Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 21 hours ago
- (Created: 12/04/2011 20:38).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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Produced by Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen & Steve Van Zandt. So Bruce made a pop album. And it was made at a time when pop had really bad keyboards. And "Dancing In The Dark" just would not shut up. Still, the man can write the shit out of a song, and perform it twice as well. Underneath the gloss of this album lies more of Springsteen's heart and soul, and underneath songs like "Born In The USA" lies truth, beauty, honesty, and love. I hate that I love this album, but I do.
[First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,053
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
82
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1984 – SST
Produced By ETHAN JAMES
1. D’s Car Jam / Anxious Mo-Fo
2. Theatre Is The Life Of You
3. Viet Nam
4. Cohesion
5. It’s Expected I’m Gone
6. #1 Hit Song
7. Two Beads At The End
8. Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth?
9. Don’t Look Now
10. Shit From An Old Notebook
11. Nature Without Man
12. One Reporter’s Opinion
13. Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing
14. Maybe Partying Will Help
15. Toadies
16. Retreat
17. The Big Foist
18.God Bows To Math
19. Corona
20. The Glory Of Man
21. Take 5, D.
22. My Heart And The Real World
23. History Lesson – Part II
24. You Need The Glory
25. The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts
26. West Germany
27. The Politics Of Time
28. Themselves
29. Please Don’t Be Gentle With Me
30. Nothing Indeed
31. No Exchange
32. There Ain’t Shit On T.V. Tonight
33. This Ain’t No Picnic
34. Spillage
35. Untitled Song For Latin America
36. Jesus And Tequila
37. June 16th
38. Storm In My House
39. Martin’s Story
40. Dr. Wu
41. The World According To Nouns
42. Love Dance
43. Three Car Jam
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you music for those with impaired attention spans. Minutemen nearly lived up to their name…the track list above is for a single CD (it was a double album). This American punk band lasted just over a minute (they broke up in 1985 after D. Boon was killed in a car accident), but they did release four albums in four years. Double Nickels On The Dime was their third release. It’s a stunning rapid fire collection of brief yet creative songs. The original album was 45 songs in 81 minutes. Remarkable. The longest track here is “The Glory Of Man” at 2:58, but most of the songs are less than 2 minutes long. Let’s just say that there is not a single wasted moment here. Minutemen were fast, loose, and extremely economical.
The speed at which Double Nickels On The Dime moves will probably make you dizzy. But it all works. There are no hits here. There is no jamming, no stretching things out, no singalongs and no production tricks. This is one of the most rock and roll of all rock and roll albums…this is no nonsense, no sugar coating, no prettiness or sweetness. This is what rock and roll should be. This is what PUNK should be. Loud and fast and at times, a bit scary. It’s too bad that just over a year later, Minutemen would be over. It would have been interesting to see what they would have grown into over the years. Mike Watt went on to play with Firehose, Sonic Youth, Porno For Pyros, and still plays shows with Minutemen drummer George Hurley…as a bass and drums only duo. But…for just a minute…this was one amazing band. [First added to this chart: 01/19/2024]
Produced By ETHAN JAMES
1. D’s Car Jam / Anxious Mo-Fo
2. Theatre Is The Life Of You
3. Viet Nam
4. Cohesion
5. It’s Expected I’m Gone
6. #1 Hit Song
7. Two Beads At The End
8. Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth?
9. Don’t Look Now
10. Shit From An Old Notebook
11. Nature Without Man
12. One Reporter’s Opinion
13. Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing
14. Maybe Partying Will Help
15. Toadies
16. Retreat
17. The Big Foist
18.God Bows To Math
19. Corona
20. The Glory Of Man
21. Take 5, D.
22. My Heart And The Real World
23. History Lesson – Part II
24. You Need The Glory
25. The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts
26. West Germany
27. The Politics Of Time
28. Themselves
29. Please Don’t Be Gentle With Me
30. Nothing Indeed
31. No Exchange
32. There Ain’t Shit On T.V. Tonight
33. This Ain’t No Picnic
34. Spillage
35. Untitled Song For Latin America
36. Jesus And Tequila
37. June 16th
38. Storm In My House
39. Martin’s Story
40. Dr. Wu
41. The World According To Nouns
42. Love Dance
43. Three Car Jam
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you music for those with impaired attention spans. Minutemen nearly lived up to their name…the track list above is for a single CD (it was a double album). This American punk band lasted just over a minute (they broke up in 1985 after D. Boon was killed in a car accident), but they did release four albums in four years. Double Nickels On The Dime was their third release. It’s a stunning rapid fire collection of brief yet creative songs. The original album was 45 songs in 81 minutes. Remarkable. The longest track here is “The Glory Of Man” at 2:58, but most of the songs are less than 2 minutes long. Let’s just say that there is not a single wasted moment here. Minutemen were fast, loose, and extremely economical.
