Top 23 Music Albums of 1985
by mrmcrook 
Compilations, Greatest hits etc ranked after studio albums. Quite a lot this year.
My favorite songs from 1985
Dead Kennedys - MTV Get Off The Air
The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
Black Flag - Best One Yet
George Thorogood - I Drink Alone
Black Flag - Modern Man
Tom Petty - Don't Come Around Here No More
Dead Kennedys - Jock-O-Rama
The Pogues - Dirty Old Town
Anthrax - Gung Ho
AC/DC - Sink the Pink
- Chart updated: 09/11/2026 00:15
- (Created: 10/03/2020 00:24).
- Chart size: 23 albums.
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82.607* A lot slower paced than all there other albums. This one took a few listens before it gelled but it's the Dead Kennedys man. Everything they've put out surpasses almost all other punk. As always lyrically brilliant. They are the template of reality. 'MTV Get off the air'; hilarious yet so true. 02/26
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
449
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Available from
82.22 A lot better than I was expecting. The sound of when they were transitioning from their goth beginnings to the more rock heavy band they were to become. There's some fantastic pumping tunes on this along with some tracks with haunting melodies and rhythms. A nice mix. This is good. One of my favorite from The Cult 02/25
[First added to this chart: 10/03/2024]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,391
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80.00
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
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79.818* This went awol for me for a few decades. Then rediscovered. 'I drink alone' holds a place in my heart. It's a better album than it gets credit for. 03/26
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
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76.50 This was my initial introduction to Marillion. It took me quite a while to warm to it. I found it started a bit too AOR pop for my liking which threw me, but once the prog rock solidifies it flows perfectly. It does segue really well.
Grew on me nicely. Decent album [First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Grew on me nicely. Decent album [First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,712
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Available from
76.076* Great 2nd album from them and a big step up from their debut. How can you not love 'Dirty Old Town'. The singalong gold standard. 'The band played Waltzing Matilda' is a highlight. Elvis Costello was the producer you know. 09/25
[First added to this chart: 03/28/2025]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,989
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Available from
75.666* One of his better. Bit front heavy, the back half mostly plodding along but his style of singer songwriter Americana has a bit of flow within the rhythms which makes it quite catchy in a foot tapping way and hooks you in. 01/26
[First added to this chart: 06/04/2025]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
869
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Available from
73.18 The best way to describe this is a combination of earliest 'Sabbath' and hard rock/proto-metal band 'Dust.' It's not bad but does sound quite flat and drab throughout. Would of benefited massively from better production.
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Available from
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Available from
Love Maiden but for some reason this just didn't strike a chord with me. The studio versions of all tracks are far superior
[First added to this chart: 07/05/2022]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
525
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 23. Page 1 of 3
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Top 23 Music Albums of 1985 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Tom Petty | 1 | 4% | |
| George Thorogood | 1 | 4% | |
| Mick Jagger | 1 | 4% | |
| Marillion | 1 | 4% | |
| Bryan Ferry | 1 | 4% | |
| The Pogues | 1 | 4% | |
| AC/DC | 1 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 23 Music Albums of 1985 chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 1 from 16th to 17th |
Down 1 from 17th to 18th |
Down 1 from 18th to 19th |
| New entries |
|---|
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