Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 8 hours ago
- (Created: 12/04/2011 20:38).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 15 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s has an average rating of 84 out of 100 (from 29 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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[First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,327
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 12/16/2011]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,590
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1988-POLLYGRAM
Produced By CLIVE LANGER & ALAN WINSTANLEY
1. I’m Sorry
2. Don’t Go
3. Forgiven
4. It’ll Be Easier In The Morning
5. Hallelujah Jordan
6. If You Go
7. The Older We Get
8. Yes I Was
9. Love Don’t Work This Way
10. Ballad Of Katie
11. Feet On The Ground
12. Lonely Lane
13. Saved
After the success of U2, there was a long line of Irish bands signing record deals and trying to make a serious mark in the music industry. But none came as close to Bono & Company as Hothouse Flowers did, if even for only one album. The band impressed Bono so much that he had their first single released on U2’s label. The subsequent debut album, People, became and still is the best selling Irish debut album ever made, and its success was worldwide. Even though the band is still together today, they quickly slowed down and have recorded sporadically, with nothing near the success of their debut.
Ah, but there is People. Almost lost in the confused musical world of 1988 was this positively great album. “Don’t Go” was a breath of fresh air in the dying world of New Wave and the height of hair metal power ballads. The unique Hothouse Flowers blend of American soul and traditional Celtic was never more evident than on “Don’t Go” and “I’m Sorry”, maybe the best out of the gate one-two punch of the decade. “Love Don’t Work This Way” is the song that got Bono’s attention, and it’s superb. “It’ll Be Easier In The Morning” and “The Older We Get”…and, hell, everything else here, is outstanding. One of the better albums of the 80’s, and an almost forgotten gem…which is really a shame. [First added to this chart: 12/12/2024]
Produced By CLIVE LANGER & ALAN WINSTANLEY
1. I’m Sorry
2. Don’t Go
3. Forgiven
4. It’ll Be Easier In The Morning
5. Hallelujah Jordan
6. If You Go
7. The Older We Get
8. Yes I Was
9. Love Don’t Work This Way
10. Ballad Of Katie
11. Feet On The Ground
12. Lonely Lane
13. Saved
After the success of U2, there was a long line of Irish bands signing record deals and trying to make a serious mark in the music industry. But none came as close to Bono & Company as Hothouse Flowers did, if even for only one album. The band impressed Bono so much that he had their first single released on U2’s label. The subsequent debut album, People, became and still is the best selling Irish debut album ever made, and its success was worldwide. Even though the band is still together today, they quickly slowed down and have recorded sporadically, with nothing near the success of their debut.
Ah, but there is People. Almost lost in the confused musical world of 1988 was this positively great album. “Don’t Go” was a breath of fresh air in the dying world of New Wave and the height of hair metal power ballads. The unique Hothouse Flowers blend of American soul and traditional Celtic was never more evident than on “Don’t Go” and “I’m Sorry”, maybe the best out of the gate one-two punch of the decade. “Love Don’t Work This Way” is the song that got Bono’s attention, and it’s superb. “It’ll Be Easier In The Morning” and “The Older We Get”…and, hell, everything else here, is outstanding. One of the better albums of the 80’s, and an almost forgotten gem…which is really a shame. [First added to this chart: 12/12/2024]
Buy album
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[First added to this chart: 12/15/2011]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,108
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 4. Page 1 of 1
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1981 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1982 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1983 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1984 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1985 | 5 | 5% | |
| 1986 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1987 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1988 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1989 | 13 | 13% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| R.E.M. | 3 | 3% | |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 3% | |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 3% | |
| X (US) | 3 | 3% | |
| U2 | 3 | 3% | |
| AC/DC | 2 | 2% | |
| Pixies | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 12 from 66th to 54th11 by The Smithereens |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 54th to 55thThe Trinity Session by Cowboy Junkies |
| Down 1 from 55th to 56thThriller by Michael Jackson |
| Down 1 from 56th to 57thMarshall Crenshaw by Marshall Crenshaw |
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Other decade charts by Romanelli
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| Top 7 Music Albums of the 2020s | Romanelli | 2020s decade chart | 2025 | |
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| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | Romanelli | 2000s decade chart | 2025 | |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 29 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 02/06/2025 15:30 | BorderFreeAndrew | 103 | 81/100 |
| ! | 01/31/2025 14:12 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,104 | 85/100 |
| ! | 01/23/2022 16:11 |  IlMala | 178 | 95/100 |
| ! | 10/22/2020 01:13 | leniad | 673 | 85/100 |
| ! | 09/05/2020 14:13 | MasterOfPuppets | 174 | 91/100 |
Rating metrics:
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 has a Bayesian average rating of 83.9/100, a mean average of 81.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 83.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 13.4.
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s comments
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From BorderFreeAndrew 02/06/2025 15:33 | #307441
Nice to see Adam Ant's "Friend or Foe" so high (a seriously underrated album), along with several other forgotten classics that tend to be ignored when most people make an 80's chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 10/22/2020 01:13 | #259555
Respect
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From 0129114 06/24/2020 03:52 | #254351
some solid picks m8.
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From 
Liedzeit 11/24/2018 10:49 | #225586
Liedzeit 11/24/2018 10:49 | #225586
It is nice to see an 80s chart as chart of the day for a change. And what a pathetic decade it was if even someone like you who obviously knows a lot of stuff cannot come up with better records than these. TW are okay but as no. 1? The first decent LP enters at place 23, in my opinion.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
ForegroundNoise 11/24/2018 09:24 | #225581
ForegroundNoise 11/24/2018 09:24 | #225581
Really like your notes!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
buzzdainer 07/16/2016 15:13 | #171403
buzzdainer 07/16/2016 15:13 | #171403
I love your take on the eighties! I really appreciate your #1 pick, as supergroups tend to be written off as inferior to the works of their individual members--an assumption that the Traveling Wilburys blew out of the water. Full Moon Fever, Disintegration, Doolittle, and The River are all great albums, too. Also really nice to see Blue Earth in your top ten, as I've been a huge fan of the Jayhawks for many years and love that album. Excellent work overall, especially on your notes!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From BraddlesHendo 12/01/2014 14:31 | #128418
Great albums I guess some I wouldn't play so much. We have quite a few similar choices
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
tgarritsen 01/13/2014 15:59 | #100555
tgarritsen 01/13/2014 15:59 | #100555
Interesting number one pick.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From guigs13 01/10/2013 01:33 | #60879
Nice chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From ecwashere 10/31/2012 15:20 | #53767
very good
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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