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	2,128	194,129	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,159	120,498	Moving Pictures (155th)by Rush
1982	2,134	148,449	Thriller (76th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,130	135,703	Murmur (143rd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,142	171,129	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,142	143,798	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,268	170,226	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,472	162,367	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,562	151,623	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,583	197,367	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,720	1,595,290

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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561.

Southern Accents

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

114 charts

Rank Score:

401

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

561

Overall Rank:

3,637

Average Rating:

73 (158 votes)

Comments:

562.

Stoneage Romeos

Hoodoo Gurus

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

81 charts

Rank Score:

400

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

562

Overall Rank:

3,645

Average Rating:

74 (71 votes)

Comments:

563.

Flowers In The Dirt

Paul McCartney

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

106 charts

Rank Score:

400

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

563

Overall Rank:

3,647

Average Rating:

74 (149 votes)

Comments:

564.

Naked

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

111 charts

Rank Score:

397

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

564

Overall Rank:

3,671

Average Rating:

69 (246 votes)

Comments:

565.

Thunder & Consolation

New Model Army

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

59 charts

Rank Score:

396

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

565

Overall Rank:

3,674

Average Rating:

78 (58 votes)

Comments:

566.

Permanent Vacation

Aerosmith

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

136 charts

Rank Score:

396

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

566

Overall Rank:

3,676

Average Rating:

72 (221 votes)

Comments:

567.

Bonded By Blood

Exodus (US)

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

78 charts

Rank Score:

394

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

567

Overall Rank:

3,689

Average Rating:

77 (87 votes)

Comments:

568.

Fear And Whiskey

Mekons

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

89 charts

Rank Score:

394

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

568

Overall Rank:

3,694

Average Rating:

76 (98 votes)

Comments:

569.

Argybargy

Squeeze

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

90 charts

Rank Score:

394

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

569

Overall Rank:

3,695

Average Rating:

75 (113 votes)

Comments:

570.

East

Cold Chisel

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

67 charts

Rank Score:

392

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

570

Overall Rank:

3,709

Average Rating:

70 (81 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 57 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	118	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	110	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	86	9%
1988	94	9%
1989	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	415	41%
	386	39%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	967	97%
Yes	34	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	13	1%

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

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