come back from a quick cop & feel. Keith Morris and him bond over their mutual hatred of California Rock and love of Uriah Heap at a record store. And Black Flag is born. Their first EP Nervous Breakdown essentially creates Hardcore Punk. Can we all agree that’s the most logical ground zero of consequence? (If you have an alternative staring point, LET ME KNOW!) Keith & Ginn, being total opposites, lasted a year or so together before “creative differences” started to be thrown about. So Keith bolted, with ample amounts of coke and grass to get some "fresh air," and formed Circle Jerks with Greg Hetson of later Bad Religion fame.
The Listen: 15 minutes. That’s all it took. 14 songs in 15 minutes. And Orange County Hardcore had its first classic album.
Verdict: Duh. R u even paying attention? All these years later. And STILL all those seamless transitions between songs kill me. And it wasn't by accident as later rehearsal tapes proved. Professional Hardcore Savants!
Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/21/2021]
Aka What If
Then we played like 10 of our own songs and people didn’t know the difference. We all just looked at each other, and go, ‘[Forget] this, we’re gonna do our own songs. I think this is gonna work.’” - Ken Deans, drummer of The Heats
The Setting: It all started at a school dance. They were just going to play some basic rock covers. BUT, they got that itch... "What if?", they thought. So they played one original. And then another. And the teens couldn’t get enough. After a cover story in the local rag, Heatlemania unofficially broke out across Seattle and The Heaters, as they were then called, became the hottest band in town.
But, “We [weren’t] punk enough for the punk crowd, and we [weren’t] pop enough for the Top 40 crowd,” states drummer Ken Deans. Not able to score a major recording contract they were stuck as a regional wonder kind. And a different "What If?" emerged. “What if” they had been based in LA, New York, or London? Could they have competed with the big boys?
The Listen: You had better believe it! These boys could play. Simply one of the best power pop albums of the 80s, this is a true and blue lost classic. If you dig early Beatles, The Posies, and The Figgs, you may just fall in love all over again.
The Verdict. Don’t you just love hidden gems? Sure it’s a little dusty, but give it a spit & shine and a chance, and this little record will make you dance!
Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/31/2021]
The Setting: After leaving The Supremes in the late 60s, Diana Ross simply owned the 70s with an extremely successful & prolific solo career riding the trends of 70s R&B, funk and disco. In many ways she was the living breathing embodiment of all those 70s empowerment anthems that ruled the radio waves. So it really shouldn’t have been a surprise that after releasing yet another GREAT R&B/disco album with The Boss in 1979, that she set her sights on a complete reinvention of her sound. Disco was getting stale. So she drafted Chic’s A Team of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards and along with a crucial heavy hand at the mixing board by Russ Terrana completely updated her sound leaving many of her most ardent fans a bit flabbergasted.
The Listen: Oh but it did it ever work. One of the most successful reinventions of any R&B/Pop artist ever, Diana marks the end of disco and the start of 80s Pop. Diana proved to be the sassy survivor she sang so much about in the 70s. Along with Prince’s Dirty Mind, Diana serves as the template for 80s Pop that was about to take over the world with Michael Jackson and Madonna.
The Verdict: One of the best Pop albums of the 80s. Period. Every song on here is solid, addicting and will have you singing along in no time flat.
Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/27/2021]
I think I lost it
Let me know if you come across it
Let me know if I let it fall
Along a back road somewhere (I Lost It)
The Setting: Daughter of a professor, poet and Delta Blues fanatic, Lucinda had the advantage of an atypical musical and literary education. As her family bounced from college town to town throughout the South and even as far asunder as Mexico City, Lucinda soaked up the rich musical traditions of each place. So it’s no wonder that her albums offer up a potent amalgamation of Country, Blues and Folk. She took her father’s rather scholarly approach to her first album – Ramblin'. An earnest and rootsy debut of country blues covers. Emboldened by that successful exercise, Lucinda took to pen & paper to craft her own batch of down home country folk tunes on Happy Woman Blues. “Promising!” critics declared. BUT, the critic would always add, certainly no match for her later works. The critical consensus to date could best be summed up with: An interesting “youthful” exercise before “finding her voice” on her 90s classics. So why am I bothering with this album you may ask?
The Listen: Critics are idiots. Cowardly followers more than ready to stick to the party line. Time and time again I find on my deep dives that the critical consensus is pure bollocks. Sure, Lucinda’s songs would become more glossed out & more fleshed out on coming albums, but personally I love the stripped down, heart barred vibe she dons here like a well worn pair of blue jeans. It has wormed its way into my love torn heart over the last two months. “I Lost It” and “Howlin at Midnight” in particular has resonated with me as I Iinger on the back roads of my love for my girl. Both songs completely capturing how it feels when you lose that special someone. Her songwriting here is as good as it will ever be, my friends. Lucinda wasn’t finding her voice on Happy Woman Blues. She’d already found it.
The Verdict: Happy Woman Blues is secretly one of Lucinda’s best albums. If you like stripped down folk, blues, and country, go comb these back roads and scoop up what those dumbass critics let fall. “You’re not going to find another one to compare.“
The Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 06/13/2021]
Setting: Two words. Country legend. He was one of the best and most prolific country artists in the mid-late 60s and early 70s. And then his stock took just the tiniest of dips until he jumped labels and moved to MCA in the late 70s. The move did him wonders perhaps attributed to teaming up with legendary Nashville producer Jimmy Bowen. In 1979, he put out Serving 190 Proof which includes some of my favorite country tracks of the 70s – “Got Lonely Too Early This Morning”, “Footlights”, “Heaven was a Drink of Wine”. Can Bowen and Hag keep the streak going in 1980?