The speed at which Double Nickels On The Dime moves will probably make you dizzy. But it all works. There are no hits here. There is no jamming, no stretching things out, no singalongs and no production tricks. This is one of the most rock and roll of all rock and roll albums…this is no nonsense, no sugar coating, no prettiness or sweetness. This is what rock and roll should be. This is what PUNK should be. Loud and fast and at times, a bit scary. It’s too bad that just over a year later, Minutemen would be over. It would have been interesting to see what they would have grown into over the years. Mike Watt went on to play with Firehose, Sonic Youth, Porno For Pyros, and still plays shows with Minutemen drummer George Hurley…as a bass and drums only duo. But…for just a minute…this was one amazing band. [First added to this chart: 01/19/2024]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,858
Rank in 1984:
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:
3,798
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]
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[First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,109
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1984 – I.R.S.
Produced By DON DIXON & MITCH EASTER
1. Harborcoat
2. 7 Chinese Bros.
3. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
4. Pretty Persuasion
5. Time After Time (Annelise)
6. Second Guessing
7. Letter Never Sent
8. Camera
9. (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
10. Little America
There was nothing like R.E.M. on the rock landscape in 1984. They were practically inventing alternative rock while the masses were into New Wave, hair metal, and the death throes of what is now known as classic rock. Their first album, Murmur, was a hit with critics and the people who took notice of this odd band from Georgia. With Reckoning, R.E.M. not only further solidified their sound, but they also began to reach a wider audience, thanks to a pair of hits in “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” and the almost conventional rock of “Don’t Go Back To) Rockville”. The jangly guitars of Peter Buck, the wandering basslines of Mike Mills, and the almost indecipherable lyrics from Michael Stipe made for exciting and ultimately cool music.
Reckoning is loaded with great moments from the band. “Harborcoat” opens the record with everything that makes R.E.M. great, and still stands as one of their greatest songs. “Pretty Persuasion” and “7 Chinese Brothers” are exceptional as well. R.E.M. was considered to be “college rock” at the time, a label they would soon outgrow as they became more famous. This is a band that has had multiple great albums, and Reckoning is definitely one of those. The growth of alternative rock and R.E.M,. in the decade of the eighties is one of rock’s most important and interesting excursions. A band and an album you can’t go wrong with. [First added to this chart: 09/09/2024]
Produced By DON DIXON & MITCH EASTER
1. Harborcoat
2. 7 Chinese Bros.
3. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
4. Pretty Persuasion
5. Time After Time (Annelise)
6. Second Guessing
7. Letter Never Sent
8. Camera
9. (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
10. Little America
There was nothing like R.E.M. on the rock landscape in 1984. They were practically inventing alternative rock while the masses were into New Wave, hair metal, and the death throes of what is now known as classic rock. Their first album, Murmur, was a hit with critics and the people who took notice of this odd band from Georgia. With Reckoning, R.E.M. not only further solidified their sound, but they also began to reach a wider audience, thanks to a pair of hits in “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” and the almost conventional rock of “Don’t Go Back To) Rockville”. The jangly guitars of Peter Buck, the wandering basslines of Mike Mills, and the almost indecipherable lyrics from Michael Stipe made for exciting and ultimately cool music.
Reckoning is loaded with great moments from the band. “Harborcoat” opens the record with everything that makes R.E.M. great, and still stands as one of their greatest songs. “Pretty Persuasion” and “7 Chinese Brothers” are exceptional as well. R.E.M. was considered to be “college rock” at the time, a label they would soon outgrow as they became more famous. This is a band that has had multiple great albums, and Reckoning is definitely one of those. The growth of alternative rock and R.E.M,. in the decade of the eighties is one of rock’s most important and interesting excursions. A band and an album you can’t go wrong with. [First added to this chart: 09/09/2024]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,229
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1984 – ELEKTRA
Produced By JIMMY HAYNES & STEEL PULSE
1. Steppin’ Out
2. Tightrope
3. Throne Of Gold
4. Roller Skates
5. Earth Crisis
6. Bodyguard
7. Grab Education
8. Wild Goose Chase
British reggae inspired by Bob Marley. Steel Pulse came together in 1975, and have been playing ever since. They hold the distinction of being the first non-Jamaican reggae band to win a Best Reggae Album Grammy Award. Earth Crisis is their fifth album, and marks their first decade together. And as pleasant and danceable as it sounds, it covers some serious ground. The album cover gives you ample warning about that…Reagan and Andropov are shown as leaders of the cold war. It also includes images of the Pope, the Ku-Klux Klan, Vietnam refugees and starving African children. Quite the picture. The music is not that depressing, even with the subject matter not being all about love and roses.
