Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s
by 
eclab 
- Chart updated: 09/20/2025 06:15
- (Created: 07/08/2012 03:01).
- 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 88 out of 100 (from 23 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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9.6+
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
30,736
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,220
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
14,665
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,573
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
5. (=)
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9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,033
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
27,218
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.3
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
32,664
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.2
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,029
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.2
[First added to this chart: 07/10/2012]
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
8,023
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
9.1
[First added to this chart: 08/05/2013]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,419
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 15 | 15% | |
| 1981 | 6 | 6% | |
| 1982 | 8 | 8% | |
| 1983 | 14 | 14% | |
| 1984 | 11 | 11% | |
| 1985 | 12 | 12% | |
| 1986 | 10 | 10% | |
| 1987 | 9 | 9% | |
| 1988 | 7 | 7% | |
| 1989 | 8 | 8% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Talking Heads | 3 | 3% | |
| The Smiths | 3 | 3% | |
| U2 | 3 | 3% | |
| The Cure | 3 | 3% | |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 3% | |
| R.E.M. | 3 | 3% | |
| New Order | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 8th to 7thThe Queen Is Dead by The Smiths |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 7th to 8thHounds Of Love by Kate Bush |
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | Madrocker | 1980s decade chart | 2019 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s |  StefanR10 | 1980s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Best Albums of the 1980s | Slant Magazine | 1980s decade chart | 2012 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | iamthewalrus | 1980s decade chart | 2022 |  |
| Los 100 mejores discos de los años 80 | Diariocrítico | 1980s decade chart | 2023 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | TheNowhereGuy | 1980s decade chart | 2020 |  |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | Ashmark | 1980s decade chart | 2018 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | chriskarman | 1980s decade chart | 2022 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s |  JR | 1980s decade chart | 2024 |  |
| Top 82 Music Albums of the 1980s | LosWochos | 1980s decade chart | 2020 | |
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Other decade charts by eclab
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 94 Music Albums of the 2020s | eclab | 2020s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s | eclab | 2010s decade chart | 2025 | |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s | eclab | 2000s decade chart | 2026 | |
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 23 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/19/2025 09:05 |  MadhattanJack | 306 | 86/100 | |
| 02/18/2024 19:35 | Moondance | 476 | 85/100 | |
| 02/18/2024 12:57 |  Tamthebam | 651 | 85/100 | |
| 03/29/2022 20:58 | leniad | 669 | 85/100 | |
| 11/10/2020 13:40 | DJENNY | 4,336 | 100/100 |
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 is rated in the top 9% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 88.0/100, a mean average of 88.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.9/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 6.7.
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s favourites
Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s comments
Showing all 9 comments |
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From Moondance 02/18/2024 19:40 | #302059
Lots to admire about this chart.
Surprised to see only 1 Aussie album in the top 100 of the 80's. It was a decade where Aussie music was making a big mark on the world stage.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From leniad 03/29/2022 20:58 | #283589
very good chart
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From StefanR10 06/22/2020 17:51 | #254171
StefanR10 06/22/2020 17:51 | #254171
Good album chart I like it with most of well known albums I give you a good rating.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
buzzdainer 07/18/2016 04:22 | #171483
buzzdainer 07/18/2016 04:22 | #171483
Wow, what a great eighties chart! I love many of the albums you've included here, particularly Doolittle, Graceland, Murmur, and Remain in Light. I'm also happy to see the Violent Femmes' self-titled debut in your top ten, as that one plays a huge role in many of my own memories of high school. Terrific work on this chart!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
sssvnnn 03/28/2015 01:52 | #137995
sssvnnn 03/28/2015 01:52 | #137995
good
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From manueloliveira 05/25/2014 09:49 | #112891
good chart, with Talking Heads and The Smiths well placed and The Replacements which is not so common.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From PauloPaz 01/17/2014 14:47 | #100838
All good albums. Good sense.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
sheep21 04/14/2013 01:50 | #72984
sheep21 04/14/2013 01:50 | #72984
Good start. I think you could massively expand this chart however.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 
imnotanotter 01/17/2013 16:38 | #61828
imnotanotter 01/17/2013 16:38 | #61828
'Bout as good as it gets for poor old 80's.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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