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	2,134	193,595	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,176	120,391	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,140	148,030	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,154	135,426	Murmur (144th)by R.E.M.
1984	2,155	170,577	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,167	144,008	Hounds Of Love (57th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,284	169,869	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,489	162,134	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,569	151,537	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,595	197,370	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,863	1,592,936

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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381.

Hello, I Must Be Going!

Phil Collins

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

103 charts

Rank Score:

642

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

381

Overall Rank:

2,462

Average Rating:

67 (140 votes)

Comments:

382.

Fire Of Unknown Origin

Blue Öyster Cult

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

95 charts

Rank Score:

642

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

382

Overall Rank:

2,463

Average Rating:

77 (143 votes)

Comments:

383.

Sports

Huey Lewis & The News

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

131 charts

Rank Score:

638

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

383

Overall Rank:

2,474

Average Rating:

73 (169 votes)

Comments:

384.

My War

Black Flag

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

124 charts

Rank Score:

638

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

384

Overall Rank:

2,475

Average Rating:

74 (173 votes)

Comments:

385.

George Best

The Wedding Present

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

119 charts

Rank Score:

638

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

385

Overall Rank:

2,476

Average Rating:

78 (93 votes)

Comments:

386.

Signals, Calls, And Marches

Mission Of Burma

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

111 charts

Rank Score:

637

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

386

Overall Rank:

2,479

Average Rating:

77 (139 votes)

Comments:

387.

A Kiss In The Dreamhouse

Siouxsie And The Banshees

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

116 charts

Rank Score:

635

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

387

Overall Rank:

2,485

Average Rating:

78 (132 votes)

Comments:

388.

The Flowers Of Romance

Public Image Ltd.

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

121 charts

Rank Score:

630

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

388

Overall Rank:

2,499

Average Rating:

74 (126 votes)

Comments:

389.

Brilliant Trees

David Sylvian

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

105 charts

Rank Score:

628

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

389

Overall Rank:

2,507

Average Rating:

78 (131 votes)

Comments:

390.

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

202 charts

Rank Score:

624

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

390

Overall Rank:

2,516

Average Rating:

72 (216 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 39 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	110	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	103	10%
1985	81	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	86	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	101	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	416	41%
	387	39%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	972	97%
Yes	32	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	981	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	991	99%
Yes	13	1%

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