Best Albums of 1981

Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
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Year:
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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Collector's summary (top 1,000)Log in or register to discover the great albums that are missing from your music collection!
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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21
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:
21
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:
21
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:
21
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:
21
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
476.
Greatest Hits 
Compilation
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21
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:
21
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:
21
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:
21
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:
21
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 48 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Country Albums %


United States 305 31%
United Kingdom 285 29%
Germany 58 6%
Mixed Nationality 39 4%
Australia 36 4%
France 29 3%
Japan 27 3%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 938 94%
Yes 62 6%
Live? Albums %
No 970 97%
Yes 30 3%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 990 99%
Yes 10 1%
Best Albums of the 2020s
1. Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road
2. The New Abnormal by The Strokes
3. Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
4. Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
5. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz
6. For The First Time by Black Country, New Road
7. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief
8. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
9. Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
10. Folklore by Taylor Swift
11. What's Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware
12. Shore by Fleet Foxes
13. Blue Rev by Alvvays
14. A Light For Attracting Attention by The Smile
15. How I'm Feeling Now by Charli XCX
16. Hellfire by Black Midi
17. RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
18. After Hours by The Weeknd
19. Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast
20. Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, The Creator
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