Best Albums of the 1980s

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201.

Around The World In A Day 

 Prince And The Revolution

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"Not his best album, but perhaps his most ambitious and strange. It's definitely a grower and will alienate fans of Purple Rain and other hits, aside from the baroque pop classic "Raspberry Beret", which everyone loves as much as the next Prince fan. This one is tied with Lovesexy and The Black al...""Not his best album, but perhaps his most ambitious and strange. It's definitely a grower and will alienate fans of Purple Rain and other hits, aside from the baroque pop classic "Raspberry Beret", which everyone loves as much as the next Prince fan. This one is tied with Lovesexy and The Black album as his weirdest, but also most affecting work, I would say. It does have my favorite Prince song: "Temptation", which I consider to be one of the greatest vocal performances ever, even if it degenerates into the usual Prince cheese in the last few minutes. Despite all the talking, the jazz music going on behind it is fascinating. It's certainly worth giving a chance even if you don't like every single song."  [+]  Reply

- CJMishellsan | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

281 charts

Rank Score:

1,393

Rank in 1985:

18

Rank in 1980s:

201

Overall Rank:

1,250

Average Rating:

 77 (370 votes)

Comments:

27

202.

She's So Unusual 

 Cyndi Lauper

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"A damn near perfect pop record with some surprising social commentary along the way. Lauper is one of only a handful of vocalists who's instantly distinguishable."  Reply

- SamAndreas | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

294 charts

Rank Score:

1,391

Rank in 1983:

21

Rank in 1980s:

202

Overall Rank:

1,252

Average Rating:

 75 (313 votes)

Comments:

24

203.

Underwater Moonlight 

 The Soft Boys

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"Released in 1980, 'Underwater Moonlight' is an album that has stood the test of time remarkably well and still sounds fresh and inventive. Reminscent of the work of Television and Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, the band manage to straddle the early new-wave of the former and the psychedlic whimsy of...""Released in 1980, 'Underwater Moonlight' is an album that has stood the test of time remarkably well and still sounds fresh and inventive. Reminscent of the work of Television and Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, the band manage to straddle the early new-wave of the former and the psychedlic whimsy of the latter with the discordant fragmented blues of Beefheart to produce a distinctive and accomplished music. The band could arguably be said to have invented the '80s 'paisley' movement."  [+]  Reply

- hairymarx1 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

220 charts

Rank Score:

1,375

Rank in 1980:

32

Rank in 1980s:

203

Overall Rank:

1,265

Average Rating:

 77 (234 votes)

Comments:

10

204.

90125 

 Yes

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"This was my first experience of listening Yes. So it was a wonderful experience. The first side is full of great tracks. The second side not quite as strong although it ends very well with Hearts. What a comeback. Still I can understand why this may have annoyed many Yes fans - it really isn't Yes!"  Reply

- stevengnz | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

244 charts

Rank Score:

1,371

Rank in 1983:

22

Rank in 1980s:

204

Overall Rank:

1,270

Average Rating:

 73 (369 votes)

Comments:

22

205.

Hats 

 The Blue Nile

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"Walking down a quiet city street at night, feeling the cool air flow by as you watch the last lights from the surrounding apartment buildings flicker out, losing yourself in your own introspection, contemplating love, loss, and heartbreak before realizing you've been walking for hours, full circl...""Walking down a quiet city street at night, feeling the cool air flow by as you watch the last lights from the surrounding apartment buildings flicker out, losing yourself in your own introspection, contemplating love, loss, and heartbreak before realizing you've been walking for hours, full circle, all the way back to your residence; the sun is just starting to come up. You walk inside, still heartbroken, but perhaps with a bit of serenity now about you. Things will be alright in the end."  [+]  Reply

- | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

222 charts

Rank Score:

1,349

Rank in 1989:

19

Rank in 1980s:

205

Overall Rank:

1,282

Average Rating:

 79 (226 votes)

Comments:

10

206.

Double Fantasy 

 John Lennon & Yoko Ono

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"I love how beautiful this album is. John was showing this tender side (great powerful melodies), and Yoko was at her best. Everybody loves to bring Yoko's songs down, but to be honest, I think she did great in this album. The weakest songs of the album for me is "Dear yoko" and is sang by John an...""I love how beautiful this album is. John was showing this tender side (great powerful melodies), and Yoko was at her best. Everybody loves to bring Yoko's songs down, but to be honest, I think she did great in this album. The weakest songs of the album for me is "Dear yoko" and is sang by John and "Yes, I'm Your Angel" by Yoko (equally). The harsh criticism is attributed to the myth, sexism or simply refusing to see beyond the YOKO FACTOR, in my opinion. She doesn't bring John's work down, is just a counterpart of his vision. Would I have loved to see John's full version of this album? SURE!... But it is what it is, and for what it is, I think is great. "  [+]  Reply

- Hellaboi | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

327 charts

Rank Score:

1,345

Rank in 1980:

33

Rank in 1980s:

206

Overall Rank:

1,288

Average Rating:

 73 (422 votes)

Comments:

31

207.

