Best Albums of the 1980s
Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 58,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 6 hours ago).
"I originally had this album on tape and have recently bought it on brand new vinyl, the sound production is excellent. This album sits between synth pop and rock which I am sure confuses many listeners. Ultravox were one of the more clever synth based eighties bands using real drums or electric p..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
630
Rank in 1980:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"When Sports came out in '83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He's been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far mo..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
625
Rank in 1983:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
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"I bought this album in 1983. Consistently good, great guitars. Still sounds good today!" Reply
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Secondsoul | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 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:
Rank Score:
621
Rank in 1983:
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Comments:
"A roller coaster ride through sound. There are a few dark moments, but the journey is an uplifting one which will send shivers down your spine. Best thrills include the majestic opener Cascade, the intense and haunting Obsession and the jazzy straightjacket strut of Cocoon. This is the Banshees a..." [+] Reply
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
621
Rank in 1982:
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Comments:
"Released in 1984, this album had a profound impact on my burgeoning music tastes. Not necessarily because it’s particularly good (I’ll get to that) but rather how it opened my eyes and ears to the world of 4AD which in turn lead me to artists such as Big Star, The Cocteau Twins, Belly, Bauhaus, D..." [+] Reply
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Brad1770 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 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:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
620
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"I'm judging this based off of the Matador 2008 release, which is fucking amazing. Gets better as it goes. Great record." Reply
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HoldenM | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 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:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
617
Rank in 1981:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
"JCM is up there with Springsteen & Dylan as one of America's finest this album has a heart warming feel to. Love it" Reply
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
616
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"For all you "smooth rock" fans out there, this is essentially the British equivalent of Yacht Rock. Whereas the 70s American yacht rock was breezy & upbeat, the New Romantics were somber & arty. Owes a sizable debt to Roxy Music. fave track: Backwaters" Reply
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
615
Rank in 1984:
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Share your opinion and help others discover this album. The top-voted comments are showcased in our aggregate charts!
"Logged as a compilation but how can a previously unreleased album of studio recordings be a compilation? Really good anyways. Possibly better than loaded but not the first 3." Reply
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Graeme2 | 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:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
610
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 39 of 100
Best Albums of the 1980s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 119 | 12% | |
| 1981 | 119 | 12% | |
| 1982 | 107 | 11% | |
| 1983 | 96 | 10% | |
| 1984 | 100 | 10% | |
| 1985 | 87 | 9% | |
| 1986 | 92 | 9% | |
| 1987 | 87 | 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% | |
| U2 | 7 | 1% | |
| The Fall | 7 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
414 | 41% | |
 |
392 | 39% | |
 |
40 | 4% | |
 |
27 | 3% | |
 |
22 | 2% | |
 |
20 | 2% | |
 |
12 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
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| Best Artists of 1970 | |
|---|---|
| 1. Black Sabbath | |
| 2. Neil Young | |
| 3. George Harrison | |
| 4. Simon & Garfunkel | |
| 5. John Lennon | |
| 6. Miles Davis | |
| 7. Van Morrison | |
| 8. Creedence Clearwater Revival | |
| 9. Led Zeppelin | |
| 10. The Beatles | |
| 11. The Stooges | |
| 12. The Velvet Underground | |
| 13. Grateful Dead | |
| 14. Derek & The Dominos | |
| 15. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | |
| 16. Crosby, Stills & Nash | |
| 17. Santana | |
| 18. Carlos Santana | |
| 19. Deep Purple | |
| 20. Cat Stevens |
