Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cure, The Human League, Black Flag and This Heat.

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11.

Youth Of America

Wipers

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

255 charts

Rank Score:

1,861

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

146

Overall Rank:

949

Average Rating:

81 (242 votes)

Comments:

12.

Tattoo You

The Rolling Stones

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

358 charts

Rank Score:

1,829

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

150

Overall Rank:

968

Average Rating:

75 (595 votes)

Comments:

13.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

266 charts

Rank Score:

1,761

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

155

Overall Rank:

1,001

Average Rating:

77 (310 votes)

Comments:

14.

Ghost In The Machine

The Police

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

397 charts

Rank Score:

1,719

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

159

Overall Rank:

1,024

Average Rating:

75 (530 votes)

Comments:

15.

The Ascension

Glenn Branca

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

212 charts

Rank Score:

1,593

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

172

Overall Rank:

1,105

Average Rating:

79 (208 votes)

Comments:

16.

Heaven Up Here

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

270 charts

Rank Score:

1,478

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

191

Overall Rank:

1,192

Average Rating:

77 (327 votes)

Comments:

17.

Face Value

Phil Collins

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

256 charts

Rank Score:

1,347

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

206

Overall Rank:

1,293

Average Rating:

72 (307 votes)

Comments:

18.

Killers

Iron Maiden

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

267 charts

Rank Score:

1,233

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

223

Overall Rank:

1,405

Average Rating:

77 (460 votes)

Comments:

19.

Nightclubbing

Grace Jones

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

234 charts

Rank Score:

1,150

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

236

Overall Rank:

1,498

Average Rating:

79 (210 votes)

Comments:

20.

Architecture & Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

215 charts

Rank Score:

1,143

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

237

Overall Rank:

1,507

Average Rating:

76 (223 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 2 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	17	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
Scientist	3	0%
Tangerine Dream	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
喜多郎 [Kitarō]	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	315	32%
	278	28%
	60	6%
	40	4%
	36	4%
	30	3%
	29	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	937	94%
Yes	63	6%

Live?	Albums	%
No	970	97%
Yes	30	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	10	1%

« View best albums of 1980View best albums of 1982 »

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