Madonna 

 Madonna

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"I know, a 10/10 sounds like too much. The album is certainly flawed, GOD is it flawed. But that is mostly because of the fact that her approach of making music was completely unknown at the time. She makes the song and has a vision and then makes sure she finds a producer that understands her. An...""I know, a 10/10 sounds like too much. The album is certainly flawed, GOD is it flawed. But that is mostly because of the fact that her approach of making music was completely unknown at the time. She makes the song and has a vision and then makes sure she finds a producer that understands her. And if the product isn’t good enough, she doesn’t settle for less and continues her search for the perfect sound. Basically, the same tactic that she advices in her lyrics that should be used in relationships. It doesn’t sound like a big deal now, because almost all female artists after her, followed this formula, and it was also the most logical outcome for women, because culture has been (and somewhat still is) presenting music production (as well as playing certain instruments) as a male thing. This approach also created a blueprint for electropop in general. The way that the producer’s creative input is of almost equal importance can be found back in artists like Drake and Future today. Suddenly there wasn’t just one song, there were remixes too; the vocals could be thrown around and reinterpretated endlessly. Again, today it’s hard to realize what the big deal is, because that’s the norm now, but that’s because of Madonna. And of course she gave a voice to feminine sexuality in music."  [+]  Reply

- Boltzmann | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

253 charts

Rank Score:

1,337

Rank in 1983:

23

Rank in 1980s:

207

Overall Rank:

1,293

Average Rating:

 71 (355 votes)

Comments:

19

208.

Uprising 

 Bob Marley & The Wailers

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"Bob Marley and The Wailers save one of their best for last. Coming In From The Cold, Real Situation, Work, Pimpers Paradise, Could You Be Loved & Redemption song are my favs here."  Reply

- Brandon8 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

265 charts

Rank Score:

1,324

Rank in 1980:

34

Rank in 1980s:

208

Overall Rank:

1,302

Average Rating:

 77 (288 votes)

Comments:

11

209.

The Lion And The Cobra 

 Sinéad O'Connor

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"Though her subsequent work often leaves me cold, O'Connor's debut is a brilliant, eclectic collection in which even the love songs, such as the gorgeous "Just Like U Said It Would B," sound fiery and raw. "Troy," one of the finest songs of the decade, is a devastating entreaty to an ex-lover she ...""Though her subsequent work often leaves me cold, O'Connor's debut is a brilliant, eclectic collection in which even the love songs, such as the gorgeous "Just Like U Said It Would B," sound fiery and raw. "Troy," one of the finest songs of the decade, is a devastating entreaty to an ex-lover she can't—or won't—shake free of. "Drink Before the War" is a passionate anti-war cry housed in a lovely ballad. "I Want Your (Hands On Me)" is a lusty little dance, catchy and about as subtle as the title would suggest. Songs such as "Jackie," "Just Call Me Joe," "Mandinka," "Never Get Old," and "Jerusalem" show an extraordinary array of subjects, styles and influences. These songs are deep and literate and often sound as if they cost O'Connor a piece of her soul to get them on record."  [+]  Reply

- subtleman22 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

216 charts

Rank Score:

1,314

Rank in 1987:

24

Rank in 1980s:

209

Overall Rank:

1,312

Average Rating:

 78 (212 votes)

Comments:

6

210.

Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun 

 Dead Can Dance

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"After several listening, I find this still their best after all, and Into the Labyrinth and Aion come second among all their works, but this record is unparalleled in terms of atmosphere on the score arrangement. The only things I don't like about it are the utter separation into 4 tracks by Bren...""After several listening, I find this still their best after all, and Into the Labyrinth and Aion come second among all their works, but this record is unparalleled in terms of atmosphere on the score arrangement. The only things I don't like about it are the utter separation into 4 tracks by Brendan and the other 4 by Lisa, and the repetition of Cantara (great song though). Yes, I don't like the sequencing of songs, although they are of course masterpieces. Apart from this, the scale of grandness is never to be seen in their later work as of 2014, probably in some songs but not in such a big cluster on a single album. In all these years of my endeavor of searching for something similar in style and in quality, it all just goes in vain and brings me back to Dead Can Dance ultimately..., because you simply can't say those neo-classical darkwave works by those German labels have anything better; for me, there's no better or deeper singing, nor better-innovative scoring. So I guess they're just not replicable. Surely I'm still expecting medieval or Renaissance music with a hybrid of neo-classical darkwave and ethereal chanting mixed in, but anything in this genre that would rival DCD might still be their own works, in future."  [+]  Reply

- ilovelctr | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

212 charts

Rank Score:

1,307

Rank in 1987:

25

Rank in 1980s:

210

Overall Rank:

1,318

Average Rating:

 80 (250 votes)

Comments:

8

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 21 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Year	Albums	%
1980	121	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	107	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	88	9%
1986	93	9%
1987	89	9%
1988	97	10%
1989	91	9%

Artist	Albums	%
The Cure	10	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
U2	7	1%
The Fall	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	416	41%
	392	39%
	40	4%
	30	3%
	22	2%
	20	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	35	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	990	98%
Yes	19	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	997	99%
Yes	12	1%