The Listen: Hell yeah! In fact, Hag got even better on Back To The Barrooms. Simply one of the best post-breakup albums of all time. Listening to it is like drinking whiskey with one of your closest friends. Not just some random barkeep who’s half listening & half serving other customers. No. Someone who looks you straight in the eye and hears every word as you pour out your woe while he pours even more whiskey. Filling you up not just with booze but affirmation. That love can tear you apart but we’re going to get back out there and try again, aren't we. Just after this bottle is done.
Verdict. You know this is going in. Hag still had it. And I almost feel he made this for me as I stumble & stagger around in this post-breakup haze. One of best country albums of the entire 80s.
Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/09/2021]
There's nothing stopping me now
We don't listen to you
No, there's nothing holding me back
I want all the truth
The right side of my mind
The Setting: It came from the suburbs! Orange County specifically. These suburbs just south of LA spawned my favorite strain of early 80s hardcore . Bands such as The Adolescents, Agent Orange, the Circle Jerks and of course The Angry Samoans. Formed by couple of rock critics from Creem Magazine (one of whom - "Metal " Mike Saunder - was even credited with coining the term Heavy Metal!) Some called their songs silly and stupid but those people clearly could learn a thing or three. Just one glance of the lyric sheet on this EP proves the lie to that. Like "Rise Above" by Black Flack, "Right Side Of My Mind" is one of my favorite post-breakup songs. One of those songs that snaps me out of my self-defeatist thinking and onto the better possibilities of a brighter tomorrow.
The Listen: Super-catchy, caffeinated Orange County Hardcore. If you want a taste of what Orange County Hardcore sounds like, play this. It's that simple. And it could just be the best nine minutes of your life.
The Verdict: Orange County Hardcore heaven. It's an EP so it likely won't make the ultimate list, but this is essential 1980's punk.
The Rating: Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil [First added to this chart: 05/06/2021]
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s composition
Year | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
1980 | 21 | 38% | |
1981 | 8 | 15% | |
1982 | 4 | 7% | |
1983 | 5 | 9% | |
1984 | 6 | 11% | |
1985 | 2 | 4% | |
1986 | 2 | 4% | |
1987 | 4 | 7% | |
1988 | 1 | 2% | |
1989 | 2 | 4% |
Artist | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
Cocteau Twins | 2 | 4% | |
The Durutti Column | 2 | 4% | |
清水靖晃 [Yasuaki Shimizu] | 1 | 2% | |
fIREHOSE | 1 | 2% | |
Yellowman | 1 | 2% | |
The Specials | 1 | 2% | |
Killing Joke | 1 | 2% | |
Show all |
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes
Biggest climbers |
---|
![]() Closer by Joy Division |
Biggest fallers |
---|
![]() Sarah's Crime by 日向敏文 [Toshifumi Hinata] |
![]() Ragin', Full-On by fIREHOSE |
![]() Guilty As Charged by Culprit |
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s similar charts
Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
Top 47 Music Albums of 1980 | ![]() | 1980 year chart | 2023 | ![]() |
Top 27 Music Albums of 1980 | ![]() | 1980 year chart | 2023 | ![]() |
Top 38 Music Albums of 1980 | ![]() | 1980 year chart | 2021 | ![]() |
Top 53 Music Albums of 1980 | juanr1096 | 1980 year chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 47 Music Albums of 1980 | saltysurprise | 1980 year chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 37 Music Albums of 1980 | daCritic | 1980 year chart | 2025 | ![]() |
Top 50 Music Albums of 1980 | Kuzh69 | 1980 year chart | 2016 | ![]() |
Top 47 Music Albums of 1980 | ![]() | 1980 year chart | 2020 | ![]() |
Top 49 Music Albums of 1980 | Hyggevinyl | 1980 year chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 49 Music Albums of 1980 | chriskarman | 1980 year chart | 2022 | ![]() |
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.
Create & share your own charts.
Have your say in the overall rankings.
Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
Discover new music & improve your music collection.
Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
Create a wishlist of albums.
Help maintain the BEA database.
Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Other decade charts by Repo
Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
Top 13 Music Albums of the 2020s | ![]() | 2020s decade chart | 2023 | ![]() |
Top 30 Music Albums of the 2010s | ![]() | 2010s decade chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 14 Music Albums of the 2000s | ![]() | 2000s decade chart | 2022 | ![]() |
Top 22 Music Albums of the 1990s | ![]() | 1990s decade chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s | ![]() | 1980s decade chart | 2025 | ![]() |
Top 34 Music Albums of the 1970s | ![]() | 1970s decade chart | 2020 | ![]() |
Top 16 Music Albums of the 1960s | ![]() | 1960s decade chart | 2022 | ![]() |
Top 10 Music Albums of the 1950s | ![]() | 1950s decade chart | 2022 | ![]() |
Top 4 Music Albums of the 1940s | ![]() | 1940s decade chart | 2025 | ![]() |
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s ratings

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.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 1 ratings for this chart.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
100/100 ![]() | 05/03/2021 21:02 | DJENNY | ![]() | 100/100 |
Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s favourites
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a favourite
Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s comments
Be the first to add a comment for this Chart - add your comment!
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for Top 55 Music Albums of the 1980s

A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.