Best Albums of the 1980s
Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 59,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 6 hours ago).
"I'm not quite sure how this is only rated as XTC's 6th best album on BEA. Perhaps people are listening to the CD reissue which for some strange reason added the bonus tracks Smokeless Zone, Don't Lose Your Temper & The Somnombulist right in the middle of the original track listing instead of tagg..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,561
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Exemplifies, more than any other XTC album, why I sometimes describe them as the band the Beatles would have been if they'd had to challenge themselves to expand the range of pop music beyond the range already established, before them, by the Beatles. Dense, layered, fussy, but exuberant songs as..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,559
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Comments:
"This is a very solid record in terms of music. 10 solid songs, with good melodies, and interesting instrumentation. The problem lies in the lack of stand out material. Everything here is very simple, and in many ways very 50s. Tracks like Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Save Me, Play the Game, ar..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,558
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Even if he doesn't seem to realize it to this day, being thrown out of Metallica was undoubtedly the best thing that could have happened to Mustaine, not least because, well, it eventually paved the way for this - a distinctive, punkish, scorching and urgent beast of an album further elevated by ..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,556
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"If 1985's Hounds Of Love saw Bush channel her adolescent high spirits for the last time, The Sensual World served as a coming of age. Having turned 30, she delivered her most rounded mature album to date. She acknowledged her irish heritage, taking inspiration both from the Celtic instrumentation..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,530
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Somewhere in time, is always thought of as the weakest of the Bruce Dickinson eighties albums, and yes, Alexander the great, is terrible, but the rest, especially the first side, is great. Caught somewhere in time, is a great opening track, and, wasted years, is a great pop metal anthem. Sea of m..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,530
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"ZZ Top acending to the top of their carreer with a mix between blues and rock. This album contains the top hits "Sharp Dressed Man", "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Legs". 9 good songs from 11 tracks provide a good listening experience. (album rating: 68,64 %)" Reply
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,530
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Fascinating and spellbinding instrumental music. I haven't listened to a lot of Swans, but I can hear their origins in the pounding drone-grooves that these compositions frequently settle into. All in all, this is a powerful listen, but I honestly can't see myself returning to it. Edit: I returne..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,523
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
179.
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"The sadness and beauty in every song is so seducing and dreamy. This speaks to me in a deep level. I feel like this is somehow the soundtrack that's always playing inside my mind and I only found out now that I actually heard this album." Reply
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,518
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Fantastic album! A mixture of Punk, Jazz, & Soul. You wouldn't think that would work, but it seriously does." Reply
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,511
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 18 of 100
Best Albums of the 1980s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 121 | 12% | |
| 1981 | 119 | 12% | |
| 1982 | 107 | 11% | |
| 1983 | 95 | 10% | |
| 1984 | 101 | 10% | |
| 1985 | 88 | 9% | |
| 1986 | 91 | 9% | |
| 1987 | 89 | 9% | |
| 1988 | 97 | 10% | |
| 1989 | 92 | 9% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Cure | 10 | 1% | |
| Iron Maiden | 8 | 1% | |
| The Smiths | 8 | 1% | |
| Rush | 8 | 1% | |
| The Fall | 7 | 1% | |
| Depeche Mode | 7 | 1% | |
| R.E.M. | 7 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
|
412 | 41% | |
|
392 | 39% | |
|
40 | 4% | |
|
29 | 3% | |
|
22 | 2% | |
|
19 | 2% | |
|
12 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Best Artists of 2010 | |
|---|---|
| 1. Kanye West | |
| 2. Arcade Fire | |
| 3. The National | |
| 4. Beach House | |
| 5. LCD Soundsystem | |
| 6. Gorillaz | |
| 7. Deerhunter | |
| 8. Sufjan Stevens | |
| 9. Joanna Newsom | |
| 10. The Black Keys |