“Steppin’ Out” was a hit, and everything else follows suit. Earth Crisis is labeled as a serious protest album, but it’s really not much more than some danceable reggae. Nothing really stands out, making it basically background music. This was a step back from their previous album, True Democracy, and a step behind their next, which would be the Grammy winning Babylon The Bandit. Their label, at the time of Earth Crisis, was trying to move the band into a more mainstream direction, which may be why this seems a bit tentative. Even though they are still together, Steel Pulse has slowed way down. Since 2004, they have released just a pair of records (although the last was nominated for another Grammy). Unfortunately, Earth Crisis is simply not remarkable enough to hold much interest. [First added to this chart: 04/03/2025]
Produced By JIMMY HAYNES & STEEL PULSE
1. Steppin’ Out
2. Tightrope
3. Throne Of Gold
4. Roller Skates
5. Earth Crisis
6. Bodyguard
7. Grab Education
8. Wild Goose Chase
British reggae inspired by Bob Marley. Steel Pulse came together in 1975, and have been playing ever since. They hold the distinction of being the first non-Jamaican reggae band to win a Best Reggae Album Grammy Award. Earth Crisis is their fifth album, and marks their first decade together. And as pleasant and danceable as it sounds, it covers some serious ground. The album cover gives you ample warning about that…Reagan and Andropov are shown as leaders of the cold war. It also includes images of the Pope, the Ku-Klux Klan, Vietnam refugees and starving African children. Quite the picture. The music is not that depressing, even with the subject matter not being all about love and roses.
“Steppin’ Out” was a hit, and everything else follows suit. Earth Crisis is labeled as a serious protest album, but it’s really not much more than some danceable reggae. Nothing really stands out, making it basically background music. This was a step back from their previous album, True Democracy, and a step behind their next, which would be the Grammy winning Babylon The Bandit. Their label, at the time of Earth Crisis, was trying to move the band into a more mainstream direction, which may be why this seems a bit tentative. Even though they are still together, Steel Pulse has slowed way down. Since 2004, they have released just a pair of records (although the last was nominated for another Grammy). Unfortunately, Earth Crisis is simply not remarkable enough to hold much interest. [First added to this chart: 04/03/2025]
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[First added to this chart: 05/23/2015]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
709
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 8. 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 | 13 | 13% | |
| 1989 | 14 | 14% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 3% | |
| X (US) | 3 | 3% | |
| U2 | 3 | 3% | |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 3% | |
| The Smithereens | 2 | 2% | |
| Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble | 2 | 2% | |
| Steve Earle | 2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 9 from 75th to 66th Mirage by Fleetwood Mac |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 66th to 67th Building The Perfect Beast by Don Henley |
| Down 1 from 67th to 68th The Nightfly by Donald Fagen |
| Down 1 from 68th to 69th Dr. Feelgood by Mötley Crüe |
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s ratings
84/100 (from 29 votes)
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 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 29 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 80/100  | 02/06/2025 15:30 | BorderFreeAndrew | | 80/100 |
| 85/100 | 01/31/2025 14:12 | SomethingSpecial | | 85/100 |
| 70/100 | 01/23/2022 16:11 |  IlMala | | 95/100 |
| 80/100 | 10/22/2020 01:13 | leniad | | 85/100 |
| 85/100 | 09/05/2020 14:13 | MasterOfPuppets | | 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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80/100
From BorderFreeAndrew 02/06/2025 15:33
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)
80/100
From leniad 10/22/2020 01:13
Respect
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
70/100
From 0129114 06/24/2020 03:52
some solid picks m8.
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80/100
From 
Liedzeit 11/24/2018 10:49
Liedzeit 11/24/2018 10:49
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)
90/100
From 
ForegroundNoise 11/24/2018 09:24
ForegroundNoise 11/24/2018 09:24
Really like your notes!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
buzzdainer 07/16/2016 15:13
buzzdainer 07/16/2016 15:13
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)
85/100
From BraddlesHendo 12/01/2014 14:31
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)
75/100
From 
tgarritsen 01/13/2014 15:59
tgarritsen 01/13/2014 15:59
Interesting number one pick.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From guigs13 01/10/2013 01:33
Nice chart!
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From davidhuret 12/11/2012 09:04
Good choice at #1.
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