Best Albums of the 1980s

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 57,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Prince, Pixies, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.

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21.

Moving Pictures

Rush

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

1,015 charts

Rank Score:

9,086

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

164

Average Rating:

82 (1,295 votes)

Comments:

86.

Permanent Waves

Rush

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

458 charts

Rank Score:

3,080

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

564

Average Rating:

80 (624 votes)

Comments:

114.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

354 charts

Rank Score:

2,283

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

114

Overall Rank:

769

Average Rating:

79 (379 votes)

Comments:

217.

Wrong

NoMeansNo

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

161 charts

Rank Score:

1,283

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

217

Overall Rank:

1,344

Average Rating:

80 (146 votes)

Comments:

236.

Freedom

Neil Young

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

279 charts

Rank Score:

1,131

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

236

Overall Rank:

1,511

Average Rating:

77 (325 votes)

Comments:

237.

Signals

Rush

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

227 charts

Rank Score:

1,124

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

237

Overall Rank:

1,521

Average Rating:

79 (358 votes)

Comments:

239.

Reckless

Bryan Adams

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

199 charts

Rank Score:

1,110

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

239

Overall Rank:

1,536

Average Rating:

71 (257 votes)

Comments:

259.

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

240 charts

Rank Score:

1,016

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

259

Overall Rank:

1,674

Average Rating:

76 (215 votes)

Comments:

329.

Grace Under Pressure

Rush

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

166 charts

Rank Score:

753

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

329

Overall Rank:

2,171

Average Rating:

77 (263 votes)

Comments:

368.

Power Windows

Rush

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

130 charts

Rank Score:

656

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

368

Overall Rank:

2,430

Average Rating:

76 (245 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 23. Page 1 of 3

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	119	12%
1982	107	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	84	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	86	9%
1988	98	10%
1989	96	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	388	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	21	2%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	965	97%
Yes	35	4%

Live?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

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