Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s
by mv3k 
I'm changing my rating system from previous ranking --/100 to simpler scale 1-10 that will be look like that
10 - literally perfect
9+ - almost perfect
9 - great with minor flaws
8+ - very very good
8 - very good
7+ - good, enjoyable listen
7 - good
6+ - ok with potential
6 - ok
5, 5+ - mid
4, 4+ - not very bad
3, 3+ - bad
2, 2+ - very bad
1, 1+ - awful
I will also give average track rating for each album, but I won't always base my score on it, but on my overall enjoyment of each record.
Until I finish changing it you will find both types of ratings old and new in my charts.
- Chart updated: 05/16/2024 17:45
- (Created: 06/14/2023 12:27).
- Chart size: 30 albums.
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This album manages to perfectly capture feelings of loneliness and despair predicting the worst elements of living in 21st centuy after fall of authorities, while also giving hope, many brilliant lines and it is also amazing musically
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.8
Fav tracks: The Queen Is Dead, Frankly Mr. Shankly, I Know It's Over, Cemetary Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.8
Fav tracks: The Queen Is Dead, Frankly Mr. Shankly, I Know It's Over, Cemetary Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
33,880
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Magical, mysterious, ethereal and hauntingly beautiful album and most certainly the best by this band, production is perfect and vocals as well as lyrics fit it.
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.8
Fav tracks: Pictures Of You, Lovesong, Lullaby, Fascination Street, Prayers For Rain, The Same Deep Water As You, Disintegration, Untitled [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.8
Fav tracks: Pictures Of You, Lovesong, Lullaby, Fascination Street, Prayers For Rain, The Same Deep Water As You, Disintegration, Untitled [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
26,181
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Stunningly beautiiful concept album and probably the best album created by female solo artist ever, there are so many emotions packed here that it gets better with every listen
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.5
Fav tracks: Running Up That Hill, Hounds Of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting, Jig Of Life [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.5
Fav tracks: Running Up That Hill, Hounds Of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting, Jig Of Life [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
18,113
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Simply incredible heavy metal album, every single track is as good as it can be, so we don't have weak links here, they all deliver strong message with amazing thrash metal sound
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Fight Fire With Fire, Ride The Lightning, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fade To Black, Trapped Under Ice, The Call Of Ktulu [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Fight Fire With Fire, Ride The Lightning, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fade To Black, Trapped Under Ice, The Call Of Ktulu [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
9,204
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Noisy, alternative record that's so consistent, entertaining, innovative and beautiful is a rare thing, but this one is definitely one of them
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Teen Age Riot, Silver Rocket, The Sprawl, 'Cross The Breeze, Candle, Kissability, Hyperstation [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Teen Age Riot, Silver Rocket, The Sprawl, 'Cross The Breeze, Candle, Kissability, Hyperstation [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15,610
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Amazingly inventive album, it sounds so ahead of its time it's unbelievable, I also love how it slowly decreases tempo from energetic opening tracks to very slow ending
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Born Under Punches, Crosseyed And Painless, The Great Curve, Once In A Lifetime, Houses In Motion, Listening Wind [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 10
Avg. tr. rating: 9.6
Fav tracks: Born Under Punches, Crosseyed And Painless, The Great Curve, Once In A Lifetime, Houses In Motion, Listening Wind [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
27,614
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
One of the strongest positions in their catalogue, full of bold statements about society that are as relevant today as they were in mid 80s
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want The One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins At Home [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: The Headmaster Ritual, I Want The One I Can't Have, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins At Home [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,368
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Amazing thrash metal album with very heavy sound and lyricism throughout
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: Battery, Master Of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Disposable Heroes, Orion [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: Battery, Master Of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Disposable Heroes, Orion [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
12,505
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Great, massively influential and wild album, a lot of songs are really well thought-out in terms of writing and sound
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: Debaser, Wave Of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone To Heaven, Crackity Jones, Hey, Gouge Away [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.4
Fav tracks: Debaser, Wave Of Mutilation, Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone To Heaven, Crackity Jones, Hey, Gouge Away [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
31,624
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This album has very unique apocalyptic sound and simply moves goth rock sound to another level, haunting and depressive like nothing else
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.3
Fav tracks: One Hundred Years, The Fihurehead, A Strange Day, Cold, The Hanging Garden [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Score: 9+
Avg. tr. rating: 9.3
Fav tracks: One Hundred Years, The Fihurehead, A Strange Day, Cold, The Hanging Garden [First added to this chart: 06/15/2023]
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,840
Rank in 1982:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 30. Page 1 of 3
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Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1981 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1982 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1983 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1984 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1985 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1986 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1987 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1988 | 3 | 10% | |
| 1989 | 3 | 10% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Smiths | 4 | 13% | |
| Metallica | 3 | 10% | |
| The Cure | 2 | 7% | |
| Kate Bush | 2 | 7% | |
| Talk Talk | 2 | 7% | |
| Talking Heads | 2 | 7% | |
| Pixies | 2 | 7% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 2 from 5th to 3rd Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush |
| Up 1 from 18th to 17th Moving Pictures by Rush |
| Up 1 from 11th to 10th Pornography by The Cure |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 2 from 3rd to 5th Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth |
| Down 1 from 7th to 8th Master Of Puppets by Metallica |
| Down 1 from 10th to 11th The Smiths by The Smiths |
Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s similar charts
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| Top 21 Music Albums of the 1980s | Seab | 1980s decade chart | 2017 | ![]() |
| Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s | Sammyo_96 | 1980s decade chart | 2022 | ![]() |
Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s similarity to your chart(s)
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Other decade charts by mv3k
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Album of the 2000s | mv3k | 2000s decade chart | 2024 | ![]() |
| Top 100 Music Albums of the 1990s | mv3k | 1990s decade chart | 2024 | ![]() |
| Top 30 Music Albums of the 1980s | mv3k | 1980s decade chart | 2024 | ![]() |
Top 30 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.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing all 2 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 09/21/2025 21:20 | 2,865 | 83/100 | |
| ! | 01/05/2024 19:23 | 1,145 | 86/100 |
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