Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s by leniad

2 Time Chart of the Day

The best Pop Albums Ever , Synthethisizers , First hip-hops albums , The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and MTV

This Decade saw the Biggest Popularity of the Music Industry Ever

Maybe not the best amount of Quality Albums but the singles of this period of time are something else

Hope you can discover new music and share your opinions with me !!!

• Chart updated: 08/10/2023 06:45
• (Created: 08/29/2019 20:11).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 9 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 18 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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1. (=)

Sign 'O' The Times 

 Prince

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95

Tied with Thriller for Best Pop Album ever
So many Flavors and genres prince achieve in this project, a double album with R&B, Soul, Rock, Funk, Avant pop, etc
Another album where prince play almost all instruments, produce and mix the entire record
For me Prince is the most talented music artist ever and this is his Magnus Opus

Best Songs: U Got The Look / Sign O The Times / I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

839 charts

Rank Score:

9,273

Rank in 1987:

3

Rank in 1980s:

21

Overall Rank:

171

Average Rating:

 81 (912 votes)

Comments:

54

4. (=)

Thriller 

 Michael Jackson

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95

Best Pop Album Ever
This Album is to Pop what “Dark side to the Moon” to Progressive Rock and what “Kind Of Blue” to Jazz
Although i consider 2 Prince Records almost as the same level its just undeniable the impact and the legacy this album and MJ have on thounsands of artists since
And i think the best thing an Artist can achieve is inspiring others while creating music (Art)
So many classics and incredible songs from start to finish
I used to think that Lady in my life was a filler but now is one of my favourite feeling songs

Best Songs: Billie Jean / Beat It / Wannabe Startin Something [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

1,574 charts

Rank Score:

16,967

Rank in 1982:

1

Rank in 1980s:

9

Overall Rank:

77

Average Rating:

 82 (2,101 votes)

Comments:

159

5. (=)

Remain In Light 

 Talking Heads

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95

Top Notch New Wave and World Music

This album is the “funnier” you will ever hear and im not talking in like a comedy way, its because you will Groove to it until the end
David Byrne is kind o a Genius and this álbum shows that, Brian Eno here creates an unique Sound with the production of the álbum, maybe this is the most complete álbum of the 80s
After the great Fear of Music this one consolidates Talking Heads as one of the Best Bands Ever

Post-Punk / New Wave / WorldBeat / Art Rock / Afro-Funk

Fav Songs: Born Under Punches / Houses in Motion / Once In A Lifetime [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

1,965 charts

Rank Score:

30,720

Rank in 1980:

1

Rank in 1980s:

3

Overall Rank:

27

Average Rating:

 87 (2,221 votes)

Comments:

192

10. (=)

Purple Rain 
Soundtrack

 Prince And The Revolution

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94.44

Best Songs: Purple Rain / I Would Die 4 U / When Doves Cry [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

1,378 charts

Rank Score:

16,455

Rank in 1984:

1

Rank in 1980s:

11

Overall Rank:

81

Average Rating:

 83 (1,592 votes)

Comments:

125

13. (=)

Daydream Nation 

 Sonic Youth

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94.1

Best Songs: Teen Age Riot / Eric's Trip / Candle [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

1,541 charts

Rank Score:

17,667

Rank in 1988:

1

Rank in 1980s:

8

Overall Rank:

69

Average Rating:

 84 (1,825 votes)

Comments:

146

17. (=)

On Fire 

 Galaxie 500

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94 [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

485 charts

Rank Score:

4,431

Rank in 1989:

5

Rank in 1980s:

55

Overall Rank:

403

Average Rating:

 82 (574 votes)

Comments:

40

21. (=)

Bad 

 Michael Jackson

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94

Best Songs: Man In The Mirror / The Way You Make Me Feel / Smooth Criminal [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

572 charts

Rank Score:

4,505

Rank in 1987:

7

Rank in 1980s:

53

Overall Rank:

399

Average Rating:

 76 (901 votes)

Comments:

58

23. (=)

Murmur 

 R.E.M.

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93.5 [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

1,102 charts

Rank Score:

10,660

Rank in 1983:

1

Rank in 1980s:

19

Overall Rank:

141

Average Rating:

 83 (1,381 votes)

Comments:

94

32. (=)

Operation: Mindcrime 

 Queensrÿche

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93.5

Best Songs: Revolution Calling / Operation: Mindcrime / Eyes Of A Stranger [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

273 charts

Rank Score:

2,240

Rank in 1988:

13

Rank in 1980s:

121

Overall Rank:

800

Average Rating:

 78 (355 votes)

Comments:

24

33. (=)

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back 

 Public Enemy

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93.5 [First added to this chart: 08/29/2019]

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

819 charts

Rank Score:

7,078

Rank in 1988:

4

Rank in 1980s:

30

Overall Rank:

246

Average Rating:

 80 (970 votes)

Comments:

56

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%
1980	13	13%
1981	8	8%
1982	8	8%
1983	7	7%
1984	14	14%
1985	9	9%
1986	9	9%
1987	15	15%
1988	11	11%
1989	6	6%

Artist	Albums	%
The Smiths	6	6%
The Cure	5	5%
José José	4	4%
Iron Maiden	4	4%
Charly García	4	4%
Marillion	3	3%
Metallica	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	43	43%
	34	34%
	9	9%
	8	8%
	2	2%
	1	1%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes

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

Other decade charts by leniad

Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 18 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
85/100	06/06/2023 14:19	Johnnyo	2,013	80/100
100/100	10/17/2022 16:48	Rm12398	99	89/100
80/100	09/05/2022 22:27	Moondance	454	84/100
90/100	12/14/2020 17:51	TheKing	78	90/100
100/100	12/09/2020 01:21	Crhmgs	20	98/100

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 82.8/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 82.8/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 16.4.

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s comments

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Rating:  

100/100

From Rm12398 10/17/2022 16:48

Our top 10's of this decade are eerily similar and 50 albums in common! Great minds think alike haha, great job!

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

Rating:  

80/100

From Moondance 09/05/2022 22:29

Cool chart ~ good to see the South American artists getting recognition in a BEA for a change.

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

Rating:  

85/100

From Johnnyo 09/05/2022 10:53

Interesting chart. Rather eclectic but I like that.

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

Rating:  

85/100

From Larcx13 11/02/2020 21:49

I really dont like the 80s.... and your top picks reflect exactly why. For me the 80s are better when you dig deep into punk and hip hop, which I see that you have a little bit. Some alternative rock is okay, like the Pixies. I like a few songs by The Cure but damn their songs drag on and on and on and on.....

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

Rating:  

80/100

From sssvnnn 09/27/2020 22:44

good.

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

Rating:  

80/100

From Goliath 06/14/2020 09:15

33 in common with my 80's chart.

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

Rating:  

90/100

From Purplepash 11/12/2019 10:56

Strange....we have 28 great albums in common yet you gave my chart a 40/100? I guess you must really dislike the other 72 albums on mine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

35/100

From cronadigallina 10/05/2019 21:30

One of the strangest chart by far. Marillion/Queensryche/Sonic Youth/Michael Jackson in a row... Nice are the R.E.M. in their place

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

Rating:  

95/100

From Glitterboiii 09/28/2019 19:08

Stone Roses! Woot woot!

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

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