Best Albums of the 1980s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe 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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41.

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

756 charts

Rank Score:

5,643

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

306

Average Rating:

79 (915 votes)

Comments:

42.

Synchronicity

The Police

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

812 charts

Rank Score:

5,528

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

313

Average Rating:

79 (1,043 votes)

Comments:

43.

War

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

772 charts

Rank Score:

5,485

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

317

Average Rating:

79 (1,199 votes)

Comments:

44.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

633 charts

Rank Score:

5,337

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

328

Average Rating:

80 (1,155 votes)

Comments:

45.

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

633 charts

Rank Score:

5,224

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

336

Average Rating:

79 (684 votes)

Comments:

46.

Speaking In Tongues

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

625 charts

Rank Score:

5,188

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

338

Average Rating:

81 (792 votes)

Comments:

47.

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

581 charts

Rank Score:

4,865

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

355

Average Rating:

80 (637 votes)

Comments:

48.

Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

685 charts

Rank Score:

4,792

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

360

Average Rating:

80 (753 votes)

Comments:

49.

Document

R.E.M.

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

695 charts

Rank Score:

4,752

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

364

Average Rating:

80 (924 votes)

Comments:

50.

Skylarking

XTC

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

590 charts

Rank Score:

4,700

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

366

Average Rating:

80 (629 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 5 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	119	12%
1981	119	12%
1982	108	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	82	8%
1986	97	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	96	10%
1989	94	9%

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	%

	418	42%
	390	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	964	96%
Yes	36	4%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	22	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

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Best Artists of 1985
1. Kate Bush
2. Tom Waits
3. Dire Straits
4. The Smiths
5. The Jesus And Mary Chain
6. Tears For Fears
7. The Cure
8. The Replacements
9. Prefab Sprout
10. The Pogues
11. Marillion
12. New Order
13. Hüsker Dü
14. The Waterboys
15. The Fall
16. R.E.M.
17. Talking Heads
18. Prince
19. Prince And The Revolution
20. The Cult