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 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1980s decade summary

Year	Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts.	Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year)	Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
1980	2,130	193,984	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,174	120,645	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,139	148,420	Thriller (76th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,148	135,664	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,148	171,013	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,156	143,950	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,278	170,082	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,477	162,399	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,565	151,782	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,590	197,432	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,805	1,595,371

The 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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371.

Trust

Elvis Costello And The Attractions

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

150 charts

Rank Score:

666

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

371

Overall Rank:

2,399

Average Rating:

78 (190 votes)

Comments:

372.

Once Upon A Time

Simple Minds

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

146 charts

Rank Score:

663

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

372

Overall Rank:

2,406

Average Rating:

74 (190 votes)

Comments:

373.

Sports

Huey Lewis & The News

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

133 charts

Rank Score:

660

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

373

Overall Rank:

2,414

Average Rating:

73 (170 votes)

Comments:

374.

Super Trouper

ABBA

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

142 charts

Rank Score:

659

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

374

Overall Rank:

2,417

Average Rating:

73 (183 votes)

Comments:

375.

It'll End In Tears

This Mortal Coil

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

140 charts

Rank Score:

657

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

375

Overall Rank:

2,421

Average Rating:

77 (141 votes)

Comments:

376.

Crowded House

Crowded House

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

171 charts

Rank Score:

650

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

376

Overall Rank:

2,443

Average Rating:

75 (206 votes)

Comments:

377.

Duran Duran

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

164 charts

Rank Score:

648

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

377

Overall Rank:

2,449

Average Rating:

73 (189 votes)

Comments:

378.

Power Windows

Rush

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

123 charts

Rank Score:

647

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

378

Overall Rank:

2,452

Average Rating:

76 (236 votes)

Comments:

379.

Pirates

Rickie Lee Jones

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

91 charts

Rank Score:

646

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

379

Overall Rank:

2,455

Average Rating:

77 (93 votes)

Comments:

380.

Mystery Girl

Roy Orbison

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

119 charts

Rank Score:

645

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

380

Overall Rank:

2,457

Average Rating:

76 (130 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 38 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	110	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	84	8%
1986	93	9%
1987	87	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	415	41%
	386	38%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	972	97%
Yes	33	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	983	98%
Yes	22	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	993	99%
Yes	12	1%

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

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Best Artists of the 1970s
1. Pink Floyd
2. David Bowie
3. Led Zeppelin
4. Neil Young
5. The Rolling Stones
6. The Clash
7. Fleetwood Mac
8. Black Sabbath
9. The Who
10. Genesis
11. Stevie Wonder
12. Bob Dylan
13. Paul McCartney
14. Yes
15. Joni Mitchell
16. Bruce Springsteen
17. Bob Marley
18. Nick Drake
19. Queen
20. Joy Division