Best Albums of 1981

Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 57,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
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1981 year summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cure, The Human League, Black Flag and This Heat.
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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
647
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
642
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
632
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
626
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
625
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
616
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
589
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
586
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
585
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
50.
Greatest Hits 
Compilation
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
549
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 5 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Country Albums %


United States 313 31%
United Kingdom 273 27%
Germany 62 6%
Mixed Nationality 40 4%
Australia 35 3%
Japan 30 3%
France 29 3%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 942 94%
Yes 59 6%
Live? Albums %
No 970 97%
Yes 31 3%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 992 99%
Yes 9 1%
Best Albums of 1974
1. Red by King Crimson
2. On The Beach by Neil Young
3. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway by Genesis
4. Crime Of The Century by Supertramp
5. Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt
6. Court And Spark by Joni Mitchell
7. Here Come The Warm Jets by Eno
8. A Tábua De Esmeralda by Jorge Ben
9. Sheer Heart Attack by Queen
10. Diamond Dogs by David Bowie
11. Mirage by Camel
12. Queen II by Queen
13. Radio City by Big Star
14. Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan
15. Autobahn by Kraftwerk
16. Kimono My House by Sparks
17. No Other by Gene Clark
18. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight by Richard & Linda Thompson
19. Country Life by Roxy Music
20. Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) by Eno
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